Movies are special to me because I love storytelling. Having a visual for said story helps bring it to life. I watch pretty much every genre, but I really enjoy ones that evoke extreme emotion, or that explore hard topics. A lot of my friends are film nerds, so I’ll get recommendations from them all the time as well, which expands my taste. I also grew up watching a lot of movies thanks to my parents, most of which are the ones I’ll be talking about.

Gummo (Directed by Harmony Korine)

This movie came to me as a recommendation from a friend. It’s a nonlinear narrative that follows the lives of the residents of Xenia, Ohio, a town that was left to rot after being ravaged by a tornado. While I enjoyed watching, it may not be for everyone. The nihilistic and bleak exploration of the people’s poverty stricken boredom is uncomfortable and jarring at times.

I think this movie is interesting because Korine used local non-actors who were encouraged to behave as they normally would. Some of the homes they shot in were so filthy that the crew wore hazmat suits. Jean-Yves Escoffier, the movie’s cinematographer, felt that this was disrespectful; “Stay where you are. I don’t want you in there. I won’t allow you to go in that house, I will go myself.” It’s a very honest film that’s not afraid to show the grittiness of real life.

The Sixth Sense (Directed by M. Night Shyamalan)

I watched this movie with my parents when I was in late elementary school, and it’s still one of my favorites. In my opinion, this movie is truly a classic in psychological horror (my favorite genre). It starts off with a child psychologist getting hit by one of his former patients, claiming that he failed him. The clip cuts off, and is immediately thrown into our main storyline where he sees a patient who claims he can see the dead. Throughout the film, we see the child help the ghosts move on into the after life in order to overcome his fear. At the same time, the psychologist deals with his struggling marriage.

This movie is infamous for its plot twist at the end. I won’t spoil it here in case you haven’t seen it, but it’s truly a shocker. I’ll always love this movie, and it’ll remain as one of my favorites for the foreseeable future.

Snatch (Directed by Guy Ritchie)

This is a british crime comedy film recommended to me by my dad. It’s known for its fast paced, non-linear storytelling, as well as its dark humor. We follow a cast of many different characters, the main ones being two unlicensed boxing promoters, Turkish and Tommy. Their plot of trying to please the gangster Brick Top in his boxing match intertwined with a diamond stealing heist.

One of my favorite characters is Mickey, an Irish traveler who is secretly a bare knuckle boxing champion. He’s played by Brad Pitt, and is known for his indistinguishable accent (if you don’t have subtitles on, you’ll be very confused).

All in all, a very great watch, I couldn’t stop laughing. The crude humor and intertwining story lines make this a movie I’ll watch over and over again.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Directed by Ken Kwapis)

This is one my mom wanted to watch with me, as it’s her favorite movie. I went into it not really knowing what it was about, thinking it would be a heartfelt comedy between friends. Boy was I wrong. I spent a good portion of this movie balling my eyes out.

This sisterhood of the traveling pants is a movie about four life long friends who are parting ways for the summer. The day before their departure, they find a pair of pants that magically fits all of them perfectly, despite the girls being different sizes and heights. The foursome decide to share the pants equally over the summer, believing it’ll connect their hearts and spirits even when apart.

The movie consists of clips showing the girls on their respective trips, and the hardships they face. But no matter what happens, the pants they share show that the girls have each other’s backs. It’s an amazing watch, and sure to bring some tears. Each girl’s story hits home in some way, definitely give it a watch.

Hoodwinked! (Directed by Cory Edwards)

To be honest, this film is really stupid, but it’s hilarious! It’s an animated comedy musical that retells the folktale Little Red Riding Hood as a police investigation. There’s a pastry thief in the town, and Little Red Riding Hood, Granny, the Wolf, and the Lumberjack have all gotten mixed up in it. As the police interrogate the characters, we see their backstories and perspectives on the situation.

Turns out, they’re all innocent! The real thief is a little bunny who’s been present in all the characters’ stories. He’s planning to bulldoze the forest to make his corporate empire! Thanks to Little Red Riding Hood and her gang, Boingo the bunny gets arrested.

This is a movie I grew up with, and watching it years later makes it even better. My favorite part of the story is Granny, Little Red Riding Hood’s pastry baking grandma. She’s secretly an extreme sports enthusiast, having multiple trophies and awards. I also really love the yodeling goat who’s been cursed to only sing. His songs are super funny and comically bad.

All of these movies (yes, even Hoodwinked!) are ones I’ll continue to watch over and over. I’m very grateful to my friends and parents for introducing me to lots of films, and I can’t wait to watch more!