The best movies to watch when sick are often just some of the best movies, period. The Price is Right, Jeopardy, and Springer can only take a sick person confined to their couch so far before their brain starts hurting. That’s when it’s movie time. Click on the TV and throw the remote away for an hour and a half, there’s no need to change episodes or remind Netflix that the human viewing has not succumbed just yet. The best movies to watch when sick are fuzzy, happy, and hopefully not too long, considering the viewer may want to nap after.
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That’s why, while the list of movies to watch when bored shares some similarities to the best movies to watch when sick, there are some key differences. Action-packed, exciting movies are a no-go. Sick people don’t have the energy. Sad, frustrating movies are not very fun either, because sick people generally don’t want to feel any more down than they already do. The best sick movies are easy to turn on, hard to turn off, and if the viewer closes their eyes for a bit, they don’t miss all that much.
15 Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar (2021)
A Goofy, Laugh-A-Second Girl’s Trip
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar PG-13ComedyFantasy
In Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar, lifelong friends Barb and Star, embark on the adventure of a lifetime when they decide to leave their small Midwestern town for the first time…ever after they’re let go from their jobs. When they take a much-needed vacation to Vista Del Mar, Florida, they meet Edgar and end up in a whirlwind adventure that includes friendship, romance, and a comically villainous plot
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*Availability in US Director Josh Greenbaum Release Date February 12, 2021 Cast Vanessa Bayer , Phyllis Smith , Jamie Dornan , Damon Wayans Jr. , Annie Mumolo , Reyn Doi , Kristen Wiig , Fortune Feimster Runtime 106 minutes
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Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar is a must-watch for fans of Anchorman, Hot Rod, and Austin Powers-style comedy. Barb and Star stars Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig as the titular characters, two friends from the mid-west who go on their first vacation ever to the scenic Vista Del Mar in Florida. There, they take drugs, find romance, dance to electronic versions of “My Heart Will Go On”, and get embroiled in a villain’s plot to unleash a swarm of killer mosquitoes on the beachgoers. It’s absurd, charming, and the sun will warm sick viewers right up.
14 Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
Hayao Miyazaki’s Colorful, Nostalgic Adventure
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7.3/10 Howl’s Moving Castle 8-12 yearsAnimationActionAdventureFamilyFantasyRomance
From Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki, Howl’s Moving Castle is based on the novel by Diana Wynne Jones. The story follows Sophie, a shy hat-maker living in a fictional magical kingdom who is cursed by a witch into looking like an elderly woman. Leaving her home in search of a cure, Sophie encounters Howl, a powerful magician, and becomes the housekeeper for his magical ambulatory castle. The English dubbed version stars Emily Mortimer and Christian Bale as Sophie and Howl.
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*Availability in US Director Hayao Miyazaki Release Date November 20, 2004 Cast Chieko Baisho , Takuya Kimura , Akihiro Miwa , Tatsuya Gashûin , Ryûnosuke Kamiki , Mitsunori Isaki Runtime 119minutes Budget 2.4 billion JPY
One of Hayao Miyazaki’s best movies, though also one of his most misunderstood, Howl’s Moving Castle has the difficult job of adapting the long 1986 fantasy novel by Diana Wynne Jones, which makes Howl’s feel a bit disconnected at times. Despite this, it’s still a gorgeously animated film with some incredible characters at the center. The vignette feel of the movie also makes it perfect for sick viewers who may tune in and out. It’s an empathetic look at love and aging, told in Miyazaki’s grand style.
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13 Remember The Titans (2000)
Friday Night Lights In Alexandria, Virginia
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10/10 Remember The Titans PGSportBiographyDrama
Remember The Titans is a 2000 sports drama directed by Boaz Yakin and starring Denzel Washington. The film is based on the true story of a newly integrated high school football team in Virginia. Under the leadership of coach Herman Boone, the team navigates racial tensions and strives for success on and off the field.
