Every once in awhile when I’ve been down and about I like to watch a comfort film, regardless of quality. I just wanted to take some time to talk about a few of my comfort films that I enjoy watching, you’ve probably seen most of these or all of these and that’s okay. Give them another watch sometime yeah?

To make this a little more entertaining I think I’m going to make it a list, not a ranking list of any sorts but a list so that you can feel like its a bit more organized.

10. Midsommar

Weird “comfort” film to be sure but after seeing the film 20 times it becomes a lot more comforting, as if I feel held in the films grasp, but the grip is a bit loose and it rocks me gently to sleep. I’ve come a long way from having a panic attack from my first viewing and such a personable film has grown onto me in a way not many other films have.

9. The Blue Umbrella

The Blue Umbrella is a short film by Pixar that is about a blue umbrella falling in love with a pink umbrella. There’s not much substance in there, it’s not a nuanced story of any sorts, but just a simple love story with no dialog, and beautiful almost photo realistic animation.

8. Scott Pilgrim vs The World

What is there not to love about this film? Edgar Wright and Bryan O’Mally are a match made in heaven for something so tightly packed and fun. With well choreographed fights, a soundtrack that absolutely slaps beginning to end, references jam packed into every second of the film, and just some of the best editing and filmmaking, the film is a blast to watch. Scott Pilgrim vs The World is the film that made me love film.

7. Knives Out

I will personally say that I am not a Rian Johnson fanboy of any sort, but I don’t hate the guy either. He knows what he’s doing, its just that sometimes I feel like he does it wrong(?). You know, great idea, bad execution kinda thing. Well Knives Out I feel was just Rian lookong at his other films and going “Fuck it. I can do better.” and then he did. Nearly every part of Knives Out is perfect and is a genuinely fun mystery and deconstruction of a mystery. On top of all of that its just a huge love letter to murder mystery stories. I love Knives Out nuanced simplicity presenting ideas that you can sink your teeth into and at the same time presenting a solid simple story. Knives Out is the perfect example of “paint a picture, but let the audience to provide the canvas.”

6. World of Tomorrow

Don Hertzfeld’s World of Tommorrow is a dark yet humorous animated short film that honestly just is relatable yet is still alien whenever I watch it. I think what sells the film the most for me is not the animation, which is great don’t get me wrong, but the ideas presented by the writing and the voice acting. Its not a long film by any means and is fairly cheap to rent or buy, I absolutely recommend watching the film if you have a few minutes to spare.

5. Spider-Man: Homecoming

It’s weird to put this film on this list, its not the only MCU film thats on the list, but still something about it feels off saying “yeah, I really enjoy watching Spider-Man: Homecoming more than 15 times.” The film doesn’t hold a candle to the the original Rami trio of Spider-Man films and doesn’t have the same tone as Marc Webb’s The Amazing Spider-Man (no I won’t acknowledge the second film), but something about just a peppy young adult Peter Parker just being a neighborhood superhero with a light hearted tone and an almost Saturday morning cartoon-esc plot is pretty fun and really comfortable to watch when I just want to cheer myself up.

4. Iron Man

Here’s the other MCU film on this list, and it’s just nice to watch mainly because its a good film. Like its really good. I’m not joking. Its not mediocre or just another film in the Marvel universe like Captain Marvel or Thor: The Dark World, because it didn’t have to be. It was kinda an anti superhero story, where Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy with access to miltiary gear and all the free time he could ever need creates and robot suit and blows shit up. This wasn’t some superhero who had to keep his identity secret because he didn’t feel like it. Iron Man is just fucking cool all while being a good film with some depth if you want it.

3. Jigsaw

I know, another weird choice, but I feel like Jigsaw is more enjoyed as a retrospective on the Saw franchise as a whole with all the fun traps, fun acting, and “plot.” Fans of the franchise including myself could see the film was spiraling into itself when it came to the plot of the films, seeing that it just became more of a backdrop to showing off over the top mechanical nightmares and Tobin Bell, with cliff hangers and plot twists around every corner, Jigsaw feels like the franchise taking a step back and and saying “screw it, we’re just gonna do it all over again, but lets try to tell a fun story.” In my opinion they delivered on that promise and presented the shotgun trap which to this day I still praise for being one of the best traps just for the atmosphere and result.

2. Spirited Away

What is there not to love about Spirited Away. It’s so comfy in its animation, style, music, and world. The plot is simple yet twists and turns with imaginative characters and fun creative ideas that lets you breathe yet still you watch with baited breath. Spirited Away, not only is a perfect film but is just a perfect comfort film. I instantly fell in love with it only first watching jt in 2019, which I feel speaks more of how it has aged as a film and a story. Its the perfect film to watch and just get warm with.

1. Monster’s University

Now if Spirited Away is the perfect comfort film why do I have a film that was by general consensus considered a forgettable prequel to Monster’s Inc.? Well its a bit of a personal story, during Hurricane Harvey, my area was heavy with thunderstorms and seemingly endless rain, not a ray of sunshine in the grey clouded skies. During that time I stayed huddled up in my own room in bed, when the internet went out I decided to watch a movie but by pure luck the only bluray that wanted to work on my Xbox One was Monster’s University, where in I watched the film a total of 34 times and then an extra 15 with directors commentary sprinkled in between. I watched every single special feature on the bluray and watched the short film that came with it, The Blue Umbrella a good 23 times, all while the storm raged on.

Sadly after the water rose up in our house up to my knees the power had to be turned off, but during that time watching Monster’s University I was completely comfortable and gained a new appreciation for the film not many people even gave a chance and scolded heavily for being a quick cash grab by Pixar. Its a film experience I will never forget.