Mollie's Feel-Good Feed: My favourite uplifting films to watch ASAP

This week our lockdown columnist brings you the feel-good films to stick on, stat

Welcome to Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed, a place where each week Mollie King shares her round-up of the things bringing her joy in these strange and uncertain times. Check back each week for uplifting music, self care tips and, hopefully, a smile being put on your face.

This week I’m focusing on feel-good films! Now I’m no film critic, but if I was, this would be my genre. I love nothing more than a heart-warming film and a family-sized bag of popcorn (not for sharing) to lift my spirits before getting into bed at night. I live for uplifting rom-coms and inspiring movies that give me some motivation, so I’ve rounded up a mix of them to hopefully start your morning off right, or help you zone out from all the noise around us before bedtime.

It would be rude to not start with my favourite film of all time, Father of the Bride. I’ll admit it’s slightly niche, but I absolutely love everything about it, from the casting – Steve Martin and Diane Keaton – the laugh-out-loud moments, the fact that it’s based around a wedding… What’s not to love? But above all, the setting, which happens to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world in my opinion – San Marino, California.

Now it might sound weird when I talk about the setting, but maybe it will make sense when I say to you I’ve often set the photo of this house as my laptop background for those moments of dreaming, and did actually track down the house while on a trip in LA, just to have a little nose. Perhaps don’t tell the owners that! This is my favourite of all the Nancy Meyers films, who’s the genius behind a lot of my favourites; Something’s Gotta Give, The Parent Trap, It’s Complicated, The Holiday – and another that features below. She’s not only a writer, but director and producer too, and has the ability to make you smile with every film she does.

This next film has less of the laid-back Californian feel and more of the fast-paced New York thrill; it’s The Devil Wears Prada. If you haven’t seen this film already, cancel your video call tonight, as this will give you all the entertainment you need. Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway are the perfect pairing in this comedy about a fashion magazine editor and her newly appointed assistant.

I’ll be completely honest with you here, I am so in awe of people who work in fashion. I am forever asking my fashion friends if this film is an accurate representation… I think my questionings might be getting boring now! Oh, and did I mention there’s enough outfit envy moments to keep you dreaming for days?

Now, this next film had me at hello. Need I go on? Of course, it’s Jerry Maguire. There’s something about sports films that really gives me the ‘get up and go’ I need sometimes.

on’t get me wrong, this one definitely has romance at its core too, but I love films about people striving for their goals. It’s Tom Cruise looking pretty hunky, and the effortlessly beautiful Renee Zellweger falling in and out of love. We’ve all been there!

A feel-good film list is crying out for a musical, isn’t it, and I’ve been losing sleep over whether it should be The Greatest Showman or Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (basically Mamma Mia 2 with a title that just had to be done). I’m pretty annoying to watch either of these films with, as I can’t resist singing along to every word I know… that includes when I'm in the cinema.

Of course, Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is a compilation of songs from ABBA, which we all know, but The Greatest Showman has songs that are perhaps just as well-known and loved by the younger generations. My only slight problem with Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again is the fact that Lily James’ hair looks so good throughout. I spend a large portion of my viewing time trying to work out how she got that curl.

If I hadn’t put this next film on my list, it would've been a ‘Big mistake. Big. Huge’. Pretty Woman. I think I‘ve potentially ruined this film for my boyfriend, who hadn’t seen it up until recently. I literally made him sit down and watch the shopping scene, as I needed him to hear that quote in the actual film, rather than me just saying it every time I make an error in the kitchen! This film is an absolute classic and needs to be watched over and over again.

In my eyes Sandra Bullock can do no wrong. After all, she’s given us Miss Congeniality, While You Were Sleeping and Speed, all of which could’ve featured in this list. However, I had to go with the film that warms me up the most inside, and that’s The Blind Side.

It’s another sports film, based on a true story, and I think that’s what gives it that extra edge. I adore how Sandra plays her character, Leigh Anne Tuohy; she’s a wonderful mix of tough and loveable in my eyes. This film won countless awards, and it’s as clear as daylight as to why!

Being a terrible cook, I’m not 100% sure why this next film appeals to me – Julie and Julia. I think it’s probably the dreamer in me that hopes one day I’ll be able to throw on a pinny and whip up some magic in the kitchen.

Unfortunately the extent of my cooking is currently: pasta, or as I said last week, the new addition of banana bread. With Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Amy Adams at the forefront of this film, it’s utterly charming and a perfect watch for a slow Sunday afternoon.

To finish up, this next film got me through a very turbulent long haul flight, and for that I'm forever grateful. It’s another Nancy Meyers creation, The Intern. I think it’s the charm of this film that does it for me. It’s an easy watch with some beautiful moments, not to mention Anne Hathaway’s character’s kitchen! Goals!

Set in New York, it follows the story of a 70-year-old who becomes an intern at a newly set up, fast-paced fashion website. Robert De Niro brings the elegance and Anne Hathaway brings some edge. It’s a film I can watch over and over again!

Finally, let’s talk a bit of self care. I’ve been sure to step back from wearing too much make-up this last week. I have, however, been trying to do little maintenance jobs that normally I wouldn’t get round to doing. Such as using the Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips – definitely not something I’d brag about doing, but certainly a way of helping with congestion.

I’ve also been following some of the JSHealth receipes on Instagram to help me mix up what I’m eating. I hope you’ve all been managing to stay healthy and upbeat. I’m looking forward to sharing more joy with you next week already!

Thanks so much for reading this week's Mollie’s Feel-Good Feed – check back on Marie Claire every Friday for more of my feel-good recommendations. Take care and stay safe!