5 Comfort Movies to Lift Your Spirits

Sometimes we find ourselves in a funk that seemingly nothing can pull us out of. When friends and family just don’t get it, a good movie can always elevate your spirits.  These feel good films have been dubbed “comfort movies” and rightfully so; they have the uncanny ability to cheer us up, and make us feel less alone. If you find yourself in desperate need for a cinematic pick-me-up, here are 5 great comfort movies for you to check out.  

1. 10 Things I Hate About You

This movie is all the early 2000s vibes you could ask for, and then some. It’s funny, relatable, and everything that you could ask for from a RomCom. Kat Straford (played by Julia Styles) is head-strong, confident, and smart with an impeccably witty humor. Stir in some phenomenal acting from a young Heath Ledger, and you’ve got the perfect movie to watch curled up on the couch after a long week. 

An authentic 80’s throwback, Breakfast Club centers itself around five high school teens who, for one reason or another, have landed themselves in the dreaded Saturday detention. This movie will make you laugh, break your heart, and heal your soul. Even though it's an older piece, this movie still manages to capture the universal teenage experience: to be misunderstood, to be frustrated, and to be stuck. Whether you consider yourself the jock, princess, rebel, outcast, or the brain, you’ll find a bit of comfort in this movie. 

Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews. What more could you want? The Princess Diaries is a masterpiece coming of age movie; it's got boy troubles, “it” girls, school dances, and oh yeah, your grandma dropping in to let you know that you're a Princess. Packed with charming humor, and lots of heartfelt moments, this movie is guaranteed to cheer you up, and will leave you with lots of memorable quotes.  

Okay, let's just admit it, sometimes growing up seriously sucks. You’re awkward, you don’t know what you’re doing, you want to be treated like an adult - but everyone around you still perceives you as a child. Nadine (played by Hailee Steinfeld) is going through exactly these struggles. The Edge of 17, just like high school, has its ups and downs. It will have you laughing until your side hurts, and crying your eyes out. Mix that with just the right amount of self-reflective cringeworthy moments, and you’ve got yourself an inexplicably wonderful movie that encourages you to find comfort in the chaos. 

Funny, clever, catchy, relatable, smart, and powerful, somehow this movie encompasses it all (what, like it’s hard?). This movie follows Elle Woods (played by Reese Witherspoon) as she transforms from sorority president and fashion student to a top tier law student at Harvard. Legally Blonde is the perfect example of how sometimes not all endings are bad, and is the epitome of “if you put your mind to it you can succeed.” After watching this movie, you’ll feel a little bit better than when you started, and you’ll know exactly why you can’t shower right after getting your hair permed. 

Written by: Alexa Rosenberger 

Instagram: @lex.gabrielle_