18 of the Highest-Rated Movies That Our Children Will Call Classics

It’s hard to imagine a cozy evening without a good conversation, a tasty dinner, and, of course, an interesting film. And when you are ready to spend some time alone or with your family, you might not know what to watch.

Bright Side offers a compilation of films that have become modern classics, complete with trivia.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Set in a post-apocalyptic world, a woman fights a powerful ruler while finding her homeland with the help of prisoners and a driver named Max, who is running away from some ghosts of the past. This film is remarkable not because of its story, but because of how non-stop the action here is. Amazing car and bike chases, an unforgettable wardrobe, special effects — there’s enough stuff here for several movies.

Why you should watch it: Around its release, Mad Max: Fury Road was believed to be one of the greatest action films of all time that has a simple story that somehow grips you and doesn’t let go until the end.

• IMDb score — 8.1

Parasite

The director himself called this film “a comedy without clowns and a tragedy without villains.” This movie has it all: irony and black humor that, at some point, are replaced with elements of a psychological thriller. The Kim family lives in poverty and sometimes gets little jobs until one of them gets an offer to work in a rich house.

The guy forges his degree and develops a plan to find jobs for the entire family. It’s hard to tell who the parasites and who the victims are. It is interesting that the opinions of the viewers were really different about this film, but nobody was indifferent: it got an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a Palme d’Or. It definitely deserves your attention.

Why you should watch it: Even critics loved this film — 99% of reviewers think that it’s a masterpiece.

• IMDb score — 8.6

Ford v Ferrari

Crazy speed, tension, the sound of engines — people that love car races will love this film. And the main competitions don’t happen on the roads, they happen inside the corporations. Henry Ford wants to beat Enzo Ferrari so he hires lead automotive designer Carroll Shelby to build a car.

Why you should watch it: 20th Century Fox wanted to nominate both Christian Bale & Matt Damon for Best Actor for the Academy Award.

• IMDb score — 8.2

The Hateful Eight

The name of Quentin Tarantino is a sign of quality. If you are a fan of this director, you will definitely love this one. A complicated story with great dialogue and amazing scenes in true Tarantino fashion. Bounty hunter John Routh is transporting a prisoner and he meets other people along the way. They are forced to stop in a tavern with other suspicious people. The western is shot on 70-mm film which makes it look even better.

Why you should watch it: This is the longest film made by Tarantino and it is accompanied by a soundtrack from the legendary Ennio Morricone.

• IMDb score — 7.8

Zootopia

This is a story that is set in an amazing city with different animals that are so much like people. A small, yet brave rabbit named Judy dreams of becoming a police officer. But, of course, nobody takes her seriously, so she gets very boring tasks. Then the decisive Judy takes on a true detective investigation. The plot of Zootopia is pretty straightforward, but we think that sometimes even adults need to watch stories about what is good and what is not.

Why you should watch it: This is one of the most successful animations in history, having earned more than $1 billion.

• IMDb score — 8.0

Capernaum

Why are people born? To be loved. But, unfortunately, this is not always the case. The story of this boy proves it. In his world, people are only focused on survival and they are never happy. It is interesting that this film doesn’t have any professional actors. And there was no exact script: the director asked the participants to take the situations intuitively and reply as if it were real life. Even though this film won’t make you feel good, it is sometimes important to see the world for what it really is.

Why you should watch it: It will break your heart, but also make you think about the world we live in.

• IMDb score — 8.4

The Revenant

This film is a slow-burn plot that is based on true events. The main character has only one weapon — his willpower.

Why you should watch it: Distributors didn’t believe this film would be successful. But despite all the difficulties in the production process, The Revenant got a bunch of Oscars.

• IMDb score — 8.0

Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens

This franchise is considered to be a classic of sci-fi and it’s because we want to see more and more about space. The creators of the franchise know it and so they gave us new episodes. It’s been 30 years since Darth Vader died, but the galaxy is still in danger. The characters we already know are going to fight the new danger. The fans of the original franchise and those who have never watched Star Wars before should definitely see this film.

Why you should watch it: The film is made with a huge love for the original, and even the most loyal fans liked it.

• IMDb score — 7.9

Interstellar

Christopher Nolan is valued for his unique ability to see things others don’t. In 2067, dust storms put the lives of humanity in danger. Corn is the only thing people can still grow on Earth. A team of volunteers goes to space to find planets good enough to live on. Behind these events, there is a warning for all of humanity: if we don’t start to value our planet, one day, we will depend on corn fields. And this film is one of the best in the genre in terms of special effects.

