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COVID-19

To ease your quarantine mind, here are 25 comforting movies akin to a weighted blanket

Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley
 in “Bend It Like Beckham.” (Christine Parry / Fox Searchlight Pictures)
By Sonia Rao Washington Post

For every person who has used the extra time they may now have to catch up on movies and TV shows they’ve missed over the years, there’s another who would rather revisit what they’ve already seen and find most comforting.

Sometimes you just need to flip on something that feels like a sweeping embrace, the cinematic version of a weighted blanket. Nancy Meyers movies are a godsend.

If you’ve already exhausted your supply of cozy movies and need a few more suggestions, we’ve got you covered. Here are 25 additional options, all available on popular streaming services.

“13 Going on 30” (2004): Streaming on Hulu’s Starz add-on, this Jennifer Garner vehicle might feel a bit strange to watch when Jenna Rink’s hustling and bustling New York lifestyle is no longer a possibility. But its message of empathy works in any situation, as does the relatable discovery that being an adult isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

“About Time” (2013): Streaming on Netflix, this is somehow the second movie in which Rachel McAdams plays the love interest of a time traveler – in this case, Domhnall Gleeson. There are always interdimensional plot holes in stories like this one, but who’s watching a Richard Curtis movie for its scientific accuracy? Come for the cast, which also includes Bill Nighy, Margot Robbie and Tom Hollander; stay for the warm, fuzzy feelings.

“Bend It Like Beckham” (2002): Streaming on Hulu, “Bend It Like Beckham” tells the classic story of a child of immigrants caught between two worlds, culminating in the tangible choice of either playing in a potentially life-altering soccer match or being present for the entirety of her sister’s Sikh wedding. Parminder Nagra and Keira Knightley are endearing as new teammates and quick best friends trying to make it big.

“Bridget Jones’s Diary” (2001): Streaming on Amazon, “Bridget Jones’s Diary” features a scene early on in which Bridget (Renee Zellweger) lies on her couch in pajamas drinking wine, listening to power ballads and passively watching “Frasier” – basically, a modern portrait of a single woman social distancing. Representation is important!

“The Big Sick” (2017): Streaming on Amazon, “The Big Sick” is based on the true love story of writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon, the latter of whom wound up in a medically induced coma soon after they first met. The movie is a blend of comedy and hardship, a balance struck perfectly by supporting actors Holly Hunter and Ray Romano, who play Emily’s parents. (The on-screen Emily is played by Zoe Kazan.)

“The Family Stone” (2005): Streaming on HBO Now, “The Family Stone” takes the dysfunctional family premise and wisely plops it in the middle of Christmastime. Yes, that’s seven months away from now. But time means nothing anymore, and there’s really never a bad time to hang with this stacked cast, which includes McAdams, Claire Danes, Diane Keaton, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker and Luke Wilson.

“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986): Streaming on Netflix, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” in addition to being a wonderfully zany teen comedy, will remind you of a time when in-person school was still a concept. Nostalgia exists on so many levels.

“Good Will Hunting” (1997): Streaming on Hulu, “Good Will Hunting” is a trip down memory lane to the early days of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck’s stardom. But the most comforting moments come from Robin Williams, who delivered an Oscar-winning performance as Will’s hard-shelled, no-nonsense therapist.

“The Half of It” (2020): Streaming on Netflix, this recent teen dramedy makes the rare move of centering a platonic relationship between a bookish girl (Leah Lewis) and a jock (Daniel Diemer) at her high school. In a modern spin on “Cyrano de Bergerac,” both teenagers wind up with a crush on the same girl.

“Hitch” (2005): Streaming on Netflix, this is far from Will Smith’s best movie role – that title belongs to his stunt casting as the devil in 2014’s “Winter’s Tale,” obviously – but it sure is a fun one.

“The Holiday” (2006): Streaming on Hulu’s Showtime add-on, “The Holiday” is our second attempt at pushing the holiday movie agenda several months early (and the beginning of our attempts to convince you to watch a Nancy Meyers movie). Do it for the beautiful, fun characters played by Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and Jack Black. Do it for the cozy properties. Do it for Mr. Napkin Head.

“It’s Complicated” (2009): Streaming on Hulu + Live TV, this other Meyers movie features a delightful scene in which Meryl Streep and Steve Martin flirt while making chocolate croissants at her character’s bakery. Need we say more?