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*Availability in US Director Boaz Yakin Release Date September 29, 2000 Cast Ryan Hurst , Will Patton , Wood Harris , Denzel Washington , Donald Faison Runtime 113 minutes Budget $30 million
Remember the Titans may only be semi-based on a true story, but the uplifting feelings of victory, camaraderie, love, and acceptance make the Disney sports classic feel like it’s come straight out of real life. Coach Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) is the head coach of the newly integrated T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria, Virginia and he is certain of one thing: if his team can not accept each other as black and white brothers, they won’t only fail on the football field, they will fail as people.
12 Catch Me If You Can (2002)
Leonardo DiCaprio Capers Around The Globe
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7/10 Catch Me If You Can PG-13CrimeDramaBiography
Catch Me If You Can is a 2002 biographical crime film directed by Steven Spielberg. It’s based on the true story of real-life con artist Frank Abagnale Jr., who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, and lawyer. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the lead role and Tom Hanks co-stars as FBI Agent Carl Hanratty.
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*Availability in US Director Steven Spielberg Release Date December 25, 2002 Cast Leonardo DiCaprio , Tom Hanks , Christopher Walken , Martin Sheen , Nathalie Baye , Amy Adams , James Brolin , Brian Howe Runtime 141 Minutes Budget $52 million
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One of the worst parts about being sick is the inability to go anywhere, so a movie like Catch Me If You Can is the perfect escapist fantasy, with the dashing Leonardo DiCaprio leading the way. Steven Spielberg’s surprisingly deep crime comedy finds Frank Abagnale Jr. (DiCaprio) conning his way to riches and a jet-set lifestyle, all the while tracked by agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) of the FBI. It’s gorgeously shot and even the opening Saul Bass-like credits by Oliver Kuntzel and Florence Deygas will comfort viewers.
11 Spaceballs (1987)
A Hilarious And Low-Stakes Send-Up Of Star Wars
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10/10 Spaceballs PGAdventure Sci-FiComedy
Directed by Mel Brooks, Spaceballs parodies a number of beloved science fiction classics, most notably Star Wars. The film stars Bill Pullman as Lone Starr, a mercenary who helps rescue Princess Vespa from the clutches of the evil Spaceballs who wish to use her as a ransom. While on the run, Lone Starr, Vespa, and company are pursued by Spaceball commanders Dark Helmet and Colonel Sandurz, whose bumbling attempts to retrieve Vespa make up much of the comedy of the film. Bill Pullman stars as Lone Starr, with a further cast that includes Rick Moranis, John Candy, Daphne Zuniga, and Joan Rivers.
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*Availability in US Director Mel Brooks Release Date June 24, 1987 Cast John Candy , Daphne Zuniga , Mel Brooks , Rick Moranis , Bill Pullman Runtime 96 minutes Budget $22.7 million
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Some viewers may think Star Wars is a good sick-day movie, but those science fiction epics can get a bit harrowing and lore-heavy for someone who can’t breathe through their nose. Spaceballs has all the action-adventure, with none of the heavy stakes, and all the best Mel Brooks laughs. Lone Starr (Bill Pullman) is a send-up of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, with only half the heroism of each character, but he makes up for it with sarcastic jabs. This movie breaks the fourth wall so much, that viewers will feel like Dark Helmet is in the room, hanging out.
10 Paddington (2014)
The Coolest Bear In Peru Comes To England
Paddington PGFamilyComedy
The 2014 family movie Paddington centers around a Peruvian bear who travels to London in search of a new home. The Brown family find him and adopt him, but they soon discover that he has a talent for getting into trouble. Meanwhile, a taxidermist named Millicent (Nicole Kidman) is determined to capture him in order to add him to her collection.
