Diksha Sundriyal
Shubhabrata Dutta
The Motion Pictures Association of America defines the PG-13 rating as one that strongly advises parents against potential material that may be unsuitable for children below the age of 13. Within the scope of that definition, we think it would be safe to assume that close to 60% of the films that are released each year are rated PG-13, clearly implying that a majority of our favorite films could fall under the rating’s purview.
While the criterion in itself is very wide, it is able to encompass more than a few popular and latest films. The G and PG-rated films are reserved for mostly animations, children-centered movies, and Disney features, whereas the R-rated films are for the more serious. The remaining movies can potentially fall anywhere under this spectrum, but it turns out that quite a lot of those find themselves in the PG-13 category. But that, by no means, discredits the film. Plus, let’s be honest, they can be the perfect respite after a hard day, and isn’t that the point of movies?
23. Candy Jar (2018)
‘Candy Jar’ revolves around high school student Lona Skinner and her nemesis, Bennet Russell. Lola and Bennet cannot stand the sight of each other and make their hatred clear whenever they get a chance. However, when the position of the debate team president comes into question, both give it their all as it will look good on their college applications. Although they don’t want to work together, the principal forces them to be co-presidents. Working together for the first time, their relationship takes a sudden turn, and with much in common, there is a hint of a budding romance. You can watch the movie here.
22. Dumplin’ (2018)
Danielle Macdonald stars as plus-size teen Willowdean “Will” Dickson, who is addressed as Dumplin’ by her mother Rosie (Jennifer Aniston). Rosie is one of the core members of the committee that plans the town’s beauty pageant content. So naturally, Rosie is all about good shape, which takes the form of a brick in the mother-daughter relationship. Complications multiply when Will makes up her mind to take part in the contest as a form of “protest in heels.” Will she win the pageant? Will it solve her issues with her mother? ‘Dumplin’’ carries a very strong message about body positivity and being confident and makes for a memorable watch. You can stream the movie here.
21. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
An extremely sweet love story, ‘Always Be My Maybe’ is the story of two childhood friends- Sasha and Marcus, who have grown up as neighbors and were great friends. However, they have fallen out since then, and when the film starts, they have not spoken to each other for around 15 years. But one day, a chance meeting brings them back to each other’s lives.
Marcus now performs in a local rock band, whereas Sasha is a renowned chef. The two old friends come across each other suddenly, and they hit it off quite well. While Marcus does have a girlfriend called Jenny, he admits to his father that he has once again developed a soft corner for Sasha. The only problem is that the chef has recently met someone she is in love with. The film is hilarious, well-written, and tries to come up with something different from the regular romantic comedies that we often get to see. You can stream the film here.
20. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
This romantic teen comedy is the perfect respite after a long day. We see Lana Condor as Lara Jean, a high school junior who has written letters addressed to all the boys she has had a crush on. But she has never sent them out. So, naturally, her worst nightmare comes to life when, one day, the boys start confronting her with the letters. Soon, one thing leads to another, and she ends up in a fake relationship with one of her former crushes, Peter Kavinsky (Noah Centineo). The movie deals with how the two come to terms with their emotions, and it must also be noted that the film was one of the most popular releases of the year. You can watch it here.
19. Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ focuses on city kid Ricky, who cannot seem to get along with his bad-tempered foster uncle. However, when Ricky runs away into the wilderness after the death of his foster mother, his uncle is the first to join him. With them being the targets of a nationwide manhunt, the two are forced to keep their differences aside and bond on a whole new level. You may watch the film here.
18. Athlete A (2020)
Although the whole world reveres USA Gymnastics, there have been rumors about dark secrets lurking underneath the shiny exterior. ‘Athlete A’ is an incredible documentary that sheds light on these rumors and follows a group of investigative journalists from The Indianapolis Star as they explore the allegations against then-CEO Steve Penny. The documentary also delves into the murky interior and examines how Larry Nassar was sexually assaulting young female gymnasts. Feel free to check it out here.
