Year Released: 2010
Leonardo DiCaprio stars in this unique sci-fi film from Christopher Nolan that delves into lucid and hive-mind dream exploration. Audiences and critics alike went wild for the film, which the latter referred to as “wholly original,” and “cut from a new cloth.” And, indeed it’s not like anything we’ve ever seen before.
Inception was nominated for eight Oscars and won four, including the awards for Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. It was nominated for four more, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Picture.
Cool Hand Luke
Year Released: 1967
With a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Cool Hand Luke is an absolute classic from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The film stars Paul Newman as the title character, Luke, a man who’s sentenced to a rough prison camp. Newman ended up being nominated for an Oscar for his part.
And, even those who’ve never even seen the film are probably still aware of its most famous line; “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate,” which has become a popular saying since the movie’s release in 67’.
The Philadelphia Story
Year Released: 1940
We’ve headed back in time to 1940, when this romantic comedy directed by George Cukor hit the scene. Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn star as a young married couple on the verge of divorce. Critics seem to agree that the storyline is one of the best of its time, with one calling it a “beautifully spun tale.”
The film won the Academy Award for Best Writing in an Adapted Screenplay and brought in $3.3 million – which was a lot of money in 1940.
Shadow of a Doubt
Year Released: 1943
It shouldn’t come as a surprise there are a few Alfred Hitchcock films popping up on this list. Shadow of a Doubt is a psychological thriller full of murder and mystery, but unlike the majority of Hitchcock films, is somewhat of a slow burn. The director has apparently said it’s his favorite of all that he’s created.
The film received an Academy Award nomination for Best Story and won the Satellite Award for Best Classic DVD. It has a 4/4 from Roger Ebert and a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Coco
Year Released: 2017
Coco is Disney’s 2017 coming of age tale about a pre-teen boy named Miguel that has dreams of becoming a musician. He finds himself in the land of the dead having a life altering experience and communicating with skeletons. The film, while it’s definitely a comedy, also really tugs on the heartstrings of viewers, and is hard to watch without getting at least a little teary-eyed.
The film won several awards in 2018, including both the Academy and Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film. It is a favorite of both children and their parents and makes a great choice for family film night.