Film Recommendations: 24 of my favourite movies
- abbybathurst
- Nov 1
- 9 min read
Here are 24 film recommendations, ranging from action blockbusters to romcoms, for those who enjoy watching things on the big screen.
This week, it was my birthday, and I turned 24. I had a lovely day and was thoroughly spoilt by friends and family.
On my birthday, on my bookish social media accounts, I shared 24 of my favourite books. The list included thrillers, romance novels, fantasy novels and more.
It got me thinking about what to write for my next blog post. Obviously, books come under the 'write' umbrella of WriteWatchWork, but I wanted to do something for 'watch'.
So, as I love a good film and often have movie nights, I thought I'd share a list of my 24 favourite films — in no particular order.
24 Film Recommendations
Top Gun: Maverick
Genre: Action
Stars: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly
Synopsis: "The story involves Maverick confronting his past while training a group of younger Top Gun graduates, including the son of his deceased best friend, for a dangerous mission."
My Thoughts: I had to put Top Gun: Maverick at the top of this list because it is one of my top three films. I absolutely loved this movie, not only because I think Tom Cruise is an excellent actor, but because of the plot, the side characters, the humour, the action and the emotion.
Mamma Mia
Genre: Musical
Stars: Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Christine Baranski, Stellan Skarsgard
Synopsis: "Donna, an independent hotelier, is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile, Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She invites three men from her mother's past in the hope of meeting her real father."
My Thoughts: Mamma Mia is definitely a comfort movie for me. It just makes me smile and feel better watching it, so I would definitely recommend it as a feel-good movie.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
Genre: Fantasy
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Tom Felton, Maggie Smith, Richard Harris, Alan Rickman...
Synopsis: "An orphaned boy enrols in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world."
My Thoughts: I could have included the entire Harry Potter franchise here because I love them all, but there's something about the first movie that just feels even more magical. It's comforting and a timeless classic in my eyes.
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One
Genre: Action
Stars: Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, Jeremy Renner, Alec Baldwin, Rebecca Ferguson...
Synopsis: "Ethan Hunt and his IMF team must track down a dangerous weapon before it falls into the wrong hands."
My Thoughts: The Mission Impossible Franchise is one of my favourite franchises, but Dead Reckoning is one of my favourite MI films. Not only because of Tom Cruise's acting, but because of the stunts, the action and the humour.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Genre: Fantasy and Adventure
Stars: Johnny Depp, Kiera Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Geoffrey Rush, Jonathan Pryce...
Synopsis: "Blacksmith Will Turner teams up with eccentric pirate "Captain" Jack Sparrow to save Elizabeth Swann, the governor's daughter and his love, from Jack's former pirate allies, who are now undead."
My Thoughts: I really enjoy watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. They are action-packed, full of adventure, and have a lot of humour in them too. It's hard to pick which one is my favourite, but I do remember loving The Curse of the Black Pearl, which is film one in the franchise.
Wicked
Genre: Musical and Fantasy
Stars: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh...
Synopsis: "Elphaba, a young woman ridiculed for her green skin, and Galinda, a popular girl, become friends at Shiz University in the Land of Oz. After an encounter with the Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads."
My Thoughts: Another musical on the list. I thoroughly loved Wicked: Part One when it was released last year. I also love the stage show, so Wicked is a comfort musical for me.
Grease
Genre: Romantic Musical
Stars: Olivia Newton-John, John Travolta, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Didi Conn...
Synopsis: "Good girl Sandy Olsson and grease Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?
My Thoughts: If you hadn't noticed, I quite like my musicals, and Grease is probably one of the first ones I ever watched and loved, so for that reason, I always enjoy watching the Pink Ladies and the T-Birds.
Mr and Mrs Smith
Genre: Action
Stars: Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Synopsis: "A husband and wife struggled to keep their marriage alive until they realise they are both secretly working as assassins. Now, their respective assignments require them to kill each other."
My Thoughts: I remember the first time I watched this film, and I laughed quite a bit. This is an action movie, but there is also a lot of comedy, and I thought it was great.
Hamilton
Genre: Musical
Stars: Lin Manuel Miranda, Phillipa Soo, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Daveed Diggs, Leslie Odom Jr.,...
Synopsis: "The real life of one of America's foremost founding fathers and first Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton. Captured live on Broadway from the Richard Rodgers Theatre with the original Broadway cast."
My Thoughts: I was obsessed with the Hamilton soundtrack before ever seeing the musical. Then when I did see the musical, I loved it and rewatched it multiple times, so that shows how much I enjoy Hamilton.
Shotgun Wedding
Genre: Action Comedy
Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel, Lenny Kravitz, Jennifer Coolidge, Steve Coulter...
Synopsis: "Darcy and Tom gather their families for the ultimate destination wedding, but when the entire wedding party is taken hostage, the bride and groom must save their loved ones - if they don't kill each other first."
My Thoughts: The first time I watched this movie was with my sister. We then persuaded our parents to watch it and I think I loved it even more. This is such a funny film that you just can't help but enjoy it.
The Back Up Plan:
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Alex O'Loughlin, Michaela Watkins, Eric Christian Olsen, Melissa McCarthy...
Synopsis: "A woman conceives twins through artificial insemination, then meets the man of her dreams on the very same day."
My Thoughts: This film had my sister and me in hysterics. It is a feel-good, romantic comedy that will have you laughing and smiling.
Fast 7
Genre: Action
Stars: Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodrigues, Jordana Brewster, Paul Walker, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson...
Synopsis: "Deckard Shaw seeks revenge against Dominic Toretto and his family for his comatose brother."
