Friendships are tricky beasts — frustrating at times, but ultimately rewarding, they are vital to this soupy mix of whatever we call life. In celebration of all kinds of friendship, and as a nice warm-up to The Best Man Holiday, which comes out today, grab a friend, plop down on the couch and watch any of these films that celebrate the joy and angst of friendship. 

1. The Inkwell (1994)

This sweet coming of age film set on Martha’s Vineyard in the hot summer of 1976 is a nice thing to watch when the weather is chilly, and you’re feeling nostalgic for the antics of your teenage self. Set to a solid soundtrack of 70’s soul throwbacks and featuring a young Jada Pinkett-Smith, this will take you to a pleasant, beach-y place. 

2. Now and Then (1995)

Maybe you miss the days when life was as simple as hopping on a bike and tooling down the street like you owned the night. Maybe you miss the feeling of thinking the world was just as big as your block, your corner, or your best friend’s backyard. Maybe you just miss the weird and curious part of the '90s when Rosie O’Donnell was absolutely everywhere. If so, this is the film for you.

3. The Big Chill (1983)

College friends see you through the good, the bad and all the weird times in the middle, and getting together with those folks always results in dinner parties, cabins in the woods and play-acting at being adults. This classic throws together a group of best friends united around a tragedy, and is a modern classic — especially the post-dinner cleanup dance scene.

4. The Wood (1999)

This film serves as a perfect primer for The Best Man Holiday because it covers the same territory with fresh eyes: a writer helps his best friend deal with wedding-day jitters through a long, meandering but ultimately satisfying look back on friendship and the meaning of commitment.

5.  My Girl (1991)

Macaulay Culkin and Anna Chlumsky’s breakout hit features star turns from everyone involved, and is a genuine 5-hanky tearjerker that touches on the importance of childhood friendships and the extreme danger of bee allergies.