When the evenings draw in and the cold and dark nights are inescapable, why not watch a film that does the same job as central heating? Here are a range of films that are generous, warm-hearted, occasionally a little sentimental, and exactly what you want when the weather is doing its worst outside.
The Film That Feels Like a Warm Hug
Paddington 2 (2017)
It is almost suspicious how kind-hearted this film is. Even when its marmalade-loving hero finds himself wrongly imprisoned, the tone never tips into cynicism. Instead, it leans hard into community spirit, small acts of generosity and the belief that good manners might actually change the world. The supporting cast is a delight, particularly Hugh Grant who has the time of his life. If you finish it without smiling, expect to be visited by some ghosts next Christmas.
For Lovers of Solidarity. And Disco
Pride (2014)
Based on a true story, Pride pairs a group of London activists with a Welsh mining village during the 1980s strike, an unlikely alliance that becomes a lesson in generosity, humour and shared humanity. It is funny without being smug, political without being preachy, and moving without ever tipping into syrup. By the time the end credits roll, you’ll probably find yourself uplifted by the power of a good fundraiser and a well-timed dancefloor takeover.
The Film That Reminds You to Follow Your Bliss
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
A dysfunctional family piling into a battered yellow van to drive their daughter to a beauty pageant doesn’t sound especially life-affirming, and yet it’s one of the best road movies of the last twenty years. The humour is dry, the situations often awkward, but the affection for its characters is unmistakable. It is a reminder that success is relative, failure is survivable and dancing badly in public might actually be good for you. Plus, it stars a young and always brilliant Paul Dano.
The Crowd-Pleaser With a Musical Heart
Sing Street (2016)
This is a wonderful, wonderful film. A Dublin teenager forms a band in the 1980s to impress a girl, and accidentally stumbles into self-discovery, creativity and a sense of belonging. Packed with joyful pop numbers and youthful optimism, it is the sort of film that makes you want to dig out old records and believe in the power of a perfectly timed chorus as well as listen to the soundtrack of this on repeat long after.
The Comforting Thriller You Can Watch Again and Again
Mission: Impossible (1996)
Some thrillers are for the first watch. This one is for the fourth, fifth and sixth. Brian De Palma’s original Mission: Impossible has become a comfort blanket of a blockbuster: tight suspense and unreal set-pieces like that astonishing CIA vault break-in which is somehow an amazing action scene but also done in absolute silence. It is twisty in a way that is oddly soothing, full of double-crosses you half-remember and enjoy rediscovering, and perfect for an evening when you want tension without emotional devastation.
The Winter Watch That Feels Like a Sunday Afternoon
Chef (2014)
How many times have we recommend this now? And yet some of you still won’t have seen it. Firstly: this isn’t a “cold” film: it’s full of sunshine, smiles, cocktails and dancing, but Jon Favreau’s food-truck road trip is pure cinematic comfort food. Literally, in some instances. But the sizzling sandwiches, reconciled families and a soundtrack that makes everything feel sunnier than it probably is outside your window is probably what we all need right now. The stakes are low, the cooking is mouth-watering and the message is reassuringly simple: sometimes quitting your job and driving across America making grilled cheese seems like the greatest idea in the world.
The Film for When You Want Something Quietly Lovely
The Straight Story (1999)
David Lynch’s gentlest film follows an elderly man who drives a lawn mower across several states to visit his estranged brother. That is essentially the entire plot, yet somehow it becomes quietly affecting. It is slow, humane and full of small, thoughtful encounters, the sort of film that makes you slow down without quite realising you have.
The Pick for Group Chats and Sofa-Singing
Pitch Perfect (2012)
A cappella competitions have no right to be this entertaining, but here we are. Pitch Perfect is brisk, silly and endlessly quotable, with musical mash-ups that lodge themselves in your brain for days afterwards. It is the sort of film that works just as well half-watched while cooking dinner as it does with your full attention, just don’t “two screen” it, phone in hand, as you’ll be missing out of a gem of a film.
The Film That Will Make You Feel Better About Almost Anything Else
Inferno (2016)
People are very quick to describe a film as “the worst thing they’ve ever seen”. Inferno is here to test that claim. This Dan Brown adaptation is a muddled, deeply silly, slice of nonsense, with Tom Hanks sprinting between European landmarks while muttering about plagues and secret symbols. It is a bad film. But by the time it ends, almost everything you watch after will suddenly seem significantly better, which is its own strange, wintry form of comfort.
