362 Best Lighthearted Movies to Watch (Page 14)

Sometimes, you just need a good movie that poses neither an emotional rollercoaster nor an intellectual challenge. Here are the best lighthearted movies and shows to stream now for a carefree and uplifying watch, from the funny to the offbeat.

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196. Alpha Males, 2022

Reading the synopsis of this ten-episode comedy series might put you off at first. It follows four male friends who navigate a world where women now seem to have the upper hand, or at least that's what it looks like from their point of view. Thankfully, that view is increasingly challenged and sometimes even deconstructed throughout the show's run. Their female partners and counterparts flip the coin to reveal the other side of whatever they're going through, so without ever feeling too preachy, Alpha Males presents the Battle of the Sexes in a surprisingly fair, insightful, and lighthearted way.

Raunchy without being too offensive (for the most part), Alpha Males is proof that you can still tackle sensitive topics without sacrificing comic fun and good humor.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Cayetana Cabezas, Fele Martínez, Fernando Gil, Gorka Otxoa, Jordi Sánchez, Kira Miró, Luis Merlo, María Hervás, Nathalie Seseña, Paula Gallego, Petra Martínez, Raquel Guerrero, Raúl Tejón, Silvia Marty

Director: Alberto Caballero, Laura Caballero

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197. A Sign of Affection, 2024

With its slice-of-life approach, A Sign of Affection immediately tugs at the heartstrings with its sweet romance between a deaf university student and a multilingual traveller from manga duo Suu Morishita. The anime adaptation sees the world in Yuki’s eyes, with delicately lined shapes and pink-tinted watercolor paired with Sumire Morohoshi’s sweet voice, and it’s lovely to see the unjaded, kind way she interprets the world. The series does have some of the familiar romance tropes, like love triangles, wingman friends, and the glowy, bokeh lighting, but it’s sort of the point in this charming show. A Sign of Affection likens the careful, hesitant way of falling in love with the way Yuki interacts with the world, or rather, the reactions abled people have to her disability.

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Drama

Actor: Kaede Hondo, Nao Toyama, Ryota Osaka, Sumire Morohoshi, Takeo Otsuka, Tasuku Hatanaka, Yu Miyazaki

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198. With Love, 2023

It’s easy to see With Love and mistake it for a Hallmark special; both are filled with pretty people who spend the holidays looking for love. But where Hallmark tends to be simple and sappy, With Love is refreshingly complex and earnest. The characters, mostly Latino and queer, rarely sugarcoat their problems and desires, even though each episode ends on a relatively sweet note.

In a joyous move, every one of them takes place during a different holiday too—Christmas, New Year, Valentine’s, Día de los Muertos. And every time, we delve deeper into the lives of our leads and witness the ways they take on universal problems with modern and diverse approaches. It’s breezy and at times raunchy, making it a fun companion for any holiday.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Emeraude Toubia, Rome Flynn

Rating: TV-14

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199. When Frank Met Carlitos, 2023

	
Based on the rumors, When Frank Met Carlitos is a fun reimagination of how the meeting between Carlos Gardel and Frank Sinatra went. While the meeting is entirely fictional, it’s an interesting what-if scenario, as the real-life Sinatra went into music because of American singer Bing Crosby, who in turn, was notably inspired by Gardel, the Il Muto. Split between their languages, Gardel and Sinatra still have a shared understanding, piecing together each other’s thoughts through shared loan words, and imparting knowledge through dramatic song. As the fictionalized versions of the best singers from the American continent interact, the TV special seems like a send-off from a wiser generation to their younger counterparts.Genre: Comedy, Drama, Music
Actor: Antonella Misenti, Oscar Lajad, Pablo Turturiello
Director: Natalia del Castillo

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200. The InBESTigators, 2020

So this is what City of Ghosts feels like in live-action. This series is just as candid, but it definitely takes the piss more. Maudie (Anna Cook) has excellent timing, loads of charm, and is far and away the most consistent character and performer. The show’s choppiness—you’ll know when you see it—can feel repetitive, cycling around to being memorable, then cycling back around to being a challenge, ad infinitum. But generally, it’s an investigative mockumentary delivered like an over-the-top cartoon (complete with the 2-in-1 episodes). It's got its challenges, but the sarcasm and earnestness makes it worth seeking out.

