Henry Muhumuza

1. Interstellar (2014) Sci-Fi • 9.8/10 PG-13

Christopher Nolan's cosmic masterpiece. McConaughey delivers a career-defining performance as Cooper, a pilot-turned-farmer who must leave Earth to save humanity. TARS remains one of cinema's most memorable AI characters—witty, loyal, and unexpectedly moving. Hans Zimmer's score is transcendent; "Cornfield Chase" alone captures the ache of leaving home. But what elevates this beyond spectacle is its scientific rigor—Kip Thorne's relativity equations underpin every frame, making the time dilation sequences emotionally devastating and intellectually thrilling. A film that makes you feel the vastness of space and the intimacy of love simultaneously.

2. The Martian (2015) Sci-Fi • 9.9/10 PG-13

Ridley Scott's testament to human resilience. Matt Damon's Mark Watney, stranded 140 million miles from home, refuses to surrender to despair. Instead, he "sciences the shit" out of Mars with humor, ingenuity, and an unbreakable will to survive. A masterclass in optimistic science fiction that proves problem-solving can be as thrilling as any action sequence. Hope beyond hope, perseverance beyond reason.

3. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) Epic Fantasy PG-13

Peter Jackson's monumental achievement. I watched this on DVD when very young, but the impression has never faded—the struggle of small hobbits against overwhelming darkness, the quiet heroism of ordinary beings facing extraordinary evil. Gandalf riding Shadowfax remains etched in memory, a symbol of hope arriving at dawn. Jackson didn't just adapt Tolkien; he made Middle-earth real, proving that epic filmmaking could still have a soul.

4. Transformers (2007) Sci-Fi Action • 9.5/10 PG-13

Michael Bay's symphony of steel and sound. I recently rewatched it, no longer the child I was at release, and discovered what makes this franchise visceral—the sound design. When autobots and decepticons transform, you don't just hear it; you feel it resonate in your chest, primal and physical. The Last Knight, Age of Extinction, and Rise of the Beasts continue this sensory assault. The entire franchise earns 9.5/10. Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.

5. There Will Be Blood (2007) Western, History R

Paul Thomas Anderson's portrait of American ambition at its most monstrous. Daniel Day-Lewis's Daniel Plainview is capitalism incarnate—a man willing to burn every bridge, betray every bond, drain every reserve to reach the top. A Western not about heroes but about the cost of winning. Jonny Greenwood's discordant score mirrors Plainview's descent into isolation. "I drink your milkshake" isn't just a line; it's a philosophy of extraction and emptiness.

6. Greyhound (2020) War Drama PG-13

Tom Hanks commands the screen as Commander Krause, a naval officer navigating U-boat-infested Atlantic waters. What distinguishes this wartime thriller is its portrayal of leadership rooted in Christian faith—quiet prayer between life-and-death decisions, composure amid chaos. Hanks conveys the weight of command through restraint, making every order feel earned. A taut, respectful depiction of duty under fire.

7. One Battle After Another (2025) Action R

Darkly funny and unnervingly relevant to our fractured times. Interesting contradictions in Col. Steven J. Lockjaw's life. Despite his public, aggressive dedication to white supremacy, fascist, and anti-immigrant ideologies, he is driven by secret, deeply contradictory, and submissive desires that are antithetical to his public persona. Satire with teeth. I liked it a lot.

8. Bridge of Spies (2015) Spy, History • 9.9/10 PG-13

Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks reunite for a Cold War masterpiece. Hanks plays James Donovan, an insurance lawyer thrust into espionage, defending Soviet spy Rudolf Abel at enormous personal cost. What moves me is Donovan's decency—his refusal to compromise principle for convenience, his strategic brilliance masked by folksy charm. The final prisoner exchange on the Glienicke Bridge is Spielberg at his most restrained and powerful. This film made me genuinely emotional; it's a reminder that integrity still matters, even when no one's watching.

9. Inglourious Basterds (2009) Commedy, War • 9.6/10 R

Quentin Tarantino rewrites history with style and fury. Christoph Waltz's Hans Landa is one of cinema's great villains—charming, multilingual, terrifying. The opening farmhouse scene alone is a masterclass in tension. Tarantino uses violence not just for shock but as catharsis, giving his Jewish protagonists the revenge history denied them. Audacious, profane, unforgettable.

10. A Man Called Otto (2022) Drama PG-13

Tom Hanks again, but unrecognizable—a curmudgeon rotted by grief, loneliness, and depression. Otto has given up on life until a chaotic young family moves next door. This film understands that the smallest human interactions can be lifelines—a shared meal, an awkward conversation, being needed. Hanks excavates Otto's pain without sentimentality, showing how community can quietly save a life. I loved it deeply.

11. Detachment (2011) Drama R

Adrien Brody delivers a devastatingly raw performance as a substitute teacher navigating a broken educational system. His emotional restraint paradoxically makes every crack in his armor hit harder. Made my eyes teary at the end—films rarely do that.

