1. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

I don’t remember exactly why I decided to watch this movie. I think I was bored and saw that there was an HD version on 123movies. Not that I support or endorse pirating… Anyway! “Fury Road” is almost nothing like its predecessors. Some of the original elements are still there. The post-apocalyptic setting remains as bleak and hopeless as ever and the road warrior lifestyle of battling and racing in huge tricked out rigs is alive and well.

Quick sidebar. Let’s talk about the flame throwing electric guitar real quick. Yes, you read that right. Flame Throwing, Electric. Guitar. It shouldn’t work. It should feel completely out of place. Who taught the guitar player how to play? Is it just one guitar or do they have a whole collection of flame instruments? I have so many questions! It’s just such a cool visual that we ignore how illogical it is. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine with that. I just thought it should be mentioned. End of sidebar.

In the new installment, Mad Max played by Tom Hardy, exists as more of a guide into the story than an actual protagonist. The story and characters could exist on its own, not at all affiliated with the Mad Max franchise, and it would still be just as good. But that’s only true because the film isn’t really about Max. The true protagonist is Furiosa, who definitely ranks with Leeloo, Beatrix Kiddo, and, dare I say, Leia Organa on my list of the “Coolest Female Action Heroes Of All Time”. More than anything, I just really love that George Miller made a dystopian film where the central theme is female empowerment and it doesn’t feel forced. There are no eye-roll inducing moments. No blatant pandering. Just earned character moments and a movie that trusts that its audience is smart enough to understand its messages. And their trust pays off. Definitely one of the best of its genre.

2. The Other Guys (2010)

Full disclosure: I adore Will Ferrell. So so much. That being said, I wasn’t really shocked that I loved “The Other Guys”. I was more surprised because the film is so cleverly written and unique in the way the plot plays out, that it feels like nothing else he’s ever done before. It’s a buddy cop satire that also manages to be a great buddy cop movie. There is no reason for this movie to be as funny as it is. From Ferrell’s character being inexplicably attractive to every gorgeous women he meets, to the police chief openly discussing his second job working part-time at a Bed, Bath, & Beyond, “The Other Guys” is definitely one of a kind. There is just so much going on. Some would say too much, but personally I think it’s a controlled chaos, because in the end it all comes together. Everyone in this movie holds their own. Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson are only in the movie for like 5 minutes, but their scenes are definitely some of the funniest in the movie. I know that Ferrell and Wahlberg sounds weird on paper, but unlike “Daddy’s Home” (don’t get me started) “The Other Guys” takes these polar opposite personalities and puts them in the only pairing that makes sense: “good cop, bad cop”. Ferrell’s goofy and by the book. Wahlberg’s a super intense, loose cannon cop, who once shot Derek Jeter. Accidentally. Every time I try to explain the plot to someone who’s never seen it, they look at me like I’m out of my mind. You just have to see it. Need one more reason to watch this movie? Fine. Will Ferrell’s character’s backstory includes him unintentionally becoming a pimp while in college. His nickname is Gator. Go watch this movie.

3. Mary & Max (2009)

You don’t want to watch “Mary and Max” if you’re not up for a good cry. But if you’re cool with blubbering like a baby, I highly recommend it. It’s one of those movies that starts off and you’re thinking “Oh, a cartoon! Cute. It has good reviews, I’ll give it a shot.” Then, about 15 minutes in you kinda wondering, “What am I watching?”/”How did I get here?”.But by the end, you’re angry that more people haven’t seen the movie and want to make everyone you know watch it. Its the story of Mary, an 8-year-old Australian girl who is very lonely and struggles to fit in. One day, she decides to mail a letter to a stranger, in hopes that she will make a friend. She picks Max Horowitz, a name she finds in the phone book. In any normal movie, Max would have been another kid. But this is not a normal movie. The letter is successfully mailed to Max, a 44-year-old New Yorker with a severe anxiety disorder and Asperger’s syndrome. Max is not a predator. Just wanted to put that out there. And he’s in dire need of a friend, maybe even more so than Mary. So her letter finds him at the perfect time. Max has always had difficulty engaging and understanding the world around him and because of that, he too is very lonely. Mary helps him understand that he’s not the only one who feels different. In turn, he helps Mary deal with the trials of growing up, building up her confidence. In college, her friendship with Max inspires her to study psychology, writing her thesis on their relationship. When the thesis is published, Max feels hurt and, thinking Mary exploited him, he ends their friendship. As years pass, Mary’s life has fallen apart, sending her into a deep depression. Eventually Max realizes that Mary never meant to hurt him and that she is the best (and only) friend he has ever had. I watch this movie when I’m feeling down, even though it makes me cry, because they aren’t sad tears. I think I cry because Max and Mary’s friendship is so pure. It reminds me that the most unlikely people can have such a huge impact in your life and no matter how different you feel, there is someone out there who’ll understand you. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t getting a little misty eyed, just thinking about it.

