Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of The Super Mario Bros. Movie, we’re counting down our favorite movies about brothers! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
One of the more clever recent comedies revolves around a sibling rivalry: Game Night. The movie tells the story of couple Max (Jason Bateman) and Annie (Rachel McAdams), who share a weekly game night amongst friends when Max’s brother Brooks (Kyle Chandler) shows up. When he offers to host next week’s game night, things get dialed up to 11. Max and Brooks have always tried one-upping each other, with Brooks always coming out on top, and the following week’s game night will be one they won’t soon forget. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein bring Mark Perez’s story to life in this ridiculously convoluted and hilarious movie. Following a somewhat common fake kidnapping story, you would think this would just be another paint-by-numbers comedy, but the incredible cast brings this story to another level and truly makes it an enjoyable experience. Jesse Plemons plays a great character in Gary, who just seems like the weird neighbor, but only he could make the character as great as he is.This is definitely not one to miss. (Austen Terry)
Although it may not be the center of the plot, the relationship between brothers Vincent (Ethan Hawke) and Anton (Loren Dean) is the emotional heart of Gattaca. The film is set in a dystopian near-future in which eugenics has created a social hierarchy in which genetically engineered individuals known as “valids” dominate over those like Vincent who were conceived via natural methods. Throughout the film, Vincent, who dreams of becoming an astronaut, faces discrimination for his imperfection, and forms relationships with valids Jerome (Jude Law) and Irene (Uma Thurman). But it is ultimately his rivalry with his brother, who is himself a valid, that drives Vincent. This all comes to a head in a climactic competition between the two brothers, which is easily the most memorable scene from the film. For those looking for a science fiction film that has become increasingly relevant with advancements in genetics such as CRISPR, Gattaca is definitely one to check out. (Jake Hjort)
Warrior is one of the best sports movies of the 2010s, and one of the decade’s most underrated films all together. It follows the story of Tommy (Tom Hardy) and Brendan (Joel Edgerton) as they both enter an MMA tournament. What starts out as a quest for the prize money quickly sends the brothers on a collision course to face each other, as they both work to deal with the trauma of their childhood. Their alcoholic father (Nick Nolte) only drives a wedge further between them, but what starts as a rivalry soon becomes a powerful opportunity for healing. This is one of Edgerton’s best performances, Hardy is physically captivating on screen, and Nolte is terrific. (Kaleb Wolters)
Tony Kaye pulls no punches in the gut-wrenching American History X.The film is a tale addressing the horrors of racism, and the consequences of living life by it. Neo-Nazi Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton)goes to jail after murdering two Black youths attempting to take his car. After he is released, he tries to redeem himself by changing his ways. Meanwhile, he tries to prevent his brother Danny (Edward Furlong) from falling into the same racist ideology. As any brother would, Danny looks up to Derek a lot. Black and white are used for past sequences, and color is used to show the present. The photography makes Venice look like it’s destined for some apocalypse, and the performances are spot on. We get to see Derek’s evolution from a zealot to a loner. The film clearly exposes right-wing ideas through Derek’s speech; it sheds light on the serious issue of racism that many people are afraid to discuss or even address. The grit in the drama really shows how relevant the movie is to audiences today, and the fiery acting packs a powerful punch. American History X creates some savage sequences that hammer home the main issue to the film. One example is Derek raging against immigrant workers in a store, and elements of humanity such as Guy Torrey, who plays the Black man who befriends Derek and eventually helps see the error of his racist ways. (Christian Grullon)
Sometimes, when working on something, you hit a block that can stop your creative flow. This is the story behind the inspiration for the film Adaptation, starring Nicolas Cage as brothers Charlie and Donald Kaufman, alongside Meryl Streep, Chris Cooper, and Brian Cox. What I find interesting about this one is that you get a range of differences between the two characters Cage plays. On the one hand, you have a very subdued and unsure of himself character, compared with a more upbeat, self-assured, and arguably naïve character. All of this wrapped up in the fictionalized true story of the story that confounded Kaufman in real life. It’s against the grain of my normal movie viewing tastes, it is much appreciated. (Joseph Davis)
