12 Great Feel-Good Films for a Rainy Day

1/ Crazy Rich Asians (2018) – Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) accompanies her long-time boyfriend Nick to his best friend's wedding in Singapore where she’s surprised to learn that Nick's family is extremely wealthy and he's considered one of the country's most eligible bachelors. Thrust into the spotlight, Rachel must contend with jealous socialites, quirky relatives and something far worse – Nick's disapproving mother. Heart-warming, life-affirming and very, very funny.

2/ Amélie (2001) – If this doesn't lift your spirits then you're beyond hope. It's everything you want in a feel-good movie. Charming oddball Amélie (Audrey Tatou) secretly helps people who are living unhappy lives, but can't work up the courage to fix her own issues, until love forces her hand.  

3/ The Birdcage (1996) – Starring the late great Robin Williams, The Birdcage is a brilliant and utterly hilarious comedy of errors about two gay men in Palm Beach Florida who reluctantly agree to pretend they’re a conventional family so their son can win the approval of his bride-to-be’s family. 

4/ Sing Street (2016) – This 80s-set musical/coming-of-age story hails from Once and Begin Again filmmaker, John Carney and follows a young Irish boy who starts a band in order to impress a girl. The songs are genuinely great, the performances are incredible and the ending is a humdinger. Dare you to watch this movie and not smile. 

5/ Bridesmaids (2011) – Annie (Kristen Wiig) is a single woman whose own life is a mess, but when she learns that her lifelong best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), is engaged, she has no choice but to serve as the maid of honour. Though lovelorn and almost penniless, Annie, nevertheless, winds her way through the strange and expensive rituals associated with her job as the bride's go-to girl. Determined to make things perfect, she gamely and hilariously leads Lillian and the other bridesmaids down the wild road to the wedding.

6/ My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) – Everyone in the Portokalos family worries about Toula (Nia Vardalos). Still unmarried at 30, she works at Dancing Zorba's, the Greek restaurant owned by her parents. After taking a job at her aunt's travel agency, she falls in love with a teacher who is tall, handsome and definitely not Greek. Toula isn't sure which will be more upsetting to her father, that boyfriend is a foreigner or that he's a vegetarian. This knee-slapper weaves in the challenges of pleasing family, but also following your gut. 

7/ Some Like it Hot (1959) – After two Chicago musicians, Joe and Jerry (played by comic geniuses Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), witness the St Valentine's Day massacre, they want to get out of town and away from the gangster responsible. They're desperate to get a gig out of town but the only job going is in an all-girl band heading to Florida. They show up at the train station as saxophone and bass players, ‘Josephine’ and ‘Daphne’. On the journey they meet and both fall for singer Sugar Kane Kowalczyk (Marilyn Monroe). It’s an oldie, but a goodie and it’s arguably the best film Monroe ever made.

8/ Grease (1978) – John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John are the ultimate power couple in this 1978 rock musical. The leather-clad Danny Zuko (Travolta) and good girl Sandy Olsson (Newton-John) have a summer fling, but when the fall semester kicks off, things take a dramatically different turn. As a result, the sparks and the dance numbers soon fly. Toe-tappingly wonderful.

9/ Sister Act (1992) – Musical comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer who is forced into hiding after witnessing her mobster boyfriend commit murder. She's hidden for protection in a convent, where she soon brings life to the church by taking the reins of its sleepy choir.

10/ Mamma Mia! The Movie (2008) – Pure escapism set on the beautiful Greek island of Skopelos, the plot serves as a background for a wealth of ABBA hits. A young woman about to be married discovers that any one of three men could be her father. She invites all three to the wedding without telling her mother, Donna (Meryl Streep). You’ll be singing your heart out from the comfort of your sofa.

11/ La La Land (2016) – Jazz pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) and actress Mia (Emma Stone) are drawn together by their common desire to do what they love. But as success starts to happen, they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair and the dreams they worked so hard to achieve. A magical musical that will transport you back to the golden days of Hollywood.

12/ The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) – Virtually every scene in this biographical drama will make you shed happy tears. The film is based on the true story of a struggling salesman named Chris Gardner (Will Smith) who is desperate to find his purpose and make a necessary career change. Chris’s adorable little boy is portrayed by none other than Smith's own son, Jaden.