A Glean movie guide
The Modern Classics: 2021–2026
Essential cinema for your watchlist.
The most culturally significant and critically acclaimed films of the decade so far.
Handpicked for this guide
The movie list
- 01
Oppenheimer
A towering biographical thriller that captures the tension and moral weight of the atomic age.
The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer's role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
- 02
Everything Everywhere All at Once
A wildly inventive multiverse adventure that balances chaotic action with a deeply moving family core.
An aging Chinese immigrant is swept up in an insane adventure, where she alone can save what's important to her by connecting with the lives she could have led in other universes.
- 03
Dune: Part Two
A breathtaking sci-fi spectacle that elevates the genre through stunning visuals and complex world-building.
Follow the mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a path of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, Paul endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee.
- 04
Barbie
A vibrant and witty cultural phenomenon that reimagines an icon with sharp social commentary.
Barbie and Ken are having the time of their lives in the colorful and seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land. However, when they get a chance to go to the real world, they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans.
- 05
Top Gun: Maverick
A rare sequel that surpasses the original with exhilarating practical stunts and genuine emotional stakes.
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell finds himself training a detachment of TOP GUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen.
- 06
Past Lives
A quiet, devastatingly beautiful exploration of love, fate, and the lives we leave behind.
After decades apart, childhood friends Nora and Hae Sung are reunited in New York for one fateful weekend as they confront notions of destiny, love, and the choices that make a life.
- 07
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
A visual masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of animation while delivering a high-stakes hero’s journey.
After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse's very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most.
- 08
Anatomy of a Fall
A gripping courtroom drama that deconstructs a marriage through a tense and ambiguous murder mystery.
A woman is suspected of her husband's murder, and their blind son faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness.
- 09
The Zone of Interest
A chilling and formally audacious look at the banality of evil through masterful sound and imagery.
The commandant of Auschwitz, Rudolf Höss, and his wife Hedwig, strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp.
- 10
Poor Things
A surreal and visually dazzling odyssey of self-discovery led by a fearless central performance.
Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.
- 11
CODA
A heartwarming and authentic story of family and music that made history as a breakout awards success.
As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family's fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her love of music and her fear of abandoning her parents.
- 12
Inside Out 2
A brilliant and relatable sequel that navigates the complexities of growing up with humor and heart.
Teenager Riley's mind headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone.