If I’m in a blue mood, one of the best ways to distract myself, and give myself a quick shot of cheer, is to watch a laugh-inducing movie.
Last week, I posted about 7 great movies about the nature of happiness and love. These are wonderful movies; they’re transcendent, but not in a laugh-out-loud way. It’s a Secret of Adulthood: Happiness doesn’t always make you feel happpy. A mystery.
Here, though, are nine movies that always put a smile on my face:
- Shrek — I’ve seen this movie countless times, and it gets funnier every time. “That’s a niiiiiiice boulder.”
- Groundhog Day — very funny, and also very deep.
- The Sound of Music — I think I’ve memorized every word of the dialogue and every note of every song.
- Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory — funny, whimsical, just a little bit eerie, makes me nostalgic for my childhood in a nice way.
- Tootsie — how I love this movie. So many funny lines.
- Annie Hall — again, I know every line.
- This Is Spinal Tap — I love all Christopher Guest movies, but this is my favorite.
- Monsters, Inc. — so hilarious, so clever; my favorite part is the “blooper reel” at the end.
- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery — I confess, I can’t remember much about the movie, but I’m including it on the list because I love the opening sequence so much. Watch it here if you need a quick pick-me-up.
In the podcast, in episode 61, Elizabeth and I talk about familiarity vs. novelty. I love familiarity, and have re-watched these movies many times. But not everyone loves to watch (or read) things over and over, I know.
