Top 5: Movies to make you hold your friends a little tighter

As the shock of quarantine slowly fades away and we become accustomed to our new socially-distanced ways of life, I have found I spend more time alone than I used to. While this has proven to have some positive repercussions, like finally checking some books off my reading list and rediscovering my childhood Nintendo DSi, I can’t help but find that I miss having people around, most notably my friends.

However, as a side effect of spending more time on my own, my monthly movie intake has increased. In an attempt to stay positive, I felt prompted to compile a list of movies that make me appreciate the friends I have in my life, and remind me how much harder I’ll have to hug them once I see them again.

Mid-90s

In his directorial debut, Jonah Hill gives a beautiful depiction of 90’s downtown Los Angeles. The film follows the coming-of-age journey of Stevie (Sunny Suljic), a 13 year-old boy navigating his tumultuous family life alongside his growing desire to make friends.

Stevie’s life is altered when he comes across a crew of boys at a skate shop who introduce him to the underground world of skateboarding. At its core, the film is less about the boys’ passion for skateboarding and more about what it represents to them in a world where they often feel forgotten. It’ll make you shed a tear and want to hug a friend, and for that reason, it’s on my list.

Booksmart

Making huge headlines back in 2019, this magnificent coming-of-age comedy directed by Olivia Wilde follows best friends Molly (Beanie Feldstein) and Amy (Kaitlyn Dever) the night before their very last day of high-school.

Self-proclaimed bookworms all throughout high-school, Molly and Amy realize that they must make up for every missed party experience the night before graduation. The film takes place over the course of a single night as Molly and Amy try to jam pack all the chaos of being a teenager into a single adventure. The movie is filled to the brim with fun best friend antics and emotional scenes that will leave you itching to text your best homies.

The Sandlot

This movie is definitely a throwback to when the world was a much simpler place. Set in the backdrop of the all-American San Fernando Valley, the film follows fifth-grader Scotty Smalls (Tom Guiry) and the adventures that proceed after he moves to a new town in the summer of 1962.

Knowing that his step-father is a baseball fanatic, Scotty takes it upon himself to learn the rules of the game in order to impress him. His newfound desire leads him to the sandlot, a beat up local diamond that is visited every day by the neighbourhood boys.

The film has developed somewhat of a cult following since its initial release in 1993. The film includes a variety of quotable lines and memorable characters, and is a heartwarming story that brings back memories of a time when it was you and your friends against the world. 

The Lord of the Rings (trilogy)

Honestly, I don’t know how much needs to be said about this film franchise, but I know what I want to say about it, and I don’t have enough space in this article to do so.

Taking place in the comforts of the Shire, Frodo (Elijah Wood) is a young hobbit who inherits a peculiar ring and is tasked with embarking on a journey to Mount Doom to destroy the ring and secure the survival of Middle Earth.

The franchise consists of three films which follow Frodo and the band of brothers he makes along the way. With great performances by Sean Astin, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellen, the trilogy embodies the essence of friendship and the importance of having faith in those who care about you. Truly a classic.

Little Women

Although you could say this film is more about family than friendship, I would say it has a universal wholesome energy that makes you want to be a better person.

Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel is by far one of the best film watching experiences I’ve had in a while. Set in the years during and following the American Civil War, Little Women tells the story of the March family, four sisters living with their mother as their father fights in the South.

The film follows the four girls as they navigate the contemporary woes of life, love, and grief, while finding themselves in the process. The movie stars Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Meryl Streep, paired with a fabulous score by Alexandre Desplat.