Here's a list of some of my favorite movies that will stay in your head for days, well after they've finished.
1. "Eat Pray Love." (2010)
"Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) thought she had everything she wanted in life: a home, a husband and a successful career. Now newly divorced and facing a turning point, she finds that she is confused about what is important to her. Daring to step out of her comfort zone, Liz embarks on a quest of self-discovery that takes her to Italy, India and Bali."
Amongst all the psychological thrillers, love stories and comedic relief, this one is about finding yourself first. Watching Julia Roberts explore all the emotions of being alone and being okay with it allows you to let go of the negativity in life and explore the world in which we don’t allow ourselves to see. This will always be one of my favorite movies.
2. Never Let Me Go (2010)
"Friends Kathy (Carey Mulligan), Tommy (Andrew Garfield) and Ruth (Keira Knightley) grow up together at a seemingly idyllic boarding school in the English countryside. When they leave the school and the horrible truth of their true purpose is revealed to them, they must simultaneously confront deep-seated feelings of love, jealousy and betrayal that threaten to tear their friendship asunder."
Never Let Me Go is a fantastic and very moving film. It makes you question the realities of existence and your approach to loving someone in your life.
3. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
"Imaginatively evoking the inner landscape of human beings longing to connect, to love and feel loved, the film is a parable of happiness gloriously found and tragically lost. "Requiem for a Dream" tells parallel stories that are linked by the relationship between the lonely, widowed Sara Goldfarb and her sweet but aimless son, Harry. The plump Sara, galvanized by the prospect of appearing on a TV game show, has started on a dangerous diet regimen to beautify herself for a national audience."
This is such an intense and memorable movie. It shows in graphic and unflinching detail the dangers of addiction and forces you to stop and examine what you have in life.
4. The Virgin Suicides (1999)
"In an ordinary suburban house, on a lovely tree-lined street, in the middle of 1970s America, lived the five beautiful, dreamy Lisbon sisters, whose doomed fates indelibly marked the neighborhood boys who to this day continue to obsess over them. A story of love and repression, fantasy and terror, sex and death, memory and longing. It is at its core a mystery story: a heart-rending investigation into the impenetrable, life-altering secrets of American adolescence."
In a somber way, The Virgin Suicides reminds me of the fragility of life. It makes me value the little things a lot more and view my life in a much more open way.
5. We Need To Talk About Kevin (2011)
"Eva Khatchadourian (Tilda Swinton) is a travel writer/publisher who gives up her beloved freedom and bohemian lifestyle to have a child with her husband, Franklin (John C. Reilly). Pregnancy does not seem to agree with Eva, but what's worse, when she does give birth to a baby boy named Kevin, she can't seem to bond with him. When Kevin grows from a fussy, demanding toddler (Rocky Duer) into a sociopathic teen (Ezra Miller), Eva is forced to deal with the aftermath of her son's horrific act."
I love a good nature versus nurture debate. We Need To Talk About Kevin addresses the age-old question as you try and figure out if Kevin’s mom despises him because he is evil, or if he is evil because his mom despises him. Because it doesn’t pick a definite side, it leaves you thinking about it for weeks after viewing it. The book is even better.
6. Gone Girl (2014)
"In Carthage, Mo., former New York-based writer Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and his glamorous wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) present a portrait of a blissful marriage to the public. However, when Amy goes missing on the couple's fifth wedding anniversary, Nick becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. The resulting police pressure and media frenzy cause the Dunnes' image of a happy union to crumble, leading to tantalizing questions about who Nick and Amy truly are."
If you haven't seen the Gone Girl movie or read the book, you have definitely heard of it. This story is filled with unexpected twists and turns that makes it worthy of the popularity.
7. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
"After losing his job and wife, and spending time in a mental institution, Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) winds up living with his parents (Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver). He wants to rebuild his life and reunite with his wife, but his parents would be happy if he just shared their obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles. Things get complicated when Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who offers to help him reconnect with his wife, if he will do something very important for her in exchange."
Silver Linings Playbook portrays mental illness in a raw and hauntingly beautiful way that leaves you thinking about it for days. The characters' mental illnesses are also accurate and acted out brilliantly. This film gives insight into the minds and thoughts of so-called ‘crazy’ people and shows that they are capable of love just like the rest of us.
8. Into The Wild (2007)
"Christopher McCandless (Emile Hirsch), son of wealthy parents (Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt), graduates from Emory University as a top student and athlete. However, instead of embarking on a prestigious and profitable career, he chooses to give his savings to charity, rid himself of his possessions and set out on a journey to the Alaskan wilderness."
This is a reflective, regretful and serious film about a young man swept away by uncompromising choices. He struggles with two true statements of reality: that we need a little help from our friends and that sometimes we must depend on the kindness of strangers.
9. Cinderella Man (2005)
"During the Great Depression, ex-boxer James J. Braddock works as a day laborer until his former manager offers him a one-time slot against a rising young contender. After he wins a shocking upset, Braddock goes back into the ring full time, against the wishes of his frightened wife. Dubbed "The Cinderella Man" for a rags-to-riches story, Braddock sets his sights on fighting the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world."
Cinderella Man brings to life a true story as powerful as its hero's punches.
10. We Are Marshall (2006)
"In 1970, Marshall University and a small town in West Virginia, reel when a plane crash claims the lives of 75 of the school's football players, staff members and community members. The new coach, played by Matthew McConaughey, arrives on the scene in March 1971, determined to rebuild Marshall's Thundering Herd and heal a grieving community in the process."
We Are Marshall is a wonderful story about a mourning community that unites and bounces back with dignity.
