dws, a list by Daniel Switzer

8.2

/210558/

83

/15541/

83

/5630/

4.2

/1172319/

97

/260/

98

/2978/

85

/46/

3.5

age 8+

After a shipwreck, an intelligent robot called Roz is stranded on an uninhabited island. To survive the harsh environment, Roz bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.

86

7.6

/27838/

76

/1302/

74

/310/

4.3

/292958/

97

/215/

98

/77/

83

/43/

4.0

age 15+

Divine G, imprisoned at Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit, finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men in this story of resilience, humanity, and the transformative power of art.

86

8.4

/707823/

83

/31844/

81

/7380/

4.4

/2928132/

92

/466/

95

/2263/

79

/62/

3.5

age 13+

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.

83

7.6

/1835/

78

/111/

69

/27/

4.2

/13350/

100

/71/

91

/29/

3.5

age 13+

Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C., jail.

83

8.0

/11333/

82

/870/

80

/190/

4.1

/40806/

98

/107/

98

/312/

76

/22/

3.0

age 11+

Christopher Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down. After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care.

83

7.6

/15660/

74

/1086/

72

/237/

4.1

/158644/

97

/108/

82

/160/

82

/16/

4.0

age 10+

In the 19th century, a drunken applejack salesman must go from zero to hero and become North America's greatest fur trapper by defeating hundreds of beavers.

82

7.5

/4315/

76

/242/

76

/78/

4.0

/22553/

99

/72/

81

/13/

82

/18/

3.5

Journalist Shiori Ito embarks on a courageous investigation of her own sexual assault in an improbable attempt to prosecute her high-profile offender. Her quest becomes a landmark case in Japan, exposing the country's outdated judicial and societal systems.

82

7.5

/7805/

76

/396/

71

/81/

4.0

/24344/

99

/108/

92

/153/

82

/21/

3.5

age 15+

When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a local theater's production of Romeo and Juliet alongside his estranged teenage daughter, the drama onstage starts to mirror his own life.

82

7.4

/258407/

72

/11001/

71

/2854/

3.8

/2228755/

93

/352/

85

/490/

91

/62/

4.0

age 17+

A young sex worker from Brooklyn gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out to get the marriage annulled.

81

7.1

/20908/

72

/997/

69

/254/

3.8

/124239/

97

/150/

82

/173/

83

/39/

4.0

age 15+

Emotions run high when three estranged sisters reunite in a cramped New York City apartment to watch over their ailing father during his final days.

81

7.4

/247100/

73

/13765/

71

/3110/

3.9

/1778755/

93

/336/

86

/1902/

79

/54/

4.0

age 13+

After the unexpected death of the Pope, Cardinal Lawrence is tasked with managing the covert and ancient ritual of electing a new one. Sequestered in the Vatican with the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders until the process is complete, Lawrence finds himself at the center of a conspiracy that could lead to its downfall.

81

7.2

/130110/

70

/4581/

69

/1483/

3.9

/719787/

93

/337/

79

/519/

90

/57/

4.0

age 17+

When an innovative modern architect flees post-war Europe, he is given the opportunity to rebuild his legacy. Set during the dawn of the modern United States (in Pennsylvania), his wife joins him, and their lives are forever changed by a demanding, wealthy patron.

80

7.5

/1770/

78

/232/

75

/23/

3.8

/9233/

100

/16/

81

/4/

3.0

Casa Bonita opened in 1974 in an unassuming strip mall. The massive "Disneyland of Mexican restaurants" is an Old West and Acapulco-inspired fever dream made famous by its indoor waterfall, cliff divers, and haunted caves, and was featured in a classic 2003 episode of South Park. When its creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, learn that Casa Bonita might close its doors for good, they attempt to preserve a crumbling piece of their childhood and Denver history.

80

7.7

/4182/

78

/330/

77

/45/

3.9

/20281/

98

/61/

92

/34/

69

/13/

3.0

age 10+

Featuring unprecedented access to Jim Henson's personal archives, filmmaker Ron Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world.

80

7.3

/15344/

75

/1052/

72

/184/

4.0

/273354/

96

/134/

91

/96/

78

/38/

3.0

age 14+

In 2008, during the last month of summer before high school begins, an impressionable 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy learns what his family can't teach him: how to skate, how to flirt, and how to love your mom.

80

6.9

/23224/

67

/1134/

66

/307/

4.0

/216463/

92

/213/

75

/123/

91

/49/

4.0

age 14+

Chronicles the powerful friendship between two young Black teenagers navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida.

