My Favorite Movies (And Where to Watch Them)

This is a self-indulgent post, so I forgive you for not reading! But the following are some of my favorite films, that I personally consider essential viewing, that you all have plenty of time to watch while in quarantine. But again, these films touch me very personally, and it's perfectly okay if they don't do the same for you. Regardless, I love them and I think they're all worth watching.

THE 400 BLOWS (1959), a sensitive, charming, and melancholy portrait of a child neglected by his parents in 1950s Paris. This odyssey of life through the eyes of a child is endlessly moving and reveals itself more and more with each rewatch. Stream on the Criterion Channel or Kanopy, or rent on Amazon Video for $3.99.

MULHOLLAND DRIVE (2001), a twisting puzzle of a film so enigmatic and mysterious that even the most dedicated film fans haven't cracked the code. That said, it's a harrowing, compelling story of love and identity in Los Angeles. Rent on iTunes or Youtube for $3.99.

THE SHINING (1980), claustrophobic (perfect for quarantine viewing) and wildly smart, Jack Nicholson's performance is one you won't soon forget. But I'd argue the film is worth seeing for Stanley Kubrick's masterful direction and Shelley Duvall's committed performance. Rent on Amazon Video for $2.99.

THE SEVENTH CONTINENT (1989), Michael Haneke's debut feature film is one of the most unforgettable pieces of cinema I've ever seen. Frequently disturbing, always affecting, this portrait of a family that turns to insanity and paranoia as told through their daily rituals is fascinating. Stream on the Criterion Channel.

IN & OUT (1997), a delightful comedy about coming out that treats its subject matter with intelligence, silliness, and grace that's uncommon of most comedies. Tom Selleck, Joan Cusack, and Matt Dillon make for a fantastic supporting cast as well. Stream on Starz, or rent on Amazon Video for $2.99.

LIFE IS SWEET (1990), a British tragicomedy about never getting around to what you want to do, Life is Sweet feels at once completely normal and wholly spectacular, as true-to-life a film as you'll ever find. Funny, modest, and staggeringly deep. Stream on the Criterion Channel or DirecTV.

MADE IN USA (1966), an underseen Jean-Luc Godard masterpiece, an explosion of color and sound. A dense, hard-boiled detective story that draws inspiration from American crime cinema, this is a sensory pleasure and a fabulous exercise in what the medium of cinema is capable of. Stream on the Criterion Channel.

FAR FROM HEAVEN (2002), a Douglas Sirk-inspired suburban melodrama that radically flips the classic Sirkian romance into a story of sexual disconnect, this Todd Haynes' film is beautifully shot and heartachingly melancholy. Stream on Starz, or rent on Amazon Video for $3.99.

THE LAST DAYS OF DISCO (1998), as satisfying and intelligent a romantic comedy you'll find, this Whit Stillman classic boasts witty dialogue, terrific performances across the board, and a fun blast of 90s nostalgia. Stream on Starz or DirecTV, or rent on Amazon Video for $3.99.

STALKER (1979), a brilliant Russian sci-fi epic from auteur Andrei Tarkovsky, this fable of desire, and desire's consequences, is gorgeously shot and haunting in its depiction of human consciousness. Mind-blowing is the word that comes to mind. Stream on the Criterion Channel, or rent on Amazon Video for $2.99.

SOME OTHER MENTIONS:

All About My Mother (1999), directed by Pedro Almodovar

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), directed by Jacques Demy

Funny Games (1997), directed by Michael Haneke

Leviathan (2014), directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev

Days of Heaven (1978), directed by Terrence Malick

La Dolce Vita (1960), directed by Federico Fellini

3 Women (1977), directed by Robert Altman

Marie Antoinette (2006), directed by Sofia Coppola

Lady Bird (2017), directed by Greta Gerwig