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 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and since spiders fall under the category of “bugs,” we’re counting down our favorite movies with bugs in the title! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
With Ant-Man: Quantumania ending its run in theaters, let’s go back to where the franchise all began: in 2015, when Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) made his on-screen debut for the MCU in Ant-Man. Scott is an ex-burglar who wants to turn his life around. He wants reconcile with his estranged daughter, but it’s hard to resist a life of crime when he is lured by hilarious friend Luis (Michael Peña). Luis is the clear MVP of the humor. Every scene he’s in, he makes for good laughs with his hilarious lines and narration. Scott ends up being trained by Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) and Hank’s genius daughter, Hope Van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly), after Scott finds a suit that shrinks him to an ant’s size. Hank tasks Scott with preventing the suit from getting into the wrong hands. The idea of a superhero the size of an insect may sound weird to some, but it makes for some good laughs at least. Rudd is such a natural, hitting his one-liners and sarcasm at the right time. Antagonist Darren Cross/Yellowjacket (Corey Stoll), who becomes obsessed with the Pym Particles and Ant-Man suit, is a typical egotistical villain. The movie keeps up the MCU’s reputation for humor in the midst of chaotic circumstances, along with good action. (Christian Grullon)
After losing her mother in a car crash, Amy Alden (Anna Paquin) goes to live with her father (Jeff Daniels) in Canada. When I first sat down to watch Fly Away Home and learned about its story’s basic setup, I thought it would be corny, another one of those estranged parents stories when they gradually warmed up to each other. While there is a little of that in there, it’s mainly about the goose eggs Amy finds. Over the next few months and years, she works with her father and his girlfriend Susan (Dana Delany) to raise the geese, and eventually help them migrate using a homemade aircraft. With it taking place in Canada and involving a lot of flying, the visuals are naturally stunning. But it’s not just about what’s on screen; the way it is shot is also beautiful, as they fly over many different areas. You might think with so much flying, these shots would get boring after a while, but they never do. It is also a very wholesome family story. Outside of the car crash at the beginning, nothing bad really happens, and there are no massively unlikable characters — even the people saying they can’t or shouldn’t do what they are doing, you understand why they are saying it and why they would want to stop them. (John Tillyard)
A twisty early-2000s outing from David Cronenberg, Spider follows a schizophrenic man (Ralph Fiennes) who has recently taken residence in a halfway house after being released from a mental institution. To call Dennis Cleg, or “Spider,” an unreliable narrator would be an understatement. The entire film operates in a bleak, fractured headspace as Spider’s memories of the past bleed into the present. Though the film’s initial ambiguity would likely be too much to handle if it weren’t for the brilliance of Fiennes as our untrustworthy and disturbed protagonist, the ending ties together its disparate threads in a way that ensures that your investment will not be wasted. Worth watching for Fiennes alone, the supporting performances from Gabriel Byrne and, in particular, Miranda Richardson, likewise help to guide the viewer through Cronenberg’s labyrinthine puzzle of a film. In a filmography full of underseen entries, Spider remains the true hidden gem of Cronenberg’s impressive body of work. (Foster Harlfinger)
Akeelah and the Bee is a heartwarming movie about a young girl who is enrolled in a spelling bee for her school, and who turns out to be a prodigy. Akeelah (13-year-old Keke Palmer) is an above average student who is just trying to get through school without being noticed. When a visiting professor from UCLA (Laurence Fishburne) discovers her talent, he becomes her coach. Akeelah is from a rough neighborhood, she speaks, as Fishburne’s character says, “ghetto,” and she tries to hide her talents so she doesn’t get picked on at school. However, he teaches her not only how to prepare for the spelling bee, but how not to be afraid of her talents, and how to be confident in all aspects of life. The relationship between these two characters can be described as cliché, but the manner in which the movie progresses and endears you to them makes it easy to overlook. It’s cliché because it works, and I found myself loving every minute of it. Akeelah manages to bring together her family, school, and community to help her study for the final competition, thanks to the confidence she has learned on this journey. At the end when they are all watching the finals on television, the movie delivers one of those fist pump moments that is usually reserved for sports movies. It is no wonder to me that Palmer is quickly becoming one of the biggest up-and-coming actors of this generation. (Nick Ferro)
I didn’t think I would like an animated movie that dealt with bugs, because who wants bugs? Better yet, who cares what goes on in a bug’s life? Well, Pixar makes you care in A Bug’s Life, a story about an optimistic ant named Flik (David Foley) looking for “warrior bugs” to save his ant colony from the grasshoppers. But unfortunately, the “warriors” happen to be a band of circus bugs. Hilarity ensues as Flik tries to convince the “warriors” and the colony how to fight against the grasshoppers, led by the violent and insane Hopper (Kevin Spacey). This film features some fantastic voice work by Foley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Spacey, Denis Leary, and a young Hayden Panettiere, to name a few. With bright visuals that still stand after 20 years, memorable lines, and one of my favorite jokes that includes a bug zapper, A Bug’s Life tells a great story about protecting loved ones, standing up for what’s right, and standing up to your enemies. Also, I hope Pixar returns to the gag reels (they still do this, right?), because those are always fun. (Chantal Ashford)
