The 50 Best Feel-Good Movies That Will Boost Your Mood ASAP
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Paddington says, “If we’re kind and polite, the world will be right.” Things are a bit more complicated, alas, but it’s a great place to start. Paddington is a very noble bear. As the film begins, his aunt Lucy has become too old to care for him and sends him to London. After he’s adopted by the Brown family, he unleashes adorable chaos on the home—the bathroom gets flooded, he gives a very terrible haircut, and there’s marmalade everywhere. It’s silly and warm and Paddington is adorable in every scene.—AG
CIA employee Susan Fields (Melissa McCarthy) works from her desk while her partner Bradley Fine (Jude Law) takes on exciting missions around the world. When Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), an arms dealer’s daughter, comes after the agency, the bosses need an unknown to finish out the mission, and it’s finally Susan’s chance. If for nothing else, watch it for Rayna’s “sad Bulgarian clown” story.—AG
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There’s nothing particularly fancy about Once, a quiet story about two struggling musicians in Dublin falling in love while making an album together. Markéta Irglová and Glen Hansard, who star as Girl and Guy, had their own folk duo and they composed and performed all the songs in the film, including the beautiful “Falling Slowly.”—AG
When two best friends learn that someone in Tulaigh Mhór, their tiny village, which has a population of 52, has won the Irish National Lottery, it’s the most exciting news they’ve had in a long time. Jackie O’Shea (Ian Bannen) and Michael O’Sullivan (David Kelly) are desperate to know who the winner is. Turns out it’s their neighbor Ned Devine, and he died from shock when he realized he’d won. The only way to get the money is for the whole town to come together to pull off an ambitious trick.—AG
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You’re thinking about Jerry Maguire when you don’t think you’re thinking about Jerry Maguire. Telling your boss, “Show me the money?” Saying “you had me at hello” to your last Hinge date? Or even impressing your co-workers by telling them that “The human head weighs eight pounds!” (It doesn’t.) Cameron Crowe’s enormously quotable script and iconic performances by Renée Zellweger, Regina King, and Tom Cruise make this one for the ages.—AG
This one will stay in your heart forever. Max Fischer is the worst student at Rushmore Academy, but no one loves it more. He’s on the fencing team, leads the beekeeping society, and directs the theater club’s production of Serpico. When Max gets put on academic probation, he and his new best friend, a wealthy businessman in his 40s, start getting into trouble. Wes Anderson’s second film has some of the elements that will become his trademarks, but it feels completely original.—AG
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New York has never looked as beautiful as it does in In the Heights. When it was released in 2021, shortly after vaccines had become available, it was an incredible movie to return to theaters for. But it’s just as good at home. The songs are just good as on the original cast album and the dance numbers are even more vibrant. Immigration is at the center of the story and today’s reality is much sadder, but In the Heights celebrates the power of community and bravery in a way that can lift your heart.—AG
Before Hacks debuted, there was another cynical, groundbreaking comedian revitalizing her career with the help of a youthful writer. Molly (Mindy Kaling) has been dying to get into comedy, but when she becomes the first female writer on the staff of Katherine Newbury’s (Emma Thompson) her lack of polish makes her prey for Katherine and the co-writers who imply she didn’t get the job on her own. But when Katherine learns she might lose her own job, Molly’s fresh attitude is critical to re-envisioning what late night TV can be. Late Night, which was written by Kaling, didn’t become a major hit when it came out, but it’s one you can watch over and over.—AG
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“A modern take on Shakespeare, an enemies-to-lovers arc, and a musical number in the bleachers? I am seated. This ’90s classic follows prickly high schooler Kat Stafford (Julia Stiles) as she reluctantly gets charmed by the effortlessly cool Patrick Verona (Heath Ledger). We haven’t heard ‘Can't Take My Eyes off You’ the same way since.”—Erica Gonzales, senior culture editor
“You can’t go wrong with a Pixar film, and this one about a lonely robot finding love in Earth’s not-too-distant-future is sure to leave you feeling fuzzy inside. (That scene of Wall-E watching Singin’ in the Rain?!) But it’s a bit of a wakeup call too; in the midst of this sweet droid romance is an urgent message about mass consumerism and its effects on our environment.”—EG
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“Jenny Slate’s sweet, raspy-voiced minuscule shell gets a feature film of his own that follows his quest to reunite with his family. It’s an impressive feat that this internet sensation was adapted into a genuinely heartfelt story.”—EG
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“Samantha Baker (Molly Ringwald) hopes that turning 16 will be a fresh start for her. But when she wakes up on the morning of her birthday and her entire family has forgotten the occasion thanks to her older sister’s upcoming wedding, she’s already off to a rough start. To make matters worse, her crush barely even knows that she exists, meanwhile the school nerd is in love with her. What’s supposed to be one of the best days of her life turns into one of the worst when embarrassing things keep happening to her. But don’t worry, this ’80s classic leaves you feeling a lot better than it sounds.”—Bri Rivera, former editorial and social media assistant
“Freaky Friday is a Disney classic based on the 1972 book by Mary Rodgers, which has been adapted several times now. This 2003 version starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis is arguably the most popular. It follows single mother Tess (Curtis) and her teenage daughter Anna (Lohan) who constantly butt heads. One day, they accidentally switch bodies, and the two are forced to (literally) spend a day in the other’s shoes.”—BR
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“When Andy (Anne Hathaway) scores a job at a major fashion magazine, she quickly learns the gig isn’t all about glitz and glamour. Her boss, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), is, well, a devil in stilettos. Come for the fashion, stay for Streep’s impeccable performance (per usual).”—JW
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“A film that needs no introduction, Mean Girls follows the story of Cady (Lindsay Lohan) vs. Regina George (Rachel McAdams)—a.k.a. one of cinema’s funniest rivalries. The laugh-out-loud plot, quotable lines, and amazing cast make it an easy, feel-good choice—whether it’s your fourth watch or 40th.”—JW
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