Let us take you with us to Solaris, planet of mystery,
embodiment of man's latent conflict with the unknown.
Man, face to face with his conscience, and with his past

Starring: Donatas Barionis, Natalya Bondarchuk, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetsky, Nikolai Grinko, Olga Barnet, Anotoly Solonitsyn, Sos Sargsyan, Aleksandr Misharin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"We don't want to conquer space at all. We want to expand Earth endlessly. We don't want other worlds; we want a mirror. We seek contact and will never achieve it. We are in the foolish position of a man striving for a goal he fears and doesn't want. Man needs man!" - Dr. Snaut

Why watch this? This poignant Soviet sci-fi classic will get you thinking, if you let it.

Plot Summary: Psychologist Kris Kelvin is sent to a remote space station orbiting the mysterious, sentient planet Solaris to investigate the severe emotional breakdowns of its remaining crew. Upon arrival, Kelvin finds the station in disarray and is confronted by physical manifestations of his own repressed memories and guilt, including his long-dead wife, Hari.

Vyacheslave Tarasov; Mosfilm

A Spike Jonze love story.

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Pratt, Bill Hader, Lisa Renee Pitts

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★☆☆ - great

"I think anybody who falls in love is a freak. It's a crazy thing to do. It's kind of like a form of socially acceptable insanity." - Amy

Why watch this? A.I.'s capabilities are growing exponentially. Here, it can form relationships.

Plot Summary: Theodore Twombly is a lonely writer, living in a slightly futuristic Los Angeles, who is navigating a difficult divorce. He develops a deep connection with Samantha, an advanced, artificially intelligent operating system designed to meet his every need. As their relationship evolves, Theodore and Samantha explore the complexities of love, intimacy, and human connection in a world increasingly shaped by technology.

Annapurna Pictures; Warner Bros. Pictures

Everything Is Connected

Starring: Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw, Doona Bae, Hugo Weaving, Hugh Grant, Susan Sarandon, Keith David, James D'Arcy, David Gyasi

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Our lives and our choices, like quantum trajectories, are understood moment to moment. At each point of intersection, each encounter suggests a new potential direction." - Isaac Sachs

Why watch this? This is a fantastic exploration of life - past, present and future, all connected - and how choices matter.

Plot Summary: This ambitious, time-spanning tale is crammed to the brim with filmdom's top talent, cutting-edge effects and race-altering make-up. Strap on your cranial seatbelts to explore six storylines, some in the past, some in possible futures. Most actors recur in each of the stories and reincarnation is apparent. Most characters, at their core, either evil or good, however, the main characters (Hanks, Berry and Broadbent) are on a journey, progressing. They begin as unlikable beings, displaying cowardice, callousness, even homicidal tendencies. But their paths, over the eras, are heading to a cosmic redemption, based on their growth, love and choices made. Is this not what we all face in real life?

Cloud Atlas Prod., X Filme Creative Pool,
Anarchos Productions; Warner Bros.

About Time (2013), Director: Richard Curtis, rated R for adult themes

A new funny film about love. With a bit of time travel.

Starring: Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson, Lindsay Duncan, Richard Cordery, Joshua McGuire, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie, Will Merrick, Vanessa Kirby, Tom Hughes

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Lesson Number One: All the time traveling in the world can't make someone love you." - Tim

Why watch this? This delightful British romantic comedy has a message about how we spend time.

Plot Summary: Our protagonist is the awkward Tim, who just can't figure out the opposite sex. Then his father, on this 21st birthday, drops the bomb that the men in his family can travel back in time. What!? Astonished, Tim immediately tests this assertion, and well, Dad was right. The rest of this rom-com delves into several love-based situations enhanced by Tim's unique ability. Say the wrong thing at a dinner party? No problem - just hide in a closet, travel back in time, and redo it.

Brandywine Prod.; 20th Century Fox

Welcome to the 23rd century. A perfect world of total pleasure...with just one catch.

Starring: Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Richard Jordan, Roscoe Lee Browne, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Peter Ustinov

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"I've never seen a face like that before. That must be the look of - of being old." - Logan, when looking at an old man's face for the first time.

Why watch this? ... to be reminded that there are some great sci-fi films from the 70's.