80

7.0

/136415/

69

/5701/

67

/1266/

3.7

/1047319/

96

/278/

82

/242/

85

/55/

4.0

age 16+

Mismatched cousins David and Benji reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the pair's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.

79

6.9

/1651/

70

/126/

64

/26/

3.8

/8998/

95

/77/

92

/52/

82

/17/

3.5

age 15+

A Black artist on the path to success is derailed by an unexpected visit from his estranged father, a recovering addict desperate to reconcile. Together, they struggle and learn that forgetting might be a greater challenge than forgiving.

82

79

7.4

/3199/

78

/361/

78

/80/

3.8

/11259/

100

/13/

96

/53/

73

/4/

age 10+

Melody Brooks, a sixth grader with cerebral palsy, has a quick wit and a sharp mind, but because she is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair, she is not given the same opportunities as her classmates. When a young educator notices her student's untapped potential and Melody starts to participate in mainstream education, Melody shows that what she has to say is more important than how she says it.

79

7.6

/61538/

78

/5559/

80

/1481/

3.8

/298110/

89

/171/

97

/1679/

65

/31/

3.0

age 9+

The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.

78

7.4

/13490/

76

/819/

72

/87/

3.9

/72456/

99

/122/

81

/167/

74

/28/

3.0

age 15+

When Will Ferrell's good friend Harper comes out as a trans woman, they take a road trip to bond and reintroduce Harper to the country as her true self.

78

6.7

/3817/

65

/284/

66

/55/

3.7

/23554/

98

/122/

72

/43/

87

/30/

4.0

age 15+

On a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills, 17-year-old Sam contends with the competing egos of her father and his oldest friend.

78

7.0

/26926/

70

/2221/

69

/353/

3.7

/125461/

98

/208/

83

/150/

77

/42/

3.5

age 12+

When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

78

7.5

/241316/

76

/16312/

75

/6380/

3.6

/2415752/

91

/329/

94

/2329/

73

/59/

3.0

age 6+

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.

78

7.5

/19345/

78

/1462/

78

/395/

3.7

/33789/

88

/113/

96

/47/

62

/26/

3.0

age 10+

This is the extraordinary true story of Trudy Ederle, the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel. Through the steadfast support of her older sister and supportive trainers, she overcame adversity and the animosity of a patriarchal society to rise through the ranks of the Olympic swimming team and complete the 21-mile trek from France to England.

77

7.2

/706/

72

/64/

71

/7/

3.6

/1481/

92

/13/

91

/27/

3.0

age 15+

Over seven years, three couples involved in the extreme sport of BASE jumping test the limits of love and life itself. Risking everything for the thrill of the jump, their dedication is put to the ultimate test.

77

6.9

/400/

64

/24/

60

/2/

3.8

/2350/

97

/39/

89

/5/

3.5

Chris Wilcha helped adapt This American Life to television. His new documentary embodies the spirit of that show as he tries to save a New Jersey record store, in this comic yet deeply moving reflection on opportunities lost and gained.

77

7.0

/784/

73

/74/

73

/22/

3.8

/3846/

97

/37/

3.0

age 10+

On the shores of Jeju Island, a fierce group of South Korean divers fight to save their vanishing culture from looming threats.

77

7.1

/255200/

69

/12554/

67

/3357/

3.7

/2408748/

85

/381/

73

/2959/

78

/59/

4.0

age 16+

A gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.

77

6.9

/36324/

68

/1804/

68

/387/

3.8

/278892/

93

/191/

89

/20/

78

/44/

3.0

age 16+

Aspiring actor Edward undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. But his new dream face quickly turns into a nightmare, as he loses out on the role he was born to play and becomes obsessed with reclaiming what was lost.

77

6.8

/126598/

69

/8372/

67

/1494/

3.3

/615526/

95

/302/

89

/11/

82

/55/

3.5

age 15+

A mild-mannered professor moonlighting as a fake hit man in police stings ignites a chain reaction of trouble when he falls for a potential client.

77

6.9

/45957/

69

/2712/

68

/429/

3.5

/316778/

90

/203/

89

/207/

74

/45/

3.5

age 15+

An 18th birthday mushroom trip brings free-spirited Elliott face-to-face with her wisecracking 39-year-old self. But when Elliott’s "old ass" starts handing out warnings about what her younger self should and shouldn't do, Elliott realizes she has to rethink everything about family, love, and what's becoming a transformative summer.

77

7.0

/172514/

69

/8157/

69

/2507/

3.8

/2545652/

88

/381/

76

/257/

82

/64/

3.5

age 15+

Tennis player turned coach Tashi has taken her husband, Art, and transformed him into a world-famous Major champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she signs him up for a "Challenger" event — close to the lowest level of pro tournament — where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi's former boyfriend.

