Knowing that I was about to move across the country to one of the best universities in the world, my father decided that I needed to get educated — movie-educated, that is. We already had a years-long tradition of watching a weekly movie. Saturday nights were spent perusing justwatch.com in search of a streamable flick before sinking into our reclinable sofa, but now that it was summer (more than that, the last summer before the controlled chaos of Stanford University), I needed to speed up that movie-education timetable.
So, in late July, we came up with a new tradition: a movie a day, the choice in film alternating between us — with a few suggestions by my mom — until the inevitable September morning took me away from my Florida home into a new California dream. Now, 40 days of movies under my belt, here are my top five recommendations that you might want to check out:
“Some Like it Hot“
Marilyn Monroe may be more well-known for her iconic role in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (diamonds are a girl’s best friend, anybody?), but she truly shines in “Some Like it Hot,” a scintillating black-and-white comedy that defies gender roles. After witnessing a mafia murder, two male musicians must disguise themselves as women and join a traveling girl group in order to escape certain death, only to run into complications when one of them falls for Monroe’s character, Sugar.
Despite being from the 1950s, the movie is shockingly progressive and still holds up today, pushing the boundaries of gender and sexuality in a way that most studios wouldn’t dare to do decades later. Rather than treating LGBTQ+ people as the punchline, the movie makes sure to establish that everyone should be treated with respect no matter their sexual orientation or gender expression. The comedic timing was genuine and made me laugh out loud several times, while the plot was just engaging enough to keep me on the edge of my seat during certain tense scenes. It’s a definite must-watch — if not for the humor, then for the trailblazing precedent it set of LGBTQ+ representation in media.
Standout moment: The final line, which is still quoted to this day.
“Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home“
I am a massive sci-fi fan. Specifically, I adore the Star Trek franchise. Admittedly, I’m biased toward the entire series of movies given that I love the characters, but even for non-Trekkies, “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home” is an utter delight. As the most lighthearted movie in the franchise, it follows the Enterprise crew going back in time to find some whales that can communicate with a planet-threatening alien probe, all the while main character Spock struggles to remember himself after the events of “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.”
Although some context from the previous two movies might enhance the watching experience, it’s not strictly necessary since the movie has a self-contained, easy-to-follow plot. Director Leonard Nimoy, who also co-wrote the story and played Spock, clearly knows his audience, with the entire movie being a love letter to “Star Trek” fans and the sci-fi genre in general. It’s laugh-out-loud funny at some moments, heartwarming at others and is overall a wholesome end to the oft-heartbreaking arc that started with “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.”
Standout moment: McCoy, Kirk and Gillian running like maniacs through the hospital.
“Children of Men“
Experts warn about the existential threat of overpopulation. But, what would happen if the world runs into the complete opposite problem: a complete cessation of new births? “Children of Men” answers that question by taking us into a dystopian England where the last live birth in human history happened over 18 years ago. Following reluctant rebel Theo and miraculously-pregnant Kee, the movie takes its viewers on a nail-biting journey through English war zones, slums and countrysides in order to reach a rumored laboratory in the sea.
Problems in our current world — such as anti-immigrant rhetoric, science-denial and government outreach — are further exacerbated under the despondent lens of a childless planet, where continued existence seems meaningless and death touches every corner. Even so, “Children of Men” evokes hope by emphasizing that goodness appears in even the most tragic places, and that there is always a path through the darkness.
Standout moment: The deceptively-peaceful silence at the cry of Kee’s baby.
“Memento“
Famed director Christopher Nolan rarely misses, and this is made even more apparent with his second feature film, “Memento.” This movie follows Leonard, a man whose anterograde amnesia prevents him from forming any memories past the traumatic rape and murder of his wife, as he works to hunt down his wife’s killer. Told non-linearly, “Memento” is a mind trip in the best possible way. The start of every scene corresponds with the end of the next one, interspersed with black and white sequences showing us an earlier time in the correct sequence. Eventually, they merge and we find out what is really going on.
This is a movie that, much like its title, is something you fully appreciate in the moment. We never know which characters to trust, with each scene revealing a different aspect we had not considered. There’s so many layers to unravel that by the movie’s conclusion, I wanted to go back to the start and see it all again with a new perspective.
Standout moment: The very end of the movie — which is technically the beginning chronologically — where the timelines finally merge and all is revealed.
“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish“
“Puss in Boots” may be a kids movie, but it tastefully tackles extremely difficult themes all of us must face, like how to cope with the inevitability of death. Though a sequel to the original “Puss in Boots” (which is itself a spinoff of the “Shrek” franchise), no context is necessary to enjoy this uniquely poignant exploration into found families, the price of independence and the knowledge that we cannot escape the end of our story.
Puss, despite being a cat, is a surprisingly relatable character for carefree college students like us who might feel that we’re invincible. The end of his eighth life, lost in a comical way befitting a kids movie, sparks a period of growth for Puss as he realizes he only has one life left to live — and Death is not about to let him waste it again. At first, Puss attempts to simply wish away his problem but soon understands that strength comes in numbers — and that no one, not even the great Puss in Boots, can outrun death.
Standout moment: The spine-chilling music whenever Death is on screen, especially during the last stand.
If you’re curious, here is the complete list of all 40 movies in roughly the order I watched them:
- The Princess Bride
- The Fifth Element
- Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day
- Dark Waters
- Wicked Little Letters
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Poor Things
- Beverly Hills Cop II
- Some Like it Hot
- The Red Balloon
- Star Trek: The Motion Picture
- Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
- Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
- Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
- Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
- Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country
- The Untouchables
- Chicago
- Love Story
- Fiddler on the Roof
- Children of Men
- Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara
- Palm Springs
- The Holdovers
- Gladiator
- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- The Big Sick
- The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
- Godfather 3 Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone
- Memento
- The Big Lebowski
- Spider-Man: Across the SpiderVerse
- The Fall Guy
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- The Departed
- The Persian Version
- The Umbrellas of Cherbourg