Plot Summary: In the 23rd century, humanity lives in a sealed city where every citizen's life is artificially limited to the age of thirty. A special assassin squad, called Sandmen, enforces this rule by eliminating those who attempt to escape the designated termination ritual known as "Carrousel". A Sandman named Logan 5 is tasked with infiltrating a rumored sanctuary outside the city walls, but he soon finds himself on the run with a woman named Jessica 6, questioning the very foundation of their seemingly idyllic society.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer; United Artists

Experience Japan's #1 film of 2016, from visionary director Makoto Shinkai.

Starring: (the English voice talents of:) Michael Sinterniklaas, Stephanie Sheh, Kyle Hebert, Cassandra Lee Morris, Ben Pronsky, Ray Chase, Laura Post, Glynis Ellis, Catie Harvey, Scott Williams, Michelle Ruff, Katy Vaughn

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"What should I do? Would I annoy him? Would it be awkward? Or maybe he'd be a bit glad to see me?" - Mitshuha, regarding a chance encounter with Taki

Why watch this? More attention needs to be paid to anime films, including this masterpiece.

Plot Summary: The story follows a high school girl in rural Japan and a high school boy in Tokyo who begin to mysteriously swap bodies. They learn about each other's lives and build a connection by leaving notes and messages. When the body-swapping suddenly stops, the boy goes on a quest to find the girl, only to discover a heartbreaking truth about their connection.

CoMix Wave Films; Toho

Steve Martin is a world famous surgeon. He invented screw top, zip lock brain surgery. Trust him.

Starring: Steve Martin, Kathleen Turner, David Warner, Paul Benedict, George Furth, James Cromwell, Merv Griffin

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"The only time we doctors should accept death is when it's caused by our own incompetence!" – Dr. Hfuhruhurr

Why watch this? This is Steve Martin at the pinnacle of his "wild and crazy" era.

Plot Summary: World-renowned brain surgeon, Dr. Michael Hfuhruhurr, has his life takes a bizarre turn after marrying a conniving femme fatale whose life he saved. Driven to distraction by his wife's antics, he falls in love with the disembodied, telepathic brain of another woman, Anne Uumellmahaye, stored in a jar at a Vienna laboratory. Amidst a series of murders in the city, the doctor finds himself entangled in a comedic search for a body for his new jar-enclosed sweetheart.

Aspen Film Society; Warner Bros.

A Fairy Tale for Troubled Times

Starring: Sally Hawkins, Octavia Spencer, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Doug Jones, Michael Stuhlbarg, Nick Searcy, Nigel Bennett

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"When he looks at me, the way he looks at me... He does not know, what I lack... Or - how - I am incomplete. He sees me, for what I - am, as I am. He's happy - to see me. Every time. Every day. Now, I can either save him... or let him die" - Giles, interpreting Elisa

Why watch this? It's strange, haunting and a work of extraordinary beauty.

Plot Summary: In 1962 Baltimore, Elisa, a mute cleaning lady working at a high-security government laboratory, leads a lonely, isolated life. Her existence changes forever when she discovers a mysterious, captured humanoid amphibian creature and forms a deep, unique bond with him. To save him from a sadistic colonel, Elisa teams up with her friends to plan a daring escape and set him free.

Double Dare You Prod.; Fox Searchlight Pics

He has traveled from a galaxy far beyond our own. He is 100,000 years ahead of us.
He has powers we cannot comprehend.
And he is about to face the one force in the universe he has yet to conquer.
Love.

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith, Richard Jaeckel, Robert Phalen, Tony Edwards, Dirk Blocker

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Shall I tell you what I find beautiful about you? You are at your very best when things are worst." – The star man

Why watch this? This John Carpenter film surprised me. It's deep, thought-provoking and very beautiful.

Plot Summary: An alien crash-lands on Earth and assumes the form of a recently deceased man. The alien, needing to reach a specific rendezvous point in Arizona in three days, forces the deceased man's widow to drive him across the country. As they journey, a bond forms between them, while they are pursued by government agents determined to capture the alien.

Industrial Light & Magic; Delphi II Prod.;
Columbia Pictures

He was never in time for his classes... He wasn't in time for dinner...
Then one day he wasn't in his time at all.

Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover, Tom Wilson, Claudia Wells, Marc McClure, James Tolkan

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I guess you guys aren't ready for that, yet. But your kids are gonna love it." - Marty McFly, after lighting up the prom with some guitar licks by Eddie Van Halen

Why watch this? When Marty meets his parents, back in the 1950's, the fun really begins.

Plot Summary: Marty McFly is a teenager who travels back to 1955 using a time machine built by his friend, the eccentric scientist Doc Brown. He accidentally prevents his parents from meeting and falling in love, putting his own future existence at risk. Marty must ensure his parents get together and find a way to return to his own time.

