As if the streaming world wasn’t hell-bent on global domination anyway, their complete and total governance over our eyeballs is now all but guaranteed. With cinemas, theatres, and the rest of the known world going into COVID-19 standby mode, the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of an entire planet on lockdown with nothing but a TV and a subscription package for company. 

Now, of course other methods of entertainment are available to keep us going in these socially isolated times (I highly recommend picking up a book), but let’s not underestimate the incredible escapist power of the movies. Sure, things look bleak right now, but they’ll get better, and until that day we could all do with some cinematic feel-good to keep our spirits up. And it just so happens that the streamers have feel-good films on tap.

So, while the communal experience of catching a new release in the cinema is put on the backburner, this is Netflix and Prime’s* time to shine and your time to relax for a guided tour through the finest uplifting options both platforms have to offer**.

In all honesty, now that Netflix have (almost) all the Studio Ghibli back catalogue on their books, pretty much any one of them could’ve made it onto this list. As it is, My Neighbour Totoro has to be the pick, going down as the legendary Japanese studio’s most relentlessly cheerful effort.

As a film with no real jeopardy to speak of, My Neighbour Totoro is pure, unadulterated joy and the perfect entry point to discovering the delights of the Ghibli universe. Like much of Hayao Miyazaki’s work, the film is an otherworldly ode to childhood, complete with the director’s customary imagination and quirky character design. It’s fun, poetic, impossibly charming, and introduced the world to Totoro – the ridiculously adorable forest spirit whose furry face will brighten even the darkest of times.

See also: Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Ponyo.

My Neighbour Totoro is available to stream on Netflix now.

Everyone loves an underdog story, right? Well, dogs don’t come much under than Michael “Eddie” Edwards. Affectionately dubbed “Eddie the Eagle”, the ski jumper’s relentless pursuit of his Olympic dream, despite his obvious athletic shortcomings, embodied the kind of against-all-odds spirit that makes for such crowd-pleasing cinema.

Brought to life by Taron Egerton’s chameleon-like talents, Eddie is an awkward but infinitely likable character and the perfect embodiment of that very British brand of ‘a bit naff but persistent’. Leaning into this lovable loser spirit perfectly, director Dexter Fletcher crafts a feel-good underdog tale with enough sincerity and warmth to melt even the iciest of hearts.

Eddie the Eagle is available to stream on Netflix now.

Sentimental, uneven, and on-the-nose though it may be, Blinded by the Light rises above its faults to become something so unapologetically joyous and poignant that it’s impossible to resist. Pitching things somewhere between coming-of-age comedy, social drama, and all-out musical, director Gurinder Chadha manages to get the genre balance just right for a thoroughly satisfying viewing experience.

As an unabashed love letter to The Boss, Blinded by the Light makes no apologies for what it is, yet it’s not afraid to take things a little deeper than mere fanaticism. Filtering the real-world problems of an Asian teenager growing up in 80s Luton through the rousing songs of Bruce Springsteen, the film is a gleeful ode to music, passion, and determination that should spark the fire in all of us.

Blinded by the Light is available to stream on Amazon Prime now. 

Fittingly, no matter how many times you watch Groundhog Day, it never gets old. While it feels like it’s on the TV every other day, the film’s impeccable writing, abundant charm, and Bill Murray’s masterfully withering performance make it absolutely timeless.

With Murray operating at his sardonic 80s peak, Groundhog Day’s sharp, witty script certainly has a dark edge, yet the film’s poignancy and classic redemption plot, as its protagonist’s bitter cynicism gradually melts in the Punxsutawney snow, never fails to raise the spirits.

Groundhog Day is available to stream on Netflix now.

While it will forever be shrouded in Oscar controversy, that shouldn’t overshadow just how fantastic La La Land is as a piece of unapologetic escapist cinema. With charm and chemistry to spare, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling light up the screen in Damien Chazelle’s enchanting love letter to the golden age of Hollywood. 

Without exception, the song and dance numbers are an absolute treat, and with the film’s stars bringing everything they have to the table, La La Land’s music, rhythm, and energy are a spellbinding rush of bold, feel-good cinema.

La La Land is available to stream on Netflix now.

Even as someone who openly adores coming-of-age movies, I’ll admit that the genre has been done to death. Yet, just when you think there’s nowhere else for it to go, along comes Booksmart – a film that bills itself as ‘Superbad with girls’ but delivers so much more. Expertly directed by Olivia Wilde and bolstered by exceptional performances from Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein, Booksmart is a sharp, heartfelt, and hilarious celebration of friends and the necessities of living life outside of one’s work goals.

