Outside of school and work, having an interest or hobby is essential to help you get away from the real world. For me, I love film! From action to thrillers, comedies to drama, I love it all. Nothing beats a night with a warm blanket, salty snacks, and a classic film. In this article, I identify my top 10 movie recommendations. And don’t worry—this article is spoiler-free. Happy reading!
10. FORGOTTEN (2017)
Summary: Jin-Seok, a 21-year-old, moves into a new house with his family. One night, his beloved brother is kidnapped before his eyes. After a long silence of 19 days, suddenly Yu-seok returns home…and soon Jin-seok feels Yu-seok is a total stranger (IMDB).
Review: This film can only be described as one that leaves you with a feeling of shock and disbelief by the end of it. It was refreshing to see a concept so original and so perfectly played out. I have seen enough movies to be able to easily predict the outcomes; however, at no point in this film did I know what was going to happen next, even if I thought that I did. I have seen countless international films, but Forgotten is so unique and different compared to others. Director Jang Hangjun did an excellent job at executing his vision for this film, and I wholeheartedly believe it is a must-watch.
9. the wild robot (2024)
Summary: From DreamWorks Animation comes a new adaptation of a literary sensation, Peter Brown’s beloved, award-winning, #1 New York Times bestseller, The Wild Robot. The epic adventure follows the journey of a robot–ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short–that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling (IMDB).
Review: This is the most recent movie I’ve watched, and I can confidently say that it has deserved its spot in my top 10. The message behind the film is not complex whatsoever. However, it changes your perception and alters how you value your family and friends. The Wild Robot is one of my favorite Dreamworks productions released within the last few years. You can tell a lot of time, and effort was put into this film by looking at the seamless animation and vibrant colors. I am not ashamed to say I sobbed during this movie. Everything about it was fantastic. As a young adult, I can confidently say this movie is a great watch for all ages, so I 100% recommend it!
8. holes (2003)
Summary: “But if you forget to come back for Madame Zeroni, you and your family will be cursed for always and eternity.” Those were the exact words spoken to young Elya Yelnats the day he forgot to repay Madame Zeroni for a magic favor— and from then on, his family was cursed with bad luck. One hundred years later, Stanley Yelnats IV is wrongly accused of stealing a pair of cleats from a major league baseball player. Yelnats is sent to the juvenile boy’s detention camp, Camp Green Lake, a dry lake bed in the middle of the desert. It never rains at Camp Green Lake; it hasn’t for one hundred years. The secretive and mysterious Warden has each inmate spend every day digging one hole to “build character.” But when an artifact from the famous “Kissin’ Kate” Barlow is found in a hole, the Warden forces the boys to work double time, leading Stanley to deduce they’re digging because the Warden is looking for something. But what? And how is the mystery of Camp Green Lake connected to Stanley’s family curse? (IMDB).
Review: You’ve probably seen scenes from this movie on various social media platforms and not even known it; however, for me, Holes is a film I’ve seen far too many times to count. It holds such a special place in my heart! The “found family” trope between Stanley Yelnats, played by Shia LaBeouf, and “Zero”, played by Khleo Thomas, is such a touching story. This movie will make you laugh, cry, hide, and probably scream, but it is 100% worth a watch.
7. wall-e (2008)
Summary: In a distant (but not so unrealistic) future, mankind has abandoned Earth because it became engulfed in trash from products sold by the powerful multi-national Buy N Large corporation. WALL-E, a garbage-collecting robot, has been left to clean up the mess. Mesmerized with trinkets of Earth’s history, WALL-E is alone on Earth except for a sprightly pet cockroach. One day, EVE, a sleek and dangerous reconnaissance robot, is sent to Earth to find proof that life is once again sustainable. WALL-E falls in love with EVE, rescuing her from a dust storm and showing her a living plant he caught in the rubble. Consistent with her “directive,” EVE takes the plant and automatically enters a deactivated state except for a blinking green beacon. WALL-E doesn’t understand what has happened to his new friend, but, true to his love, he protects her from wind, rain, and lightning, even as she is unresponsive. One day, a ship comes to reclaim EVE, but WALL-E, out of love or loneliness, stows away to rescue EVE. The ship arrives back at a large space resort carrying the descendants of humans who evacuated Earth 700 years earlier. The people of Earth inhabit a space resort, riding around on hovering chairs that feed them a constant stream of TV and video chats and drinking all of their meals through a straw. When the auto-pilot computer, acting on hastily-given instructions sent many centuries before, tries to prevent the people of Earth from returning by stealing the plant, WALL-E, EVE, the portly captain, and a band of broken robots stage a mutiny (IMDB).
Review: Two words: comfort movie. Wall-E is such an important film not just because of how much comfort and joy it brings people, but also because of its message. To me, director Andrew Stanton can be described as a time traveler, and this movie is a visualization of what he saw during his journey to the future. If the emotional love story between the two robots is not enough to pull at your heartstrings, the embedded themes of “end of the world” concepts and climate change will do it to you.
6. monkey man (2024)
Summary: Inspired by the legend of Hanuman, an icon embodying strength and courage, Kid is an anonymous young man who ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club. There, night after night, he wears a gorilla mask and is beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, Kid discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city’s sinister elite. As his childhood trauma boils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him (IMDB).
