'I'm very busy and important, how can I help you?'
(Hugh Grant, Love Actually)

A cup of cinnamon tea with honey, purring cats, life without haste, a day without depression, secretly loving someone, conquering writer's block. The precise definition of feelgood is different for everyone, yet we all know exactly what it is: less intense than ecstasy, but it lasts longer. Of course any great movie makes you feel good, even if depressing, but widening the criteria to include extreme horror and war epics would make this most delightful category redundant. Only annoying people start this non-discussion anyway, so let's ignore intellect and lift ourselves into paradise, available for young (Little Manhattan), old (Venus, Last Chance Harvey) and dogs (Marley & Me). Feel free to swoon away with the biggest surprise hit in the genre this decade, gorgeously tearjerking The Notebook. Get enchanted by Peter Pan prequel Finding Neverland. Praise the great Dennis Quaid for his double bill In Good Company and Smart People. That last one is slowly becoming a personal favorite, its target audience of people too intelligent for their own good seems to have been reached. The cynical daughter here is played by Ellen Page, who definitely would've made top 5 in best casting, if the category had existed. She's better known as must see Juno, the tiny quirky teen that grew bigger and bigger (pregnant pun intended), bathing in breakthrough glory on major red carpet. My goodness, so many great movies are being left in the cold here, check out the overall top 50 for titles that have been left out because of excessive crying, another one of those disputable arguments. Don't forget to pickup pleasant, surprisingly cute Forgetting Sarah Marshall, with more male than female nudity for a change. And Waitress: realistic, at times depressing view on bad marriage, making up for those lousy feelings with lots with pie. The most perfect dvd gift for your (grand)father is Sir Anthony Hopkins travelling to and racing Bonneville Salt Flats in The World's Fastest Indian, probably no one expected it to be so hugely relaxing.

You should only paint when it makes you feel good, otherwise what's the point? Brush for Happiness sounds like a bad charity event, but forget about money and define the happiness as a deep sense of calm within yourself, then the dye starts to make sense. Just ask Daniel Auteuil in rural Dialogue avec mon jardinier (2007, Jean Becker), he knows a thing or two about the colorful seasons of life. All around Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring (2003, Ki-duk Kim) dives deeper into existentialism, spiritual redemption, meditation and karma, you know, dope stuff. The more materialistic side of summer (which doesn't last 500 days by the way, silly Zooey) can be witnessed in the distribution of grandmother's legacy in L'heure d'été (2008, Olivier Assayas). And for the ultimate in contemplating peace and quiet, stroll with Gerry (2002, Gus Van Sant) to Lake Tahoe (2008, Fernando Eimbcke): car breaking down, walking, walking and more walking.

5. Pieces of April
(2003, Peter Hedges)

Thanksgiving the extended version, main ingredient still is a large, waiting to be stuffed turkey. But small Pieces of April, written and directed by Hedges (Dan in Real Life, just as good) for a massive fee of twenty dollars, is meaty with family wounds and unknown neighbours. It shows the road towards that one evening we are supposed to get along, both sides. Reality is full of stubbornness and inexperienced cooking, new friends help out with the big bird.
 

4. Definitely, Maybe
(2008, Adam Brooks)

Having been married with children doesn't disable feelgood, as proven by this inventive, multilayered romcom. Smart kid Breslin inquires about her mother, ideal son-in-law Reynolds keeps her and us guessing, capturing the Clinton/Cobain zeitgeist in the process. Three beautiful women make things complicated when monogamy is involved: gimme modern best friend Isla Fisher any day, smoking and joking. Definitely, Maybe, are you serious?!
 

3. Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain
(2001, Jean-Pierre Jeunet)

Anonymous altruism like Amélie's brings other people bliss, unfortunately it might not be the easiest road to her own happiness. Nevertheless Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain offers hope in a classic, it's a wonderful life way: somehow the lack of egocentrism will be rewarded, after all the lonely years of taking care of others. Little things mean a lot, sometimes you deserve a big reward. She ends up in a painting herself.
 

2. Elizabethtown
(2005, Cameron Crowe)

Elizabethtown, Louisville, Kentucky, is about so much more than only love, but of course the most stunning sprinkling sparkles tickle whenever Kirsten Dunst enters the frame. Musical companionship, friends for life, that's how successful romance starts. Humankind can analyze until eternity, the conclusion will always be the same: this one and only special person makes life complete. Even if the film is so much more.
 

1. Keeping the Faith
(2000, Edward Norton)

We're talking serious antidepressant here folks, don't even try to convince me otherwise. Keeping the Faith has the balls to take over two hours, it oozes enthusiasm for every important aspect of life (music, movies, love), it starts with Tom Waits, compensates with karaoke and always keeps the glass half full. When hope falters, I need Keeping the Faith, at least twice a year. Dynamic, uplifting, most misjudged movie of the decade.

(Menni, untamed.nl 2009)