Life-Affirming Movies To Affirm Your Life
Things aren't great right now. Here are some movies.
We live in hell.
I don’t want to be too bleak since 1. this is a stupid newsletter about movies and 2. I’m not telling you anything you don’t know. But things aren’t great. We’re quickly moving to an authoritarian, sexist dictatorship led by fascists, those in power would rather no one have any than try to change things for the better and … I don’t even have a rule of threes joke here. That’s how bad things are.
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As someone who revels in terrifying, fucked-up movies that sometimes lead to friends walking out of the theater, now’s not the best time to recommend a bunch of those types of films.
I’m not heartless. I enjoy more “fun” movies that don’t feature cannibals and/or men being set on fire in an ornate cultish creation while also wearing the skin of the bear.
Just the other day, I saw (for the second time) Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, which is a delight. It’s charming, funny, and heartwarming with something to say about the human shell experience. The titular shell voiced by Jenny Slate was originally part of an early YouTube web series that was equal parts silly and sweet, and they somehow turned that (very fun) one-note character into a 90-minute movie with bigger stakes. It’s kind of a miracle.
Marcel is one of the better movies I’ve seen this year, and I especially recommend it right now.
I do need to say that nothing I recommend here will change anything (obviously), but sometimes we just need to disappear for a little and watch something that makes us smile.
These recs aren’t twee or mawkish; I can’t stand that. Some bad things happen in these movies, but they’re overcomeable and ultimately lead to something better.
Well, here we go.
Paddington & Paddington 2
I’ve written about these movies before on Aerial Shot, but that was then and this is now. Centered around a young Peruvian bear trying to make his way in the world, the Paddington movies are one of the better film series we have. It’s about family, but not in that overly-shlocky Vin Diesel way. Paddington is trying his best to be happy and keep the people around him happy. It’s the ingenuity of A Series of Unfortunate Events mixed with the nicest birthday card you’ve ever gotten.
Good Will Hunting
Is this the best Robin Williams performance? Yes. Good Will Hunting has been referenced and memed into oblivion, but for good reason. The movie about a precocious janitor and his unconventional therapist is as good as the accolades would suggest. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck put together a perfect script and Williams steals the show without overwhelming it. It’s a good movie that sees the good in people.
My Neighbor Totoro
I had to have a Hayao Miyazaki movie on here. No question about it. This is my favorite, so that’s why it made the cut. I don’t even really know how to explain the plot to you. There are two young girls who just moved and they come across playful spirits living in the forest near their house. There’s a cat-bus and a cuddly creature thing with an umbrella and so many magical elements. It’s a vibe. And a relaxing one at that.
Singin’ in the Rain
I had never seen this one until lockdown, and you know what? It’s a delight. The movie musical starring Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor is full of hits and beautiful set-pieces. It’s funny and has something to say about the film industry and a strong way to spend 103 minutes. Was made in 1952 and it hasn’t aged a day.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
It seems like this 2019 movie went under the radar, which is a shame since it’s a gorgeous treatise on housing, culture and individualism in America. It’s a bit lofty in its goals, but I think it mostly gets there. It’s worth seeing just for the visuals and features a sense of optimism that is lacking in a lot of independent cinema.
Little Women
Sure, this is a love story in some respects, but what it mostly cares about is the bond between siblings, specifically sisters. Greta Gerwig can do no wrong and Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh take their roles as Jo and Amy respectively to new heights. This movie is better on each watch and somehow took a classic book and made a classic movie out of it. I think Gerwig is the best director we have right now and while we’re speaking of her…
Frances Ha
This is my favorite movie on this list. A black-and-white modern epic with a 21-century lost soul as its focal point, Frances Ha is one of the best movies I’ve ever seen and impossible to replicate despite it being so relatable. Gerwig plays Frances with tenderness and tenacity as she bumbles her way through various Noah Baumbach vignettes. This movie loves New York so much and that’s probably the main reason I love this movie.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
A Wes Anderson film following a Baumbach? This is getting into Brooklyn film-hipster territory, but that’s what makes me happy. Hopefully you too. I can’t think of a better Roald Dahl adaptation than this one which stars George Clooney and Meryl Streep leading a loaded cast. It’s one of those feel-good movies that keeps you smiling even through the tough scenes strictly due to how creative and captivating it is.
20th Century Women
Another movie in which Greta Gerwig is heavily involved? Of course. 20th Century Women starring Annette Bening who rounds up together a group of women to help raise her son is a must-watch and has a few remarkable performances from Bening and Gerwig to Elle Fanning, Lucas Jade Zumann and Billy Crudup. Mike Mills is an incredible director who documents how tough life is with the gentlest of touches. This movie is both laugh-out-loud funny and therapeutic. Which couldn’t hurt right now.