It’s difficult to compare movies across genres, and there are movies that have relevance to the history of the medium that just aren’t as enjoyable to watch now. With that said, these are some movies that I would generally recommend to people today. I’ve also mixed in a TV series or two. I’ve generally recommended things that I think are worth watching, not just enjoyable to watch. This list will be updated periodically as I change my mind and as I see more movies. There are many excellent movies that are not on the list.
The Incredibles (2004)
If forced to pick a favorite, this might be it. An allegory for middle-class America wrapped up in comic-book superheroism. An object lesson in irony. And so many quoteable one-liners! The only thing I might fault is that the animation will continue to age as computers and art advance.
If I wrote down everything I loved about this movie (and its quite good sequel), I suspect I would lose most of my audience. But here are just a few:
- Mr. Incredible (Bob) creates his own nemesis (Buddy), sparks his later crisis of identity through his inability to choose between heroism and his personal life, and is ultimately redeemed through his character growth (rather than insisting on doing everything alone, he overcomes the challenges he created with his family).
- Syndrome (Buddy) precipitates his own undoing (Mirage, the robot), through his obsession with recognition. The pride before the fall.
- There is a massive amount of ironic prescience in the movie: “He started monologuing!”; “Let me guess, it got smart enough to wonder why it was taking orders.”; and of course, “No capes!”
- In each of their ways, the Parr children struggle with being exceptional. Dash and Syndrome share almost identical lines - “When everyone’s special, then no one will be.”
- Bomb Voyage!
- The Underminer! “I am always beneath you, but nothing is beneath me!”
Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008)
The series definitely has its rough spots (a few noticeable animation loops and they were still finding their rhythm during the first 2-3 episodes), but this is hands-down my favorite series, and as valuable as any of the movies on this list. Phenomenal writing, and many things to think about. What’s the real cost of war? Are leaders called to sacrifice their own morality for the good of the people (a classic deontological/consequentialist conundrum)? Is there anywhere where cabbages will be safe?
Gandhi (1982)
This movie gives me hope. This movie is how I first learned about the historical person of Gandhi, and had an enormous effect on how I conceive of my life’s work and value. “There are many causes for which I would be willing to die, but there is no cause for which I would be willing to kill.”
Is it possible to change the world without acts of violence? I sure hope so. Maybe this wouldn’t be possible without the free press, global trade, and a kind of public moral authority. Maybe it’s not the way to solve challenges like global terrorism. But I’m good to keep trying to figure out how it can be.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse (2023)
Although the prequel, Into the Spider-verse, was excellent, this movie was phenomenal. Miles Morales comes into his own (it’s a coming of age story), fights his fate (it’s a sci-fi story), fights his past (it’s a super-hero story), and fights his friends (it’s a good story). Animation is used expressively in ways that photorealistic CGI has not been (I liked the augmented-reality-esque animation in Miss Marvel for similar reasons), and I love the way color and texture are used in the scenes with Gwen’s father. The movie is well-situated in its own cultural context, acknowledging the myriad of Spider-Man media that came before while also reacting against it. Even though there’s clearly going to be a third movie in the series, this movie feels like a complete arc in its own right, as Miles decides for himself who he’s going to be.
Interstellar (2014)
As I was walking into the movie, I told my friends I didn’t want to get too optimistic; hard sci-fi movies often have a surprising number of unnecessary technical inaccuracies, such as failing to visualize gravitational lensing in their stellar views near black holes. After a brief stint in the movie, I was willing to suspend my disbelief and trust the writers.
With that said, there are still all manner of problems with the movie, mostly in terms of things characters should have known or anticipated, but didn’t. The climax has also been controversial for viewers for whom “sufficiently advanced technology” is indistinguishable from “magic”. But this makes my list of recommended movies for its use of physical truths to drive allegorical discussions of the human condition. “Newton’s Third Law: The only way we’ve found of getting anywhere is to leave something behind.”
The Dark Knight (2008)
Can a hero sacrifice someone else for the greater good?
Groundhog Day (1993)
I’m a sucker for time travel (which is a great literary tool for exploring themes of regret, fate, mortality, and choice, but it’s easy to botch). Groundhog Day is a delightful mix of surprising applications of an unwanted superpower, low-brow slapstick, and profound examination of the human condition. Probably my favorite dialogue is when Rita says, “I could never love someone like you. You only love yourself.” And Phil replies, “That’s not true. I don’t even like myself.”
In the time-travel vein, I also like Next (2007), because it raises some implications (can time-travel solve NP-hard problems?) and uses some creative cinematography. If I didn’t have either of those on the list, I would probably include Tenet (2020).
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
This movie is odd. I did not like it the first time I saw it, and I didn’t like it the second time I saw it. The third time I saw it (somewhat older, and having heard some commentaries), I started to develop an appreciation for it as a work of art. I wouldn’t call this “casual viewing”, but I do recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a take on what drives growth of consciousness. My current take is that the movie’s answer is “contemplation of the unknown”, although I think “mutual battles for survival” is probably equally defensible; I just don’t want it to be true.
The Black Panther (2018)
“You are a good man. And it is hard for a good man to be king.”
This movie has such a well-constructed plot, literary irony, and social commentary. I love the ancestral plane sequences; to me, those are the heart of the movie. Who are you (where do you come from), and what will you do with power?
The Black Phone (2021)
I don’t watch many horror movies (although Alien is something of a classic), and I rarely watch R-rated movies, but I made an exception for my sister’s birthday. This movie feels really well constructed; from a story-telling point of view, the twists and resolution feel both surprising and earned. I also like that the supernatural elements of the movie can be interpreted literally or experientially, but they’re an essential part of the storytelling. It’s rare to see that kind of ambiguity pulled off.
Gravity (2013)
Is this a survival thriller set in outer space, a human story about grief and isolation, or a broader allegory for the human condition in face of crisis? Why not all three? This movie won a bunch of awards, and deservedly so.