As the weekend winds down and the dread of Monday morning starts creeping in once more, finding ways to shake off the Sunday scaries has turned into a cornerstone of my weekly routine. Thankfully, Prime Video added a ton of new movies in October, including some uplifting, laugh-out-loud films perfect for a cozy Sunday evening reset.
Whether you are looking for an inspiring true story, a heartwarming road-trip comedy, or a fun movie night with friends and plenty of laughs, these three feel-good titles — "The Boys in the Boat," "Dog," and "Girls' Trip" — are guaranteed to help you relax, recharge, and start your week on the right foot.
Still not convinced? Here's why these feel-good movies new on Prime Video deserve a spot on your watchlist.
'The Boys in the Boat' (2023)
The vibe: The kinda underdog sports drama you rarely see these days
George Clooney steps into the director's chair for "The Boys in the Boat," a somewhat plodding biographical sports drama that's perfect for a hit of nostalgia this Sunday afternoon. Set during the Great Depression, it tells the inspirational true story of the University of Washington men's rowing team as they compete for gold at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
Whipping this fresh meat into shape is coach Al Ulbrickson Sr. (Joel Edgerton). The team goes on to beat some of the most prestigious programs in the U.S. before making it to the Olympics. Callum Turner of "Fantastic Beasts" fame stars as Joe Rantz, a young man who sees rowing as his last shot to escape his troubled circumstances. While it's a fairly by-the-numbers biopic, audiences ate it up: “The Boys in the Boat” holds an impressive 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Watch "The Boys in the Boat" on Prime Video now
'Dog' (2022)
The vibe: A laid-back road trip with your ride or die
Turns out man's best friend can get PTSD too. Channing Tatum stars and co-directs with "Magic Mike" writer Reid Carolin in "Dog," a heartfelt buddy comedy that wraps up with a surprisingly powerful message. Channing proves exactly why audiences can't get enough of him as the charming Briggs, an ex-soldier stuck with driving his recently deceased army buddy’s angsty military dog, Lulu, from Washington to Arizona for her owner’s funeral.
Their road trip of a lifetime plays out like a classic romcom as the two warm up to each other after an icy first meeting. Along the way, they're pulled off into one wild caper after another that forces Briggs to reconsider everything he believes. Cleverly, Tatum and Carolin use the road trip framework as a metaphor for how to heal America's political divides, suggesting that the enemy's bark may be worse than its bite.
Watch "Dog" on Prime Video now
'Girls' Trip' (2017)
The vibe: A hilarious dose of Black Girl Magic
Rarely do comedies crack a 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes, but "Girls Trip" managed a 91% critics score — which should tell you something about how well this ladies-on-the-loose comedy sticks the landing. That it came out in 2017, a year of emotional whiplash that marked just the beginning of neverending nightmare headline, helped tremendously to establish it as a cult classic.
Written by Kenya Barris (scriptwriter of comedy hit “Black-ish”) and Tracy Oliver, "Girls Trip" follows four lifelong friends who reunite for one wild weekend in New Orleans. Along the way, they realize that girl time was exactly what they needed to get their (messy af) lives back on track — and what better way to bond than in a "The Hangover" style misadventure. Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Queen Latifah, and Jada Pinkett Smith have a hilarious chemistry that make this the perfect watch to cackle over with friends.
Watch "Girls Trip" on Prime Video now
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