Upon reconstructing the genres applied to television, I asked myself if I can do the same for films of the past and present. It was a daunting task - the narratives and themes found within movies span a variety of emotions, plots, and categories.
But isn’t this the purpose of film, in its most basic form? This medium allows us to observe a distinct set of characters, locations, problems, and solutions in a manner that serves to inspire, enlighten, and challenge our preconceived notions of the world.
Each movie or franchise listed below is included in a long list of collections that I’ve not only watched numerous times, but have reflected upon as it relates to my own place in this world.
The categories listed below are subject to debate and open for change. That is to say, film in particular allows for narratives to transcend one particular sense of purpose or delivery. A film can be both enlightening and traumatizing, horrific and beautiful.
Requiem for a Dream, for example, is a film about love and loss, hopelessness and the mind’s ability to turn on itself. It is as beautiful as it is haunting.
One of my favorite recent films, Into the Spiderverse, may very well be considered a Marvel film. It is, after all, a movie about the next generation’s Spiderman, a hero to the underdog and inspiration for the uninspired. I have it listed here as a family film due to themes within it and its animated delivery, but it is just as emotion evoking and even cerebral as any other title in these categories.
But for now, these are the ways in which I categorize the films I see, and the way in which they manifest in my mind’s conceptualization of the world:
Dark Comedy / Comedy
When there’s nothing in life to laugh at, laugh at yourself. Or others. Or oftentimes both in the case of dark comedies. Dinner For Schmucks is just as much a comedy as Jojo Rabbit, though the tones and takeaways of each are drastically different. While one uses humor as a mechanism for breaking up the tenseness of a family reunion, the other looks at a fictionalized historical event through a satirical and twisted lens. And both succeed in using humor as a means of explaining situations that are often less than.
What we do in the shadows
The Interview
Scott Pilgrim V. The World
JoJo Rabbit
Dinner for Schmucks
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Elf
Groundhog Day
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Between Two Ferns: The Movie
Palm Springs
American Ultra
Skeleton Twins
The Truman Show
American Pie
The Hangover
Spaceballs
Tropic Thunder
Stranger than Fiction
This is the End
The Simpson's Movie
Mac and Dennis Go to High School
Borat
The Oath
5 Star Christmas
Super Intelligence
Heather's
Coming 2 America
Trial of the Chicago 7
America: The Motion Picture
Afterlife of the Party
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
Free Guy
Don't Look Up
French Dispatch
The Bubble
Cult Classics
By definition, a Cult Classic is ‘A film with following, obscure or unpopular with mainstream audiences, and often revolutionary or ironically enjoyed.’ These movies transcend genre and theme, from Clockwork Orange which was filled with criticism, to Donnie Darko and his unanswered search for meaning. They are irreverent, fresh and often intellectual in a way that leaves audiences with more questions rather than that feeling of satisfaction felt with most other films.
Donnie Darko
Withnail and I
Requiem For a Dream
A Clockwork Orange
Fight Club
Pulp Fiction
Idiocracy
Trainspotting
Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind
V for Vendetta
2001: a Space Odyssey
The Fifth Element
Akira
Romance / Drama
There is something exhilarating about watching a story of love unfold on screen. 2:22 explores the concept of two star crossed lovers entrapped in an endless loop of trying to find one another before it's too late. Age of Adeline explores one young woman’s journey through the changing decades as she remains her lonesome self. These movies explore the despair that leads to love and the everlasting euphoria that results.
