Sometimes you’re in the mood for some existential arthouse turmoil, a three-hour cinematic tour through the gulag of human discontent. But not always. There are times when you just need the soul-nurturing sugar-spoonful of a good belly laugh, or the medicine of hugely improbable animated woodland creature high-jinks, to reassure you that there is love and beauty in the world. Movies made to munch popcorn to.
So if that’s your vibe, get in viewer, we’ve got movies to watch…
You’ll find these films on:
Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse
Ace Ventura When Nature Calls
Netflix (from Dhs29 per month)
OSN (Dhs35 per month)
Disney+ (Dhs39.99 per month)
Hook (Disney +)
James Barrie’s literary classic gets the reboot treatment before reboots were really a thing (1991). Hook is a Steven Spielberg-directed musing on the question of ‘what if Peter Pan did grow up? (and got a job in a soulless law firm during the brutal peak of American Neoliberalist individualism)’ and features an ensemble cast of Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith and Charlie Korsmo. The joy here is found in joining Peter (Williams) on his regressive quest to reacquire the carefree wonder of youth. That and RUFFIO, RUFFIO, RUFFIO.
We’re the Millers (OSN)
Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts and Will Poulter go undercover for all the wrong reasons in this hilarious 2013, RV roadtrip romp. The story isn’t nuanced or believable; no character in it begins the journey as being particularly likable; a good percentage of the dialogue is handed over wholesale to Sudeikis’s trademark electric-synapse smart talking; and yet somehow, it all results in a comedy mix tape masterpiece. Ragrets? We have none.
Shrek (Netflix)
The 2001 animated classic that spawned a meme phenomenon and an entirely new archetype of two-tier simultaneous storytelling to adults and children. It’s a modern fairytale of not judging books by their cover, of defying stereotypes, of distressed damsels being their own shining-armoured knights and the perils of wronging a gingerbread man. Only shooting stars break the mould.
Ratatouille (Disney +)
Picking a favourite Pixar movie is like choosing a favourite child. You don’t say it out loud, but we all know you have one. This is our golden child. It finds confounding orchestral range in the saga of a self-taught rodent Gordon Ramsay, who marionettes a luckless line chef into a culinary virtuoso. It has love, it has ego, but above all – it warns that indulging prejudices can rob you of life’s richest experiences.
Amelie (OSN)
Or to give it its full original name, Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain. This is the magnus opus of Jean-Pierre Jeunet, a romantic caper of the chronically quirky, usually mute, painfully shy protagonist – Amelie. It’s a whimsical, faith-restoring ride through timid attraction, backed by a soundtrack that might be the most atmospherically appropriate in cinema history.
Mama Mia (Netflix)
The film that was adapted from a West End stage musical, which was based on a book, that was inspired by an old Abba song. Mamma mia! That’s quite the family tree. Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Dominic Cooper, and Amanda Seyfried are on board to deliver a jukebox of operatic song ‘n’ dance bangers that chronicle the romantic reawakening of Donna Sheridan (Streep) on the Greek Island idyll of her daughter’s destination wedding.
Sing (Prime Video)
Whilst we’re on the serotonin-stirring musicals, don’t sleep on the animated ouvre that is, Sing. The story is pretty basic; it’s the tale of Buster Moon (a Matthew McConaughey) a koala and veteran stage show producer and his fight to save a failing theatre through a big prize talent show. Along the way we learn about the lives and tribulations of the contest’s stars through the vocal talents of Reese Witherspoon, Seth MacFarlane, Scarlett Johansson, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Jennifer Saunders, Jennifer Hudson, Peter Serafinowicz and Nick Kroll. It’s all the X-Factor key-change moments rolled into one, plus a chameleon with a glass eye.
Forest Gump (Shahid)
Tom Hanks plays Forest, Forest Gump, a man who shares his life story and a box of chocolates from a bench at a provincial bus station. As a child, Gump is classified as being of sub-average intelligence, a fact that certainly doesn’t hamper his achievements. Gump goes on to play for the All-American football team, is awarded the Medal of Honour for his bravery in the Vietnam War, makes shrewd business investments and does multiple coast-to-coast runs across the US – but can he ever get his crush, Jenny (Robin Right) to love him back?