Genre: Comedy, Crime, Kids

Actor: Abby Bergman, Anna Cooke, Aston Droomer, Eliza Ong, Hana Struckett, Hannah Johnston, James Saunders, Jamil Smyth-Secka, Maria Angelico

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201. The Greatest Love Story Never Told, 2024

Jennifer Lopez believes that her latest album and its movie accompaniment, This Is Me…Now, are her magnum opus, so she gives the joint project her all. She funds, writes, produces, directs, and choreographs everything with the help of her team, which amusingly includes her lover and muse Ben Affleck. Whether or not it actually is her greatest work of all time doesn’t matter; it doesn’t even matter that people get it. What matters is that she creates it with the undivided fervor of an artist possessed with the knowledge that this is their last chance to make a mark. And it’s that energy that makes this documentary, which is a behind-the-scenes look at This Is Me…Now, so captivating. Lopez is in her element directing the movie-musical of her life. At 54 years old, she’s completely candid (sometimes, amusingly, to Affleck’s dismay) and abandons all need to conform to industry norms. She follows her heart first and her mind second, which explains why her project is as big-hearted and relatable as it is bonkers and all over the place. It’s a bit like The Disaster Artist in that way: watching Lopez’s creative chaos is far more interesting than the creation itself.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Ben Affleck, Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Fat Joe, Jane Fonda, Jenifer Lewis, Jennifer Lopez, Keke Palmer, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Post Malone, Sofia Vergara, Trevor Noah

Director: Jason B. Bergh

Rating: R

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202. The Great Seduction (2023)

In the Great Seduction, locals of a small town trick a bigshot doctor into thinking that despite the place’s insufficiencies, it’s still worth settling into. They pretend to love American football because it’s his favorite sport. They leave paper bills to make him think he’s lucky. They eavesdrop on his calls to learn what dish he’d like for the day. But as the schemes escalate from amusing to immoral, the audience along with German are forced to wonder: does the end justify the means? Unfortunately, the film never answers its own ethical dilemma, nor does it offer meaningful insights or fresh perspectives about it. There’s also the lesser but equally distracting problem of Mateo’s medical background serving very little purpose in the film. The townspeople bend over backward to secure Mateo not because he’s a doctor who could literally save lives, but because the company they’re pitching to requires a doctor to be present for legal purposes. The film doesn’t always make sense, although when it does, it absolutely shines. It’s offbeat and jubilant, with a lot of charm to spare. It’s the type of film whose omissions you’d easily forgive because of how often it’ll make you smile.

Genre: Comedy, Romance

Actor: Eligio Meléndez, Guillermo Villegas, Héctor Jiménez, Joaquín Cosío, Yalitza Aparicio

Director: Celso R. García

Rating: R

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203. The Flatshare, 2022

A few minutes in, it’s easy to dismiss The Flatshare as typical romcom fare. It’s brimming with cliches and cutesy flairs, plus the premise sounds like a contrived way to set up a “Will they or won’t they?” romance. But as it goes along, The Flatshare carves depths to its seemingly simple story. The timeshare aspect speaks to the growing housing insecurity in the UK, where even a materialistic girl like Tiffany is pushed to share a flat. Meanwhile, her disturbing relationship with her ex is an accurate portrayal of how innocuous abuse can seem to outsiders. And of course, there is the unjust incarceration of Leon’s brother, which the show sensitively handles. The Flatshare has a darkness to it that can slip away if you focus too much on its romcom sheen, but if you can appreciate both, then the show comes as a welcome surprise, one that’s equal parts serious and sweet.

