My all-time favorite watches (with the rest living on my Letterboxd).
City of God:
A Brazilian story of life in the favelas, told with raw emotion and authenticity — even featuring real community members as actors. It’s gripping, unfiltered, and guaranteed to leave you wanting to dig deeper afterwards.
Master of None:
Watching this show was the first time I felt represented in American mainstream media, seeing a brown guy at the center of the story instead of the sidelines. Aziz Ansari plays a actor navigating career, love, and family with humor and honesty.
Atlanta:
Donald Glover is such a talented, multifaceted individual. His show blurs the line between comedy and social commentary in a way that I’ve never seen before. Also, in my opinion, the further we get from its original release, the more relevant its reflections on that moment in time feel.
Fleabag:
The type of show to watch with a glass of wine while pointing and screaming at the TV!!! It follows the deeply human life of a young woman (Fleabag) in London as she deals with grief, the dating world, and self-sabotage. After watching, you realize everyone has a little bit of Fleabag in them, whether they admit it or not.
3 Idiots:
Arguably my favorite movie of all time. It follows three college friends navigating student life and reconnecting as adults. The older I get, the more relatable it feels — the friendships, the struggles, the growth. (Also!!! it’s free on YouTube if you’ve got three hours to spare)
Begin Again:
My favorite movie set in New York — it captures the city as messy and unforgiving, yet full of second chances. The story follows a down-and-out music producer (Mark Ruffalo) and a young singer-songwriter (Keira Knightley) whose unlikely partnership transforms both their lives.
New Girl:
Schmidt’s one-liners alone make this show worth it. TWENTY-NINEEEEE
Beautiful Boy:
Watch this if you haven’t cried in a while - or if you just need a reason to. The film follows a father (Steve Carell) and his son (Timothée Chalamet) through the painful realities of addiction and family. If I had to sum it up in three words: heartbreaking, heartbreaking, heartbreaking
500 Days of Summer:
I recommend watching this movie at least twice in your life — once alone, so you can form your own opinions, and again with a friend or s/o to compare thoughts (and see who’s the eviler person). The story follows Tom, a hopeless romantic, and Summer, the woman he falls for, as they navigate the highs and lows of love and mismatched expectations that come with it.
Sound of Metal:
Films about the deaf community are always powerful, and this one is no exception. It follows Ruben (Riz Ahmed), a heavy-metal drummer whose life unravels when he begins to lose his hearing, forcing him to confront silence, identity, and what it truly means to listen. It’s one of those movies that makes you pause, reflect, and walk away with a deeper sense of gratitude.
Succession;
Billionaires. Am I right? This show is a masterclass in power, wealth, and betrayal. It’s quick, witty, and addictive and bound to have you looking up the meaning of words like: machiavellian, rube, and labbing.
Shameless:
Continuing on the theme of family, this show follows the Gallaghers trying to survive and hustle on Chicago’s South Side. Just like the Gallaghers, the show is dysfunctional and often comical, but underneath the chaos, it’s a story about resilience, loyalty, and family in its most unfiltered form.
