These impactful films will make you feel fulfilled after watching them, not like you just wasted a few hours of your time.
1. "Shoplifters"
A Palme d'Or winner at Cannes in 2018. Director Hirokazu Kore-eda leaves the audience with the question - "What does family really mean?" Within this two hour film, we witness a family of shoplifters and the secrets that soon unravel themselves through the progression of lies. The build-up to the climax is anxiety-inducing, and when the youngest son gets caught, everything comes crashing down and we remember that blood is not what always defines a family."Shoplifters" is available to watch on Hulu.
2. "Columbus" (2017)
The perfect film to watch when you are feeling alone and lost. Director Kogonad's cinematic skills are a pleasure to watch. Heavy in dialogue, it makes you feel as if you are involved within the plot. This film will leave you calm and contemplative and will make you cry out of pure feeling. A Korean-born man, Jin, arrives in Columbus, Indiana to find his father in a coma. Within his entangled feelings, he meets Casey - a young woman who chooses to stay in Columbus with her recovering addict mother instead of pursuing her dreams.
"Columbus" is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
3. "On The Rocks"
In a funny, lighthearted film from A24, " On the Rocks" takes place in New York City. Laura (Rashida Jones) thinks she's happily hitched, but when her husband Dean (Marlon Wayans) starts logging late hours at the office with a new co-worker, Laura begins to fear the worst. Not knowing who to turn to, she ends up receiving help from her playboy father and together they find the truth. Following this father-daughter relationship, it allows us to think about our own. Twist and turns follow Laura's journey as she struggles with writer's block and her marriage.
"On The Rocks" is available to watch on Apple TV+.
4. "Honey Boy"
From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, award-winning filmmaker Alma Har'el brings to life a young actor's stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father through cinema and dreams. Shia LaBeouf's acting is one that is breathtaking and portrays true emotion. "Honey Boy" made me think about the relationship I have with my father, and it gets reflective. After watching "Honey Boy," it is one you won't ever forget - the impact is huge and well worth the tears.
"Honey Boy" is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video only.
5. "Moonlight"
One of my all-time favorite films, Academy Award-winning "Moonlight" is the representation we need in cinema. Released in 2016, "Moonlight" is by far one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching films I've seen. According to Brittanica, it is based on the unpublished play "In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue" by Tarell Alvin McCraney. It tells the story of a young black man coming to grips with his homosexual feelings. It was the first film with an entirely African American cast and the first with a homosexual main character to win the top Oscar. "Moonlight" proves that representation matters and breaks the stereotype of fragile masculinity, especially within the Black community. I learned a lot from watching "Moonlight," and it is definitely one of those films you'll always re-watch.
"Moonlight" is available to watch on Netflix.
