popular opinion The Best Feel-Good Movies  

Ranker Film
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251.9k votes 31.3k voters 2M views 287 items

List Rules Vote up the escapist, uplifting films that leave you feeling happiest.

Want to feel warm and fuzzy inside? This is a ranked list of the best feel-good movies that make us experience all the good feelings. This feel good list includes sports movies, romantic movies, and family movies. What is the best feel-good movie? These are the movies that have the ability to make us feel. They make us want to believe, be inspired, and live vicariously through the stories we see on screen. Whenever you are feeling down, you can simply watch one of these movies and it will make you smile.

This list of feel-good movies includes such titles as Rudy, It’s a Wonderful Life, Big, and Cool Runnings. These movies vary in their genre but they all have the ability to lift our spirits no matter how many times we’ve viewed them. If you are sad, feeling sick, or just looking for a film to get lost in, these titles from the list of the best feel good movies are what you should be watching.

Whether it’s cheering on the underdog, living a fanciful life in another country, or are just completely silly, these films provide something for viewers to enjoy and aspire to. If you’re looking for “the greatest feel-good movie ever” you can find it on this list.

list ordered by

1
3,257 2,382
Back to the Future is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
looksharp added Back to the Future Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson Back to the Future is a 1985 American comic science fiction film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and stars Michael J. Fox, ...more

2
3,664 2,715
Home Alone is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
sally added Home Alone Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, John Candy Home Alone is a 1990 American Christmas family comedy film written and produced by John Hughes and directed by Chris Columbus. The film stars Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister, a boy who is ...more

3
3,685 2,306
The Shawshank Redemption is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
The Shawshank Redemption Morgan Freeman, Rita Hayworth, Tim Robbins The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman. Adapted from the Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and ...more

4
934 678
Rocky is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
thomasashraf added Rocky Sylvester Stallone, Joe Frazier, Burgess Meredith Rocky is a 1976 American sports drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and both written by and starring Sylvester Stallone. It tells the rags to riches American Dream story of Rocky Balboa, an ...more

5
1,739 1,372
Big is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Big Tom Hanks, Jon Lovitz, Elizabeth Perkins Big is a 1988 American fantasy comedy film directed by Penny Marshall, and stars Tom Hanks as Josh Baskin, a young boy who makes a wish "to be big" and is then aged to adulthood ...more

6
1,590 1,069
The Karate Kid is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
thomasashraf added The Karate Kid Elisabeth Shue, Ralph Macchio, Pat Morita The Karate Kid is a 1984 American martial arts romantic drama film directed by John G. Avildsen and written by Robert Mark Kamen, starring Ralph Macchio, who was 22 years old during principal ...more

7
2,223 1,563
The Princess Bride is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
The Princess Bride Billy Crystal, Robin Wright, André the Giant The Princess Bride is a 1987 American romantic comedy fantasy adventure film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner. It was adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel of the same name. The ...more

8
1,223 843
Ghostbusters is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
looksharp added Ghostbusters Bill Murray, Sigourney Weaver, Dan Aykroyd Ghostbusters is a 1984 American sci-fi-fantasy comedy film, directed and produced by Ivan Reitman and written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. The film stars Bill Murray, Aykroyd, and Ramis as ...more

9
3,293 1,964
The Incredibles is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
looksharp added The Incredibles Samuel L. Jackson, Holly Hunter, Jason Lee The Incredibles is a 2004 American computer-animated comedy superhero film written and directed by Brad Bird and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was the sixth film produced by Pixar ...more

10
5,409 2,859
Forrest Gump is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Forrest Gump Tom Hanks, Kurt Russell, Sally Field Forrest Gump is a 1994 American epic romantic-comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The film was directed by Robert Zemeckis and stars Tom Hanks, Robin ...more

11
1,832 1,177
Star Wars is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
TobuscusHolmes added Star Wars Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill Star Wars is a 1977 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. The first release in the Star Wars franchise, it stars Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter ...more

12
3,556 2,036
Up is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Up Christopher Plummer, Ed Asner, Laraine Newman Up is a 2009 American 3D computer-animated adventure comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Pete Docter, the film centers on an ...more

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13
2,883 1,597
Finding Nemo is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Finding Nemo Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Eric Bana Finding Nemo is a 2003 American computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Written and directed by Andrew Stanton, it ...more

14
2,180 1,283
WALL-E is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added WALL-E Sigourney Weaver, Laraine Newman, Kathy Najimy WALL-E is a 2008 American computer-animated science-fiction comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by Andrew Stanton, the story follows a ...more