4. Mississippi Masala (1991)

Of course I had to put some romance in here. I found this gem after watching the 1996 Indian period piece “Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love”. I’ve always really liked movies that focus on other cultures, so I looked up Mira Nair, the director, and went through her filmography. I watched a few of her films. “Monsoon Wedding” and “Vanity Fair” were two that stood out, but “Mississippi Masala” stole my heart. It stars Sarita Choudhury and Denzel Washington, as two young people who fall in love despite their cultural differences. Sarita’s Mina is a young Indian girl, who spent her early childhood in Uganda. When Idi Amin rose to power and exiled all Asians from the country, she was forced to immigrate to America with her mother and father. Years later, Mina’s family has relocated to Mississippi and she has assimilated (as much as she can) into American culture. She meets and falls in love with Demetrius, a black man who owns his own business and is respected in his community. This does not fall in line with her parents’ plan for her to be set up with a good Indian boy from a nice family. She knows her parents will never approve, so Mina and Demetrius’ love is kept a secret. They eventually are caught by friends of Mina’s family, while on a romantic getaway and she must choose between what is expected of her and the man she loves. Demetrius’ affair with Mina also cause problems for him and his business because rumors compromises his credibility. I know it sounds like your typical Romeo Juliet, mixed with your typical interracial love story, but it has way more depth than that. It focuses on prejudice within minority groups. As you know, Indian people often refer to themselves as brown people, but in many instances, they’re the same shade as Black Americans. And yet, there is a separation between the two groups that, unlike with white people, is unspoken. That is, until a black man falls in love with an Indian woman. It’s an interesting dynamic. There is also a poignant subplot, dealing with Mina’s father’s prejudice towards black people, which developed after his exile out of Uganda, the only country he’d ever known. All in all, it’s just a really good love story with gorgeous cinematography. And that’s always enough for me.

5. Working Girl (1988)

Bob’s Burgers brought me here. No seriously. Specifically, the season 5 premiere episode “Work Hard, Or Die Trying Girl”. The one where Gene secretly produces “Die Hard: The Musical” while his ex-girlfriend/rival Courtney puts on the school sanctioned “Working Girl: The Musical”. I have already seen the iconic Christmas classic about a million times, but I decided that in order to fully appreciate the episode I had to watch “Working Girl”. I may be a little bias (I saw Harrison Ford’s name in the credits and I was sold) but I will never get tired of this movie. If aliens ever come to earth and ask us our history, when we get to the 1980s, just show them this movie. The hair, the shoulder pads, the new age business woman taking NYC by storm, “Let the River Run” the Grammy-Award power ballad by Carly Simon, this movie is peak 80s. Trust me, I asked my Mom. But even more than that, the story is so relatable. I think Bob Belcher said it best: “Working Girl’s the film that inspired me to be anything I wanted to be!”. Tess McGill is an incredibly smart woman whose full potential isn’t being recognized because of how she looks and where she comes from. She finally gets a job where she feels appreciated, just to find out that her boss Katherine stole the business idea that she told her in confidence, and is posing it as her own. She then decides that she will not be overlooked anymore. Using some mild deception, she is able to present her idea to the corporate big wigs, and finally get the recognition she deserves. Gotta love a good underdog story. Also, I mention handsome young Harrison Ford right? Oh, I did? Just making sure.