17. The Half of It (2020)
‘The Half of It’ is a beautiful coming-of-age comedy where we meet Ellie Chu, a very reserved student who lives with her widowed father. Paul Munsky, who is on the football team, asks for her help in writing a love letter to his crush, Aster Flores. Although Ellie initially has reservations about doing it, she eventually agrees and even sets them up on a date. The rest of the movie follows Ellie as she tries to understand her own feelings.
The plot champions the LGBTQ community and is a step forward in the right direction. It handles some rather heavy themes, such as sexuality, love, and faith, and gives us a modern twist on it. This is even more commendable when you realize that not many movies out there do what ‘The Half of It’ does for popular culture today. Feel free to check out the movie here.
16. Thunder Force (2021)
Scientist Emily Stanton (Octavia Spencer) and longshoreman Lydia Berman (Melissa McCarthy) are estranged childhood friends meeting after a long time in a world threatened by super-powered criminals and psychopaths. While in Stanton’s lab, Lydia inadvertently gets herself injected with a serum that gives her superpowers as well. These, Stanton and her team have been working on for a long time. Together, the two women decide to form a superhero team to fight crime, especially the evil Mayoral candidate William Stevens. The movie is directed by Ben Falcone, who is also Melissa McCarthy’s husband. You can stream it here.
15. Murder Mystery (2018)
Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler are both huge icons of comedy, having had extremely successful careers at the top of Hollywood for decades now. Thus, when the two powerhouse performers joined forces for the Netflix original film ‘Murder Mystery,’ audience interest was already soaring high.
In this film, Sandler plays the role of Nick Spitz, a police officer in New York City. His wife, Audrey (Aniston), believes that they have lost the spark in their marriage, and thus, to reignite the same, the two head off to Europe for a vacation. There, the couple comes across a rather rich gentleman at the airport who invites them on his family yacht. Audrey and Nick readily agree and soon find themselves amid opulence they have never seen before. Their joy suddenly comes crashing down when a murder takes place, and they are suspected of being the killers. The pair has to solve the case themselves before things get out of hand. Though the film has nothing new to offer, it is the sheer performance of the two leading actors that makes this film an irresistible watch. You can check it out here.
14. The Gray Man (2022)
‘The Gray Man’ is an action thriller directed by the Russo Brothers (Joe Russo, Anthony Russo) of ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’ fame. The movie shows a CIA assassin, Six (Ryan Gosling), who gets his hands on a chip given to him by his dying target, who turns out to be a member of the Sierra program, the same program that Six is a member of. The chip is supposed to contain compromising info about Six’s superior, Denny Carmichael (Rege-Jean Page). Carmichael cannot risk the possibility of Six getting his hands on the intel, so he employs Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), a former CIA agent, to find Six. Whether Six is able to avoid Hansen and prove Carmichael guilty is what the movie chronicles. You may watch ‘The Gray Man’ here.
13. The Adam Project (2022)
‘The Adam Project’ is a sci-fi adventure movie directed by Shawn Levy (‘Real Steel,’ ‘Night at the Museum’). Adam Reed is a 12-year-old kid (Walker Scobell) who finds his future adult self (Ryan Reynolds) hiding in the garage. The adult Adam is on a secret mission to find his father (Mark Ruffalo), whose death occurred a year ago in kid Adam’s timeline. Once they find their father, they can save the planet. But what they need to accept is that their father is dead and help each other cope with the loss. What makes the journey entertaining for the audience is that the two Adams do not really like each other. This takes the form of funny conversations that take place throughout their journey. You can watch ‘The Adam Project’ here.
12. I Am Mother (2019)
‘I Am Mother’ is set on a dystopian Earth and revolves around a teenage girl raised by a robot named Mother, specially designed to repopulate the Earth. The robot and the girl share an incredible bond rivaled by very few in such a reality. However, the sudden arrival of a stranger and the revelation of alarming news threaten not only their relationship but the future of the planet! You can check out the film here.
11. Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle (2018)
Based on the entertaining and heart-warming stories by Rudyard Kipling, ‘Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle’ revolves around Mowgli, a human child raised by wolves in a jungle in colonial India. Although Mowgli believes the jungle to be his home and lives by the jungle law, he is quite curious about his human origins. However, when a treacherous tiger, Shere Khan, threatens the law of the jungle as well as his friends’ lives, Mowgli is forced to step up and face his responsibilities. You can watch ‘Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle’ here.
10. The Cloverfield Paradox (2018)
The ‘Cloverfield’ series is one of the best science fiction franchises out there. Since the first film in 2008, these movies have approached the concept of an alien invasion in a rather refreshing way. They lean towards creating a specific atmosphere instead of concentrating on big monsters and their destructive abilities via CGI.
In the last and final installment of the series, which acts more like a prequel, we get to know how the aliens managed to enter Earth in the first place. The story is set in a time when fossil fuels are depleting, and the world is on the brink of war over energy resources. In such a condition, the Earth sends a group of astronauts to the Cloverfield Station so that they can attach a particle reactor, which would provide the planet with unlimited energy. Though most are happy with this proposal, some are of the opinion that this would open up wormholes between parallel universes, which can result in attacks by aliens. The film does not match up to the brilliance of its predecessors, but it does provide a rather interesting context to them. You may watch it here.
9. Okja (2017)
If you have watched films like ‘Parasite’ and ‘Memories Of Murder,’ you are already aware that Bong Joon-Ho is one of the most talented directors working today. He has always been quite off-beat while choosing subjects for his films, and when he made ‘Okja,’ he did foray into a more commercial zone. But that does not mean that the movie is just a mainstream one with nothing in its core.
The film strongly speaks in favor of the conservation of natural resources and makes a case for technology not to attempt to meddle with the natural form of animals. The central character of ‘Okja’ is a little girl called Mija who has been given a scientifically modified pig to take care of by a huge company called Miranda Corporation. Little did she know that the company would one day want the pig back to cut its meat and sell it in the market. When they send people to take the pig, Okja, back to London, Mija follows them in order to protect the life of her beloved pet. You may watch ‘Okja’ here.
8. IO (2019)
Margaret Qualley is now well-known for playing the role of Pussycat in Tarantino’s ‘Once Upon A Time in Hollywood’, but we often forget that in the same year, she also had a starring role in Netflix’s original film. The story of ‘IO’ is set during a time when the Earth has become inhabitable due to excessive pollution. Human beings have had to shift their base to a space station somewhere near the moon of Jupiter.
Out of the few people who are still living on Earth, Sam Walden is a scientist who wishes to reverse this situation by any means possible. She does meet another human being who tries to change her mind. But Sam is adamant that redemption is possible. Despite this desolate landscape where there is no life, she comes across romance, rejuvenation, and a chance to live life once again. The film does have a rather interesting premise and is a must-see. You can stream ‘IO’ here.
7. Skyscraper (2018)
Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber, this action-packed thriller starring Dwayne Johnson falls among the new line of the actor’s over-the-top action movies, including ‘Red Notice,’ ‘San Andreas,’ and ‘Rampage.’ ‘Skyscraper’ follows FBI agent-turned-private-security consultant Will Sawyer (Johnson), who now analyses the security of skyscrapers. But when the tallest and the most secure building on the planet, which he has been asked to assess, catches fire that is slowly spreading, Sawyer is framed for it. Now, he not only has to clear his name but, more importantly, has to rescue his family that has been taken hostage by the same guys who started the fire. Clocking at approximately 1 hour 42 minutes, ‘Skyscraper’ is a quintessential action movie custom-made for The Rock fanatics as well as those wanting some binge-worthy action. You can watch it here.
