MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS BY GENRE: PART 1

MOVIE RECOMMENDATIONS BY GENRE: PART 1

 

Hey everyone! I have decided to start a new series on my blog which you guys might find interesting. Once in a while, I will write an article like this where I recommend one movie from every genre. Everyone has seen all the famous movies like Titanic, Avatar, The Godfather and Star Wars. Even if you haven’t watched them, you might’ve heard of them at least. But in this article I will recommend some of the best movies that you may not have heard of, filtered by genres!

Let’s get on with it

 

1. Action – Wrath of Man

Release year: 2021

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 59min

Letterboxd review: 3.5/5

Box office: 104 million

If you ever wonder whether a particular action movie is going to be worth your time or not, then always check the cast. If the cast has Jason Statham in it, then you can wholeheartedly trust the movie and be sure that it is going to be a great one.

Wrath of Man is the typical Jason Statham led high octane action thriller where he plays as a mysterious man named H who joins a private security providing company. He is a man of few words but as the movie progresses, the mystery unfolds and the viewers realise the real reason about why and what exactly H is doing. And of course, it’s is directed by Guy Ritchie, who is another indication that the movie will definitely be worth it.

At some point, Wrath of Man felt like a South Indian movie because of the vicious and stylish vibe that the director was trying to create. Typical thugs, smoking and drinking, driving cars and trucks and killing each other. It’s a movie that is best watched without logic and reason.

 

2. Romance – Hit Man

Release year: 2024

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 55min

Letterboxd review: 3.5/5

Box office: N/A

Okay, I confess, I am cheating. I call myself a cinephile but if I am being honest I haven’t watched a lot of romantic movies. I stick to the usual – action, drama, sci-fi and thriller. And hence, this movie – Hit Man, is not really a completely romance movie. It is sort of Romance + Thriller, but with a good balance of both.

The thing that I really loved about this movie was the chemistry between Glen Powell and Adria Arjona. Both of their acting performances made it an even better experience. The ‘thriller’ part of the movie is also not very violent or dark; rather it is comedic and high stakes. Hit Man is the kind of popcorn movie that can be watched when you’re alone or with your significant other.

 

 

3. Comedy – Burn After Reading

Release year: 2008

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 36min

Letterboxd review: 4/5

Box office: 163 million

Burn After Readind is the by far the best comical movie I have ever seen which is supported by good dialogue, and mind-blowing acting. Each and every cast member has picked up their roles down to perfection. Their comedic timings, expressions, and delivery make it an even better watching experience. Burn After Reading is also pretty smart. It is not a movie for kids. It’s a smart comedy movie for adults.

It follows two idiot gym employees who accidentally get their hands on a sensitive CD that contains CIA related information. And the whole movie revolves around how they decide to extort the man who owns this CD, as well as the man’s own personal problems, which get meddled. It is supported by an ensemble cast of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Tilda Swinton, J.K. Simmons, and more.

 

 

4. Drama - Invictus

Release year: 2009

Rating: PG

Runtime: 2h 14min

Letterboxd review: 4.5/5

Box office: 122 million

Have you ever heard about Clint Eastwood? If you haven’t then I highly suggest you to go and Google about him. Clint Eastwood is one of the greatest Hollywood actors, as well as a major figure when it comes to Western movies. In fact, if you scroll down the list and go to the Western recommendation, it is a Clint Eastwood film.

Invictus is a sports/drama movie directed by him. It revolves around the life of Nelson Mandela and how after the apartheid, to bring the country of South Africa together, he decided to support SA’s national Rugby team in the upcoming championship. It shows how an entire nation can be brought together with the help of sports.

As an Indian myself, I can relate to this movie as I have seen this myself. On the days of the cricket world cup, the entire nation comes to a standstill and cheers for the Indian Cricket Teams. And oh boy when we win, the entire streets are crowded, firecrackers being lit up, all the Indians coming together and celebrating the win. It is truly a surreal environment. Invictus is all about that.

5. Fantasy – Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

Release year: 2023

Rating: PG

Runtime: 2h 14min

Letterboxd review: 3.5/5

Box office: 208 million

Again, as it is with Romance, I don’t really watch a lot of Fantasy movies either. But I sat down for this one, and to my surprise I enjoyed it. Dungeons & Dragons is supposedly based off of the game with the same name. Personally, I have never played the game, but after watching the movie I really felt I should.

It is a feel-good adventure movie which follows the story of a thief, and how he goes on a quest to find a lost relic while facing many challenges in his journey. And let me also tell you, this is not an animated movie. It is live action. And for once, the CGI is actually done right and none of the dragons look fake.

