Kanopy is a free online streaming service that allows library card holders and select University professors and students to log on and watch content.
It advertises itself as a platform for independent films, documentaries, foreign films, and classic cinema. If you’re looking to get a film education, this is a great place to start, especially with this list of the top 10 films on Kanopy.
1. Lady Bird
Greta Gerwig’s 2017 coming-of-age film is an obvious pick. The teenage angst, mother-daughter struggles, and overall awkward teen-ness are what make this such a fantastic movie. If you’re looking to reflect back on your teenage years, or even just watch a movie to say “Thank God that’s not me,” then this is the one for you. As an added bonus it has the signature Greta Gerwig monologues that we all know and love.
2. Moonlight
La La Lan- no, Moonlight is an Oscar-winning drama about a young Black man growing up in Miami. The story illustrates his life in three chapters, and follows him through a journey to manhood, kindness, and giving back to the community that raised him. Its a coming-of-age film, but also one of self-reflection and acceptance. It will make you cry, but most importantly, it will make you think.
3. Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
This film won pretty much every award you can give out during the 2022-2023 award show season. It’s funny, dramatic, and even full of action. It tells the story of a struggling Chinese immigrant family whose lives and relationships are unwinding. All the while, there has been an interdimensional disruption that causes reality as they know it to change. The movie wrestles with mortality, generational trauma, identity, and the meaning of life. It’s seriously multifaceted and never boring, and it won Best Picture for a reason.
4. Midsommar
This cult-themed cult classic details the journey of a woman and her boyfriend’s trip to their friend’s Swedish hometown, only to find out that their annual Midsommar festival is steeped in dark, enigmatic rituals. This drama/thriller isn’t just a surface-level horror movie; it discusses femininity, independence, and grief. It also displays themes of mental health issues and familial struggles, alongside some very questionable coping mechanisms. Regardless, the film girlies agree that this is some of Florence Pugh’s best work.
5. Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
For a lighter and cuter story, follow the journey of the adorable Marcel, a conch shell with one googly eye and a pair of shoes. Though the story does deal with themes of grief, Marcel’s adorable story of trying to reunite with his family through his very own short film will work it’s endearing magic on you in no time. This movie, despite its childlike casting, is more suitable for adults, and explains grown-up feelings in a very cute package. If you’re looking to enjoy drama and watch the lengths that ridiculously wealthy people will go to to keep their power, then this is the movie for you.
6. Eighth Grade
Yet another coming-of-age film depicting what it’s like to go through awkward middle school years. Eighth Grade is a raunchy and hilarious movie about the transition from middle school to high school, sexual awakenings, and father-daughter relationships. It dutifully portrays a turning point between youth and young adulthood in a funny — and sometimes cringy — way. It was also nominated for several Golden Globes and Independent Film Awards.
7. Triangle of Sadness
The Academy Award-nominated movie is about an influencer couple invited to a getaway on a cruise ship with a group of wealthy people, only for the voyage that gets derailed by a storm. It’s a satirical drama divided into three parts, and includes themes of greed, war, and exploitation. It delves into the question of what, exactly, the uber-wealthy would do to maintain their power, and what happens when that power dynamic shifts.
8. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
This historical French drama is about an artist and her subject who fall into a forbidden romance. The artist is required to paint her unwilling subject without her knowing, so she observes her every day and secretly paints a portrait. As they spend more time together they begin to fall in love, but the subject is forced into a marriage. It’s a sad, beautiful, and dramatic story that will have you feeling all of the feelings. It also won the Cannes Award for Best Screenplay.
9. Bodies, Bodies, Bodies
The satirical horror film is about a group of teenagers who throw a party in an abandoned house and play a game that goes awry while they are stuck on the island in a hurricane. It offers commentary on the ignorance of privileged youth, and exposes their crooked dynamic. As drama unfolds and friendships unravel, the groups have to learn who to trust, and who may be capable of murder. It’s exciting at every turn, and a must-watch horror film.
10. X
If you need your horror fix, X is the perfect place to start. It takes place in 1979, 60 years after the prequel, Pearl. It follows a group of actors who set out to film an adult movie in rural Texas. They stay at the home of a creepy and bloodthirsty host, who seems to be jealous of the youth and stardom of the performers. The nice thing about these movies is that you don’t necessarily have to watch one to see the other. It’s a clever, creative, dramatic, and raunchy installment in the horror movie world, and a must-see for thriller lovers.
If you’re an independent film lover or love niche documentaries, Kanopy is the perfect place to find your next watch. You may even discover something new and unique while you browse. All you have to do is log in through your public library card or your university I.D. — and if you’re not sure where to start, this list is the perfect start-off point.