The Holdovers
This nostalgic, touching tale is about a curmudgeonly instructor at an all-boys New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus over the holidays to babysit students who have nowhere to go for Christmas. He forms an unlikely bond with a quick-witted troublemaker, and the school's head cook.
2E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial
E.T. is one of the most beloved motion pictures of all time. The film follows the story of a gentle alien who becomes stranded on Earth, and ends up befriending a 10-year-old boy. When E.T. becomes sick, this leads to government intervention and spells trouble for their friendship.
3The Menu
A young couple (Nicholas Hoult and Anya Taylor-Joy) are part of an exclusive group of people traveling to a fine-dining restaurant located on a private island. It's run by a famous chef (Ralph Fiennes) who has prepared a lavish menu for the evening. But, by the third course, it becomes clear to the guests that their meal will be full of shocking surprises—and not in a good way.
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4Inception
This mind-bending sci-fi thriller will truly make you think as it explores the idea of dreams within dreams. A thief (Leonardo DiCaprio) possesses the rare ability to enter people's dreams, and uses this to his advantage, making himself an indisposable asset in corporate espionage. But this talent has also cost him everything he holds dear in life. Now, to redeem himself, he must attempt to plant an idea in someone's mind.
5Past Lives
Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) were childhood friends back in South Korea. But since Nora's family moved to the U.S. they've drifted apart. At some point while Nora's in college, she reaches out and they enter an online situationship of sorts, which they end up breaking off because of the distance. Years later, they reunite in New York when Hae Sung visits for a week. Then and there the pair must confront their notions of love and destiny.
6Triangle of Sadness
A young influencer couple winds up going on a luxury cruise, surrounded by wealthy people who are out-of-touch with the reality most people live. Things make a wildly dramatic shift when a storm hits the ship.
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7In the Mood for Love
A journalist (Tony Leung) and his wife move into a new Hong Kong apartment where an executive secretary (Maggie Cheung) and her husband live as well. Their spouses are always away, and so the two find comfort in each other. When it becomes apparent that their spouses are cheating on them, they begin to explore the possibility of doing the same and being together.
8The Lobster
A newly single bachelor (Colin Farrell) moves into a hotel full of other single people. In this dystopian society they live in, they must find a romantic relationship within 45 days. Otherwise, they will be transformed into the animal of their choice. Talk about pressure!
9The Handmaiden
Set in 1930s Korea, an orphan pick-pocket is recruited by a swindler to help steal a wealthy family's fortune. She enters as the new handmaiden to a Japanese heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate. Her mission is to seduce and defraud her mistress, but then things make an unexpected turn.
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10Free Solo
This Academy Award-winning documentary follows free solo climber Alex Honnold as he achieves his life-long dream to ascend the 3,200-foot vertical rock formation, El Capitan, in Yosemite National Park—without a rope.
11The Iron Claw
This heart-wrenching film follows the true story of the Von Erich brothers, who made history in the world of professional wrestling. Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, and Maxwell Jacob Friedman portray the threesome as they go through the motions of their careers, find love, and deal with their complicated relationship with their father and coach.
12Birdman
This film is one of the greatest modern cinematic feats of this time. The whole movie was made to appear like it was all taken in one shot. It follows a washed-up former superhero film star (Michael Keaton) as he tries to make a major acting comeback on Broadway. During this time, he deals with self-doubt, critics, and his own family problems with his estranged daughter (Emma Stone).
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13Atlantis: The Lost Empire
This is by far one of the most underrated and overlooked Disney movies of all time. Atlantis: The Lost Empire tells the story of historian Milo Thatch who leads an underwater expedition crew of archaeologists and explorers with the goal of finding the lost ancient city of Atlantis. But as soon as they find it, exploration isn't the only thing on the agenda. They must protect it from forces—both mystical and human.
14The Banshees of Inesherin
Set on a small Irish island town, two lifelong friends find themselves in a strange situation. Suddenly, Colm (Brandon Gleeson) no longer wants Pádraic (Colin Farrell) to speak with him, but he won't say why. He swears that he will cut off one of his fingers each time his former-friend speaks with him. Despite this, Pádraic is desperate to repair their relationship, and get to the bottom of why it was severed in the first place.
15Poor Things
This Academy Award-winning film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos is centered around a young woman named Bella Baxter (Emma Stone) who is brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist. We follow Bella as she runs away from her life in London to explore the world, finds her freedom, and evolves into a person who stands for equality and liberation.
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16The Grand Budapest Hotel
The Grand Budapest Hotel is a popular ski resort presided over by concierge Gustave H. (Ralph Fiennes). Gustave prides himself in the work that he does, providing first-class service, including satisfying the sexual needs of some elderly women who stay at the hotel. When one of the women unexpectedly passes away, he becomes the prime suspect in her murder.
17Whiplash
Miles Teller plays Andrew, a jazz drummer who is young, hungry, and will go to great lengths to rise to the top of his elite music conservatory. A ruthless, top-tier instructor (J.K. Simmons) discovers Andrew and his talents, and takes him under his wing, putting him in the top jazz ensemble. Things seem to be going Andrew's way, until his teacher's methods become more and more questionable. Soon, his ambition turns into obsession, and he begins to question his sanity.
18Babylon
The film follows an aspiring young starlet (Margot Robbie), a silent film superstar (Brad Pitt), and an immigrant eager to work in the industry (Diego Calva) as they navigate 1920s Hollywood. During this turbulent time, the shift from silent pictures to the world of sound begins.
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19Palm Springs
This movie takes the time loop trope to a whole other—extremely fun—level. Sarah (Cristin Milloti) is in Palm Springs for her sister's wedding, but after entering a mysterious cave at the end of the night she winds up in a time loop. She later discovers that she's not the only guest stuck in the same day. Nyles (Andy Samberg) has been there a while, and is having a blast.
20My Octopus Teacher
Filmmaker Craig Foster documents a year spent diving in the kelp forests of South Africa, where he forges an unusual friendship with a female octopus. Throughout the film, he talks about everything he's learned not just about science, but about life from the sea creature.
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