Vertigo - Blog Posts

For the People, By the People - Dreary Day Movies List

Even as I type these words, a bizarre, out of season thunderstorm is rolling across the city of Chicago. The second one in three days in fact after it thunder-sleeted all day Sunday. And we’re not alone. All across the country the weather has been bleak. Ranging from unbearably cold temperatures to heavy, freezing rains the weather has been anything but nice, trapping many of us inside our homes, into sweatpants, and under blankets.

Despite how terrible it is out doors, days like these are the best to snuggle up and light a few candles and watch some great movies. So today I took to social media to poll my friends on their favorite Dreary Day Movies. What I got in response was a wonderful list of some truly great movies that I have compiled into this handy list. May it bring you many happy returns on rainy days present and yet to come.

1.       About a Boy – Ah, London, you greyest of grey beauties. This movie just languishes in melancholy, but has some great tender moments and ends with your heart swelling like a balloon. Also great use of “Killing me Softly”.

2.       Death Proof – One of two Tarantino’s on the list. Grindhouse, visually stimulating, dark, lots of reasons to bury yourself under a blanket, beers or hard, brown liquors recommended.

3.       Ever After – I wouldn’t have included this on my own, but wow was I happy to see it suggested. A “true fairytale” story, Drew Barrymore is surprisingly great in it as Cinderella. This movie is beautiful and you will probably cry.

4.       The Family Stone – You will definitely cry. But it’s also very good. How could you not include a movie in which the cast wears sweaters 90% of the time? But seriously though, be prepared for some deeply emotional scenes.

5.       Grosse Point Blank – A good old black comedy. Who doesn’t love john Cusack? Seriously, who? Name me one person. And a reminder of how much you love Minnie driver and always forget that you do.

6.       Harry Potter Any and All – These are the movies that will match whatever grey weather you’re experiencing. Lots of mist and rain and snow and darkness, but also magic and intrigue and adventures! A great thing to marathon so you can spend as much time on your couch as possible.

7.       High Fidelity – America’s treasure John Cusack is back again! As he recounts his breakups, he will break your heart, and rebuild it, and break it again all to a truly magnificent soundtrack.

8.       Hocus Pocus – Yes this movie. Yes. Yes. Yes. One of the all time greats. Best saved for one of those chilly October nights, but still good any time of year.

9.       Inglourious Basterds –Two of two Tarantino’s. Great performances from Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz. It has that dark Tarantino humor and beauty with the added bonus of being a period piece.

10.   Lars and the Real Girl – Did you really think we’d make it through this list without a film starring Ryan Gosling? Did you think I wouldn’t come through for you? The Gos could make absolutely any day better, but Lars brings a Minnesotan sensibility and quirk with just the right amount of heart. Hot coco a must with this one.

11.   Lord of the Rings Trilogy Any and All – The best movies to marathon ever. I just watched The Two Towers on Sunday and was it ever the right choice! So epic, so fun, so insanely beautiful, and so obscenely long that you will lose function of your legs by the time you need to change the disc to the next movie.

12.   Love, Actually – This is another selection that will absolutely destroy you, emotionally speaking. You will be so sad and also so happy; you won’t know what to do with yourself.

13.   Pride and Prejudice – The Brits are really making a showing on this list. Possibly because of their notoriously grey weather. This movie is one that will whisk you away to another time and place where things like dances really matter.

14.   Sex and the City – Included because this was strictly movies and not TV shows, this movie will get the job done when you want to be whisked away to a land called Manhattan where a columnist makes enough money to buy crazy and beautiful clothes.

15.   Sin City – Rain. So much rain in this graphic masterpiece. Get lost in this highly stylized black, white, and grayscale world.

16.   Singing in the Rain – Make yourself feel good from the inside out watching the best dance musical ever made. Yeah. I said it. Yeah. It’s true. Gene Kelly gives a MASTER CLASS at tap dancing and being so charming you want to DIE. One of my favorite movies ever. Perfect for rainy days without even the slightest hint of irony with it’s name.

17.   Tangled – You might’ve skipped this movie when it was in theaters and even when it was on Netflix Instant for a good while, and if you did, you missed out. A classic Disney princess in some ways, but she totally kicks butt. Also would you believe me that the funniest character in this whole thing is a horse? Because it is.

18.   True Grit – The Coen Brothers at their finest. All star performances from Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and wee Hailee Steinfeld. The music is perfect for the kind of day we’re talking about.

19.   Umbrellas of Cherbourg – Listen to yourself audibly sigh as this classic movie musical whisks you away to France in another time and almost another world completely saturated in color. Catherine Deneuve is beauty, charm, and charisma incarnate.

20.   Vertigo – It’s one of the best movies ever made, and it happens to be a great rainy day movie. It’s San Francisco in the 60’s and Kim Novak’s eyebrows are utter perfection. Jimmy Stewart and Hitchcock are as good as they get in this. A great mystery thriller to round out the list.

Thanks to all of you who submitted and helped make this delightful list for your most drab days!!! Let’s all be proud of ourselves for bettering the human experience of coziness today.

Chad Chandler from Hellblazer!

Here’s you go! Gotta love John’s no. 1 go to friend

More John Constantine content…