6. Get Out (Jordan Peele)
Chris Washington (Daniel Kaluuya) is a young African-American photographer who is to meet his girlfriend’s family for the first time over the weekend. The girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams), is white and although it’s a minor detail to start of with, the colour of Chris’ skin seems to come up more and more during the stay at the family’s farm, and an unwelcome feeling slowly but steadily sneaks up on both Chris and the audience.
“Get Out” has reached immense success and praise since its release in 2017, for which there are many reasons. One is its clever way of tackling social issues of racism in today’s America as a general theme, while another is its effective and eclectic use of both the horror and comedy genre. This is combined with strong portrayals from the entire cast, as well as small details and hidden messages throughout the film.
It is especially the hidden symbols that Jordan Peele has planted everywhere throughout – such as Rose, who at first seems to stand up to a racist cop for the sake of her boyfriend and the injustice he is met with, while you later discover it might just have been for the benefit of covering up her own tracks – which makes the film highly rewatchable.
7. The Death of Stalin (Armando Iannucci)
As the title suggests, this satire follows the death of dictator Joseph Stalin in 1953. However, instead of focusing on the death of the man or the events leading up to it, the emphasis is put on the generals, staff and cronies who are left behind, and who all have an interest in gaining the power that is now suddenly available, as someone has to take the place of the next Soviet leader. What ensues is a whole lot of backstabbing, brawling and scheming all set in an extremely funny and relevant farce-like ensemble film.
Whether or not you’re especially interested in history, “The Death of Stalin” is a darkly hilarious look at the power struggles, hierarchy and politics in the modern world. It’s filled with satire, witty dialogue, one-liners and well-known historical figures portrayed in new and uproarious ways, and it all comes together in an highly amusing film that only gets better on the second and third watch, when you’ll catch even more inside jokes and enjoyable moments.
8. You Were Never Really Here (Lynne Ramsay)
There’s a lot of pain to go through when the viewer is introduced to Joe (Joaquin Phoenix), a large, brutal and silent man who specialises in retrieving lost children. He uses all means available to him in doing so and is known for his efficiency with a hammer.
The audience not only follows Joe on his different quests, but they also get a series of glimpses into his traumatic past and childhood memories, which all come in to play when he is hired to find a senator’s missing daughter, Nina (Ekaterina Samsonov).
While many of the other films have been put on this list for their more amusing and humoristic values, “You Were Never Really Here” is quite a different entry. What makes this film worth viewing more than once is the slow but forceful drive it carries. It’s all the beautiful visuals that feel, although we never really see the actual action and gore, horrific and devastating.
It is the way we meet Joe and are enthralled by his life, but we never truly are sure if we know or understand him. And it’s the scenes that take time and never give any specific explanation for their existence. And just like “Taxi Driver,” to which it is often compared, it pulls its audience in.
9. Paddington 2 (Paul King)
The sequel to “Paddington” – a film that came out in 2015 and garnered general praise – “Paddington 2” once again follows Paddington the bear and his life in London. He is settled with the Brown family and enjoys his time being a part of the community; however, he does feel regretful that his Aunt Lucy has never seen London, which she always loved from afar.
Paddington therefore decides to buy her an old antique pop-up book that shows London in detail for her birthday, so she can somewhat experience the London he has. Unfortunately, Paddington isn’t the only one who has his eyes set on the pop-up book, and the bear is forced to embark on a new adventure filled with thievery, marmalade, schemes, and unlikely friendships.
For quite different reasons than films such as “You Were Never Really Here” and “Mother!,” “Paddington 2” is also a film that is worth rewatching. However, whereas other films might take some time to get back to and need analysing, “Paddington 2” is simply so well thought out, endearing and entertaining that it feels like you could watch it on repeat without any break.
It’s the type of family film that is equally enjoyed by the parents as it is by the children since it manages to balance between slapstick and small smart innuendos. Moreover, it’s the central figure of the bear Paddington himself who never once gets one-dimensional or uncharacteristic for the sake of the plot, but who stays warm, courageous and funny throughout the whole film, that makes this rewatchable.
10. Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson)
Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, “Phantom Thread,” follows the renowned dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock (Daniel Day-Lewis), who makes stunning dresses for the elite in 1950’s London. Woodcock’s sister, Cyril (Lesley Manville), with whom he shares a very affectionate and honest relationship, helps run the business of the House of Woodcock, and she carries a vital part in Woodcock managing his career and personal life.
Woodcock does have his fair share of young women come and go throughout his life, and although they give him pleasure and inspiration for a while, they never seem to stay for very long, since they become dull with time. This is true until Alma (Vicky Krieps) enters, and she soon becomes rather more difficult in the role of a beautiful but nevertheless disposable companion, and things are turned upside down for the selfish Woodcock.
“Phantom Thread” is, although hard to follow and slow for some viewers at first, quite enticing. It takes it time to set up its world, complicated characters, and small secrets, and slowly but surely the layers of the different relationships between people come undone.
For many people, it isn’t until the very last scenes of the film that the character of Alma and her power is truly understood, and suddenly scenes from the very beginning of the film are given a whole new meaning. Therefore, aside from all the other elements such as the cinematography, the score, and the costume design, it is the dialogue, the character’s minds, and the entire storyline that make the viewer need to go back and rewatch it.