New Members’ Favorite Movies
A new year brings a new group of Moviegoers! From horror to comedy and every genre in between, this year’s new staff writers bring a wide range of taste in films, and they’re excited to share their all-time favorite movies.
Written and directed by Ari Aster, Hereditary is a horror film not meant for the faint of heart. Without giving away too much, Hereditary follows the story of Annie, played fantastically by Toni Collete, and her family recovering from the death of Annie’s mother. What comes next is a blend between deeply disturbing sequences of pure terror and stomach churning jump-scares. Released in 2018, Hereditary put its mark in the horror genre, and I think it’s going to be pretty hard for any new horror movie to top it. Aster does an incredible job of moving the story along quickly to the point where viewers are begging for a chance to breathe. I can remember seeing this film in theatres with a friend with the intention of having a sleepover afterwards. Hereditary left us both so freaked out that we ended up going home to our individual houses for some warm hugs from our moms. This film will always have a special place in my heart, but maybe not my mom’s since she had to stay up with me all night. - Asher Lieberman
Airplane, written and directed by David and Jerry Zucker and Jim Abrahams is a ridiculous satirization of a blockbuster movie. Boy chases girl (in this case, onto the titular airplane), boy and girl face great disaster, boy and girl make up. A simple storyline complicated by the fact that this is no ordinary airplane. To be sure, the story follows Ted Striker as he chases Elaine Dickson onto an airplane before inadvertently having to overcome past trauma to fly the plane past disaster. But whether it is the suggestive inflatable autopilot, Otto, or inexplicable appearance of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the movie does its best to distract from these plot points. For my money, the star of the show is the endlessly quotable Dr. Rumack, played by Leslie Nielsen. Nielsen’s straight man schtick yields some of the best gags of the movie. Airplane is surely one of my favorite movies. And don't call me Shirley! - Aagam Dalal
Clue, both the board game and the movie, have become important parts of my life. Growing up, whenever my younger siblings and I saw our cousins who lived on the other side of the country, there were always two things on the agenda: eat frozen yogurt and play Clue. The first time I watched Clue, I had no clue what was going on, and I did not care. I heard the familiar names and imagined my cousins and myself running around the mansion and trying to solve the mystery. I was enthralled. After viewing it many more times since then, I can say with certainty that Johnathan Lynn’s 1985 Clue still completely captures me. The star-studded cast is amazing and their characters are fleshed out and fully realized – often to a fault. The screenplay is full of iconic one-liners that stand the test of time. The constant twists and turns keep the audience fully engaged and never feel like they are coming out of nowhere. Clue was filmed with three endings – with each theater getting a different version of the movie. Each of them creatively explains the answer to the big “whodunnit” while leaving room for the audience to continue to ask questions even after the movie finishes. While each of them provide their own interpretation of the night’s events, ending “C,” which heavily features Mr. Green – my character whenever I played – is obviously the best. - Imran Siddiqui
Written by Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach and directed by Wes Anderson, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is equal parts bizarre and heart-warming. The Life Aquatic follows washed-up oceanography Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) and his red-capped team on an aquatic mission to seek revenge on a mythical shark that ate Zissou’s teammate, and bestfriend, Esteban. Team Zissou features Steve’s estranged wife, his possible son, a pregnant journalist, an insurance stooge, and half-a-dozen more idiosyncratic characters. What makes this movie my all time favorite is offbeat energy and outstanding imagery. The Life Aquatic is whimsical, from its detailed tour of a cross section of the main ship to its soundtrack featuring Seu Jorge’s portuguese covers of hit David Bowie songs. Throughout the movie, the audience feels like they are a member of Team Zissou, taking part in the escapades including piracy and deep-sea diving. The Life Aquatic ends with all the characters packed tightly in a submarine, observing in awe the supposed enemy shark. This scene manages to imbue genuine emotion through a CGI shark. In the end, The Life Aquatic puts forth a message about respecting the sanctity of nature amidst its eccentricity and stunning visuals. - Maya Kreger
Completely embodying the neo-noir genre, Roman Polanski’s Chinatown takes a trip through 1930s Los Angeles during the peak of a drought. Detective Jake Gittes, played charismatically by Jack Nicholson, is hired to investigate a seemingly inconsequential case of infidelity, but there is much more going on and Jake soon gets mixed up in a serious and profound scandal. Polanski crafts a bleak picture of LA, nearly everything takes place during the day, subverting the typical expectations of crime occurring under the cover of night. This decision provides a nice parallel to Gittes himself, standing in stark contrast to those around him, seemingly the only person in the entire city committed to actually figuring out the truth. Screenwriter Robert Towne’s perfectly written script features numerous clever callbacks to previous scenes as well as meticulous dialogue that is able to combine exposition, world-building, and character development simultaneously. The final 30 minutes of the film are truly what brings it all together as everything is revealed and we, the viewers, finally understand that money and power are not always what motivates villains or heroes. Chinatown moves at a steady pace, never slowing down and featuring Gittes in every single scene. Nicholson thankfully is up to the task and works wonderfully with the always talented Faye Dunaway and John Huston, who bring such depth to their roles. Overall, Chinatown is a film that continuously builds upon itself to maintain curiosity and provide an intricate peek into a varied main character. - Matthew Schwartz
How does someone make life worth living? For Hal Ashby this question is the center of Harold and Maude. This story follows Harold, a troubled, death-obsessed 20-year old who after many faked suicide attempts and numerous unsuccessful visits with a psychiatrist, meets an old woman named Maude at a funeral. After crossing paths again, the two soon developed an unlikely companionship. Maude takes Harold to flower gardens, brings him on joyrides, and shows him how to live his life to the fullest.
With its hippie, 70s vibe, a soundtrack by Cat Stevens, and engaging performances by Bud Cort and Ruth Gordon, it is impossible to not be captivated by this movie. It is easy to ride Harold and Maude off as another off-beat, strange, dare-I-say quirky film, only meant to be enjoyed for its aesthetic anecdotes, but it is so much more. Rarely ever does a movie compel me to change something about my life but every time I revisit Harold and Maude, I question if I am living the right way. A revelation like this would normally turn a person toward a life crisis but Harold and Maude’s optimistic tone and its bright characters and scenery comfort its audience by bringing hope to an otherwise terrifying theme. - Mollie Benn
Promising Young Woman, directed by Emerald Fennell, is a psychological thriller that toys with crossing the line between right and wrong, and who has the right to blur that line. Starring Carey Mulligan, the period piece actress shows a new dark side of herself in playing a character that delights in creating fear and panic in other people. Mulligan’s character, Cassandra, is out to avenge the rape of her best friend, by trapping other young men into a preditorial state of mind. As the movie progresses she finds herself in a newfound place of happiness only to have that ripped away from her when she realizes the truth about her new beau. With a shocking end that will leave your heart wrenched and beating at a staccato rhythm, this film is perfect for a weekend with your girlfriends.
When I first saw this movie, I was first shocked at the new personality to which Carey had adapted. I was used to seeing her in period pieces or dramas. In this film she really raises the bar on one’s expectations of her. Every second of this film was unexpected, which is why I loved it so much. It is truly unique from every other thriller out there. My favorite part of watching a movie is the contemplation that follows. This movie focuses on an aspect of life that needs more attention and fixing, and it left me emotional and contemplative. I promise Promising Young Woman will leave you with more than just a satisfying evening. This movie is definitely worth watching. - Phoebe Weintraub
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