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*Availability in US Director Paul King Release Date January 16, 2015 Cast Hugh Bonneville , Ben Whishaw , Nicole Kidman , Sally Hawkins Runtime 95minutes Budget $50–55 million
Though Paddington 2 may be the strongest of the Paddington movies, it’s the first film in the franchise that is perfect for a sick day. The 2014 family movie brought the famous bear to life on the big screen and imbued him with such warmth, humor, and joy that he simply can’t be denied by anyone who meets him. The first film in the franchise introduces the characters, making it much easier to pick up out of nowhere than the second film, and anyone who hasn’t seen the movie should drop what they’re doing and check it out.
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9 Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Will Ferrell Finds Some Motivation For The Story Of His Life
Stranger Than Fiction PG-13ComedyDramaFantasyRomance
Stranger Than Fiction (2006) is a drama-comedy that follows Harold Crick, an IRS agent who begins to hear a narration of his life, which leads him to discover that he is a character in an author’s novel. Faced with his impending death, he must navigate his relationship with the author and his own existence. The film explores themes of free will, fate, and the nature of storytelling.
Director Marc Forster Release Date November 10, 2006 Cast Will Ferrell , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Dustin Hoffman , Emma Thompson , Queen Latifah , Tony Hale , William Dick , Guy Massey , Martha Espinoza , T.J. Jagodowski , Peter Grosz , Tonray Ho , Herb Lichtenstein , Stacey Elaine Jackson , Ricky Adams , Christian Stolte , Denise Hughes , Peggy Roeder , Danny Rhodes , Linara Washington , Helen Young , David Pompeii , David Wiegers , Jarrett Sleeper , Larry Neumann Jr. , John Mohrlein , Tom Hulce Runtime 113 minutes Expand
The plot for Stranger Than Fiction sounds like it could be out of an episode of Black Mirror, but thanks to Will Ferrell’s wonderfully down-to-earth performance, and a fairytale-like tone, the movie becomes something much kinder and simpler. Harold Crick (Ferrell) is an IRS agent with a fairly humdrum life, that is until he begins to hear narration coming out of the ether that seems to be dictating his actions. The flight of fantasy in the movie is perfectly pitched, making it magical rather than alarming, and the ending is warm enough to burn away the chills.
8 Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014)
The MCU Has Never Been More Cozy
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12 9/10 Guardians of the Galaxy PG-13AdventureActionFantasySci-Fi
Egotistic loner and “legendary” space pirate Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) falls foul of bounty hunters and his former allies after he steals an orb containing the Power Stone. Chased by Ronan the Accuser, a powerful Kree villain and thrown into an uneasy alliance with a group of similar misfits, he must adapt to his new dynamic or risk everything. He’s joined by gun-toting Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), treelike-alien Groot (Vin Diesel), Thanos’ daughter Gamora (Zoe Saldana), and the vengeful Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista). Can the galaxy’s most infamous a-holes really save the day?
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*Availability in US Director James Gunn Release Date July 30, 2014 Cast Zoe Saldana , Karen Gillan , Vin Diesel , Michael Rooker , Djimon Hounsou , Lee Pace , Benicio Del Toro , Glenn Close , Dave Bautista , Chris Pratt2 , Bradley Cooper , John C. Reilly Runtime 122 Minutes
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MCU movies aren’t generally known for their coziness, instead happy to focus on action and references to upcoming projects both on the way and dead in the water. Guardians of the Galaxy, and maybe its two sequels, do have a significant amount of warmth and love that has always made them stand out, even as the Marvel ship has taken on water over the last few years. It’s a movie about family and director James Gunn makes sure that the friendship and love between the scattershot Guardians make it a superhero movie that hasn’t aged a day.
7 Easy A (2010)
The Scarlet Letter But Funny And Hip
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7.3/10 Easy A PG-13RomanceComedyDrama
Inspired by The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Easy A stars Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast, a young high school student who suddenly finds herself in the middle of a rumor mill when a lie she tells her best friend about losing her virginity spirals out of control. Penn Badgley, Amanda Bynes, Thomas Haden Church, Patricia Clarkson, and Stanley Tucci are part of the supporting cast.