365 Days
Fifty Shades of Grey
The Girl on the Train
Call Me By Your Name
Like Crazy
The Big Sick
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Charlie St. Cloud
Silver Linings Playbook
Age of Adeline
The Female Brain
Melancholia
Winter's Tale
2:22
About Time
Romeo and Juliet (1992 Version)
Pretty Woman
Titanic
500 Days of Summer
Safe Haven
Lovebirds
The Shape of Water
Remember Me
Sylvia Love
A Rainy Day in New York
Howl's Moving Castle
Happiest Season
The Map of Tiny Perfect Things
Sex and the City
The Devil Wears Prada
Untitled
Never Let Me Go
The Time Traveler's Wife
West Side Story (2021)
Newness
The Notebook
Water for Elephants
Horror and Terror
These are the films that get under my skin, seep into my mind. Movies like Us, In the Tall Grass, or Insidious leave me questioning if the woman in the mirror is in fact me, or if she is watching me. Horror films have surpassed the reliance on blood, gore, and grit - it's the fright of existing that this genre capitalizes on so successfully.
Insidious
Midsommar
Get Out
Us
The Silence of the Lambs
Horns
Train to Busan
In the Tall Grass
Parasite
The Shining
The Devil All the Time
Run
The Other Lamb
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (2003 Version)
False Positive
Neon Demon
Old
Nightmare Alley
Cerebral / Mind Bending
For when I am feeling existential and want to explore the meaning of life as it relates to the mind’s innermost desires and failures. These films come in many forms; the animated Waking Life explores the subconscious of a sleeping man through lucid interactions with random individuals around him. Inception offers a more structured, sleek vision of the layers within one’s mind, eventually leading to our deepest troubles that leads one to question reality itself.
Interstellar
Inception
The Devil's Advocate
Selfless
I Lost My Body
Cosmo's Laundromat (Short Film)
Another Earth
Predestination
Sound of My Voice
Frequencies
I Origins
The Tree of Life
KPax
Momento
Waking Life
Being John Malkovich
Phantom of the Liberty
Tenet
Star Gate
Voyagers
Dune
The Adam Project
Moon
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once
Teenage 'Dramedies'
Often coined “Chick Flicks”, movies like Mean Girls and Clueless can be said to hold much more significance in the eyes of their audiences. The life of a teenage girl is fueled by endless uncertainty and confusion regarding boyfriends, parents, school, popularity, and so much more. These films offer the ideal depiction of teenage life, and serve as precedent for action during this period of life.
Pitch Perfect
Mean Girls
The Spectacular Now
Aquamarine
Lady Bird
Edge of Seventeen
Seventeen Again
Booksmart
Clueless
10 Thins I Hate About You
Legally Blonde
Easy A
Dirty Dancing
16 Candles
Diary of a Teenage Girl
Not Another Teen Movie
Holiday
Jennifer's Body
The Fault in Our Stars
Dr. Birds Advice For Sad Poets
He's All That
Sex Appeal
The Proposal
Emotion Evoking
These are the movies that make me feel. Whether I am left in tears by the cinematic montage at the end of Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, or feeling inspired by watching the adventures in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Films that rely on emotional responses rather than reason have the power to influence the hearts of audiences everywhere, and inspire growth through onscreen challenges and success.
Good Will Hunting
Boyhood
Perks of Being a Wallflower
Manchester by the Sea
The Help
Boy
Hunt for the Wilder-People
Room
The Theory of Everything
To the Bone
The Two Popes
Instant Family
The Assistant
Boyhood
Dead Poet's Society
A Beautiful Mind
Into the Wild
Eat, Pray, Love
King of Staten Island
One Who Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The Only Living Boy in NY
Vanilla Sky
Honey Boy
The Life Ahead
Hillbilly Elegy
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
If Anything Happens I Love You (Short Film)
Let Them All Talk
It's Kind of a Funny Story
Penguin Bloom Stories
Malcolm and Marie
Captain Fantastic
Pursuit of Happyness
2 Hearts
Fatherhood
Judas and the Black Messiah
The Fallout
Inside Llewyn Davis
Spencer
Midnight in Paris
Big Eyes
Thrilling and Exciting
Classic thrillers left audiences in a state of heightened adrenaline through anxious situations, exciting scenes, and suspense-inducing cinematography. A film like Zodiac is just as thrilling and exciting as White House Down, both succeeding in deriving a state of suspense from viewers. These films can result in anything from the inspiration of one’s true purpose, or the darkened mind of a serial killer himself.
