Studying and completing assignments back to back can be extremely stressful, so it is a good rule of thumb to take a break here and there. Watching movies can be a good way to de-stress and have fun at the same time. Below are a few suggestions I have for Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+ and have a movie for most genres. 

Netflix: 

Horror
For those who enjoy cult classics, The Craft definitely falls under that category. Witches and high school are a mix that’s been common in movies and TV shows, but this one definitely remains a genre of it’s own. For me, this is a favorite childhood throwback that inspired my love of edgy clothing and obsession with candles (you can never have too many, right?). I found the movie to be aesthetically pleasing on a “teenage rebel” note and still watch it every Halloween today.

“But in the none-too-distinguished annals of witch movies, The Craft casts a relatively potent spell,” Fairuza Balk and Neve Campbell, staff of People Magazine said.

Romance
As an avid lover of Korean and Chinese dramas, most of the Romance movies I watch are international. I highly recommend Love O2O, it features both animation and gaming, as well as just the right amount of cliche romance. The graphics in the “game” were amazing, considering the movie was released in 2016. The characters were very endearing and the plot bordered on adorable and slow burn. I really enjoyed the movie and probably “awed” a little too much during romantic scenes. I really hope that they release a sequel soon.

Anime
If you are an Anime lover like me, you will most likely like A Silent Voice The Movie. It is both a drama and tear jerker (or that might have just been me) and is certain to keep you entertained while watching. I really found this Anime to be rather relatable to a broad range of audience, as anime’s don’t typically include a character with a disability. The characters’ stories were intense and filled with depth, something you typically find in movies made by Kyoto Animation. Although the movie seems light hearted, it’s actually a little too real when it comes to the topic of bullying.

“Yamada is regarded as one of the “up and coming” animated filmmakers seeking to fill the void created by the retirement of Hayao Miyazaki. Considering the artwork in A Silent Voice, it’s easy to see why. The backgrounds are rich and the characters, although appearing like traditional anime types, have a sense of individuality,”James Berardinelli, American film critic, said.

 Hulu:
Classic/Comedy
If you are looking for something whimsical with a slight dash of the 90’s and matching colors, Heathers features all of those and more. I first watched the movie when I was thirteen, and I immediately liked it due to the angst and drama that defined the movie. I would describe it as a mix between Mean Girls and Clueless, in other words, a typical highschool movie if you look past the murder. This was a parody before it’s time and I really enjoyed the haphazardness of it. Also, my opinion was in no shape or form swayed by Heathers: The Musical.

Action /Sci-fi
Annihilation is a definite must watch, it blends action and sci-fi together to form an epic mix of gene mutation and extraterrestrial. I thought the graphics and creatures were beautiful, and I was fascinated by the seemingly endless amounts of CGI fauna. There are some gory elements here and there, but overall the movie was a really good watch.

“The greater, more richly suggestive realm in “Annihilation,” though, is the natural world inside the shimmer, a dense, verdant biosphere filled with animals and plants that are at once familiar and — with their extra bits and trippy hues — pleasurably, at times spookily, foreign,” Co-Chief Film Critic for the New York Times, Manohla Dargis said.

Disney+:

Family
If you want magic, family, and sibling rivalry then the recently released Onward is for you. The extremely (or maybe not so) relatable characters bring you for a whirlwind of adventure, loss, and coming of age. The movie was inspirational towards siblings and overcoming grief, and I quite enjoyed watching it to relax. It was released on the app straight from production due to the virus causing movie theatres to close, so watching it at home the week it came out was a new experience. 

“Pixar specializes in grounding storybook worlds in real-world-problems, and this one does so with a sprinkle of pixie dust and a dash of realism,” Asher Luberto, a writer for L.A Weekly and Irvine Weekly, said.

Marvel
Disney+ has most of the Marvel movies available for you to binge watch, but the series of movies I chose was the Captain America sagas. All of Iron Man, Thor, and Guardians of the Galaxy sagas are available as well. Overlooking all of the spandex, Captain America’s Movieline was filled with romance, heroic acts, and wicked inventions. Bucky Barns still proves to be one of my favorite Marvel characters, and hence Captain America: Civil war is my preferred film in the series. I have fond memories of seeing the late night showing of the movie with my friends in tenth grade, and highly recommend watching the movies in order.