of my favorite things to do when I’m bored, stressed, or just have some free time is to watch movies. Among my friends I’m the queen of movies, knowing who was in what, and reciting quotes, but I’m nothing compared to the rest of my family. Since I’m such a movie aficionado, my friends usually listen to my suggestions when we have movie nights. Here are a few of my favorite movies to watch for different moods.
Feeling Nostalgic:
"The Road to El Dorado" (2000)
I grew up watching this movie all the time, so much so that my brothers beg me not to choose it whenever it’s my turn to choose one at home. With an awesome cast of Kevin Kline, Kenneth Branagh, and Rosie Perez this buddy comedy might be aimed at children, but I still really enjoy watching it and am immediately cheered up just by hearing the first few notes of the opening song. Plus, it has a kickass soundtrack by Elton John.
"The Muppet Movie" (1979)
This is one of my mom’s favorite movies, so whenever we were home from school sick as kids we would always have it on. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you really need to see it ASAP. It’s a feel-good movie with some great one-liners and an awesome soundtrack.
"Toy Story" (1995)
Pretty much any Pixar movie (or Pixar short if you don’t have a lot of time) can make me think back to my childhood. This movie definitely made me believe my toys could come to life (I’m still not completely sure that they can’t). John Lasseter is a brilliant director and creative mind who contributed to a lot of fantastic movies that I watched throughout childhood.
"The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993)
Since Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, of course, I needed to include at least one Halloween movie in this list. Even though this Tim Burton movie doesn’t have Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter in it (shocking, I know), it does have a fantastic cast. Plus, it was made entirely through stop motion, which blows my mind whenever I think about it.
Feeling Sad:
"Legally Blonde" (2001)
If you want to feel motivated, this is a great movie to watch when you’re sad. Elle Woods doesn’t let anything get her down for too long and works hard to achieve her dreams without changing who she is. I feel like everyone could stand to be reminded that while things may suck, they might not be as bad as you think.
"The Breakfast Club" (1985)
In my opinion, this is the best John Hughes movie and should definitely cheer you up. Don’t get me wrong, "Sixteen Candles" and "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off" are great, but they’re nothing compared to "The Breakfast Club". This is just one of those movies that you need to see at least once in your life and does a great job at showing the inner issues of seemingly totally different people and highlighting their similarities.
"The Fundamentals of Caring" (2016)
I watched this movie based on my mom’s suggestion, and I thought it was phenomenal. The feel-good movie does a great job at combining comedy and real life, brightening up its really sad scenes with humor. I’ll watch pretty much anything that has Paul Rudd or Selena Gomez in it, but this movie was really great.
"The Iron Giant" (1999)
If this movie doesn’t leave you in tears your heart just might be made out of stone. This movie was another staple of my childhood, although we watched this one slightly less frequently to avoid crying all the time.
Want a Good Rom-Com:
"The Princess Bride" (1987)
This cult-classic will always be one of my favorite movies and is always the first one I suggest for a girls night in (even if everyone has already seen it fourteen times). More than just a rom-com, The Princess Bride combines action, romance, drama, and comedy in a thrilling story that keeps you hooked the whole time.
"Sliding Doors" (1998)
The first time I watched this movie I watched it three times in the same week so that I could show all of my friends. Gwyneth Paltrow is amazing in the role, and I probably paid more attention to this than most of the rom-coms I watched because I was so intent on finding out how it would end up.
"Stuck in Love" (2012)
I only recently watched this star-studded movie, but I loved the way it shows how different people have all kinds of different relationships and showed the nuances of love. The characters are extremely relatable and well-developed, and the actors do a great job portraying them.
"When Harry Met Sally" (1989)
This movie is a must watch and is quoted around my house all of the time. Billy Crystal is one of my favorite actors, and although I’m not a huge Meg Ryan fan they play off of each other extremely well and bring this movie to life.
