“Movies are a form of escapism” said someone probably at some point. And when have we all wanted to escape our lives more than right now? Sometimes you’ll want to escape into something comforting and familiar. Sometimes you’ll need to escape into a world new to you. In this series, I shall guide you through the genres of film & tv escapism so we can all experience something, anything, else.
What did you like watching when you were a kid? That’s the ultimate in comfort watching. All those Disney movies you know by heart can lull you into a deep comfort of childhood memories and nostalgia. Depends on when you were a child, of course. My childhood escapes are from the late 90’s to early 00’s. I want to watch Spice World, The Pagemaster, Now & Then, Space Jam, Lizzie McGuire, Degrassi (Junior) High, Breaker High, Student Bodies, and so many more Canadian TV shows that you just can’t find anywhere anymore!
I didn’t grow up in a movie-owning household, but I bet most of my generation can remember all the movies you had on VHS in those thick, kinda-squishy plastic cases. If Disney’s your jam, then a Disney+ subscription is probably worth it. Otherwise, have a search and I’m sure you’ll find some childhood classics, from any decade, on streaming platforms. Don’t forget that you weren’t just watching content for kids when you were a kid- think back to which sitcoms in syndication you were catching every night after dinner; Friends, Golden Girls, I Dream of Jeanie? I can’t recommend any particular titles for this category as we all had different childhoods. Get in touch with your inner child for their recommendations. And remember YouTube is a treasure trove of old tv show theme songs, children’s show segments, and commercials that you remember from growing up.
I find that animated kids movies, from any time, are a soothing balm in stressful times. You know everything is going to work out while you watch the pretty colors and cute animal friends. I’m a fan of the Tinker Bell movies, myself. I can put those on all day and not worry about a thing. The kids shows, like My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, that are intelligent enough to be watchable for adults are also a nice parade of colors and music to keep you company and maybe even distract you from the adult world (aka Nightmare World).