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*Availability in US Director Will Gluck Release Date September 17, 2010 Cast Patricia Clarkson , Malcolm McDowell , Penn Badgley , Stanley Tucci , Lisa Kudrow , aly michalka , Dan Byrd , Emma Stone , Thomas Haden Church , Amanda Bynes Runtime 92 minutes Budget $8 million
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Emma Stone may be the cure for any sickness. Her bubbly, funny, smart, down-to-earth personality makes any project she’s a part of a winner. Easy A combines her winning personality with a modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter, setting it in a high school, the perfect location for any sick day movie. In the film, Olive Penderghast (Stone) is a student who pretends to sleep with her gay friend to stop him from being bullied, leading her to become the go-to woman for pretend trysts. It’s hilarious, whip-smart, and carefully told.
6 Love Actually (2003)
Focus On Any One Of The 10 Love Stories
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7.3/10 Love Actually RComedyDramaHolidayRomance
The 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually follows various couples as they explore their relationships throughout the Christmas season. With a star-studded cast composed of Bill Nighy, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Hugh Grant, Laura Linney, Liam Neeson, Rowan Atkinson, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Freeman, and Martine McCutcheon, Love Actually has since become a Christmas staple for rom-com lovers.
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*Availability in US Director Richard Curtis Release Date November 14, 2003 Cast Colin Firth , Emma Thompson , Liam Neeson , Keira Knightley , Chiwetel Ejiofor , Laura Linney , Alan Rickman , Hugh Grant , Bill Nighy , Andrew Lincoln Runtime 135 minutes Budget 45million
Any one of the 10 stories in Love, Actually is the perfect cure for feeling unwell, and best of all, they are only tangentially connected, so viewers shouldn’t feel bad about falling asleep and missing part of the movie, they can always just follow along with another story thread. The ultimate Christmas romance, Love, Actually has inspired plenty of knockoffs, but none come close to the magic and heart of this 2003 film. Each time a new actor appears on-screen, it’s like unwrapping an unexpected present on Christmas morning.
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5 Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1975)
A Brain-Off Type Of Rollicking Comedy
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8/10 Monty Python and the Holy Grail PGFantasyAdventureComedy
A satirical comedic take on the legend of King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail sees the legendary British comedy troupe portraying Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table, who have embarked on a quest to find the Holy Grail. Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin all-star in the film as Arthur and his knights, also playing multiple other roles in the supporting cast of characters.
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*Availability in US Director Terry Jones , Terry Gilliam Release Date May 25, 1975 Cast Michael Palin , John Cleese , Terry Jones , Graham Chapman , Terry Gilliam , Eric Idle Runtime 91 minutes Budget $400 thousand
If a movie fan wants something worthwhile that they don’t have to think about, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is the answer. The Monty Python crew themselves barely thought about it, ending their film on a literal cop-out. More a series of loosely connected, medieval-themed scenes, Monty Python and the Holy Grail can barely be called a retelling of the Legend of King Arthur. Whatever it is, The Holy Grail is packed from start to finish with ridiculous comedy, endlessly quotable scenes, and unbelievably talented comic actors.
4 Back To The Future (1985)
Marty McFly And Doc Brown On An Adventure Through Time
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26 9.2/10 Back to the Future PGAdventureComedyFamilySci-Fi
Marty McFly, a 17-year-old high school student, is accidentally sent 30 years into the past in a time-traveling DeLorean invented by his close friend, the maverick scientist Doc Brown. In 1955, he meets his parents when they were his age, and must step in to make sure they wind up together before he gets back to 1985.
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*Availability in US Director Robert Zemeckis Release Date July 3, 1985 Cast Claudia Wells , Christopher Lloyd , James Tolkan , Thomas F. Wilson , Michael J. Fox , Wendie Jo Sperber , Crispin Glover , Marc McClure , Lea Thompson Runtime 116 minutes Budget $19 million
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Robert Zemeckis’ Back to the Future franchise is a wonderful option for a sick day with its heaping helpings of nostalgia, adventure, and goofy comedy. The first film in the trilogy stands above, however, thanks to the novelty of the idea of a young high schooler, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox), and his pal, Doc Brown (Christopher Lloyd), going back in time. Stuck in the past, Marty must find a way to undo his meddling before he disappears from the future forever. A classic of the ’80s, Back to the Future will revive even the sickest movie viewer.
