Hello and welcome to Geeks Vs Loneliness, our space on the site where we talk about things that may be affecting you, or people around you. The rules of this weekly spot are simple. Not everything will help every person, but conversely, we hope that over the course of this series of articles, you’ll find something in there that can help you in some way.
This week, I want to talk about films that get us through difficult times. I suspect most of us have got one. It might just be a comfort blanket movie that you can always rely on to put a smile on your face. Or perhaps something that’s made you feel a little less alone in the world.
I’ve got one. Predictably, it involves Kevin Costner, as much of my DVD shelf tends to. I watched Field Of Dreams at a point where I was struggling to get on with my dad, a rift long since healed, and ultimately down to teenage stuff and nothing dramatic enough for me to sell a TV miniseries off the back of.
I won’t spoil the film – lord, I’ve written about the mighty Field Of Dreams enough during my time on this site – but the ending really got me. I got to sit with my dad and watch the film last year, and it broke me more than usual, as I got to explain why it mattered so much. But every time I watch it, I appreciate for all sorts of reasons, beyond just what’s on the screen.
When I was young, I had a rolling programme of Sylvester McCoy Doctor Who episodes on VHS, Back To The Future Part II and The Naked Gun as my go-to videotapes (remember them, kids?). On the days when I just wanted to shut myself away from the film, it was any of those, or my trusty friend, the ZX Spectrum.
What are yours, though? What are the films, games, TV shows that you turn to time and time again, to get through the less fun days? Let’s see if, in the comments, we can come up with a mini-library of recommendations. That way, there’s something to delve into here on the days when our comfort films just aren’t doing their jobs.
It’s a tough old world out there sometimes, folks. You don’t need us to tell you that. You all stay awesome, look after yourselves, and thanks, as always, for reading.