Thomas T.'s 12 "comfort food" Movies (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

For me, my comfort food movies are mostly mysteries, comedies, and musicals:

(in no particular order)

Murder, She Said (and the other three)
The Thin Man (and the other five)
The Wizard of Oz
Charade
Goodbye, My Fancy
Funny Face
Evil Under the Sun
Sorry, Wrong Number
Bringing Up Baby
Holiday

 

[Thomas T]

Off the top of my head

Lone Star
Hell Or High Water
Monty Python And The Holy Grail
All About Eve
Jackie Brown
Great Expectations
Diner
Shawshank Redemption
Mystic River
Zodiac
Vertigo
A Few Good Men

Wow! I'd never in a million years think of movies like Zodiac, Mystic River, Hell Or High Water or A Few Good Men as "comfort" movies (they all disturb me) but hey, to each his own!

 

[Thomas T]

For me, my comfort food movies are mostly mysteries, comedies, and musicals:

(in no particular order)

Murder, She Said (and the other three)
The Thin Man (and the other five)
The Wizard of Oz
Charade
Goodbye, My Fancy
Funny Face
Evil Under the Sun
Sorry, Wrong Number
Bringing Up Baby
Holiday

Funny Face and Charade are on my "comfort food" movie radar too. A lot of Audrey's movies are in that category: Roman Holiday, Sabrina, How To Steal A Million.

 

[Jeffrey D]

Wow! I'd never in a million years think of movies like Zodiac, Mystic River, Hell Or High Water or A Few Good Men as "comfort" movies (they all disturb me) but hey, to each his own!

I define “comfort food movies” as films I can watch multiple times and still get enjoyment out of them. The films you chose to highlight are what I consider to be great screenplays, and I love well written films.

 

[PMF]

Inclusive of my comfort food films are viewing those titles that received the Red-Carpet, Rolls Royce, Black and Red Caviar treatments of a true and literal restoration.

Heaven to both the eye and the ear.

 

[sleroi]

I can see A Few Good Men as comfort food. As serious as the subject matter is, watching Cruise and Nicholson go after each other at the trial is just fun.

But as well made as Mystic River was, and as not much of a Sean Penn fan I was surprisingly engrossed by it, I found it slow, dark and depressing. Kind of the opposite of comfort to me. Not one I can watch on any regular basis. But if thats your thing, enjoy.

 

[Thomas T]

I define “comfort food movies” as films I can watch multiple times and still get enjoyment out of them. The films you chose to highlight are what I consider to be great screenplays, and I love well written films.

I totally get you! One of my all time favorite films and one I watch every few years is Silence Of The Lambs. But when I need to get lifted up, I can't go there ... it's too dark.

 

[TravisR]

I totally get you! One of my all time favorite films and one I watch every few years is Silence Of The Lambs. But when I need to get lifted up, I can't go there ... it's too dark.

Yeah, I think Zodiac is one of the best movies of this century but it's not one that I put on to pep myself up.


One movie that I didn't put on my list because it was too new was Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. I saw it a ton of times in the theater and I love everything about that movie (I even listen to the soundtrack frequently) so I imagine that that one has a chance of achieving the 'comfort food' level for me some day.

 

[Walter Kittel]

A few more contributions to the thread ( a bit more action oriented cinema )...

Die Hard - Yeah I know it is tense and violent, but it is so well crafted and it is eminently re-watchable.

The Fugitive - There is something about this film that always draws me in whenever it is playing on cable. While it might not be as flashy as some of Harrison Ford's other films, it really holds up and engages me whenever I view it. Ford makes for a good protagonist in this feature whose chief strength is his intelligence.

The Naked Prey - I've been a fan of survival stories as long as I can remember and the simplicity and basics of this story make it very easy to revisit. Being set in the past and removed from current events, the film has a timeless quality of sorts. Another film that is very easy to slip into and view (despite some very disturbing scenes involving torture early in the feature.)

Jaws - Another survival story that feels timeless due to the amount of time spent away from society on the water. It holds up so well. Incredibly well made and very, very easy to revisit.

The Big Country - One of my favorite Westerns. Another film I can revisit almost any time. There is a lot to like about this film, but I think what brings me back is the lead performance by Gregory Peck.

The common element in these films is the presence of appealing protagonists who persevere and overcome the various obstacles they face (many of which are life threatening.) These films are definitely more violent than my earlier list of films, but the ultimate resolution in each of these films mitigates that violence in terms of enjoying the film.