Regardless of its overfamiliar plot, Booksmart’s energy never dips, as it brims with warmth, verve, and personality. Wise beyond its years, Booksmart proudly takes its place in a new class of coming-of-age comedy that wears its influences on its sleeve while blazing its own trail into the future.

Booksmart is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

Marking both the peak of Melissa McCarthy’s comedy career and the moment Jason Statham finally became the self-aware action star he is today; Spy is an absolute riot. 

With Paul Feig recapturing the magic that made Bridesmaids such a success, the director blends sharp, Bond-lampooning wit, physical comedy, and impressive espionage action not seen since Austin Powers, to come up with a huge, crowd-pleasing hit that’s both broad and progressive on a level few films can touch.

Spy is available to stream on Netflix now. 

I mean, this really could’ve gone either way, as Life of Brian is, of course, a stone-cold Python classic, yet Holy Grail gets the nod as it’s just that little bit more fun. 

Hilarious, ridiculous, and infinitely quotable, Holy Grail sees the Monty Python crew at the top of their game, offering adventure, comedy, and silliness in abundance. While Life of Brian took aim at religion, Holy Grail just wants to have a little Arthurian fun, and who wouldn’t want to grab a couple of coconut shells and join them for the ride?

Monty Python and the Holy Grail is available to stream on Netflix now.

Like the exquisitely crafted door routine that makes up the film’s comedy backbone, Stan & Ollie is a thing of simplistic beauty that relies heavily on the chemistry and teamwork of its stars to work the crowd and leave them on their feet.

Thanks to the committed, shapeshifting performances of Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly, and some superbly choreographed comedy antics – both on-stage and off – the film overcomes its by-the-numbers biopic approach to become the warm, light-hearted crowd-pleaser we all need in these cold, dark times.

Stan & Ollie is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

Pro-wrestling biopics may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s something about Fighting with My Family that, like its protagonist, feels a little bit different. As a hulking slab of underdog cliché, the film could’ve easily fallen flat, yet, thanks to a star-making performance from Florence Pugh and a deft directorial turn from Stephen Merchant, the film grows to become a rousing celebration of the outsider in all of us.

Part dry British comedy, part brash WWE melodrama, Fighting with My Family muscles past its flaws with a potent blend of commitment, energy, showmanship, and a ring-full of heart to leave the audience on their feet.

Fighting with My Family is available to stream on Netflix now.

Big screen Roald Dahl adaptations have been a mixed bunch, but right at the top of the list is Matilda. While it deviates from the book somewhat, Danny DeVito’s directorial debut nonetheless captures its spirit with a mix of lovable charm, wit, and endearing grotesqueness that’s impossible to resist.

Earnest and amiable but with a dark streak, Matilda brings the classic book to life with a huge slice of 90s fun, complete with visual quirks, an assortment of outrageous characters – including the terrifying Miss Trunchbull – and an impossibly adorable performance from the young Mara Wilson, to make your heart soar. 

Matilda is available to stream on Netflix now.

With an irresistible low-key charm, director John Carney crafted a deftly told tale of love, music, and vacuum cleaners that came out of nowhere to set the standard for the modern musical. 

With the streets of Dublin as their backdrop and stocked with a raft of cracking tunes (including the Oscar-winning ‘Falling Slowly’), Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová are the perfect pairing for an understated but thoroughly heart-warming love story that replaces the usual Hollywood musical glitz for something far more satisfying.

Once is available to stream on Amazon Prime now. 

I’m just going to put it out there…When Harry Met Sally is the greatest rom-com of all time. There. I said it.

Led by the chemistry and sharp interplay between Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, not only is the film a masterclass in authentic big screen romance-building, it’s both hilarious and beautifully touching in ways most rom-coms can only dream of. Cynical yet sentimental, Nora Ephron’s snappy script and Rob Reiner’s smart direction complement Crystal and Ryan’s irresistible odd couple charm for one of the most satisfying cinematic relationships ever. 

When Harry Met Sally is available to stream on Netflix now.

With Eddie Murphy at the height of his powers, not all of Coming to America has aged particularly well, yet it remains one of the funniest and most likable films of the actor’s career. The combination of Murphy’s sharp comic timing, gift for physical humour, and John Landis’ effective direction sidestep the film’s flaws to deliver a thoroughly entertaining, surprisingly sweet, and outrageously 80s farce.

With his rise to Hollywood power only just beginning, there would be better entries in Murphy’s filmography to come, yet few were as endearing and downright lovable as Coming to America.

Coming to America is available to stream on Netflix now.

Although his unique brand of quirk may rub some up the wrong way, Wes Anderson’s filmmaking approach is nothing if not upbeat. Even in his darker moments, there’s an undeniable buoyancy to the director’s work that, relentlessly kitsch though it may be, never fails to add a dash of colour and whimsy to this cold, cynical world.

