CONTENT WARNING: THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS BRIEF MENTION OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND DRUG USE
My best friend’s favorite movie, Bo Burnham and A24’s Eighth Grade, made me wildly uncomfortable. Not only was it difficult to watch in general, but so many of its aspects were weirdly mature for the time frame. The immediate discomfort that I felt after watching it slowly became intrigue. The weird nature of Eighth Grade translated into a sparked interest in me, and that is where I pronounce the being of my A24 obsession.
A24, an American television and movie production company, is known for its eccentric and unusual movies and television shows. Being the production company of many box-office hits, such as Midsommar and Ex Machina, A24 has built a name for itself. It has also adopted the reputation of being a stereotypical film junkie’s playground; the movies within the company are filled with symbolism and analytical dreamscapes. As my brother would say, sometimes I am a victim of looking at movies from ‘too much of an A24 perspective’ — whatever that means.
Since my first encounter with A24, I have developed a deep appreciation for it. My favorite movie ever (which you will learn in the upcoming ranking) was produced by A24. The layers and intricacies within the movie awaken the pretentious film major in me. With that being said, let’s get started.
#5: Eighth Grade (2018)
As I mentioned above, Eighth Grade was the first A24 movie I ever watched, and therefore it holds a special place in my heart. The movie starts off pretty normal, with a few questionable moments, but as it goes on the sense of discomfort (at least my own) grows. Discussing mature topics such as unwanted sexual advancements and including a few extreme vulgarities, Eighth Grade paints a painfully realistic and dramatic picture of life in the middle stages of adolescence. I first developed my appreciation for bizarre, thought provoking movies after watching this one. I found that despite the discomfort I felt during it, the movie stirred up emotions in me, which I really value in movies.
#4: Hot Summer Nights (2017)
Ok, if you’ve read any of my other articles, you probably know that I am an avid Timothée Chalamet fan (who isn’t?). Hot Summer Nights was one of the first movies I’d ever seen him in, and because of this, I have to give it a lot of credit. The movie tells the story of Daniel (Timothée Chalamet), an awkward teenager living in Cape Cod, Massachusetts in the 90’s, who gets a bit in over his head when dealing and trying drugs. Despite its low ratings on IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, I like the movie a lot. Maybe I’m biased and it’s my Timothée obsession, but I was rather entertained and happy watching the movie. The overall vibe and secondary, layered romance in the movie really seemed to tickle my fancy.
(Timothée, I love you.)
#3: The Bling Ring (2013)
The Bling Ring retells the infamous true story of a group of high school students who find a hobby in robbing rich celebrities. Starring Emma Watson, Taissa Farmiga and Israel Broussard, the movie encapsulates an eerie atmosphere while following the group’s antics in their almost-successful Hollywood heist. I watched this when I first learned I was moving to California, because it takes places in the Hollywood Hills, and it felt rather fitting. My favorite thing about the movie is that it’s a true story. The notion that this actually happened in the early 2000’s makes the movie’s effect much more lasting and haunting.
#2: The Florida Project (2017)
In the words of my brother, this movie either has absolutely no child acting at all, or the best child acting ever. The story follows Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) and her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) living in poverty in Orlando, Florida. This movie is certainly not a plot movie, in my opinion, but rather a character study and a statement about the working class in America.
Living out of an old hotel next to Disney World, Halley and her daughter scavenge for bare essentials and make their way through life under the stereotype of ‘white trash.’ The movie, at times, is quite hard to watch, but that is a crucial part of the effect and overall message. It’s made in a documentary style, although not directly inspired by one specific event, and provides an inside look at the standard of living in Orlando. It is an exploration of the harsh contrast between the idea of the “American Dream,” versus the jaded realities that, specifically in this movie, impact struggling mothers and their children. Or maybe I just paid too much attention during The Great Gatsby and now I see symbolism of the American Dream in everything. You tell me!
#1: Lady Bird (2017)
To finish this life, at number 1, we have Greta Gerwig’s 2017 drama Lady Bird. This movie, from the first time I saw it, impacted me. Starring Saoirse Ronan and, shocker, Timothée Chalamet, the story follows Christine “Lady Bird” MacPherson, an intrepid high school senior eager to get out of her hometown of Sacramento, California. I see a lot of myself in Lady Bird, which may be the reason I love it so much. Almost every single scene in this movie I could write a two page thesis on. In December I actually did begin writing a research paper on this movie, literally just because I was bored. Someday I’ll finish it (and maybe publish it!) In the 20-something times I’ve seen this movie, it never disappoints.
As A24 continues to produce and release movies, I will have some to add to this ever-working list. I look forward to adding more Timothée Chalamet movies to this list too.
Thank you for reading!