I’m not going to start this article off by listing all the ways in which January is miserable; we all know about being skint and tired after the festival season. Instead, I’d like to focus on the hope that January can bring. It’s a fresh start, the days are slowly getting longer, it’s time to look ahead and think about how we want our year to go.
Back during lockdown I made a collaborative list of feel good films on Letterboxd; a collection of films that various friends and family like to watch when they need hope and inspiration. I’ve picked my top choices to inspire you to find your passions this month—for life, for love, for living—and get your New Year off to an encouraging start.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989)
Starting on an unexpected note, I present my ultimate himbo heroes: Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves). While you may be familiar with them from 2020’s sequel Bill & Ted Face the Music, the original film is definitely worth revisiting.
Following a series of academic failures, lifelong bros and bandmates Bill and Ted face being split up, a fate which threatens to unravel a utopian future inspired by their music. Sent back in time via a telephone box, future citizen Rufus (George Carlin) is tasked with helping them pass history class in order to avoid this awful outcome. The boys take the telephone box on a wild ride through history to meet icons of the past. It’s incredibly stupid but incredibly wholesome, with an overall message to be excellent to each other.
See also: Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
While I could very easily make this entire list a range of animated films, I’ve decided to limit things to just one. Set in a fictional kingdom during a time of war, this fantasy epic mixes elements of reality and magic to create a beautiful story about the value of compassion.
We follow hat maker Sophie (voiced by both Emily Mortimer and Jean Simmons in the English dub) as she tries to break a witch’s curse that makes her appear as an old lady. During her adventures she finds herself aboard a wizard’s moving castle and at the very heart of the war, and that’s about as much information as I’m going to give. The English dub also includes the voice talents of Lauren Bacall, Billy Crystal, Josh Hutcherson, Jena Malone, and Christian Bale as the wizard Howl. It’s wholesome, exciting, very romantic, and beautifully animated.
Chef (2014)
Written, produced, directed by, and starring Jon Favreau, this is one of those films that might be full of cliches on the surface, but manages to put enough spin on them to keep it feeling fresh. Chef introduces us to Carl (Favreau), a celebrity chef who has lost all passion for his profession due to unimaginative restaurant management. While attempting to fight for a more creative menu, Carl loses his temper at a food critic publicly, and when the footage goes viral he is fired. With his new-found freedom Carl embarks on a new adventure as a food truck chef, alongside his best friend, son, and ex wife, and through this new venture manages to repair his relationships—both with food and people. Some forewarning before starting this one, make sure you have plenty of snacks because you will get hungry.
The Birdcage (1996)
The Birdcage follows gay drag club owners Armand and Albert as they are asked by Armand’s son to pretend to be straight in order to impress his fiance’s ultra conservative parents (Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest). Due to a number of set-backs, Albert decides at the last minute to pose in drag as Armand’s wife and the film enters farce territory.
Though a remake of a French classic, The Birdcage holds its own due primarily to the powerhouse casting of Robin Williams (Armand) and Nathan Lane (Albert) as our leads. They instill their characters with a masterful balance of comedy and sincere emotion, making them effortlessly endearing. I have less enthusiasm for Hank Azeria’s maid character, but he certainly doesn’t spoil the piece.
See also: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) and To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995)
Roman Holiday (1953)
This might be a little too much of a summer holiday romance for the start of the year, but it’s an undeniable classic. Roman Holiday is a very sweet film starring the legendary Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck as a princess and reporter respectively. Both have grown somewhat weary of their roles, and when Hepburn escapes her reigns to explore Rome, Peck joins her. The experience gives both of them fresh perspectives and the ability to return to their lives with new insights. As much as I love a ‘fresh start’ type of film, sometimes a new direction isn’t required. Sometimes it’s about appreciating our current path instead.
Empire Records (1995)
Taking place over the course of one (very) eventful day at a music store in Delaware, Empire Records follows an ensemble cast of misfits (including Renee Zellweger, Liv Tyler, and Robin Tunney) as they navigate life and love on the most important day of the year: Rex Manning Day!
Upon discovering the store is being sold to a national chain, Empire employee Lucas (Rory Cochrane) unsuccessfully takes the day’s earnings to Atlantic City to win enough money to buy it back and save the day. The next day, while setting up the shop for a signing by washed up 80s pop star Rex Manning (Maxwell Caulfield), the staff are faced with the reality of losing the store and losing each other. This is one of those films whose film logic you don’t want to think about too hard, and the timeline can feel somewhat chaotic, but it’s hugely entertaining.
Swiss Army Man (2016)
Okay, I feel like this is going to be something of a ‘hear me out’ choice but stay with me. Written and directed by Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan of Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022), this surrealist comedy stars Paul Dano as a man marooned on an island and Daniel Radcliffe as a farting corpse that washes up on the shore. I know what you’re thinking, it sounded terrible to me too, but if you give this film a chance, I promise you that farting corpse will have you smiling and crying in equal measure.
Radcliffe’s Manny is incredibly gross but also possesses a childlike level of curiosity and wonder. Dano’s character therefore spends much of the film explaining humanity, life, and love to him and through this endeavor he finds his own will to live recharged. The comedy itself is so embarrassingly childish while the drama is so beautifully sincere that the film has this incredibly powerful way of making you feel like a child, full of whimsy and emotion.
Billy Elliot (2000)
This might be one of those choices where the use of ‘feel good’ might be a stretch, but here we go.
Billy Elliot follows the struggles of a family of coal miners during the ‘80s strikes (it gets cheerier) as their youngest Billy (Jamie Bell) accidentally joins a ballet class and shows an aptitude for the art. It’s a political tale, so but at its centre is the heartwarming journey of a hopeful child finding his passion despite the struggles of class and gender which threaten to box him in. The film also boasts another incredible soundtrack (lots of T.Rex) and the supporting cast features the talents of Julie Walters and Gary Lewis as the butting heads of Billy’s dance teacher and father.
See also: Pride (2014) and The Full Monty (1997)
School of Rock (2003)
You might be noticing something of a music trend in my picks but I am a firm believer in a solid soundtrack making a good film even stronger. Directed by Richard Linklater (a king of the feel-good films in my opinion), School of Rock follows Jack Black as a struggling guitarist who blags his way into being a substitute teacher at a prestigious preparatory school and subsequently turns his students into the ultimate kids rock band. The music rocks, the talent is undeniable, and the message is clear: “don’t let the man keep you down”. If you’re not into classic rock, this might not be one for you, but I highly recommend giving it a chance for its highly quotable and fun humour.
See also: Dazed and Confused (1993) and Almost Famous (2000)
Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain (2001)
Known more simply as Amélie, this quirky French classic is not for everyone. Following the exploits of manic pixie dream girl (I’m so sorry) Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tautou), this film explores the city of Paris through a highly romantic lens as Amélie decides to play a somewhat benevolent guardian angel to those around her. She sets friends up, plays nasty pranks on the mean greengrocer, inspires her recluse father to travel the world, and accidentally falls in love with a similarly lonely weirdo (Mathieu Kassovitz) in the process.
It’s highly stylistic and twee, but the way the film manages to romanticise mundane experiences and simple pleasures is highly inspirational for someone looking to start the year on a positive note. Whether you enjoy puzzles, painting, a good fresh vegetable, or the simple sensory pleasure of cracking a fresh crème brûlée, this might just be the inspiration you need.
If none of these take your fancy, feel free to explore the rest of the ‘Feel Good Films for Feel Bad Times’ list here and comment with your own suggestions.
Words by Camille Murray
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