As Anderson’s first foray into the world of animation, Fantastic Mr Fox is a wondrous, exquisitely crafted adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic that stays true to the spirit of the source material while injecting the story with the director’s patented whimsy. With precisely framed scenes, beautifully rendered stop-motion animation, and a starry voice cast, Fantastic Mr Fox is a delightfully funny feast for all the family. 

Fantastic Mr Fox is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

While it lays out a spread of familiar rom-com beats, Always Be My Maybe cleverly combines smart social commentary with a sweet, endearing charm to swerve its clichés and bloom into an irresistible feel-good hit.

Carried along by the infectious charms of Ali Wong and Randall Park, Always Be My Maybe is an utterly delightful Netflix original that leans heavily on the chemistry and comedy chops of its two stars, and while it’s not offering anything we haven’t seen before, the film’s charisma, lovable humour, and deep cultural roots make for a steaming bowl of rom-com comfort food.

Always Be My Maybe is available to stream on Netflix now.

Rarely has death seemed like so much fun. Bursting at the seams with the director’s unique brand of quirky goth chic, Beetlejuice is about as Tim Burton as Tim Burton gets, as brilliantly bizarre ideas and instantly iconic imagery combine for a gloriously bonkers afterlife adventure. 

Bolstered by Michael Keeton’s manic, instantly iconic performance, Beetlejuice is a dazzling ghost train ride of a film that still feels fresh to this day. While Tim Burton’s unique filmmaking approach has wandered into self-parody over the years, Beetlejuice is the director at his creepy, crowd-pleasing best.

Beetlejuice is available to stream on Netflix now.

I’ve come to the conclusion that Taika Waititi is my spirit animal. His unique brand of humour probably isn’t for everyone, but it certainly tickles my pickle, and I don’t think it’s ever been stronger than in What We Do in the Shadows.

Comedy horror is a tough trick to pull off, with plenty of efforts ticking one of the genre boxes but rarely both, however, What We Do in the Shadows gets the balance just right. In true Waititi form, the film’s humour is quirky and irreverent but with a ton of heart, as it puts an oddball vampiric twist on the classic mockumentary format.

What We Do in the Shadows is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

It’s been a while since I’ve been anywhere near entertained by an Eddie Murphy movie and even longer since I’ve laughed along with one. That dry spell, which has lasted well over a decade, finally came to an end with one of Netflix’s finest original offerings to date, as Murphy slips effortlessly into the powerful pimp suit of Blaxploitation hero Rudy Ray Moore. 

Backed up by a script that plays to his strengths, Murphy roles back the years with a bullish underdog performance that shows just what he’s capable of when given the right material. With powerful comebacks all round – including an outrageous scene-stealing turn from Wesley Snipes –  Dolemite Is My Name is a brash crowd-pleaser with a ton of laughs and just as much heart.

Dolemite is My Name is available to stream on Netflix now.

The musical has been on quite a ride lately and Wild Rose represents the peak of the genre’s recent resurgence. Part Mike Leigh kitchen-sink drama, part A Star is Born rags-to-riches fairy tale, Wild Rose is as touching, emotionally nuanced, and as fist pumping as you can hope for in a musical. With the abundant talents of Jessie Buckley leading the line and backed up by some impressive tunes, Wild Rose is a classic, deeply satisfying rise-to-fame tale.

While the film may centre on country music and Rose-Lynn’s Nashville worship, Wild Rose is a heart-felt, authentic love letter to Glasgow, as the city runs deep through its veins. With dialogue and characters as Weegie as it gets, Wild Rose drips with heart and authenticity in a gritty celebration of passion, home, and the therapeutic power of mince.

Wild Rose is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

Somehow managing to top the unexpected awesomeness of its predecessor, Paddington 2 is just pure joy personified. Good for pretty much everything that ails you, this sequel is positively bursting at the seams with a kind of compassion and heart that few films will ever achieve. 

For a film that spends most of its running time in prison, the level of unfiltered happiness Paddington 2 manages to achieve is just incredible and with Hugh Grant turning in a career-best performance as the gloriously hammy villain, everything about it is a sheer delight.

“If we’re kind and polite, the world will be alright.” I think that’s something we can all get behind right now.

Paddington 2 is available to stream on Amazon Prime now.

*Yes, I’m skipping Disney+ for the moment. We’ve only just got it here in the UK and I’m sure almost everything available on it will come with the Mouse’s seal of feel-good approval, so it probably warrants an article all of its own at some point.
**I’m working with the UK streaming offerings here. Available may differ in other regions.