By Bailei Burgess-Simmons
Staff Writer
This time of year, the days are growing shorter and the evenings are getting colder. Long gone are the days of late summer nights spent outdoors at the shore or venturing the city.
With so little to do and so much time spent inside, how is one to remain occupied? Here, I have just the cure for you — or rather, the queue.
Below, I have curated a list of some of my favorite films to binge watch this season; a list of films intended to scratch every itch and induce a plethora of feelings and emotions. Ranked in no particular order, the list is as follows:
1. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons”
To kick off this list, I choose “The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons” starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. The film observes the very unordinary Benjamin Button throughout his very unordinary life. Buttons, you see, was born an old man — or at least in the body of one. He started his life completely blind with cataracts, arthritis, to match that of our great grandparents, and skin like leather. Doctors did not expect him to live, but he did. If the case couldn’t get more miraculous, as Benjamin’s life progresses, it becomes clear that he is aging backward. So, with every day that he is technically growing older, he looks younger and younger. The story is that of a grand life lived, full of love and loss; it is sure to break your heart in all the right ways.
2. “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”
This timeless adventure story is the perfect break from what can oftentimes be a heavy season. It is quite literally an escape from the world. “The Chronicles of Narnia” starts when four kids, sent away from home during the blitz of World War II, walk through a wardrobe and into the fantasy land of Narnia. As with any adventure story, the call to action comes when they learn that they are meant to free Narnia, with the help of a talking lion. Enjoyable for all ages, this film is sure to invoke your imagination.
3. “Call Me By Your Name”
As someone who falls more in love with this film everytime I watch it, I envy the person watching it for the first time. “Call Me By Your Name” tells the tale of a love that dare not speak its name. The film tracks the short lived but intense romance between Elio, played by Timothée Chalamet, and Oliver, played by Armie Hammer, over the course of a summer in late-20th-century Italy. It is fit with beautiful Italian scenery and a harsh, but accurate, account of what it meant to be queer in that time.
4. “The Grand Budapest Hotel”
What movie list is complete without at least one Wes Anderson film? “The Grand Budapest Hotel” is one of his greatest films, notable for its grand scenery, flowery dialogue and perfect comedic timing. In Wes Anderson style, the movie is both figuratively and literally colorful and nonsensical in the best way possible. The film takes place in the 1930s at a popular ski resort, the Grand Budapest hotel. There, Gustave and his protege take pride in serving their guests and running a perfect hotel with top of the line service. That is, until Gustave becomes the prime suspect in the murder of a hotel guest who is also one of his lovers.
5. “Eat, Pray, Love”
If we’re going to be binge watching films, I of course had to include one rom-com. “Eat, Pray, Love,” however, is hardly a rom-com. Instead, it's a story of courage and self discovery. The film tracks Elizabeth ‘Liz’ Gilbert, played by Julia Roberts, as she embarks on a journey to find herself again. Unhappy with her marriage, her career and ultimately her life, Liz makes a choice to divorce her husband. Another failed relationship later, Liz decides to go on a trip spanning a year, spending fourth months each in Italy, India and Bali. With each new destination comes a new goal, all with the objective of finding herself and maintaining happiness and balance.
6. “Whiplash”
Last but definitely not least is “Whiplash.” Let me start by saying that this film is neither cozy nor nostalgic. In fact, it’s sure to induce anxiety like no other film on this list can–perfect for fans of “The Black Swan.” Ambitious to a fault, the young, aspiring jazz drummer Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller) pushes himself to limits beyond imagination. It is made worse under the pressure of his teacher, Terence Fletcher (J.K Simmons), who will stop at nothing to produce the next jazz star. The pair are just short of cataclysmic. Nothing can prepare you for this whirlwind of a film, which is sure to stay on your brain for months afterward.
