I don’t know about you, but I LOVE watching movies that I already know will be good. Of course, when I don’t have any new recommendations from friends or family, I will wander out of my comfort zone and try to find new enjoyable films on my own. This usually doesn’t quite work out as IMDB ratings can be deceiving, and I end up spending a lot of time clicking on movies only to find out that they are not at all what I was hoping for. I have compiled a list of the 3 best movies I have ever seen so that you don’t have to go through all that work!

Flypaper

Flypaper is a 2011 crime / mystery film starring Patrick Dempsey. The movie starts out calm as Tripp (played by Dempsey) walks into a bank to exchange some cash for change. All of a sudden, the entire bank is taken hostage by not one, but TWO, groups of bank robbers. Neither of them know of each other and it is pure coincidence that they both decided to rob the same bank at the same time. One of the groups is incredibly high-tech and they have their entire plan already in play. The other group consists of two best friends, Peanut Butter and Jelly. As the movie unfolds, a new relationship between Tripp and Kaitlin (the bank teller) is created. This crime / mystery also doubles as a comedy / romance and will surely warm your heart.

The Half Of It

This romance / comedy is a nice break from your typical teenage movie. It weaves a tale of friendship between the two main characters, Ellie Chu and Paul Munsky. Ellie is known in her school for her academic success. While many of her fellow students ask her to complete homework assignments or give them tutoring help, Paul Munsky asks her to write his crush love letters on his behalf. Paul is a lovable and funny jock, but he does not have a way with words. Ellie hesitantly agrees, and what starts out as a rocky partnership soon becomes a lifelong friendship. Through their journey in trying to get Aster (Paul’s crush) to fall in love with Paul, both of the main characters learn more about themselves than they could ever have imagined.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a war / drama film that takes place in the countryside of Europe. The movie follows the story of an adventurous young boy that must move to the countryside with his father who just received a new job opportunity. His backyard neighbors a concentration camp for Jews, something that he finds out during one of his playful adventures. He befriends a Jewish boy through the fence that divides the two of them, and he often returns to visit and bring food. Then, the story takes an unexpected turn that leaves his family shocked and in pain. This story deals with some heavy topics, but is a beautiful piece of cinematography that has a very unique storyline.