Amblin Entertainment; Universal Pictures

The Man of Steel meets his match!

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Terence Stamp, Sarah Douglas, Ned Beatty

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"General, would you care to step outside?" - Superman to General Zod

Why watch this? The addition of three Kryptonian villains helps make this better than the original.

Plot Summary: Following an unintentional release from the Phantom Zone, three Kryptonian criminals, including General Zod, arrive on Earth and gain superpowers identical to Superman's. Simultaneously, Superman, deeply in love with Lois Lane, contemplates giving up his powers to live a normal life with her. This leads to a clash between the powerful Kryptonian criminals seeking to conquer Earth and a conflicted Superman.

Dovemead Ltd., International Film Prod.;
Warner Bros.

She breathes, sees, hears, walks -- but can she love?

Starring: Boris Karloff, Elsa Manchester, Colin Clive, Ernest Thesiger, Valerie Hobson, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, E. E. Clive

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Yes, I know. Made me from dead. I love dead... hate living." - The Monster

Why watch this? This Universal monster film dared to have a sense of humor. Bravo!

Plot Summary: This sequel Frankenstein (1931) follows Dr. Henry Frankenstein as he attempts to abandon his life-creating experiments. However, he is pressured by his eccentric mentor, Dr. Pretorius, and threatened by his creation, the Monster, into constructing a female companion for the Monster. Frankenstein eventually agrees and embarks on the task of creating the Bride, facing the consequences of his ambition and the Monster's desire for companionship.

Carl Laemmle Jr.; Universal Pictures

From the director of Terminator 2 and Titanic

Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Michelle Rodriguez, Giovanni Ribisi, Joel David Moore, Dileep Rao

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Everything is backwards now, like out there is the true world, and in here is the dream." – Jake Sully

Why watch this? Visually, it's breath-taking, and so organically beautiful. It's a solid story, too.

Plot Summary: Set in the future on the moon Pandora, a paraplegic former Marine named Jake Sully joins a program where humans can inhabit genetically-engineered Na'vi bodies. These human/hybrid bodies, called Avatars, are used to explore the hazardous moon's environment. While living among the indigenous Na'vi people, Jake becomes deeply connected to their culture and, in particular, princess Neytiri. This connection leads him to question his mission and eventually side with the Na'vi in their struggle against military exploitation.

Dune Ent., Ingenious Film Partners,
Lightstorm Ent., 20th Century Fox

In Space, No One Can Hear You Clean

Starring: Ben Burtt, Elissa Knight, Jeff Garlin, Fred Willard, John Ratzenberger, Kathy Najimy, Sigourney Weaver

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I can't just sit here and... and do nothing. That's all I've ever done! That's all anyone on this blasted ship has ever done - nothing!" - Captain

Why watch this? Wall-E will work his electronic way into your heart.

Plot Summary: Earth is a trash-filled wasteland, centuries after humanity evacuated due to an uninhabitable environment on the ship Axiom. WALL-E, the last remaining trash-compacting robot, discovers a tiny living plant, initiating a chain of events that could potentially allow humanity to return to Earth. He follows a probe named EVE to the Axiom, where they must overcome challenges posed by the ship's autopilot.

Pixar Animatoin Studios; Walt Disney
Studios Motion Pictures

Someday in the past he will find her...

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer, Teresa Wright, Bill Erwin, George Voskovec, Susan French, William H. Macy

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★☆ - near perfect

"Do you actually believe that I have nurtured her, cared for her, molded, taught, developed her, for all these years merely to groom a wife?!" – William Robinson

Why watch this? ... it's the first romance I actually liked. Now, I cry every time I see it.

Plot Summary: A playwright named Richard Collier who becomes infatuated with a photograph of a beautiful actress named Elise McKenna, taken in 1912. Driven by an intense desire to meet her, he uses self-hypnosis to travel back in time to the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan. There, he encounters Elise, but her strict manager seeks to prevent any potential romance, fearing it could damage her career.

Rastar; Universal Pictures

The Director Of "Batman" & "Beetlejuice" Invites You To Meet His Newest Creation

Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Kathy Baker, Vincent Price, Alan Arkin, Conchata Ferrell

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I don't think it would be snowing now if he weren't still up there. Sometimes you can still catch me dancing in it." - Kim

Why watch this? This odd and sweet film is a lovely journey through Tim Burton's unique brain.

