Scott Weinberg of Cinematical is recovering from oral surgery, which is of course the perfect time to watch some “comfort movies.”
I often say that movies should be rated on two scales — good to bad, of course (and we can debate forever what that means) and “watchability.” Some movies just go down easy for reasons that have nothing whatsoever to do with whether they are good or classic or smart or creative. And those are movies that are very good when you’re a little bit feverish or achy.
Of course the choice of “comfort movie” is very personal. Each of us has movies that are special to us just because we loved them when we were younger and have seen them so many times. I agree with some of Weinberg’s choices — “Finding Nemo” and “Princess Bride” will cheer anyone up. But while I respect his affection for “King Kong” (the original), “Raising Arizona,” “Lord of the Rings,” and “The Blues Brothers,” those are all too loud and frantic to be my idea of good convalescence watching. I like “Happy Texas” and “Galaxy Quest” and classic musicals like “Bells are Ringing” and “The Music Man.” I also like to watch some of my favorite television shows when I’m sick in bed. 22 minutes is about right for my attention span when I’m feeling sick. “Mad About You,” “The Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Sports Night,” “Will and Grace,” “Barney Miller,” “30 Rock” — pure video penicillin. I also like to listen to director commentary tracks when I’m sick, something I don’t usually have time for. I especially love the one for “Charade.”
I have loved movies for as long as I can remember but I first began to think about them when I spent the summer in bed with mononucleosis at age 16. Even though I only had a black and white television with just five channels, it was not a bad way to spend the summer — and not a bad way to learn about movies.
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posted September 12, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Nell, I’ve also loved movies every since I was a kid watching “The Early Show” and “The Late Show” and all the other movie reruns they used to show.
My list of favorite comfort movies:
1. North by Northwest and/or Rear Window
2. Stalag 17 and/or The Apartment
3. Annie Hall and/or Play It Again Sam
4. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and/or It Happened One Night
5. Bringing Up Baby and/or The Talk of the Town
6. Casablanca and/or The African Queen
7. The Music Man
posted September 12, 2008 at 2:19 pm
I forgot “The Quiet Man.” Another movie I can watch over and over again.
posted September 12, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Wow! Too many to count but here’s a few:
1.Princess Bride
2. Ladyhawk (love this love story and Matthew Broderick is great!)
3.All the Harry Potter films to date (love the kids!)
4.Bringing Up Baby and/or Desk Set
5.Young Frankenstein/History of the World Part I(any Mel Brooks!)
6.Return to Me/and or/Somewhere in Time (love sloppy romantics!)
7.Singin’ in the Rain (Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em laugh dance routine can’t be beat!)
8.Harvey and/or Arsenic and Old Lace
9.O Brother Where art Thou (“dummer’n a bag o hammers”-great line)
10.Anything with George Clooney or Cary Grant!
posted September 15, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Here’s my top ten comfort movies (in no particular order):
1. Roman Holiday because Audrey Hepburn’s one of my favorites
2. Hitch because it’s funny
3. A Walk To Remember because it’s sweet
4. Eight Below because it makes me cry
5. I Am Sam because it’s a sweet story
6. Mary Poppins because it’s creative
7. Finding Nemo, but I skip the beginning where his mom dies
8. The Other Side Of Heaven because it’s a sweet and true story about a missionary
9. Early Edition (tv show) because it’s a childhood favorite
10. The Little Mermaid because it’s my very first theater movie and it’s really sweet and Jodi Benson provides the voice of Ariel
Have a blessed day!
Andrea
posted September 15, 2008 at 5:50 pm
I so agree with Ladyhawk. I love the enduring love stories. Another is an Affair to Remember, Steel Magnolias, Benny and Joon, While you Were Sleeping and Sound of Music
posted September 16, 2008 at 11:11 am
I love all of these choices! Makes me look forward to the next time I get the flu!