Big Screens & Bigger Feelings
Published on June 16, 2026
By Hannah V.
We have always been a big movie household. My earliest memories of watching movies include classics such as The Land Before Time, Monsters, Inc., and Finding Nemo. Then as I got older, I found movies like Spy Kids, Bridge to Terabithia, and High School Musical.
While these are all fabulous movies, what really stuck with me were the movies that my mom showed me: The Princess Bride, Forrest Gump, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Now I’m 30 and I’m not getting movie recommendations from my mom anymore; I’m the one telling her all the things she should watch. So here are a few recommendations for you—and for my mom.
Grab a bucket of popcorn (or your preferred movie snack) and enjoy!
(Please use your discretion when watching these. Use the MPAA Ratings Guide to see the reasons for a rating, and DoesTheDogDie.com for content triggers not necessarily included in the ratings!)
Sinners
By far the best vampire movie I’ve seen in a long time (and as a vampire fanatic in my youth, I have quite a bit of authority to say that). If you like folklore, Irish jigs, and Michael B. Jordan, this is for you.
Rated R.
Top Gun: Maverick
This isn’t your mother’s Top Gun. Imagine it’s 2022. It’s a Top Gun summer. Tom Cruise is back with a younger cast and—if I can be honest—I liked this better than the original. (Don’t hold it against me; I wasn’t even alive when the first one was released.)
Rated PG-13.
Barbie
Top Gun summer is over and it’s time for Barbenheimer summer. Barbie and Oppenheimer released on the same day and the internet went wild. Oppenheimer was fine, good even. Barbie, however—Barbie was generational. That monologue from America Ferrara? It still resonates with women all over the world.
Rated PG-13.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
I actually did watch this with my mom; her take was essentially that she didn’t get the hype. But that’s okay. Not everyone can understand and appreciate parallel universes, complex mother daughter relationships, and hotdog fingers.
Rated R.
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Nic Cage plays Nic Cage, and if that’s not enough to get you interested, there’s also the Pedro Pascal, kidnapping, father-daughter relationships, and Paddington 2.
Rated R.
Longlegs
You’ll rarely find a horror movie on my recommendations list (because I’m kind of a scaredy cat). But it’s Nic Cage again. Cage plays a truly terrifying man called Longlegs. There are also satanic dolls, nuns, and the FBI—what more could you want?
Rated R.
Bugonia
Watch this after Poor Things for a Yorgos Lanthimos double feature. Lanthimos directed both movies and Emma Stone also stars in both. Not once did I know what was going to happen in this movie, and that made it ten times better. I was on the edge of my couch the whole time!
Rated R.
Mickey 17
I love an odd little movie—something that doesn’t feel the same as everything else out there. This really satisfies that. Robert Pattinson is our unlikely hero, Mickey, and he also plays Mickey, and Mickey, and Mickey—and, well, you get the picture.
Rated R.
Kneecap
An absolutely delightful movie about Irish rap, civil rights, and being your own worst enemy. This biopic starring the band members themselves is a celebration of the Irish language and culture. Don’t know how to speak Irish? Download Mango Languages and start learning today. All you need is your library card!
Rated R.
If these aren’t enough for you, check out Kanopy, our new digital resource. With Kanopy, you can watch movies, TV series, documentaries, kids’ movies, and more. Enjoy unlimited viewing of all titles—no tickets required.