Hugo
Zodiac
White House Down
The Social Network
The Cloverfield Paradox
Dallas Buyers Club
Olympus has Fallen
Shawshank Redemption
A Simple Favor
Tower Heist
The Wave
The Day After Tomorrow
American Psycho
The Da Vinci Code
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Prestige
Dunkirk
The Purge
Project Power
The Impossible
Before I Go to Sleep
The Departed
Little Things
The Happening
Voyeurs
Love and Monsters
Red Notice
The Usual Suspects
Epics/Sagas
Like the literary toils of Gilgamesh or the biblical building of the Ark by Noah, epics and sagas span time and/or space. Both The Fountain and Cloud Atlas portray stunning journeys through the ages as a group of characters define their purpose within each one. In watching these movies, I can watch a lifetime (or several) play out as the environment and circumstances them change.
Cloud Atlas
The Fountain
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Forrest Gump
Schindler's List
Life of Pi
Amadeus
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Great Gatsby
Until the End of the World
Jungle Cruise
House of Gucci
Anna Karenina
A Dystopian Vision Mixed with Sci-Fi
Think: The Matrix, 2012, War World Z. These films utilize the mind’s tendency to wander towards apocalyptic visions and the end of the world. Whether the movies’ plots center around the simulation, space travel hindered by the supernatural , or eerie glimpses into a world governed by lawlessness and ruthlessness, there is something comforting about watching dystopia of this magnitude unfold on the screen (rather than in reality, that is).
Ex Machina
2012
The Matrix
Annihilation
What Happened to Monday
Her
The Platform
The Mandela Affect
Other Life
Prometheus
Bladerunner
1984
Tau
The Social Dilemma
Apocalypto
I Am Legend
Family
The categories of films listed above are ideal for teenagers, young adults, working men and women and older. But in many instances, families with young children often desire movies that are simpler in theme, more relatable in content to a younger audience of children. These movies can be viewed by anyone - to escape the mundanity of reality, dive deep into the beautiful story told in Smallfoot, of differing people coming together to challenge societal norms. These films can be classics from your own childhood, like Madagascar or Shrek.
Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse
Jack and the Cuckoo Clock Heart
The Bee Movie
Madagascar
Peter Pan (2004 Live Action)
Shaun the Sheep
Pets
Smallfoot
Sinbad (Animated)
Prince of Egypt
Peter Pan
Zootopia
Brother Bear
Atlantis
Tarzan
Big Hero 6
The Lion King
Wreck-it-Ralph
Hercules
The Emperor's New Groove
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Shrek
Phineas and Ferb: Candace Against the Universe
Enola Holmes
The Princess Bride
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
The Secret Garden
Cruella
Musical Epics
Just as epics and sagas follow a set of characters across an elongated narrative, so too do Musical epics. There is no better way to portray the human experience than with song - as song is the medium that reveals the heart's greatest desires. From a rags to riches tale told in Burlesque, to the multigenerational revolution of Les Miserables, these film grasp at the hearts of audiences with enticing soundtracks, clever choreography, and themes that resonate with viewers everywhere.
Les Miserables
The Greatest Showman
Into the Woods
Mamma Mia
The Phantom of the Opera
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Yesterday
Bohemian Rhapsody
Rocket Man
Burlesque
Moulin Rouge
Rent
Chicago
In The Heights
Cinderella
Annette
La La Land
Tick... Tick... Boom!
Documentary
What is real? What is fake? When fiction becomes too absurd and one must find solace in reality, the Documentary becomes the ideal medium for storytelling. These films and narratives can reflect upon the mundanity but interconnectivity of daily life around the world, like in Life in a Day. Or, it can explore the more absurd, odd phenomenon that occurs in the lives of strangers, like in Three Identical Strangers. These are films compiled of real footage, real people’s stories, and real framing of events that are meant to inspire or hinder audiences in some way.
