I can’t seem to concentrate on studying unless I have some kind of sound in my ears. Most days it’s music I use, alternating playlists every other day, but when that doesn’t seem to work, I and my mom have our comfort movies. Comfort movies are movies that we love and watch whenever we need to wind down or when calming music doesn’t tame the fire in our veins. We’ve watched these movies so much that we don’t need to look at the screen to know what is happening, we just pause it once in a while when our favorite scene comes up.
I have quite a listing habit and I like to ask the people closest to me about their favorite stuff and my mom has been a victim of most of my questions, I always plan to write about those lists but never get to, somehow, I think my mother knows that too, so she suggested this, and here I am.
Also, since it’s summer in my place, I need to get my hands useful creatively before any more of my ideas fade away. So here are mine and my mother’s comfort movies:
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) – John Madden; Maggie Smith and Dev Patel
What do you like about this movie?
Mom: It’s fun! And it’s about old people, nice old people.
- The 2nd Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015) – John Madden; Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, and Dev Patel
There are no criteria for comfort movies, just comfort, and warmth. It was very amusing for me to find mom looking very happy watching a bunch of old people stumbling through life so I watched it with her and I loved it. It’s very refreshing for me seeing old people who are typically portrayed as wise suddenly struggle with life the way the young ones also are. It’s proof of how life never ends and how we’re never ever too late to discover ourselves.
- Little Women (1994) – Gillian Armstrong; Winona Ryder
In the dorm, I watch this at night when I’m having trouble sleeping. It reminds me of home. Not of what it really is like but what it should be. I love that it could low key be a feminist movie because women don’t have to know martial arts to prove their strength, we can be feminine and still be strong just watch these women handle life so gracefully and uniquely and remind us the importance of kindness, moral courage, imagination, and duty.
- Chocolat (2000) – Lasse Hallstrom; Juliette Binoche
I’m not really sure why…it might be chocolate. Or the charm of Vienne’s beautiful character…and chocolate.
- Sabrina (1995) – Billy Wilder; Julia Ormond and Harrison Ford
Sabrina in herself is charming in her own uniquely elegant way and I just fell for her. But what I love the most here, other than the clothes is how this is one of the few none action films where the woman saves the guy and not the opposite way around. I like the twist in the ending ( it’s a twist for me) when the younger (player) brother is the one that slaps Harrison Ford across his face to tell him what he’s missing. There is a sense of gentility and humanity in this film and the story that comforts me the way my lullabies usually do.
- Notting Hill (1999) – Roger Mitchell; Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts
Of all my favorite non-Austen love stories at the top of my head, this one stays the most special. I’ve had a soft spot for this film ever since I was younger (10-ish?) and it never really went away. The iconic line that Julia Roberts says has been copied and pasted on almost every other social media account by tons of people but it still only feels right when you hear it in this movie. I also love how the characters feel so genuine and flawed and not stereotypically pretty. I think that this is truly a modern fairytale.
The Austen Pile
My mother adores Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, those and Sabrina were her staple comfort movies; I only started appreciating Austen after I read her book, I watched these movies at such a young age, of course, to truly feel whatever it is my mother feels back then. I’m not sure where the hype started for us to start looking for more Austen adaptations but these are the ones we’ve gathered and the ones we keep repeating like it’s an album rather than a movie.
- Pride and Prejudice (2005) – Joe Wright; Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfayden
I am curious about what happens to Kitty after that chapter in her life.
- Sense and Sensibility (1995) – Ang Lee; Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet
And another chapter on character dynamics and siblings with chemistry I envy.
- Emma (1996) – Diarmuid Lawrence; Kate Beckinsale and Mark Strong
Mom’s favorite movie quote by Mr. Knightley.
- Mansfield Park (2007) – Iain B. Macdonald; Billie Piper and Blake Ritson
The Crawfords: people who fell for our main characters but does not deserve them; Fanny: an angel.
- Persuasion (2007) – Adrian Shergold; Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones
I think the camera work is terrible but this is my brother’s favorite which came as a surprise for us, and the acting is superb, though I do think Frederick could’ve kissed Anne faster.
- Northanger Abbey (2007) – Jon Jones; Felicity Jones and J.J. Field
This gives me more of a childlike feel especially from Catherine, I think her innocence is what drew Henry to her. It does not mask the mystery and mischief of Bath but I like how that feeling never disappeared which shows that this is Catherine’s story.
Simply put, I don’t really know how to write about these movies but I love them and they calm me down, and I thought I should still pay homage to them.
What do you guys think? Do you love these movies as much as I do? What are your comfort movies?
Daydream 