Cinematical Seven: The World's Best 'Comfort' Movies

by Scott Weinberg Sep 8th 2008 // 10:02PM

Filed under: Animation, Classics, Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, Family Films, Home Entertainment, Cinematical Seven, Lists



You could probably tell if you got me on the phone: I had some severe oral surgery just a few days ago. It was a long time coming (stemming from a genetic calcium deficiency, a nasty fall during Labor Day weekend, and years of simple stupidity on my part), it was very unpleasant, and ... it's over. Aside from the healing process, that is, which is often more uncomfortable than the actual procedures. (If you're reading these words, go brush your teeth right now. Seriously. I'll wait.) So since I'll be spending the next several days drinking soup and popping cocktails made of Vicodin and antibiotics, I'll also need a big stack of "comfort movies" to make me feel better. And to make myself feel even better than that, I choose to share those movies with you.

So if you're low, cranky, depressed, ill, miserable, or simply recovering from a dental procedure that makes Marathon Man look like Mr. Mom, try some of these on for size. Odds are you've seen 'em already, but each one has some sort of magical healing power that I'm very grateful for.

Finding Nemo -- This is my #1. Whenever I can't sleep, have a headache, or am convalescing from endodontic agony, there's just something so sweetly soothing about this movie. Perhaps the underwater locale has something to do with it, but Finding Nemo always chills me out. And if you've ever met me, you know how valuable a movie like that can be. I even like the dentist, and that's saying something.

The Fellowship of the Ring -- The early stuff in Hobbiton is so damn beautiful ... and that music! Plus, the idea of starting off on a VERY long adventure reminds me of watching movies as a kid (when every movie seemed four hours long), and that's a very valuable power for a movie to possess.

The Princess Bride -- 'Nuff said.

Raising Arizona -- Brilliantly funny, masterfully directed, and (best of all) it just never gets old. How is it that I can still chuckle at jokes I've heard 19 times by now? ("You ate sand? We ate sand.") I have no idea. It must be that movie magic I keep hearing about.

King Kong '33 -- I'm a big fan of Peter Jackson's love letter / remake, and it could also qualify as a comfort movie -- but it does get kinda loud in Act II. And a comfort movie needs to be somewhat sedate, you know? As far as pure nostalgia goes, nothing touches the original Kong. (OK, The Wizard of Oz comes close.) This is THE movie that turned me into a movie geek -- and for that I'll be forever grateful.

Weekend at Bernie's 2 -- Just kidding. I'm medicated, not brain-damaged.

Miller's Crossing -- You know how classical music aficionados can become just enraptured by the sounds they're hearing? The notes and the tones are so sublime that they almost defy description? That the rhythms and cadences and melodies are virtually MAGIC? Yeah. That's how I feel about this screenplay.

Animal House, The Blues Brothers, Caddyshack or Stripes -- I was raised on these movies. And I mean that. (I actually called them the "ABCs of American Comedy": A for Animal, B for Blues, etc. Gosh was I a clever little dork.) I'm that guy who could recite these movies word for word as the VHS tape whirred on by. Fortunately I'm also the guy who knows how freaking obnoxious that is. Also in this category: Ghostbusters, 9 to 5, and (weird, I know) Seems Like Old Times.

My mother simply had to throw a few "comfort" titles in: Forrest Gump, Con Air, and Wuthering Heights. Yeah, she's got weird taste too. Plus she keeps begging me to watch a movie called Holiday Heart, but frankly there's not enough Vicodin in Philadelphia to cover that assignment.

So over to you, my fine Cinematical surveyor: What flicks do you crave when you're feeling crappy?

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Tags: cinematical seven, CinematicalSeven, comfort movies, ComfortMovies

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