Escapism is okay

Gladiator II and other movies to get you away from it all

There are very few Oscar winning movies that I have actually enjoyed. There. I said it.

I enjoyed Oppenheimer (2023) but a part of that was for the experience of doing Barbenheimer with my friends. I liked Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) because I love Michelle Yeoh. Don’t get me wrong, these are both good movies and I did like them as movies on their own too. But I probably won’t watch them again any time soon. She’s the Man (2006) on the other hand I couldn’t tell you how many times I’ve watched and I think I might be nearing 27 watches for 27 Dresses (2008). My mum (hi mum) and I have had this conversation a couple of times. Simply put, we’re not ‘think about it’ movie watchers. We enjoy movies, we’ve both watched a lot of movies, but we prefer ones that aren’t Oscar grabs, I’m looking at you Christopher Nolan, and James Cameron you’re on thin ice for other reasons.

With the state of the world for the past, let’s be real here, ten years, I don’t necessarily think there’s a big need for a movie that makes you feel and think every time you sit down. So while I think people should watch films that are commentaries on our society and lives (like Inception or The Hunger Games or even The Barbie Movie) and that move us to tears and make us reevaluate or appreciate our life (like The Secret Life of Walter Mitty), we should also sit down and watch movies that make us think about very very few things (like Tag or Shrek).

Here are 20 of my (with suggestions from others) favourite movies for when you just want a bit of fun, love, and explosions.

1. Gladiator I and II

2. Captain America: The Winder Soldier (I know this does have commentary on society vibes but it also has Bucky Barnes at peak level of hot so)

3. Confessions of a Shopaholic

4. Leap Year

5. The Transporter

6. The Dungeons and Dragons Movie

7. Any Amanda Bynes movie from 2003 - 2006

8. Knives Out (again some issues with the whole rich family but you can’t deny its a 10/10 murder mystery)

9. Kingsman Secret Service

10. Grown Ups (actually most Adam Sandler movies to be honest)

11. Princess Bride

12. Let’s Be Cops

13. Princess Diaries (not to be confused with the pirates, sword fighting, carnage of Princess Bride above)

14. The Martian

15. The Cornetto Trilogy

16. Wild Child (I could a make a list about top teenage girlhood movies to watch and this would be in the top three)

17. St Trinians (another for the girlhood)

18. Mamma Mia

19. Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging (Girlhood #1)

20. A Knight’s Tale

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