Let’s talk about movies.
I love movies. My father took my younger brother and I to them when we were young as a way of saying to my mom, “you can have a quiet house for threeish hours.” The dollar theater near our house was the usual spot where we sat in the dark, hid behind tubs of popcorn, and watched stories unfold in front of us. I loved the magic of movies, and I still do. This is why, when my depression is set on trying to make me feel like I don’t love anything, I remind myself of the passion I had as a child (and still have now) for movies. Because loving movies and depression are both pretty universal, I’d like to share 5 movies that help me with my funk:
1. Life of Pi (2012)
Life of Pi, based off of the book with the same name published in 2001, is a fictional movie about “Pi” Patel, an Indian boy who is shipwrecked with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker. The movie itself is not a campy, PG story about a boy and a tiger becoming friends. No, this story is about loss, and anger, and fear. However, the movie is phenomenal because it is peppered with hope, just enough that such a terrible situation seems survivable.
Life of Pi is also on this list because it is absolutely beautiful:
2. Any Disney movie
Not much of an explanation is needed, but here it goes: Disney movies are great. They remind you of your childhood, your body tingles with nostalgia, and now, you have a chance of catching some adult humor disguised in witty dialogue. Some shoutouts to: Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), Peter Pan (1953), and Inside Out (2015), because all of these movies have moments that make me feel truly whimsical.
3. The Princess Bride (1987)
A classic. Your parents love it, you loved it when you were 8, you love it 10+ years later. It has a cute kid with a cute grandpa, a band of misfits, pirates, torn-apart lovers with a past, and the swoon-worthy phrase: “As you wish.” This is a rainy day movie if there ever was one.
4. Les Misérables (2012)
Man, 2012 was a great year for movies. Anyway, this movie-musical doesn’t scream “heartwarming,” but the last words are (spoiler) “tomorrow comes.” That itself is beautiful, and this whole movie is truly a thing of beauty. It covers love and loss, passion, questioning oneself, family, and so many other intricate topics. And in terms of the music, the score is incredible.
5. Love, Actually (2003)
This is a movie that almost everybody likes, and for good reason: Love, Actually is the ultimate feel-good, warm fuzzies-inducing movie. It has multiple storylines to follow, so if you don’t care for one, that’s fine! It also has a metric ton of amazing actors, such as cute Colin Firth, hilarious Bill Nighy, and who could forget adorable Thomas Brodie-Sangster? This movie is the definition of “cute.” It’s nice to watch with your friends, your family, a significant other, or just by yourself.
In conclusion, when you’re not feeling good, movies can remind you that things will be okay.