12. Midsommar (2019) Horror R

Ari Aster's daylight nightmare. Horror set in perpetual sunshine, where pastoral beauty conceals ritualistic horror. Florence Pugh's grief-stricken Dani finds belonging in the worst possible place. Twisted, disturbing, and impossible to look away from.

13. Inception (2010) Sci-Fi Thriller • 9.5/10 PG-13

Nolan at his most labyrinthine. Dreams within dreams, heists within heists. Mind-bending and initially hard to follow, but intellectually thrilling. The spinning top remains cinema's most debated final shot. Is Cobb still dreaming? Nolan never tells—and that's the point.

14. Wingwomen / Voleuses (2023) French Action TV-MA

Mélanie Laurent brings fierce charisma to this Francophone action thriller. Stylish, fast-paced, and refreshingly centered on female partnership in a genre that usually sidelines women. French cinema doing action with flair.

15. Dune: Part One & Two (2021, 2024) Sci-Fi Epic PG-13

Denis Villeneuve makes the "unadaptable" soar. Arrakis feels real—its deserts vast, its politics byzantine, its mythology ancient. Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides transforms from reluctant heir to messianic figure, and Villeneuve refuses to glorify it. A visual triumph that respects Herbert's skepticism of heroes.

16. Margin Call (2011) Thriller R

A snapshot of the 2008 financial crisis compressed into 24 hours. This film reveals how power operates—quietly, ruthlessly, in conference rooms at 3 a.m. Jeremy Irons's CEO is chilling: he doesn't shout, he calculates. Power doesn't need volume; it has leverage.

17. Green Book (2018) Drama PG-13

An unlikely friendship forged on a road trip through the segregated South. Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen's chemistry transcends the film's occasionally formulaic beats. A crowd-pleaser with genuine heart.

18. Barbie (2023) Comedy PG-13

Greta Gerwig smuggles feminist theory into a candy-colored toy commercial and somehow makes it work. Margot Robbie's existential Barbie and Ryan Gosling's scene-stealing Ken explore an inverted patriarchy with surprising depth. Funny, visually inventive, and not just for girls—men should watch it too. Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" is unironically great.

19. Top Gun: Maverick (2022) Action PG-13

Tom Cruise proves practical effects still dominate CGI. Real jets, real speed, real G-forces—you feel every barrel roll. A legacy sequel that honors the original while telling a story about aging, obsolescence, and proving you still have one more mission left.

20. Scream Franchise (1996-present) Horror R

Wes Craven's meta-slasher that simultaneously deconstructs and celebrates horror. Ghostface remains iconic because the franchise keeps reinventing its rules. Horror that's self-aware without losing its edge.

21. F1 (2025) Sports Drama PG-13

Brad Pitt returns to racing cinema alongside Damson Idris in Joseph Kosinski's adrenaline-fueled Formula 1 drama. Shot during actual Grand Prix weekends with real cars at racing speed, the film captures the sport's danger and precision. What elevates it beyond spectacle is the mentorship-rivalry dynamic between Pitt's veteran driver and Idris's hungry upstart—two generations colliding at 200 mph. The tension between cooperation and competition feels authentic, mirroring F1's brutal reality where teammates are also enemies.

22. Raw / Grave (2016) French Horror R

Julia Ducournau's visceral coming-of-age horror. A vegetarian veterinary student discovers a taste for meat—human meat. Disturbing, transgressive, and impossible to forget. Sick, but I liked it.

23. American Psycho (2000) Psychological Horror R

Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman is the ultimate unreliable narrator—a Wall Street exec whose perfectionism masks (or fuels?) homicidal mania. Mary Harron's adaptation captures Bret Easton Ellis's satire of '80s excess. Is Bateman a killer or just imagining it? The ambiguity is the point.

24. John Wick Franchise (2014-present) Action R

Keanu Reeves as a retired assassin pulled back into the underworld. What sets this apart is the world-building—a secret society of killers with arcane rules and Continental Hotels. The action choreography is balletic brutality. You killed his dog; he killed your entire organization.

25. The Wall (2017) War Thriller R

A lean, tense Iraq War thriller. Two soldiers pinned by an unseen sniper, separated only by a crumbling wall. Aaron Taylor-Johnson carries the film with a performance that's mostly voice and survival instinct. Minimalist and relentlessly suspenseful.

1. Game of Thrones (2011-2019) Epic Fantasy, Drama • 9.9/10 TV-MA

The cultural phenomenon that redefined television ambition. For seven seasons, nothing matched its scope—dragons, political intrigue, shocking deaths that meant something. Would've been a perfect 10, but that disastrous final season betrayed years of character development. Still, the journey to the Iron Throne was unforgettable, even if the destination disappointed.

2. MythBusters (2003-2018) Science/Entertainment TV-PG

Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman made science explosively entertaining. Every myth tested with scientific rigor and gleeful destruction. Educational television that never felt like homework. Sad it ended—nothing has filled the void.

