I’ve watched a lot of movies this year. I’m probably not the only one, since we’ve been relegated to our homes en masse, and you can only bake so much sourdough bread.
But I love movies pretty much anytime. I put together some of the best feel-good movies to watch on lazy days (IMO) a while ago, a list of 43 great Indiana Jones-style adventure movies, and also a list of great horror movies, and figured I might as well put together a list of just generally great movies. These are movies that I personally think are great for one reason or another. They don’t subscribe to any particular genre. I just like them.
Movies that make my “best-of” lists usually get there because they:
1) Surprise me. (Miss Sloan, Don Jon, Whiplash)
2) Make me laugh throughout the whole movie. (Hot Rod, The Interview, Tag)
3) Have a particular combination of regular life with just a touch of magic – not literal magic (well, sometimes) but like, the characters or the world are just a little extra. (About Time, Horns, iBoy)
Hopefully, if you’re searching for something good to watch on movie night, this list will help you find a worth-while pick.
Why 32? Because that’s how many movies I could think of before my brain started to turn to mush.
Let me know if you’ve seen any of these and what ya think in the comments below.
Here’s the full list of movies – scroll down for why they make the cut and the trailers.
- Hush
- The Interview
- The princess and the Frog
- Open House
- About Time
- iBoy
- It’s Complicated
- Lawless
- Horns
- The Hundred-Foot Journey
- The Hitman’s Bodyguard
- A Perfect Getaway
- Why Him
- Laws of Attraction
- Tag
- Crazy, Stupid, Love
- Miss Sloan
- It: Chapter 2
- Doctor Sleep
- Don Jon
- Keanu
- Pride and Prejudice
- The Intruder
- Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
- I Feel Pretty
- The Report
- Bottle Shock
- The Greatest Showman
- Hot Rod
- Peanut Butter Falcon
- A Simple Favor
- Whiplash
Hush
I really like horror movies, but can be kinda picky about the ones I like. They really need to offer something different to make them interesting to me. Hush does that. The main character is deaf, which adds a whole new angle to the typical dynamic.
The Interview
The movie that almost started a war.
It’s completely ridiculous all the way around. The movie, and a certain country’s reaction to the movie. The movie is hilarious though, and I’m not sure there will ever be anything quite like it again.
The Princess and the Frog
It had been a while sine Disney came out with a movie a really loved when The Princess and the Frog first dropped. I love a lot about this movie. I love the classic animation style, the story is great and entertaining, I can’t get enough of the Bayou setting, it’s funny, it paints a picture of a very distinct world.
Open House
Open House is a horror movie on Netflix. I didn’t watch it for a long time because it looked a little slow and uninteresting to me. It wasn’t what I expected, and it’s stuck with me for a weirdly long time.
About Time
This makes it to the list of “feel good” movies I’ve made before. It’s a super endearing story, and has the elements that I tend to be drawn to: Real world with a touch of magic.
It’s about a young man who finds out that he has inherited a very unique ability – time travel. He uses it in many of the ways you’d expect, but as life continues, things get a little more complicated.
I love the various characters in this movie, they’re all just very human and lovely in their own ways.
iBoy
I really enjoy movies where the hero just rains down vengeance on the bad guys. It’s so satisfying. This thriller about a boy that suddenly finds himself with the ability to control technology with his mind delivers that.
It’s Complicated
This movie is just bubbling over with feel-good aesthetic. The setting is always so pretty, and it’s funny and heartwarming.
Lawless
Lawless follows the story of 3 brothers who are involved the bootlegged liquor in the days of prohibition. It has a ton of great actors including Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, and Guy Pearce.
It’s a great ride, and also delivers on the feeling that the heroes are just too good to beat.
Horns
Daniel Radcliffe will forever be known as Harry Potter, but he’s chosen some really interesting movies to be a part of since his Hogwarts days. Horns is a ridiculous, amazing, entertaining, twisted murder mystery movie.
Basically, a dude who’s suspected for killing his girlfriend randomly grows horns. Not just horns though, horns that come with the power to compel people to confess their darkest secrets to him, whether he wants to hear it or not.
The Hundred-Foot Journey
You know how satisfying it is to watch cooking videos? This movie is kinda like a really long version of that. Kinda.
It’s about an Indian family that moves to France and sets up an Indian restaurant across from a highly proper, highly rated classic French restaurant.
At first, the owner of the French restaurant loathes the new establishment and its owners, but a connection develops between her and the young chef from across the street. The story is one of the young chef on the rise, amazing food, and finding home.
The Hitman’s Bodyguard
This is such a great movie for when you just want entertainment. It’s non-stop action, hilarity, banter, and don’t even get me started on Salma Hayek’s character. The. Best.
A Perfect Getaway
A twisty-turny thriller adventure on a beautiful island.
A couple on their honeymoon meets up with some crazy characters as they try to enjoy their time away. The stranger danger is little more ominous than usual because there also happens to be a killer on the island.
Why Him
This inappropriate-for-kids film stars James Franco and Bryan Cranston as the boyfriend and the disapproving father. It’s really just a zany, entertaining, over-the-top romcom, and is great for the lol’s.
Laws of Attraction
This movie is pretty old now (2004? maybe?), but I still watch it from time to time. It’s about 2 lawyers who exemplify “opposites attract” in and out of the courtroom. It’s funny and sweet, and includes a trip to Ireland, which pretty much seals the deal for me with any movie.
