Everyone has been there – battling a cold, stuck on the couch, trying to find something fun and easy to watch as you ingest copious amounts of orange juice, ginger ale or tea in an attempt to get better.
We all have our favourites, those go-to standards that we just have to watch when we’re buried under blankets, rocking sweatpants and running through Kleenex at an alarming rate.
Here are 10 we love that you’ll find on Netlfix Canada right now.
Pretty Woman
Growing up, this was the only movie we owned; my brother and I bought it for my mom for Christmas because she loved it so much. That and Beaches and I wasn’t going to buy her Beaches. During my elementary school years (read: pre-200 channels), Pretty Woman became a staple of my sick day routine, along with Lipton’s Chicken Noodle soup and Vernors Ginger Ale. All these years later, it’s still in heavy rotation.
Footloose (1984)
Why someone thought they could remake this masterpiece is beyond me because the original is about as good as it gets when it comes to classic flicks that are high on the re-watchability scale and easy to enjoy when you’re under the weather. A great soundtrack, tractor chicken and a train yard gymnastics routine; what more do you need?
The Mighty Ducks
Extra fitting right now because Coach Gordon Bombay (Emilio Estevez) has gotten himself invested in Anaheim’s playoff run, but even without the NHL team named after this Disney classic in the mix, seeing pre-Dawson’s Creek Pacey lead a rag tag team to success while quacking is still good fun, especially when you’re not feeling 100 percent.
Tommy Boy
We lost Chris Farley way too early and though his films devolved into the male version of what Melissa McCarthy is doing right now (Hey look! I’m overweight! Isn’t that funny?), Tommy Boy is the one that launched Farley to a different level of fame and the timing he had with David Spade holds up, even if some of the jokes have become horribly dated. Do kids even know who the Little Rascals are any more?
Mean Girls
You go, Glen Coco! This is a classic “throw it on and go from there flick” where if you fall asleep, it’s no big deal, but if you stay awake, it’s still all kinds of enjoyable. Rachael McAdams before she grew up and became amazing, Lindsay Lohan before she became a disaster and a strong supporting cast with plenty of memorable moments make this a great “when you’re sick” selection.
The Wolf of Wall Street
Everyone needs a long-play selection on their list and this is mine. You have to have at least one movie you’ve seen a dozen times or more than you can jump right back into whenever it comes on. Whether you’ve fallen asleep, been stuck in the bathroom or jumped into the kitchen to get your umpteenth glass of orange juice (Tropicana, some pulp thanks), Wolf of Wall Street is one of those flicks that holds up over time and is easy to enjoy no matter when you jump in.
The Princess Bride
Does this one really need an explanation? If you can’t enjoy the adventures of Inigo Montoya and Fezzik while you’re snuggled under a mountain of blankets, we can’t be friends.
The Usual Suspects
They can’t all be light and sweet and fun, so why not mix in one of the best crime thrillers in the last 20 years? Even though you know what’s going to happen in the end, this is one of those movies where you catch something new every time you watch it. Plus, any chance to take in Benicio del Toro’s Fenster is one you have to take. “I’ll flip ya for it; flip ya for real.”
Easy A
Emma Stone before she was seemingly everywhere in a high school comedy with a message that features some fun performances from a bunch of people that have kind of fallen off the face of the Earth since, namely Amanda Bynes and Thomas Haden Church. THC’s rant about kids posting everything they do on Facebook is awesome and Penn Badgley is endearing as “Woodchuck” Todd.
In Bruges
Sick or not, do yourself a favour and check out this movie. Colin Farrell remains one of the best and most under-utilized actors around right now and his performance here as a guilt-riddled hitman is excellent. With strong supporting performances from Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes, this dark comedy that has achieved cult status is a sneaky good watch, especially when you’re feeling ill and need a little pick-me-up.
