5 Best Movies to Watch by Sharon Horgan

Staff & contributors

Surprisingly heartwarming and enjoyable, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent turns its over-the-top premise into a tribute to the one and only Nicolas Cage. Playing an unfulfilled and broke version of himself, Cage’s next gig is an appearance at eccentric billionaire Javi Gutierrez’s (Pedro Pascal) birthday party. They strike up an instant bond over their love of film. However, the CIA suspects Gutierrez’s involvement in a political kidnapping, forcing Cage to investigate his friend. The film brilliantly employs those 90s-esque action tropes that Cage’s movies are known for - the car chases, the sunglasses, and the eccentric characters. Cage himself fully commits to the premise, but Pedro Pascal adeptly matches his energy with his easy-going charm. Their moments together and their shared love for cinema makes this a great watch.

Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime, Drama

Actor: Alessandra Mastronardi, Björn Freiberg, Caroline Boulton, Cesare Taurasi, David Gordon Green, Demi Moore, Eli Jane, Enrique Martínez, Ike Barinholtz, Jacob Scipio, Jaime Ordóñez, Joanna Bobin, Katrin Vankova, Kristian Flores, Kristian Ventura, Lily Mo Sheen, Manuel Tallafé, Mario Perez, Neil Patrick Harris, Nicholas Wittman, Nicolas Cage, Paco León, Pedro Pascal, Rebecca Finch, Ricard Balada, Sharon Horgan, Tiffany Haddish

Director: Tom Gormican

Rating: R

This lovely comedy-romance from Ireland is about a closeted gay teen and his lesbian schoolmate who pretend to be in a relationship to avoid being bullied at their school.

This premise makes Dating Amber an original story in a genre in which that's increasingly rare. This is added to the setting, in 1995 rural Ireland, which is executed to gorgeous perfection in everything from the clothes to the music. 

Dating Amber ends up being more coming-of-age than a comedy-romance. It's a tale of friendship and self-acceptance.

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance

Actor: Ally Ni Chiarain, Anastasia Blake, Arian Nik, Art Campion, Barry Ward, Corey Millar, Emma Willis, Eva O'Connor, Evan O'Connor, Fionn O'Shea, Fionn O'Shea, Ian O'Reilly, Ian O'Reilly, Karl Rice, Lauryn Canny, Lola Petticrew, Peter Campion, Sharon Horgan, Shauna Higgins, Simone Kirby, Tara Flynn

Director: David Freyne