“F“Eelgood” movies are often thought of as easy-going romantic comedies, comforting classics, or childhood favorites that have stood the test of time decades later. In our series ‘My Feelgood movies’, Guardian writers look back at their favorite films and explain why they keep coming back.
This list is updated weekly with additional suggestions.
Want more options? Here’s our previous list of the 10 best escapist movies and 52 comforting, rewatchable titles.
father of the bride
Starring: Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Martin Short
Director: Charles Scheyer
Why our writers love this movie: “Why do I keep coming back to this movie? As a girl and a young woman, I was strongly opposed to marriage (although I have since softened my feelings) and it was more than just a desire. I was watching it as a comedy-horror. Still, watching Frank and his family put on one hell of a show makes me want to be a part of it too. I love Diane Keaton.” (Laura Snapes)
Read the full review of “Father of the Bride”
Digstown aka Midnight Sting
Starring: James Woods, Louis Gossett Jr.
Director: Michael Ritchie
Why the writer loves this movie: “Digstown is the perfect feel-good movie, a breezy yet exciting genre mash-up with enough hangout atmosphere to keep you entertained in the background, but also enough to make you inevitably go all out. It’s also a good bet.” Caution. ” (Zach Vasquez)
Read the full review of Diggstown aka Midnight Sting
burlesque
Cast: Cher, Christina Aguilera
Director: Steve Antin
Why I love this film: “Many who criticized Burlesque at the time of its release will feel punished by this cosmically ordained choice of comfort film. Dual diva Christina openly reaches across generations of gay fandom with a sequined patchwork quilt of backstage musicals and melodramas Starring Aguilera and Cher, the film inspired critical comparisons to A Star Is Born and Cabaret and Showgirls, which grossed 9,000 at the global box office. At $10,000, it wasn’t a huge flop, but it wasn’t a clear hit either, especially since it was a modest indie with a feathered budget. Antin had a long and scattered career before burlesque, ranging from acting and screenwriting to stunt work and producing the Pussycat Dolls reality show. But he hasn’t directed another movie since then. The world, in general, isn’t sad.” (Guy Lodge)
Read the full Burlesque review
head of state
Starring: Chris Rock, Bernie Mac
Director: Chris Rock
Why I love this movie: “After the election, I came back to see this movie many times for a laugh, but in the end the whole picture came off as a clearer allegory for Kamala Harris’ defeat than Obama’s victory.Harris and Similarly (Chris Rock stars as Maes Gilliam, a lowly politician turned presidential candidate), he becomes a victim of the party; Sacrificed to make a certain loss not look too bad on the card, he was thrown into the fray at the 11th hour and plugged in, a humming campaign device and touted as a history maker. It really makes you think about how close comedy is to horror.” (Andrew Lawrence)
Read the full Head of State review
Where to watch: Head of State is available to stream on Freevee, Tubi, Paramount+, MGM+ in the US, Paramount+ in the UK, and Amazon Prime in Australia.
knight’s story
Starring: Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Paul Bettany
Director: Brian Helgeland
Why I love this movie: “For me, watching a feel-good movie is a very nostalgic exercise. It’s because the movie is special or timely that it takes up residence in my heart. Because watching the movie again is an act of reminiscing about who you used to be. “A Night’s Tale” was released only 7 years ago. It’s overshadowed by the genuine sadness of Ledger’s passing in 2009, but watching it also reminds me of how I used to feel as a young girl who loved jousting because her older brother played it. On the other hand, I secretly cherish action movies that are incredibly sentimental.” (Francesca Carrington)
Read the full review of “A Knight’s Tale”
Alita: Battle Angel
Starring: Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly
Director: Robert Rodriguez
Why the writer loves this movie: “My go-to movie when I’m disappointed in humanity is Alita: Battle Angel, the movie where most of humanity hangs out in a city-sized pile of trash. I don’t mean to start playing, but even though things are going horribly wrong. (It seems realistic at this point), but it’s still nice to imagine a future where unexpected triumphs emerge from the nightmarish garbage heap of technology and faith in humanity. There are many time-honored films that take a more direct path to temporary bliss, such as science fiction films, which are good for restoring .” (Jesse Hassenger)
Read our full Alita: Battle Angel review
I know where I’m going!
Starring: Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, Pamela Brown
Director: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Why I love this book: “I know where I’m going!” These moments of mystical and romantic significance are delivered with ease, with comical asides and colorful whimsy. . It’s a disarming strategy, and the audience tends to be every bit as captivated as Joan (the film’s main character) is. In this corner of the universe, anything can happen, even an ancient curse. ” (Pamela Hutchinson)
Read the full review of “I Know Where I’m Going”!
Where to watch: I Know Where I’m Going! is available on Tubi, Amazon Prime, and Criterion Channel in the US, and available for digital rental on BBC iPlayer in Australia and the UK.