National Treasure (Disney +)
We’ve all been there. Those times when you’re in a sticky situation that can only be resolved by the clandestine theft of the United States Declaration of Independence. And that time is very much now for Nicholas Cage in his globe-trotting, clue-solving, occasionally tomb-raiding, 2004 adventure classic. It’s a little bit Indiana Jones, a little bit Da Vinci Code, and a huge amount of cinematic fun.
Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (Netflix)
This is a sequel, but there’s little enlightening backstory missed by skipping the antecedent to this Jim Carrey comedy vehicle. The titular character Ace is a pet detective (shh, totally a thing), and for this celluoloidal outing, he’s on the trail of Shikaka, a missing ceremonial bat. The animal, not the sporting equipment. Set in a fictional African state, amid fractious tribal tensions and nefarious colonial antagonists, Ace must overcome his chiroptophobic impulses and uncover the true culprit behind the divisive batnapping. The spiritual embodiment of big dumb fun.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (Netflix and Disney +)
If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball (RIP Patches). That is the core philosophical mantra at the heart of this Vince Vaughn vs Ben Stiller, sports movie parody. It pits Peter (Vaughn) and his team of ‘Average Joes’ against the White Goodman’s (Stiller) ringer-stuffed all-star line-up in the arena of competitive dodgeball. It follows the David and Goliath movie pattern, rendering it, in no small way, ‘a true underdog story’. And it’s early noughties comedy in pure flow state – it’s highly quotable, features memorable supporting cast performances (keep an eye out for Alan Tudyk’s Steve the Pirate and Jason Bateman as iconic pundit Pepper Brooks) and delivers on authentic feels. Never forget the five D’s of dodgeball: dodge, duck, dip, dive, and…dodge.
The Lego Movie (OSN)
Chris Pratt leads the voice cast for this movie adaptation of Denmark’s most famous child labour export, Lego. It’s a superbly built family movie, with plenty of lols for parents, a genuinely original storyline with compelling arc, and some brilliant voice acting performances. Emmet (Pratt) is the average Lego figure next door, who is mistakenly identified as the Lego world’s best hope of defeating the evil Lord Business (Will Ferrell) and his dastardly plans for a new world order.
Wonka (Netflix)
You’ve never had chocolate like this. Wonka is the fabricated origin story of the eccentric confectionery billionaire from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Willy Wonka. Fans of Roald Dahl’s literary work will appreciate the incredible lengths the filmmakers have gone to honour the wit, humour, style and wonder of the author. At times, it feels far truer to source than any of the book adaptations. The musical numbers add a measure of lyrical levity, Timothée Chalamet’s turn as the eponymous chocolate-monger is sublime and the side stories that develop the support cast are a masterstroke of penmanship and performance.
The Mummy (Prime Video)
No, not the cursed Tom Cruise ‘Monster Franchise’ remake. We don’t talk about that. Nor is it the 1932 Karloff horror flick of the same name. This is the 1999-made, adventure epic with plucky, wise-cracking leads Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, and Arnold Vosloo as the reanimated embodiment of a long-dead Egyptian priest. He wakes up pretty cranky from his 3,000-year-long dirt nap and truth be told, is not a huge fan of the modern world he finds himself inhabiting. It’s up to Fraser and Weisz to battle ancient evil, restore archeo-somnolence and put The Mummy firmly on the naughty step.
Coco (Disney +)
In this tale of pure Pixar magic, a young musician crosses the bridge from the world of the living to the land of the dead. Along with his trusty street dog Dante, Miguel is in search of a long-passed ancestor who he hopes will provide answers about his own passion for music. An emotional score accompanies a screen filled with colourful feels.
The Greatest Showman (Netflix)
Round up, round up, no feel-good film round-up would be complete without this magical, musical extravaganza, ring-led by Hugh Jackman as P. T. Barnum. This is the heavily fictionalised life and times account of, the world’s greatest showman. Together with his troupe of ‘freaks’ and circus performers, Barnham attempts to teach the world about acceptance, love beyond boundaries and earworm show tunes.
