Category: Movie Lists

10 Great Slow Burn Horror Movies (and where to stream them)
Slow burn horror movies done right can be some of the scariest movies in the genre. Here are some of our favorites!

Horror movies today rely on unsuspecting *JUMP SCARES* to entertain audiences. But we all know—at least you should—that a good horror movie is built on suspense and tension. That’s why some of the best horror movies are slow burn. These movies don’t tell you everything. Instead, they’re puzzles that you have to solve. And sometimes the terror is in what you can’t figure out.

From folk horror to ghost stories to slashers, here are some of my favorite slow burn horror movies!

The Invitation (2016)

What it’s about: Will (Logan Marshall-Greene) and his new girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are invited to his ex-wife (Tammy Blanchard) and her new husband’s (The Haunting at Hill House’s Michiel Huisman) house for a dinner with old friends. However, a reunion isn’t the only thing planned for the night.

Why it’s great: Of the movies on this list, Karyn Kusama’s The Invitation is arguably the most underrated. It is the definition of a slow burn. Really nothing happens in the plot until the last 25 minutes. But by then, you’ve run through all the possibilities for what’s actually going on in your head and you’re prepared to find out exactly what’s happening.

The amount of tension—both horror and emotional—that the movie builds before its conclusion is incredible. And any payoff would work. Still, it feels like the movie still picks the best possible ending—and the final shot is stunning.

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Funny Games (1997)

What it’s about: Georg (Ulrich Mühe), his wife Anna (Susanne Lothar), their son Georgie (Stefan Clapczynski), and their dog Rolfi arrive at their lakeside vacation home for a week of relaxation. However, when Paul (Arno Frisch) and Peter (Frank Giering) arrive, their weekend becomes anything but.

Why it’s great: Funny Games might be an uncomfortable experience, but it’s impossible to turn away from the screen once it gets going. The movie’s slow-burn pace never feels sluggish as Paul and Peter’s games become more sadistic and the family’s attempts at survival more fleeting.

It’s a lean and mean horror-thriller that clearly has more on its mind, but it’s never overindulgent. There’s also a shot-for-shot English remake directed by Haneke himself, which is just as good as the original. 109 mins.

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The Lighthouse (2019)

Here’s what it’s about: In the late 19th century, a lighthouse keeper (Willem Dafoe) and his assistant (Robert Pattinson) slowly descend into suspicion and madness as they become isolated on a tiny New England island by a storm.

Why you should watch it: Just like his breakthrough first feature The Witch, The Lighthouse is an immersive experience. Shot with stark black-and-white cinematography and presented in a glorious 1.19:1 aspect ratio, Robert Eggers throws you headfirst into the deep end of the late 19th century with every period detail intact — it’s almost unbelievable that the lighthouse was built for the film.

The layered sound and striking visuals make it feel like the movie is wrapping around you as the pair fall further into insanity. The story, compelling from beginning to end and aided by a career-best performance by Dafoe, challenges your perception of what is real before leaving you either perplexed or jaw-dropped. Just let it take you.

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It Follows (2015)

What it’s about: Jay (Maika Monroe) is a normal teenage girl who spends time at the pool and goes on dates. But after sleeping with a guy, she is tracked down by a mysterious entity that takes the form of anyone—a stranger or someone she knows—until “it” finally gets her.

Why it’s great: It Follows takes the classic slasher movie rule “never have sex” to the extreme. What’s really interesting about the movie is that it subverts a couple of different genres. It has the elements of a slasher movie and a ghost movie which makes the finished product something else entirely.

However, instead of jump scare prone ghosts or agile serial killer, the eponymous “it” is slow-moving and creeping in its pursuit of the teenagers. And unlike the other movies on this list, It Follows isn’t about uncovering a mystery—it’s about surviving.

There is also little jump scares, but the movie leverages creepy imagery to add to the tense atmosphere. Plus, Disasterpiece’s pulsing synth score makes every beat all the more intense.

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Hereditary (2018)

What it’s about: After the death of her mother, Annie (Toni Collette), her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), and their kids (Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro) begin to uncover sinister secrets about their family.

Why it’s great: Hereditary is without qualification the scariest movie I saw in theaters. It’s also a horror fan’s dream. It’s a puzzle that you have to solve and unlike a lot of slow burn horror movies, it gives you the clues, you just have to find them.

Hereditary is also patient in its scares—in addition to its story. The horror set pieces are long drawn out and some you don’t even notice until a second look. That’s what makes this a masterpiece. It replaces jump scares with truly frightening imagery and an unsettling atmosphere.

Everything from the score to the production design to the sound design drip with evil. And it also has a smoldering family drama underneath it all. Not to mention one of the great horror performances from Toni Collette. It’s also one of our favorite movies of 2018.

Where to stream it: Hereditary is available to stream on Prime Video! It’s also available to rent or buy.

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The House of the Devil (2009)

What it’s about: It’s the 1980s, The Fixx is burning up the charts, there’s a full lunar eclipse, and Samantha (Jocelin Donahue) has a babysitting job at a mansion in the middle of nowhere. What can go wrong?

Why it’s great: The House of the Devil is a pitch-perfect homage to the satanic panic films of the 70s and 80s—think Rosemary’s Baby and The Omen—complete with camera zooms and freeze frames. Another thing it nails from the era is the slow burn.

You never truly know what’s going on in the movie until it lets you in on it. And I will warn you, this movie is the slowest of slow burns. It doesn’t give you much indication—or horror—for a good while. But the ending is worth the wait.

Plus, there’s bad 80s pop rock, feathered hair, and Sony Walkman. It’s all you can ask for.

Where to stream it: The House of the Devil is available to stream on Shudder! It’s also available to rent or buy on Amazon.

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It Comes at Night (2017)

What it’s about: After a mysterious apocalyptic illness wipes out the population, a family (Joel Edgerton, Carmen Ejogo, and Kelvin Harrison Jr.) must battle the horrors outside the house—and some inside.

Why it’s great: It Comes at Night suffered from its marketing in its initial theatrical run. While it was being sold as an apocalypse horror, it was closer to a psychological thriller with truly unsettling moments.

Trey Edward Shults—who also directed the phenomenal Krisha—balances unnerving imagery with a slow burn story that isn’t about what’s going on the outside, but what’s going on on the inside.

The chilling final 20 minutes are the payoff of an emotional rollarcoaster where relationships are tested and trust is earned and lost.

Where to stream it: It Comes at Night is available to stream on Prime Video. It’s also available to rent or buy.

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The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

What it’s about: The Murphy Family, cardiovascular surgeon Steven (Colin Farrell), his wife Anna (Nicole Kidman), and his two kids (Raffey Cassidy and Sunny Suljic), become the fascination of a mysterious teen Martin (Barry Keoghan) who seems to be up to no good.

Why it’s great: Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ signature style—deadpan acting and generally nihilistic worldview—is sometimes hard to appreciate, but it applies so well to the psychological thriller The Killing of a Sacred Deer.

There is a sense of impending doom throughout the entire film as Martin’s increasingly nefarious plan falls into place. What makes him such a compelling villain is that you never truly know what he is up to. Neither does the Murphy Family—until it’s too late.

During the last act, Lanthimos’ style adds even more tense energy as a decision on the level of Sophie’s Choice is made. It’s darkly funny, suspenseful, and creepy. The perfect combination for a slow burn horror movie.

Where to stream it: The Killing of a Sacred Deer is available to stream on Prime Video. It’s also available to rent or buy.

The Ritual (2018)

What it’s about: After a tragic incident, four friends reunite for a trip into the mountains and forests of Sweden. However, little do they know they’re not alone.

Why it’s great: A slow burn story is almost a requirement for a folk horror movie, and The Ritual is no exception. Though the story is one that we’ve seen before—it’s comparable to The Descent earlier on this list—The Ritual delves into incredibly interesting mythology.

While the group of friends ventures deeper into the forest—The Blair Witch Project-style—increasingly distressing and creepy occurrences build suspense until the movie finally reveals exactly what’s going on.

The Ritual is paced incredibly well and never lets any tension go. And while it might be the least original of the movies on this list, its execution makes for a perfect stormy movie night.

Where to stream it: The Ritual is streaming on Netflix.

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The Witch (2015)

What it’s about: In 1630s New England a devout Christian family is exiled from their settlement to live in the wilderness. All is well until weird occurrences start to make the family members question if they can trust each other.

Why it’s great: Described as a New England folktale, The Witch does a fantastic job of immersing you in the world—the old English, the perfect production design, stunning performances. It’s all ground setting for a chilling tale.

However, the slow burn doesn’t come from whether or not there is a witch, that question is answered relatively quickly. Instead, the mystery is who you can trust.

And the movie doesn’t give you a clear answer. But along the way, you encounter terrifying scenes from a creepy black goat to one of the most stunning exorcism scenes I’ve ever seen. Plus, there’s a fantastic performance by newly anointed scream queen Anya Taylor-Joy.

Where to stream it: The Witch is available to stream on Netflix and Prime Video! It’s also available to rent or buy.

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The Night House (2020)

What does a house feel like when one of its inhabitants is gone? It feels empty. Incomplete. Cold. That’s the feeling that director David Bruckner’s new film The Night House, which premiered as part of the Midnight section of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, gives off at the start as Beth (Rebecca Hall), a high school teacher, copes with the suicide of her husband Owen (Evan Jonigkeit). As she strolls through their lakeside home, built and designed by Owen, you can feel the vacant space. It probably doesn’t help that the home is filled with large windows opening into the darkness of the woods and lake. However, eventually, like Bruckner’s last film The Ritual, that feeling eventually gives way to a pervasive dread.

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More movies, less problems
Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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February 1, 2020
Best Movies of 2023
From Beyoncé and Bernstein to Godzilla and Frankenstein, here are the best movies of 2023 that made us, as Nicole Kidman said, laugh, cry and care.

After watching over a hundred new movies in 2023, I’ve narrowed down the list to the 10 best movies of 2023. Well, perhaps not the best movies, but the ones that have stayed with me in one way or another. This year found a comfortable place in the uncomfortable, where filmmakers felt that they were able to tackle themes and stories that were once taboo in ways that are increasingly tailored to our ever-evolving hunger for unique perspectives and bizarre storytelling. My list reflects that.

To see every movie I watched in 2023 racked, go over to Letterboxd.

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Bottoms

Ayo Edebiri stars as Josie and Rachel Sennott as PJ in BOTTOMS An Orion Pictures Release Photo Credit Patti Perret Copyright © 2023 ORION RELEASING LLC. All Rights Reserved.

To explain Bottoms, I need to spoil it just a tiny bit. The final shot of the movie, a baroque painting if I’ve ever seen one, pulls from a classic 90s / early aughts high school comedy trope. The school football team triumphantly raises the school’s quarterback. Students rush the field dancing with joy. Our best friend protagonists make up and hold each other. However, a few added details make this unlike any high school comedy we’ve seen. The field is littered with incapacitated (and possibly dead) players and our ragtag group of protagonists are covered in blood (both their own and others’). In the background, a tree burns after recently being blown up with a homemade device. Welcome to the wonderfully weird and wacky world of writer/director Emma Seligman‘s Bottoms.

Seligman’s vision of high school in Bottoms is equal parts satiric and surreal. Like if Luis Buñel directed The Breakfast Club or Andrei Tarkovsky directed Clueless. It’s a tricky tone that Rachel Sennott and Ayo Edebiri nail with perfectly pitched performances as woefully lame high schoolers PJ and Josie. All they need is a mission. And like any good high school raunchy comedy, this mission involves getting laid: “Do you want to be the only girl virgin at Sarah Lawrence?” Best friends that stick together get laid together. At least that’s their prerogative. The absolute absurdity never relents, yet Bottoms manages to pull at the heart strings. That’s what makes it the best comedy of the year and one of the best movies of 2023.

Read my full review of Bottoms →

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Godzilla Minus One

A clip from Godzilla Minus One. Courtesy of Toho Studios.

Hey, Hollywood? This is how you do a blockbuster. Just when we thought the action blockbuster was dead in 2023, Godzilla Minus One came roaring in at the final moment to save the genre. And while the spectacular giant monster destruction in the forefront has you leaning forward in your seat with bated breath — like a remix of Jaws where our ragtag group of heroes is dealing with a much much larger shark — the character drama grabs for your heart and makes the action all the more tense.

Though it’s a prequel to Shin Godzilla, the first film in Toho Studios’ reboot of the franchise, Minus One is more like a drama that happens to have a giant monster than a full-blown Kaiju movie as it follows failed Kamikaze pilot Kōichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki) coping with the fallout of the war. While some deal with the grief and trauma by looking to the future — like young suddenly-single mother Kimiko (Minami Hamabe) — Kōichi constantly looks to the past with regret. He gets the chance to right his perceived wrongs when Godzilla takes aim at the already battered country. Part-war epic, part-classic Kaiju, part-found family drama, Minus One is the perfect crowd-pleasing action movie we were craving this year.

