Casablanca
Double Vie of Veronique
Casablanca gets me everytime:)
Lebowski and Shakespeare in Love most definitely. The ’burbs never fails to make me laugh (Bruce Dern is a god), Baron Munchausen, The Jungle Book, Hannah & Her Sisters, Down By Law, Fearless, Grosse Point Blank, Monte Carlo or Bust.
Living in Oblivion always does the trick for me.
My Night at Maud’s or Days of Heaven.
there’s this film, SOUTHLANDER directed by Steven Hanft.
a randomly bizarre story about a guy’s epic quest for getting back a stolen “molotron” synthesizer.
it’s wonderful, and it has this musical number of a dude, high on drugs, dancing a funky tune at a restaurant.
beth orthon, beck, hank williams III, and rory cochrane are on it.
this film always makes me smile.
oh! hahaha, there’s also this sequence with a giant car eating robo-dinosaur!!!!
tech support!—-why does this always happen to me?
doble posts.
promise i’m always patient!-
Moderated
Auntie Mame
El Santo y Blue Demon contra Los Monstrous, Fear of a Black Hat, any MST3K, The Man With Two Brains, Heartworn Highways, Petey Wheatstraw: The Devil’s Son-in-Law, The Big Lebowski, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Sleepy Hollow, Love & Death.
Der Himmel Uber Berlin.
I used to live in Berlin and there is no city in my mind that can match it’s precocious charm, warmth, and richness. This movie makes me feel alive in ways that no other does.
The movie that always does it for me is October Sky
Amelie, Monty Python’s stuff, The Big Lebowski, Young Frankenstein, The ‘Burbs, Miyazaki’s work, Swingers, Dr. Strangelove, Wet Hot American Summer, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Pink Panther Strikes Again…basically anything with Bill Murray, Gene Wilder or Peter Sellers.
Amelie, Punch-Drunk Love, Ratatouille.
April Story by Shunji Iwai when I’m in a bad mood.
Monster’s Inc. after watching a really scary movie.
Hana and Alice when having a really slow day.
The Big Hit
The Saragossa Manuscript when I’m having a hard time sleeping.
Say Anything when there’s nothing interesting to watch on tv.
My Sassy Girl (korean version, the US doesn’t even come close to this) when I misses all my sisters.
Any movie trilogy when I’m in an anti-social mood :p
I can’t stay unhappy after watching Chungking Express. The second half especially just puts me in high spirits no matter what.
Also, gonna agree with Ratatouille. The flashback scene is masterful. Anybody who thinks animation is for kids (not that I expect there are many of those people here) really needs to watch Ratatouille. It’s not exactly a masterpiece, but it is a great movie for any age.
I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING (MICHAEL POWELL, UK, 1945) – God bless Wendy Hiller and Pamela Brown…
Love Actually always makes me smile. I always break it out before Christmas, or when times seem loneliest.. The somewhat predictable story creates a certain warmth of familiarity that’s rather comforting. It’s a lot of fun to see the different examples of love in the film mishmashed into a giant bowl of the “warm fuzzies”. Also, if you see this movie, you don’t ever need to watch another Richard Curtis movie. Although it may be shallow, but the movie does have a universally uplifting theme. One that is probably conveyed better in a different film, but it’s a message that a lot of people need to hear as often as possible, especially in these times we live in… that even though it may not always be apparent “…love actually is all around.”
Movies that cheer me up are Manhattan, Singin’ in the Rain, The Philadelphia Story, Amelie, !Pixar Films!,Cary Grant and James Stewart.
Army of Darkness, Mr Smith Goes to Washington, Lady in the Water, Punch-Drunk Love.
Oh and Amelie
For me, a bad day always ends with either Casablanca or M. Hulot’s Holiday to turn it around.
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls. Priceless. :)
When I’m having a bad day at work, I like to put on “Singin’ in the Rain” and “A Man Escaped”. These almost always work, for different reasons.
When I’m going through a “slit-my-wrists” phase & need cinematic therapy, I have the tendency to watch the same movies over & over again—sometimes the same films in rotation, sometimes the same film in a loop. I echo Lauren Winkler—I may be critical of some of these films in a discussion of them, but they have some kind of unknowable therapeutic quality that gives them immunity when I’m feeling lousy.
Ghost World
American Splendour
Death Proof
Kill Bill Saga
Big Lebowski
Rushmore
Margot at the Wedding
Umbrellas of Cherbourg
I Heart Huckabees
Hannah & Her Sisters
Annie Hall
Like warm cookies all.
The Lion King, The Darjeeling Limited, And Star Wars V/VI
Bottle Rocket, Breathless, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon, The Sting…
I’m finding that “happy” movies aren’t really doing it for me, and what really gets my mind off of things is a film that really sucks me into it.
What’s with all the thumbs down? These are films that people find uplifting, not necessarily outstanding. It’s the equivalent of comfort food. While some people might find sushi comforting, others rely upon hamburger helper. I thought that was sort of the remarkable thing about this type of selection; the fact that many of these films are not typical for someone with otherwise discriminating taste.
Anyway, how is it a problem if Rushmore lifts someone’s spirits?
How often do you get to see Dorsky films, Daniel? I missed my chance last year, and I’m waiting for him to come around again soon.
Halim Cillov
I think anything by Miyazaki always lifts me up…Especially “Spirited Away;” which never fails to blow my mind over and over again…