The 98 Best Movies to Watch Ever – Cosmopolitan

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We made the ultimate movie list so you don’t have to.
Hello there, fellow bored person who has run out of the internet and needs something to do: It’s time to watch a movie. But instead of just putting on whatever random thing from 2008 is inexplicably in Netflix’s Top 10 list today, how about watching something a lil’ more ~curated~. There are a gazillion amazing films out that you probably haven’t seen yet (or have seen and need to re-watch immediately), but if you need help making a decision we went ahead and rounded up 98 of THE best movies to watch right now. Like, in our professional opinions as people who watch a lot of movies and talk about them constantly.
Things you can find on this list? Cult classics, Oscar winners, movies all the “cool film kids” were watching in high school that you simply never got around to, horny historical romances, tons of horror, even more tons of nostalgia, phenomenal acting, and honestly just a lot of outfit inspo. (Talk to us after you’ve recreated every single look from Heathers because we’re right there with you).
Please be advised that this list is in no particular order whatsoever (meaning, no need to read into what’s #1 and what’s #98), and we will obviously be adding to it as more movies pop into our collective heads that we think you’ll love. ‘Til then, cozy up with a bucket of popcorn and your candy of choice, and enjoy!
Both the most Wes Anderson-y of Wes Anderson movies, and the best of Wes Anderson movies. (Bottle Rocket hive don’t @ us.)
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Hands up if you sneakily watched this in high school just to check out why it was unrated, and then walked out of the theater realizing it was one of the best movies you’d ever seen.
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Watch it on Halloween for peak horror or watch it any other time of year for peak vibes because–blood soaked prom dress aside—Sissy Spacek is the ultimate ’70s icon.
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Speaking of Sissy, if you haven’t watched Badlands—about a Bonnie & Clyde-esque couple of outlaws—please run, don’t walk, to Amazon Prime. It’s one of the most gorgeous movies ever made—which, duh, Terrence Malick directed it!
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Repeat after me: GOONIES NEVER SAY DIE.
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I believe it was Aristotle who once said “The good guys dress in black, remember that, just in case we ever face to face and make contact.”
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I don’t care that I’m not a child, I WILL continue watching this movie while clutching all my toy friends well into my adulthood, goodbye!
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Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman as witches in the ’90s who wear a bunch of long floral skirts and cast spells on their shitty boyfriends? Yes plz.
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Come for Cher’s amazing Oscar-winning performance and stay for Nicholas Cage wearing a tank top and screaming “I lost my hand! I lost my bride! Johnny has his hand! Johnny has his bride!”
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Amandla Stenberg is absolutely phenomenal as Starr Carter, a high schooler whose best childhood friend is killed by police at a traffic stop. Should be required watching.
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One of the most important queer love stories of all time, Carol is breathtaking. And the fact that it was snubbed for Best Picture and Best Director at the Oscars remains utter bullshit.
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Fantasia is creepy as hell and pretty sure whoever made it was extremely high, and that friends is why it’s on this list, next.
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The film responsible for giving us lines like “no no, that wasn’t a question,” “florals for spring? Groundbreaking,” and “who is that sad little person?”
That’s all!
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Anyone else blame this movie for the unrealistic expectation that they’d grow up to be a ballerina with two hot dancing bros fighting over them? Same.
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The only thing that made this perfect/romantic movie even more perfect/romantic? That’d be the soundtrack, so alert your Spotify accordingly.
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There are a lot of good movies about high school (I’m obviously referring to the High School Musical franchise here), but nothing comes close to Mean Girls. Yeah, you’ve watched it 25 times but might as well make it 26.
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Pretty sure this movie is single-handedly responsible for millions of ’90s kids wanting to be marine biologists when they grew up, but what do I know. *brushes off oversized Sea World shirt*
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I mean, aside from the fact that this movie includes some casual incest (nope, still not over Luke and Leia’s kiss), what we have here is a nerdy classic.
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Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton, and Jane Fonda getting revenge on their “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot” boss? Inject it into my veins.
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A truly eye-opening documentary about mass incarceration in the United States from Ava DuVernay. As she said after her Emmys win, “This is an evergreen story. It’s ongoing. It wasn’t just something that we dropped last year. It shouldn’t be forgotten. There are still 2.3 million people behind bars. We over-incarcerate in this country—the most incarcerated nation in the world. Now, more than ever, it’s important for people who believe in a different way of policing and criminal justice to make our voices heard.”
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One of the sweetest and most imaginative animated films ever, this Hayao Miyazaki classic tells the story of a girl and her spirit friend, Totoro. You’re gonna love him.
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Now and Then is the ultimate movie to watch when you’re in need of one feeling and one feeling only: childhood nostalgia.
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Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett in a ’90s romantic drama directly by Forest Whitaker. NEED! I! SAY! MORE!
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And speaking of childhood nostalgia, go ahead and watch My Girl while you’re at it—a movie that perfectly encapsulates the *breaks down sobbing* innocence of *clutches body pillow while weeping* youth.
MY GIRL
I think we can all agree that Girls Trip is the funniest movie e-v-e-r, not to mention the film that gave Tiffany Haddish superstar status. Could watch her scene on “grapefruiting” on repeat forever.
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While some (me) prefer the follow-up Dirty Dancing Havana Nights, Dirty Dancing is a classic in the genre of “horny dance movies.”
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This movie was made in 1986 but it amazingly manages to still be completely relevant. At least when it comes to les crushes and les cliques.
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Hidden Figures tells the story of Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, and Dorothy Vaughan’s work at NASA—which was previously little-known despite being the legit reason John Glen was able to orbit the earth.
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Everything about this movie is flawless, but especially the ’80s fashion. BRB while I go buy myself a puffy vest.
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If you’re into British society dramas à la Downton Abbey, Robert Altman’s Gosford Park WILL be your shit.
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