Academy Award winner for Best Picture, Slumdog Millionaire, is a captivating story that unfolds as a question: How does Jamal (Dev Patel), an impoverished orphan from Mumbai, correctly answer his way to a chance at the 20-million-rupee jackpot on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? The explanation is divulged through a series of flashbacks to boyhood experiences shared by Jamal and his older brother, Salim, unraveling the sometimes farcical, but often tragic origins of his trivia knowledge. It’s a film about Jamal’s love for a woman, Latika (Freida Pinto), with whom he serendipitously crosses paths throughout their lives, but it’s also a complex story about brothers. Salim sees his younger sibling, Jamal, as naïve, a romantic rendered reckless, while Salim’s ideology is that you must take what you can when you can, leaving no room for silly dreamers like his little brother. There’s an underlying jealousy percolating within Salim too, because compassion comes so effortlessly to Jamal, and that jealousy devolves into resentment of Jamal’s relationship with Latika from a young age. Later in their adolescence, Salim breaks the pair up just out of spite, a betrayal Jamal later admits he can never forgive. The point of the story isn’t whether Jamal will walk away with 20 million rupees, but if he will get the girl. The relentless weight of Jamal and Latika’s love, coupled perhaps with Salim’s own realization that because of his immoral choices, his life is a lost cause, leads him to sacrifice himself for his brother’s happy ending. (Jonathan Fedee)
Hell or High Water has been praised so much for so many different aspects it makes it hard to find something new. But somehow, we did it, as I don’t think I have seen many people discuss the brother angle and how that makes the film work. They aren’t “the best friends;” they are two completely different people, and yet, they make it work. They put their differences aside and try to save their ranch. And it is due to Chris Pine and Ben Foster’s performances that you get so invested in this simple yet brilliant film. They portray their characters so well you believe they may be brothers outside of this film, as their chemistry feels so real. Yes, they are two different kinds, but no matter what, hell or high water (hey, that’s the title of this film!), they will fight together against the world. Or, in this case, an evil bank. It’s been almost seven years, and I still don’t believe this film has gotten the recognition it should have, as it is one of the best ones of the last decade, if not the 2000s. Same as their lead actors, it is criminally underappreciated despite it being a masterpiece. A simple, to-the-point masterpiece. This movie may just be one of the highest recommendations of my BEC “career,” and that is saying something. (Luke Burian)
City of God is a fantastic story about two brothers who take two different paths. It’s as much a tale of choices as it is of nature versus nurture. Two brothers find themselves on opposite ends of the law. One, Rocket (Alexandre Rodrigues), ends up trying to make it by hard work and legitimate work. The other, Goose (Renato de Souza), hustles, steals, and cheats his way to the top. Along the way, Goose finds himself in the crosshairs of L’il Dice (Leandro Firmino), who grows up to become the crime lord of the slums. City of God is a beautifully shot and expertly crafted film about how crime can be an infectious and addicting force that destroys everything and everyone around it. It takes a really diligent and strong-willed person to resist the temptation to get into crime. City of God has little vignettes that pay off storylines, and it employs creative methods of storytelling. It is well worth your time, and hits hard for brothers who take two different paths. (Mike Hilty)
All due respect to the iconic genius of his role in The Godfather, but young Marlon Brando is where it’s at for me. The high point is his portrayal of prize fighter turned reluctant corrupt union accomplice, Terry Malloy, in 1954 Best Picture Oscar winner On the Waterfront. Brando manages to exude a cool confidence and charm, while showcasing the internal strife of a man pulled hard in opposite directions. After sacrificing his career for his older brother Charley (Rod Steiger) and Charley’s fellow crooked union leaders, Terry settles into his role doing odd jobs for the ironically-named boss Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). He has a crisis of conscience when he unwittingly aids in a murder, and this is exacerbated by meeting the victim’s sister Edie Doyle, portrayed with impressive sincerity in the debut role from Eva Marie Saint. With Edie and Charley serving as the angel and devil on his shoulders, respectively, Terry is torn between supporting his only family or doing what’s right. Both his chemistry with Edie and the tension with Charley are palpable, especially during the famous, “I coulda been a contender” monologue. In a standout performance from Karl Malden, Father Barry serves as the film’s moral compass, guiding Terry and the rest of the longshoremen. On the Waterfront is intense from start to finish and earns its reputation as one of the greatest films ever made. (Jason Mack)
