Over winter break, I spent a lot of time watching movies. My family and I are big movie fans, so we would come up with a movie to watch each night. My friend Amaya and I love going to movies or stumbling across good ones on streaming services. Here are my top four movies I watched over break!
My first favorite movie I watched over break was Erin Brokovich, starring Julia Roberts. Based on the true story of Erin Brockovich, a paralegal who unearthed a health crisis of the water of PG&E in Hinkley, California. The movie is incredible and hooks you in from the very beginning. Julia Roberts is phenomenal in her role. It’s a story about corruption, but also the power of people coming together. Erin had no prior legal experience, but she believed in the power of justice. It truly is an inspiring story and is a must-watch.
My next favorite film I watched was A Complete Unknown. This biopic follows the story of musician Bob Dylan, played by Timothee Chalamet, through his life. It starts at the beginning of his music career and ends at the turn of folk music to rock. The film’s set design and costumes are mesmerizing, completely immersing you in the 1960s. Chalamet’s performance impressed me—he sang Dylan’s songs much better than I expected. However, I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that it was Timothée Chalamet playing Bob Dylan, which was a bit distracting at times. That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the film and appreciated Chalamet’s commitment to the role.
My best friend and I randomly found this movie on Netflix, and we were completely captivated by its story. A remake of the 1981 film starring Brooke Shields, Endless Love follows Jade and David, two recent high school graduates who fall into an intense romance—one that Jade’s father strongly disapproves of. The plot is gripping, with elements of humor, romance, and even mystery. It’s the kind of movie that keeps you on your toes, making it an easy recommendation.
Another standout from break was The Pelican Brief, an action-packed thriller starring Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. Based on the book by John Grisham novel, this film covers corruption in the white house, and how it gets unearthed by a young law student named Darby Shaw (Roberts). Shaw writes a brief with her hypothesis of who committed the crime, which then leads to numerous other mysteries and causes her to be on the run. If you like action thriller movies this film is definitely for you, but do be warned there is a bit of violence.Â
These were my four favorite movies I watched over break and I do hope you give one of them a try! They all made me think afterward and some even influenced the music I watched for a while after. I’m still listening to Bob Dylan songs! If you’re looking for something to do I definitely recommend giving these movies a watch.