Nice Movies!
Do you ever need a little break from the big bad world? A laugh, a bit of sweetness, or a reminder that people can be good? Our film library of nice movies can offer that escape.
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We know that "nice" is subjective. We've tried to include films you can feel good about watching. If they don't have happy endings, they do have ones that showcase goodness
(like Casablanca). Some have "language," but it's never vicious. And they all should leave you with a nice warm feeling.
Ali's Wedding
Matchbox Productions - 2018
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If you're like me, a little escape feels good about now. You're in luck: Ali's Wedding is available to stream on Netflix right this minute. It's a wonderfully charming film about love: the love of family, of a community, and of a girl. The wrong girl, of course, which creates both laugh-out-loud and "No, don't!" moments, as well as a lovely old-fashioned romance. There's a lot of joy in this movie and it's based on a true story!
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"Walker's debut mines rapid-fire laughs and bountiful heart from a story of romantic misadventure set in train by a young man desperate to live up to his father's expectations." The Hollywood Reporter
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BTW, I suggest you don't watch the entire trailer--I think it gives away a bit too much of the plot.
Santa Fake
Gravitas Ventures - 2019
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“Santa Fake" stars Damian McGinty as a young, undocumented Irish man who unwittingly works for a gangster. After a series of mishaps lands him in Santa Fe, he hides in plain sight working as a mall Santa. Themes of love, faith, community, and kindness are foremost in the story, and Damian (who has a drop-dead gorgeous voice) sings a number of songs, including "Danny Boy" and "O Holy Night." Heartily recommended by Dee White, who said, “It really is the perfect movie for the family. Clean, sweet, and all about love and kindness and community and the families we make for ourselves.”
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submitted by Dee White
The Straight Story
Buena Vista Pictures/Disney - 1999 - rated G
Just thinking about this movie makes me smile. It's the true story of 73-year-old Alvin Straight, who drives 260 miles to see his dying brother--on a '66 John Deere tractor. Alvin's eyes aren't good enough to drive, but he makes up for that in sheer persistence and a stoic sort of love. The film is directed by David Lynch (really) who shows his sweet side while lovingly filming Alvin's real route from Laurens, Iowa to Mt. Zion, Wisconsin.
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"The movie isn't just about the old Alvin Straight's odyssey through the sleepy towns and rural districts of the Midwest, but about the people he finds to listen and care for him. You'd think it was a fantasy, this kindness of strangers, if the movie weren't based on a true story."
Roger Ebert
submitted by Cindy Brown
Coco
Disney/Pixar - 2017 - rated PG
Thanks to Bruce Cantwell for recommending "Coco." Bruce said he's turned away from the violence inherent in many American movies about the dead and undead and has "gravitated toward the kinder/gentler approach they take south of the border to the Day of the Dead celebrations." He sums up this Pixar pic well: "'Coco' is all about the dead coming back to spend time with the living. It contains all the tricks that make a good, scary film, but its underlying sweetness makes it a treat."
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"Funny, irreverent and eye-popping. It will also make you want to cry at least once but possibly as many as three times." London Evening Standard
submitted by Bruce Cantwell
Babe
Universal Pictures - 1995 - rated G
Babe the sheep-pig wiggled his way into my heart back in 1995 and has stayed there ever since. I love his can-do spirit, his open-heartedness, and his infectious joy. (I still imitate his "la la la!" song when I'm happy.)
I think this movie definitely belongs on this list because (spoiler alert) Babe saves the day by just being himself, a kind little pig who politely asks for what he wants.
P.S. There may be another reason Babe has a special place in my heart. When I was first dating my husband, I asked him about his favorite films. When he said (with a bit of a blush) that Babe made his top five list, I knew I had a keeper.
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"For children, the movie will play like a storybook come to life. Adults, at first, will marvel at the special effects and puppetry. But ultimately, they'll be won over by the nuances of a story that finds a fresh way to deliver a timeless message." Chicago Tribune
submitted by Cindy Brown
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Bread and Tulips
First Look Pictures - 2001- Rated NR Suitable For Mature Teens
This quirky Italian romantic comedy charmed me with its unlikely protagonists, jaw-dropping Venetian setting, and sweet (but not too sweet) romance and friendships. It must've charmed a lot of people: "Bread and Tulips'' won Davids (the Italian "Oscars") for best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, director, and three more besides.
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"A feel-good movie to see with a friend on a rainy afternoon when you both need a little getaway." Houston Chronical
"Sweet, delicately comic and a complete delight.” - The Washington Post
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Submitted by Cindy Brown
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Kitchen Stories
IFC Films - 2004 - rated PG (for mild language)
Submitted by Charles Duncombe - An unlikely friendship develops between two lonely men.
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"Irresistible! A completely charming film." The Los Angeles Times
"The movie's gentle humor and offbeat whimsy prove that humanity trumps bureaucratic foolishness, in Norway or anywhere else.” - The Chicago Tribune
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Defending Your Life
Warner Brothers - 1991 - rated PG (adult situations/language)
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One of my favorite Albert Brooks movies! I never knew a movie about the afterlife could be so life-affirming. Daniel Miller (Albert Brooks) finds himself in Judgement City after a fatal car crash. In order to advance to a better world in the next life, he needs to prove he learned his lesson in this life. On one hand, Albert Brooks’ character is insecure and feels way over his head; on the other hand, he gets to enjoy perfect weather (74 degrees and sunny every day) as well as eating all the best-tasting food in the world without gaining any weight. The amazing cast includes Meryl Streep, Rip Torn, and Lee Grant.
Reviewed by John Kohlepp
Groundhog Day
Columbia Pictures - 1993 - rated PG (for some thematic elements)
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TV weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) goes to Punxsutawney, PA to cover Groundhog Day festivities. Phil finds himself reliving Groundhog Day over and over in an endless loop and no one else is aware of it. Bill Murray plays a great jerk stewing in his own juices -- this makes it really moving when his character finally sees outside of his own ego to appreciate those around him.
Reviewed by John Kohlepp
Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Focus Features - 2018 - rated PG-13 (for some thematic elements)
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If you liked Mr. Rogers before this movie, you will LOVE him afterward. This documentary shows Fred Rogers as a smart sensitive man: a colleague of Dr.Spock, and Dr. Erik Erikson, and a truly gentle man who "gave us the most precious gift of all: the courage to be kind." (pbs.org)
Submitted by Cindy Brown
Keep the Change
Tangerine Entertainment in association with Story Farm & Salem Street Entertainmen, 2018 - rated NR
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One of my favorite romantic comedies of the last few years, "Keep the Change" is a quirky look at love between two adults with autism. Even better, the stars are autistic and fabulous actors to boot. "An ode to self-discovery and acceptance that’s as funny as it is sweet." Variety.com
Submitted by Cindy Brown
About a Boy
Universal Pictures - 2002 - rated PG-13 (for brief strong language and some thematic elements)
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It's a delight to watch Hugh Grant realize that he's not "an island," to watch the eccentric titular boy make a friend, and to see a movie that celebrates friendship between a man and a boy.
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"Better than a feelgood movie, it's a feelgreat movie -- genuinely clever, affecting when you least expect it to be and funny from start to finish." The Wall Street Journal
Submitted by Cindy Brown
