4 Heartwarming Movies
Looking for a pick-me-up? We’ve got the cure for what ails you, in the form of two family-friendly animated films and two dramas for more mature audiences.
A Man Called Otto – I’ll give you fair warning that suicide is a topic visited multiple times in this adaptation of Fredrik Backman’s 2012 best-seller “A Man Called Ove.” Which obviously does not equate with “heartwarming.” However, since Otto (Tom Hanks) starts out as a depressed and cranky widower who doesn’t want to go on, but then ends up developing unlikely relationships with new neighbors that initially annoy him, I assure you that his journey is ultimately a rewarding one.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – If you know Antonio Banderas’s character from Shrek 2 forward, and the Puss in Boots spin-off—with his gigantic moon eyes and pleading innocent face—you know it would impossible to upstage him. But that comes close to happening in The Last Wish, when Puss teams up with the hilarious Perrito (Harvey Guillén)—a tiny, glass-half-full dog disguised as a cat. This unlikely duo is on the hunt for the Wishing Star, but the crime family of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is right on their tails (literally). I found myself tearing up in the final act, and just love love LOVED the overarching moral of its story.
Strange World – A family of farmers and adventurers must put aside long-simmering resentments, insecurities and generational differences when they venture to a subterranean world full of both beauty and danger. Why go there in the first place? To save a “miracle plant” that’s the source of energy for their planet. A voice cast of Jake Gyllenhaal, Lucy Liu and more bring the characters to life and drive home the film’s touching message.
Devotion – And finally, what’s better than a heartwarming story that actually happened in real life? In Devotion, man of the moment (and Creed III star) Jonathan Majors and Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell star as Navy officers Jesse Brown and Tom Hudner, respectfully, who fight together during the Korean War. To say anything more than that would be venturing into spoiler territory, but there’s a reason that both critics and audiences alike loved this movie. It’s one of those biodramas you’ll be so glad you watched because not only will you learn something about world history, but you’ll also have a little bit of your faith in humanity restored.