- Walter.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Yeah, I think Zodiac is one of the best movies of this century but it's not one that I put on to pep myself up.


One movie that I didn't put on my list because it was too new was Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. I saw it a ton of times in the theater and I love everything about that movie (I even listen to the soundtrack frequently) so I imagine that that one has a chance of achieving the 'comfort food' level for me some day.

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood is a terrific feature and I am right there with you on my love of every frame of this film. A film that is very easy to revisit.

- Walter.

 

[quantumsnoga]

My list:

Libeled Lady
Down Periscope
Man's Favorite Sport
That Night In Rio
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaids
Casablanca
Return Of the Pink Panther
Diamonds Are Forever
The original Ocean's 11
S.O.B.
The original Thomas Crown Affair
To Catch A Thief

and for a couple of baker's dozen - the TV series Burke's Law (original) and the TV Batman series.

 

[Thomas T]

My list:

Libeled Lady
Down Periscope
Man's Favorite Sport
That Night In Rio
Dead Men Don't Wear Plaids
Casablanca
Return Of the Pink Panther
Diamonds Are Forever
The original Ocean's 11
S.O.B.
The original Thomas Crown Affair
To Catch A Thief

and for a couple of baker's dozen - the TV series Burke's Law (original) and the TV Batman series.

Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid is on my "comfort food" radar for sure.

 

[CHRat]

Star Wars -anybody? The original version before before Mr. Lucas lost it, also...
Adam's Rib
The Station Agent
Tampopo
Some Like It Hot
Empire of the Sun
Singin' In the Rain
Victor Victoria
Wings of Desire (Der Himmel Uber Berlin)
and maybe the hardest to explain - Magnolia
These are are an incomplete list of movies that I've gone back to more than once when I've been depressed, or confused; and in the case of Star Wars, once after rearending a guy who slammed on his breaks on when a deer went through his windshield.

 

[RBailey]

It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Mel Brooks Films (any)
Republic B-westerns and serials
Rio Bravo / El Dorado

 

[Rick Thompson]

Comfort Food? Well there's:
Some Like It Hot
True Grit (the original with John Wayne)
The Quiet Man
Dante's Peak
GoldenEye
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
Always
Looney Tunes Back in Action
Jurassic Park
Father Goose
Singin' in the Rain (though I chapter jump past the "Broadway Melody", which is Gene Kelly's "artistic" piece and the only thing that dates the film.)

 

[CHRat]

Comfort Food? Well there's:
Some Like It Hot
True Grit (the original with John Wayne)
The Quiet Man
Dante's Peak
GoldenEye
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)
Always
Looney Tunes Back in Action
Jurassic Park
Father Goose
Singin' in the Rain (though I chapter jump past the "Broadway Melody", which is Gene Kelly's "artistic" piece and the only thing that dates the film.)

 

[CHRat]

Totally with you on B-way Melody. I think that it relates to what Ebert called "The semi-obligatory lyrical interlude."

 

[Thomas T]

Comfort Food? Well there's:

Singin' in the Rain (though I chapter jump past the "Broadway Melody", which is Gene Kelly's "artistic" piece and the only thing that dates the film.)

But if you skip that, there's no Cyd Charisse! Definitely one of the film's assets!

 

[Robin9]

For me, "comfort food movies" are those films I always enjoy no matter how often I see them but which nevertheless never invoke in me great tension, excitement or exultation. Watching these films is always a very pleasant and relaxing experience but nothing more.

Woman's World
Night Passage
Rhapsody
Dr. No
Action Of The Tiger
Three Coins In The Fountain
River Of No Return
Boy On A Dolphin
U.S. Marshals
The Pink Panther
Great Day In The Morning
The Last Time I Saw Paris

Somewhat to my own surprise, there's three Clifton Webb, two Elizabeth Taylor and two Van Johnson movies in the list.

 

[Mysto]

Seven Faces of Dr. Lao
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
Music Man
My Fair Lady
Silver Streak
Casablanca
Any Charlie Chan w/ Oland or Toler
Sherlock Holmes - Basil Rathbone
Miss Marple - Rutherford
Hildegarde Withers - Edna May Oliver
Dr. No
Thin Man series

All warm fuzzy blankets that I watch when I'm a little down.