What’s Your Pop Culture Comforts?
A friend of mine mailed me a mental health zine the other day. It was cute little zine that had lists you could make that you can refer to during times of stress. In it were prompts like, “Things that energize me when I’m low:” and “Things that calm me when I’m anxious.” The point being to write those things down and refer back to them later. One list prompt struck a chord. It said, “Comfort Movies/Shows/Books.” I never considered Pop Culture as a way to find comfort. But, as soon as I saw the prompt I started to wonder, What would I add to that list?
I’m not usually one to re-read books or graphic novels. So if seeking comfort means re-visiting these things, books might be off the table. Another thing is that I don’t watch a lot of TV. Lately my TV engagement has gone up because there are certain shows I make time for. These are Marvel and Star Wars shows, and recently Stranger Things. But these shows are limited series and have relatively short seasons. All that to say, TV won’t make my list either.
But movies! I love movies. And-once upon a time-I treated them like music. I’d put a movie on and then do chores, or cook dinner, or draw, and let the movie just be background noise. So I do have a list of movies that would definitely make my list of Pop Culture Comforts. So let’s dive in shall we?
By the way, these are in no particular order.
Groundhog Day. A self-centered weatherman finds himself covering Groundhog Day festivities in a small town, only to wake up and repeat the same day over and over and over. It’s one of Bill Murray’s best and has great quotability. I’m not sure if it’s the built in predictability of the movie’s the-same-day-over-and-over rhythm and being able to compare and contrast one day to the next same day, or the simple charm of the small town and how it eventually melts Murray’s Phill Conners cynical exterior. But I love this movie and could watch it all the time.
It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. I know I’m sort of breaking my own rules when I mentioned “no TV shows” in my above intro-but this came to me while writing this blog. The Great Pumpkin easily is one of my Pop Culture Comforts. When I couldn’t get movies on demand, it was a big deal to wait for the show to air on TV. It wasn’t Halloween without it. And now, that I own the TV special, I can play it anytime I want. Still I wait until I’m ready to start getting into the Halloween Spirit. The spooky holiday can’t start until I hear Vince Guaraldi’s piano keys. This could easily set me at ease as it’s both nostalgia and a signal that one of my most favorite times of the year is about to start!
The Little Rascals. I’m talking about the 1994 film directed by Penelope Spheeris. I watched this film so many times growing up…and not as a kid. This was prime junior/senior year in high school viewing pleasure and I ate it up. Easily one of the most quotable movies I’ve seen. The kids are cute and the humor is often found in their weird expressions. It’s like watching a Wes Anderson film without the pretentiousness and the art. I love it.
Fight Club. I saw the movie. I read the book. And I even learned how to make soap from scratch. This film fueled me through my mid to late 20’s. While it’s not exactly comfort viewing, it helped me get through a work day I knew was going to be tough. Especially the soundtrack. I’d get in my car in the morning and blast The Dust Brothers during my commute. Just the sounds of the film got me pumped. It made me feel like I could eat bullets. Just like Edward Norton says in the film, “After fighting, everything else in your life got the volume turned down.”
When Harry Met Sally. I’m not one for romance which is why I think I love this movie so much. There’s hardly any of it in here, which makes it feel more like a real love story. It’s two people, meeting again and again and being friends only to find out that maybe, just maybe, they love each other. What gives me comfort is the genius in every bit of dialogue. I love this kind of conversation heavy movie, delivered by to actors who know thyselves. Give me Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan any day and I’ll feel better.
So that’s my top five Pop Culture Comforts to consume on a crappy day. What might yours be? Whatever they are, keep them close and partake often. It can be nasty outside, somedays it’s best to stay in and watch a great movie.