“The movies we love and admire are to some extent a function of who we are when we see them.” — Mary Schmich
Depending on the reason, I love a good movie binge. I usually settle in with my streaming services on rainy or snowy days when I can’t be bothered to get out of my pajamas.
The variety of streaming services is both a blessing and a curse. It’s lovely to have so much to choose from, but how do you decide? You have to go with your mood. It’s like deciding what to have at dinner or, taking it up a notch, what wine goes with what foods.
I’m not much for wine pairings with specific foods; I pair my wine with a glass. But movies and moods? That I can do. In no particular order, these are the films I like that match the mood I have to be in to watch some of them.
Mood: Emotional for no reason
Movies: OK, this is tough because maybe you’re sad, angry, or frustrated, and those are all different. Like people with therapy cats or dogs, you should find a few “emotional-support movies.” It can’t have involved plots or a surprise ending no one saw coming — that’s too much mental effort. When I’m in a lousy mood because other people are breathing near me or some other ridiculous issue, I’m clicking on my Amazon library and pulling up “The Birdcage.”
It’s easily in my top 10 favorite movies of all time. Still, it’s incredibly comforting when I’m feeling rotten because it’s impossible not to laugh when Robin Williams is falling and dropping the stew, Nathan Lane is hysterically weeping, and Hank Azaria is tripping over his shoes. It’s actually on right now while I’m writing this, because why not? If drag queens and slapstick aren’t your jam, try “Parenthood” with Steve Martin or “Arthur” with Dudley Moore.
Mood: Girls’ night in
Movies: Even if you don’t invite friends in for a movie night, sometimes you want a “chick flick.” As a woman, maybe that should offend me, but it doesn’t. I usually turn to “When Harry Met Sally” or sometimes “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” If it’s near Christmas, I might sub in “Love, Actually.” These are all well-acted, easy to follow, and have some great laugh-out-loud moments and some tender ones. Who isn’t rooting for Billy Crystal as he races against midnight to find Meg Ryan? Who can resist Hugh Grant as a boogie-dancing prime minister?
Mood: Breaking up
Movies: This depends. If you’ve ended a relationship, and it’s a good thing, a celebratory film about getting a fresh start is in order. I like “Along Came Polly,” “The First Wives Club,” or “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” All of them have lots of comic moments, don’t have bloody violence, and end well.
Now, if the breakup was nasty, as many are, the best option is to go right for the murder shows. Look at the on-demand offerings if you have cable and watch anything on Dateline, Discovery ID, or Lifetime. Sometimes, the only way to keep from plotting murderous revenge is to watch a movie where everyone who has ever carried out murderous revenge is in jail. “Monster,” starring Charlize Theron, or anything about Betty Broderick or Lizzie Borden will do. The cold, hard truth of documentaries that end with a real-life person wearing an orange jumpsuit will have you settling for murdering a pizza and a bag of Oreos instead of your ex.
Mood: Unsettled or anxious: You know those nights when you just need something soothing or mindless that won’t wind you up? It might seem odd to want something so innocuous you fall asleep a half hour in, but sometimes, that’s what it takes. It’s like a video Valium — habit-forming, but in a good way.
Movies: For times like this, I pick a television series, in case it becomes an all-nighter. “I Love Lucy” is usually my first choice because Lucy makes it work no matter how much rapid-fire screaming in Spanish Ricky does.
Movies or television shows can bring us back to happy times or temporarily take us away from sad times, and it all depends on who we are at that moment. Sometimes, a few hours of escapist screen time can be just what we need. Log on, tune in, and enjoy the glow for a little while.
Brenda Kelley Kim has lived in Marblehead for 50 years, and is an author, freelance writer, and mother of three. Her column appears weekly.