ISO: Feel-good movies to rent?

[foodfiend]

I'm fairly new to renting DVD's. In theatres, my tastes turn towards foreign films or highly recommended ones. But at home, I seem to like light-hearted movies where I don't have to think too much eg. Bridget Jones Diary 1 AND 2, all the Pixar movies (A Bug's Life, Monsters Inc, and most recently Cars). I love the Pixar movies because they're so well-made -- positive interesting movies that aren't just for kids. Can anyone recommend movies along these lines? I seem to have exhausted the family section of my local video store (Just rented "Open Season" and "Madagascar"). Thanks

[MISSINDI]

Any opposition to chick flicks? Loved The Wedding Planner and Runaway Bride. For old school stuff, love Footloose and Girls Just Want to Have Fun. Teeny bopper stuff? Bring It On. Sports movies? So far, my all time favorite is Remember the Titans. Just a few that come to mind. ;)

[Snickers]

One of my favorites is "Return to Me".

[foodfiend]

As for chick flicks, I rented "Just Like Heaven" with Reese Withersoon and really enjoyed that (except Mark Ruffalo wasn't strong enough to match her). Rented the Meg Ryan/Hugh Jackman film (forget the title, which shows you how much I liked it). Hugh Jackman was to-salivate-over, but the movie was so-so. Don't know what "Return to Me" is about.

[badunnin]

I like "Love, Actually" (not completely feel-good, but enough of a happy end), and "The Princess Bride". :)

[mbrogier]

House of D-- it wasn't a blockbuster and didn't get much press, but I thought this movie was excellent. David Duchovny stars, but he also wrote part of the screenplay and also directed. It is a drama, so it isn't all light hearted, but it has a good message.

Secondhand Lions. This one is worth buying. I saw it in the theatre and then rented it. Robert Duvall and Michael Caine with Hailey Joel Osmond. Hilariously funny and just darn good.

My favorite teen angst movie twisted from classic Shakespeare is 10 Things I Hate About You. Funny, and it doesn't hurt that Julia Stiles and Heath Ledger can actually act--unlike so many of the teen "acting" set.

Emma with Gwenyth Paltrow.

[ccooney]

Two of my faves are Waking Ned Devine and Dave.
Have fun! :)

[imloulou]

I love Somethings Gotta Give. (Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton) I laughed WAY OUT LOUD through the whole thing...so did my husband.

I am sorta embarrassed to admit this but I love both of the Legally Blond movies. Also, 50 first dates was surprisingly good.

[mbrogier]

I also loved 50 First Dates. I even downloaded the closing song on my Ipod. Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

[Kevlar]

Sweet Home Alabama. Pretty much anything with Reese Witherspoon. Shall We Dance with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. I don't really care for either of them, but the movie is good.

Failure to Launch and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

[foodfiend]

Actually I've seen some of those already - Sweet Home and Shall We Dance. Liked them both. Saw part of How to Lose a Guy and wasn't crazy about it. Had a nasty undertone to it.

[saserre]

13 going on 30 was really cute. And I really enjoyed Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. I rent these movies when I go to the store and fiance' isn't with me ;)

I enjoyed Amelie' as well, and would go along with your foreign language movies like you see in the theatre.

[KristiB]

Another vote for Amelie!!

Dead Poets Society

Planes Trains and Automobiles

About a Boy

Whale Rider

Bend it Like Beckham

Millions

Big Fish

[Arete]

An older one that is Pixar-ish (might even be Pixar) was Chicken Run.

I second the votes for 10 Things I Hate About You, 50 First Dates, Secondhand Lions, Princess Bride, and Love Actually. My neighbor referred to Love Actually as "a thinking person's romantic comedy" and I think that a fairly good description.

Legally Blonde is another good one. But only the first one, the second one wasn't nearly as good.

Oh! Almost forgot Notting Hill. Great feel good movie. Also, Spanglish is a good one (and is actually the movie that convinced me to give Adam Sandler a chance, it is nothing like his other movies.

[Lrimerman]

Not already mentioned are Over the Hedge, my kids have the DVD and I like that movie. Also, I assume you saw Shrek one and two, I love those. Can't wait for 3 to come out on May 19.

I liked "The Lake House"


Lisa

[sdcook]

Barnyard! I think I love that one more than my kids.

[foodfiend]

I saw Over the Hedge in the theatres and really enjoyed it. I might rent it on video, too. My favorite part is when they give the hyper squirrel caffeinated cola and he moves faster than the speed of light.:D Hilarious.

[Kayaksoup]

I rented Little Miss Sunshine the other day; made me all warm and fuzzy:)
Like you, I go for the "chick flicks" or fluff movies or feel good movies when I am home alone. Oh and trashy action movies, but of a specific style. (Think Lucky Number Slevin, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, etc)
I know some of these movies are terrible, but I can't help it.

Clueless
Heathers
Pump Up the Volume
Dead Poets Society
Save the Last Dance
Mean Girls
Love Actually
Bride and Prejudice
Last Holiday
Secondhand Lions
(not a movie) Buffy
Election (althpugh not feel-good, it is blackly humorous)
Grosse Point Blank

I could go on, but I am sure you get the idea.
I actually found a site the does movie recommendations based on movies you have seen and enjoyed.

[ADM]

You've Got Mail - The Full Monty - Calendar Girls - Guarding tess - Saving Grace.