The American Meme
Ancient Aliens
Jonestown Paradise Lost
Three Identical Strangers
RBG
We Are One
Bigger Faster Stronger
The Coming Pandemic
My Life Animated
Life in a Day
RBG
Death to 2020
United States of Conspiracy
In and of Itself
Persona
Seaspiracy
Glitch in the Matrix
Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain
WeWork: or The Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn
White Hot: The Rise & Fall of Abercrombie & Fitch
"The Following categories are compiled by subgenres, collections, or production companies. They need no introduction other than the fact that they are movies I have grown up on, enjoyed throughout childhood and until this day, and continue to find new meanings within them as I grow older."
Classics (1900-1990)
A Trip to the Moon (1902)
Metropolis (1927)
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Gone With the Wind (1939)
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Its A Wonderful Life (1946)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Vertigo (1958)
Psycho (1960)
West Side Story (1961)
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb (1964)
The Graduate (1967)
Romeo and Juliet (1968)
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
Taxi Driver (1976)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
The Elephant Man (1980)
ET (1982)
Back to the Future (1985)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Studio Ghibli (*Available on HBO Max)
Spirited Away
Castle in the Sky
Grave of the Fireflies
My Neighbor Totoro
Kiki's Delivery Service
Ocean Waves
Whisper of the Heart
The Cat Returns
Howl's Moving Castle
Ponyo
Earwig and the Witch
When Marnie Was There
Marvel
Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
Thor
Captain America: The First Avenger
Marvel’s the Avengers
Iron Man 3
Thor: The Dark World
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Guardians of the Galaxy
Avengers: Age of Ultron
Ant Man
Captain America: Civil War
Doctor Strange
Guardians of the Galaxies vol. 2
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Thor: Ragnarok
Black Panther
The Avengers: Infinity War
Ant Man and the Wasp
Captain Marvel
Avengers: Endgame
Spider-Man: Far From Home
Black Widow
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Eternals
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
DCU
The Dark Knight
Watchmen
Green Lantern
The Dark Knight Rises
Man of Steel
Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Suicide Squad
Wonder Woman
Justice League
Aquaman
Shazam!
Joker
Birds of Prey
Wonder Woman: 1984
Suicide Squad (2021)
The Batman
X-Men
X-Men
X2
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
X-Men: First Class
The Wolverine
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Deadpool
X-Men: Apocalypse
Logan
Deadpool 2
Dark Phoenix
Movie Series/Collections
Alien
Fast and Furious
Harry Potter
007: James Bond
Pirates of the Caribbean
Scary Movies
Star Wars
Lord of the Rings
The Hunger Games
Twilight Saga
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Shrek
Indiana Jones
The Matrix
Pixar
Cars
The Good Dinosaur
Coco
The Incredibles
Onward
Inside Out
Finding Nemo
Finding Dory
Monsters Inc
Toy Story
Ratatouille
Up
Wall-E
Wreck it Ralph
A Bug’s Life
Soul
Disney’s Powerful Female Leads
Brave
Frozen (1 and 2)
The Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast
Alice in Wonderland
Aladdin
Cinderella
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Sleeping Beauty
Mulan
The Princess and the Frog
Alice in Wonderland
Disney Channel Original Movies
Let it Shine
Lemonade Mouth
Avalon High
Starstruck
Princess Protection Program
The Cheetah Girls (1-3)
Minutemen
Twitches
High School Musical (1-3)
Jump In
Halloweentown (1-4)
Cow Bells
Go Figure
Now You See It
Tiger Cruise
Stuck in the Suburbs
Zenon
Pixel Perfect
Cadet Kelly
Get a Clue
The Thirteenth Year
The Color of Friendship
Smart House
Sharkboy and Lava Girl
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