1. "Somebody Somewhere"
This Bridget Everett show won a Peabody award for its endearing look at a small Kansas town. Everett plays Sam, a woman who returns
to her hometown in adulthood and struggles to fit in. Once she finds her
people, her fellow misfits, it becomes super sweet and richly satisfying.
2. "The Straight Story"
Based on a true story, this David Lynch film tells the tale
of an elderly man who travels across states on a lawn mower to visit his sick
brother. It’s a simple foundation and a long journey, but, it is truly about
the friends he makes along the way.
3. "Ted Lasso"
Even non-sports fans can appreciate this uplifting series about
a British football team who acquire a smooth-talking coach from the States. Yeah,
Jason Sudekis’ Ted is corny as heck, but it leads you into the winky
wholesomeness of the entire team.
4. "Wonder"
Auggie, a 10-year-old boy with rare facial deformities, always
chooses kindness and inspires others to do the same in this film, based on the
best-selling children’s book of the same name. The tagline of the movie says it
all: "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted."
5. "Paddington 2"
Somehow, a CGI bear makes a prison sequence involving
marmalade sandwiches one of the gentlest things we’ve ever seen and we're better for it.
6. "The Iron Giant"
A young boy befriends a giant alien robot, meant to be a
weapon of war, and tries to save him. With strong similarities to “E.T.: the
Extra-Terrestrial,” this film about a supernatural being reminds us of what it
means to be human.
7. "It's a Wonderful Life"
Not to spoil an almost 80-year old movie, but the scene when
the whole town comes together for George Bailey makes you realize what the true
meaning of life is.
8. "Little Women"
Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of the same book is
fantastic, too, but in the 1994 version, when Beth gets the piano from Mr.
Lawrence next door — cue the waterworks.
9. "The Kominsky Method"
Kindness can happen at any point in life, even in your
golden years, like in this Michael Douglas series about the friendship between
older men.
10. "Everything's Gonna Be Okay"
After their dad dies, Nicholas returns home to raise his two
teenage half-sisters. The three deal with issues like being gay, being
autistic and suffering from grief in their own quirky ways, but the best part
of the show is how they all support each other for being exactly who they are.
11. "Schitt’s Creek"
A wealthy family retreats to a small town after losing their
fortune in this comedy series. They are resistant at first to their surroundings but slowly become one with
the eclectic cast of characters.