Movies and Moods
By: Camila Grases
We all know this time of the semester can be stressful. Midterms around every corner, your work throughout the whole semester is culminating suddenly. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our mental health is step away from these stressful situations and take some time to allow ourselves to be transported to different worlds.
Here is a list of some of my favorite movies to watch based on the moods and anxiety you might be feeling.
Of course, as with anything, this is my own list. These are movies that I love, regardless of whether they are considered “good” or not. All I can hope is that this inspires a movie session or two.
High Anxiety, Poor Mood
These are the movies for when you are experiencing overwhelming stress. The stress may be causing you to feel a sudden necessity to be alone. And that’s ok! Sit yourself down and watch a movie that is nostalgic, simple, or calming:
1. Fantasia: Really, any Disney movie could work. But when it comes to the calming effects of classical music and beautiful animation, Fantasia’s got you covered.
2. Harry Potter: Everybody knows Harry Potter. It’s one of those movie series that brings universal joy to just about anybody.
3. The Secret Garden: This is just one of my nostalgia movies, and also a personal favorite. It’s a story of finding family in the strangest of places. Just a very cute movie that hopefully will make you happy.
High Anxiety, Mild Mood
You’re still stressed, but it’s not affecting you adversely. You are calm despite having a lot to do. As a result, what you really need is a break, something fantastical perhaps:
1. About Time: Magical realism meets romance. It’s just wonderful.
2. Big Fish: A charming version of those tall tales your grandfather swears are real. And Ewan McGregor.
3. The Grand Budapest Hotel: Surreal, colorful, and witty.
High Anxiety, Great Mood
Typically, this is when the stress makes you feel jittery or hyper. You need somewhere to put all this energy in, to root for the good guy jumping off of buildings:
1. Mission Impossible: Exciting in every sense of the word, for when you want to be stunned by Tom Cruise’s fearlessness.
2. The Man From Uncle: Think of it as any other spy movie. Simply enjoy it.
3. House of the Flying Daggers: Exciting martial arts movie. Also very pleasant on the eyes.
Mild Anxiety, Poor Mood
I would describe this state of mind as the feeling you get when there are only a few things you have to do, but you have no motivation to do them. Here, you need some real-life inspiration:
1. The Rabbit Proof Fence: Not many know the history of indigenous Australians. This is the story of three little girls defying the odds of their time.
2. Slumdog Millionaire: A story about the ways fate can influence our lives. A good lesson when considering whether or not to study.
3. Wolf Children: If you did not love your mom enough before, this movie will change your mind.
Mild Anxiety, Mild Mood
You have some work to do but you’re not really stressed about it. What you need is some stimulation, a little bit of a look into the sublime, things greater than ourselves:
1. The Fall: A lesser known movie, but it’s worth watching for the beautiful cinematography that mimics the imagination of a little girl.
2. The Impossible: Boy oh boy, you should watch this movie because it’s oh so beautiful.
3. Empire of the Sun: War and the best and worst parts of humanity.
Mild Anxiety, Great Mood
Again, maybe you have stuff to do, but don’t want to do them because you just have so much energy. Here’s where you can bask in those raw human emotions, the heavy metal of movies where you can combine stress with energy:
1. Mad Max Fury Road: Pretty beautiful as far as post-apocalyptic worlds go. And they literally have heavy metal.
2. Saw: Fear is the rawest of human emotions. This is one of those movies that explores just how much one can do when one is afraid.
3. Kill Bill: A badass woman and pure, unbridled rage.
Low Anxiety, Poor Mood
This is when you can’t explain it but you just really need to be alone, at home, doing nothing. And when you are alone and don’t really want to think, there is no better time to enjoy a guilty pleasure:
1. Kung Fu Hustle: A very ridiculous comedy with a golden heart.
2. Night at the Museum: You gotta admit, more people love this movie than have admitted to it.
3. We’re the Millers: This is one of many movies about pretending to be something you are not, but its just so entertaining.
Low Anxiety, Mild Mood
This is when you need some more intelligence in your movies. This is for the emotional response to the stories we see:
1. The Chorus: A French movie about the power of music.
2. Dead Poets Society: Of a similar nature to The Chorus, but this time it’s literature and Robin Williams changing lives.
3. The Sixth Sense: Pay attention to this one, lest you miss a clue.
Low Anxiety, Great Mood
Finally, this is just one of those days where you have nothing to do and you could not be happier about it. And so, because you have nothing planned, here are some movie series you should binge:
1. The Lord of the Rings: The perfect rainy day marathon. Action, love and friendship, you really can’t go wrong.
2. Back to the Future: An absolutely classic series, you won’t want to stop watching.
3. Hayao Miyazaki Movies: These films are pretty much guaranteed to make you feel good. Don’t let the strangeness throw you off, these are some amazing stories.
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