Poor Things

Emma Stone in Poor Things. Photo by Atsushi Nishijima. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.© 2023 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Writer-director Yorgos Lanthimos has always played in magical realism, but with his first foray into full fantasy he is able to flex his world-building like never before — and the result is as magnificent and deeply weird as we hoped. Cribbing the tale of Frankenstein, Poor Things takes place in our world (with familiar locations like Victorian-era London and Portugal), but Lanthimos imagines it as a colorful storybook full of childlike wonder that mirrors protagonist Bella’s (Emma Stone) state of mind as she comes of age after being created by Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe) whom she affectionally calls “God.” In classic Lanthimos fashion, Bella’s creation is deeply disturbing as Dr. Baxter uses the brain of an infant to reanimate the corpse of an adult woman. Of course, that disturbing premise isn’t without reason.

Poor Things spins up a tale of discovery both of the self and the world. As Bella comes into herself and into her sexuality, the movie doesn’t shy away from the ugliness of the patriarchal world — represented by a devilishly delightful villain turn by Mark Ruffalo — but also the pure joy it can bring to live a life unburdened by societal norms. The result is a wonderfully batshit epic that is as heartbreaking as it is uplifting.

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Passages

Franz Rogowski and Adèle Exarchopoulos appear in Passages by Ira Sachs, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Guy Ferrandis / SBS PRODUCTIONS

When we first meet German filmmaker Tomas (Franz Rogowski), he is directing the final scene of his latest movie. We watch him as he instructs an actor to enter the scene down a flight of stairs. Then he makes him do it again… and again. Each time he notices something else wrong with the way he enters the scene. We’ll see Tomas do something similar throughout Passages, except this time to the people in his life — specifically his long-suffering husband (Ben Whishaw) and new lover (Adèle Exarchopoulos). That is expecting them to act one way— the way that is best for him and his wants — and getting frustrated when they don’t follow the script he’s written for them in his head.

Eventually, the magnetism that draws people to Tomas begins to repulse them and the gravity that kept them in orbit becomes weaker. Essentially, his life goes off script and he’s not good at improv. While Passages could have easily relied to melodramatics, Sachs keeps each character and interaction grounded. Writer-director Ira Sachs introduces us to the characters of Passages when their lives intersect and tangle into a mess of complications. By the end, Whishaw, whose remarkable portrayal of a gay man finding his strength and independence, untangles the knot and leaves us (and Tomas) flooded with emotion.

Read my full review of Passages →

Monster

A clip from Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

In recent years, Japanese writer-director Hirokazu Kore-eda has been interested in stories about misunderstood people from the found families of Shoplifters and Broker or the complicated parents of The Truth or After the Storm. He continues that trend with the three points-of-view that make up his latest feature Monster as he plays with our expectations of each of the characters. The core story seems straightforward. We start from the perspective of a single mother (Sakura Ando) concerned about her son’s (Sōya Kurokawa) increasingly erratic behavior who goes on a warpath when she discovers his teacher (Eita Nagayama) may be responsible.

Kore-eda is so skilled at presenting his characters with so much depth that it’s almost impossible not to see the story from their point-of-view and think their actions are justified. In the mother’s chapter, for example, seethe with the same anger that she feels when the school brushes off her initial complaints — in a surprising bit of dark humor. But then, when we discover more through the next chapter, the seemingly uncaring school administration becomes human. Through each chapter of the triptych, our own allegiances shift, but especially in the final perspective that is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. Taken as three individual stories, Monster is already impressive. As a whole, it’s a gorgeous tapestry of mystery, suspense, drama and romance that begs to be rewatched.

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Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

A clip from Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé

The brilliance of Renaissance: A Flim by Beyoncé, a nearly three-hour epic concert documentary, becomes clear just 25 minutes in. And despite the reputation (say hey) Ms. Carter has made for herself as a perfectionist, a moment of imperfection stands out. As we catapult from “Cozy” into Beyhive-favorite “Alien Superstar” the audio suddenly cuts out — and no, it’s not yet time for the mute challenge. We see as the crew, donned in shimmering silver jumpsuits jump into action. Beyoncé is unphased and even decides to gag the crowd by changing her outfit during the short three-minute interruption.

However, because we watched a vignette of the crew putting the stage together with a voiceover by Bey herself explaining the complexity of the show, we know exactly the stakes involved and the people that ultimately save the day. It’s this structure where we’re treated to some background about the tour, the album or Beyoncé herself followed by a part of the show that is directly inspired or impacted by it that makes Renaissance such a satisfying documentary. Oh yeah, and Beyoncé is the performer of our generation. There’s that too.

Read my full review of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé →

Anatomy of a Fall

Sandra Hüller and Milo Machado-Graner in Anatomy of a Fall.

Don’t blink. You’re not going to want to miss a thing in Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall. While the movie sets itself up as an episode of Law & Order: French Edition as we unravel the case of the mysterious fall of a husband and father. Was it an accident? Or did his wife Sandra (Sandra Hüller) or young son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner) have something to do with it? As we sweep from investigation to trial, Triet gives us nearly all the clues to solve the case. However, it is still up to the audience to decide who to believe. Hüller’s remarkable performance will sway you in either direction with the smallest inflection or glance.

While structured like a standard procedural, Anatomy of a Fall pays attention to every detail. There is never a shot or line that doesn’t have a purpose, which makes the robust runtime fly by. More impressively, though, Triet is also able to throw in astute observations about marriage, parenthood and even the French judicial system — which if you don’t know is messy messy — that add to the richness of the movie. While the movie has a definitive end, rewatches can uncover something you missed that might change your interpretation of the case. It’s that staying power that makes it one of the best movies of 2023.

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Perfect Days

Koji Yakusho and Arisa Nakano in Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days | Courtesy of TIFF

The subgenre of day-in-the-life movies where nothing really happens yet everything is happening will get me every time — and Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days is… well, a perfect example. The way Wenders shows us Hirayama’s (Kōji Yakusho) daily routine is so comforting — the cinematic equivalent of a weighted blanket. Each morning, he wakes up in his modest apartment, makes his bed, carefully waters his plants, steps out donning blue coveralls with “The Tokyo Toilet” scrawled on the back, grabs his morning coffee and sets out on his job cleaning the city’s vast network of public toilets.

However, the magic of Perfect Days comes in the little diversions from his routine like when Mama (revered enka singer Sayuri Ishikawa) trills out a Japanese rendition of “House of the Rising Sun” or his niece arriving at his tiny apartment unannounced. These detours give us a small insight into Hirayama’s interior life, which he seems to have locked away behind his quiet contentment. We may not know much more about his world by the movie’s stunning ending, but we do learn his philosophy. And that may be the greater gift.

Read my full review of Perfect Days →

May December

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore in Todd Haynes’ May December. Courtesy of Netflix.

From the second Julianne Moore’s Gracie opens a refrigerator and dramatically says over a discordant chord, “I don’t think we have enough hot dogs” you understand exactly what kind of movie May December is. However, while it is a 70s melodrama on its surface filled with darkly comedic verbal and psychological sparring between Natalie Portman’s B-list actress Elizabeth and Moore’s notorious tabloid subject, it never shies away from the darkness of its story.

On the surface, May December shouldn’t work with its contrasting tones of dark comedy mixed with near-parody satirical elements and sentimental dramatics that deal with trauma, grooming and sensationalism. Still it manages to find balance in a way that allows you to enjoy it without letting you get too comfortable with the sensitive situation.

Like with all of his movies, writer-director Todd Haynes allows his characters to show you their character rather than telling you. While there are emotionally resonant moments of insight like Charles Melton’s performance as a young father having a heart to hear with his own son, something as small as the way Melton carries himself that is just as affecting.

Read my full review of May December →

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Past Lives

Greta Lee and Teo Yoo in Past Lives. Courtesy of A24.

Celine Song’s Past Lives has held the top spot on my best movies of 2023 list since seeing it back in January at the Sundance Film Festival — and that’s partially the movie’s own intention. Though the movie is rich in its story and characters as it follows old childhood crushes that reconnect twelve and then twenty-four years later, it’s the memories of it that linger.

While Nora and Hae Sung’s story, brought to life with stellar performances by Greta Lee and Teo Yoo, is presented as a decades-long “will-they-won’t-they” romance — complete with swoon-worthy conversations and charmingly comical banter, it’s really a story about one person stubbornly chasing a future she’s decided for herself and another avoiding a future by constantly looking back. And while the dialogue Song uses to communicate their feelings is poetic (she is a playwright after all), it’s the visual language that is the most impressive.

Song doesn’t present any easy answers, which is why the movie stays with you long after its stunning heart-wrenching but cathartic final scene. Is looking to the past avoiding the future? Is staying resolute on your future ignoring your inner child? The answer is perhaps hidden in a line from the third member of the trio Arthur (John Magaro), “You make my life so much bigger. I’m just wondering if I do the same.” Past Lives somehow achieves the same effect on its audience and that’s why it is the best movie of 2023.

Read my full review of Past Lives →

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More movies, less problems
Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

💌 Sign up for our weekly email newsletter with movie recommendations available to stream.

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December 22, 2023
Best Thrillers of the Decade (a running list)

From psychological to political, here are some of our favorite thrillers since 2020

What is a thriller?
The thriller genre is difficult to nail down because the genre itself is so broad. Where does the thriller genre end and horror begin? Are all action movies thrillers, but not all thrillers action movies? While the definition isn’t exact, there are a few constants: red herrings, plot twists, cliffhangers, and, of course, suspense.

After a shift towards

And without further ado, here are my favorite thrillers since 2010!

Browse by year: 2010 – 2013 | 2014 – 2016 | 2017 – 2019 | 2020 – present

How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2023)

The cast of environmental thriller How to Blow Up a Pipeline. Courtesy of Neon.

What it’s about: A ragtag group of environmental activists race against the clock to sabotage an oil pipeline.

Why it’s great: In many ways, How to Blow Up a Pipeline is a classic heist thriller in the vein of Ocean’s 11 as we watch a group of prior strangers come together to pull off a seemingly impossible feat. Director Daniel Goldhaber uses every second of runtime to slowly ratchet up the tension as the crew sets their plan to blow up the eponymous pipeline in motion.

Using a clever non-linear narrative structure the movie feeds you new information about each of the characters and their dynamics to add color to their personal journeys and complications to the mission at hand. The result is a near real-time stunning and anxiety-inducing but deliciously entertaining eco thriller. Read my full review.

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Fair Play (2023)

Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich appear in Fair Play by Chloe Domont, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute.

What it’s about: Emily (Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are a crazy, sexy, cool couple drunk (and horny) on their recent engagement that they have to keep secret since they work together at a highly competitive hedge fund firm. But when Emily is promoted over Luke, insecurity, competition and jealousy threaten to destroy their relationship.

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Why it’s great: Fair Play plays like a ticking time bomb as the couple’s relationship is put under the strain of Luke’s arrogance and Emily’s ambition.

It’s the balancing of those two threads that make the movie — particularly writer director Chloe Domont’s sharp screenplay — so impressive. At times, the movie is a corporate barnburner about Emily navigating her newfound success as a woman in an industry that is decidedly a boy’s club. In others, it’s a darkly funny psychosexual relationship drama about how deviations from the traditional gender dynamics can send men into a tailspin — let’s just say Luke probably loved Joker. And at its most satisfying, both worlds come careening together as the pair navigate the minefield of their relationship in the workplace.

Phoebe Dynevor and Alden Ehrenreich give powerhouse performances that give the melodrama some much needed gravitas. Cutthroat, sharp and entertaining as hell, Chloe Domont didn’t come to play. Read my full review.

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Kimi (2021)

Zoë Kravitz in Kimi. Courtesy of HBO Max.

What it’s about: Angela (Zoë Kravitz), whose agoraphobia due to a prior trauma — and now exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic — confines her to her apartment, works for a tech company monitoring the data from their smart speaker product Kimi (like an Alexa) for quality assurance. However, when one of the files she’s listening to sounds like a crime she’s faced with corporate red tape, conspiracy, and, her worst fear, going outside.

Why you should watch it: Kimi tells a story we’ve seen before — Rear Window and The Girl on the Train immediately come to mind. But Soderbergh throws in these tiny details that make it feel so relevant to our place and time.

