As fate would have it, most of the movies in this segment are massively influential blockbusters. Here’s to hoping all of my weird indie picks don’t come in bunches as well.
31. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
They say you can’t run away from your problems, but a tenacious teen and his foster uncle decide to put this theory to the test in Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Before he directed Thor: Ragnarok or won an Oscar for Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi brought his unruly sense of humor to this outdoor adventure that takes place in his home country of New Zealand. Young Ricky and his guardian Hector (Sam Neill) make for one of the best odd couples in recent memory. Unpredictable and hilarious, but never losing track of its hard-hitting emotional themes, Hunt for the Wilderpeople is a movie worth getting lost in.
32. Inception (2010)
The general moviegoing audience was already well acquainted with director Christopher Nolan’s work within the realm of comic book movies, but it wasn’t until his revolutionary sci fi blockbuster Inception that the world recognized him as one of the best original filmmakers we have ever seen. Inception builds a heist movie around the concept of one person’s consciousness entering another’s while both parties are asleep. This dream-altering world serves as the perfect medium for Nolan’s seemingly-unlimited imagination, giving us the immersive, spectacle-filled experience that we now come to expect from the famed director. Its unrelenting pace and enthralling mystery will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.
*Bonus: Did you know Inception wasn’t a wholly original idea?
33. Interstellar (2014)
Space has been called the final frontier, and in Interstellar it may soon be the only frontier. Set in a near future when planet earth is quickly deteriorating, engineer Joseph Cooper (Matthew McConaughey) is called upon to take to the stars and find a new home for humanity. This is a massively ambitious film in every sense of the word, boasting grand visuals, tension-fueled set pieces, and a story that spans the galaxy as we know it and beyond. McConaughey brilliantly portrays the conflicted astronaut, constantly second-guessing his own decisions and trying desperately to do the right thing. Though not a perfect movie, Interstellar aims to go where no film has gone before, and in many respects, it succeeds.
34. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
You know it’s gonna be a feel-good movie when even the title makes you feel all warm inside, but It’s a Wonderful Life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. This movie takes us through the gauntlet of life, from young love, to big hopes and dreams, to the reality of the difficulty of our goals, eventually leading us to George Bailey’s (Jimmy Stewart) midlife crisis and the memorable third act. This is THE Jimmy Stewart role, putting the movie on his shoulders and elevating it from good to unforgettable. His genuine optimism and steadfastness make it all the more devastating when life finally deals him a blow from which he thinks he can’t recover. Though often regarded as a Christmas movie, this is a great flick to watch, anytime, anywhere, for anyone.
35. Jaws (1975)
Daaaa na. Daaaa na. Danadanadanadana. Just this short bit of music from Jaws is enough to give 70s and 80s kids goosebumps. Moviegoers were so drawn to the delightful frights of this beachside thriller that its success coined a new phrase: the blockbuster. Arguably the best example of tension-building ever found in movies, Jaws showed us that the fear of the unknown is greater than that of any underwater beast. The mystery of the shark attacks on Amity Island gives way to a surprisingly great political conflict between the local sheriff’s department and the town’s mayor, and the 2nd half transitions to an action-horror voyage as the men of the town try to stop the shark once and for all. Give this classic a go, but maybe wait until after beach season.
36. Jurassic Park (1993)
Standing in long line after long line, I’ve often wished that amusement parks were more exciting, and so did Dr. Hammond and the fictitious creators of Jurassic Park. Set on an island with real-live dinosaurs, created from ancient genetic material, Dr. Hammond recruits several experts, including paleontologists Alan Grant (Sam Neill) and Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern), to examine the validity of the park. The movie smartly spends nearly an hour fleshing out its premise, punctuated by Dr. Ian Malcolm’s famous line, “Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Then several of the dinosaurs break loose from their enclosures, giving us plenty of adventure, scares, and revolutionary CGI. This classic Spielburg feature may be nearly 30 years old, but its thrills are far from extinct.
37. Knives Out (2019)
Typically, the best part of a who-done-it mystery is finding out who committed the murder, but Knives Out breaks down that genre convention, showing you right off the bat how the victim died. Detective Benoit Blanc arrives on the scene, investigating the wealthy Thrombey family and their at-home nurse, Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas). We the audience feel an entirely different kind of tension as we wait for the guilty party to slip up and give themselves away. Led by an incredible ensemble cast and a witty, funny script, Knives Out is a murder mystery game changer.
38. Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)
If I was stuck on a desert island with 1 tv that produced no sound and 1 movie of my choosing, I would pick Kubo and the Two Strings. I’m not exaggerating when I say nearly every frame is a piece of art. Before writing this post, I considered taking a couple dozen screenshots from the movie, putting them to the right of that Will Smith “look at this” meme, and leaving it at that. It really did redefine what was possible with stop motion animation, but to limit its accomplishments to its visuals would be tragic. A sprawling epic that puts most live action fantasies to shame, we follow young Kubo, a talking monkey, and a beetle-man as they must stop a vengeful spirit that was inadvertently unleashed upon the world. Brimming with creativity and heart, this oft-overlooked masterpiece is a must-add to your watchlist.
39. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
From one stunning epic to another, Lawrence of Arabia tells the tale of the peculiar soldier T.E. Lawrence and his quest to find meaning as he leads British forces during World War I in the Middle East. Peter O’Toole gives us one of the greatest performances of all time as the titular Lawrence, a man that everyone agrees is brilliant but no one can understand, maybe not even Lawrence himself. The film boasts sweeping desert vistas as big as the story itself, but the film is much more interested in its characters than grandeur or action-heavy set pieces, and it’s all the better for it.
40. Franchise Spotlight: Harry Potter
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.” Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The story of the boy who lived has garnered worldwide acclaim and adoration, viewed as one of the most beloved book series ever, from start to finish. The key word there is “finish,” because way back in 2000, Warner Brothers Studio began adapting these books into movies without knowing how author JK Rowling would end her series. To me, that’s a scary prospect. So much would depend on those early casting decisions, and even then, I would have to be extremely flexible to accommodate for whatever story the source material would provide.
And accommodate they did. Through 3 director changes, multiple tone shifts, and numerous recastings, Warner Brothers pulled off the near-impossible and concluded their decade-long project with 8 movies, all of which work together, and each of which is considered to be at least good, if not spectacular.
These movies took my favorite elements from the book series (Hogwarts, feats of magic, my favorite characters, and the entire wizarding world) and brought them to life in a way that I didn’t think was possible. But what brings me true joy, what I can’t really get from the books, is to see 3 young people grow up before our very eyes, to really see the year-by-year progression of Harry, Ron, and Hermoine as they transition from children to adults. If you haven’t read the books, do that first, but after that, immerse yourself in these extraordinary and truly magical movies.
Watch Order: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
What did you think of Part 4? Let me know in the comments below! Part 5 coming at you tomorrow!
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