What is the best way to adapt William Shakespeare? Make it a sprawling and gorgeous samurai epic set during the era of feudal Japan, that is how! Who is bold enough to make such adaptations? Legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa. Ran is a breathtaking adaptation of King Lear, but instead of a banished king and his daughters in Britain, we get a Japanese ruler and his three sons. This is the last great samurai epic that Kurosawa made in his later career, and we can only be so thankful that it was able to be delivered. The costumes and cinematography are just awe-inspiring. A powerful performance by Tatsuya Nakadai is a towering anchor that holds this whole epic war drama together. The action set pieces are elaborate and impeccably constructed. This film captures medieval Japan perfectly, and finds new ways to flesh out Shakespeare’s source material. Action, blood, and betrayal highlight this tale of warring brothers and their attempts to tear down their powerful father. (Shane Conto)
The Darjeeling Limited
Nothing brings a family together more than the loss of a loved one, and in the case of The Darjeeling Limited‘s three Whitman brothers – Francis, Peter, and Jack – it’s going to take more than their family connection to make their bond tighter. After losing their father over a year ago and going through a near death experience himself, the oldest brother Francis (Owen Wilson) brings his brothers together on a train in India to venture on a spiritual journey of self-discovery, and to secretly reunite them with their estranged mother. Not regarded as one of Wes Anderson’s better films, The Darjeeling Limited is still a great movie with a lot of solid character work and acting between the three leads, Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, and Adrian Brody. With a smaller cast, the film gets a good chance for the three Anderson favorites to shine brightest. The story of these brothers reconnecting is silly and quirky, but all the while touching, as you learn about everyone’s lives since their father’s passing. While it may not be Anderson’s best venture, The Darjeeling Limited is still a worthy entry in his career and worth a view to complete his filmography. (Jeff Alan)
Good Time
The Safdie brothers have a very specific filmmaking tone and style — it’s a brisk, nonstop pace, and their movies are often about morally reprehensible people (and given some recent facts that have come to light, it sounds like they might have taken inspiration from themselves). Good Time, the story of Connie (Robert Pattinson) trying to get his brother Nick (Benny Safdie) out of prison, is what started to alert mainstream audiences about the brothers — in fact, I think brothers directing this movie about brothers makes it that much more fitting for this week’s list. Good Time uses a lot of filmmaking methods that the Safdies would take to a whole other level in their followup, Uncut Gems, but Good Time is an excellent watch nonetheless. (Robert Bouffard)
Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead
Any list that revolves around brothers will run the gamut of experiences, from supportive brothers to manipulative ones. Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman, the Hanson brothers in Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, are polar opposites as far as their professional success is concerned, but very much the same in as much as they are hopelessly short on money for the things they need to do. The plan to rob their own parents’ jewelry store is exactly as ill-conceived as you expect, and the movie’s focus on the fallout of that plan slowly unwinding their entire family is its real strength. Don’t expect a heist movie, for this is not that. It’s a slow burn of building dread that unpacks its plot by shifting focus between the brothers while jumping back and forth across several days, until only the inevitable remains. (Chris Bakker)
Logan Lucky
There’s a line later on in Logan Lucky where the big heist is called the work of “Ocean’s 7/11.” I couldn’t think of a better descriptor for how people are meant to see this movie. A pair of hick brothers pull a team together to rob Charlotte Motor Speedway during the biggest race of the year. We’ll get some country jokes and some NASCAR talk. And yes. Those things do happen. But the movie laps those stakes. There are themes of family, class, and bias that permeate throughout. It’s helped by the outstanding performances of Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Riley Keough, Katie Holmes, and Daniel Craig. Considering this movie is an unseen gem of the the last decade, I challenge all of you to watch it. I love this movie. (Sam Nichols)
The Goonies
What if none of the characters in The Goonies were brothers? Think about it, you get a very different adventure, if you get that far at all without the sibling dynamic to advance the plot. For starters, if Brand (Josh Brolin) wasn’t Mikey’s (Sean Astin) brother, he never would have chased after the younger boys, resulting in the girls never joining the group, and ultimately no one being able to play the organ to escape. Also, I don’t know about you, but I never would have jumped and restrained a babysitter, but would absolutely pull that kind of stunt on a sibling. And let’s not forget about the Fratelli brothers Jake (Robert Davi), Francis (Joe Pantoliano), and Sloth (John Matuszak). Their bond as siblings is equally important in advancing the story. Do you really think the Fratellis are the kind of people to care (in the most tenuous of definitions) for a person with special needs if he wasn’t their brother? Without Sloth, Chunk (Jeff Cohen) never rejoins the group (or potentially doesn’t survive at all), no one is strong enough to hold the wall from falling in the tunnel, and Mama Fratelli (Anne Ramsey) would definitely run through anyone who wasn’t her own child (maybe Jake too) with that cutlass onboard the ship. Next time you’re looking for a movie to watch with your brother (or someone you view as one), make it Goonies: A Tale of Brotherly Bonds. (Patrice Downing)