77

IMDb 98

7.3

/221459/

74

/12214/

69

/2787/

3.8

/2470211/

88

/406/

95

/15133/

73

/63/

3.0

age 10+

In the land of Oz, ostracized and misunderstood green-skinned Elphaba is forced to share a room with the popular aristocrat Glinda at Shiz University, and the two's unlikely friendship is tested as they begin to fulfill their respective destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

76

7.1

/34356/

71

/2189/

70

/485/

3.4

/140129/

92

/212/

89

/116/

76

/38/

3.0

age 15+

During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American sports broadcasting crew finds itself thrust into covering the hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes.

76

6.8

/1358/

66

/104/

67

/31/

3.7

/5962/

93

/75/

82

/23/

76

/21/

3.5

age 10+

In 1992 Chicago, a story of two young legends in their own right begins. As wide-eyed and imaginative best friends Malik and Eric traverse the city, looking to escape the mundaneness of school and the hardships of growing up in public housing, their unbreakable bond is challenged when tragedy shakes their community just as they are learning to fly.

76

6.5

/3743/

68

/371/

61

/79/

3.3

/10449/

94

/97/

95

/158/

75

/20/

3.5

age 15+

Merit, a U.S. Army veteran suffering from PTSD, is repeatedly tortured by visions of her deceased friend and company buddy Zoe. After her Afghanistan service in 2016, she attends group therapy until Dale, her grandfather and former Lieutenant Colonel, is recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Merit steps up to his aide, and discovers more about herself and her family, while also gaining the courage to put her metaphorical demons to rest.

76

6.9

/227/

50

/11/

75

/2/

3.7

/1211/

97

/38/

81

/14/

3.5

While looking for a new home for his family, a Haitian demolition worker is faced with the realities of redevelopment as he is tasked with dismantling his rapidly gentrifying Miami neighborhood.

76

6.8

/59072/

68

/4780/

65

/792/

3.5

/135683/

93

/162/

89

/101/

75

/37/

3.5

age 15+

A string of violent robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads veteran FBI agent Terry Husk into a white supremacist plot to overthrow the federal government.

76

7.4

/18502/

78

/1734/

76

/338/

3.3

/15899/

84

/102/

99

/639/

57

/16/

3.0

age 11+

Inspired by the incredible true story of a hairdresser who single-handedly rallies an entire community to help a widowed father save the life of his critically ill young daughter.

75

6.8

/6853/

73

/716/

74

/159/

3.2

/9527/

86

/56/

96

/181/

70

/8/

3.0

age 8+

A lost penguin rescued from an oil spill transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them.

75

6.8

/8288/

71

/1121/

68

/112/

3.1

/17678/

92

/64/

97

/1827/

60

/12/

3.5

age 8+

The Herdman kids are undeniably the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, steal, cheat, bully and overall terrorize their small community. But this Christmas, they're taking over their local church Pageant – and they just might unwittingly teach a shocked little town the true meaning of Christmas.

75

6.6

/1252/

61

/70/

68

/15/

3.5

/5618/

93

/56/

78

/11/

83

/11/

3.5

On a journey that spans the formative years of their lives, two sisters navigate their loving but volatile father during their yearly summer visits to his home in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

75

7.0

/120669/

71

/9714/

68

/2293/

3.4

/601878/

93

/183/

90

/108/

72

/37/

3.0

age 14+

While serving as a juror in a high profile murder trial, family man Justin Kemp finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma…one he could use to sway the jury verdict and potentially convict—or free—the accused killer.

75

6.6

/4169/

65

/333/

66

/65/

3.6

/15313/

96

/124/

78

/42/

77

/25/

3.5

age 15+

Following her sister's disappearance, Jax and her niece Roki must stick together. Desperate to keep what's left of their family intact, Jax and Roki defy the law and hit the road on a journey to the Grand Nation Powwow in Oklahoma City.

75

7.3

/711/

78

/76/

79

/10/

3.7

/1225/

82

/28/

92

/2/

2.0

An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert land grabs by some of the world’s most powerful countries.

75

6.6

/1054/

68

/113/

73

/15/

3.5

/9166/

95

/63/

68

/8/

77

/22/

3.5

age 10+

What would American democracy look like in the hands of teenage girls? In this documentary, young female leaders from wildly different backgrounds in Missouri navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up.

75

7.5

/355/

70

/4/

77

/3/

3.5

/878/

96

/47/

68

/10/