Genre: Comedy, Drama

Actor: Anthony Welsh, Bart Edwards, Jessica Brown Findlay, Jonah Hauer-King, Shaniqua Okwok

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204. The Accidental Influencer, 2024

	
When life gives you heartbreak, sometimes the grief can push you to do stupid things, but in The Accidental Influencer, it becomes a surprise social media sensation that changes the life of Red Ho. Based on the real life story of Taiwanese blogger Jhai Nyu Siao Hong, The Accidental Influencer isn’t afraid to get goofy with the story, turning a break-up that was devastating at the time, to something silly to laugh at, especially with Red Ho’s over-the-top imagination. While the show is a familiar story, it’s certainly a relatable one, and it’s executed in a fresh, if a bit ludicrous, way that makes it a decent pick. If, like Red, you happen to break up just before an important occasion (like this Valentine’s day), then The Accidental Influencer might be the show to watch to soothe your woes.Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Aviis Zhong, Ken Lin, Shu-yao Kuo, Sun Ke-Fang
Director:  Pei-Ju Hsieh

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205. Still Up, 2023

Most media that plays on our hyper-usage of technology has a decidedly scary bent: think “screen-life” thrillers like Unfriended, Host, and Searching. But Still Up — which is not strictly a screen-life show, but relies heavily on FaceTime as a storytelling device — uses similar means for a romantic comedy end. Danny (Craig Roberts) and Lisa (Antonia Thomas) are friends with the same problem: they can’t sleep. For that reason, the show — the first three episodes watched for review, at least — takes place entirely at night. If that wasn’t enough of a constraint, Danny is also agoraphobic, so all of his scenes are set in his apartment (hence why the duo communicate through their phones).

It’s to Still Up’s credit that these limits on its setting don’t give us a sense of claustrophobia. The performances gel the conceits together, and the inventive writing makes something technically constrained feel paradoxically expansive by recognizing that strange spike of clarity and introspective energy that comes when the world gets quiet. Though some of its comedy skews a little too kooky in places, initial romantic rumblings build assuredly to suggest that one nocturnal revelation waiting to be had is that these two night owls might actually be each other’s soulmates hiding in plain sight.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Antonia Thomas, Blake Harrison, Cathy Murphy, Craig Roberts, Enzo Squillino Jr., Ivana Basic, Lois Chimimba, Luke Fetherston, Rich Fulcher, Samantha Spiro

Director: John Addis

Rating: TV-14

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206. Stan Lee, 2023

Stan Lee, the documentary, is a charming introduction to the iconic creator. He enthusiastically narrates his journey into comics – from lowly intern to famous publisher – giving a seemingly modest account of events. With his voice making most of the narrative, Lee’s voice reveals his creative process and mindset, detailing the day-to-day writing process and the Marvel method. However, the documentary isn’t Lee’s voice alone. Director David Gelb brings a charming approach to this documentary, as seen in his previous work, that helps turn his subject palatable, despite the disagreement displayed by other people. Overall, the film is an okay introduction, though the full story behind Lee’s most contentious events, deserves a documentary of its own.

Genre: Documentary, Drama

Actor: Jack Kirby, Joan Lee, Joe Simon, Kevin Feige, Roy Thomas, Stan Lee

Director: David Gelb

Rating: TV-14

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207. Skip and Loafer, 2023

Simple yet captivating, Skip and Loafer is a slice-of-life anime with a refreshing approach to the high school experience. While the anime genre is mostly known for its bright, high-saturated colors and action-filled, fantastical plots, this show celebrates the ordinary, with its pastel toned design, sweet humor, and clean animation. The series is centered around the main duo Mitsumi and Sosuke, but it never skimps on their friendships with their group. In fact, despite the classmates’ different backgrounds, the show’s thoughtful introductions make it easy to see why they would all care for each other, even as we get to know their insecurities. Skip and Loafer feels like a hug from the childhood best friend you had (or the one that you wished you had) – the one who you hung out with after school, the one who inspired you, and the one that changed your life for the better. Every episode is just full of pure, simple joy.

