Father’s Day is officially upon us, bringing with it another seasonal celebration of all the important paternal figures in our lives.
As part of the upcoming festivities, viewers might want to think about sitting down with their own fathers and enjoying a heartfelt movie to commemorate the holiday. From award-winning indie dramas to beloved action films, here are some of the greatest movies to watch this Father’s Day, ranked in order from worst to best.
A24
As kids, most of us tend to view our parents as infallible figures in our lives, setting a clear-cut standard in which personal perfection is the main goal to reach by the time we pass into adulthood. Yet as Aftersun makes clear, fathers and mothers are far from perfect figures, each of them maintaining their own individual strengths, weaknesses, and specific problems and traumas in their lives. Among the best films of the 2020s yet, it’s a profound meditation on the power of memory, as well as offering an effective portrayal of the first time we see our parents as human beings, rather than the faultless parental figures we’d previously seen them as.
Paramount Pictures
An effective homage to the screwball comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, Paper Moon also succeeds as a riveting exploration of the unique bond formed between a father and his estranged nine-year-old daughter. Starring the real-life father-daughter duo of Ryan and Tatum O’Neal (the latter of whom continues to hold the record for the youngest Academy Award winner for her performance here), Paper Moon is a sweet, sentinmental, often uproariously funny period comedy you’re unlikely to forget after seeing.
Sony Pictures
Most fathers (indeed, most adults really) have a tendency of greatly exaggerating their life stories, allowing them to make towering mountains out of otherwise minor molehills. Over the years, then, it becomes difficult to tell which part of our fathers’ lives are true – and which are merely a late-night bedtime story meant to lull us to sleep. Brilliantly exploring this topic with his signature verve and imagination, Tim Burton hands in what might very well be his most underrated venture with Big Fish: an outstanding fantasy comedy that reads like a magical realist take on Forrest Gump.
Tri-Star Pictures
Naturally, it would take a truly incredible movie to surpass the original Terminator. Against all odds, however, Terminator 2 is just that — a fast-paced, action-packed, endlessly rewatchable sci-fi film that never slows down, lets up, or peters out throughout its two and a half hour runtime. While most dads gravitate back towards T2 for its spine-chilling action and suspense, Judgment Day also manages to incorporate a heartfelt father-son storyline around John Connor and his robotic paternal protector. (“I know now why you cry, but it’s something that I can never do.” Tears every time.)
Buena Vista
No disrespect to the original Spencer Tracy film of the same name, but our hearts routinely gravitate towards 1991’s Father of the Bride remake with the always fantastic Steve Martin. With Martin delivering a characteristically agreeable performance as an anxious businessman preparing for his daughter’s wedding, Father of the Bride serves as an exceptional romantic comedy from Martin’s peak career in Hollywood. Oh, and Martin Short appears as an eccentric wedding coordinator named Franck Eggelhoffer. Just thought we should point out that as well …
Paramount Pictures
Like the aforementioned Terminator 2, it would naturally take an amazing movie to match Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Fortunately, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade returns the series to its roots, handing in an unexpectedly amusing adventure for Harrison Ford’s eponymous archaeologist and his hilariously old-fashioned father. Taking viewers from the rolling plains of the Middle East to the caverns beneath Venice, it’s without a doubt the best sequel in Indiana Jones’ continuity, thanks in large part to Ford and Sean Connery’s impeccable on-screen chemistry.
Disney Pixar
There’s no limits to what a parent might put themselves through in order to protect their child. From crossing hundreds of miles of open ocean to interacting with vegetarian sharks, philosophical turtles, and enigmatic anglerfish, parents will always go the extra mile to ensure their children’s safety and well-being, putting their own lives at risk in the process. A classic entry in Pixar’s canon, Finding Nemo remains a well-loved family comedy capable of delighting a universal audience of viewers, appealing equally to older and younger audience members alike.
