February 17, 2025
Staff Favorite Movies
This time around, we wanted to highlight some of our staff’s favorite films of all time. Check out some of these must-see movie recommendations!
Midsommar
Midsommar is two-and-a-half hours of edge-of-your-seat tension. The story follows grief-stricken student Dani, who journeys to a secluded commune in rural Sweden with her boyfriend and a group of mutual friends to celebrate the nine-day midsummer festival. Between her rocky relationship, the unshakable memories of her family’s passing, and the increasingly peculiar practices of the commune people, what was supposed to be a relaxing trip develops into something more like a nightmare.
Cult rituals. Human sacrifices. Lots and lots of screaming. But it’s more than some kind of gore-fest — it’s truly an experience of mourning, betrayal, and twisted revenge that captures your attention for every second. I can’t delve into it too much without completely killing the viewing experience, so I’m leaving it purposefully vague. Also, let’s just take a moment for Florence Pugh’s acting — beautiful, no notes.
This … let’s just say … divisive film is ripe with over-the-top strangeness, jaw-dropping bloodshed, and all-out cultist lunacy — you either love it or you hate it. I say watch it and figure out which side you’re on!
Available on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Fandango at Home, and Google Play.
Treasure Planet
If you miss the animated charm of old Disney films and are down for a trip through nostalgia lane, then you will love Treasure Planet. It’s not as well known as some of Disney’s other animated films like The Lion King or The Little Mermaid, but it is one of my favorite movies. Released in 2002, Treasure Planet is a retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island with a sci-fi twist.
This film follows a young Jim Hawkins who is always getting into trouble, much to his mother’s disapproval. After an incident that results in his mother’s inn being burned to the ground, Jim finds himself in the possession of a rumored treasure map. In hopes that the treasure turns out to be real, he takes upon a journey with Dr. Delbert Doppler to find it. The map takes Jim and the rest of the cast on a wild treasure hunt packed full of adventure, fantasy, and danger.
Jim experiences a lot of growing up throughout the span of the movie and, by the end, discovers a way he can shape his own future. I come back to this movie on a rainy day or if I’m feeling down, and it always does the trick to cheer me up. I’ve always found comfort in Jim Hawkin’s journey and the little found family he makes along the way. If any of this sounds interesting to you, make a plan to give Treasure Planet a watch.
To the window to the wall. ‘Til sweat drop down my… If you’re looking for a film that’ll both reconnect you with the lyrics from “Get Low” by Lil Jon and Mother Nature at the same time, then this is the film for you!
My first thought was that this would be another typical and predictable NYC rom-com. But with a great cast made up of Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds, Betty White, Oscar Nuñez, and more, it was on my watch list. A surprising location change to beautiful Sitka, Alaska, on Baranof Island enticed my curiosity. The island is home to the Tongass Rainforest and bordered by the Pacific Ocean.
The film begins with a predicable story line about two characters who despise each other. Expectedly, as they get to know each other, they learn to love each other. As the story progresses, we are taken on a surprisingly witty adventure to Sitka. The co-stars have great chemistry and do a good job convincing the audience that their ever-changing relationship could be real right through to the end credits.
The cast of this film successfully lands dozens of one liners and comedic scenes, keeping us laughing and rooting for their love. Betty White (Gramma Annie) is charismatic as always, nailing her scenes and setting the audience up for unexpected comedic moments, like when she asks Sandra Bullock’s character (Margaret) if she prefers to be called Margaret or “Satan’s mistress.” The main characters slowly reveal themselves throughout the movie in surprising ways that keep hold of your attention. While this movie has a predictable ending, the comedic stylings of the cast and unexpected happenings throughout make it a very successful romantic comedy. My personal recommendation would be to watch this film!
Available on Disney+, Hulu, and YouTubeTV.
The Wild Robot is an endearing and powerful animated sci-fi adventure film for families to enjoy together. Based on a 2016 #1 New York Times best-selling children’s novel by Peter Brown, this film from DreamWorks Inc. manages to touch audiences’ hearts, make them giggle, and teach them a lesson all at the same time. Written and directed by Chris Sanders, this film takes us on a journey through the life of a parent and child facing and overcoming misfortunes and adversities.Injured during a crash landing, Rozzum unit 7134 (a.k.a. Roz) is stranded on an island inhabited only by animals. Roz, a robot programed only to complete tasks, is forced to create relationships and adapt to her surroundings to survive. During her journey, Roz becomes the caregiver/parent of a gosling, whose family was killed in the very crash that left Roz abandoned there. As a non-emotional being and now a parent, Roz is compelled to step out of the realm of her expertise, to stop looking at life from such a literal point of view. In an effort to understand her surroundings, Roz reprograms herself to think in an emotional and conceptual way. This helps to strengthen bonds, build trust, and create unlikely relationships.
The Wild Robot is filled with beautiful artful animation that appears to be hand-painted with watercolors. Seemingly set in a forest somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, this film delivers profound messages of survival, perseverance, acceptance, and equality. It moves audiences emotionally while forcing us to acknowledge death and its effects. It beautifies complicated relationships and reminds viewers that love can get us through. Written with a young audience in mind but in a way that is interesting and endearing to adults, this film is a win for DreamWorks Inc.!
Available on Peacock.