12 Angry Men
Gattaca
The Princess Bride.
Ew. It has kissing.
Spirited Away
My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, Suzume
Kiki is one of my all-time favorites.
Several years ago, the local theater did a run of a bunch of Ghibli movies, and my friends talked me into Kiki’s. I had never seen it before.
At the time, I was majorly burnt out, on the verge of suicide, straight up not having a good time. I lost my job, my art, and my magic. To be honest, I didn’t even want to go out with my friends then, but somehow they managed to convince me and I’m glad they did.
Watching the movie felt like being run over by a train. Here’s this little girl going through what I’m going through, and somehow everything ends up okay. I think about it a lot, and watch it a couple times a year.
I’m still struggling, but things are better than they were. I’m probably due for a rewatch.
Totoro first IMO
Grave of the Fireflies would be another good one too (at least for something like ages 10+).
Really any Ghibli flick is great. Maybe Grave of the Fireflies last though. Way too depressing for the really young.
Idiocracy
Watership down, animated older movie from the late 1970’s about rabbits and nothing traumatising at all
first one I thought of…
Biiik Va-ter
Get some classic movies in. Just because they’re black & white doesn’t mean they’re outdated.
Casablanca. I didn’t watch it till I was much older and was impressed with how well it stands up. Genuinely gave me an appreciation for older movies. It’s so well written and edited. Every scene moves plot.
The Apartment. It’s from 1960 (near the start of the sexual revolution) and is a comedy about a dude who loans out his apartment as a fuck pad to execs at his office in order to get ahead at work. Real “the more things change, the more they stay the same” energy. It’s funny and captures the era in a light I had never seen before.
I’d add Some Like it Hot to this list.
I never would have ever watched a black and white Marilyn Monroe movie if my wife had promised to watch T2 in exchange for me watching it. It was absolutely hilarious. The chemistry and comedic timing between Monroe and Jack Lemon is wonderful. The story holds up and has one of the funniest ending scenes ever.
Love this one. Ended up watching it because all the hotel scenes were filmed at an iconic hotel in my hometown. The hotel was built in 1888 and last year finished a half billion dollar renovation that attempts to update the comfort but not the style:
Btw, same writer/director of The Apartment:
The Bridge Over the River Kwai
Ferngully
The WHOLE Lord of the Rings Extended Cut Trilogy.
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. The Hasselhoff one.
The Truman Show
Schindler’s List
-Everything Everywhere All at Once (if they’re in their late teenage years, at least. There are scenes that are not fit for a younger audience)
-The Goonies
Everything everywhere is best enjoyed in your 40s though, as you understand the experience if both the daughter and the mom - who’s the film’s focus.
How young?
13-14?
Requiem for a DreamThe Sandlot