Pitch Perfect (Disney +)
You can, and should, binge all three instalments of the PitchPerfectverse on Disney +. It’s a coming-of-age collegiate comedy that charts the talent comp coup aspirations of an acapella club. Expect riotous Glee Club lols, Rebel Wilson at peak Rebel Wilson and creative music-free song mash-ups you’ll be humming for weeks. Aca-whut?
Matilda, The Musical (Netflix)
Sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty. This is the second time on the list a film arrives as the germ of a seed from the marvellous mind of Roald Dahl. This is the cinematic version of a stage musical, with songs composed by Australian comedy legend Tim Minchin. It’s a Bruce Bogtrotter buffet of revolting (in both senses) children, of finding the exceptional in the most unlikely of places, and the tyranny of PE teachers.
Ocean’s Eleven (OSN)
Heist movie? All-star cast? Possibly the worst British accent ever committed to the big screen (looking at you Don)? You sonofa gun, we’re in. Bosh, we weren’t kidding when we said this cast held all the aces – George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Casey Affleck, Don Cheadle, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac and Carl Reiner, fill out the class for this reboot of the 60’s Rat Pack original, by either plotting to, or attempting to prevent, a grand theft at a Vegas casino.
Little Miss Sunshine (Disney +)
Jump in the Hoover family’s yellow VW camper van as they head cross-country so the youngest member of the family, Olive can take part in a junior beauty pageant. As families go, this one hits about a 9.5 on the Springer dysfunctional scale – troubled teens, and disgraced elders help spike the mocktail of this motley crew. It is a tale of unity though, perseverance, redemption, the importance of individuality and a condemnation of America’s pageant culture. It’s original, emotional, hilarious, poignant and a truly magnificent set piece.
Good Will Hunting (Netflix)
The screenplay for Good Will Hunting was co-written by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, way back before they were Hollywood big shots. It’s the story of young maths prodigy Will Hunting (Damon), who is content living an unremarkable life. His talents are uncovered by a maths professor, Professor Gerald Lambeau (Stellan Skarsgård), who pleads with Hunting not to squander his gift. After an altercation with a police officer, Will goes to court and is directed to attend therapy sessions with Dr Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), an old college buddy of Lambeau. Can they turn Will’s life around? Should they even try? This movie is filled with heartwarming moments, like the completely ad-libbed anecdote Maguire tells Hunting about his wife’s wind issues.
Horrible Bosses (OSN)
There are few groups of people in the world as ripe for parody and devastating comic pop shots as archetypal upper management. Horrible Bosses circles back on these spectres of corporate America, through the revenge plots of friends played by Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, and Jason Sudeikis. Exasperated by their respective paymasters (played by Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, and Kevin Spacey) the gang lean in on a pact to murder each other’s bosses, thus obscuring a traceable motive and resulting in a perfect crime. It’s a comedy, though, so you already know the best-laid plans are guaranteed to go awry after touching base. They do, hilariously so, resulting in outcomes that are not on the same page, with minimal ducks in a row.
Back to the Future (Netflix)
We’re firmly team ‘this should have been called Back to the Present’ although the present is the future to the past that charismatic Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) travels back to, care of his mad scientist friend, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd). Maybe we should start again. This is, at its core, a time-travel caper that evolves from an incident that sends Marty back to the year 1955, face-to-face with the younger versions of his parents. He must find a way to fix his DeLorean time machine and return to the present, without accidentally setting in motion a butterfly effect paradox that would see his own existence unravel.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (Disney +)
Arguably the greatest ever big screen outing for a Spider-Man, possibly the best comic book adaption (although I know many would fight me on this claim) of all time. It’s a visual masterpiece, the webbed yarn is unravelled sublimely, the cameos are red hot and there’s so much fan service it feels like your own private massage.
Night at the Museum (Disney +)
When Ben Stiller gets a night watchman security job at New York City’s American Museum of Natural History, he assumes the role won’t be a particularly taxing one. Those illusions are shattered on the first night when, after all the tourists leave, the museum’s exhibits and diorama models come to life. That means cowboys, Romans, Egyptian pharaohs, Attila the Hun, Sacagawea, Teddy Roosevelt, Christopher Columbus, lions, mischievous monkeys and the skeletal remains of a T-Rex all getting up and turning Stiller’s graveyard shift into a tier one crisis management episode.
