10 Movies That Seniors Might Enjoy
Good movies can distract seniors and might even help them enjoy themselves, so stick around and read about some they might enjoy. They might, in fact, identify with some of them and be able to feel good while watching them.
Fortunately, there are movies for all ages, but those that are directed at seniors allow us to remember the past, live more in the present, and see things from another perspective.
We’ll show you the benefits of movies and take the opportunity to recommend the best movies for seniors. So, let’s go for a movie marathon!
How movies can benefit seniors
What better way to spend family time, if not with a movie? Movies also bring other benefits to seniors beyond sharing with their grandchildren.
1. Movies can make seniors laugh
Laughter really is the best medicine. You don’t believe us? According to a study on patients waiting for a transplant, 20 minutes of stimulated laughter, along with breathing exercises and meditation, improved their moods and reduced their anxiety.
Indeed, laughing is linked to lowering stress levels and increasing serotonin. Therefore, a good comedy, capable of bringing out a lot of laughter, could be of great benefit.
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2. Going to the movies is similar to a low-impact cardio routine
Despite the limitations of going out, especially for seniors, going to the movies can be compared to doing a low-impact cardio routine.
One study found that after spending 40 minutes in the movie theater, participants reached the so-called healthy heart zone, between 95 and 160 beats per minute. In fact, it’s similar to a brisk walk or watering plants.
3. Going to the movies increases opportunities to socialize
It’s no secret that many seniors feel lonely or isolated. Fortunately, movies may increase opportunities to socialize, not only with family, but also with friends. After all, talking about a movie creates bonds.
10 movies seniors might enjoy
The best movies are those that show you the positive side of life. What are you waiting for to distract yourself and have a few laughs? Enjoy!
1. Grandpa (1998)
A senior citizen returning home discovers that one of his granddaughters is an illegitimate child. Convinced to untangle her, he conflicts with the girl’s mother to get her to reveal who her real granddaughter is.
However, the mother is determined not to tell him until Don Rodrigo, the grandfather, proves that he loves them both equally. How will this story end?
2. Elsa and Fred (2005)
After the death of his wife, Fred is sad and apathetic. He moves into an apartment. Unbeknownst to him, in that new neighborhood, he falls in love again with a person with a different outlook on life than his own.
Attracted to Elsa, a woman with a lot of enthusiasm and joy, he discovers that there are other opportunities and that he must live them. A man who finds a way to love again. It seems impossible, but it can happen.
3. Cocoon (1985)
Cocoon is a film that tells the adventures of three senior citizens who live in a nursing home and decide to sneak into the facilities of an abandoned hotel to take a dip in the pool. But the journey takes an unexpected turn. The elderly find some large shells at the bottom that turn out to be of extraterrestrial origin.
The bath with the water that had contact with the mysterious shells has made the trio of seniors regains vitality and makes their movements more agile. Is it possible that this is the fountain of youth?
4. The Intern (2015)
We all know how hard it is to get a job in your 70s. However, Ben Whittaker did not know what to do with so much free time and thinks that there’s no better way to use it than working.
That’s when he becomes employed in a modern company. To the surprise of many, thanks to his experience he gains the trust, respect, and love of his boss. Undoubtedly, you can’t miss this great movie for seniors.
5. The Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011)
Cultural differences always bring a little conflict. This movie is about a group of English people who decided to spend their retirement in a village in India.
All in all, it’s a movie full of many funny scenes. In it, senior citizens discover that life has many more things to offer them.
6. Sol de otoño (Autumn Sun) (1997)
This is a beautiful film that lets us see that love in old age is possible. It’s about two retirees who meet through a friendship ad one publishes.
Set in the most popular areas of Buenos Aires, Sol de otoño is a film that allows us to explore the cultural obstacles and prejudice that the couple must overcome to materialize their relationship.
7. The Bucket List (2007)
Two men are terminal cancer patients in a hospital, where they meet for the first time. Despite having opposite personalities, they manage to make a promise.
They will create a list of things to do before they die and fulfill it. This is a beautiful story worth watching. Also, as a bonus, it stars actors Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson.
8. Gran Torino (2008) is one of the many movies that seniors might enjoy
Starring Clint Eastwood, Gran Torino is about a recently widowed war veteran who, because of his enlistment in the Korean War, has a special dislike of the Asian community in general. But this situation ends when he helps two young people.
9. Calendar Girls (2003)
A group of women determined to raise money for the fight against leukemia make a controversial decision to get noticed. That is, they strip naked behind candy and flower arrangements. Do they succeed? Do they raise the money? You can’t miss this senior movie and find out how it plays out.
10. Hello, my name is Doris (2015)
This is a film full of love, but above all, full of desire to live new experiences. Doris is a 60-year-old woman who has led an average, even somewhat bland life. Until a man 30 years her junior arrives and changes her outlook on life.
That’s when Doris begins to explore new ways of dressing, makes friends, and lives a great romantic idyll, despite their marked age difference. Thus, it shows that love is possible in varied circumstances.
We think you may also enjoy reading this article: How Reading Changes the Brain and Benefits Mental Health
Movies that seniors might enjoy
There are many people who claim that age doesn’t matter in life. In reality, it’s attitude that matters, as well as positivity. Thus, you have to see the good in things.
As you can see, movies dedicated to seniors are a good way to have pleasant moments and enjoy yourself. So, what do you say we watch a couple of movies today?
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Johnson, M. Scott, Nancy Edling, and Gulshan K. Sethi. “Effect of laughter yoga on mood and heart rate variability in patients awaiting organ transplantation: a pilot study.” Alternative therapies in health and medicine 18.4 (2012): 53.
- Yim, JongEun. “Therapeutic benefits of laughter in mental health: a theoretical review.” The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine 239.3 (2016): 243-249.
