My Top 7 Comfort Films That I Watch Again and Again
I believe that one of the many joys of fiction is our magical ability to relate with a character. This ability is rooted in empathy: imagining ourselves in the shoes of a character, looking at the world through their eyes.
I consider cinema to be the most immersive storytelling medium. Whenever I want to escape into a whole different world far away from my own, there are certain films that I tend to rewatch. Here are my top seven.
1. Arrival (2016), Denis Villeneuve
I will always remember the first time I watched this film in a theatre back in 2016 and got goosebumps in the ‘First Encounter’ scene. It’s just really soothing to watch it, especially with The Nature of Daylight by Max Richter playing in the background. I also feel like this film does a great job of making aliens actually feel like aliens.
2. Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019), Quentin Tarantino
This is perhaps the best film ever made about making films. Set in the era in which Tarantino grew up, it’s his homage to the medium and is very personal and heartfelt.
I’ve grown to love it more and more with each viewing, finding some new detail or movie reference. It also conveys joy and the power of friendship. I love the colors, the characters, the dialogue, the sounds.
3. Barry Lyndon (1970), Stanley Kubrick
I love all of Stanley Kubrick’s films, but Barry Lyndon holds a special place in my heart. Even though it’s more than three hours long and I’ve watched it quite a few times, it never fails to hold my attention.
Besides how realistic it feels, the voiceover makes me feel like I’m reading a novel. Watching CineTyler’s videos on the making of this film taught me a lot about filmmaking in general as well.
4. 1917 (2019), Sam Mendes
For most of my life, I considered long-take films to be a bit of a novelty, like Birdman and Rope. But that was before I watched 1917, where I think it was applied most powerfully.
“If you fail,” General Erinmore warns Schofield and Blake in a scene at the beginning, “it will be a massacre.” This film a similar effect on me to that of The Shawshank Redemption. All in all, for me, it’s about keeping hope alive and persisting toward your goal despite everything.
5. Hard Eight (1999), Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson’s first feature film, I consider Hard Eight to be the film that made me the cinephile that I am today. Originally called Sydney, it’s about a veteran gambler who takes a young man named John under his wing and teaches him the art of gambling.
It’s a simple film, but within it, I can see many of the styles and techniques that PTA would come to use in greater effect later on in films like There Will Be Blood and The Master. It’s something I go back to whenever I need a reminder of the power of cinema and how even a simple story can leave a lasting effect on the viewer.
6. The Worst Person in the World (2021), Joachim Trier
I didn’t expect much from this film at the get-go, but I was so impressed by it that I watched the rest of Trier’s filmography as well, which includes films like Thelma and Louder than Bombs. I love the aesthetic of this film, and it’s sprinkled with some refreshing humor and great music.
The title ‘The Worst Person in the World’ signifies, to me, how all of us are highly self-critical. We care so much about what other people think. So, when I watch it, I’m reminded to be kinder to myself. For just reminding of that, watching this movie comforts me.
7. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (2007), Andrew Dominik
I’m willing to bet that most people who read this article probably haven’t even heard of this film, and those who have watched it will think that this is a rather unusual addition to a list of comfort films.
For me, when it comes to comfort films, it’s not always about plot or character; sometimes it’s just about the setting. I want to go into a world that isn’t mine.
The writing is excellent, with well-defined characters and many quotable lines. And with Roger Deakins as the DoP, this film is very beautiful and immersive. I also love the music by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds; tracks like Song for Jesse, What Must Be Done, and Destined For Great Things are my favorites.
Conclusion
So, these were my top seven comfort films! Of course, this isn’t all of them. If this article performs well, I might post another version. If you want to escape into another world too, whether it be Hollywood in the 1960s or an alien spaceship, be sure to check out the films I mentioned above!