Why you should watch it: Many internet users think that this film is the best in the history of cinema, but critics think that it’s quite a controversial film for Christopher Nolan. Interstellar also deserves your attention because it’s about a father’s love that stays strong no matter how far in time and space you go.

• IMDb score — 8.6

Bohemian Rhapsody

Is there anyone out there that has never heard a Queen song? Bohemian Rhapsody is a classic biography. The fans of Freddy Mercury will see the path of the band — from a small group that nobody knows to a band that was known worldwide. And as a bonus, you get to hear your favorite songs.

Why you should watch it: The production team was really focused and dedicated to recreating the past. So, the film is about love for the legendary band Queen and Freddy Mercury himself.

• IMDb score — 8.0

Green Book

This is a story of 2 completely different people that got to meet each other at the most unexpected moment. And they have to travel by car together. An elegant musician named Don Shirley hires Tony as a driver for his tour. Gradually, Tony starts to understand the pianist and even protects him. At the beginning, they had nothing in common, but this journey will change their lives forever. This is a comedy, which is why serious questions about honesty and dignity are discussed in funny conversations.

Why you should watch it: After this film won an Oscar, a lot of discussions started. Some people said that the film is a masterpiece, and others were angry. Anyway, the duo of Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali will leave nobody indifferent.

• IMDb score — 8.2

The Lion King

Everyone probably remembers the funny Hakuna Matata song from our favorite cartoon on VHS. The remake of the cartoon looks more like a film. So, if you grew up in the ’90s, you will be able to return to your childhood for a few hours.

Why you should watch it: The fans of the original cartoon didn’t really like the remake, but it’s still a chance to relive Simba’s story with great visual effects.

• IMDb score — 6.9

The Gentlemen

In this film, Guy Ritchie returned to his iconic style. Elite drinks, expensive houses, and funny jokes — it’s hard to imagine a story about criminals without this atmosphere. Great dialogue, talented actors, and a great story might make you want to watch the film more than once.

Why you should watch it: This is a classic gangster action film with some of the greatest actors of today. And Hugh Grant played an amazing uncharacteristic role.

• IMDb score — 7.8

Wonder

This film is based on the self-titled novel by R. J. Palacio. August was born with a rare genetic pathology and had to have a lot of facial surgeries. It’s a sad story. But the director managed to tell it in a very kind way. Appearance doesn’t matter. What’s inside matters the most.

Why you should watch it: Among lots of blockbusters, this film teaches us to believe in other people.

• IMDb score — 8.0

Paddington 2

This is a story about a small bear from Peru that people loved (even in the first film). In the sequel, Paddington finds an old book in an antique store. But then the book disappears. The brave bear starts looking for it and finds himself in a mysterious story. And he is always a charming and smiling bear. Of course, the tale has a happy ending.

Why you should watch it: This film doesn’t have any negative reviews from critics. The secret is that the creators were really careful with the original story about the bear.

• IMDb score — 7.8

Michelangelo — Infinito

Every shot of this film reminds us of something the genius Michelangelo created. And every part contains a lot of symbolism. It is a biography and an idea of how this great sculptor could see the world. It’s not a film about action scenes or special effects. But it has something else: the mysterious talent of Michelangelo.

Why you should watch it: The film was made with the help of the Vatican museums and it stays true to the historical facts. If you love art, you will love this film.

• IMDb score — 7.2

It

If Stephen King only scared us with creepy clowns, he would probably be a comic book writer. But his novels are full of psychological observations, so this film doesn’t just scare you. It also talks about real social problems.

Why you should watch it: The director of the film carefully prepared for a long time to be able to recreate the atmosphere of the original. Tilda Swinton was offered the part of Pennywise, but she was busy.

• IMDb score — 7.3

Perfect Strangers

What doesn’t your phone hide? 7 friends think that they don’t have any secrets from each other. The rules are simple: all calls and texts are read out loud. This Italian comedy is a lot like a theater play — there’s not a lot of action, but there’s a lot of dialogue. Every character has dark secrets, which is why this simple game evolves into a drama.

Why you should watch it: 18 countries made remakes of this film, which is why it’s in The Guinness Book of World Records.

• IMDb score — 7.8

What other movies do you think deserve to be on this list? Tell us in the comment section below!