Billy Elliot (2000)
Synopsis: Billy wants to be a professional ballet dancer. But when his father refuses to support his dream, he secretly goes to ballet classes. However, things change when his father sees him dancing.
Really unique coming-of-age film which I feel has aged exceptionally well. It's always one I feel that everybody can watch at least once and be touched by. The premise is wonderful. Jamie Bell is phenomenal in this film as Billy Elliot, he really put his all in to this role. It's one of the best performances I have seen from a young actor at the time. It's a beautifully told story, with fantastic direction from start to finish. The characters are great and all so well developed and are given time to grow. The performances feel real and geniune.
Disturbia (2007)
Synopsis: When a teenager is placed under house arrest, he succumbs to despair and starts spying on his neighbours, hoping to spice up his life. This, however, leads him to witness a serial killer on the loose.
Something about this film is just awesome to me. Like, it really doesn't do anything super original and the comparions to Rear Window are obviously fair, but it's just an addictive watch. To me, it has all the elements of what a thriller should have. Only with some nice comic relief thrown in there at times and a more energetic vibe with it being set around a group of teenagers. I just really like it. I love Rear Window, so when this dropped I was honestly so excited to see another film like it. I loved the concept a lot. Shia LaBeouf is great in this role and David Morse is plenty menacing. The pacing is honestly perfect and when it starts to ramp up in the tension department, it's really damn good. Some great twists and turns to keep your attention.
Red State (2011)
Synopsis: Three teenagers arrange a meeting with a woman. Soon they find themselves trapped in a fundamentalist Church dominated by a fundamentalist preacher, Cooper. Will the teenagers come out alive?
Good film and it was interesting to see Kevin Smith direct something that isn't comedy. He did a great job. This was way out of his comfort zone and you wouldn't notice it by watching the film, he understands what makes horror effective. There's so many scenes in this that make you feel uncomfortable and give you a ton of anxiety. I was thoroughly enthralled by it and really intrigued to see how all the craziness would end. The film just keeps giving with the shocks and twists. The premise is fantastic and it's well-built up by Smith throughout. Highly recommend giving it a watch. Michael Parks was excellent as the cult leader.
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
Synopsis: On their flight to Amsterdam, Harold and Kumar are mistaken for terrorists and are deported to Guantanamo Bay. A series of comedic incidents follow as they try to escape the harrowing place.
I would say that White Castle is the superior movie. It's better written and more consistently funny overall, but this is still a really good movie. If you like the characters, then you'll almost certainly enjoy it. There's plenty of laughs to be had. John Cho and Kal Penn are on top form once again. It's even crazier and more absurd than the previous movie with some of the situations they manage to find themselves in.