[Snickers]

Don't know what "Return to Me" is about.


It stars David Duchovny and Minnie Driver. Cast also includes Carrol O'Connor, Bonnie Hunt, James Belushi.
He is a widower, she is a waitress. She needs a heart transplant; she gets it, they meet and fall in love. There's just one catch......................:)

[Curiosity Hears]

Two of my faves are Waking Ned Devine and Dave.
Have fun! :)

Love both these movies. Waking Ned Devine is one of my all time favs! We watch it as a family every St. Patrick's Day.

Another good one is I Love You to Death with Kevin Kline, Tracey Ullman, and River Phoenix.

Edited to add: Little Miss Sunshine, Napoleon Dynamite, and while hard to find yet completely worth the search The Chocolate Wars.

[badunnin]

My neighbor referred to Love Actually as "a thinking person's romantic comedy" and I think that a fairly good description.


I love that description. I'm not a romance kind of girl, and like the fact that things weren't storybook perfect in that one. It had it's Prince Charming moments, yes, but not all the relationships were happily ever after at the end of the film.

Oh, and one of the American girls, the first one Colin meets in the bar? Friend of mine from high school. ;) (Huh, I just looked her up on imdb again - apparently she's in Casino Royale as well!)

[NancyR]

Can't believe nobody has mentioned Finding Nemo one of my very most favorite feel goods. Other happy, feel good movies that come to mind are As Good as it Gets with Jack Nickolson and Helen Hunt, The Family Man, While you were Sleeping, Doctor Doolittle, Must Love Dogs, and The Nutty Professor.

[rosen]

Here are a few of the more fun ones we've rented in the past year.

Little Miss Sunshine
Broadcast News (old, but it's never shown on TV)
Junebug
Big Fish
Home For The Holidays (Thanksgiving)
In & Out (love Kevin Kline!)
The Dish (Putty!)
Billy Elliot
The Incredibles
Millions
Parenthood
Say Anything

And don't forget old favorite TV shows that are out on DVD.

[imloulou]

Thought of another one:

What's Eating Gilbert Grape

[SaraInWisc]

Here are some of my favorites:
Some Like It Hot
The Producers (the orignal)
Indian in the Cupboard
29th Street
Crossing Delancey
The Very Thought of You
Amelie
Enchanted April
Hope and Glory
Pee Wee's Big Adventure
Raising Arizona
Trading Places
Time Bandits
Baron Munchhausen
Plunkett and Macleane
Hudsucker Proxy
Paulie
Sliding Doors
The Emperor's New Clothes with Ian Holm
Cold Comfort Farm
Just Like Heaven
Nanny McPhee
the Wallace and Gromet shorts
and not to be forgottern, the short lived tv series, The Tick, with Patrick Warbuten
I didn't realize I had so many movies I liked! Hope it helps.

[mbrogier]

I forgot about Hudsucker Proxy

I also recommend Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid with Steve Martin.

RV is hilarious.

Good Morning, Vietnam and Air America if you like war related movies. These are sarcastic and witty.

If you like Mel Brooks, there is Young Frankenstein, High Anxiety, Blazing Saddles and Spaceballs. All hilarious.

[Meganator]

Hitch
Stuart Little
Sleepless in Seattle
You've Got Mail
The Boys and Girls from County Clare
Mad Hot Ballroom
Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill
Tortilla Soup
The Secret of Roan Inish
Under the Tuscan Sun
Monsoon Wedding
Box of Moonlight
Eat, Drink, Man, Woman
My Big, Fat Greek Wedding
Anna and the King

[BarbaraL]

I love "The Philadelphia Story." Not sure if you like "old" movies, but it's really quite funny.

[Kathy B]

I like some that have already been mentioned. A few others...

Forrest Gump
The Man from Snowy River
The Cure
Far and Away

[imloulou]

My husband and I had plans to go out tonight but changed our minds because we were out late last night at a party and just felt like hanging out at home tonight. I bought a movie for the kids to watch while we were (supposed to be) gone tonight. One of my favorite movies of all time that I forgot about:

Rudy!!!!!

We all ended up watching it tonight and loved it (I have seen it a bunch of times but was boo-hooin' at the end anyway:D )

This is one of the best "light hearted/feel good movies" of all time (IMHO of course:D )

[NJMom]

Rudy!!!!!

Yes! Rudy is a great movie. Can see it over and over again ...gets me everytiime!

Another one is Invincible-Mark Whalberg is excellent.

Also:
Miricle-about the 1980 hockey team(Disney)
Napolean Dynamite
Pride and Predjusice
Finding Nemo
Planes Trains and Automobiles
Circle of Friends
Parenthood
Say Anything

[mrswaz]

What a great idea for a thread.

Radio
The Devil Wears Prada
Ever After:A Cinderella Story
Remember The Titans
While You Were Sleeping
The Cutting Edge
Secondhand Lions
Mystery, Alaska
Mr. Holland's Opus
Field of Dreams
Cars

[TKay]

What About Bob?

[sage]

Two more:

Strictly Ballroom (Australian movie---very funny)

Cinema Paradiso (Italian with subititles)

Shiralee (has some sad parts but a good ending if I'm remembering correctly---British film (or maybe Australian) starring Bryan Brown).

[swquilts]

A couple of my favs:

Steel Magnolias - funny, sad,
Where Is The Heart Is - uplifting and feel good