Genre: Animation, Comedy

Actor: Akinori Egoshi, Ayumu Murase, Hikaru Tanaka, Maaya Uchida, Megumi Han, Minami Tsuda, Mitsuki Saiga, Ryohei Kimura, Tomoyo Kurosawa, Yuka Terasaki

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208. Shaun of the Dead, 2004

One of those movies that even if you know all the jokes by heart, you'll still laugh at them whenever you see the movie. The chemistry between Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright is exceptional, and the jokes are spot-on. The movie starts with Shaun character trying to turn his life around by winning back his ex and reconnect with his mother. Only problem? Oh yeah, everyone is coming back from the dead.

Genre: Comedy, Horror

Actor: Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Bill Nighy, Carol Barnes, Chris Martin, David Walliams, Dylan Moran, Edgar Wright, Finola Geraghty, Garth Jennings, Jeremy Thompson, Jessica Hynes, Joe Cornish, Jon Buckland, Jonny Buckland, Julia Davis, Julia Deakin, Kate Ashfield, Keir Mills, Keith Chegwin, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Lauren Laverne, Lucy Akhurst, Lucy Davis, Mark Donovan, Mark Gatiss, Martin Freeman, Matt Lucas, Michael Smiley, Nick Ewans, Nick Frost, Nicola Cunningham, Patricia Franklin, Paul Kaye, Paul Putner, Penelope Wilton, Peter Baynham, Peter Serafinowicz, Phyllis MacMahon, Rafe Spall, Reece Shearsmith, Rob Brydon, Robert Popper, Simon Pegg, Sonnell Dadral, Steve Emerson, Tamsin Greig, Tim Baggaley, Trisha Goddard, Vernon Kay

Director: Edgar Wright

Rating: R

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209. Sea of Love, 2022

This wonderful series has such gentle, friendly animations of sea creatures, and a simple visualization of the sea. In fact, simple is the keyword here, extending to the very language used, which is good for teaching kids basic responses like “Good morning,” “I’m sorry,” and the like. The many curious and playful characters can definitely be loved by preschoolers, who may latch onto different animals and personalities more than others. The easy breezy nature of the show means it can also be fun for parents and guardians to watch with their kids, who together can learn lessons about kindness and friendship.

Genre: Animation, Comedy, Kids

Actor: Anchasa Bhurichayawarodom, Guy William Burnett, Tarakorn Visessintop

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210. Schmigadoon!, 2023

When long-term couple Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) sign up for a backpacking retreat to save their failing relationship, they find themselves instead in the magical town of Schmigadoon, where life is a vibrant, zany, 1940s musical and everyone—from the mayor to the carnie—sings their heart out. It's all fun and games until Melissa and Josh learn they cannot leave Schmigadoon until they find true love. Shocked to know that they aren't each other's one true pair, they then journey to find the people they're meant to be with before it's too late.

From its borrowed Broadway casting (present are Kristin Chenoweth and Ariana DeBose) down to its perfectly choreographed performances, Schmigadoon! is a clear ode to musical theater, and its unabashed appreciation for the genre is truly hard to resist. Even the most musically averse will find something to love in the show. If the theatrics and eye-popping visuals don't do it for you, then stay for the breezy six-episode run, the great lead chemistry, and the wry, exacting humor.

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Music, Romance

Actor: Aaron Tveit, Alan Cumming, Ann Harada, Ariana DeBose, Cecily Strong, Dove Cameron, Fred Armisen, Jaime Camil, Jane Krakowski, Keegan-Michael Key, Kristin Chenoweth, Martin Short, Patrick Page, Tituss Burgess

Rating: TV-14

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