Whether someone is watching “When Harry Met Sally” for the 19th time or “10 Things I Hate About You” for the first time, movies are a place of sanctuary for many during the cold, brutal winter months. These “comfort movies” — films that provide one with a sense of familiarity and safety — give people a break from their stress-filled lives.
“When it’s too cold to go outside, movies can give us an emotional connection with the outside world,” said Blair Davis, a media and popular culture professor at DePaul. “The escapism that movies provide can be both mental and physical, transporting us to a different place on screen as well as showing us someone else’s life.”
Comfort movies vary from person to person. For some, romantic comedies put a warm smile on their faces. For others, rom-coms are cringe-inducing. They would much rather get lost in a fantasy movie’s expansive world. It all boils down to taste and personal experience.
“My mom is Japanese, so I watched a lot of Hayao Miyazaki’s films — especially ‘My Neighbor Totoro,’” Max Weber, a DePaul junior studying film, said. “It is very nostalgic, and it really connects me back to my childhood.”
While Weber finds comfort in films that most would consider “good,” sometimes solace can be found within the “bad.”
Sophie Hartmann, another DePaul junior studying film, spoke to this flip side, saying she finds value and coziness in films that most would turn away from, such as “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island.”
“I am able to turn off that ‘film student mode’ switch in my brain,” Hartmann said. “It is extremely refreshing to be able to breathe and watch something without feeling like I’m studying for a class.”
Hartmann added that this can help to prevent burnout and prevent anxieties from spiraling out of control. Comfort movies can help ground people in the present, offering familiar sights and sounds that allow viewers to reconnect with themselves.
The winter months also bring an increase in people affected by seasonal affective disorder, largely due to the shorter days and long, dark nights. Comfort movies can help to promote positive mental health for those grappling with these challenges.
“There is definitely sometimes a link between people who rewatch films over and over again and some sort of mental health-related issue or trauma,” Hartmann said. “Those people can search for and embrace this nonphysical safe space.”
People often develop special connections with their comfort movies because of the deeply personal relationship they form with the art. Some may gravitate towards films with specific settings, actors or directors.
“So much of what people like in movies is reflective of their personality,” Weber said. “Some people leave a theater and are like, wow, this director understands me perfectly — to the core!”
These movies not only shape how people perceive the world around them, but also influence how they react to situations they may never personally experience.
“Movies allow us to empathize with others, which makes us better people in the process,” Davis said. “Movies usually have definitive endings that allow us to gain a sense of closure and resolution that is often lacking in our personal lives.”
As the popcorn pops in the microwave and “It’s a Wonderful Life” begins to air on the television, consider switching to a film like “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.” It may just become a personal comfort movie.
“These films remind you of childhood and when you felt safer, or a film that you shared with a loved one that reminds you of them,” Davis said. “If I want to channel that feeling, I turn to those films.”
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