Let’s face it, gals. We don’t always have the perfect cure to relieve our bodies of stress, whether it stems from work, relationships, family, or in my frequent case, landlords. When punching a pillow with your landlord’s picture taped to it doesn’t do the trick, there is a much more pleasant way to level that tense head of yours.

In moments of anxiety, I have found comfort in my favorite movies that I have seen no less than 50 times (Once it hits 70, that film is platinum!). They revive a feeling of familiarity that alleviates my worries and makes me feel at home again. Even when my day is going just swell, I can play a cherished movie in the background to keep up the swell… ness. I call these movies “feel-gooderies”. 

I can’t possibly choose my favorite of favorites, but recently I have been all-up-ons that Bridget Jones’s Diary. I have grown to love these characters so much over time that Bridget is practically that mistake-laden friend of mine whose buffoonery has proven endearing if not causing me to physically recoil. No matter the apprehension swimming in my head, I know that Bridget’s optimism will never change, those repeatedly watched scenes will never receive a less heartwarming reaction, and the ending scene will always prompt me to restart the entire thing. This is by no means a foolish distraction used to put off a serious problem; it’s a deep breath and simple reminder that you will get through this. Give your mindset a break from worry and watch a feel goodery to leave you in a pleasant mood and give your situation the impetus to power through.

Some movies aren’t made to be re-watched. They strike you, make you question life, open a social discourse for a solid week or two, and then hopefully make the Criterion Collection. Sometimes watching too much of a movie can burn me out and cheapen the material. But other movies master that good vibe formula from start to finish and know they’ll make a soft spot in many viewers. So next time your boss schedules a “talk” for next week and you spend the week sweating whitewater rapids, guessing a thousand possible subjects and pre-emptively wording your excuses, pop in The Goonies or Never Been Kissed. Turns out your boss just wanted to discuss new ideas, making you feeling silly for that delirious week.

Do you have any movies you watch when you’re feeling stressed and unhappy?