What is it about crime stories that makes them oddly soothing when told with a light touch? Scholars of film and literature have spilled plenty of ink contemplating this question, with some surmising that we enjoy the freedom from morality we feel when placed into the shoes of an antihero, like an art thief. Others point out that the controlled, dollhouse-like setting and reliable formula of a classic whodunit makes death and murder more palatable, allowing us to “make friends” with our inevitable end. Whatever the reason, nothing warms the soul like a titillating tale about flouting the law—especially one that’s filmed with a bit of panache. This fall and winter, grab a cup of tea and join us at the MFA for a spot of cozy crime.