Several of mine have already been mentioned (Clueless, The Fifth Element, etc) but Hackers is my big go-to movie. Some recent ones include Some from this (past) decade include Josie and the Pussycats, Ocean’s 12, Push, and Bandslam.
I can always watch Hackers too.
Also -
The Godfather
Deep Impact
Where Eagles Dare
Pride and Prejudice (the Keira Knightley/Matthew McFadyen one)
Lawrence of Arabia
The Ten Commandments
Ben-Hur
Fargo
North By Northwest
War Games
Any of the Harry Potter movies (like AuntiePam, I rarely watch a whole one after the first time but I love the bits and pieces)
Jurassic Park
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
The Birdcage
Victor/Victoria
Dogma
Raiders of the Lost Ark (any of the series, really)
The Star Wars movies (same as Harry Potter–rarely watch a whole one, and I don’t really like the second trilogy much)
Pretty much anything from Pixar
Oh, and for TV movies, they’re all from Stephen King:
The Langoliers
IT
Rose Red
Lawrence of Arabia! Yes! I can almost recite the dialogue (“I dewn’t wont to be part of your…big … POOSH!”
Donnie Darko isn’t comforting. It disturbs me.
The Star Wars movies, the newer ones - I can doze off because they’re so dull, so comforting in their sheer badness.
Back in '97, my 13 year old labrabor was on her last legs. We took her to the vet, who said there was no magic bullet - it was time for her to go. This was on a Saturday. Good byes were to be said on Sunday and the dog would be put down Monday.
That Sunday, I needed something to take my mind off this sad situation. I needed to be entertained, and I needed to laugh for two hours. My wife and I went to the theater and saw Men in Black. It did the trick - for two hours I forgot about my dog trouble and laughed out loud.
Now it seems Men in Black is on some channel every other week. It’s the sourt of movie Auntie Pam describes: I can watch it for 15 or 20 minutes, and it always brings a chucle or two.
Back to the Future trilogy
Princess Bride
Groundhog Day
Pulp Fiction
Thanks for starting this thread. While I only agree with about 1/3 of the suggestions so far mentioned, I now have a whole bunch of ideas for a rainy day! (And of course those other 2/3 helps others…)
Ladyhawke
Princess Bride
Repo Man
Down Periscope
Shock Treatment
The Puppet Master movies
Labyrinth.
“You remind me of the baby. What baby? Baby with the power.”
Etc.
The Princess Bride
Shaun of the Dead
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Philadelphia Story
Desk Set
Lessee, here:
The Maltese Falcon
To Have and Have Not
North by Northwest
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Cars
The Incredibles
Kelly’s Heroes
Groundhog Day
Miller’s Crossing
The first Back to the Future film, however, would be #1 on the list if I had it on DVD.
I can see I’m not entirely grown up.
*The Wizard of Oz
Gone With the Wind
Under the Tuscan Sun
Big Fish
*
Scream
The Mummy
Anything from the Brat Pack
For a good laugh:
Dead and Breakfast
Rat Race
I forgot an obvious one for me, “Pride and Prejudice.” The miniseries. LOVE.
Many have already been mentioned but I’ll add in Spirited Away. That film will instantly transport me for a few hours.
Three Colors: White
My Cousin Vinnie
Fargo
Jackie Brown
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman
Careful
Santa Sangre
Comfort and Joy, of course. Bill Forsyth’s previous film fits in this thread nicely, too…Local Hero.
Notting Hill I know, I know
Aliens best action film ever
Groundhog Day endlessly fascinating and funny
High Fidelity See me, see Rob? A losers guide to being in your thirties
Grosse Point Blanke Redemption
Also, love Local Hero, and Gregory’s Girl and to go round the other side of the world The Dish
Dammit, Nader, now I HAVE to put on Clue instead of going to sleep.
Christmas Vacation used to be my go-to movie for sick days, especially out of season.
Back to the Future (1 or 3) is my current comfort movie. Especially now that I have the bluray where you can see Fox’s grey hair.
And not TV, but any Simpsons episode from the Mirkin years (seasons 5-6). Television at its BEST. I’ve seen all those episodes 100 times and they still cheer me up.