Movies can offer a refreshing escape from reality when life gets rough, although some movies are naturally better suited to this than others. Movies with low-stakes conflicts or gentle, welcoming atmospheres are usually the best stress-relievers, and they can become comfort movies.

Peaceful movies can run the risk of being boring if they aren't handled with genuine care. A clarity of purpose and a distinctive aesthetic style can overcome this problem, creating cozy, enjoyable movies that are perfect for unwinding after a particularly stressful day.

10 Marcel The Shell With Shoes On (2021)

A Heartwarming Blend Of Animation And Live-Action

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On looks like a children's movie, and it often feels this way at times but it's a little harder to categorize. The cute nature of the stop-motion animation and the adorable protagonist conceal a surprisingly mature story about loss and growing up.

Marcel the Shell with Shoes On has a lot to say about the human experience.

While Marcel the Shell with Shoes On has a lot to say about the human experience, it also has a quick-fire rate of brilliant visual gags. Marcel's slightly impish nature helps the film avoid any overly sentimental territory, and it keeps things light enough to be enjoyed at any time.

9 That Thing You Do! (1996)

Tom Hanks' Stylish Comedy Is Blessed With A Great Soundtrack

Tom Hanks had a remarkable run in the 1990s, with almost all his movies turning into huge hits. With a broad range of classics including Toy Story, Saving Private Ryan and Forrest Gump, That Thing You Do can often be unfairly overlooked, but Hanks' directorial debut deserves plenty of love.

That Thing You Do takes place during the rock and roll boom of the 1960s, as a band called The Wonders takes off and becomes an overnight sensation. Clearly inspired by the likes of The Monkees and the early years of The Beatles, That Thing You Do has a great soundtrack, mixing old classics with some catchy new songs, including the titular track.

8 Monty Python & The Holy Grail (1975)

Monty Python's Absurd Comedy Is A Great Escape

Sometimes, the best way to escape from the stresses of life is to escape into a surreal fantasy, and Monty Python's movies offer the perfect destination for these trips. Monty Python's absurdist comedy often deconstructs the assumptions and structures that rule daily life, offering a chance to laugh at the state of the world.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail feels like a series of loosely interlinked sketches, which allows the cast the freedom to come up with a conveyer belt of bizarre characters and memorable quips. The hilarious anticlimax is the final punch line in a movie that reminds us all not to take life too seriously.

7 Local Hero (1983)

Local Hero's Gentle Atmosphere Wins Plenty Of People Over

Whenever the world seems too fast-paced and stressful, Local Hero is the kind of movie that offers some much-needed respite. It follows an oil company executive who falls in love with a quaint Scottish village while trying to purchase the land for his employer, but no synopsis really does it justice.

Local Hero brims with intangible magic. It could appear sickly sweet in the hands of a less skilled director, but Bill Forsyth grants the story with a rare earnestness that could win anyone over. There's enough wry humor and relatable characters to make the film feel alive.

6 Paddington 2 (2017)

Paddington's Second Big-Screen Outing Is A Wholesome Adventure

The first Paddington movie is a great stress-reliever, but Paddington 2 is even better. The sequel sures the original handily, thanks to a flamboyant performance from Hugh Grant, some hilarious antics in prison and a narrative that delivers plenty of immensely satisfying payoff toward the end.

Although Paddington 2 follows Britain's favorite bear as he's framed for theft and carted off to prison, it remains light and playful throughout. Paddington is an easy character to love, with a sympathetic naivety and a rare optimism that works to banish the cynicism that dictates so much of modern culture.

5 Clueless (1995)

Clueless Reinvents A Classic For A New Era

Clueless has become a nostalgic time capsule of '90s fashion and culture, but it's also a reinvention of a Jane Austen classic. Clueless repackages the basic narrative and the characters of Emma into a high school setting, bringing out the razor-sharp comedy that modern readers might miss.

Despite its risky approach, Clueless is a great Jane Austen movie, and it's also a brilliant comedy for people with no interest in the book. Alicia Silverstone's performance as a lovable ditz is relatable and frequently hilarious. Even if Clueless doesn't always look like it takes place in the real world, it's a reality that audiences can get wrapped up in.

4 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse Of The Were-Rabbit (2005)

Every Wallace And Gromit Adventure Offers Low-Stakes Escapism

All the Wallace and Gromit movies are worth watching, and they can all become relaxing comfort movies. Aardman's charming style of claymation creates an inviting, bucolic world populated with eccentrics and fools who are nevertheless easy to love. The Curse of the Were-Rabbit was the first feature-length film featuring Wallace and Gromit, and it was worth the wait.

The Curse of the Were-Rabbit proved that Wallace and Gromit have plenty of appeal beyond the format of short films. Although there are references to many horror movies, like Jaws, Nosferatu and The Exorcist, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is an irreverent, low-stakes adventure overflowing with charm.

3 Ocean's Eleven (2001)

The Stylish Caper Is Much Less Dangerous Than Other Crime Movies

Ocean's Eleven is one of the best heist movies ever made, but it's an unusual take on the genre in some ways. Before Ocean's Eleven, most heist movies were violent, noir-inspired thrillers, with a few exceptions. Ocean's Eleven set the standard for capers which prioritize wit and style over brawn.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt lead a charming ensemble cast, and it's their infectious dynamic that often propels the story. There are no guns and no casualties involved, making Ocean's Eleven an easygoing thrill ride that always feels exciting without ever feeling too tense or dangerous.

2 The Princess Bride (1987)

The Throwback Fairy Tale Blends Fantasy, Adventure And Romance

It's easy to think that The Princess Bride is based on an old fairy tale, and it uses a frame narrative to reinforce this idea, as a man reads the story to his grandson. However, it's based on a William Goldman novel from 1973, but it expertly captures the feeling of classic romance stories.

In the same way that The Princess Bride evokes a much older time, it also has the power to instill feelings of childhood innocence in its audience. This isn't to say that the film isn't original, however, because there are plenty of creative flourishes that make Westley's story feel relatable and fresh.

1 Midnight In Paris (2011)

Midnight In Paris Is A Quirky Life-Affirming Gem

Midnight in Paris stars Owen Wilson as a writer on vacation in who discovers a way to travel back to the interwar years, when the city was renowned as a hub for artists, authors and great philosophers. It's an unusual time travel movie, paying no attention to paradoxes or fixing a broken timeline.

For anyone who wants to escape from the stresses of daily life, Midnight in Paris offers an alternative way of looking at things.

Although Midnight in Paris revels in the stylish glory of the city's past, it's ultimately a life-affirming tale about the value of living in the present and creating new history. For anyone who wants to escape from the stresses of daily life, Midnight in Paris offers an alternative way of looking at things, and it's packed with great jokes and fun performances.