3 You’ve Got Mail (1998)
New York, Autumn, Bookstores, And ’90s Romance
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8.5/10 You’ve Got Mail PGRomanceComedyDrama
Directed by Nora Ephron, You’ve Got Mail follows Joe and Kathleen, two strangers who meet in an AOL chatroom and begin a relationship over email, unaware that they are actually a lot more connected to one another than they think. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan star as Joe and Kathleen, with a further cast that includes Parker Posey, Jean Stapleton, Dave Chappelle, and Greg Kinnear.
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*Availability in US Director Nora Ephron Release Date December 18, 1998 Cast Dave Chappelle , Tom Hanks , Greg Kinnear , Jean Stapleton , Parker Posey , Meg Ryan Runtime 119 minutes Budget $65 million
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There are few things more warming than New York City in the fall. Add in Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, and the nostalgia of cozy bookshops and AOL, and You’ve Got Mail becomes the perfect sick day movie to chase away the aches and head fog. Kathleen Kelly (Ryan) runs a small bookstore and meets Joe Fox (Hanks), the scion to a large book chain, over the internet. The pair strike up a romance that takes all film to make good on, but the journey there is beautiful, cozy, and the perfect companion to a warm cup of soothing tea.
2 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
Take A Sick Day With Ferris Bueller
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8/10 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off PG-13Comedy
John Hughes’ comedy classic Ferris Bueler’s Day off follows the titular high schooler, a self-assured, charming young man who wants a day off. Going to unheard-of lengths to secure that day for himself, his girlfriend, and his best friend, he conjures up the ultimate scheme to get them out of school. However, his sister and principal are confident he’s up to no good, and his principal will embark on an equally overblown quest to expose Ferris’ truancy.
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*Availability in US Director John Hughes Release Date June 11, 1986 Cast Jennifer Grey , Matthew Broderick , Mia Sara , Alan Ruck , Jeffrey Jones Runtime 103 minutes Budget $6 million
“When Cameron was in Egypt’s land, let my Cameron go,” is the official slogan for people who are too sick to get out of bed. Like Cameron (Alan Ruck), a visit by Ferris Bueller and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is just what the doctor ordered to get everyone feeling better. Not the ultimate sick day movie, but certainly the ultimate sick day, Ferris (Matthew Broderick) shows everyone what having a day off truly means. It’s relatable, hilarious, and oddly inspiring, a perfect concoction for any hypochondriac, or just someone who’s feeling under the weather.
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1 The Princess Bride (1987)
Listen To A Sick Day Story With Fred Savage
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9/10 The Princess Bride PGFantasyFamilyAdventure
Based on the 1973 novel by William Goldman, The Princess Bride is a comical fantasy adventure film that tells a swashbuckling tale of a hero and a princess, read to a young, sick boy in bed by his grandfather. The story itself follows farmhand Westley, who embarks on an epic journey to save his beloved princess from an evil prince as he meets strange but reliable companions along the way.
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*Availability in US Director Rob Reiner Release Date October 9, 1987 Cast Mandy Patinkin , Chris Sarandon , Robin Wright , Cary Elwes , Christopher Guest Runtime 98 minutes Budget $16 million
A film-within-a-film, The Princess Bride begins with a sick young man, played by Fred Savage, hearing a story from his grandpa (Peter Falk). Everything about The Princess Bride makes it the perfect sick-day movie. It’s charming, swashbuckling, hilarious, and enough to sweep anyone off their feet. The fact it’s a story told to someone who is already sick is just the cherry on the sundae. The Princess Bride is where every viewer would like to escape when they’re snuggled in a blanket, eating saltines and soup on a Saturday morning.