Plot Summary: Edward, an artificial humanoid, is created by an inventor who died before completing him, leaving him with scissors instead of hands. Edward lives in solitude in a Gothic castle until a kind Avon lady brings him to her suburban family's home. While trying to adapt to his new surroundings, Edward uses his unique hands to create beautiful topiaries and hairstyles, becoming a local celebrity. However, his gentle nature and burgeoning love for the family's daughter are eventually challenged by suspicion and misunderstanding from the townspeople.

Denise Di Novi, Tim Burton; 20th Century Fox

This summer a man will face his destiny. A hero will be revealed

Starring: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Alfred Molina, Rosemary Harris, Donna Murphy

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady, and give up the thing we want the most. Even our dreams." – Aunt May Parker

Why watch this? This is the best Spider-Man film EVER - Spidey vs. Doctor Octopus!

Plot Summary: Two years after becoming Spider-Man, Peter Parker struggles to balance his superhero responsibilities with his crumbling personal life, leading him to question his commitment to being a hero. Meanwhile, a brilliant scientist, Dr. Otto Octavius, suffers a devastating accident, transforming him into the villainous Doctor Octopus. Spider-Man must then confront this new threat, all while battling the potential loss of his relationship with Mary Jane.

Columbia Pictures, Marvel Ent., Laura
Ziskin Prod.; Sony Pictures Releasing

You'll believe a man can fly.

Starring: Christopher Reeve, Margot Kidder, Gene Hackman, Marlon Brando, Ned Beatty, Glen Ford, Valerie Perrine

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"There's a strong streak of good in you, Superman. But then nobody's perfect... almost nobody." – Lex Luthor

Why watch this? It's like Superman walked out of a comic book and onto the screen.

Plot Summary: Born on the doomed planet Krypton, infant Kal-El is sent to Earth by his scientist father, Jor-El, and is discovered and raised by the kind Kents. As an adult, Clark Kent moves to Metropolis, taking a job as a reporter while secretly using his superhuman abilities to fight crime as Superman. This brings him into conflict with criminal mastermind Lex Luthor, who hatches a scheme that threatens the lives of many and challenges the burgeoning hero.

Dovemead Ltd., International Film Prod.; Warner Bros.

Free your mind

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano, Marcus Chong, Juian Arahanga

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #19 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Matrix

"Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You are a plague, and we are the cure." - Agent Smith to Morpheus, as he interrogates him

Why watch this? Conceptually, visually, creatively - this film set a new action sci-fi standard.

Plot Summary: A computer programmer named Thomas Anderson, known in the hacking underworld as Neo, feels that something is fundamentally wrong with his reality. He is contacted by the enigmatic Morpheus and Trinity, who offer him the chance to discover a shocking truth: that his world is actually a computer-generated simulation. Upon swallowing a red pill, Neo awakens in the desolate real world and begins a journey to free humanity from the machines that have enslaved them.

Village Roadshow Pictures, Grouch II Film
Partnership, Silver Pictures; Warner Bros.

You can erase someone from your mind. Getting them out of your heart is another story.

Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Jane Adams, David Cross, Deirdre O'Connell, Thomas Jay Ryan

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #7 - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

"Meet me in Montauk..." – Clementine

Why watch this? It's the polar opposite of a RomCom, and the greatest movie about real love I have ever seen.

Plot Summary: Joel discovers his former girlfriend, Clementine, has had their relationship erased from her memory following a breakup. Out of despair, Joel decides to undergo the same procedure to erase Clementine from his own mind. However, as his memories are systematically removed, Joel begins to realize the importance of those experiences, even the painful ones. He attempts to resist the erasure process and hold onto the memories of Clementine, leading to a surreal and fragmented journey through his subconscious.

Anonymous Content, This is that;
Focus Features

The Star Wars Saga Continues

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Frank Oz, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, David Prowse, James Earl Jones

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

DML Top 50 #10b - Dad's Full (Spoiler) Review and Deep Dive of The Empire Strikes Back

"Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm?" - Master Yoda

Why watch this? It's bigger, better, and more emotionally impactful than its predecessor.

Plot Summary: Three years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance is forced to flee their base on the ice planet Hoth when it's discovered and attacked by the Galactic Empire. As Darth Vader relentlessly pursues the Rebellion across the galaxy, Luke Skywalker trains with Jedi Master Yoda, while Han Solo, Princess Leia, and Chewbacca seek refuge and repairs for the Millennium Falcon.

Lucasfilm Ltd.; 20th Century Fox