It's been interesting watching certain films become instant classics over the years. Films like The Dark Knight have left an indelible mark on pop culture. More "high art" like There Will Be Blood is highly regarded in film circles (and continues to attract new audiences, perhaps on the power of Daniel Day Lewis's performance alone).
As a big horror fan though, it's been fascinating to see how the genre has been reborn over the last decade. A film like The Witch continues to attract new viewers––Dost thou want to live deliciously?––and the films of Ari Aster, namely Hereditary and Midsommar attracted both critical and wide audience acclaim. Modern classics, right? I think so.
People were keen on sharing their opinions on which films will survive the test of time after Redditor keepingupwiththeos asked the online community,
"What recent movies will be considered classics 25 years from now?"
"It's such a unique and intelligent story..."
"Arrival for sure. It's such a unique and intelligent story about communication and collaboration that has gotten better with each viewing. Then there's the brilliant role of time in the story which is unlike any other take I've seen. Amy Adams carries but the rest of the cast does a good job, especially Forrest Whittaker. People don't talk about it enough but I hope Arrival will be remembered."
A truly engrossing film. Dennis Villneueve, the director, has made more than a few films that I would say are modern classics; Prisoners is probably the best of these. The upcoming Dune also looks incredible.
"For people that like..."
"For people that like A24 movies and those kinds of movies in general, I think The Lighthouse with Robert Pattinson and Willam Dafoe will be up there."
The Lighthouse, from the director of The Witch, is nightmarish. Shot in a moody black and white, it features stellar performances from Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe.
"That shot of the son's face..."
"Hereditary will without a doubt become one of the "big" names when it comes to horror movies in the next 5-10 years. I am quite the hater when it comes to the horror genre but Hereditary absolutely blew me away. That shot of the son's face while you can hear the mother wake up for "another normal day" only to find the decapitated body of her daughter in the car was gut wrenching."
That is my favorite moment of the film––incredible acting from both Toni Colette and Alex Wolff.
"The slow burn..."
"The Hunt, with Mads Mikkelsen. Great cinematography and acting. Several nerve-wracking scenes. The slow burn and small-town dynamic really add up well to the storyline. I can't help but watch it every other year and it always works like watching the first time."
A wonderful film that absolutely deserves a wider audience. Mikkelson won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for his work on the film.
"It was politically relevant..."
"Knives Out.
It was politically relevant without being heavy-handed, and was right in the vein of the classic murder mystery genre which has a long history."
"I'm not a huge fan of American comics..."
"Into the Spider-Verse is what I wish all of Disney/Pixar would be like since WALL-E came out in 2008.
Dynamic characters, revolutionary animation and art direction, a story with genuine grit and heart that manages to center the experiences of POC without pandering and virtue signaling... I'm not a huge fan of American comics and I don't care for superhero movies, but I adore this movie and Miles Morales."
I am not a fan of superhero flicks at all but there's something about the magic of Into the Spiderverse that works stupendously.
"Thanks to its practical effects..."
"Mad Max: Fury Road is arguably the greatest action movie ever made, and thanks to its practical effects it should hold up really well to time since CGI tends to age poorly."
"I think a lot of people..."
"I think Jojo Rabbit will be on the list. The script, actors, direction, and cinematography are on point. It has a lot of humour and heartbreak.
I think a lot of people were put off by the role Hitler plays in the movie. For starters he doesn't really look like Hitler; secondly, he often acts as comedic relief. If you haven't seen the movie it already sounds very strange."
"Not super recent..."
"The Fall (2006).
Not super recent, I admit, but it's unlike any other movie and it's brilliant and weird and if they ever put it on any streaming services (it's not on anything right now, even iTunes), it would be way more well-known."
"It was basically overlooked..."
"The Nice Guys with Ryan 'The Goose' Gosling and Russell 'Fightin' 'Round the World' Crowe!
It was basically overlooked when it came out but it's one of the best films of the past decade. It's hilarious, the action is fun and light, and the writing and direction (thanks, Shane Black!) are unparalleled. Check it out!"
If you haven't seen some of these––where have you been? Get watching. You won't regret it.
Of course, tastes differ. You're bound to have some suggestions of your own. Why not share them with us? Feel free to sound off in the comments below!
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Jane Rosenberg
Jane Rosenberg
@arianagrande/Instagram
@arianagrande/Instagram