15
2,852 1,695
Mrs. Doubtfire is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Mrs. Doubtfire Robin Williams, Pierce Brosnan, Sally Field Mrs. Doubtfire is a 1993 American comedy film, starring Robin Williams and Sally Field and based on the novel Alias Madame Doubtfire by Anne Fine. It was directed by Chris Columbus and ...more

16
2,703 1,602
The Breakfast Club is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
The Breakfast Club Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall The Breakfast Club is a 1985 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by John Hughes and starring Emilio Estevez, Paul Gleason, Anthony Michael Hall, John ...more

17
1,502 1,089
Groundhog Day is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
thomasashraf added Groundhog Day Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Michael Shannon Groundhog Day is a 1993 American fantasy comedy film directed by Harold Ramis, starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. It was written by Ramis and Danny Rubin, based on a story ...more

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18
2,295 1,355
Elf is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Elf Zooey Deschanel, Will Ferrell, Peter Dinklage Elf is a 2003 American Christmas comedy film directed by Jon Favreau and written by David Berenbaum. It stars Will Ferrell, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner, and Zooey Deschanel. It was ...more

19
1,666 987
Good Will Hunting is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Good Will Hunting Ben Affleck, Robin Williams, Matt Damon Good Will Hunting is a 1997 American drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, and starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver and Stellan Skarsgård. Written by Affleck and ...more

20
1,014 557
Remember the Titans is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Remember the Titans Hayden Panettiere, Ryan Gosling, Denzel Washington Remember the Titans is a 2000 American sports drama film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Boaz Yakin. The screenplay, written by Gregory Allen Howard, is based on the true story of ...more

21
1,507 903
Clueless is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Clueless Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd Clueless is a 1995 American comedy film loosely based on Jane Austen's 1815 novel Emma. It stars Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, Paul Rudd, and Brittany Murphy. The film is set in Beverly Hills ...more

22
1,771 1,048
Legally Blonde is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
sally added Legally Blonde Reese Witherspoon, Raquel Welch, Ali Larter Legally Blonde is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic, written by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, and produced by Marc E. Platt. It is based on the novel Legally Blonde ...more

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23
1,512 916
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Fa... is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Tim Brooke-Taylor Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory is a 1971 musical fantasy film directed by Mel Stuart, and starring Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka. The film, a film adaptation of the 1964 novel Charlie and ...more

24
1,512 945
The Notebook is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
The Notebook Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, James Garner The Notebook is a 2004 American romantic drama film directed by Nick Cassavetes and based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams as a ...more

25
2,018 1,103
Aladdin is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Aladdin Robin Williams, Gilbert Gottfried, Frank Welker Aladdin is a 1992 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Aladdin is the 31st animated feature in the Walt Disney ...more

26
2,071 1,116
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
looksharp added Ferris Bueller's Day Off Charlie Sheen, Matthew Broderick, Jeffrey Jones Ferris Bueller's Day Off is a 1986 American comedy film written, produced and directed by John Hughes. The film follows high school senior Ferris Bueller, who skips school and spends the day in ...more

27
1,916 1,068
Grease is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
TraceyMaroniStivala added Grease John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John, Stockard Channing Grease is a 1978 American musical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Randal Kleiser and produced by Paramount Pictures. It is based on Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs' 1971 musical of the same ...more

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28
595 580
As Good as It Gets is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
As Good as It Gets Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Julie Benz As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks and produced by Laura Ziskin. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, homophobic, racist, ...more

29
731 451
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Drew Barrymore, Erika Eleniak, Debra Winger E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction-family film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison, featuring special effects by Carlo ...more

30
1,241 840
Cool Runnings is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Cool Runnings John Candy, Malik Yoba, Jay Brazeau Cool Runnings is a 1993 American sports film directed by Jon Turteltaub, and starring Leon, Doug E. Doug, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba and John Candy. The film was released in the United States on ...more

31
1,558 889
School of Rock is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
looksharp added School of Rock Sarah Silverman, Jack Black, Miranda Cosgrove School of Rock is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Richard Linklater, written by Mike White, and starring Jack Black. The main plot follows struggling rock singer and guitarist, Dewey ...more

32
1,577 855
The Lord of the Rings film tri... is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added The Lord of the Rings film trilogy The Lord of the Rings is a film series consisting of three epic fantasy adventure films directed by Peter Jackson. They are based on the novel The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. The ...more

