There’s a ton of movies out in the world that are terrific, but don’t get a lot of exposure. A few of my personal favorite movies are movies nobody has ever heard of, and it’s imperative that more people watch these movies.

Spirited Away (2001)

The first movie is called Spirited Away (directed by Hayao Miyazaki). Spirited away is an anime-esque movie that follows a girl named Chihiro who ends up accidentally getting trapped in a spirited- filled world without her parents in sight. Generally, Studio Ghibili movies’ animation is the most entrancing experience ever. Each time I watch Spirited Away and other Ghibili movies, I find new easter eggs and sort out more of the plot and each time I fall in love a little more with these movies. Spirited Away is a movie you’ll never see anywhere else; it’s easily the most unique and special movie I’ve ever watched.

Operation Avalanche (2016)

Next is the 2016 movie Operation Avalanche. Operation Avalanche is a perfect movie for anyone who is particularly interested in conspiracy theories or documentaries. The main idea is the director and main actor in the film, Matt Johnson, and a crew of filmmakers take a trip to the Houston NASA Space Center to interview people about the 1969 moon landing called Apollo 11. They stage many interviews posing like it was the 1960s and create a film showing how the moon landing was faked. The movie at times can be a little hard to follow, but the main plot and concept is really interesting and I love the take the director took on this movie.

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

The 2007 Wes Anderson movie called the Darjeeling Limited is one of my favorite Wes Anderson movies. It’s more of a drama/indie movie following three brothers’ adventure to India after a year of not talking. Later in the film, Francis (one of the brothers) tells the others that the reason for this trip was to reunite with their mother, since their dad died a year ago when they stopped talking. As every Wes Anderson movie is, the cinematography is absolutely beautiful. Every shot is beautiful and meaningful, and it really drags viewers into the movie.

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Next is another Miyazaki movie called Princess Mononoke. How I would describe this film is “The Lorax, but good.” The movie follows a boy named Ashitaka who got infected by an animal attack who then goes seeking help. The film took place before the idea of animals and nature living coexisting was discovered, and there is constant war between the two. Ashitaka tries to help the two worlds combine, and eventually befriend Princess Mononoke, bringing everything to peace. This movie, like all the other Ghibili movies, has beautiful animation that takes the viewers’ breath away.

Eighth Grade (2018)

Finally, my personal favorite movie of 2018 is Eighth Grade. Eighth Grade was written and directed by ex- Viner and comedian Bo Burnham and follows a girl named Kayla through her last week of eighth grade. For someone who was in eighth grade years ago, this movie really brought me back. It has themes of awkwardness and relatability, especially for girls that were like the main protagonist, Kayla. Eighth Grade has the perfect mix of out of date vine references, and emotional moments that pull at your heart strings. Watching Kayla’s adventure through middle school for the first time was really cringe-worthy at times, but the movie itself has messages about growing up, dealing with awkward moments, and symbolism that adds to the whole experience of the movie that makes it the perfect balance of cringe worthy and nostalgic.

From my knowledge, none of these movies are available on Netflix, but all of them are on Amazon video. These movies are my recommendations for anyone who wants to find a good film that can stick with them and make them laugh or cry, whatever the occasion.