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Like many people watching movies stuck at home, I had headphones on. In one scene, Angela puts on her AirPods to drown out the sound around her. When she puts her right earbud in, our right earbud goes silent. When she puts the left in, our left goes silent. It’s something that you might miss, but that small choice immerses you in this world that is so familiar.

When Angela goes outside for the first time, masked up with packets of hand sanitizer in her pockets, the camera switches from steady and deliberate to frenetic and chaotic as she’s faced with the anxiety of being around people. It elevates Kimi far past its thriller roots.

And sure, you can probably call many of the plot twists. But what Soderbergh constructed is a lean, mean, perfectly-paced thriller that recognizes the time that we’re in. Too many movies being made today ignore the pandemic and the past two years we’ve experienced. Instead, Soderbergh embraces it and uses it to his advantage to not reinvent the wheel but spin it at a different speed. Read my full review.

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I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

Jessie Buckley in I’m Thinking of Ending Things. Courtesy of Netflix.

What it’s about: A young woman (Jessie Buckley) is driving with her boyfriend (Jesse Plemmons) to meet his parents for the first time. There’s one problem, she’s thinking of ending things. When she meets his mother (Toni Collette) and father (David Thewlis) things go from odd to flat out weird as the world around her changes.

Why it’s great: Loneliness is a prison. The memories, regrets, and what-ifs of life become trapped on repeat in your head forming a blend of reality and fantasy in your psyche in an effort to fill the void of silence that it creates. In the time of the coronavirus pandemic that feeling may hit closer to home, which is why Charlie Kaufman’s I’m Thinking of Ending Things feels so effective as a psychological thriller.

The movie is a slow-burn of conversations that begin as a little off and then become full-tilt bizarre as the world around the couple goes from real to surreal. At the core, psychological thrillers should make you question exactly what is real. In I’m Thinking of Ending Things, the question isn’t what is real, it’s what is reality at all.

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The Invisible Man (2020)

Elizabeth Moss in The Invisible Man. Courtesy of Universal Pictures.

What it’s about: After escaping her abusive tech tycoon boyfriend (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), Cecilia (Elizabeth Moss) thinks she’s finally free from his grasp. However, a vague threat from the past and a series of odd occurrences make her think that he’s watching her every move.

Why it’s great: There is so much to love about director Leigh Whannell’s reinvention of the 1933 original film The Invisible Man, but the best place to start is perhaps the reinvention itself. Instead of treading similar territory, Whannell tackled the very 21st century story of toxic relationships, gaslighting, and emotional abuse.

However, the way he brings about those themes is by combining innovate modern cinematic techniques with the old-fashioned staples of building the suspense. Without compromising its rich themes or depriving the audience of moments of terror to hang onto, Whannell is able to make an artfully made and emotional movie that feels auteur-driven but still made for the mainstream. Read my full review.

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January 1, 2020
10 Great LGBTQ Films with Happy Endings (and where to stream them)

LGBTQ films have finally started to break into the mainstream and spread the message of love, acceptance, and understanding

As a closeted gay kid growing up in the suburbs of New Jersey, one of the greatest things I could turn to for comfort and understanding is LGBTQ films. There I could see people experiencing what I was experiencing and, in some, I would find hope that one day I would be able to be who I was unabashadly.

So many movies about marginalized groups, whether BIPOC or queer, focus on the struggle. Few, however, show the beauty and joy that could happen outside of that struggle. Here are a few LGBTQ films with happy endings to give you comfort, hope, and joy.

The Birdcage (1996)

Nathan Lane and Robin Williams in The Birdcage. Courtesy of United Artists.

Here’s what it’s about: Armand Goldman (Robin Williams) owns the drag cabaret The Birdcage with his life partner Albert (Nathan Lane), who’s also the star performer. When their son Val (Dan Futterman) announces he’s getting married, they’re forced to put up a false straight front to host his fiance’s ultraconservative parents (Gene Hackman and Dianne Wiest).

Why you should watch it: Since Nichols and May started their careers as an improv comedy duo, The Birdcage was almost the perfect story for them to adapt. The premise itself is like an improv prompt. However, like their best work, they guide the story and the actors to the edge of ridiculousness, but never let it go over — even Nathan Lane whose performance is as bombastic as ever leans on the side of high camp rather than slapstick.

And while the story is ripe for stereotypes and cliches, they never let it get there. Instead, they take their time and pace themselves allowing for us to explore, get to know and, most importantly, fall in love with every single character. It’s perhaps one of the best comedic ensembles of all time with every actor getting their moment to steal a scene whether it’s Hank Azaria’s high-camp Guatemalan housekeeper repeatedly falling over because he’s not used to wearing shoes or Christine Baranski playing Val’s biological mother prancing around her office or Williams directing Albert’s cabaret performance.

▶︎ Buy or rent on Amazon

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The Half of It (2020)

Leah Lewis, Daniel Diemer, and Collin Chou in The Half of It. Courtesy of Netflix.

Here’s what it’s about: Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) is a straight-A student who helps her father with the bills by writing papers for other students, which is why she’s approached by sweet, but hopeless jock Paul (Daniel Diemer) for help writing love letters to the school’s misunderstood it-girl Aster (Alexxis Leimer). While Alice and Paul’s friendship develops, so do Alice’s feelings for Aster.

Why you should watch it: On the surface, The Half of It is a serviceable high school dramedy. However, at its core, it’s a sensitive character study of identity and how the town we grew up in shapes it, for better and worse. And though it only skims the surface of sexuality, it’s distinctly queer. The gaze is queer. The themes are queer. This is a movie that only a person that has experienced it could accomplish. And although it has all this complexity, it still has the moments of joy and levity we crave in a coming-of-age. However, those moments happen where — and between characters — we least expect them. This is a love story. But not between who you think.

There’s a chance The Half of It fades into the background of the multitudes of Netflix romantic comedies that are shuffled away in the mysterious algorithm. But I hope that the right audience sees it. It feels like a cliche now, but if I had seen this movie when I was a kid, I feel like the world would have been different for me. I’d see it differently. I’d understand myself and how to love differently. I’d understand that confusion is just a part of understanding. And that running after a train may look ridiculous, but that’s love. Read my full review here.

▶︎ Streaming on Netflix

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The Handmaiden (2016)

Kim Tae-ri and Kim Min-hee in The Handmaiden. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.

What it’s about: A grifter (Kim Tae-ri) teams up with a con-man (Ha Jung-woo) to swindle an heiress (Kim Min-hee) out of her fortune. However, when real feeling begin to develop, the con gets out of hand.

▶︎ Streaming on Prime Video

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Moonlight (2016)

What it’s about: Barry Jenkins’ Best Picture winning masterpiece ? tells the story of a young black boy named Chiron as he grows up and struggles with his identity. The movie is split into three distinct acts following him as a child (Alex Hibbert), teen (Ashton Sanders), and adult (Trevante Rhodes).

Why you should watch it: Moonlight is arguably the most important Best Picture winner of the decade — and perhaps of all time. And not just because of the infamous mix up. It’s almost unfathomable that the Academy, which overlooked Brokeback Mountain to award Crash, would give its top prize to an independent film about a poor queer black boy dealing with his sexuality. However, I think it won, in part, because it’s a perfect film.

Without many words or huge plot moments, Director Barry Jenkins able to tell us a complex story about a kid going through the process of discovering, struggling, and ultimately accepting who you are. He explores it with a singular style that plays with the cinematic form in a way that we haven’t seen in decades. Everything from the cinematography, sound design, and score are there to serve the story — there’s not a single scene that doesn’t serve a purpose. And as painful as the journey is, it all feels satisfying at the end. Like an exhale that we didn’t know we needed. Moonlight is streaming on Netflix.

? Buy or rent: Prime Video | iTunes | YouTube

Pariah (2011)

? Buy or Rent: Prime Video | Apple TV | YouTube

Pride (2014)

What it’s about: It’s 1984. In England, Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers is on strike. Meanwhile, a group of queer activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners—in an act of solidarity. However, the Union is too embarrassed to receive their support, setting off a journey of acceptance, love, and protest.

Why you should watch it: “It’s a show of solidarity. Who hates the miners? Thatcher. Who else? The police, the public, and the tabloid press. That sound familiar?” But also, sound familiar? You can replace a couple of words in that quote and talk about exactly what’s happening today. And while Pride’s message that our similarities are greater than our differences is profound and well delivered, it’s also entertaining.

Pride is careful not to tread into the territory of a contrived or corny feel-good historical dramedy and instead use its well-drawn characters to tell its endearing story—with all the heartbreaking moments intact. Its cast of British screen legends—Imelda Staunton, Bill Nighy, Andrew Scott—and newcomers (at the time)—George Mackay, Ben Schnetzer, Joe Gilgun, Faye Marsay—give Pride its heart and spirit while also delivering genuine laughs. Pride is streaming on Prime Video.

? Buy or Rent: Prime Video | iTunes | YouTube

Tangerine (2015)

Here’s what it’s about: It’s Christmas Eve in Tinseltown and Sin-Dee is back on the block. Upon hearing that her pimp boyfriend hasn’t been faithful during the 28 days she was locked up, the working girl and her best friend, Alexandra, embark on a mission to get to the bottom of the scandalous rumor.

Why you should watch it: Tangerine, with its frenetic editing, vivid iPhone cinematography, and rich sound design, throws you into the dreamy L.A. underbelly unlike any other film. However, within that dreamscape are characters so daringly planted in reality. Kitana Kiki Rodriguez and Mya Taylor imbue their characters with both bite and heart, which makes them incredible subjects for this story looking to inspire empathy for an entire community.

Pride Month began as a protest against the police brutality of largely black and brown transwomen in 1969, which is why it’s more important than ever to explore both the joys and struggles of that community. Tangerine does so in an entertaining and heartwarming way that leaves you pining for more. Tangerine is streaming on Hulu.

? Buy or Rent: Prime Video | Apple TV | YouTube

Weekend (2011)

What it’s about: After meeting at a club, Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) have what they think is a one-night stand. However, it turns into a weekend-long conversation about identity, love, and acceptance.

Why you should watch it: Weekend is a meditation on moments. There are no grand romantic gestures or ridiculous ultimatums. Though, the central conflict of the movie is an impending departure. Its greatest virtue is its realism. So rarely in relationships nowadays we say what we feel. So two men with a mutual attraction that want it to become more won’t explicitly address that feeling.

Instead, Haigh hides that development in the small moments — a touch, a look of familiarity or understanding. As the two men see each other more, each sexual encounter become more explicit — their first hookup isn’t shown on screen. It’s Haigh’s way of showing their growing intimacy and perhaps love. Weekend is streaming on the Criterion Channel.

▶︎ Streaming on the Criterion Channel. Buy or rent on Amazon.

God’s Own Country (2017)

Alec Secăreanu and Josh O’Connor in God’s Own Country. Courtesy of Orion Pictures.

What it’s about: Johnny (Josh O’Connor) bides his time working on his family’s farm and binge drinking—which often leads to casual sex with random men. However, he begins to think about his future when handsome Romanian migrant worker Gheorghe (Alec Secăreanu) begins to work on the farm.

Why you should watch it: God’s Own Country in a lot of ways feels akin to Brokeback Mountain—two men spending time doing manual labor involving sheep in a remote picturesque landscape. However, where the two differ is Brokeback is coded as a tragedy from the start—as it’s as much about the external factors keeping the men apart as it is the internal factors.

God’s Own Country is about the internal factors. It’s not just about the emotional repression that plagues queer people, but also the obligation we often feel towards our families. In the end, it’s a journey of self-discovery—and unlike Brokeback one that ends before it’s too late.

▶︎ Streaming on Hulu

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June 1, 2020
Every Performance Nominated at the Oscars this Year Ranked

Twenty actors have been nominated for Oscars across four categories for their performances in last year’s movies. Here is my ranking.

After a particularly unpredictable Oscar season, we now have twenty actors nominated across four categories including seven previous winners and eight first-time nominees. I took on the monumental task of ranking all twenty performances from best to worst. Agree or disagree? Let me know!

20. Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos

Best Actor | Javier Bardem, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for No Country for Old Men, isn’t bad in Being the Ricardos as he is woefully miscast.

19. J.K. Simmons as William Frawley in Being the Ricardos

Best Supporting Actor | J.K. Simmons, who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Whiplash, has a couple of strong scenes with Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball that are about as emotional as the movie gets. However, his impact and screentime are limited. His co-star Nina Arianda deserved a nom.

18. Ciarán Hinds as Pop in Belfast

Best Supporting Actor | “Too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart.” Hinds does fine work as the “older man who delivers sage and witty advice,” but the role never elevates further than that.

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17. Will Smith as Richard Williams in King Richard

Best Actor | Will Smith, on his third Best Actor nomination, delivers the role of Serena and Venus Williams’ father with as much movie star gravitas as you would expect from him. However, his performance is safe and expected unlike his co-star further down on this list.