“Julie & Julia” (2009): Streaming on Netflix, “Julie and Julia” stars two of Hollywood’s finest actresses, Streep and Amy Adams, as Julia Child and a determined blogger, Julie Powell, who vows to make all of the famous chef’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” recipes. Sounds like an interesting quarantine activity.

“Love Actually” (2003): Streaming on Hulu, “Love Actually” is re-evaluated each year as we have somehow never reached a conclusion on whether this holiday “classic” is actually horrible. But all that conversation must mean there’s something worth exploring here, right? Consider revisiting the movie, if only for its bevy of A-list actors.

“Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (2018): Streaming on HBO Now, “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” is the rare sequel that is better than the original. (Our apologies to the “Mamma Mia!” stans.) In this case, going again means singing all the same ABBA songs – plus some new ones – while revisiting Donna’s summertime romances with the younger versions of characters originated by Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgard and Pierce Brosnan, all of whom also appear in the sequel. Lily James plays the younger version of Streep’s Donna.

“Mrs. Doubtfire” (1993): Streaming on HBO Now, “Mrs. Doubtfire” stars Williams as a divorced man with a simple goal (to spend more time with his three children) that he tries to execute in an exceedingly complicated matter (by dressing up as an elderly female housekeeper). The comedy is standard, but Williams brings it to life.

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (2002): Streaming on HBO Now, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” follows a 30-year-old Greek American woman (Nia Vardalos) who works at her family restaurant and falls in love with a non-Greek customer (John Corbett). It sweetly captures the chaos of planning a wedding with nosy but well-intentioned relatives.

“Notting Hill” (1999): Streaming on HBO Now, “Notting Hill” centers on an awkward London bookstore owner (Hugh Grant, in a role that is quintessential Hugh Grant), who falls for an American movie star (Julia Roberts) after she visits the shop one day. The movie doesn’t pretend to be more than it is: a charming love story with equally charming leads.

“The Parent Trap” (1998): Streaming on Disney Plus, “The Parent Trap” is up there with “Freaky Friday” as one of Lindsay Lohan’s best movies, in no small part due to her ability to believably play two different characters: separated twins Annie and Hallie, who switch places after meeting at camp to persuade their parents to get back together.

“The Princess Diaries” (2001): Streaming on Disney Plus, “The Princess Diaries” recently reappeared in the news after star Anne Hathaway credited director Garry Marshall with changing her life. The coming-of-age story truly made that much of an impact, with its clever dialogue, its memorable makeover sequence and, most of all, its touching depiction of the relationship between a seemingly average San Franciscan teenager, Mia Thermopolis (Hathaway), and the grandmother (Julie Andrews) who reveals Mia is the heir to a European throne.

“Pride & Prejudice” (2005): Streaming on Hulu’s Starz add-on, the Knightley- and Matthew Macfadyen-starring adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel is often pitted against the BBC miniseries with Colin Firth. Each man makes a great Mr. Darcy for different reasons, but the movie is a more manageable time commitment overall.

“Roman Holiday” (1953): Streaming on Crackle, “Roman Holiday” follows a European princess (Audrey Hepburn) who, fed up with her constrained existence, runs off during a visit to Rome and winds up spending time with an American (Gregory Peck). Hepburn became the first actress to win an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA for a single role.

“Something’s Gotta Give” (2003): Streaming on Hulu’s Showtime add-on, “Something’s Gotta Give” is a reliable rom-com starring Keaton and Jack Nicholson, who falls for Keaton’s character after dating her daughter (Amanda Peet) first. The movie also stars a very dreamy Keanu Reeves, which is always a plus.

“That Thing You Do!” (1996): Streaming on HBO Now, “That Thing You Do!,” about a one-hit wonder pop band in the 1960s, was Tom Hanks’ feature directorial debut. This movie also re-emerged recently in memory of the late Adam Schlesinger, the Fountains of Wayne co-founder who earned an Oscar nod for writing the title track.

“What a Girl Wants” (2003): Streaming on Netflix, “What a Girl Wants” is the fourth movie on this list to feature Firth in a major role. Can you blame us? The man has a comforting presence, in this case as Lord Henry Dashwood, a British man running for political office who discovers he has a daughter, the carefree Daphne (Amanda Bynes, long before the young actress went off the rails).