5 Best Movies to Watch by Kate Berlant

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1. Sorry to Bother You, 2018

In the year of the Netflix TV Show Maniac, another absurdist title stole critics’ hearts. Sorry to Bother You is a movie set in an alternate reality, where capitalism and greed are accentuated. Lakeith Stanfield (Atlanta) is a guy called Cassius who struggles to pay his bills. However, when at a tele-marketing job an old-timer tells him to use a “white voice”, he starts moving up the ranks of his bizarre society. A really smart movie that will be mostly enjoyed by those who watch it for its entertaining value, and not so much for its commentary. It is like a Black Mirror episode stretched into a movie.

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Actor: Annie Chen, Armie Hammer, Damion Gallegos, Danny Glover, David Cross, David Fine, Dawayne Jordan, Ed Moy, Eric Jacobus, Forest Whitaker, James D. Weston II, Jermaine Fowler, John Ozuna, Kate Berlant, Lakeith Stanfield, Lily James, Marcella Bragio, Michael X. Sommers, Molly Brady, Omari Hardwick, Patton Oswalt, Robert Longstreet, Rosario Dawson, Safiya Fredericks, Steven Yeun, Terel Gibson, Teresa Navarro, Terry Crews, Tessa Thompson, Thessaly Lerner, Tom Woodruff Jr., Tony Toste, Val Garrahan, W. Kamau Bell, William W. Barbour

Director: Boots Riley

Rating: R

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2. Dream Scenario, 2023

There’s a lot to think about in Dream Scenario, which posits the possibility of collectively seeing the same real man in your dreams. Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli drops the painfully ordinary Paul (Cage) in an extraordinary reality to show us how easily one can spiral into insanity, how dangerous groupthink can be, how fickle cancel culture is, and how anything can happen to anyone, even to someone as unsuspecting as Paul. But Borgli doesn’t just experiment with ideas here, he also expertly plays with sounds and transitions, sometimes even cutting a scene before someone is done talking, to capture the skittish and unreliable language of dreams. More impressively, he takes into account how this phenomenon would play in our real, profit-oriented world. The capitalistic urge to make Paul an advertising tool, for instance, or to create tech that makes it possible for others to appear in dreams too, is both uncanny and depressingly realistic. Some might feel that Borgli is biting off more than he can chew but there’s a balance and ease to Dream Scenario that makes it feel inevitable. That’s thanks to Borgli’s brilliant direction but also, in no small part, to Cage’s inspired performance as a pathetic but harmless loser.Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction
Actor: Agape Mngomezulu, Al Warren, Amber Midthunder, Ben Caldwell, Conrad Coates, David Klein, Domenic Di Rosa, Dylan Baker, Dylan Gelula, James Collins, Jennifer Wigmore, Jeremy Levick, Jessica Clement, Jim Armstrong, Jordan Raf, Josh Richards, Julianne Nicholson, Kaleb Horn, Kate Berlant, Krista Bridges, Lily Bird, Lily Gao, Liz Adjei, Maev Beaty, Marc Coppola, Marnie McPhail, Michael Cera, Nicholas Braun, Nicolas Cage, Nicole Leroux, Nneka Elliott, Noah Centineo, Noah Lamanna, Philip van Martin, Ramona Gilmour-Darling, Richard Jutras, Sofia Banzhaf, Star Slade, Stephen R. Hart, Tim Meadows, Will Corno
Director: Kristoffer Borgli
Rating: R

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3. I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, 2019

Tim Robinson, who was briefly a Saturday Night Live actor, writes and stars in this series of hilarious and absurd comedy sketches. Every episode is 20 minutes or less and has about five or six skits. Robinson is supported by an array of talented actors like Andy Samberg, Cecily Strong, Will Forte, and Steven Yeun. The show starts off strong with possibly one of its best sketches - a job candidate who snaps when confronted with the small mishap of not knowing how to open a door. Then it moves to more absurd territory, like a horrific encounter caused by a “honk if you’re horny” sticker, a baby peageant that goes wrong, and so on. The brand of comedy is unique, and you will probably know if you like it or not from the first sketch alone (if you don’t, there is probably no reason to keep watching). Fans of The Eric Andre Show and Key and Peele will love this.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Andy Samberg, Cecily Strong, Conner O'Malley, Fred Willard, Kate Berlant, Melody Peng, Sam Richardson, Shawntay Dalon, Tim Heidecker, Tim Robinson, Will Forte

Rating: TV-MA

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4. Easy, 2016

There may not be a show or movie out there that the term “slice-of-life” applies to better than Easy. Don’t watch it expecting stuff to happen, it won’t. I mean it will, but don’t expect any big plot twists, and don’t anticipate the end of episodes: enjoy it as it happens.
With different stories in each 30-minute episode, Joe Swanberg (Drinking Buddies) who created, wrote and directed will feel as the only constant throughout the series. Yet, as you move through it, you realize that other than being mini-cameos to each other, these characters share many of the same defining elements of modern-day culture. The ways they navigate relationships, sex, and technology is relevant and realistic.Genre: Comedy
Actor: Andrew Bachelor, Aubrey Plaza, Aya Cash, Dave Franco, Elizabeth Reaser, Emily Ratajkowski, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Hannibal Buress, Jake Johnson, Jane Adams, Judy Greer, Kate Berlant, Kiersey Clemons, Malin Akerman, Marc Maron, Michael Chernus, Orlando Bloom, Zazie Beetz
Rating: TV-MA

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5. A League of Their Own, 2022

Based on the 1992 classic of the same name, A League of Their Own tells the story of the Rockford Peaches—how the women’s baseball team came to be, who its eccentric members are, and what life was like in wartime America, especially for driven women with unconventional goals.

More than a remake, 2022's A League of Their Own actually updates the premise to be more conscious of sexuality and race, making it feel very modern and up-to-date despite its period setting. It’s a funny and enlightening show with some anachronistic tendencies here and there (expect non-1940s pop music to play), which might rebuff historical purists but will likely charm everyone else.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, History

Actor: Abbi Jacobson, Chanté Adams, D'Arcy Carden, Dale Dickey, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Kate Berlant, Kelly McCormack, Melanie Field, Molly Ephraim, Priscilla Delgado, Roberta Colindrez

Rating: Not Rated

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