Will Smith is nominated for Best Actor for his role as Richard Williams in King Richard.

16. Dame Judi Dench as Granny in Belfast

Best Supporting Actress | After winning an Oscar for her 8-minute performance in Shakespeare in Love, Dame Judi Dench is up again for a similarly sharp-tongued role. Her emotional grandstanding speech to close at the movie got her the nomination, but the subtler work from co-star Catriona Balfe deserved her spot.

15. Nicole Kidman as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos

Best Actress | Nicole Kidman, already an Oscar winner in Best Actress for The Hours, fails to disappear into the role of Lucille Ball even if the work she does is admirable — particularly when showing Ball’s creative genius.

14. Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank in The Power of the Dog

Best Actor | One of the more controversial placements on this list — though from this point on every performance is good at the very least — Benedict Cumberbatch, on his second nomination, feels too practiced in a role as explosive as Phil Burbank. I was meant to fear him for some part of the movie, but his presence never loomed as large as his co-stars’.

13. Jesse Plemons as George Burbank in The Power of the Dog

Best Supporting Actor | “I just wanted to say how nice it is not to be alone.” Plemons has been doing consistently terrific work in film and television for years. And his slight but sensitive portrayal against some of the movie’s bigger performances is a gorgeous foil to what’s happening around him. Plus, his co-star, fellow nominee and wife Kirsten Dunst, had the sweetest reaction to his nomination.

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12. Aunjanue Ellis as Oracene “Brandy” Price in King Richard

Best Supporting Actress | Aunjanue Ellis has decades of incredible work spanning TV, film, and the stage, so to see her receive her first Oscar nomination is a delight. Her performance pours out with empathy. Not a moment feels less than genuine.

11. Jessica Chastain as Tammy Faye in The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Best Actress | It’s a wonder that Jessica Chastain is only on her third nomination considering her body of work. And while The Eyes of Tammy Faye isn’t her best performance, her pure commitment to the role both physically and emotionally make it one to admire.

Jessica Chastain received her third Oscar nomination for her performance as Tammy Faye in The Eyes of Tammy Faye.

10. Denzel Washington as Macbeth in The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actor | With this 10th nomination, Denzel Washington has extended his record as the most-nominated black actor in Oscar history. I mean, it’s Denzel doing Shakespeare. Need I say more?

9. Kirsten Dunst as Rose Gordon in The Power of the Dog

Best Supporting Actress | The fact that this is Kirsten Dunst’s first nomination is maddening, but well-deserved for this role. She has to take her character on a full arc from beginning to end unlike the other character’s in this film and does so with sensitivity.

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8. Olivia Colman as Leda Caruso in The Lost Daughter

Best Actress | Olivia Colman can do no wrong. Even with a character as difficult to like, by design, as Leda, she is able to make her feel lived-in. That depth is what keeps you hooked into the narrative even when you can’t find someone to root for.

7. Jesse Buckley as Leda Caruso in The Lost Daughter

Best Supporting Actress | Speaking of a complex lived-in character, Jesse Buckley, who somehow feels overdue for an Oscar nomination despite being relatively new, also finds those depths in the younger version of Leda Caruso. With just fits and starts of scenes to play with, she gives us a complex vision and hard truth of motherhood.

6. Kodi Smit-McPhee as Peter Gordon in The Power of the Dog

Best Supporting Actor | Just like his character in The Power of the Dog, Kodi Smit-McPhee must play the long game with his performance dropping clues along the way. In the end, every action, movement, and line delivery makes sense with the character’s ultimate motives. His performance alone is reason enough to give Jane Campion the Oscar for Best Director. I’d also say Smit-McPhee deserves the Oscar if not for one of his competitors. More on that later.

5. Andrew Garfield as Jonathan Larson in tick, tick… BOOM!

Best Actor | Andrew Garfield performs the role of Jonathan Larson like he’s on a stage. Well, he’s literally on a stage for some parts of the movie, but it’s that type of big, play-to-the-back-row performance that we don’t see much anymore. However, the heightened over-stylization of his performance is grounded in a deep understanding of a character that he, even more than writer-director Lin Manuel-Miranda, understands the weaknesses of.

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4. Penélope Cruz as Janis Martínez Moreno in Parallel Mothers

Best Actress | The tone that Pedro Almodóvar strikes with his film Parallel Mothers is so distinct that it could only take an actress like Penélope Cruz to meet him exactly where he is. It’s no wonder she does her best work with him — her first Oscar nomination was for his film Volver. While the movie’s plot goes pure telenovela, both Almodóvar and Cruz have to find something authentic in Janis to deliver the film’s message. Not only does she succeed, she does so while being effortlessly entertaining and holding the screen like the star she is.

Ariana DeBose is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Anita in West Side Story.

3. Troy Kotsur as Frank Rossi in CODA

Best Supporting Actor | Acting is reacting, and first-time nominee Troy Kotsur’s “Oscar scene” in CODA is a masterclass. With no words (signed or otherwise) he goes on a full emotional journey with his daughter (portrayed by the equally great Emilia Jones) that has the hefty job of moving every one of our characters further along on their journey of growth. However, what has been underrated is the pure joy he brings to the role of Frank, a man in a world not made for him, but that he found love in every corner of.

2. Ariana DeBose as Anita in West Side Story

Best Supporting Actress | To play a character as iconic (and Oscar-winning) as Anita in West Side Story takes nerve — and Ariana DeBose has the nerve. Rita Moreno, the original anita, plays the role with a fiesty energy that acts as a foil to the subdued energy of the central love story. DeBose’s version is just as bombastic, but with an even darker tinge to match the energy of the movie. While her signature number “America” is as impressive as ever, it’s the scenes of pure dramatic tension that set her apart.

Kristen Stewart received her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Diana, Princess of Wales in Spencer.

1. Kristen Stewart as Diana, Princess of Wales in Spencer

Best Actress | There’s a fine line between performing as a real-life person and impersonating them (see further down the list), and Kristen Stewart finds the exact avenue to evoke the spirit of Diana, Princess of Wales while making her completely singular — like a servant to the story director Pablo Larraín is trying to tell. Every movement, line reading, and facial expression is studied to the point that Stewart completely disappears into the role. Spencer is a difficult movie that treads a narrow path between genres, and Stewart is right there with it every step of the way.

February 10, 2022
What to Stream Vol 2: The Invitation, The Farewell, The Half of It

Welcome to What to Stream, our weekly roundup of the best movies streaming on Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, and HBO Max. Today’s theme: Asian directors

Happy Thursday! May is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which celebrates the contributions of AAPI Americans. Today’s recommendations are all films directed by AAPI women. This was originally published in my weekly newsletter that helps readers know what to stream.

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Enjoy the beautiful weekend!

The Invitation ?

▶ Streaming on Netflix

Tammy Blanchard in The Invitation. Courtesy of Drafthouse Films.

Why it’s great: The Invitation is the perfect kind of slow-burn. Kusama is extremely patient. She waits and makes you question what kind of movie it is until it finally reveals itself in a stunning manner.

With a jangling score and off-putting visuals, it slowly ratchets up the tension to an unbearable degree. Every beat feels like it’s going to be the moment that something is going to happen. You’re constantly preparing yourself for the jump and when it comes it’s as satisfying as you’d imagine. 100 mins.

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The Farewell ?

▶︎ Streaming on Prime Video

The Farewell is based in part on director Lulu Wang’s life. After finding out her grandmother — who she affectionately calls Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen) is terminally ill, Chinese-American writer Billie (Awkwafina) travels back home to China to say goodbye. Instead, though, her family hides the diagnosis from Nai Nai and creates an elaborate fake wedding to keep it from her. Here’s the trailer.

Zhao Shuzhen and Awkwafina in The Farewell. Image courtesy of A24.

Why it’s great: The Farewell is a movie of dichotomies — Chinese culture and American culture, parents and children, mourning and celebrating, youth and old age — that appropriately straddles the line between drama and comedy. Even during dramatic moments, it seems that there’s always something fun going on in the background to remind us that everything in the movie is based in love.

It’s so difficult to make the exploration of emotions and family strife entertaining, but director Lulu Wang was able to pull it off by avoiding the melodramatics and instead focusing on the characters, their experiences, and their relationships with each other. 100 mins. [Full review]

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The Half of It ?

▶ Streaming on Netflix

The Half of It, directed by Alice Wu, follows Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis), a straight-A student who helps her father with the bills by writing papers for other students. This is why she’s approached by sweet but hopeless jock Paul (Daniel Diemer) for help writing love letters to the school’s misunderstood it-girl Aster (Alexxis Leimer). While Alice and Paul’s friendship develops, so do Alice’s feelings for Aster. Thank you to Alison for the recommendation. I’ll send you my therapy bill. Here’s the trailer.

Leah Lewis and Alexxis Lemer in The Half of It. Images courtesy of Netflix.

Why it’s great: On the surface, The Half of It is a serviceable high school dramedy. However, at its core, it’s a sensitive character study of identity and how the town we grew up in shapes it, for better and worse. And though it only skims the surface of sexuality, it’s distinctly queer. The gaze is queer. The themes are queer. This is a movie that only a person that has experienced it could accomplish. And although it has all this complexity, it still has the moments of joy and levity we crave in a coming-of-age. However, those moments happen where — and between characters — we least expect them. This is a love story. But not between who you think.

There’s a chance The Half of It fades into the background of the multitudes of Netflix romantic comedies that are shuffled away in the mysterious algorithm. But I hope that the right audience sees it. It feels like a cliche now, but if I had seen this movie when I was a kid, I feel like the world would have been different for me. I’d see it differently. I’d understand myself and how to love differently. I’d understand that confusion is just a part of understanding. And that running after a train may look ridiculous, but that’s love. 105 mins. [Full review]

? P.S. You can see every movie I’ve ever recommended right here.
? I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes! You can find new movie reviews here and here.

May 6, 2021
The Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies (and where to stream them)
Jake Gyllenhaal, the Oscar-less powerhouse actor, has turned it iconic performance after performance in some of the greatest movies of the century. Here’s where to watch them.

Jake Gyllenhaal is arguably one of the greatest actors of his generation making his Oscar-less status a bit confounding. Nonetheless, he’s turned in some of the best performances of the 21st century in some beloved films. Even better, he rarely repeats a performance, so every movie is different. Here are some of our favorite Jake Gyllenhaal movies and where to stream them.

Zodiac ♌️

▶ Streaming on Prime Video

Zodiac tells the very true and very terrifying story of the infamous “Zodiac Killer,” who terrorized the San Francisco bay area in the late 1960s and early 70s. The movie follows three men obsessed with figuring out who the killer is: political cartoonist Robert Graysmith (Jake Gyllenhaal), journalist Paul Avery (Robert Downey Jr.), and detective Dave Toschi (Mark Ruffalo). Here’s the trailer.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Zodiac. Courtesy of Paramount Pictures.

Why it’s great: I often cite Zodiac as my favorite David Fincher movie — although if you ask me any other day that might change. It’s a dark and menacing crime thriller on its surface like Se7en, mixed in with an investigative drama. But Fincher is doing a lot more when you dig deeper. It’s a disorienting story. He plays with time and place to confuse you and put you in the headspace of the characters. Those characters are complex and motivated to a fault — Gyllenhaal’s Graysmith is borderline obsessive. You realize then that this isn’t a police procedural. You’re not watching to solve the mystery — you’re watching to solve the characters. 162 mins.

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Enemy ?

▶︎ Streaming on Hulu

Enemy follows Adam Bell (Gyllenhaal) is a college professor living an unremarkable life. That is until he watches a movie and discovers one of the actors (also Gyllenhaal) looks exactly like him. He becomes obsessed with learning the identity of his doppelgänger, but what he finds is even crazier than he — and us — could imagine. Here’s the trailer.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Jake Gyllenhaal in Enemy. Courtesy of Hulu.

Why it’s great: Enemy is a puzzle that needs — and wants — to be solved. However, director Denis Villeneuve and screenwriter Javier Gullón don’t make it easy for you, which makes the movie so fun to watch over and over again. They’re careful to give you clues and hints — some obvious and some you have to work for — that will guide you to some conclusion. But the real joy of the movie is that everyone’s conclusion will be different. Gyllenhaal gives two of his best performances as very distinct characters that share some bond. Look out for the small inflections he uses to differentiate the two. It’s masterful. 90 mins.

Nightcrawler ?

▶ Streaming on Netflix

Nightcrawler is about perpetual hustler Lou Bloom (Gyllenhaal) and his endless pursuit for success. One night, after witnessing stringers—freelance video journalists—recording footage from a car accident he finds his new line of work. As he dives deeper into the L.A. underbelly of crime, he maybe becomes too involved in getting the story. Here’s the trailer.

Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler. Courtesy of Netflix.

Why it’s great: Nightcrawler takes clear inspiration from two of my favorite Martin Scorcese movies — The King of Comedy and Taxi Driver — but it’s careful to emulate and not imitate. Instead, Lou Bloom is a wholly original and terrifyingly compelling anti-hero. His extreme obsession with his new career is offset by the fact that he’s actually good at it—for all the wrong reasons. As he defies any moral standard to get his story, we watch almost helplessly as people around him become pawns in his game rather than actual humans. And while a lesser movie would mine that for pure horror, Nightcrawler asks whether or not that’s already happening anyway in our society.

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Okja ♌️

▶ Streaming on Netflix

In Okja, set in the not too distant future, The Mirando Corporation led by CEO Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton) announces that they’ve bred a new species that they’re dubbing a “super pig.” They send the pigs out to 26 different farmers to find the best way to raise them. One of those farmers is Mija’s (Ahn Seo-hyun) grandfather. The young girl forges a bond with their super pig who they name Okja. So, when the Mirando Corporation and their hired animal “expert” Johnny Wilcox (Jake Gyllenhaal) take Okja away, Mija goes on a globe-trotting adventure to save her friend. Here’s the trailer.

Why it’s great: To try and classify Okja would be a disservice to the movie. It’s as one of a kind of a film as they come — and that’s its greatest virtue. For this movie to work, it has to march to the beat of its own drum. That beat is a wonderfully unconventional movie that’s sometimes satire, sometimes dark comedy, but all heart. And like any great Bong Joon-ho movie — and there are a lot of them — the biggest success is its characters. From Tilda Swinton’s wonderfully camp Lucy Mirando to Paul Dano’s cool and calm animal right activist Jay to Ahn Seo-hyun’s quiet but tough Mija to Okja herself, just like the movie’s style they’re wonderfully off-kilter and colorful, making them a delight to watch. 120 mins.

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More movies, less problems
Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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April 16, 2021
10 Great Romantic Comedies to Fall in Love With
Romantic comedies are like the cinematic equivalent of comfort food—easy to watch, heartwarming, and a slice of happiness. Here are some great ones.

Romantic comedies are like snuggling up in a warm cardigan on a crisp autumn day. Or like that first bite of your mom’s cooking when you come home from the holidays. They also have corny analogies involving cardigans and mom’s cooking, but that’s what I love about them. Movies, at their purest form, are not meant to emulate human emotions but amplify them. We all, at some point, yearn for and feel love. Romantic comedies simply take that feeling and create the idealized version of it, which is why they’re so comforting to watch.

Here are just a few of our favorites.

Moonstruck (1987)

Nicolas Cage and Cher in Moonstruck. Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

Moonstruck is one of those movies you watch and say, “they don’t make them like that anymore.” From the opening credits set to “That’s Amore” to the perfectly executed conclusion there’s a feeling of warmth and romance that is underscored by the hilarious tongue-in-cheek tone. It’s one of the greatest romantic comedies and movies of all time.

However, it’s more than just a few laughs and iconic line readings. The screenplay’s tight structure is hard to not get swept up in and Cher’s magnetic performance tinged with her glowing movie star power makes it clear why she won an Oscar for the role — not to mention Nicolas Cage’s perfectly chaotic energy. Despite the joy it exudes, there’s also a melancholic but uplifting undercurrent about romance that might just make you believe in love again.

Moonstruck is streaming on Prime Video via Showtime

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Beginners (2010)

Mélanie Laurent and Ewan McGregor in Beginners. Courtesy of Focus Features.

I almost hate myself for saying this but Beginners isn’t a love story it’s a story about love. It’s about the love we give away and take—and it’s about the love we didn’t give away and didn’t take. Like many of Mike Mills’ films, Beginners plays like a memory and meditation more than a narrative. In it, we learn that love can come at any time and that optimism ultimately is the way to live your life.

Beginners is streaming on HBO Max

The Big Sick (2017)

Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan in The Big Sick. Courtesy of Amazon Studios.

Love always comes with baggage. However, it’s the way we deal with that baggage that often determines the fate of relationships. But what if you couldn’t confront that baggage head-on and instead had to deal with it through your romantic interest’s parents? That’s how The Big Sick — and its clever script filled with witty one-liners — subverts the expectations of a romantic comedy.

When the movie’s story takes its turn, Showalter masterfully guides the tone towards dramedy that is sentimental, but never overwrought. As Kumail and Emily’s parents circle each other like cowboys preparing for a shootout, there are moments of understanding and education and growth just like a traditional rom-com. It’s filled with so much empathy and character moments that have so much meaning, but always find a way to end on a joke. For that, it’s a true delight.

The Big Sick is streaming on Prime Video

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Plus One (2019)

Jack Quaid and Maya Erskine in Plus One. Courtesy of RLJE Films.

The rom-com works best when it’s character-driven and has a fresh perspective, both of which Plus One has. However, it also helps that the movie is so incredibly funny and filled with sharp one-liners delivered with precision by Maya Erskine and Jack Quaid. But it’s Erskine who really steals the show with one great sarcastic quip after another.

“I cried… but I cry every day, so it doesn’t mean anything”
— Me (but also Erskine in the movie)

It’s not perfect. The story drags in the third act and it falls into some genre cliches. But, for the most part, Plus One is a hilarious and, dare I say, relatable take on the classic romantic comedy formula with enough gags to keep you hooked.

Plus One is streaming on Hulu

The Half of It (2020)

Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch in Set it Up. Courtesy of Netflix.

I think anyone that lived through the 80s, 90s and early aughts has a soft spot for that perfect romantic comedy. The kind that has perfect one-liners that you can work into everyday life and characters who live lives that you could only aspire to in unrealistically large apartments and scenes that make your heart flutter at the thought of them happening in real life.

Set it Up mines those tropes and makes me feel nostalgic for those breezy rom-coms. And while it hits a lot of those familiar plot beats, the movie surpasses other contemporary rom-coms because director Claire Scanlon and the charming leads have a great sense of comedic timing and the propensity for subtle, but effective physical comedy. It’s one of those movies that you’ll want to come back to over and over again.

Set it Up is streaming on Netflix

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Set it Up (2018)

Glen Powell and Zoey Deutch in Set it Up. Courtesy of Netflix.

I think anyone that lived through the 80s, 90s and early aughts has a soft spot for that perfect romantic comedy. The kind that has perfect one-liners that you can work into everyday life and characters who live lives that you could only aspire to in unrealistically large apartments and scenes that make your heart flutter at the thought of them happening in real life.

Set it Up mines those tropes and makes me feel nostalgic for those breezy rom-coms. And while it hits a lot of those familiar plot beats, the movie surpasses other contemporary rom-coms because director Claire Scanlon and the charming leads have a great sense of comedic timing and the propensity for subtle, but effective physical comedy. It’s one of those movies that you’ll want to come back to over and over again.

Set it Up is streaming on Netflix

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Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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October 23, 2020
Best Horror Movies of the 21st Century

From serial killers to ghosts to zombies, these are the best horror movies of the 21st century that keep us up at night!

From the slashers of the early 2000s to the renaissance of ghost stories and monster movies of the 2010s, the 21st century has been a rollercoaster for the beloved horror genre. However, for all the deep lows that the genre had to incur during the time, there have been some highs that have ended up being some of the best entries in the genre. In fact, to some, the 21st century has proven to be a second golden age for horror. Why? Because horror filmmakers have been able to honor the genre’s roots while infusing them with modern sensibilities. So, here are some of the best horror movies of the 21st century in reverse chronological order!

Note: We’ll be updating this list whenever another great horror movie comes up!

Another Note: What’re your favorite horror movies of the 21st century? Let us know in the comments!

Hereditary (2018)

What it’s about: After the death of her mother, Annie (Toni Collette), her husband Steve (Gabriel Byrne), and their kids (Alex Wolff and Milly Shapiro) begin to uncover sinister secrets about their family.

Why it’s great: Hereditary is without qualification the scariest movie I saw in theaters. It’s also a horror fan’s dream. It’s a puzzle that you have to solve and unlike a lot of slow burn horror movies, it gives you the clues, you just have to find them.

Hereditary is also patient in its scares—in addition to its story. The horror set pieces are long drawn out and some you don’t even notice until a second look. That’s what makes this a masterpiece. It replaces jump scares with truly frightening imagery and an unsettling atmosphere.

Everything from the score to the production design to the sound design drip with evil. And it also has a smoldering family drama underneath it all. Not to mention one of the great horror performances from Toni Collette. It’s also one of our favorite movies of 2018.

Where to stream it: Hereditary is available to stream on Prime Video! It’s also available to rent or buy.

Annihilation (2018)

What it’s about: After an anomalous area that becomes known as “The Shimmer” appears on the southern coast, the government sets up a facility to explore it. However, no team that has gone into “The Shimmer” has returned — until Kane (Oscar Isaac) emerges weak and near-death. His wife, biologist Lena (Natalie Portman), signs up for the latest expedition led by Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) to find answers. What she discovers is far more confounding than she’d ever imagined.

Why it’s great: In “The Shimmer,” the laws of nature don’t apply, leading to some stunning and terrifying sequences involving the living things enveloped by the area — you’ll never look at a bear the same way again. Director Alex Garland has a unique ability to get under your skin with the movie’s imagery, but the real beauty of Annihilation is what’s under the surface.

It’s a movie about humanity and our propensity for self-destruction. The movie has monsters, but the biggest monster is ourselves. With a chilling, impressionistic third act and a killer score by Ben Salisbury and Geoff Barrow, Annihilation ranks among my favorite movies of the decade.

Chloé Zhao makes Nomadland‘s melancholic but hopeful story of nomads traversing the American West a stunningly complex character study of life on the margins of society.

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Get Out (2017)

What it’s about: Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) goes to Upstate New York with his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) to meet her parents (Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener). However, though they are hospitable at first, their intentions are darker.

Why it’s great: Get Out is perhaps one of the best horror satires ever made. Perfectly balancing its intricate plot and social themes with well-mined tension and blistering dark comedy, Jordan Peele creates a heightened world not different from our own. And with his story, he makes a devilishly entertaining point about progressiveness.

Read our full review for Get Out here!

Don’t Breathe (2016)

What it’s about: Don’t Breathe follows three would-be teen home invaders (Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, and Daniel Zavatto) who break into a house of a blind man (Stephen Lang) thinking it would be an easy score. They were wrong.

Why it’s great: Don’t Breathe is a breathtaking exercise in narrative efficiency. Director Fede Alvarez shows instead of tells. He sets up the house where the would-be robbers meet their grizzly ends in a beautiful one-take that shows us the field of play. From there on, he practices some incredible patience, which is something not seen in horror movies today.

He holds shots and moments as long as he can to truly make you uncomfortable and there are some moments that are truly unbearable to keep watching. That’s what makes this one of the best horror movies in recent memory. Read my full review for here.

Train to Busan (2016)

The zombie genre has had its highs — we’ll be talking about the highest high a little later — and its countless lows. But surprisingly the 21st century has been kind to the genre with great entries like the remake Dawn of the Dead (2004) and Pontypool (2008). But a recent Korean movie has all the makings of a great zombie movie and then some.

Train to Busan doesn’t do much to add to the genre as a whole. It has all the characters that you’d expect in a zombie movie — precocious daughter, bad Dad, kickass supporting player — however, it throws them into a situation that we haven’t seen a zombie film take place in. Described as Snowpiercer with zombies is an oversimplification, but good enough description for the movie. Subtle class warfare and human nature are at the center of the movie’s themes and the zombie apocalypse is there to serve those themes. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t some interesting action set-pieces and genuine scares. Train to Busan is a good ol’ suspensful zombie movie with updated themes that give it a modern flair.

Read our full review for Train to Busan here!

Chloé Zhao makes Nomadland‘s melancholic but hopeful story of nomads traversing the American West a stunningly complex character study of life on the margins of society.

It Follows (2015)

No movie in recent memory — or on this list — has come as close to classic 70s horror as It Follows. Director David Robert Mitchell took the horror cliche that character who have sex are killed and expanded into an impressive set of rules and an intriguing central villain. Instead of going for jump scares, he uses tension to put his audience into a state of constant anxiety. The opening scene — which doesn’t show the eponymous “it” — simply uses the intriguing camera work and innovative score to set the movie’s eerie atmosphere that never truly relents. However, what really lands this movie on this list is its timelessness. Mitchell created a piece that doesn’t exist in a specific time or place. The very best horror movies do that same, which is why it’s one of the best horror movies of the century.

