Wicked (2024)
Released in November, “Wicked,” directed by Jon M. Chu, brings the famous Broadway musical to theatres. Featuring a cast of stars including Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jeff Goldblum and others, the film depicts a story in the Land of Oz in the time before the classic novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” The film tackles complex themes like identity and race through the story of Elphaba and Galinda, two aspiring Witches.
Romie Avivi Stuhl, a senior associate editor for A&C, recommended the film due in large part to nostalgia. “Being an ex-theatre kid, it was fun to see a musical I had seen on stage come to life on the screen,” she said.
Wicked was a highlight of the year, rating 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and 4.0 on Letterboxd.
The Breakfast Club (1985)
30 years after its release, the cult classic coming-of-age film made an impact on A&C this year, showing why it earned resounding acclaim over the last three decades. Centered around five high school students and a fateful Saturday detention, the film shows the commonality between all humans when cliques are removed from the equation.
“The characters are quite different from each other in terms of social status, but throughout the movie they overcome their differences and come together,” Cate Campbell, a junior art reporter, said.
The cathartic moments of this heartwarming film will keep you cozy until spring.
The Substance (2024)
Released in September, “The Substance,” directed by Coralie Fargeat, is a thriller/horror masterpiece that depicts the sickening results of the search for youth. Starring Demi Moore, Fargeat’s vision is brought to life with “thoughtful camerawork, striking production design, nasty makeup and a squelching soundboard,” Sean Avery, a senior film and TV reporter, said.
Avery further described the film as “an unsubtle exploration of Hollywood’s ridiculous body standards, which trickle down to the everyday woman.”
Grossing 77 million, with most earnings coming from its international audience, the film is a must-watch at your next movie night.
Ricky Stanicky (2024)
Scapegoat, fall guy and patsy are all words to describe the imaginary Ricky Stanicky who is used as an excuse for the inane behavior of JT (Andrew Santino), Dean (Zac Efron) and Wes (Jermaine Fowler).
Eventually caught in the lie, the three men hire an actor (John Cena) to stand in for their imaginary scapegoat. As the actor assimilates to his role, to the dismay of his employers, he begins to enjoy it too much and all hell breaks loose.
“It gets really out of control,” Fern Peva, a senior food writer, said. “It’s not a deep film, but it’s one you won’t regret watching.”
The chemistry between the leads results in an absurd and hilarious comedy flick certain to earn a few laughs.
The Boy and the Heron (2023)
This modern animated classic was the seminal work of animator Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli. 22 years after his first nomination for best animated picture in 2001, “The Boy and the Heron” cemented Miyazaki as one of, if not the best animator of all time. The film describes a boy and his journey towards peace following the death of his mother.
“The combination of reality and imagination is really beautiful,” Seira Kitagawa, a sophomore dance and theatre reporter, said.
Miyazaki and Ghibli seamlessly weave existential themes like purpose and loss with historical elements of war and the struggles of rural living, Miyazaki’s final project with Ghibli ends its run with a bang.
The Departed (2006)
Rediscovering the work of Martin Scorsese has been an incredible ride, and “The Departed,” is a nail biting thriller surrounding two Boston cops played by Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon and their relationship with Frank Costello, a mafia kingpin.
Played by Jack Nicholson, Costello has a cold and psychotic grip on the Boston drug trade and the budding police officers are forced to deal with the results of his rule in their own ways.
Featuring incredible storytelling, a healthy dose of comeuppance and fantastic character portrayal from all of the leads, the film remains a gritty and violent classic that is well deserving of the Best Picture Academy Award in 2007.
If you’re looking to be on your toes and sweating with anxiety for the better part of two and a half hours, the visceral experience of “The Departed” is my personal recommendation for your next movie night.
Kneecap (2024)
This musical comedy depicts three Irish hip-hop rappers and their rise to fame. The trio, named Kneecap after the torture technique popularized during the political conflict in Northern Ireland, fight an uphill battle of critics and assailants who complain of their promotion of anti-social behavior and republican ideologies.
“It was swept under the rug,” Jackson Buckley, a junior music reporter, said. “It told a great story of the duo’s impact on current social conflicts in Ireland with language.” If you’re looking for a music-centric and socially pertinent film, “Kneecap” is available on Netflix.
