The world is a pretty scary place right now. As the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic continues, major conventions are being canceled or postponed and a growing number of movie and TV projects are being suspended. And with more and more schools closing and businesses switching to a work-from-home approach, we’re all a little on edge at the moment.
Given that no one is much in the mood for going outside these days, we’re counting on our favorite streaming services to keep us entertained and provide a little escapism. Fortunately, between Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu and HBO Go, there’s no shortage of feel-good movies and TV with which to drown your sorrows. We’ve picked a handful of choices from each of the five streaming services, along with a couple picks for essential movies you can only buy or rent. Think of it as digital comfort food in these trying times.
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Feel Good Movies and TV on Netflix
Call the Midwife
If you’re all about binging pleasant British TV shows, you should definitely check out the long-running Call the Midwife. The series is based on the memoirs of Jennifer Worth, a nurse and midwife who worked in London’s impoverished East End during the 1950’s. Each episode strikes a balance between exploring the often grim reality of being pregnant and raising a family in post-WWII with a hopeful outlook that celebrates the power of the human spirit. Most episodes tend to have very happy endings. The various Christmas specials in particular are just the thing to cure your 2020 blues.
Watch Call the Midwife: Series 1 on Netflix.
The Great British Baking Show
Reality TV shows don’t get more charming or heartwarming than this. The Great British Baking Show is the complete antithesis to cutthroat competition shows. The idyllic setting, the endlessly charming hosts and the low-stakes nature of the competition all combine to form a very pleasant cooking experience. This is the only reality TV show where the contestants are more apt to lend a helping hand than stab each other in the back. The only downside is that you may get some serious food cravings after watching an endless series of cakes, pastries and pies take shape.
Watch The Great British Baking Show: Collection One on Netflix.
Groundhog Day
We’re probably all feeling a bit like Bill Murray’s Phil Connors right about now. We’re trapped in one place and the days just keep passing by, with the same depressing headlines repeating over and over. But if Phil can persevere and come out the other side after reliving the same day thousands of times in a row, maybe there’s hope for humanity. Re-watching this comedy gem will certainly have you feeling more upbeat and optimistic.
Watch Groundhog Day on Netflix.
The Indiana Jones Series
Netflix currently has all four Indiana Jones movies available to stream, which should come in mighty handy. This is a world we’re always happy to revisit. It’s a world that makes sense. You have your heroic archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones and the bad guys who don’t understand that ancient supernatural artifacts belong in a museum. With so much chaos unfolding across the globe, there’s something immensely comforting about watching Indy punch Nazis and right wrongs. Plus, we can live vicariously through him as Indy travels across the globe and visits all the exotic locations we’re all too scared to fly to right now.
Watch Raiders of the Lost Ark on Netflix.
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Feel Good Movies and TV on Amazon Prime Video
Moonstruck
Romantic comedies are always a surefire bet when you need some cinematic comfort food, and the genre doesn’t get much better than Moonstruck. Its three Academy Awards (including a well-deserved Best Actress win for Cher) are testament enough to that. Cher and Nicolas Cage might not be the most likely romantic pairing, but together they make cinematic magic.
Watch Moonstruck on Amazon Prime Video.
Parks and Recreation
Parks and Rec hails from a time when NBC was still the undisputed king of TV comedy. Bolstered by an all-star cast that includes Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Aziz Ansari and Chris Pratt, Parks and Rec is the perfect combination of hilarious situations, whip-smart writing and lovable characters. And with how messy the political arena has become lately, there’s a lot to be said for a show about a dedicated public servant just trying to do right by a town full of overfed morons.
Watch Parks and Recreation: Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video.
Star Trek: The Next Generation
The Star Trek franchise has always been about celebrating what’s best in humanity. And with the entirety of Star Trek: The Next Generation available to stream on Netflix, we’re hard-pressed to think of a better way to spend the next few weeks. Why not settle in with old friends like Captain Picard, Data and Worf and explore the farthest reaches of the galaxy in the spirit of discovery? Besides, it can’t hurt to brush up on your Star Trek before diving into Picard: Season 1.
Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation – Season 1 on Amazon Prime Video.
Troop Zero
Easily among the most entertaining comedies exclusive to Amazon, Troop Zero stars Viola Davis and Mckenna Grace in a story about a plucky Girl Scout troop’s quest to win a talent show. The movie tosses in plenty of heart alongside the humor, as it turns out Grace’s precocious heroine Christmas Flint just wants to have her voice recording included on the Voyager spacecraft, in hope of reaching her dead mother. How can you not root for these kids?
Watch Troop Zero on Amazon Prime Video.
Feel Good Movies and TV on Disney+
10 Things I Hate About You
We never get tired of re-watching this 1999 gem and returning to a time when rock music was still good and Heath Ledger was one of the brightest young actors in Hollywood. This teen comedy cleverly overhauls and modernizes Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, showing just how much of the Bard’s work is truly timeless. Once you’ve exhausted Disney Plus’ lineup of Marvel movies and animated classics, this one should definitely be on your to-watch list.
Watch 10 Things I Hate About on Disney+.
