Zendaya makes her return to the small screen in the American teen drama Euphoria, which is based on the Israeli television miniseries of the same name created by Ron Leshem and Daphna Levin. The series chronicles a group of high school students as they experience love, sex, trauma, drugs, and friendships. The cast is packed with a set of newcomers who have made their names on the movie circuit. This list will highlight the five best films featuring the cast of Euphoria. Each of the movies has ten or more favorable reviews. The only features exempt from this list are animated. Let’s get started with the first movie.
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Don’t worry, I won’t spoil anything if you’ve still haven’t seen Spider-Man: No Way Home. The latest chapter in the Tom Holland trilogy sees the superhero’s identity exposed to the world, which conflicts with his everyday normal life. Peter enlists the help of Doctor Strange to restore his secret, but the spell tears a hole in their world, unleashing the most powerful villains from multiple Spider-Man universes. The Tom Holland version of Spider-Man has managed to inject a nice dose of humor, heart, drama, and thrilling action expertly, and Spider-Man: No Way Home is no different. It’s a treat to see the returns of several notable villains of the live-action film’s past and there’s some surprising and nice development on some of the core villains that adds great depth. However, Peter Parker is never lost in the shuffle and Tom Holland remains a magnetic and charismatic presence throughout the feature. Definitely one of the best live-action Spider-Man films to date.
Judas and the Black Messiah
This Best Oscar picture nominee follows FBI informant William O’Neal as he infiltrates the Illinois Black Panther Party and is tasked with keeping an eye on Chairman Hampton. O’Neal revels in the chaos and has no issues manipulating both his comrades and handler; however, O’Neal’s reckless abandonment for the political nature may have dangerous consequences for one side. Shaka King crafts a superb feature that brings the best out of Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield. Kaluuya is mesmerizing as Fred Hampton as he perfectly embodies the charismatic leader, yet he’s able to maintain his magnetic presence during the quiet scenes that allows for the character to develop. Unfortunately, we know the end result for Fred Hampton, but that doesn’t make Judas and the Black Messiah any less compelling thanks to confident direction from Shaka King.
Detroit
This taut thriller from Kathryn Bigelow revisits the summer of 1967, who saw riots and civil unrest in the city of Detroit. That prompts a huge siege from the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Army National Guard in the Algiers Motel following the sound of gunshots in Algiers Motel. The film recounts the interrogation incident that left three unarmed men dead, and several others brutally beaten down. This intense feature does an excellent job of exploiting one of the most controversial incidents in American history without Hollywood putting too much of its entertainment stamp on it. Bigelow keeps everything grounded and raw, creating a nail-biting situation throughout the entire hotel incident. Detroit does an excellent job of not making the villains seem like one-note cartoon characters, especially Will Poulter’s Krauss. He’s definitely a racist, but the nuances and subtly help humanize his character.
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
The ninth feature from Quentin Tarantino centers around Rick Dalton, a popular actor who starred in a 1950s television Western struggling to find meaningful work in a world that doesn’t recognize him. He spends most of his nights in drunken madness with his longtime friend and stunt double Cliff Booth; however, Dalton’s life changes when he meets some of the crazed members of the Manson Family. A strong character driven piece that once again proves the tremendous acting talents of Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio. Dosed with Quentin Tarantino’s signature style of juicy and hilarious dialogue, over-the-top violence, and feet! The only nitpick is the unflinching and brutal violence towards the female Manson member that stabs Booth. It’s a bit hard to watch as the viciousness of the crime doesn’t match what she’s done to Booth. Still, that final 20 minutes is a memorable piece of entertainment regardless of your opinions surrounding the way the Manson attacks are handled.
Knocked Up
In this charming Judd Apatow feature, journalist Alison Scott ends up pregnant after a one-night stand with irresponsible slacker Ben Stone. Scott tries to give Ben a chance to prove that he is father material; however, both soon-to-be parents are unsure if they would be compatible lifetime partners. A poignant and funny story that’s elevated by the charismatic leads. This is Apatow’s signature style at its finest, which means you’re following a fun journey between two ordinary people.
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