The Witch (2015)

The Witch is streaming on Netflix.

The Babadook (2015)

The Babadook is not only one of the best horror movies of the century, it’s also one of the most haunting and profound movies of about grief in recent memory. On the surface, The Babadook is a great ghost story with an adeptly built creepy atmosphere and a fantastic central performance by Essie Davis. However, when you start peeling back the layers, you find a story about guilt, motherhood, paranoia, and most importantly, grief. Writer/director Jennifer Kent keeps the story lean and moving, but doesn’t skimp on character development and uses small moments — a coworker asking Amelia on a date, Sam caressing his Mother’s face — to give the audience enough to know the state of the characters without feeling heavy-handed. However, more importantly, this movie will scare you and give you nightmares for nights after you watch it

Unfriended (2015)

Found footage struggled to find its footing after the turn of the decade. Few were able to recreate the magic of the first few entries. However, I think the unjustly overlooked Unfriended uses the genre for all it’s worth. Unfriended would be an average horror movie at best without its intriguing “found footage” concept. Its general conceit is a slasher revenge film, all the way down to the characters involved. That being said, the concept of the entire film taking place on a laptop screen brings it above and beyond what many horror movies have been doing in recent years. It builds tension opposed to just going for constant cheap jump scares, and it even unsettles you from something in your everyday life.

Read our full review for Unfriended here!

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

“Leave me to do my dark bidding on the internet.”

Horror is hard to pull off. Comedy is hard to pull off. Horror comedy is almost impossible to pull off. However, when it works, it really works. This century has seen some of the best horror comedies from Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead (2004) to the best use of Bill Murray in a film Zombieland (2009). However, no horror comedy quite reaches the heights of Taika Waititi’s What We Do in the Shadows.

What Waititi was able to do with What We Do in the Shadows is build a world that is as quirky as the characters it follows. It’s easy to see a comedy about four centuries old vampire roommates going off the rails. But by playing into and then making fun of genre conceits — hypnotizing victims, a vendetta against werewolves — he creates a hilarious and nostalgic tribute to the monster movie genre. More importantly, it’s simply one of the funniest horror comedies you’ll see.

The Cabin in the Woods (2012)

Five friends go to an isolated cabin in the woods and are tormented by [insert movie monster here]. Basically, I’ve just described every horror movie from the 80s to the 2000s. That’s what Joss Whedon was both emulating and satirizing with his brilliant The Cabin in the Woods. While the set-up of the movie is one we’ve seen before, this is not your typical horror movie. Whedon simultaneously pays homage to the genre and criticizes its direction by playing into the tropes — the old man warning the characters of their impending doom, the creepy cellar, the stereotypical roles — then completely destroying its effectiveness. The final result is hilarious, terrifying, and downright entertaining.

Check out our post celebrating the 5th anniversary of The Cabin in the Woods!

The Conjuring (2012)

The reason The Conjuring was as lauded and revered as it is is because it came at almost the perfect time in the history of horror movies. The 2000s saw the genre take a turn for the worst with copy after copy of slasher films. So, when an original movie about paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren was announced, there was a huge excitement around it. However, no one expected the terrifying movie experience that followed. James Wan used good old fashioned horror movie directing — as evidenced by the terrific hide and clap sequence, which I broke down here — to create incredible set pieces that built up to its chilling finale. However, what makes it one of the best horror movies is that it kicked off a new golden age for horror.

You’re Next (2011)

You’ll notice that almost all the movies on this list have little to no gore in them. That’s because I don’t think gore makes effective horror. Plus, most gory horror movie are uninspired and just copies of the rest. While there are a few that make the most of the “torture porn” like Saw (2004), one rises above the rest.

However, the grisly and gory You’re Next makes this list because it’s aware of what kind of movie it is and uses that to its advantage. Simply put, You’re Next is a B-movie that knows it’s a B-movie. The dark comedy brought on by the perennially morbid characters mixed up with the bumbling antagonists make the movie more ridiculous than the premise sounds — it’s pretty much a gorier version of And Then There Were None. And that’s one of the virtues of the movie. It takes the home invasion premise and turns it on its head making it part soap opera, part parody, and a genre enthusiasts dream.

Trick r’ Treat (2007)

For some reason, crafting a horror movie around Halloween is a task that few filmmakers have been able to do. John Carpenter’s original Halloween is perhaps the only exception — unless you count Hocus Pocus as a horror movie. Then comes along the little film Trick r’ Treat directed by Dougherty. This anthology film is split into six distinct stories that take place in the same town on Halloween. However, the reason it’s one of the best horror movies of the century is its ability to make you feel nostalgic for the holiday. With good old fashioned scares and a storytelling style that makes it feel like you’re sitting around a campfire listening to ghost stories, Trick r’ Treat was able to turn itself into necessary Halloween viewing.

The Mist (2007)

My one condition for The Mist being on this list is that it must be watched in black and white (it’s available here). When you watch the monochromatic version — the preferred one of director Frank Darabont — The Mist unfolds as an extended Twilight Zone episode before turning into an homage to the creature features of the 50s. However, what makes this one of the best horror movies of the century is its focus on the characters and their reactions to the apocalyptic event. If anything, the scariest part of the movie isn’t the monsters outside, but the human inside. Human nature can be a terrifying thing when it’s done right and The Mist certainly gets it right.

[REC] (2007)

Found footage is a hard filmmaking style to apply to the horror genre, which means that it rarely works. However, a few gems were able to rise above the rest like Paranormal Activity (2007) and Unfriended (2015). Still, there is one clear high for the genre from this century.

I’m coupling 2007 Spanish film [REC] and the 2008 English-language remake Quarantine together since the latter is essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the former. Found footage is hard to pull off. In terms of horror, only one movie was able to effectively use the genre to its full potential — The Blair Witch Project. However, [REC] finally took the concept of found footage and unlocked it for everything it is worth. By setting the film in the claustrophobic setting of an apartment complex, Jaume Balagueró and Paco Plaza were able to create a slow-building but completely terrifying dip into a Hell on Earth like none committed to film. What makes the movie so effective is its sense of space. It uses the spiraling staircase, dark corners, and winding passages to set you on edge and disorient you while the characters on screen fight for their lives. Then, we’re treated to one of the most chilling and horrifying endings to a horror movie.

Funny Games (2007)

Funny Games is available to buy and rent on Prime Video.

The Descent (2005)

What it’s about: Six adventurous women go spelunking in an uncharted cave where they fight the elements, each other, and for survival.

Why you should watch it: With its claustrophobic setting, dark cinematography, and tension-filled set pieces, Alien is indisputably one of the best monster movies ever made. Almost no movie has been able to fill the massive gap left by it, even sequels to the series. That’s why Neil Marshall’s 2005 The Descent is one of the best horror movies of the 21st century. Instead of a spaceship, The Descent takes place in a winding cave that never seems to end and has never seen light.

Instead of an alien, there are subterranean humanoids tormenting the group of spelunkers. The amount of screentime the monsters are given, like Alien, is minimal, which only adds to the dread when they show up. However, in true horror fashion, the scariest moments are the ones when they aren’t on screen. Lurking around the next bend, perhaps.

Where to stream it: The Descent is available to stream on HBO! It’s also available to rent or buy on Amazon.

28 Days Later (2002)

While Danny Boyle might be more widely known for 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire, most cinephiles will know him as the man who brought us one of the best zombie movies of all time with 28 Days Later. What makes the movie so effective (other than the fact that this is the first time that zombies could run faster than a pathetic gallop) is its sense of desolation and desperation. The first ten minutes after the cold open are perhaps some of the best filmmaking of the early 2000s. The composition of the shots aren’t just beautiful, but they remind us just how alone Jim (Cillian Murphy) is in his hospital scrubs and his lonely plastic bag. However, when he finally encounters Selena (Naomi Harris) it turns into a movie about humanity and inhumanity in the face of destruction.

The Ring (2002)

“7 days.”

This is a phrase that haunted my early adolescent years when I watched The Ring — probably way earlier than I should have. However, that fear wasn’t just my young self scared of the killer videotape at the center of the movie. The Ring is one of the most effective horror movies of the early 2000s, which was right when gore was being mistaken for horror. Instead, The Ring — with almost no gore at all — uses disturbing imagery and smart, well-executed horror set pieces to give viewers a sense of dread. Interestingly, the movie has little score, which has quickly become one of the essential horror movie staples. Instead, the movie sets up its shots in a way that make you fear what’s lurking behind the camera or around the corner or in your television.

Final Destination (2000)

Final Destination is available to buy or rent on Prime Video.

April 4, 2017
HBO Max: 10 Great Movies Now Streaming (July 2020)
Here is a running list of some of the best movies streaming on HBO Max this month!

From HBO originals to the DCEU to the Studio Ghibli back catalogue, HBO Max is a film geek’s haven. Here are some of the best movies streaming this month.

Ad Astra (2019)

Here’s what it’s about: Astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt) goes on a cross-solar system mission in search of his missing father (Tommy Lee Jones) to prevent the destruction of the planet.

Why you should watch it: Although its premise sounds like an action-packed sci-fi epic, Ad Astra is more of an internal journey. Director James Gray uses space travel—and all its dangers and unknowns—as a kind of therapy for Pitt’s character. As he explores space, he also explores his own morality and inner traumas.

Alien (1979)

What it’s about: Commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. However, after an encounter with a mysterious alien egg, they find themselves fighting for survival aboard their ship.

Why you should watch it: A masterclass in horror and suspense, Alien remains one of the best science fiction and horror movies ever made. In addition to its lived-in vision of space travel, director Ridley Scott created a cast of iconic characters led by Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley. She is still one of cinema’s great heroes.

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Blood Simple (1984)

Here’s what it’s about: Marty (Dan Hedaya) suspects his wife Abby (Frances McDormand) and his employee Ray (John Getz) are having an affair arranges to have them killed. However, after a series of misunderstandings chaos ensues.

Why you should watch it: The directorial debut of lauded director duo The Coen Brothers, Blood Simple is simply one of the best first features ever made. A western neo-noir filled with suspense and the Coens’ famous dark humor, its tight plotting and rhythmic pacing make it an entertaining breeze of a watch.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Here’s what it’s about: Based on a true story. Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio) is just 19, but has already been a Pan-Am pilot, doctor, and attorney. He’s also the world’s greatest con man. But FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks) is on his trail.

Why you should watch it: The directorial debut of lauded director duo The Coen Brothers, Blood Simple is simply one of the best first features ever made. A western neo-noir filled with suspense and the Coens’ famous dark humor, its tight plotting and rhythmic pacing make it an entertaining breeze of a watch.

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Here’s what it’s about: On her 13th birthday, young witch Kiki ventures out to find a town to complete her training. However, when she settles on a town, she learns that fitting in isn’t as easy as it seems.

Why you should watch it: Kiki’s Delivery Service is quintessential Hayao Miyazaki. He hides complex coming-of-age themes in a fantastical, entertaining, and heartwarming narrative that uses its lack of stakes and adversity as a point of strength and hope.

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The Nice Guys (2016)

Here’s what it’s about: A down-on-his-luck private eye Holland March (Ryan Gosling) is hired to investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles. Along the way, he crosses paths with muscle-for-hire Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe). Together, they uncover a deeper conspiracy that takes them through the LA criminal underbelly.

Why you should watch it: Director and writer Shane Black has a very specific sense of humor. It’s sharp, a little bit dark, a little bit silly, but it always catches you off guard. The banter between Gosling’s March and Crowe’s Healy is already reason enough to watch it. It’s the classic odd couple dynamic that’s amplified by both actors’ performances. Gosling, in particular, is a riot as a bumbling alcoholic that can never seem to catch a break. Plus, no other actor can scream or fall as hilariously as Gosling.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

What it’s about: Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly) and his best friend Cosmo (Donald O’Connor) are struggling through the transition from silent films to talkies in Hollywood. Especially since his on-screen co-star Lina (Jean Hagen) has a shrill voice. With the help of Kathy (Debbie Reynolds), they make movie magic.

Why you should watch it: Watching Singin’ in the Rain is like the feeling of a warm embrace of a memory—even if you never watched it before. Filled with bright and brassy musical numbers, hilariously memorable characters, and a Hollywood ending like no other, it’s easily one of the most delightful movies ever made.

Unfriended (2015)

Here’s what it’s about: Six friends gather for a video call on the anniversary of a classmate’s suicide. When they receive a message from her from the grave, a sinister game begins.