Tag
This is a pretty classic “buddy movie” that’s actually based on a true story. A group of men have been playing an endless game of tag since they were kids.
It’s super-funny but the action antics are also on point. It’s non-stop entertainment.
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Every character in this movie is great. It’s LOL funny and not completely predictable, and even the predictable romcom parts are still good. Sometimes the predictable part of romcoms make me turn off the movie. I don’t love feeling like I can recite the lines before they happen, but this movie is funny enough to offset even those rare moments.
Miss Sloan
It seems like I like almost everything Jessica Chastain is in, and this is no exception. It’s a political drama, which would probably be interesting if that’s all it was, but ooooman the twist. Wait for it.
It: Chapter 2
I’ve really loved all the recent remakes of Stephen King’s movies. I really like the new It, but It: Chapter 2 is even better, in my opinion.
Doctor Sleep
Speaking of new Stephen King movies, Doctor Sleep was a great surprise for me. I haven’t read the book so I’m not judging it based on how well it matches up with that, but as a movie, I really like it.
In some ways, I would call it more of a supernatural thriller than a horror movie, but there are some (really one) pretty disturbing scenes that do take it into the horror realm. It revolves around a group of supernatural “gypsies” that achieve everlasting life by feeding off other supernatural souls, or “steam.”
It’s the follow-up to The Shining, and eventually even brings us back to the famous Stanley Hotel.
Don Jon
Maybe don’t watch this movie with your parents. It’ll be… awkward.
I really like movies that surprise me, and Don Jon definitely did.
It’s about a young man that has a porn addiction, but doesn’t realize how it’s impacting his life. The movie manages to tell the story without being preachy or vulgar. It doesn’t focus just on porn addiction, but a big focus is on sex and intimacy and on the superficial markers the main character lives his life by.
Keanu
If you just want to laugh and have a good time, Keanu is perrrrfect.
Pride and Prejudice
My mom would watch the VHS version of this movie when I was little. It had like 7 tapes or something, and I never understood why she liked it. It seemed really boring to me as a kid. Go figure, the “new” version (it’s still pretty old now) is one of my favorite movies. Between the beautiful scenery, music and soothing British accents, it’s just all very relaxing.
The Intruder
I don’t know if I’ve seen Dennis Quaid in a scary movie before, but after watching The Intruder I think maybe he should make more of them.
The plot is pretty simple: A dude sells his family home to a young couple, but ends up coming back around to “help” on a regular basis. Weird, but harmless? Of course not harmless.
Quaid does such a good job as the baddie in this movie. He is ridiculously unnerving and creepy. It’s great.
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
This is just ridiculous, action-packed fun. It’s absurd. It’s Abraham Lincoln. As a vampire hunter. Literally.
This could easily fall into a category of just some zany write-off movie IF it wasn’t done so well. The story is actually pretty interesting. The way the writers have woven vampire lore into real historical events is cool. The action and fight choreography is fantastic. It’s such a weirdly good movie. I can’t really believe it actually got made, but I’m glad did.
I Feel Pretty
I don’t actually like Amy Schumer movies generally. I think they tend to be just a little too slap-stick ridiculous without hitting my sense of humor. I Feel Pretty is an exception.
The message is blatantly clear: Self-confidence matters more than “pretty.” It sounds kinda preachy, and I didn’t watch the movie for a long time because I felt like it would be kinda boring and predictable. To be fair, it’s pretty predictable, but I still really enjoyed it. It’s funnier than I expected and a good choice for when you’re looking for a LOL romcom.
The Report
The Report is the story of an investigation into CIA interrogations that took place after 9/11. I remember hearing the term “waterboarding” pop up in the news several years ago, but wasn’t familiar enough with what was going on to pay much attention. This is what was happening.
Bottle Shock
This is based on a true story about a California winery that put American wine up against the golden standard that was French wine. It’s all beautiful wineries, 70s aesthetics, and hope.
The Greatest Showman
Musicals aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but the music in The Greatest Showman is so, so good. The movie itself is also just a display of dazzling visuals, dancing, and a classic underdog story.
Hot Rod
I don’t know if I’ve ever laughed harder in a movie theater than when I first saw Hot Rod. It will forever be one of my favorites.
Peanut Butter Falcon
Ugh. I love this movie. It’s got that Bayou vibe I can’t get enough of, the story is all sorts of endearing, it’s funny and heartfelt.
It’s about a young man with Downs Syndrome that runs away from the care facility he lives in to find a wrestling school. On the way he meets another young man who’s also on the run, and the two take off on a Huckleberry Finn type adventure.
A Simple Favor
This thriller follows two women who are total opposites as they become friends. Things quickly take a turn when one of them disappears, and a whole web starts to unravel.
I think I like this movie partially because it really centers around two women, which isn’t the usual in thrillers. The dynamic of their opposite personalities is also really fun to watch, and both characters are interesting in their own right. On top of that the mystery/thriller part of the plot is also hella entertaining.
Whiplash
This is one of the most recent movies I’ve watched, and oooman. It’s intense. It’s about a truly unhealthy music program with a teacher that “pushes” his students so hard that it becomes abusive. That being said, the ending is one of the best I’ve seen in a long time.
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