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There’s no denying that we’re living in times when it’s increasingly difficult to keep up with what’s expected of us. Whether it’s working hard to earn enough money to pay for our (exponentially inflating) living expenses or constantly getting flooded with bad news from all over the world, reality gets overwhelming sometimes.
What better way to escape it than to turn on our favorite movies that comfort us even in the hardest of times? In fact, as we saw during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was art that most of us turned to in search of comfort, levity, and escape. We’ve compiled a list of movies that are known to provide the escape when needed, ranging from heartfelt rom-coms to magical fantasy. Let’s take a look at 12 movies that’ll give you the escape you need.
12/12 You’ve Got Mail (1998)
What better way to distract yourself from daily tasks than lose yourself in a probably unrealistic romance comedy? Starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, You’ve Got Mail follows two people in an “online” relationship, unaware they’re also business rivals in real life. While Kathleen Kelly (Ryan) is a small business bookstore owner, Joe Fox (Hanks) is a bookstore magnate. Nora Ephron movies excel at encapsulating every human emotion, and that’s exactly what we sometimes need above the mechanisms of our daily lives.
11/12 Pretty Woman (1990)
Originally intended to be a dark cautionary tale, per Vanity Fair, Pretty Woman was eventually re-conceived as a romantic comedy. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts star in the leading roles as wealthy businessman Edward Lewis and a Hollywood sex worker Vivian Ward, respectively. Edward needs someone to bring to social events, so he hires Vivian as his escort, not expecting to properly fall in love with her. The plot is simple to follow, the actors’ chemistry is contagious, and it also dives into the darker aspects of Vivian’s job.
10/12 The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Set in San Francisco in 1981, The Pursuit of Happyness is based on the best-selling 2006 memoir of the same name written by Chris Gardner with Quincy Troupe. This biographical drama follows Will Smith as Gardner and his son Jaden as Christopher Jr. The elder Gardner is a salesman who gets divorced by his wife, is left broke, and forced to deal with the custody of his son. He’s also forced to become homeless for over a year. The movie hits differently when you view it as the system failing an African-American man as he tries reaching the “American Dream.” It helps you appreciate the life you have a little more.
9/12 Notting Hill (1999)
Romantic comedies starring Julia Roberts are truly the best way to escape reality. The highest-grossing British film of all time, Notting Hill stars Hugh Grant as Will Thacker, a bookstore owner, and Roberts as famous American actress Anna Scott. After she accidentally walks into his shop, the pair’s complicated journey of love begins. The difference in their social statuses is at the forefront of the movie. The film perfectly shows why the real Golden Age of cinema is 90s and 2000s rom-coms.
8/12 The Lion King (1994)
Turn on any Disney animation, and you’ll instantly find yourself back in your childhood. 1994’s The Lion King is definitely up there on the list. It follows Simba, a lion cub, whose father Mufasa gets killed by his paternal uncle Scar. Simba is led to believe he’s responsible for the death and is forced into exile. After years of leaving away from home, he returns to claim his right to the throne. It shows a beautiful portrayal of kingship. It also depicts some of the most beautiful and well-done animation or filmmaking that’s ever been released.
7/12 Wall-E (2008)
As the ninth feature film produced by the studio, Wall-E is a Pixar animation, following the love story of two robots WALL-E and EVE, in the far future of 2805. WALL-E is responsible for cleaning waste on Earth, but after he embarks on a space journey with his new love, it alters the fate of mankind. It’s a deeply empathetic and embarrassingly earnest stories about love with the tiniest details in the animation and incredible humanization of robots who hardly say a dozen words the entire film. It’s one of the most politically radical Pixar movies ever made.
6/12 Three Wishes For Cinderella (1973)
This section is for Eastern Europeans who can’t go without watching Three Wishes For Cinderella on Christmas every year. It’s the perfect nostalgic fairytale to help you escape from the stress of holidays. Based on a fairy tale written by Božena Němcová, this Czechoslovak movie follows a housemaid whose life changes dramatically when the chauffeur gives her three magical hazelnuts. Inspired by the story of Cinderella, the housemaid decides to make herself beautiful for the upcoming prince’s ball. The movie portrays Cinderella as a strong woman with a life full of daring adventures.
5/12 Star Wars
Star Wars may be a perfect escape for those who basically grew up with the franchise, ever since its beginning in 1977. The franchise spans across 12 movies and nine television series (so far), so there’s definitely a lot to choose from and get lost in. The epic space opera is set “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” in which humans and many species of aliens co-exist with robots and droids. If you’re tired of the world, Star Wars helps to transport you to a galaxy far away, where it’s easier to deal with your struggles.
4/12 Dead Poets Society (1989)
If you’re a dark academia fanatic, Dead Poets Society is the one for you. Starring big names such as Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, and Robert Sean Leonard, the story takes place at a fictional elite conservative boarding school. Everything changes when a progressive English teacher gets hired and completely changes the boys’ lives through poetry. Despite being set in a male-dominated environment, there isn’t an ounce of toxic masculinity. The boys form a brotherhood through poetry, words, and emotions.
3/12 Harry Potter
You can definitely count on the Wizarding World of Harry Potter to provide the needed escape you so long for. The fantasy series spans over eight movies with its focus on the Golden Trio (Harry, Hermione, Ron) as they fight through obstacles that Voldemort throws their way. The series pulls you in and makes you believe you’re also capable of casting magic and living in a world where everything’s possible. It makes you feel part of a new-found family at Hogwarts.
2/12 Hocus Pocus (1993)
Hocus Pocus wasn’t as celebrated during its release in 1993 as it is now. The annual celebration of Halloween has helped make this Disney picture a cult classic. Starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as a villainous trio of witches, it follows them as they get resurrected by a young boy named Max on Halloween night. They start exacting revenge and begin a reign of terror. The movie doesn’t take itself seriously and revels in its kitschy setting.
1/12 Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)
Last but not least, we can’t finish without including at least one Indian cult classic. In this case, it’s none other than Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, a Hindi-language coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama, starring Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in the leading roles. It centers around their characters as they meet at a trekking trip and instantly fall for one another. They don’t express their feelings, end up drifting apart, only to reunite at a friend’s wedding. It’s bound to make you laugh and make you feel all warm inside.
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