Grab some popcorn and get ready for your next movie night!
I am the type of person who doesn’t like starting new shows or movies. I’m always worried that I won’t like something, so I either spend half my time looking for something to watch or I simply choose to watch one of my favorite movies that I know I will love. Thus, I have developed a few tried-and-true movies that I think are absolutely worth the watch. Here are my top five favorite comfort movies.
1. The Parent Trap (the Lindsay Lohan version, duh)
The Parent Trap is hands down my favorite movie. It is the story of two twins, Annie and Hallie, who were separated their whole lives but happen to meet at a summer camp. They then swap identities and come up with a plan to get their parents back together. It is a cute story of friendship and family, and I have seen it numerous times since I was a kid. Whenever I watch this movie, I am reminded of all the nostalgia from when I was younger. The soundtrack, summer camp setting and lovable characters remind me each time why I love this movie so much. I always walk away feeling in a good mood or wanting to immediately go listen to the soundtrack.
This movie is perfect for a rainy day, watching with friends, or simply watching by yourself and I couldn’t recommend it enough.
2. 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate about You is based on a modern retelling of Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. It is the story of two sisters, Kat and Bianca, the latter of which is not allowed to date until Kat has a boyfriend herself. Thus, Kat unknowingly gets thrown into a plan by Bianca and some of the other characters to get Kat a boyfriend to benefit Bianca. This movie, like The Parent Trap, has it all. It has a great soundtrack and lovable characters. Kat is spunky and not afraid to speak her mind and we get to watch her attitude cause her trouble a few times. We also get to see Cameron slowly get the girl. This movie has some iconic scenes, such as Patrick singing “I Love You Baby,” Kat dancing on a table and Kat’s ending monologue. 10 Things I Hate About You brings 90s nostalgia and is a fun take on a classic rom-com. I think you should absolutely give it a watch.
3. The Sound of Music
I saw this movie for the first time with my freshman year roommate. She loves musicals, much as I do, and thus made it a mission to make sure that I got to experience The Sound of Music. Honestly, she was spot on with this recommendation. Since then, I have seen this movie at least 10 times and I’ve enjoyed it every time. I love the scenery of the Austrian countryside, the voice and presence of Julie Andrews, and the adorable yet mischievous children. I also love seeing the von Trapps grow closer and the father become less serious throughout the story. This movie has become such a comfort watch ever since it was introduced to me. I recommend it to anyone who loves musicals, as I’m sure you’ll be able to recognize some of the more well-known songs from this movie.
4. Harry Potter (specifically the Sorcerer’s Stone or Chamber of Secrets)
The Harry Potter movies are a staple in my household. When I was younger, my dad and I would try to make it a mission to have a Harry Potter marathon on or around Christmas. However, since the Harry Potter movies total almost 24 hours, we never actually got through them all in one sitting. We did, however, watch the first two movies, The Sorcerer’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets, frequently. These movies are some of my favorites from the Harry Potter franchise due to the new setting, holiday feels and your characters. Since these movies are set at the beginning of Harry’s years at Hogwarts, I love getting to learn about this new world as the characters see the magic for the first time. These movies also have a great holiday feel, as the characters experience the holidays within the film, and we get to see what Christmas is like at Hogwarts with magic and friends. The first few Harry Potter movies aren’t too dark and are always enjoyable to watch, so if you need a new holiday film I recommend trying out The Sorcerer’s Stone or The Chamber of Secrets!
5. When Harry Met Sally
My last comfort movie is yet again another recommendation from my freshman year roommate. She has such a love for rom-coms, and I absolutely agree with her when this movie is up for consideration. When Harry Met Sally details the years-long relationship between, you guessed it, Harry and Sally. They initially meet when Harry is driving to New York and Sally rides with him. They then meet throughout the years and their adult lives, and we get to watch their friendship, and eventually their love, grow. This movie is so well written and really allows the viewer to fall in love with the relationship between Harry and Sally. This movie is a classic rom-com, and I would recommend it to anyone who is in search of a fun movie that will leave you smiling and wanting to watch it again.
I cannot recommend each of these movies enough! The Parent Trap, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Sound of Music, Harry Potter and When Harry Met Sally are absolutely worth the watch and I urge everyone to give each of these a fair shot!