My Thoughts: The Fast and Furious franchise is one of my all-time favourite franchises, even if they go to space in the later films. But Fast 7 is one of my favourites because we get to see the true found family between the Torettos and other characters.
Arthur Christmas
Genre: Christmas
Stars: James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Bill Nighy, Jim Broadbent, Imelda Staunton, Ashley Jenson...
Synopsis: "Santa's clumsy son Arthur sets out on a mission with Grandsanta to give out a misplaced present to a young girl in less than two hours on Christmas Day."
My Thoughts: I love Christmas (it's my favourite time of year), so I just had to include one of my favourite Christmas movies on this list. Arthur Christmas is such a wholesome movie that's perfect for everyone.
Inside Out
Genre: Coming-of-Age animation
Stars: Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Bill Hader, Mindy Kaling, Diane Lane...
Synopsis: "After young Riley is uprooted from her Midwest life and moved to San Francisco, her emotions, Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house, and school."
My Thoughts: I really enjoy Inside Out as a movie. Animations are such good films, and Inside Out holds not only a joyful experience but an important message throughout too, making it so worthwhile to watch.
Soul
Genre: Coming-of-Age animation
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey, Graham Norton, Richard Ayoade, Alice Braga, Angela Bassett...
Synopsis: "Joe is a middle-school band teacher whose life hasn't quite gone the way he expected. His true passion is jazz. But when he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul."
My Thoughts: I have only seen this movie once, but I remember loving it. It's an animation, but it really makes you think about life and enjoying it throughout the story. It's also quite emotional, from what I remember.
The Life List
Genre: Romantic drama
Stars: Sofia Carson, Kyle Allen, Sebastian de Souza, Connie Britton, José Zúniga, Chelsea Frei...
Synopsis: "A woman revisits her childhood aspirations, endeavouring to achieve her old goals, only to discover that pursuing these lifelong dreams takes her on an unforeseen and surprising journey."
My Thoughts: I love Sofia Carson as an actress, and I do actually think that this is one of her best films. It's emotional, it's raw, it's eye-opening. I loved this movie and the encouragement it gives to its viewers.
Miracle on 34th Street
Genre: Christmas Films
Stars: Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins, Dylan McDermott, James Remar, Mara Wilson...
Synopsis: "A lawyer and a little girl must prove that a man claiming to be Santa Claus is the real thing."
My Thoughts: I used to watch this movie every year on Christmas Eve. It holds special memories for me and my family, hence why it's made it onto this list. It's comforting, it's Christmassy and it's wholesome.
The Holiday
Genre: Holiday Romance
Stars: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black
Synopsis: "Amanda lives in LA and is a movie trailer editor. Iris lives in Surrey and is a journalist. The two decide to swap houses for two weeks at Christmas - both trying to forget their troubled love lives, until love finds them anyway."
My Thoughts: I love The Holiday. It's a classic Christmas film that you can't help but enjoy.
Hit Man
Genre: Action comedy
Stars: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta...
Synopsis: "A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for his city police department descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services."
My Thoughts: This film is spectacular in showcasing how good an actor Glen Powell truly is. It is also fun, comedic, romantic and a great film based on a true story.
Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
Genre: War Epic
Stars: Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson, Alex Pettyfer, Eiza González, Henry Holding, Babs Olusanmokun...
Synopsis: "The British military recruits a small group of highly skilled soldiers to strike against German forces behind enemy lines during World War II.
My Thoughts: I love history, and this movie was the perfect blend of historical facts, action and comedy with some great actors too. Also, it's a Guy Ritchie film and I love his movies.
Encanto
Genre: Animated Family Musical
Stars: Stephanie Beatriz, María Cecilia Botero, John Leguizamo, Mauro Castillo...
Synopsis: "An extraordinary family, The Madrigals, live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house called an Encanto. The magic of Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift - every child except one, Mirabel."
My Thoughts: This movie is a feel-good musical that is vibrant, colourful and also teaches important lessons. I really enjoyed this movie when I watched it the first time, and it's one I can rewatch.
6 Underground
Genre: Action Thriller
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Mélanie Laurent, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ben Hardy, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco, Corey Hawkins
Synopsis: "It follows a group of people who fake their deaths and decide to form a vigilante team in order to stage a coup d'état against a ruthless dictator."
My Thoughts: This film is a great movie with lots of action and fight scenes and overall, I just really enjoyed watching it. Plus, Ryan Reynolds is a superb actor.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Genre: Cosy Mystery
Stars: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr, Kathryn Hahn,
Synopsis: "Tech billionaire Miles Bron invites his friends for a getaway on his private Greek island. When someone turns up dead, Detective Benoit Blanc is put on the case."
My Thoughts: I loved the original Knives Out movie, but thought that this one was even better than the last. The cast is star-studded, the movie is serious yet comical at the same time and just a great mystery.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle
Genre: Action Comedy
Stars: Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Elton John, Channing Tatum, Colin Firth, Julianne Moore
Synopsis: "After the Kingsman's headquarters is destroyed and the world is held hostage, an allied spy organisation in the United States is discovered. These two elite secret agencies must band together to defeat a common enemy."
My Thoughts: I loved Kingsman: The Secret Service, but I loved this sequel even more. It's full of great actors, but also Taron Egerton as Eggsy is just superb. Also, the blend of the British and the American was great.
So, these are my 24 film recommendations. I love each of these movies and have rewatched them multiple times.
If you need a new film to watch, then try out one of these. Or if you've got more recommendations of your own, leave them in the comments below.
Until next time...
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