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33
2,869 1,415
Ratatouille is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Ratatouille Peter O'Toole, Janeane Garofalo, Will Arnett Ratatouille is a 2007 American computer-animated comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the eighth film produced by Pixar, and was co-written ...more

34
930 513
The Wizard of Oz is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added The Wizard of Oz Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Frank Morgan The Wizard of Oz is a 1939 American musical fantasy film produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and the most well-known and commercially successful adaptation based on the 1900 novel The Wonderful ...more

35
1,043 581
Mary Poppins is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Mary Poppins Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Elsa Lanchester Mary Poppins is a 1964 American musical fantasy film directed by Robert Stevenson and produced by Walt Disney, with songs written and composed by the Sherman Brothers. The screenplay is by Bill ...more

36
1,224 691
The Help is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
The Help Emma Stone, Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard The Help is a 2011 American period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor, and adapted from Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel of the same name. Featuring an ensemble cast, the film is about ...more

37
781 414
Lady and the Tramp is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Lady and the Tramp Peggy Lee, Stan Freberg, Dallas McKennon Lady and the Tramp is a 1955 American animated romantic musical comedy film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on 22 June 1955, by Buena Vista Distribution. The 15th film in the ...more

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38
2,702 1,301
Toy Story is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Toy Story Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles Toy Story is a 1995 American computer-animated buddy-comedy adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed by John Lasseter, Toy Story was the ...more

39
1,414 673
The Goonies is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added The Goonies Corey Feldman, Josh Brolin, Sean Astin The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The film's ...more

40
2,127 1,074
The Princess Diaries is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
The Princess Diaries Anne Hathaway, Mandy Moore, Julie Andrews The Princess Diaries is a 2001 American comedy film produced by singer and actress Whitney Houston and directed by Garry Marshall. It is based on Meg Cabot's 2000 novel of the same name. The ...more

41
1,841 907
Mulan is listed (or ranked) 41 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
thomasashraf added Mulan Eddie Murphy, Ming-Na Wen, George Takei Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical action-comedy-drama film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan. The 36th animated feature in the Walt ...more

42
1,201 887
It's a Wonderful Life is listed (or ranked) 42 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
It's a Wonderful Life James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy comedy-drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra, based on the short story "The Greatest Gift", which Philip Van Doren ...more

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43
2,047 1,030
How to Train Your Dragon is listed (or ranked) 43 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added How to Train Your Dragon Gerard Butler, Kristen Wiig, David Tennant How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 American 3D computer-animated action-fantasy film by DreamWorks Animation loosely based on the British book series of the same name by Cressida Cowell. The ...more

44
1,983 1,015
Matilda is listed (or ranked) 44 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
thomasashraf added Matilda Danny DeVito, Mara Wilson, Paul Reubens Matilda is a 1996 American fantasy comedy children's film directed and narrated by Danny DeVito. The screenplay by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord is based on Roald Dahl's novel of the same ...more

45
1,399 664
Beauty and the Beast is listed (or ranked) 45 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Beauty and the Beast Angela Lansbury, Frank Welker, Jerry Orbach Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated musical romantic fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The 30th film in the Walt Disney ...more

46
1,677 1,046
Love Actually is listed (or ranked) 46 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Love Actually Keira Knightley, Elisha Cuthbert, Liam Neeson Love Actually is a 2003 British Christmas-themed romantic comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis. The screenplay delves into different aspects of love as shown through ten separate ...more

47
947 428
Night at the Museum is listed (or ranked) 47 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added Night at the Museum Robin Williams, Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino Night at the Museum is a 2006 American fantasy adventure-comedy film based on the 1993 children's book of the same name by Milan Trenc. It follows a divorced father trying to settle down, ...more

48
708 521
Coming to America is listed (or ranked) 48 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
BeverlyGray added Coming to America Eddie Murphy, Samuel L. Jackson, James Earl Jones Coming to America is a 1988 American comedy film directed by John Landis, and based on a story originally created by Eddie Murphy, who also starred in the lead role. The film also co-stars ...more

49
1,984 1,029
Pitch Perfect is listed (or ranked) 49 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
Pitch Perfect Anna Kendrick, Elizabeth Banks, Brittany Snow Pitch Perfect is a 2012 American musical comedy film directed by Jason Moore. Featuring an ensemble cast, including Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Ester ...more

50
1,243 612
The Little Mermaid is listed (or ranked) 50 on the list The Best Feel-Good Movies
but chickens double d added The Little Mermaid Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the Danish fairy tale by Hans ...more