COVID-19, unfortunately, currently shows little sign of slowing down. As everybody adjusted to the new normal of quarantines and lockdowns, films and TV have provided a balm of escape from the current situation. The issue is that the situation has now gone on so long that many recommendations of ‘comfort films’ have long since been watched, possibly more than once. Yet beyond the typical rom-coms and musicals (which are perfectly fine suggestions), there are other classic films that do not immediately seem to scream ‘comfort film’, but still provide satisfaction in their own peculiar way.
Definitions of comfort films are subjective, of course. But the recommended films below, beyond being good movies in their own right, possess a certain inherent satisfaction and easy viewing. Their construction and style enable viewers to slide into them, and their tight pacing pulls them swiftly along for the ride. Such films do not always provide the languid fuzzy comfort of, say, Singin’ in the Rain, but the catharsis and fulfillment of watching a well-oiled machine.
Goodfellas
Martin Scorsese’s 3-hour epic of mafia history may not initially seem like a comfort film. But from when the opening credits zoom past and Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) reminisces “as far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster”, Goodfellas flies past in its recounting the rise and fall of mafia life. Similar to when Henry and his fiancé Karen (Lorrain Bracco) skip the Copacabana queue in a Steadicam tracking shot to “Then He Kissed Me”, Goodfellas is a swooning indulgence, with pop-song montages and Henry’s constant narration hand-holding audiences through its exhilarating saga.
Of course, this is all part of Goodfellas’ point; showing a lifestyle so seductive and ‘easy’ that characters fall into it without considering where it might end up. But ignore that for now, settle into the unrelenting rollercoaster of Goodfellas, and left the amusing anecdotes and Italian cooking waft over you. So long as you don’t mind the bodies.
Ocean’s 13
Steven Soderberg’s Oceans films utilized its star-studded casts and slick stylish direction to make some of the smoothest heist films ever. Ocean’s 11 is probably a better film than 13, but its usage of misdirection and surprise reveals prevent it from being as much as ‘comfort watch’. The same with Ocean’s 12, which is more outright comedic but contains so many double-twists and fake-outs it can become a headache to follow. Ocean’s 13 is comparatively simple. Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and the gang set out to make casino tycoon Mr Bank (Al Pacino) miserable, and then they do it.
The first half of Ocean’s 13 consists of them plotting the various ways to swindle his casino and create negative reviews, which the latter half pays off in supremely satisfying ways. That the plan is based around making regular people win bucket-loads of money adds to the gleeful feel, as does the pitch-perfect cast of Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Elliott Gould etc. and a delightfully hammy Al Pacino. The result is the cinematic equivalent of constructing a domino-chain and watching them fall; immensely fulfilling.
The Maltese Falcon
Murder, deception and double-crosses: film noir as a genre hardly seems suited to comfort films. Yet the job of private detectives is to sort out fiction from facts, and few do so with more aplomb than Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) in the definitive noir The Maltese Falcon. Spade is always the sharpest man in the room, almost gleeful the way he disarms others and sees through their thinly-veiled fronts as he gets to the root of this case.
Director John Huston keeps The Maltese Falcon terse and economical, having each scene function by itself but also add up to a greater whole. The film has vintage atmosphere and classic noir tropes, yet it also remains fresh with fantastic performances (especially the slippery Peter Lorre) and snappy dialogue. The Maltese Falcon is a precise lean film that remains rock-solid.
Stop Making Sense
It’s impossible not to have a good time watching the Talking Heads concert film Stop Making Sense. Johnathan Demme (most famous for Silence of the Lambs) captures the thrill of attending a live performance, showing the on-stage enthusiasm of the band performing songs like “Once in a Lifetime”, “Slippery People” and “Life During Wartime”. Stop Making Sense is better than simply listening to the soundtrack, becoming an experience which steadily builds upon itself in jubilation.
David Byrne might be remembered for his ‘Big Suit’ here, but the appeal of Stop Making Sense is really how bare it is. It’s mostly just putting great musicians on a platform together and seeing them have a great time. It creates a space of partying and euphoria that always brightens things up.
The Martian
Stranded and isolated astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is in a painfully relatable situation: stuck in a hostile environment without human interaction, barely able to go outside, and no hope of swift rescue. But The Martian is ultimately an inspiring tale that shows groups of people – in space and around the Earth – working together with determination and scientific rigor to solve the problem at hand. Every small step Watney makes after being left for dead (for which he holds no ill will), whether it be growing potatoes on Martian soil or reassembling an old space-rover, is a glorious achievement.
It’s the same back on Earth, where an all-star cast (including Donald Glower, Kristen Wiig, Benedict Wong, Chiwetel Ejiofor and more) form a “Council of Elron” (Sean Bean is also present) to bring Watney the millions of kilometers back home. The Martian is also very funny, weaving humor and scientific accuracy into its plot that makes every scene supremely engaging. Ridley Scott’s film worships both the beauty of space-travel, and the human ingenuity to accomplish such features and overcome their obstacles. It can be a harsh and unforgiving world. But with cooperation and patience problem-solving it can be overcome, one sol at a time.