Watching movies can be a great escapism tool and a good coping mechanism, especially those which boost our mood and lift our spirits.
Often when we are feeling down, depressed, or just not in a good mood, we want to crawl into bed and watch movies that will cheer us up.
There are thousands and thousands of movies in the world to chose from, and we often chose the film we want to see based on how we want to feel. If we are feeling down we would opt for something cheerful—a movie with an inspiring message and a happy ending, of course.
When you are experiencing a bad time in your life, one of the best ways to self-care is to indulge in activities that boost your mood, reduce your stress, and allow you to take a break from your reality for a moment.
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Among the tools that can help us indulge in some much-needed escapism is cinema. Whether fictional or based on real events, cinema allows us to relate to a story’s characters and their experiences, which can help us feel less alone and give us hope.
If you are feeling down, an optimistic, wholesome movie is the right choice for you to lift your spirits. These are seven cheerful movies that will help you get out of your bad mood with their positive characters and uplifting themes.
Coco
You can never go wrong with a Disney movie. “Coco” is a 2017 animated fantasy film by Pixar Animation Studios, inspired by the Mexican holiday “Day of the dead” and directed by Lee Unkrich and Adrian Molina.
The story is about a young boy named Miguel who dreams of becoming a musician despite his family’s long ban on music. He is accidentally transported to the land of the dead, where he tries to find his grandfather and idol, the great Ernesto de la Cruz. He strives to prove himself and his talent and discover the real story behind his family’s ban on music.
The animated movie is full of sweet, fun moments with intriguing characters that pull you into a fantasy world of music, love, and colors. “Coco” is definitely a great cheerful movie to watch when you are feeling down.
Matilda
Written by Danny DeVito and directed by Nicholas Kawan and Robin Swicord, “Matilda” is a 1999 comedy-drama based on Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel of the same name. The movie enjoyed great success for its unique story and characters and its faithfulness to the source material.
The movie tells the story of a young genius, Matilda Wormwood, who has supernatural powers that she uses throughout the movie to deal with her family’s issues. Everyone around Matilda seems to be struggling, yet the movie highlights their uniqueness and own magic of humanity which helps the viewers resonate with their own personal abilities and the importance of kindness.
The movie is a great, cheerful family movie that you can watch with your family and friends or alone when you are not feeling your best. “Matilda” will definitely remind you of how awesome you are and help you celebrate your own uniqueness and magic.
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
A great movie genre to indulge in watching when you are feeling down is comedy. The 2004 comedy movie “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” is the first of the Harold and Kumar series, written by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg and directed by Danny Leiner.
The movie tells the story of Harold Lee, an investment banker cubicle worker, and Kumar Patel, who is pressured by his parents to attend a medical school.
In an attempt to escape reality, Harold and Kumar smoke a lot of marijuana and decide to go on an adventure to the fast-food chain White Castle after seeing it in a commercial.
“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” is definitely a movie that will cheer you up with the unexpected, crazy, and ridiculous obstacles and events the duo face throughout their journey to White Castle.
Mamma Mia
“Mamma Mia” is a 2008 musical, another movie genre you can watch when you are feeling down. The musical written by Catherine Johnson is based both on the 1999 musical “Mamma Mia” and the top hit song by the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA.
The plot of the musical tells the story of Sophie, a young bride-to-be who lives with her mother Donna on the Greek island of Kalokairi, where Donna owns and manages a hotel alone.
As her wedding day nears, Sophie secretly invites three of her mother’s past lovers, with one potentially being her father, in hopes of him walking her down the aisle on her big day.
The cheerful movie is full of sweet moments and ABBA’s nostalgic music in the beautiful voices of Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Dominique Cooper, and many others with the gorgeous scenery of Kalokairi.
Amelie
“Amelie” is a 2001 French-German romantic comedy written by Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Guillaume Laurant. Set in Paris, the film is perfect for when you don’t want to watch something too serious or intense and just want to see a light-hearted story that will cheer you up.
The French film tells the story of a naive yet creative and warm-hearted Amelie, who was homeschooled and did not have much contact with others as growing up, leading to her excessive use of her imagination in order to deal with her isolation. Living with just her dad and working as a waitress, Amelie tries her best to change the lives of those around her and help them find happiness, finding true love herself along the way.
“Amelie” is an adorable and uplifting movie that reminds us of the simple pleasures in life and the importance of kindness. It is definitely the movie for you if you are feeling down and need a reason to feel better.
Harry Potter
One of the most famous and beloved movie series of all time, “Harry Potter” movies are the ones to watch when you are feeling down.
The magical world of Harry Potter can distract you from your reality and whatever is bothering you for some time. The first in the series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone,” will surely remind you of sweet childhood times.
Based on the novels by British author J.K. Rowling, the film tells the story of young orphaned wizard Harry Potter and his friends Hermione Granger and Ron Weasly, and their unusual life at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Together with his friends, Harry has to battle evil and save his friend’s lives using magic spells and quick wit to defeat the story’s main villain, Lord Voldemort.
Throughout the movie, you are faced with the brave acts of the young wizards and their loyalty and commitment to each other in keeping each other safe, even to the extent of sacrificing themselves.
The cheerful movie reminds us to never give up no matter how hard the situation can get, as well as the importance of friendship and how our loved ones will always be there for us when we need them, and vice versa.
Sing Street
“Sing Street” is a coming-of-age comedy-drama, written and directed by John Carney. Despite its simple story, the indie movie enjoyed positive feedback and success when it debuted in 2016, earning multiple Golden Globe nominations.
The movie tells the story of a young Irish boy who has to move to a different school due to his family’s financial struggles, only to start a band to impress a mysterious girl he met. He and his bandmates will go through a journey of writing original songs telling stories of love and discovering themselves as young people in a tough world.
“Sing Street” will definitely bring a smile to your face with its subtle optimism, energetic scenes, and nice music that makes you feel alive and helps you feel better when you are not in the best mood.
Read also: 6 Ways to Stay Motivated During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Going through tough situations and feeling down is something that everyone goes through. Knowing how to cope with these negative emotions is very important, and watching movies can be one of the activities you can indulge in when you are feeling down. These seven cheerful movies are bound to boost your mood and help you take a break from reality and prepare to manage your issues in a better frame of mind.
