By Alice Preputnick; Photo Credits to Alice Preputnick
For me, one of the best reactions to watching a movie is coming out of the experience changed. Not many movies I’ve watched have this effect, but when they do, I know I have to get everyone I know to watch them.
Below are three movies that I deem as “life-changing” and I think everyone should watch.
1. “American Movie” (1999) directed by Chris Smith
The 1999 documentary “American Movie” is about a real man named Mark Borchardt as he tries to fulfill his goal of filming the low-budget horror movie he wrote.
This is probably the most impactful film I’ve ever seen. Mark’s passion for filmmaking oozes off the screen. Even though he faces challenges, which there are many, he pushes through and doesn’t let themstop him from doing what he loves. Aside from whether he is talented or not, Mark knows what he is talking about when it comes to cameras and editing. The people in Mark’s life continuously support him and help him try to achieve this dream, especially his friend Mike, who is the sweetest friend. His unwavering passion is truly inspiring, and I’d say this film is a must-watch for anyone looking to create a piece of art.
I have watched his short film “Coven”, and it’s definitely not the next Best Picture nominee, but you can tell that Mark put his all into making it, and I respect that. If you ever need a reminder to chase your dreams, watch this film.
2. “Flow”(2024) directed by Gints Zilbalodis
“Flow” is an animated film that follows a cat named Cat as he seeks refuge after the world floods. He finds refuge on a boat and seeks survival with multiple different species of animals.
I watched this movie when it came out with my high schools’ film club, and I seriously have not stopped thinking about it since. It is a wordless film, but the visuals and animation truly say so much more than words ever could and make it very hard to look away from the screen. The animation style of “Flow” is not only comforting, but also a whole new language within itself. At one point, an animal ascends to heaven, and the visuals for this are so beautiful I remember I started crying. After watching it, I remember the club advisor saying something about how this movie uses animal behaviors to reveal the truths about humanity, and after rewatching this movie, I can say that is accurate. It is remarkable how this film can function as a social commentary without ever actually saying anything.
If you do decide to watch “Flow” (and I hope you do), be prepared to cry.
3. “Zootopia 2” (2025) directed by Jared Bush and Byron Howard
A sequel to “Zootopia”, “Zootopia 2” follows the same characters, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, as they uncover the case of Gary De’Snake, a reptile that has suddenly shown up in Zootopia.
Now, I know how this sounds. How can “Zootopia 2” be life-changing? But hear me out. I genuinely believe that this film is perfect. It is such a well-made sequel, that perfectly expands the established world of “Zootopia”. I know that most Disney sequels are money grabs, but I think this movie is much more than that, or at least the writers treated it as more than that when creating it. Nothing that Judy or Nick do feels out of character; it feels like the audience never stopped following their journey. It helps that the events of this movie pick up a week after those from the first movie.
Like “Zootopia”, this movie also uses animal species as an allegory for humankind. Where its predecessor covered racism, “Zootopia 2” tackled colonialism, using reptiles. It was incredibly satisfying to see how the script played out, and how the writers would comment on this issue. This movie gave me so much hope that Disney will continue to release meaningful sequels that truly expand the worlds they created in the previous movies.
All three of these movies are very special to me, and I hope this inspired you to watch at least one of them.