For the Good Days and the Bad - Films That Make it All Better

Some days, are bad days. Some days, are days you wish you could erase half of humanity with just a blink. And then, there are days where your body won’t move and your mind won’t settle – the days, when the ennui floats in. My adult life is a collection of all of these days – occurring with frightening regularity. Countering these days, with countless remedies, has finally brought me to the perfect antidote – comfort films.

These are films, I watch often – films, whose dialogues I know by heart, and scenes I can describe with my eyes closed. These are the films that feel like home – with no surprises sprung at me from the shadows, and no unseen endings that break my heart – these are the millennial’s version of therapy. For every heart break, and every low, there is a film that soaks in my grief. From under the blanket, on cold rainy days – they, have been my company. And today, I’ll let you in on my grand list of comfort films – so you too, can feel the way I feel. So pull up your covers, and tune right in!

1     The Help (2012) 

Adapted from Kathryn Stockett’s debut novel by the same name, this movie manages to warm the cockles of my heart. Set in the 1960s, The Help brings to you the struggles of the coloured maids (generously referred to, as the help) and a single white woman’s crusade to give them a voice. While the story is set against the seismic upheaval of the civil rights movement in America,  the movie unfolds at a safe distance from the politics of the movement, in Jackson, Mississippi. In the era of coiffed hair and puff sleeves, this heart-warming tale, helmed by a trio of Oscar Winning Actresses (Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer and Emma Stone) and is an absolute delight for those, who love some humour with their drama. 

Watch the trailer here. 

Pride and Prejudice (2005) 

Anybody who knows me, will tell you that Jane Austen and I are certainly not on good terms. And yet somehow, Joe Wright’s wry adaptation of the cult classic, is a film I have watched innumerable times. Tailing Elizabeth, as she makes her way through the murky grasslands and societal norms, somewhere, the tedious novel had transformed into a beautiful film. Set against the earthy tones of the Regency Era, England and Austen have never seemed more appealing. 

Take a sneak peak, here. 

Wake Up Sid (2009) 

Among the many coming of age films that Bollywood has churned out, Wake Up Sid is my favourite. The film traces the story of Siddharth Mehra (played by the fresh - eyed Ranbir Kapoor) – who goes from being an entitled Bandra Boy to a vaguely self- sufficient man child. Although far from perfect, this movie still gives me the hope that despite all this wandering, I won’t be lost. The film also stars the beautiful Konkana Sen, in her element and the delectable Rahul Khanna, who is very, very hard to look away from. So if you’re stuck home on a rainy afternoon, tune into the soulful rendition of Iktaara, and fall in love with Bombay, all over again. 

Watch the trailer here. 

Clueless (1995) 

And Jane Austen makes another appearance! Loosely based on her novel Emma, Clueless is a cult classic, in its own right. Right out of a 90s wardrobe, this movie revolves around its adorable protagonist Cher and her well-meaning ways, that end in a series of disaster. If you like your pick – me – ups to be bright, gregarious and Paul Rudd, then look no further. Slip into your comfy shorts and bring out the fresh batch of popcorn, cause Austen, just got a lot more cooler. 

Watch the trailer here. 

Lootera (2013) 

Set against the decline of the Zamindari, Lootera really shines in the warm hues of Bengal. Adapted from an O.Henry short story, The Last Leaf, it is succulent in its pain and radiant in its joy. Sewn intricately with the music of Amit Trivedi, this is a very hard film to not fall in love with. While the film is carried on the shoulders of their unassuming lead pair – Sonakshi Sinha, and Ranveer Singh, it also marks the acting debut of the formidably talented Vikrant Massey. Lose yourself in the film's old world charm, and find solace in its melancholy. 

Catch a glimpse of it, here.