If you are a big movie buff and do nothing more than just binge movies on a daily basis, or just want to watch movies, here are ten films that I think everyone should see.
- Before Sunrise – 1995 – Directed By Richard Linklater
To start off this list I believe everyone has to watch Before Sunrise as it is the most beautiful and realistic love story. It follows two people who meet on a train towards the end of the ride, as they talk, they feel they have a connection, so Jesse (played by Ethan Hawke) asks Celine (played by Julie Delpy) to walk around Viena for the remainder of the day as she has to catch the next train to Paris. They spend their whole day talking to each other about multiple different topics, what love means to them, past relationships that ended bad. They’re just trying to get know each other throughout the day. I still think it is the most beautiful romance movie.
2. Thirteen – 2003 – Directed By Catherine Hardwicke
This movie follows the life of a Tracy (played by Evan Rachel Wood) a young girl starting Middle school. On her first day she is made fun of for her style by the popular girls with the head of the pack Evie (played by Nikki Reed). After school she heads home arguing with her mom demanding she needs new clothes as she’s throwing away her old bright colored clothes. Her mom is struggling financially and does her best to fit her daughters wants. The next day Tracy goes to school and tries to befriend Evie and so Evie tells her to meet her out shopping after school. After talking to Evie, she sees the girls stealing and she’s influenced to do the same showing immediately how Evie is a bad influence on Tracy. This movie touches topics like self-harm, addiction, anger issues, mental health and sex.
3. Gone Girl – 2014 – Directed By David Fincher
Gone is such a great movie that held my attention the whole through, I felt anxious and was always at the edge of my seat throughout the whole movie. It follows a man who becomes the center of attention throughout the media after his wife goes missing at first people sympathize for him but then start to suspect he is behind her disappearance. I wish I could get more into the movie, but I don’t want to give anything away.
4. Project Almanac – 2015 – Directed By Dean Israelite
This movie is a found footage sort of film which follows a group of teens who discover time travel. It first shows the advantages of using time travel like everyone has thought of like winning the lottery, passing a test, asking someone out. It also tests theories of time travel such meeting yourself or butterfly affects. One of the members of the group becomes obsessed with the power of time travel and uses it to his advantage he then learns the consequences of using time travel and he then tries his best to fix everything he caused.
5. Evil Dead – 2013 – Directed By Fede Alvarez
Evil Dead (2013) is a reboot of the original Evil Dead franchise which was done really well. It is possibly even the best of The Evil Dead franchise. In 2013’s Evil Dead it follows a group of people going to a cabin in the woods to help David Allen’s (played by Shiloh Fernandez) sister, Mia Allen (played by Jane Levy) on her recovery from addiction. In the cabin they discover a basement with a book called ‘The Necronomicon’ where Eric (played by Lou Taylor Pucci) summoning a demon who possesses Mia using her to terrorize the group and kill them all possessing each and every one of the people it kills.
6. Reservoir Dogs – 1992 – Directed By Quentine Tarantino
I think this is Tarantino’s best work as it is a suspenseful and stressful thriller. It follows a botched robbery believed to be set up by someone on the job. Most of the group is killed off by the cops and takes place for majority of the film inside of a warehouse as it was a low budget film. The group consists of people whose name is under a color, Mr. Pink, Mr. White, Mr. Orange, Mr. Blue, Mr. Blonde, and Mr. Brown. All of which played by highly notable actors in a “nobody’s” film as this was Tarantino’s debut film. Throughout the film you feel the stress building as they try to figure out where to go from there after the failed robbery attempt, not being able to trust anyone as they don’t know any of each other.
7. Whiplash – 2014 – Directed By Damien Chazelle
This movie is about Andrew Neiman (played by Miles Teller) and his obsession with drumming after meeting Terrence Fletcher (played by J.K. Simmons). Neiman is driven to be successful as Fletcher plays mind games with him making him feel as though he’s not good enough driving him to be the world’s greatest drummer. Neiman drive to become a perfect and successful drummer is quickly turned into obsession, he becomes obsessed with the idea of being the world’s greatest drummer, he becomes obsessed with trying to win over Fletcher’s approval. Fletcher’s teachings push Neiman to push to the best of his ability testing him physically and mentally, always playing mind games with him. This movie is another great film that keeps you anxious and on the edge of your seat following the stress continuously building throughout the film.
8. Phone Booth – 2002 – Directed By Joel Schumacher
A ‘fancy’ New York publicist who picks up a ringing phone in a phone booth and is then told if he hangs up, he’ll be killed. He’s told that the man calling him has followed Stu (played by Colin Farrel) for a while explaining that he knows how Stu isn’t as much of a “clean” man as he claims to be. He tells Stu he is aware of his affair, he explains that he sees Stu for what he truly is and explains it as “Inhumanity to his fellow man.” Stu is an arrogant, manipulative, rude and untrustworthy he uses his assistant and promises big things to happen for him but abuses that power. The caller has framed Stu for a murder and is then surrounded by police outside the phone booth. The caller tells Stu he has to come clean of all the wrong he has done and promises to let him go once he does this. Stu fights to live but doesn’t want to admit the truth of all of his doings so he does all he can to prolong his death.
9. Babylon – 2022 – Damien Chazelle
Babylon is a movie following the rise and fall of multiple characters in an era of Hollywood’s turn from silent films to sound films. It follows the success of Jack Conrad (played by Brad Pitt) and his career throughout silent films, it also follows a rising actress Nellie Laroy (played by Margot Robbie) as well as Diego Calva (played by Diego Calva) and his efforts of working for the industry starting out as a “run boy”. Throughout the movie it shows how successful Jack Conrad is in Silent films but just couldn’t make the transition to film leading to a major downfall in his career. It then shows Nellie Leroy’s rise to stardom as a actress in the sound film era but runs into financial issues due to her gambling addiction. It then follows the stress of Diego’s career within the industry being there for Nellie’s addiction to gambling and drugs and Jack’s alcohol addiction. As much as he tries to be there for Nellie, she makes it difficult with always getting into trouble and blowing her money. It also shows Jack’s downward spiral in his career driving him into drinking more and depression. This film is a fun exciting movie at first but as it progresses becomes a more dark and stressful watch as it shows a darker tone deeper into the film with addiction and gambling and ultimately suicide to one’s failure of success.
10. The Craft – 1996 – Directed By Andrew Fleming
The Craft is a cult classic movie that follows a group of teenage girls. Sarah (played by Robin Tunney) a 16-year-old moves to LA she has a troubled past with suicidal tendencies and hallucinations. she then meets 3 girls and joins the cult, and they do spells to any that has cause them harm. The friendship to betrayal is a heavy part int he movie as Nancy (played by Fairuza Balk) becomes obsessed with her power the only thing that separates them is that Sarah is a natural witch, and the others have to invoke the spirit.
