40 must-watch movies to consider yourself a film buff

Away We Go (2009)

Let’s end on a hopeful film that doesn’t just discuss identity and the concept of going on a journey to find home, but that could stand as a metaphor for the journey of film we’ve been on. Director Sam Mendes is best known for his work on the Academy Award-winning feature American Beauty and the most recent James Bond film. But he’s also a master of intimate family dramas, like the almost-made-it-on-this-list Road to Perdition and Away We Go.

Away We Go follows parents-to-be Bert and Viola (John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph) as they travel to various states, visiting friends, and hoping to find a place to set up their home. Along the way they see different interpretations of parenthood and how their friends deal with balancing individuality with kids. Krasinski and Rudolph are utterly adorable and it’s amazing to realize this was the first serious dramas each of them did, both being known predominantly for comedy.

I’m a sucker for parenthood dramedies and this one uses side characters to great effect. It’s a who’s who of comedic delights, leads aside, including Maggie Gyllenhaal, Allison Janney, Melanie Lynskey, and Chris Messina, to name a few. It’ll definitely leave you wondering about the places you’ve lived and what you consider home to be.

Where to Watch It: HBO has it available to stream. You can also rent it on Google Play, Vudu, PlayStation, Apple, and YouTube.

Next: 15 summer movies to watch in the comfort of your A/C

That concludes our trip through cinema. Happy watching!