6. The Woman King (2022)
Starring the brilliant Viola Davis, ‘The Woman King’ is a historical action drama directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The fictional story showcases the real-life Dahomey Amazons, aka the Agojie, a highly praised and respected all-female military unit of the West African kingdom of Dahomey that existed from the 17th to the 19th century. Davis stars as General Nanisca, the captain of the unit, who starts to train a new generation of recruits when faced with a threat from the Oyo Empire that aims to destroy everything that Dahomey stands for. The rest of the cast includes Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, John Boyega and Jimmy Odukoya. With a powerful performance by Davis, ‘The Woman King’ offers a unique watch. You can stream the film here.
5. The Imitation Game (2014)
This film is directed by Morten Tyldum and is based on the life of British mathematician/scientist Alan Turing, who was the prime contributor to the creation of a machine that could decipher the Enigma code used by the Germans for communication during World War II. He essentially broke the Enigma. Based on the 1983 biography “Alan Turing: The Enigma” by Andrew Hodges, ‘Imitation Game’ shows Turing’s professional as well as personal life and explores his romantic feelings for his boarding schoolmate Christopher Morcom, who died from tuberculosis while both were studying.
The complex feelings that Turing carried within himself all throughout his life, which eventually ended with him committing suicide after being subjected to chemical castration in lieu of a prison sentence due to “gross indecency,” make ‘Imitation Game’ a very personal exploration of the life of one of the greatest scientists of all time, one whose discoveries eventually led to the creation of modern computers. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the role of Alan Turing, and he is accompanied by Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, Matthew Beard, Mark Strong, and Charles Dance. You can watch the film here.
4. Enola Holmes (2020)
When you hear the name Holmes, there is no way you don’t think of Sherlock. But Netflix brings in a new, rather welcome, addition to the franchise. In it, Sherlock’s and Mycroft’s younger sister, Enola, commences a search for their mother when she mysteriously disappears on the girl’s 16th birthday. After all, she is the only person who can give her famous brother a run for his money.
‘Enola Holmes’ makes for a great watch when you’re in the mood for something entertaining without it being too heavy. At its core, the film is an uncomplicated mystery, and it does a good job of engrossing the viewer. Plus, it also features an ensemble cast of Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helena Bonham Carter. You can stream it here.
3. The Two Popes (2019)
This biographical drama stars Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the future Pope Francis, and Sir Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI. When the Cardinal submits his resignation as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he is called for a meeting with Vatican City. There, Pope Benedict XVI constantly refused to sign his resignation while hiding some thoughts of his own. Set right after the infamous Vatican leaks scandal, the two have a rather honest conversation about their roles in the papacy.
‘The Two Popes’ is a movie that is as charmingly funny as it is exquisite. It also manages to have pretty graceful conversations around theology, and for this very reason, we feel as though the movie is one that you should watch. You may watch it here.
2. Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)
‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ is based on the life of Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield), a playwright who passed away on January 25, 1996, one day before his third play Rent would have its preview performance at Off-Broadway. The play would go on to become one of the longest-running plays in the history of Broadway. Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda (also a Broadway playwright), ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ is the name of another of Laron’s three plays (the first one is ‘Superbia,’ and ‘Tick, Tick… Boom!’ is the second, followed by the third and final one, ‘Rent’). The movie throws light on Larson’s life and shows how, at one point, he even reconsidered his career choice. You may watch it here.
1. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Directed by Rian Johnson, ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ is a standalone sequel to ‘Knives Out’ (2019), although you need not watch the first installment to understand the second one. We have detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), who arrives at the Glass Onion, the lavish private Greek island of tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton), along with the latter’s closest friends. Bron has invited them for a mystery game, albeit Benoit was not on his list. So who did invite him? However, Benoit solves Bron’s mystery game within seconds, but the real mystery begins when one of Bron’s friends dies after drinking from Bron’s glass. With the cops not arriving till the next morning, it is up to Benoit to find out who tried to poison Bron. If you are looking for a murder mystery, look no further than this one that you can stream here.
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