3. How It's Made (2001-present) Industry/EducationalTV-G

The most satisfying show ever made. Watch assembly lines transform raw materials into finished products. Meditative, fascinating, and endlessly rewatchable. Industrial ASMR.

4. Foundation (2021-present) Science Fiction DramaTV-MA

Apple's ambitious adaptation of Asimov's epic. Gaal Dornick and Hari Seldon navigate the fall of empires across centuries, using the mathematics of psychohistory. High-concept sci-fi that trusts its audience to think. Gorgeous visuals serving big ideas.

5. The Chosen (2019-present) Historical DramaTV-PG

A fresh portrayal of the Gospels, crowdfunded and independent. Humanizes biblical figures without losing reverence. Surprisingly moving for believers and skeptics alike.

6. Silo (2023-present) Sci-Fi Dystopian DramaTV-MA

Based on Hugh Howey's novels. Ten thousand people live underground, forbidden to question why. Rebecca Ferguson anchors a mystery that reveals itself slowly, deliberately. Post-apocalyptic sci-fi that earns its secrets.

7. Severance (2022-present) TV-MA

The most unsettling workplace drama ever made. Employees surgically separate work and personal memories—but at what cost? Adam Scott leads an ensemble trapped in fluorescent corporate purgatory. Brilliant, disturbing, deeply weird.

8. You (2018-2023) Dark Romance/Crime DramaTV-MA

Joe Goldberg's narration makes stalking sound romantic—until you remember he's a murderer. Penn Badgley makes you complicit in his crimes, then disgusted with yourself for rooting for him. Unsettling but addictive. A dark mirror of parasocial obsession.

9. Succession (2018-2023) Corporate/Political ThrillerTV-MA

Shakespeare for the billionaire class. The Roy family devours itself fighting for a media empire while their father Logan plays them against each other. Razor-sharp writing, career-best performances, and a finale that stings. "You're not serious people."

10. Tulsa King (2022-present) Crime DramaTV-MA

Sylvester Stallone as a New York mobster exiled to Tulsa. Fish-out-of-water crime drama with Stallone's weathered charisma carrying every scene. Taylor Sheridan's dialogue meets Sly's screen presence.

11. SpongeBob SquarePants (1999-present) Animated ComedyTV-Y7

Timeless. What makes SpongeBob endure isn't just absurdist humor—it's his relentless, almost supernatural optimism. No matter how many times life (or Squidward) crushes him, he wakes up the next day genuinely thrilled to flip Krabby Patties. In a cynical world, his joy is radical. A cultural institution.

12. Slow Horses (2022-present) espionage thriller and dark comedy-dramaTV-MA

Gary Oldman leads MI5's rejects—disgraced spies exiled to "Slough House." What begins as punishment becomes their second chance. British spy fiction at its driest, darkest, and most compelling.

13. Reacher (2022-present) TV-MA

Finally, a Jack Reacher who looks like Jack Reacher. Alan Ritchson embodies Lee Child's 6'5" drifter who solves problems with fists and deduction. Straightforward action done right.

14. The White Lotus (2021-present) TV-MA

Mike White's anthology skewers the rich on vacation. Each season: new resort, new guests, guaranteed death. Social satire wrapped in prestige murder mystery. Darkly hilarious and deeply uncomfortable.

15. Better Call Saul (2015-2022) Crime and Legal Drama TV-MA

Just finished Season 1. Starts slowly—deliberately building Jimmy McGill's transformation into Saul Goodman—but becomes captivating. Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould prove prequels can match their predecessors. Bob Odenkirk's performance is quietly devastating.

16. Shōgun (2024) Historical Drama TV-MA

Feudal Japan, 1600. A shipwrecked English navigator becomes entangled in the brutal power struggle that will birth the Tokugawa Shogunate. Cinematography is stunning, capturing both the beauty and savagery of the era. What sets it apart: the series commits fully to subtitled Japanese dialogue, refusing to compromise authenticity for Western comfort.

17. Behind Her Eyes (2021) TV-MA

A psychological thriller with a finale so wild it recontextualizes everything before it. Don't read spoilers. Just watch and let the last episode break your brain.

18. Family Guy (1999-present) Adult Animated SitcomTV-14

Seth MacFarlane's animated chaos. Offensive, absurd, and somehow still running. The cutaway gags either land perfectly or crash spectacularly—no middle ground.

19. Planet Earth (2006) Nature Documentary TV-G

Specifically the 2006 series narrated by Sir David Attenborough. The gold standard of nature documentaries. Every frame is art, every sequence a reminder of Earth's staggering beauty. Attenborough's voice makes wonder feel intimate.

20. The Gentlemen (2024) TV-MA

Guy Ritchie expands his film into a series. British aristocrats, underground weed empires, and rapid-fire dialogue. Ritchie's stylish crime formula stretched across eight episodes.