A movie is always great, whether it’s a Tuesday night after a particularly irritating workday or an early Saturday evening after a full day at the local water park with the sun beating down nonstop. That said, the mentality is only applicable to certain films. After all, there aren’t many people out there who pop inMovie 43to kick back after a good neck crack.
And today, with so many options when it comes to streaming and exclusive releases, and new movies becoming available for home release faster than ever before, just the task of choosing a movie can be a daunting task.
But fear not, we’ve put together a list of movies that are going to be a rock solid choice, no matter the time of day, or regardless of what day it is even. From superhero flicks to tense tales of massive sharks, these films appeal to audiences of just about every demographic, and there’s not one person in the audience that will getnothingout of them.
20Coming to America (1988)
Coming to America
InComing to America, Eddie Murphy plays Prince Akeem, heir to the throne of the fictional kingdom of Zamunda. Akeem is all set for an arranged marriage but isn’t sure it’s for him, so he negotiates a sabbatical of sorts in NYC.
Why It’s a Great Choice
LikeBeverly Hills Cop,Coming to Americais a terrific star vehicle for Murphy. Toss in an amazingly funny supporting performance from John Amos and this is a classic not to be missed.
Stream it on Amazon, Apple TV, Google Play, and YouTube
19Die Hard (1988)
Die Hard,which has inspired countless other action films, tells the story of NYC beat cop John McClane, who is currently out of his element in LA. Yet, even with no jurisdiction, he’s got some terrorists to take down, and that’s exactly what he’s gonna do. The odds are against McClane, but that’s just how he likes it.
It’s been 20 years since John McTiernan directed a film (Basicwith John Travolta), and given the trajectory of his works' quality, perhaps that’s for the best. But he sure did direct some of the best action films ever made.Die Hardis at the top of the heap, which is pretty darn impressive considering his filmography also includesPredatorandThe Hunt for Red October.
Stream it on fuboTV, Hulu, MGM+, and Starz
18Fargo (1996)
One of the fewmovies to reinvent murder mysteries for modern audiences, the Coen brothers’Fargowas and remains a chilly, rewatchable classic. The audience is introduced to a car salesman whose plan to stage the kidnapping of his wife for ransom money goes…bloodily. Thank goodness for local cop Marge Gunderson, who actually possesses the drive to solve the whole debacle.
There’s nothing aboutFargothat reads as anything other than organic. It can be silly when it needs to be, but for the most part the viewer feels like they’re watching real people. And, the thing is, the story doesn’t end well for most of them.
Stream it on Max and DIRECTV
17As Good as It Gets (1997)
As Good as It Getstells the story of very different lives merging. One cantankerous author, one gay artist, and one waitress with a heart of gold travel across the country to ask the artist’s parents for some assistance after he’s been assaulted.
Jack Nicholson has been the driving force behind many films,Batmanincluded, but none so much as James L. Brooks' masterpiece. A lovable film with a layered Nicholson performance that’s actuallymatchedby Helen Hunt’s work,As Good as It Getsis a sight to behold.
Rent it on Amazon, Google Pay, YouTube, and Apple TV
16Jaws (1975)
Jawsis quite a few film fans' pick for the greatest film of all time. The engrossing narrative centers on Amity Island, which is currently being attacked by a vicious Great White Shark. The sheriff has to stop the thing, so he enlists the help of a marine biologist and a local fisherman to bring it down.
Spielberg’s classicrevolutionized the industry as a whole. All of a sudden, every major (and minor) studio on the block started to favor the months of May,Jaws' release month of June, and July. It was an event, but as any number of copycat films down the line have proved, it wasn’t an event because of the beast, it was an event due to the perfection of its construction. Like the director’s laterJurassic Park, it’s a thrill ride with not one false note.
Stream it on Netflix and DIRECTV
15Airplane! (1980)
An all-timer of a comedy that throws everything at the wall to see what sticks (answer: the vast majority), Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers’Airplane!is a bombastic disaster film with a plane that’s operating, as one might expect, without its pilot. Thank goodness for Ted Striker, the one man on board who can land the bird…as soon as he gets out of his own head.
Though aproduct of its time, so too is every other film. In other words,Airplane!is a PG-rated film, but it’s a little more obscene than the rating might indicate. But, when the viewers in the family are of age, pop in this DVD ASAP.
Stream it on Paramount+ and AMC+
14The Breakfast Club (1985)
Breakfast Club
Most John Hughes fans' pick for his best,The Breakfast Clubis both timeless in its themes andutterly a product of its time(certainly in terms of costuming). The narrative is universally appealing: five public school students are forced to endure a lengthy Saturday detention. Throughout that day, they may end up getting a lesson on interpersonal communication they never expected.
The throughline ofThe Breakfast Clubis applicable to every human being on Earth. It’s all about appreciating our neighbors' differences instead of fearing them and solely seeking out those similar to oneself.
Stream it on Tubi and Freevee
13Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future
Back to the Future follows teenager Marty McFly as he is inadvertently sent back to 1955, where he disrupts his parents' meeting. With the assistance of eccentric inventor Doc Brown, Marty must restore the timeline by ensuring his parents fall in love and find a way back to 1985.
Spielberg protégé Robert Zemeckis' greatest work,Back to the Futureis a timeless classic that just so happens to toy with time. The plot follows a young man as he teams up with his pal, an older doctor, to try and change the course of history. Unfortunately, the young man may have to make out with his own mom first.
Sure, the first sequel’sprediction of the future was a whiff, butBack to the Futurewas never going to be about accuracy. It’s just about pure fun, and the first film is that from front to back.
Stream it on DIRECTV, Peacock Premium, and fuboTV
12Aliens (1986)
Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor from the original Alien, is awakened after 57 years of drifting through space, her stories disbelieved by Company executives who tell her that the aliens' planet is now inhabited and colonized. When contact is suddenly lost with the colonists, Ripley returns to the planet with a squad of marines, an android (Lance Henriksen), and a Company executive (Paul Reiser) with a mission of his own. Once on the planet, no survivors can be found except for Newt, a little girl who awakens motherly instincts in Ripley just in time for the acid-blooded aliens to attack in what quickly becomes a one-sided battle for sheer survival.
Hollywood legend James Cameronfollowed up another director’s masterpiece with a far different masterpiece of his own.Alienscontinues the story of Ellen Ripley, now as she teams up with some space marines to save the residents of an isolated civilization. Too bad for her there’s way more than one Xenomorph this time.
While bothAlienandAliensare of the sci-fi genre, they’re still entirely different films, and that couldn’t be more impressive. The first is one of the best horror films ever made, and the second doesn’t fall short, it just happens to be one of the best action films instead.
Stream it on Max, Starz, and DIRECTV
11Batman (1989)
Tim Burton’s two Batman films were heavily criticized, the first because it didn’t have enough of the title character and the second due to its extremely grim nature. The firstBatmanfilm follows the Caped Crusader in his relatively early days as he drives out in the Batmobile to put down a madman hoping to become the clown prince of crime.
Jack Nicholson’s performance was the big sell forBatman, and that’s almost humorous given just how much Hollywood has come to see superhero properties as a safe bet at the box office. Yet, it’s easy to see why. Nicholson was never any ordinary actor; anyone who’s seen even one of his films knows he’s an engrossing chameleon. To put him under makeup, allow him to dial it up to 11, and let him collect a paycheck? No wonder the fun Nicholson has is so infectious.
Stream it on Prime Video and Max