Why you should watch it: Unfriended is a movie I believe we’ll look back on and see an underrated horror classic. Taking the classic slasher format and giving it a modern update by making the setting a skype conversation on a laptop screen, it gives us the spooks and scares we crave by turning our mundane everyday lives into a horror movie. [Full review]

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More movies, less problems
Hey! I’m Karl. You can find me on Twitter and Letterboxd. I’m also a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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July 8, 2020
Best Sci-Fi Movies of the Decade (and where to stream them)

From the post-apocalyptic to the not-so-distant future, here are the ten best sci-fi movies of the decade (so far)!

Sci-fi is one of the most interesting and innovative genres because it poses a specific challenge. How do you show tomorrow while commenting on today? At least, that’s what good sci-fi tries to do. Look at Alien and its sexual politics or Children of Men and its now eerily commentary on xenophobia. Though they’re both formally wildly different, they both challenge certain pitfalls of our society by adding or subtracting an element — adding the Alien and subtracting children.

However, in my opinion, we’ve tapped into a new potential for the genre. We have the ability to go places where we never thought we could go before — the tesseract in Interstellar or the wasteland in Mad Max: Fury Road. That’s why I thought it’d be the perfect time to countdown the best sci-fi movies of the decade.

For this list, I decided to mainly look at the sci-fi elements of the movie and how they affect into the narrative as a whole. So, just because it’s a great action movie, doesn’t mean it’s one of the best sci-fi movies. The other parameter I looked at was how its vision of tomorrow supported its commentary of today. Whether that’s thematically or technically. Here are the best sci-fi movies of the decade (so far)!

Coherence (2013)

What it’s about: Coherence follows a group of friends at a dinner party on the night a mysterious comet passes overhead. As the night goes on, increasingly unsettling and mind-bending events occur.

Why it’s great: Though the twists and turns in Coherence may pale in comparison to the big budgets of some of the other movies on this list, its virtue is its minimalism. It’s a small movie with big concepts. And it keeps itself grounded despite that.

Playing on the classic Twilight Zone episode “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street,” Coherence is as much about the mistrust and paranoia as it is about the mysterious cosmic event at its center. Boiled down, it’s a social experiment that is entertaining to watch, but you’d never want to be a part of.

Where to stream Coherence: Coherence is available to stream on Prime Video, Hulu, or Shudder.

Gravity (2013)

What it’s about: While circling above Earth doing a spacewalk, Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) and veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (George Clooney) become untethered after the debris from a destroyed satellite strikes destroys their shuttle. Now freely floating through space, the pair must do whatever they can to survive and somehow get home.

Why it’s great: By the time the nearly 17-minute one-shot opening sequence of Gravity concludes, you barely have time to breathe again before the next thrill begins.

However, that’s not what makes it one of the best sci-fi movies of the decade. It’s almost impossible to describe the movie without using the word groundbreaking. That’s because Alfonso Cuarón gave us one of the most immersive trips into space to date.

Even though it is narratively simple, the pure craft involved is enough to elevate the movie. We’ve seen man survive at sea and on a desert island. It’s about time we saw a woman have a chance to show her strength.

Where to stream Gravity: Gravity is available to stream on IndieFlix. It is also available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Snowpiercer (2013)

What it’s about: After a failed global-warming experiment kills off most life on the planet, an ever running train called “Snowpiercer” houses a mini-society that still has rich and poor — overseen by the second-in-command Mason (Tilda Swinton). However, an uprising is coming led by Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, and John Hurt.

Why it’s great: Sure. Maybe a constantly moving bullet train around the world isn’t the most efficient form of preservation during a post-apocalyptic ice age. But that element of Bong Joon Ho’s Snowpiercer is simply the catalyst for the class struggle at the center of the film.

The mythic title train provides the perfect setting for the assault on the class system that suppresses those at the back of the train. However, the real standout is the whimsical and nearly surreal world that the movie takes place in. It’s the type of place where you’d want to adventure again.

Where to stream Snowpiercer: Snowpiercer is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

6. Her (2013)

The relationship between man and artificial intelligence has always been a point of interest in sci-fi. And while 2001: A Space Odyssey pretty much reached the pinnacle of the discussion of the subject, Spike Jones revived it with his humanist take on AI. What if AI existed? And what if we fell in love with it? Jones’ vision of the future almost feels too close for comfort. Her is as much a tender love story as it is a meditation on the not so distant future. It’s the delicate balance act of those two genres that make it one of the best sci-fi movies of the decade.

Watch Her: Amazon | iTunes

5. Ex Machina (2015)

While Her studies artificial intelligence from the perspective of the heart, Ex Machina tackles it from the brain. If man plays god, what does its creation think of itself? Of its creator? Those are the questions at the center of Ex Machina. At a high-level perspective, it’s a modern take on Shelley’s Frankenstein However, this time, the monster is more machine. The movie keeps its card close to its chest unfolding like a three-person play. However, digging deeper proves fruitful because the themes don’t just stop at man versus machine. It’s subtle in almost every way. That’s what makes it so brilliant.

Watch Ex Machina: Amazon | iTunes

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Creating a follow-up to a film as technically dazzling and thematically rich as Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic Blade Runner seemed like a fool’s errand. That is until Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) stepped into the director’s chair. What makes the film one of the best sci-fi movies of the decade is it continued to explore the themes of humanity, while also delving into new directions, most interestingly involving Ryan Gosling‘s K. Though it has a nearly 3-hour running time, it’s endlessly engrossing as its mysterious plot reveals itself. What differentiates it from the original, though, is it has a strong emotional center that catches you off guard and brings warmth to an otherwise cold world.

Arrival (2016)

Jodie Foster’s character in Contact is a woman who knew she were good enough to do the job, but gender politics said she wasn’t. On the other side of the spectrum, Amy Adams’ linguist character in Arrival is a woman who feels in over her head, but is given the power she needs to succeed. It’s a subtle contrast for two movies that have a lot in common. But what pushes Arrival into the pantheon of great sci-fi movies is its scale juxtaposed against its own sentimentality. It’s an alien invasion drama that we’ve never seen before. Still, one of its most groundbreaking elements are the humanist ones. When faced with a common enemy, will we corporate with each other or close off? Is language what bonds us together or tear us apart? At the surface, those are the questions. But then, when you go deeper, they become even more existential. I won’t spoil those for you. Arrival is a movie that begs to be discovered — emotionally, scientifically, cinematically. And still, it never fully reveals itself all at once. Its mystery is its greatest asset. And Denis Villeneuve guards it with everything he’s got.

Where to stream Arrival: Now streaming on Prime Video or Hulu. It is also available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Why it’s great: When thinking about the top spot on this list, I really had to consider my guidelines. While I think the insane post-apocalyptic steampunk future that is Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best movies of all time, I think its sci-fi elements are overshadowed by George Miller’s incredible action scenes and unforgettable filmmaking. That’s not to take away from the world that Miller created. It’s one of the greatest practices of world-building since Star Wars first blasted onto our screens.

His incredible attention to detail in all departments brought the world to life and immersed us from the first epic beats of Junkie XL’s iconic score. And though the world included souped up oil tankers and radiation infected war boys, it still felt like a future familiar to us.

Whether it’s the fact that the cars all used scraps you might find in a post-apocalyptic future or because thematically it’s actually more relevant than ever, Mad Max: Fury Road is just one of those movies you give yourself into.

Where to stream Mad Max: Fury Road: Now streaming on TNT or TBS with cable login. It is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Interstellar (2013)

What it’s about: In the not-so-distant future, Earth is on its final legs as widespread famine and drought threaten the human race. After a mysterious wormhole appears in the far reaches of the solar system, a group of explorers (Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Wes Bentley, David Gyasi) must evaluate potential new homes for the planet.

Why it’s great: Just when you thought Inception was going to be Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi magnum opus, along comes Interstellar. Upon first viewing, it may seem like it buckles under the weight of its ambition. However, when you take a close look, the brilliance of its plot reveals itself.

The world is falling apart. So, as always, we look to the stars. It’s a simple enough premise. However, the concepts that Nolan explores are not only complex — they’re astrophysics, after all — but accurate. It’s an epic in every sense of the word. It’s a space adventure with a keen sense of its characters, their motivations, and an idea of what it would be like to be put into their position.

“It’s as grand as it is introspective and as grounded as it is existential,” as I said in my review. Nolan doesn’t water down the science as Gravity does. Instead, he embraces it. It’s something shockingly rare in the genre today.

Interstellar is something we’ve never seen before and presented in a way that fully takes advantage of everything filmmaking has to offer. However, it doesn’t forget that we exist. That at the center of great sci-fi is humans. That’s what makes it the best sci-fi movie of the decade.

Where to stream Interstellar: Now streaming on FX Plus. It is available to buy or rent on Prime Video.

June 27, 2017
The 10 Best Movies of 2017

This year has been one of the best movie years in recent memories with films that pushed the boundaries of filmmaking. Here are the best movies of 2017!

2017 is a year that started strong and ended even stronger, which is refreshing considering the end of the year always has an influx of awards-friendly prestige movies. But what is even more refreshing is the variety of movies this year that were successful commercially and critically. Horror had a huge year, as did comedy. Action made a comeback and romance became original again. But these genres don’t totally cover the movies on this list. If movies in 2017 could be summed up, you could say it was a genre-bending year. More and more movies have escaped classification, which is the right direction for the industry. However, more importantly. It seems that movies that had something real to say about our current political and societal moment are being seen.

The more movies that stray away from the typical movie formula and become successful, the more original movies we will start seeing. This list, I believe, is a testament to those new original directions and voices. Here are what I consider the best movies of 2017.

Note: See every 2017 movie I watched ranked on Letterboxd!

Brigsby Bear

When I heard that Saturday Night Live’s Kyle Mooney — one of my favorite repertory players — was co-writing and starring in a movie I was expecting something hilarious, awkward, and downright weird. Brigsby Bear was all those things, but what surprised me is that it had a surprising amount of heart. Mooney brings his usual endearingly awkward persona to his character, but the story makes it both charming and a bit devastating. It’s actually a rational exploration of trauma and how we deal with it. That doesn’t stop it from being a hilarious “fish out of water” comedy with the sensibilities as Mooney’s sketches on SNL. Still, its weird exterior is just a way to take the audience off guard and hit them with the kind of warmth and hope we need today.

Brigsby Bear is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Get Out

2017 was a great year for first-time filmmakers. However, no first film quite made an impact as large as Jordan Peele’s Get Out. Not only did it make an impact critically and commercially, it sparked a national conversation about race while also being eminently entertaining. It has the sharp wit that Peele has become known for along with his collaborator Keegan Michael Key (who didn’t work on him for this film) that drive big laughs, but also a really smart take on racism, particular that of the liberal elites. However, what makes Get Out one of the best movies of 2017 is the incredible attention to detail. It’s the type of movie that is more rewarding on multiple viewings. Every line and image serves a purpose in the grand scheme of the movie. Not only that, it makes a star out of Daniel Kaluuya. To which, I say, it’s about time.

Get Out is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

The Florida Project

Director Sean Baker specializes in making films about people on the fringes of society. In The Florida Project, he tells a story about the invisible homeless on the outskirts of the family resorts of Orlando. But what makes this movie truly great and one of the best movies of 2017 is that he tells it firmly in a child’s perspective. To the protagonist Moonee (Brooklynn Prince), everything is magical. However, she doesn’t understand that some of the things her young mother Halley (Bria Vinaite) are less than normal and sometimes even illegal. But Baker never judges his characters. He has sympathy for their experiences, much like Willem Dafoe‘s character, who manages the hotel where Moonee and Halley live. In the end, audiences will view it with the same childlike wonder that Moonee has. It’s heartfelt, a bit dark, but also a delight to watch.

The Florida Project is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Phantom Thread

To say that Paul Thomas Anderson created a romantic comedy with Phantom Thread might be overreaching, but he came close. In what is apparently his last performance, Daniel Day-Lewis continues his streak of playing complicated and difficult men. However, this time he has a complicated woman (Vicky Krieps) to go up against. And that battle of the Titans is one of the most thrilling relationships to see play out on screen. Reynolds Woodcock is a character for the ages and is certainly fitting to be Day-Lewis’ march into movie history, but more importantly, we have been introduced to an exciting new star in the making in Vicky Krieps. While this is a movie about a tortured artist, it’s also very much about the women — the other being his sister Cyril (Lesley Manville) behind that tortured artist who have to find new ways to both support him and keep him grounded. Phantom Thread is a meditation on marriage. And if I was Maya Rudolph, Anderson’s wife, then I might be a bit worried.

