If you stressing about working from home or are sick of spending time on social media during lockdown, fret not! We have a plan: isolation can bring households closer together and there’s no better way to chill out and relax together than with a good family film.
But give a break to mystery thrillers and action movies, and go easy on your nerves. Pick something that is designed from start to finish to make you feel uplifted. Get the drift? Well… you can take a trip down memory lane and watch your childhood favorites or a movie that has sentimental value for you as a couple. Better than that, you can always catch up on newer ones that have been particularly popular or your kid’s favourite.
So sign out for an hour or two; Twitter, Facebook and Instagram feeds will still be there! Time to get your fill of some positivity with these feel-good movies.
Paddington
This live-action telling of the classic children’s storybook character features beautiful production design and standout performances from Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water) as the artistic mother of Paddington’s adoptive family and Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies) as the cold-hearted villain looking for a trophy to add to her collection. The talking bear’s sweet nature is infectious, and the ensemble of quirky British characters round out a truly delightful visual and emotional experience.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Arguably one of the best cinematic depiction of a Spiderman origin story (with the best soundtrack). In this version, a Brooklyn Latinx teen gets bitten by a radioactive spider and teams up with versions of his Spidey compatriots from other dimensions in order to stop Kingpin from destroying New York City with his Super-Collider.
Jumanji
Forget what you know about the remakes or don’t because Nick Jonas and Dwayne Johnson in the same film deserve all the attention. But nothing ever beats the original, especially if that original stars Robin Williams and a young Kristen Dunst. Two kids stumbled upon a board game called Jumanji and find themselves releasing a man (Robin Williams) who has been stuck inside for 26 years. Together they have to beat the game before things get really, really wild. Exciting much?
Read: 5 movies to keep you engaged during this lockdown
Back to the Future
If you haven’t already seen this movie, not only you are missing out on some fine entertainment, but also missing every pop-culture reference to it from the last 35 years. From Marty McFly’s puffy vest to the flux capacitor, this movie is a cultural touchstone for a generation. McFly goes back in time to when his parents were teenagers, but his introduction to their timeline threatens the very existence of him and his siblings. He needs to make sure they make a love connection, as well as figure out a way to get himself back to 1985. Witness Alex P. Keaton (I mean Michael J. Fox) at his best.
The Princess Bride
Designed as a tale to tell when someone’s unwell, The Princess Bride is the perfect accompaniment to an afternoon indoors. At home sick, a boy is visited by his grandfather, looking to read him a tale of adventure, romance, and friendship. The young grandson isn’t exactly keen on the subject of kissing but soon becomes enamored of the journey of a masked man returning to the village of Florian to save the farm girl he loves before she gets married to a prince.