The Blues Brothers
As someone who lives in Chicago, The Blues Brothers are icons. What started out as a fun Saturday Night Live sketch quickly evolved into a cult classic movie that has some of the best moments of either actor’s career. Jake (John Belushi) and Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) embody the spirit of the road trip reunion where they get the band back together. The music is amazing, and the musician cameos are legendary. It has one of the greatest car chases in film and one of the most iconic cars in cinematic history, which I recently saw at an automobile museum for my daughter’s sixth birthday. The Blues Brothers is one of the best musicals ever, and one of the best sketches for Saturday Night Live that became a movie. (Mike Hilty)
Onward
I think Onward gets bad wrath from animation fans sometimes. Because it is Pixar, people expected it to be another top-tier story that pushes the boundaries and makes kids and adults think differently. It isn’t entirely that; it is much more of a kids’ film, but it’s an outstanding kids’ film. It comes out of the same mold as A Bug’s Life and Monsters, Inc. by immersing you in an entirely new world, making it easy to write gags. On the surface, this world looks to be pretty contemporary, but with a fantasy-style history where magic used to be ordinary and has now become obsolete. Ian Lightfoot (Tom Holland) and his older brother Barley (Chris Pratt) discover a spell to bring back their father for one day, but they must go on a quest to finish it. The fundamental driving force of this narrative is the brothers’ relationship. As a firstborn, I can’t speak from experience, but I have heard that once you get to your late teenage years, your relationship with older siblings does feel similar to your relationship with your parents. In rewatching this, I could see how deliberate Pixar was in writing that idea into the dynamic of Ian and Barley in tandem. The message at the end is compelling and, unlike some messages in previous Pixar films, doesn’t seem telegraphed. I also love Holland and Pratt’s performances. They work so well off one another that I want to see Spider-Man/Guardians crossover in the MCU. (John Tillyard)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
In 1990, an independent movie was released, and for several years held the record for the highest-grossing independent film. It was a film about four teenage brothers living in New York City with their single father, who taught them from a very young age the art of ninjutsu. Oh, and they also happened to be giant mutated turtles. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, to this day, is one of my favorite movies of all time. The Jim Henson Creature Shop created some of the most sophisticated costumes of the time, and as a five-year-old, I really believed that they were actual giant turtles, rather than men in costumes. As an adult, I am still blown away by the detail in the costume work and am only pretty sure they were just men in costumes. The story of these four brothers is what allows this movie to stand the test of time. They are at their core a family who laugh, cry, tease, and fight with one another. The sibling rivalry between Raphael and Leonardo is the emotional core of the movie, and one of my favorite parts is when Ralph finally wakes up in the bathtub. The sheer elation that Leo has knowing that his brother will be okay is one that always hits me right in the emotions. That, combined with the fun banter and silly jokes, makes Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles an all-time classic. (Nick Ferro)
The Boondock Saints
Ah, yes, The Boondock Saints. The movie poster that’s on 83% of college dudes’ dorm walls. The definition of a “cult classic,” it’s a wild ride with plenty of fervent fans. If you’re turned off by the perception that this one is just for the frat bros high-fiving in their bro tanks and backward hats, let me assure you, this is a fun time. We follow a pair of brothers (Norman Reedus and Sean Patrick Flannery), who take a religiously-inspired brand of vigilante justice to the streets of Boston. Serving as the introduction for many to Reedus, this violent, action-packed ride is full of fun and wit. It’s filled with quite the cast of characters, including friend Rocco (David Della Rocco), father Il Duce (Bill Connolly), and Willem Dafoe’s delightful turn as the detective on their trail. It’s not for everyone, but if a high-octane, bloody vengeance quest sounds like a fun time, giving this indie darling a shot is worth it. (Jake Bourgeois)
Also See: The Fighter, Brothers, The Brothers Bloom