Blade Runner 2049

Creating a follow-up to a film as technically dazzling and thematically rich as Ridley Scott’s 1982 classic Blade Runner seemed like a fool’s errand. That is until Denis Villeneuve (Arrival) stepped into the director’s chair. Along with Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch, who composed the score, and Roger Deakins, who shot the film, Villeneuve created one of the dazzling worlds seen on film this year. Splashed with neon tones that contrast to the industrial infrastructure that has befallen Earth, Blade Runner 2049 is a visual feast. But what made the film one of the best movies of 2017 is it continued to explore the themes of humanity, while also delving into new directions, most interestingly involving Ryan Gosling‘s K. Though it has a nearly 3-hour running time, it’s endlessly engrossing as its mysterious plot reveals itself. What differentiates it from the original, though, is it has a strong emotional center that catches you off guard and brings warmth to an otherwise cold world.

Blade Runner 2049 is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Next Page: The Top Five

My top five favorite movies of the year are an eclectic group of films that I believe balanced beautiful filmmaking with profound storytelling. These filmmakers have certainly earned their place as the best movies of 2017!

Columbus

What made Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy such an amazing achievement is its ability to make conversation so compelling. The same could be said for Kogonada’s film debut Columbus. Although this conversation isn’t as contained as Jess and Celine’s in terms of time, Casey (Haley Lu Richardson, who gives one of the best performances of the year) and Jin (John Cho) help each other come to terms with their pasts and plan for the future. All of this happens in the shadow of the modern architecture of Columbus, Indiana, which is captured beautifully by Elisha Christian. However, what makes this film great and one of the best movies of 2017 is that Columbus is the third lead of this film. Its existence is a juxtaposition much like Casey and Jin are to each other, and it’s exactly what they need.

Columbus is available on Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Personal Shopper

I’ve tried to describe Personal Shopper to people and it always comes out sounding like an overzealous student film. But masterful director Olivier Assayas takes the seemingly disparate elements and competing genres to create a profound meditation on grief — with a detour towards the supernatural. The ghostly elements of the film are legitimately terrifying mostly because there is so much mystery behind them. Assayas doesn’t give audiences the answers, which makes the film into a puzzle that we have to solve. And that’s thrilling enough, but he then instills Hitchcockian tension that turns it into a psychological thriller. While all these genre elements are happening, Maureen, played by a masterful Kristen Stewart, has to come to terms with her own mortality and her grief. It’s an emotional powerhouse of a movie disguised as a psychological thriller, which makes it one of the best movies of 2017.

Personal Shopper is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Lady Bird

The same way movies like Clueless and Never Been Kissed so accurately portrayed the painful awkwardness of growing up in the 90s, Lady Bird is almost a near perfect coming-of-age dramedy about adolescence in the post-9/11 era. Though the movie is based on writer and director Greta Gerwig‘s teenage years growing up in Sacramento, California, Christine “Lady Bird” McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is the kind of character that nearly anyone can see themselves in. In particular, she’s a teen that is trying out different versions of herself, and Gerwig captures that in a quick-paced, hilarious romp that hits emotional beats that will make you want to give your parents a call and tell them that you love them. Lady Bird reminds us that even though we may see ourselves as the star of our own story, we may be a supporting character in someone else’s.

Lady Bird is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Dunkirk

No studio filmmaker is pushing the boundaries of cinema quite like Christopher Nolan. But he may have launched us into a new frontier with his World War II movie Dunkirk. I so often use the word epic when describing Nolan’s films. Interstellar was a nearly 3-hour journey through space and time. Epic is really the only word you can use to describe it. However, Dunkirk is almost the antithesis of that. It deconstructs the war movie and only leaves the action, which makes it an unrelenting and tense experience that makes a fantastic argument as to why movies have to be seen in the theater. With the sweeping cinematography by Hoyte Van Hoytema and dissonant score by Hans Zimmer, Nolan was able to achieve full immersion into the world. By the end, you’ll feel like you went through war. It’s a cinematic experience of the highest caliber. Read by

Dunkirk is available on Blu-Ray and Digital HD on Amazon ➤

Call Me By Your Name

For all the movies giving commentary on our current political moment, commenting on the injustices of our society, or simply bringing stories forward that are no often told, the one that stands out and tops this list as the best movie of 2017 is largely unpolitical. Call Me By Your Name is at its heart a romance. Specifically, a first love. And it captures that feeling brilliantly under the direction of Luca Guadagnino who, along with cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, present the movie with the feeling of a fleeting summer’s glow. And like Moonlight, my number one film last year, Call Me By Your Name recalls feelings that nearly everyone has felt — love, hate, jealousy, fear, hope, helplessness — without doing much to force those feelings on you. Movies are emotionally manipulative. However, the best movies are the ones that are getting you to feel something without you even noticing. And Call Me By Your Name achieves this flawlessly.

James Ivory’s screenplay and Guadagnino’s sensitive direction gave the cast the room to play with their characters, which gives every conversation an authentic quality. But, much credit must be given to the cast. Michael Stuhlbarg‘s intellectual father character is bubbling with excitement over the prospect of discovered artifacts or sparring over the origin of words. But by the time we get to his closing speech, we understand that his character is more sensitive than we’re initially led to believe and the love for his son knows no bounds. With the enigmatic Oliver, Armie Hammer constantly keeps us guessing about his motives, his thoughts, and his feelings. However, at the center of it all is Timothée Chalamet. He’s effortless in his portrayal of youthful energy, but when the emotions that come with the exploration of sexuality hit him, it’s like a floodgate is opened.

Call Me By Your Name is the rare film where really nothing is happening on screen, yet everything is at the same time. It’s beautiful and bold and sexy and sensitive. It’s a film about love that is impossible not to love.

Honorable Mentions

Looking back, it has been an incredible year for movies. So, parring this list down to a top ten was nearly impossible, and I’m still not completely confident in my rankings or inclusions. Although, that’s just a testament to the quality of films this year. So before I get to the “best movies” — if there’s really such a thing in this crop — I want to take a moment to highlight some of the high points of cinema this year.

It’s safe to say that this year included some of the most original and best superheroes movies in the past few year. Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman, in addition to being the highest-grossing film to be directed by a woman, did something that no film in the DC universe of films has done. Be good. Not only that, though, the film has some of the best action scenes of the year and a strong heart at its center with Gal Gadot. Marvel also had a great year with Spider-Man: Homecoming and Thor: Ragnarok, both of which felt like departures from the usual Marvel formula with the former being a John Hughes-inspired high school movie and the latter being a broad comedy.

However, action also had other great entries. In particular, David Leitch (co-director of John Wick) brought us one of the greatest female action heroes with Atomic Blonde. Even though the Cold War plot gets convoluted, it boasts the single best action scene even made with the now famous stairwell scene.

There were two fantastic ghost stories this year. One of them made this list, the other, A Ghost Story, just missed out. However, its melancholic journey through time is beautifully captured in a way that feels wholly unique. Another ghostly film with a more family-friendly approach also proved to be one of the emotionally satisfying experiences of the year. Pixar hits it out of the park again with Coco, an entertaining, funny, and sentimental take on processing loss.

Two real-life stories also made a strong impression this year. The first was one of the most surprising revelations of the year. Stronger on the surface looked like another “based on a true story” movie about a man overcoming incredible odds. But with sensational performances by Jake Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany and a smart directorial style, it turns into a real story of triumph in the face of adversity. The other, The Big Sick, tells a story that seems too crazy to be true. But Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon adapted their real-life love story with enough of a witty realistic punch to make it a charming reinvention of the romantic comedy genre.

Lastly, the film that just barely misses out on my top ten best movies of the year is Bong Joon-Ho’s Okja. More than any film this year, it takes creative swings that test both genre and filmmaking conventions and ends up being a sweet and profound tale of friendship and without a doubt the best original Netflix film to date.

December 21, 2017
8 Best Romance Movies of the Decade

From the moments that make us swoon to the ones that break our hearts, here are the best romance movies of the decade (so far)!

With Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s time to cuddle up with your significant other or your best Valentine’s day friends and binge romantic movies. However, these aren’t your typical romantic comedies. These romances talk about the highs and lows of relationships in a way that your typical rom-com wouldn’t.

So, here are the 8 best romance movies of the decade (so far)!

Beginners (2010)

“You point, I’ll drive.” It’s a moment that feels ripped out of the indie romance playbook. However, in just a few scenes, Mike Mills makes the moment feel like the most important interaction in Oliver’s (Ewan McGregor) life. Stylish without being unsentimental, Beginners is a beautiful look at love at the beginning and end of life. However, more than a romance, what Beginners is really about is how the people in our lives and the people in their lives and the people in their lives affect who we are and what we become. Luckily for us, it’s filled with touching moments, clever banter, and all the things that make us swoon about romances. Rent Beginners on Amazon >>>

Brooklyn (2015)

The book that John Crowley’s 1950s romance is based on is a cold look at homesickness. Essentially, all the romantic potential of the plot is sucked out. However, the movie adaptation grabs all the potential (and more) and spins it into a whirling cross-continental love story. While Ellis (Saoirse Ronan) isn’t exactly the love-stricken, romantic protagonist we hope for in a movie, Tony (Emory Cohen) certainly is. And his baseball loving, Brooklyn-accented ways will charm you to no end. So, when Ellis has to make the trip back to Ireland, your heart breaks just a little with Tony’s. However, it is just a means for the couple to earn their ending — and quite an ending it is. Rent Brooklyn on Amazon >>>

Her (2013)

I realize that this is a love story between a man and a computer but stay with me here. Spike Jonze’s Her is possibly one of the best-written movies of the decade. Much of the genius comes from the long two-way conversations between Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and Sarah (Scarlet Johansson). It is an interesting look at what it exactly is to love. Without a body, there is no sexual attraction between the two. Their love comes from their complexities and how they compliment each other. If not for the relationship between the two, watch Her for one of the best voice-over performances in a movie by Johansson. Rent Her on Amazon >>>

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber have pretty much changed the course of the romance genre. While their two most famous movies — 500 Days of Summer and The Fault In Our Stars are drenched in some of the worst facets of the genre — overt cynicism, grand romantic moments, a plot soaked in irony — they make it work. John Green’s novel, which the movie is based on, captured the hearts and minds of the world by delivering a young adult novel that feels wholly grounded. But the adaptation adds something more to it. The irony and cynicism are there, but they feel natural with the characters of Augustus (Ansel Elgort) and Hazel (Shailene Woodley). Watch The Fault in Our Stars on Amazon >>>

La La Land (2016)

If you didn’t swoon over the romance between Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), then I don’t know where your heart went. Damien Chazelle’s love letter to Hollywood musicals has all the moments that you love. The clever banter, honeymoon stage montage, and a dance in the stars (literally). However, what lands La La Land on this list is its ability to tap into our generation’s stance on love. At what point does love for another person lose out to your dreams. It perfectly sums up the age of alienation we’re in. While parts could be heartbreaking, the heart-stopping musical numbers are more than enough to make up for it. Check out our full review of La La Land >>>

Like Crazy (2011)

Of all the movies on this list, Drake Doremus’ Like Crazy is probably the most overlooked and under appreciated. However, what the creators were able to make for a measly $250k is astonishing. While yes, pieces of the plot are improbable — I don’t think the American visa system works like that — it is a means for some pretty deep introspection on relationships, particularly long-distance. Anton Yelchin as Jacob and Felicity Huffman as Anna are astonishing in their portrayal as the young couple. It’s even more astonishing when you consider almost all the dialogue in the film was improvised. It makes for an experience like none other in a romantic movie. Their connection feels genuine. That’s all we can ask for in the genre. Rent Like Crazy on Amazon >>>

The Spectacular Now (2013)

I mentioned Scott Neustadter and Michal H. Webb earlier for The Fault in Our Stars. As I explained they’ve nailed this genre by embracing its worst elements. However, with The Spectacular Now, they subvert our expectations by serving an understated look at the senior year relationship between certified asshole Sutter (Miles Teller) and the sweet girl-next-door Aimee (Shailene Woodley). The great Robert Ebert put it best. “here is a lovely film about two high school seniors who look, speak and feel like real 18-year-old middle-American human beings. Do you have any idea how rare that is? They aren’t crippled by irony. They aren’t speeded up into cartoons. Their sex lives aren’t insulted by scenes that treat them cheaply […] What an affecting film this is.”

Weekend (2011)

Two characters, one set, and a weekend. That is the simple setting for Andrew Haigh’s near masterpiece Weekend. For years, Brokeback Mountain was the representative for gay romances. However, Weekend feels more timely. The premise is simple, Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) meet at a club and have an immediate connection. However, with just the weekend to decide whether they want to become something more, the movie breaks off into an epic two-person conversation about love, identity, and fear of the unknown. It’s romantic without being sentimental, realistic yet poetic, small but endlessly complex. It’s that movie that comes along once in a while that feels intimate, yet endlessly important.

January 27, 2017