 

 

6. Horror – 28 Days Later

Release year: 2002

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 53min

Letterboxd review: 4/5

Box office: 82 million

28 Days Later is a really famous British movie directed by Danny Boyle (director of Slumdog Millionair) and the cast includes Cillian Murphy as the main protagonist. I really enjoyed all 3 of the movies in this franchise. Especially the most recent one – 28 Years Later. In fact, I urge you to watch 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later just so you can watch 28 Years Later.

This movie is also really interesting for a cinephile like me, as it contains many shots of a completely deserted London. Imagine the most famous bridge of Westminster – totally empty, depicting how a zombie virus has wiped out the entire population. And not just Westminster bridge, but it also contains some really cool aerial shots covering the entire city of London. I was truly amazed to see something like this and I often keep coming back to those scenes.

 

 

7. Crime - Collateral

Release year: 2004

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 2h 00min

Letterboxd review: 4/5

Box office: 220 million

This movie is set in Los Angeles and it keeps reminding us about that every 5 minutes. There are aerial shots of the LA night skyline, way before the seductive yellow sodium lights were replaced by the bright and corporate LEDs. It captures the essence of Los Angeles in the most raw manner. I think there is an entire thread on Reddit, just dedicated to Collateral’s cinematography. I will never get over it. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia that I have never had. Collateral is the perfect crime movie to watch on a hot summer night with your friends, parents, etc.

It is also one of the very few movies where Tom Cruise plays the role of the antagonist. This is not a spoiler but a very well known fact. Rather than the antagonist, he plays a morally gray assassin, whose personality absolutely rocks. He is dark, broody, mysterious, and fun in some ways. Do watch this movie.

 

 

8. Mystery – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Release year: 2011

Rating: R

Runtime: 2h 38min

Letterboxd review: 4/5

Box office: 232 million

In case you have seen the famous detective movie, ‘Knives Out’, then this particular movie is just Knives Out with the addition of a girl who has a dragon tattoo. The title itself sounds so mysterious and peculiar that you just feel like watching the movie right now. Although, unlike Knives Out, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is not family friendly. It is really violent and harrowing.

But nevertheless, a good mystery is a movie that keeps you guessing till the end, while the real answer lies right in front of you. It makes you root for the characters and keeps you hooked till the end, leaving you satisfied.

 

 

9. Science Fiction – Source Code

Release year: 2011

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 33min

Letterboxd review: 4/5

Box office: 147 million

Source Code is one of the most underrated movies I have ever watched. It is absolutely perfect in many aspects. The storyline, the acting, the screenplay, the visuals, etc. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as an army officer who is stuck in someone else’s body, tasked with finding a bomb aboard a train.

I actually should have included Source Code in the list as a mystery movie. It feels like an action thriller, but it has elements of mystery and science fiction blended together. It’s also one of those movies which you may not understand on the first watch, but it is absolutely worthy of a second watch.

 

10. Thriller - Nightcrawler

Release year: 2014

Rating: R

Runtime: 1h 54min

Letterboxd review: 3.5/5

Box office: 50 million

Another Gyllenhaal classic, Nightcrawler is one of the most unique movies I have ever seen. Usually, everyone is bored of seeing the same storylines get repeated over and over again. But Nightcrawler steps away from traditional movie tropes and cliches, and brings you something hot and sizzling that keeps you on the edge of your seat.

I watched it purely for Jake Gyllenhaal’s acting, not expecting much from the storyline, but boy does it keep you hooked. At times you might find yourself scared because of some scenes. Usually movies don’t focus much on a murder scene. But in this movie even a small 2 minute scene which focuses on the murder site, will scare you more than a horror movie.

 

 

11. Western – Pale Rider

Release year: 1985

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 1h 55min

Letterboxd review: 4/5

Box office: 41 million

There aren’t many Western fans left in this world anymore. Everyone has mostly moved on to Science Fiction and Action. But there was a time, when Western movies were the fire that took over Hollywood. And one man at the helm of it – Clint Eastwood.

Directed by Eastwood himself, Pale Rider creeps up on the story, very slowly. Building tensions, establishing enemities, raising the stakes. And by the end of it, the climax feels like a wind slap to your face. The best part about Pale Rider is that it does not focus too much on the hero’s backstory. Had this been a Bollywood movie, they would’ve spent 20 minutes showing a scene from his past, with 2 song numbers. Pale Rider knows that the audience is well aware of Clint Eastwood and have accepted that he can fight 10 men all at once. If anyone wishes to start watching Western movies, Pale Rider is the best option.