[ad_1]
A classic film is a reference point for other films, as Film Site describes. Masterpieces like The Wizard of Oz, Arsenic and Old Lace, The Godfather, and Psycho serve as blueprints for directors to follow and studios to build a new story to present to audiences. Of course, literature can be a starting point as well, like The Wizard of Oz was for producers at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. But a book’s success isn’t necessarily indicative of its merits as a film adaptation. Classic films, in fact, were immediately successful with audiences. Of course, classic films are not the only reference for current and future projects.
Cult classics, like director Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, are widely discussed and referenced throughout Hollywood. As the name implies, a cult classic has a dedicated following. The main difference between a classic and a cult classic are the audience sizes. Sometimes, a film becomes a cult classic because of the actors, like Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out franchise. Or fans can see themselves in the characters, like many in the trans community seeing themselves as the characters in Dune. Regardless of why a film is a cult classic, it’s time to update those list articles swimming around the internet with some modern titles.
15 The Sea Beast
One of the greatest animated films to come out in 2022 was The Sea Beast. Set during a time of sea giants and royalty, a young girl named Maisie (Zaris-Angel Hator) is going to change the world. The royals sent hunters like Jacob Holland (Karl Urban) to kill sea beats, who live in the ocean and can also walk on land. Maisie’s tenacity to do what is right, even when her life is on the line, is what makes the film stand out. She acts on her convictions, even when the hunters and royals staunchly disagree.
14 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
In the highly anticipated sequel to Knives Out, director Rian Johnson had two years to write a new movie around Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). His focus was to build a movie around the pandemic because it allowed for more creativity in the plot, as Slash Film explains. Glass Onion is already headed towards being a cult classic because of its camp humor and because of Benoit’s presence in the film. The sequel does something else unprecedented: it’s better than the original.
13 Freaky
Kathryn Newton portrays Millie as a teenager who gets body-swapped by a serial killer called The Butcher (Vince Vaughn). While Millie’s body is overrun by a slasher, who goes on a murder rampage, her mind is in The Butcher’s body. As slasher films from the 80s and 90s are revived, a comedy slasher was much needed. The marriage of comedy and horror is tricky to accomplish, but the writers of Freaky made something genius.
12 Emma.
Film adaptations of author Jane Austen’s books have become cult classics, like Clueless which is based on the novel Emma. The most recent adaptation of the novel, called Emma., has a similar appeal. This adaptation, however, decidedly parts from the book and other adaptations by poking fun at hypochondria and the English class system, all while staying true to the novel’s dialogue. Additionally, fan-favorite Anya Taylor-Joy portrays Emma and is absolutely divine.
11 Birds of Prey
Harley Quinn’s introduction in The Suicide Squad, and by extension the DCEU, left fans wanting more. Margot Robbie helped produce a stand-alone film for the chaotic villain. In Birds of Prey, Harley recovers from her breakup by adopting a hyena and participating in roller derby. She eventually teams up with other DC villains and wreaks havoc on Gotham City. This villain team-up film is deserving of being a cult classic.
10 Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga
Comedian and SNL alum Will Ferrell is known for his ability to create memorable characters and hilarious situations on both the small and silver screens. His 2020 film, Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of the Fire Saga deserves to be included in his string of cult classics like Anchorman. In an interview with The Golden Globes, Ferrell recalls that his attendance of the contest sparked his interest in making a film about the contest.
9 Nope
When it comes to inspiration, aspiring filmmakers need to look no further than director Jordan Peele. As a former comedian, Peele’s impact on the horror genre is nothing short of brilliant. His first sci-fi installment is Nope, starring Keke Palmer and Daniel Kaluuya. Nope is on par with other cult sci-fi classics while giving audiences gore and a shocking twist.
8 Escape from Pretoria
Daniel Radcliffe’s repertoire is full of potential cult classics. Escape from Pretoria is more than a prison escape film though. Radcliffe portrays Tim Jenkin, an anti-apartheid activist who is sentenced to 12 years in prison. Jenkin and a few other prisoners plan and lead the escape from the prison, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats.
7 Zola
The film Zola is based on true events documented on Twitter. Although the author of those tweets that inspired the film, A’Ziah “Zola” King, was snubbed from the awards shows, the film itself is a gem. Following two strippers on a road trip that took a dangerous turn. As the film is based on real events, Zola’s appeal should spark niche interests.
6 Unpregnant
When Veronica (Hayley Lu Richardson), a teenager from Missouri, discovers she is pregnant, she decides to go on a road trip with her friend Bailey (Barbie Ferreira) to get an abortion. In the coming-of-age film, Unpregnant, Veronica and Bailey make decisions far beyond their years in an attempt to secure their futures. This film has the potential to be a cult classic like Juno.
5 Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
Of all the recent MCU films, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings has immense potential to be a cult classic. Marvel is known for their villains and for weaving a culture’s customs and darkness into a fine tapestry. Here, The Mandarin villain is a complex character audiences can sympathize with. Additionally, the fight sequences are reminiscent of ballet or synchronized swimming.
4 In the Heights
Set in Washington Heights, a neighborhood in New York City, In the Heights is the musical of the century. From the brilliant mind of master composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, the musical is about the unbearable summers of NYC and having dreams of escaping a neighborhood where nothing changes. Anthony Ramos (Hamilton) stars as the hero telling a love story wrapped in hope and sorrow.
3 Luca
Pixar’s 2021 heartbreaking film Luca was a story of adventure, first love, and friendship set in a little town on the coast of Italy. Luca is a sea monster who longs to go ashore and see the human world. The Verge explains that the sea monsters who live closer to the surface are inspired by iguanas and when they are on land, they take a human form. Pixar also made sure to have a villain who was a straight-up bully instead of their more common villain who is disguised and later revealed to have ill intentions.
2 Dune
Fan favorites Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya star in the remake of Dune, which will have a sequel coming soon. Based on a book series by Frank Hubert, the film is set on a harsh planet where the leaders of the planet must mine a special substance, despite its toxicity. Though what makes this film so epic, according to The Atlantic, is the attention to detail as well as the expansion of the subtext of the books.
1 Everything Everywhere All At Once
Michelle Yeoh is finally receiving the recognition she deserves from Hollywood thanks to her performance as Evelyn Wang in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Evelyn owns a laundromat and as her husband hands her divorce papers, the IRS is auditing her business. She stumbles upon a multiverse where Alpha-Evelyn has created a way to jump through time. This science fiction masterpiece is centered around the average person, giving hope to audiences everywhere all at once.
[ad_2]
Source link