Trigger Warnings: mentions of sexual assault and addiction
Whether it’s a cheesy romantic comedy or a thought-provoking psychological thriller, I adore movies. They serve as a way to escape real-life responsibilities and delve into a fictional world where nothing matters — at least for about two hours. In fact, I love movies so much that I watch a new one almost every night. Therefore, I think I have the right to call myself a cinephile, or someone who’s deeply fond of movies. After each film I watch, I rate it on Letterboxd and leave a review — that’s how serious I am about movies. So, as a self-proclaimed cinephile, here are my life-altering top five favorite movies.
(Movies are in ascending order.)
- ‘A Real Pain’
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Where to watch: Hulu
The Oscar-nominated film A Real Pain follows brothers Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) on their tour of Poland to honor their late grandmother. The two brothers are opposites: Benji is energetic and spontaneous, while David is more uptight. Their tour consists of many sites of the Holocaust, which affect the brothers deeply and lead them to examine their relationship as siblings. The film offers an excellent view of the differences between siblings and the resentment that underlies them.
- ‘Creep’
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Where to watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
Creep is undoubtedly one of the best found-footage horror films ever. The movie’s plot centers on Aaron, a filmmaker who takes a job after seeing an online advertisement. He travels to a remote cabin, where he finds his client, Josef (Mark Duplass). Josef explains that he will soon die of a brain tumor before the birth of his child, and he wishes to film a video diary for his unborn child. Josef immediately starts acting weird, making Aaron film him bathing. Over the course of the film, Josef puts Aaron in several uncomfortable situations, like scaring him with his wolf mask named Peachfuzz. The purpose of the film is to make the viewer uncomfortable, which it does very well. Creep is a masterpiece of a film. Simple yet horrifying and slightly romantic, making it iconic in the horror world.
- ‘The Visit’
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Where to watch: Peacock
Another found-footage horror film, The Visit, follows two siblings, Becca and Taylor, who visit their grandparents for the first time and decide to document the experience on a camcorder. As the days go by, Becca and Taylor begin to notice their grandparents’ strange behavior and wonder whether they’re really who they say they are, as shocking twists and turns unfold.
- ‘I Used to be Funny’
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Where to watch: Netflix
Comedian Rachel Sennott stars as Sam in the drama I Used to be Funny, a stand-up comedian in Toronto struggling with PTSD. The film follows Sam’s career as both a comedian and a nanny. Before she quit comedy, Sam was a nanny to a young girl named Brooke, who later went missing, setting the scene for the movie. The film explores Sam’s traumatic experience with Brooke’s dad, Cameron, and her now paused comedy career, hence the name I Used to be Funny. The film is not only brilliant and beautiful, but it also explores themes like sexual assault and addiction in a way that brings awareness to the audience.
- ‘Dinner in America’
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Where to watch: Tubi
My favorite film of all time, Dinner in America, is an ode to awkwardness and fangirls. The movie centers on Simon (Kyle Gallner), a delinquent punk rocker on the run from the cops, and Patty (Allison Janney), an awkward young girl obsessed with Simon’s band. The two unexpectedly cross paths when Simon hides in Patty’s house to escape the police, and they slowly begin their love story. Dinner in America is a beautiful coming-of-age film that explores teenage “cringiness” and the embarrassing yet sweet first loves.
These movies are what make cinema fun and interesting to me. They’re not just movies; they’re films that are thought-provoking and really make you analyze the movie. They linger in your mind even after the movie ends, and that’s what makes a movie good—especially to a cinephile.
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