As part of the upcoming festivities, viewers might want to think about sitting down with their own fathers and enjoying a heartfelt movie to commemorate the holiday. From award-winning indie dramas to beloved action films, here are some of the greatest movies to watch this Father’s Day, ranked in order from worst to best.
Aftersun (2022)
A24
As kids, most of us tend to view our parents as infallible figures in our lives, setting a clear-cut standard in which personal perfection is the main goal to reach by the time we pass into adulthood. Yet as Aftersun makes clear, fathers and mothers are far from perfect figures, each of them maintaining their own individual strengths, weaknesses, and specific problems and traumas in their lives. Among the best films of the 2020s yet, it’s a profound meditation on the power of memory, as well as offering an effective portrayal of the first time we see our parents as human beings, rather than the faultless parental figures we’d previously seen them as.
Paper Moon (1973)
Paramount Pictures
An effective homage to the screwball comedies of the ‘30s and ‘40s, Paper Moon also succeeds as a riveting exploration of the unique bond formed between a father and his estranged nine-year-old daughter. Starring the real-life father-daughter duo of Ryan and Tatum O’Neal (the latter of whom continues to hold the record for the youngest Academy Award winner for her performance here), Paper Moon is a sweet, sentinmental, often uproariously funny period comedy you’re unlikely to forget after seeing.
Big Fish (2003)
Sony Pictures
Most fathers (indeed, most adults really) have a tendency of greatly exaggerating their life stories, allowing them to make towering mountains out of otherwise minor molehills. Over the years, then, it becomes difficult to tell which part of our fathers’ lives are true – and which are merely a late-night bedtime story meant to lull us to sleep. Brilliantly exploring this topic with his signature verve and imagination, Tim Burton hands in what might very well be his most underrated venture with Big Fish: an outstanding fantasy comedy that reads like a magical realist take on Forrest Gump.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
Tri-Star Pictures
Naturally, it would take a truly incredible movie to surpass the original Terminator. Against all odds, however, Terminator 2 is just that — a fast-paced, action-packed, endlessly rewatchable sci-fi film that never slows down, lets up, or peters out throughout its two and a half hour runtime. While most dads gravitate back towards T2 for its spine-chilling action and suspense, Judgment Day also manages to incorporate a heartfelt father-son storyline around John Connor and his robotic paternal protector. (“I know now why you cry, but it’s something that I can never do.” Tears every time.)
Father of the Bride (1991)
Buena Vista
No disrespect to the original Spencer Tracy film of the same name, but our hearts routinely gravitate towards 1991’s Father of the Bride remake with the always fantastic Steve Martin. With Martin delivering a characteristically agreeable performance as an anxious businessman preparing for his daughter’s wedding, Father of the Bride serves as an exceptional romantic comedy from Martin’s peak career in Hollywood. Oh, and Martin Short appears as an eccentric wedding coordinator named Franck Eggelhoffer. Just thought we should point out that as well …
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
Paramount Pictures
Like the aforementioned Terminator 2, it would naturally take an amazing movie to match Steven Spielberg’s Raiders of the Lost Ark. Fortunately, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade returns the series to its roots, handing in an unexpectedly amusing adventure for Harrison Ford’s eponymous archaeologist and his hilariously old-fashioned father. Taking viewers from the rolling plains of the Middle East to the caverns beneath Venice, it’s without a doubt the best sequel in Indiana Jones’ continuity, thanks in large part to Ford and Sean Connery’s impeccable on-screen chemistry.
Finding Nemo (2003)
Disney Pixar
There’s no limits to what a parent might put themselves through in order to protect their child. From crossing hundreds of miles of open ocean to interacting with vegetarian sharks, philosophical turtles, and enigmatic anglerfish, parents will always go the extra mile to ensure their children’s safety and well-being, putting their own lives at risk in the process. A classic entry in Pixar’s canon, Finding Nemo remains a well-loved family comedy capable of delighting a universal audience of viewers, appealing equally to older and younger audience members alike.