Has a friend ever invited you to go see a movie, and you automatically knew you were just not in the mood for that particular genre? It’s a common happening. Whether you realize it or not, movies can have a profound impact on your mood, and your mood can also be quite influential when trying to decide which movie to watch.

Sometimes there’s nothing better than spacing out from your own life and immersing yourself in a movie. A movie can take your mind off things, cheer you up, cure boredom, help you procrastinate and even get you pumped up for a big game (or more likely, a long night of partying).

In different situations it’s not only your mood that’s at play but also external factors. Some of these might be the people you’re with, where you are, the time of day and even the weather.

On rainy, gloomy days or during those heaven-sent snowstorms that cancel class, it’s hard enough to get off the couch, let alone do anything productive. Michael Stapleton, junior history major, swears by “Big Fish,” his go-to rainy day movie.

“It’s about a son trying to better understand his dying father by reliving his dad’s life stories and trying to distinguish the truth from the over-exaggeration,” he said. But what makes it such a rainy day film? “It’s a great story that is very inspirational in the end, and rainy days definitely call for inspiration.”

Rainy days call for a pick-me-up, but there are other types of lazy days that require a movie to fill the boredom void. Girls call it “movie night,” which is exactly the same thing as a “bro night,” except one involves nail polish and the other involves beer.

When it’s just the dudes around the TV, Sam Chambers, senior political science major, turns to the Jason Bourne trilogy: “Bourne Identity,” “Bourne Supremacy” and “Bourne Ultimatum.” He loves that there is plenty of action and high-speed adventure, but there’s another aspect that adds depth to the movie.

“It’s really a thinker. He’s a very careful and brilliant character,” Chambers said.

With girls movie night is a little different. The common theme seems to be romantic comedies such as “The Proposal” and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” However, one series holds the title of the ultimate girl’s night movie: “Sex and the City” and “Sex and the City 2.”

Other than the gorgeous clothes, shoes, scenery and men in the series, it has something else that makes it a definite chick flick.

“It’s the female camaraderie. Everyone has a friend like Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda,” said Carlie Rees, junior public health major. “Also, it’s very relatable and hilarious.”

With this comes the inevitable argument over which friend is going to end up like which character, generally ending in laughter.

Another thing girls tend to do is watch movies and cry. It is an unexplained phenomenon, but it happens. With boy issues the general cliché is that, regardless of your dating status, “The Notebook,” “Tristan and Isolde,” “P.S. I Love You” and “Titanic” will yield tears. Just don’t expect your boyfriend to like them, because asking him if he’d save himself or freeze to death while you float safely on a door may cause some awkwardness.

No matter who you are, there isn’t a single person who doesn’t want to go back to the simpler days of childhood. Watching a children’s movie can do just that for you, even if it’s only for two hours. Kyle Pankuch, sophomore aeronautics major, thinks “Toy Story” is the best movie to do that.

“Our generation was the same as Andy’s. We had a lot of the same toys and did the same things, so it makes you remember things you don’t really think about,” he said.

“Toy Story,” “Toy Story 2” and “Toy Story 3” are not just kids’ movies.

“As you go back and watch them, you find things that you didn’t know were funny as a kid,” Pankuch said.

Whether you’re happy, sad, feeling chill, ready to party or you just need a little inspiration, there’s always a movie for that.

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