There really is no better pick-me-up than a movie, and there's definitely no better pick-me-up kind of movie than one that makes you feel good. Feel good movies are for everyone, whether you're craving something sweet, funny, romantic, or all of the above. So the next time you're feeling down or maybe you've got two hours to kill, watch one of these feel good movies from Netflix and instantly boost your mood.
- Ferris Bueller's Day Off
This one is a classic, so you've probably seen it at least once or twice. Ferris Bueller (played brilliantly by Matthew Broderick) is a conniving but cool and clever high school senior who decides to fake one last sick day and spend it in Chicago with his best friend Cameron ( the very endearing Alan Ruck) and his beautiful girlfriend Sloane (Mia Sara). Ferris and his friends encounter a snooty maitre d', lip synch to "Twist and Shout" in a huge street parade, and discuss life after high school, all while their nosey principal Ed Rooney tries to catch Ferris skipping once and for all. Like all of John Hughes's other teen films, Ferris Bueller's Day Off captures the best parts of being a teenager without ever making its young characters seem inexperienced or unimportant. Ferris is never just immature or silly; he's someone everyone wishes they could be, at least for one day.
- While You Were Sleeping
I love this movie. My 24 year old older brother loves this movie, my mother loves this movie, and my 17 year old sister loves this movie. Basically, anybody and everyone can love this movie, no matter your gender or age. After saving a handsome lawyer she has never spoken to but has admired from afar, Lucy (Sandra Bullock) is mistaken for the comatose man's fiancee and forms a relationship with his family. She struggles with the guilt of keeping her real identity a secret, all while she begins to fall for her fake fiancee's working class brother. The movie is comfortably predictable and romantic without being overly sappy. Watch it with your other half or your family.
- Galaxy Quest
I remember watching this movie on VHS as a little girl while my dad laughed so hard he couldn't make a sound. Years later, I actually understand the movie and appreciate how it constantly (but not in mean way) makes fun of the success of the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises. Tim Allen plays a has-been television actor who, along with his has-been cast mates (Sigourney Weaver and Alan Rickman to name a few), is recruited by a real alien race to save their planet. You don't have to be a fan of Star Wars or Star Trek to appreciate the humor. Frankly seeing Professor Snape in a comedy is a good enough reason to watch.
- Silver Linings Playbook
Often movies about mental illness are sad but not this one. Sure, there are tense moments but there's a hopefulness present throughout the entire movie that makes even those moments easier to watch. Pat (Bradley Cooper) is in a bad place. He discovered his wife cheating on him and, in a moment of temporary insanity, made some bad decisions. Just released from a mental hospital, Pat is intent on getting his wife back and is convinced by family friend Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence in her Oscar-winning performance) to join a ballroom dance competition with her to prove he's changed. The entire cast (which also includes Robert De Niro in one of his best recent performances) is great and the final dance scene will definitely become a movie classic if it isn't already.
- Zoolander
This one is ridiculous but so, so brilliant. Ben Stiller plays fashion model Derek Zoolander. He's ignorant and over the top which makes him the perfect candidate for fashion designer Mugatu (Will Ferrell) to persuade into killing the prime minister of Malaysia. If you've ever heard the terms "Blue Steel" or "Magnum" then you have this movie to thank. Boasting about a million celebrity appearances, including the likes of Paris Hilton and David Bowie, every minute of this film will make you laugh. You may lose a few brain cells in the process but it's all in good fun.
As of now all of these films are scheduled to remain on Netflix in 2015. Fingers crossed they do!
...And if you like this list, check out my list of the The 5 Best Chick Flicks on Netflix here. Let me know in the comments section what your favorite feel good movies are. :)