DuckTales
Everyone of a certain age has an intense nostalgia for the original DuckTales animated series. But whether you obsessively watched that series every afternoon or are a complete newcomer to Duckburg, you owe it to yourself to check out the 2017 reboot. This series is a fun, intelligent update that recaptures that classic DuckTales spirit while pushing in bold new directions. There’s a reason the first season has a perfect 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Imagineering Story
Disney has closed its theme parks for the remainder of March, something that’s only happened a handful of times over the decades. But though we can’t drown our sorrows by visiting Disneyland, we can at least have fun learning more about its history and development. Narrated by Angela Bassett, the series examines the history of Disney’s parks from their early years all the way up to the debuts of new attractions like Pandora: The World of Avatar and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.
Watch The Imagineering Story on Disney+.
Lilo & Stitch
Honestly, it’s hard to go wrong with most of the content on Disney+. Pretty much any movie on the service will provide the sort of uplifting, feel-good comfort we all crave (though some of those Pixar movies might be a little too traumatizing right about now). That said, we can’t think of a better animated Disney movie to see us through these dark days than Lilo & Stitch. Between the timeless tale of two oddballs finding a family in each other and the liberal use of Elvis Presley music, it really hits the spot.
Watch Lilo & Stitch on Disney+.
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Feel Good Movies and TV on Hulu
Adventure Time
Sometimes the news headlines are enough to make us want to retreat to the Land of Ooo and hang out with our stretchable canine companion. At least Hulu gives us that option whenever we choose. This series perfectly captures that Calvin & Hobbes-esque sense of wonder and imagination, with each new episode introducing a bizarre new mission for Finn the Human and Jake the Dog. The series also rewards viewers over the long run, as the characters gradually age and their relationships evolve.
Booksmart
Olivia Wilde really bowled us over with her directorial debut, which stars Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever as two over-achieving high school seniors who decide to finally let it all out before graduation. That might sound like the recipe for a formulaic teen comedy, but Booksmart is too intelligent and witty to settle for the usual tropes. It’s easily one of the best examples of this genre in a very long time.
What We Do in the Shadows
Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clement’s wildly funny 2014 mockumentary has now become an equally funny TV series. The show shifts over to a new cast of characters, but the tone and premise are exactly the same. We get to revel in the struggles of a group of vampire roommates (and one overly loyal human familiar) as they navigate the treacherous waters of 21st Century life.
Watch What We Do in the Shadows on Hulu.
When Harry Met Sally
If Moonstruck alone isn’t enough to satisfy your craving for romantic comedies, why not hop over to Hulu for one of the most beloved examples of the genre? When Harry Met Sally fires on all cylinders, with a witty script from Nora Ephron and terrific chemistry between stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. It’s the rare rom-com to explore the question of whether men and women can be “just friends.”
Watch When Harry Met Sally on Hulu.
Feel Good Movies and TV on HBO Go
Miss Sherlock
While the idea of transplanting Sherlock Holmes into a 21st Century setting isn’t exactly novel anymore, Miss Sherlock goes several steps further by basing itself in Tokyo and casting two women in the leads. The result is a fresh overhaul of a familiar formula. It’s always fun getting lost in Sherlock’s cases, regardless of time period or gender dynamics.
Watch Miss Sherlock on HBO Go.
Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
Fred Rogers had a singular ability to bring out the best in everyone around him. Now, more than ever, the world could use his wisdom and comforting presence. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is a fascinating look into Rogers’ life and the origins of his hugely influential PBS series. You might just come away feeling better about yourself and the state of the world.
Watch Won’t You Be My Neighbor? on HBO Go.
Yesterday
As scary as things seem sometimes, at least we have the timeless music of The Beatles to lift our collective spirits. Yesterday features the ultimate horror movie premise – positing the existence of a world where only one man (Himesh Patel) remembers the Beatles and their music. Thankfully, that’s not a recipe for darkness or depression, but rather a lighthearted look at a struggling artist’s attempts to recreate that music and restore something fundamental to the world. And maybe earn some fame and glory in the process.
Feel Good Movies to Rent or Purchase
Paddington & Paddington 2
Let’s not fool ourselves – clearly the best option when you need an immediate transfusion of feel-good escapism is the Paddington duology. It’s impossible to feel anything other than utter peace and serenity while watching the story of a kindly bear who loves marmalade.
Sadly, it’s surprisingly hard to stream these two movies. The original Paddington used to be on Netflix, but currently both it and its sequel can only be rented or purchased on services like iTunes, Vudu, Amazon, etc. But really, isn’t that a small price to pay to live in Paddington’s world for a couple hours?
The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride is another classic movie perfectly suited to our current predicament. It’s all about a grandfather helping out his sick grandson by telling a fantastical story and whisking him away to a world of adventure, romance and six-fingered assassins. Sadly, it’s not readily available on most streaming services, so you’ll either have to rent or purchase it a la carte or sign up for a Philo trial.
For even more streaming recommendations, check out IGN’s picks for the best comedies on Netflix and Netflix’s own list of the top 10 movies and shows to stream right now.
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Source: IGN.com Feel Good Movies and TV Shows to Stream Right Now