Happy happy movie time!

"For me, the movies are like a machine that generates empathy... It helps us to identify with the people who are sharing this journey with us. And that, to me, is the most noble thing that good movies can do and it’s a reason to encourage them and to support them and to go to them.”

--Roger Ebert

In this time of uncertainty and fear, movies are a touchstone that connect us and uplift us. Here are The Film Yap crew's picks for films that bring us joy -- and maybe will for you, too.

Mo Hammond: "Chris Rock: Bigger & Blacker"

Stand-up comedy is an art form. When told by a master of the craft, the punchlines hit differently. The setup and delivery all seem so effortless, even though it’s been rehearsed on smaller stages countless times before being presented in front of large, sold-out audiences.

Yes, I have come to appreciate “classic” comedy specials over time such as Eddie Murphy’s “Delirious” (1983 – HBO Special) or George Carlin’s “Jammin’ in New York” (1992 – HBO Special). But, even with those comedy legends, there are some jokes that go over my head because they happened in an era before me; some jokes that are too specific (i.e. a politician I vaguely know) are ones that I miss.

That’s why, for me, Chris Rock is my guy. When I started watching his HBO comedy specials in high school, I understood it all. Jokes about race relations, politics, and relationships were both relevant and told in a voice that spoke to me. Chris Rock’s "Bigger and Blacker" (1999 – HBO Special), my 5/5 comedy special.

Manuel Fernandez: "Spirited Away" and "Kiki's Delivery Service"

Hayao Miyazaki is a titan in animation, and for good reason. His stories interweave the complex intricacies of life and the world around us with the enchanting and whimsical potential of animation as a visual medium. All of this makes for stories that warm your heart and lift your spirits to the heavens, and I will contend that 1989’s "Kiki’s Delivery Service" and 2001’s "Spirited Away" are as equally joyful as they are poignant and poetic.

Both tell irresistibly charming and heartwarming coming-of-age stories about young women in search of independence and a place in the world. But they each also possess unique qualities on their own as well. "Spirited Away" makes grand and expansive use of its illustriously mesmerizing animation and art design to help Give immense life and vitality to the story. This all makes for a grand spiritual adventure that is equally magical and captivating as it is touching and mature. No frame is wasted and no drawing is unnecessary. Every drawing, line, design, and splash of color has a purpose, and none of it ever feels out of place.

"Kiki’s Delivery Service" goes in the other direction, settling for a much quieter, gentler story of self-discovery that boasts plenty of dazzling visuals. The story centers itself solely on a little girl’s hopes, heartbreaks, joys, and sorrows. No heroes, no villains, no damsels, no conflict. It’s simplicity is its strength, and within its simplicity, there is a tenderness, one that irradiates from the screen with every single frame. Both of these films take different paths in how they tell their respective tales of independence and maturity, but they equally exude a wondrously warm and joyful aura that will certainly help make your day much more magical.

Logan Sowash: "Dazed and Confused"

There are very few films that put me to ease like 1993's "Dazed and Confused." As soon as that orange muscle car pops into frame with Aerosmith's "Sweet Emotion" in the background, a smile slowly grows on my face with each passing scene. The soundtrack is fantastic, the acting is authentic, and, despite the dated aesthetic, the writing feels timeless.

It's such a chill, fun film that really takes you away on a stress-free journey that's honestly worth watching a least once a year. So if you've never seen this Linklater classic, grab a beer, kick back, and enjoy a film that I cannot recommend enough.

Christopher Lloyd: "Cast Away"

Maybe a movie about a guy who nearly dies and winds up stranded on a deserted island doesn't seem like a great pick for these times, but honestly "Cast Away" is one of those movies I can watch and rewatch again and again, and I always take something new away from it. Plus, as many of us are finding ourselves forced to isolate ourselves socially, the movie has a lot to say about finding strength in one's own self.

Tom Hanks' Chuck Noland is a gregarious guy who enjoys being around other people. When that's taken away from him, he's forced to spend three lonely years as the only inhabitant of an inhospitable island. Struggling to survive and, later, to find away to escape, he finds himself talking to himself and carrying on conversations with imagined companions. Eventually this is personified in the volleyball friend, Wilson.

That terribly sad, but also exhilarating moment, where Chuck has to choose saving his own life or retrieving Wilson as he's being carried away by the tide is the film's emotional zenith. All of us are faced with solitude, by choice or fate. How we choose to face that is our way back into the arms of those we love.

Bob Bloom: "Zorro’s Fighting Legion"

Sometimes a fragment of a childhood memory can lead to a lifetime obsession.

That is my connection to "Zorro's Fighting Legion."

Growing up in New York, we had, besides the three network channels, at least six independent stations. In the early and mid-1950s, those channels had to fill airtime and relied on old serials, B-Western, independent and public domain features for product. When I was about 3 or 4 years old, I remember seeing a snippet of a movie with a group of masked men riding along on horseback, singing a thrilling refrain that began, "We ride ..."

It took nearly 20 years for me to unravel this childhood mystery. The key was found in Alan Barbour's "Days of Thrills and Adventure," in which he wrote about Republic's Zorro serials, including "Zorro's Fighting Legion."

This discovery led to me finding and eventually buying a 16mm print of the serial, and also kindled a major interest in movie serials, especially those of Republic.

The 12 chapters move quickly and the identity of the mystery villain, Don del Oro, is kept secret until the final reel of the final chapter. The action is exciting and the stunts are terrific, including a memorable one in which Yakima Canutt, doubling for star Reed Hadley, does his under-the-stagecoach fall-and-grab.

This serial is my happy place. No matter how many times, I have seen it, I still get a thrill and enjoy every chapter.