Review: Dev Patel, the man you are. Going into watching this film, I had no idea what it was about. I had seen no trailers or promo; it was a complete mystery. However, I wouldn’t change my experience of this movie for anything. Seeing it knowing nothing about it eliminated any bias I could’ve developed had I seen content about the film prior. Ultimately, this made my experience so much better. The themes portrayed in this film run very deep, discussing exploitation, desperation, and poverty. I thoroughly believe this film is one of the best movies released this year and that, if possible, it should be watched by everyone. The concepts are just that important.
5. la la land (2016)
Summary: An aspiring actress serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions, and jazz musician Sebastian scrapes by playing cocktail-party gigs in dingy bars. But as success mounts, they are faced with decisions that fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart (IMDB).
Review: Just by looking through this list, it’s safe for you all to assume I am not the biggest fan of romance movies; however, it took me so long to forgive myself for not watching La La Land sooner than I did. I can wholeheartedly say that this movie deserves every single award it has received. It’s completely timeless in so many ways. From the costumes to the soundtrack, the cinematography to the cast, everything is perfect. The chemistry between Emma Stone, who plays Mia, and Ryan Gosling, who plays Sebastian, is something I genuinely believe cannot be replicated. Don’t be like me and wait, watch this movie!
4. Avatar (2009)
Summary: When his brother is killed in a robbery, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place on a mission in the distant world of Pandora. There, he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge’s intentions of driving off the native humanoid “Na’vi” to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers knowledge of the Indigenous Race and their Culture for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na’vi people with the use of an “avatar” identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri, the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand – and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora (IMDB).
Review: As a kid, Avatar stayed on repeat in my household. No matter the holiday or the season, this was one of my family’s go-to movies. While I did have a minor crush on Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, what made me love this film was the concept and visuals. In 2009, the process of filming this movie was very advanced and complex. I wouldn’t be lying if I said that this movie was one of the reasons I fell in love with film in the first place. The process behind it all was so fascinating, and my inner child was truly healed with the release of the second movie Avatar: The Way of Water, in 2022, which, too, is a must-watch.
3. Dune 2 (2024)
Summary: Paul Atreides unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee (IMDB).
Review: Technically, to understand the storyline and concepts of this movie, you will need to watch the first film, Dune: Part One. Once you get through that movie, no matter how you feel about it, the second one is a must-watch! I admit that Dune films are not for everyone, however, I believe that Dune 2 is the better of the two in appealing to a broader audience. If you are a fan of action movies, you will love Dune 2. There was a perfect mix of cinematography for the film bros and action/plot for the more casual watchers. Plus, it stars Timothee Chalamet (and who doesn’t love him?). Aside from him, there are many big-name actors in this film that I am sure you’ll know and love.
2. Society of the snow (2023)
Summary: In 1972, the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, chartered to fly a rugby team to Chile, catastrophically crashed on a glacier in the heart of the Andes. Only 16 of the 40 passengers survived the crash, and finding themselves in one of the world’s toughest environments, they are forced to resort to extreme measures to stay alive (IMDB).
Review: Society of the Snow is based on the real-life event of the crashing of Uruguayan Flight 571 in the Andes. Let it be said that this movie is pretty graphic. I am no stranger to international films, but this one impacted me in ways others have not. Everyone who worked on this project, from the director to the actors, makeup artists to costumes, deserves so much more than what they’ve been credited for. The crash and avalanche scenes were genuinely some of the most heart-grabbing scenes I have seen in any piece of cinema, especially in newer-age films. While this movie is pretty lengthy, almost hitting 3 hours, my eyes were glued to my screen the entire time. It was worth every second.
NOW DRUM ROLL FOR #1…
1. whiplash (2014)
See what I did there?
Summary: Nineteen-year-old Andrew Niemann wants to be the greatest jazz drummer in the world, in a league with Buddy Rich. This goal is despite not coming from a pedigree of greatest, musical or otherwise, with Jim, his high-school-teacher father, being a failed writer. Andrew is starting his first year at Shaffer Conservatory of Music, the best music school in the United States. At Shaffer, being the best means being accepted to study under Terence Fletcher and being asked to play in his studio band, which represents the school at jazz competitions. Based on their less-than-positive first meeting, Andrew is surprised that Fletcher asks him to join the band, albeit in the alternate drummer position, which he is more than happy to do initially. Andrew quickly learns that Fletcher operates on fear and intimidation, never settling for what he considers less than the best each and every time. Being the best in Fletcher’s mind does not only entail playing well but knowing that you’re playing well and, if not, what you’re doing wrong. His modus operandi creates an atmosphere of fear for every man or woman for him/herself within the band. Regardless, Andrew works hard to be the best. He has to figure out his life priorities and what he is willing to sacrifice to be the best. The other question becomes how much emotional abuse he will endure from Fletcher to reach that greatness, which he may believe he can only achieve with the avenues opened up by Fletcher (IMDB).
Review: Whiplash is one of my all-time favorite pieces of media. Aside from the spectacular casting of Miles Teller, playing Andrew Niemann, and J.K. Simmons, playing Terence Fletcher, the cinematography is unmatched. While it’s not a horror or a thriller, Whiplash will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. Who would have thought a movie about music could be so intense? Arguably, this is still one of Teller’s best roles. He did a phenomenal job at portraying the emotions of the character and really immerses you in the universe. J.K. Simmons did just as amazing of a job. While his character is not the most lovable, he says some of the most iconic quotes from this film. Brace yourself because this is one intense film. I 100% recommend.