DVDs for Depression
Don’t kill my vibe, I’m proud of that title.
Mental health should be at the forefront of any difficult time. While it is often overlooked, mental health affects everyone and it's often acutely felt during times of crisis. PTSD, formerly known as Shell Shock, was a condition experienced by soldiers during World War I and World War II often brought on by the heightened stress of the battlefield. Psychologists have since expanded the definition of this condition to encompass stress brought on by circumstances removed from war-times. As it sits currently, anyone is capable of experiencing PTSD.
With that in mind, you would assume that mental health came part and parcel with that of physical health. When the doctor asks how your body is doing they would include a question about how your head is doing, but that is not the case. These two ideas, both related to the health of people, exist quite separately from one another.
How has your mental health been over this past time in isolation? Have you had more bad days than you expect?
There are a lot of different ways to work on feeling better. I myself, previous therapy regular, have tried many different therapeutic methods to help with my own mental health but let’s admit, some methods are cheaper than others.
What about DVDs? Movies are a great form of escapism, they kind of have a reputation for it. I know we all have digital access to countless titles at the tap of a finger, but sometimes it’s fun to go through old early 2000s relics like DVDs. I have a pointless collection of DVDs that I blended with my partner. It has become my most notable dust collection and mt least effective humble brag for guests. Who cares about DVDs anymore? Sometimes I wrestle with the idea of getting rid of my collection yet somehow it persists! So for this wonderful Friday afternoon I wanted to recommend some classic comedies on that shelf. I would not call this a definitive list of DVDs that cure depression but maybe it’s a start.
Airplane
If there is one thing I can say about this movie it would be this, watching a movie about airplanes in the 80s sure does seem tame by today’s post 9/11 standard of air travel. If you liked the Scary Movie franchise from the early 2000s this disaster spoof is for you! Featuring the incomporably hilarious Leslie Neilson (also in Scary Movie 3 but don't let that define him), this movie will make you pee your pants and insist that no one ever calls you Shirley.
Shrek
What. Can’t. Be. Said. About. This. Millennial. Gem. A childhood favourite of mine I had to fight tooth and nail with my mother to get my original copy back, I am sharing this movie with my future children. I don’t think I need to explain anything about this plot because if you haven’t already seen this movie before I hate to break it to you but you live under a rock. Excellent voice work from every actor and revolutionary 3D animation ushering in an era pixelated powerhouse pictures. What more can be said about this wonderful film? Shrek is love, Shrek is life.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Easily the most accessible John Hughes movie, maybe because it stars a white man. Jokes aside this movie is a 1980s treasure with a great soundtrack. Matthew Broderick’s character Ferris has been an icon to many a high schooler as he reminds us of the importance of having fun and living in the moment. No one could have pulled off a stunt like he did and we have to respect him for that. Ferris Bueller is the most quotable male for your high school yearbook quote (believe me I speak from experience). This movie will make you stop and look around, because if you don’t you could miss it.
Team America World Police
At a difficult time like this it is important to not forget to make fun of ideas like American Imperialism and Exceptionalism, which is why it’s good we have people like Trey Parker and Matt Stone in our cultural ethos. Before the duo was making fun of organized religion on Broadway, they were experimenting with puppets on the silver screen. Now I will be the first to admit not all of these jokes have aged well but let us be conscious of the era this movie was made in before rushing to a judgement on its merits. Who really is the good guy in a movie like that?
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
An amazing soundtrack, excellent interpretation of a comic book by Edgar Wright, set in Toronto without hiding that fact, what more could you ask for from a movie? This film, starring Canadian actor Michael Cera, is a fun ride. Editing in a Wright film always seems to match the pacing of the story and I love that attention to detail. While this movie is a love story it does not follow any tropes of the genre. This movie is as weird as the setting it exists in. It doesn’t suck, so you won’t want to pee due to boredom, ok?
So, there you have it. DVDs for depression, curated by me. A nondefinitive list of 5 films that will make you laugh hopefully at least once. If you’re caught in the dumps maybe escaping to the fun world of a comedy would be a nice afternoon adventure. Afterall it is one that you can do from the comfort of your own home. Do you have a list of movies that you watch to make you feel less blue? What would be on your list?