Having just watched this film for the first time last year, the bug connection in this Steve McQueen flick was, of course, obvious to me. Papillon gets its title due to the nickname McQueen’s Henri Charrière gets for the titular butterfly tattoo on his chest, the word being, of course, the French for butterfly (which, again, I obviously remembered). This historical epic (based on Charrière’s autobiography) follows his quest to escape his imprisonment in a French Guiana penal colony, where he befriends another inmate (Dustin Hoffman). McQueen’s certainly no stranger to attempting to mastermind great escapes, and this is another epic tale highlighting the endurance of the human spirit. For fans of movies where McQueen gets shoved into a glorified hole as a form of punishment, this is a worthy entry to that surprisingly quality and specific subgenre… and just to reiterate, I totally remembered the thing about the butterfly. (Jake Bourgeois)
Say it with me: Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Beetlejuice! Although Beetlejuice’s protagonists may be the recently deceased couple Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), the true star is Michael Keaton’s bio-exorcist Betelgeuse (pronounced “Beetlejuice”). In one of his best and most unhinged performances, Keaton chews scenery and steals every scene that he’s in, creating a character that’s had a lasting legacy for decades. Baldwin and Davis are also great as new ghosts learning about the Netherworld along with the audience, while Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara shine on the living side of the shroud as the macabre teenager Lydia Deetz and her snobbish stepmother Delia. The film is incredibly funny throughout, not only because of the actors’ great performances, but also due to some well-written jokes and great visual gags. Tim Burton has gotten a bit of a bad reputation due to some of his later work, but he was absolutely on top of his game here, so don’t let any preconceived notions about him scare you away. Also at the height of his powers is frequent Burton collaborator Danny Elfman, composing an excellent score, which is punctuated perfectly with some iconic Harry Belafonte numbers. Lastly, I can’t end this blurb without shouting out the Beetlejuice musical, one of the best shows to debut on Broadway in recent years; so listen to the soundtrack and check it out if it comes touring to a city near you. (Jake Hjort)
It’s weird how certain movies get lost to time. Even ones that were once critically acclaimed can be forgotten. To that end, it’s high time for a renaissance for Kiss of the Spider Woman. This picture stands tall as one of the truly great works of the ‘80s, a decade plagued by campy movies that we have nostalgia for, but that don’t hold up under the microscope. Spider Woman holds up in a big way, as it follows two imprisoned men in Latin America and examines their emotional growth and changing worldview throughout their time together. There’s an exploration of political revolution, the value of journalism, a dissection of the incarceration system, a beautiful acceptance of homosexuality that calls for respect and understanding, and a deconstruction of legal and moral responsibility. This movie is moving, sincere, and poignant. Moreover, it’s led by William Hurt in a fantastic performance that rightfully earned him the Oscar for Best Actor. To boot, the film was also nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture. Yes, it’s that good. (Heath Lynch)
What could you do if you had the traits of a fly? You could fly, for one! You could walk around walls and ceilings. You could even have abnormal strength for your size. The real kicker is being able to spit up acid to melt your food and slurp it up. Too much? All these crazy skills and traits are on display in the David Cronenberg body horror classic, The Fly. This remake is a twisted take on its creature feature roots. The body horror that Cronenberg excels at sets this one apart, as we witness a quirky and handsome scientist (Jeff Goldblum) get fused with the DNA of a fly. The result is a production from your darkest nightmares. There are incredible feats of specific effects and stunts. The actors are at the top of their game, with Goldblum and Geena Davis delivering compelling and charismatic turns. This is a horror flick that has its reputation for a reason. (Shane Conto)
Spider-Man 2 is a perfect sequel. It web-slings to higher highs, lands more powerful punches, and is infused with more spectacle than its predecessor. It’s not the greatest Spider-Man story ever committed to film — that distinction belongs to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse — but if 2002’s Spider-Man assured studios and audiences that superhero films could work, Spider-Man 2 cemented that not only could they work, but they would dominate the box office for decades to come. The runaway train sequence remains one of the greatest set pieces in any film ever, featuring endurance in the face of impossible odds, and the metaphorical crucifixion of our hero as he barely slows the cars full of passengers to a halt. Spider-Man 2 has unflinchingly stood the test of time because of the inherent balance struck between Peter’s unselfish heroics and the unfairness of his situation, granting audiences the understanding of how the consequences of being a hero can have devastating effects on the personal relationships of the man or woman behind the mask. It’s a story that reaffirms the very nature of heroism by reminding us that sometimes it’s as simple as choosing to do what’s right, that there’s a hero in all of us which keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble, and finally allows us to die with pride, even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want the most, even our dreams. (Jonathan Fedee)
Bumblebee
There are few things as satisfying in movies than when the fans finally get to see what they have imagined on screen. For many years, Transformers fans were a bit in the doldrums. They went to see the movies, but the return seemed to diminish with each passing film. Enter, Bumblebee. The live action debut from acclaimed director Travis Knight, Bumblebee goes back to the root of the Transformers and taps into a simpler story. Bumblebee serves as a prequel to the franchise, depicting how the titular character originally comes to Earth and the hijinks he gets into in the early days. Knight decided to step away from the huge scale of the series and focus on a more intimate story of a girl and her Autobot, finally showing the more fun side of the franchise without stepping into fully self-serious. And of course, at the core is Hailee Steinfeld, one of the most talented and charismatic actresses working today, to guide us along the journey. John Cena also has a fun role of playing a character that easily could have been a stereotype, yet he is given a bit of a character arc of his own. Bumblebee is ultimately just a huge breath of fun, fresh air in a franchise that could at times feel a bit stale. (Nashua Doll)
The Spider Woman
In the past 50 years, over 30 actors have donned the iconic tweed Sherlock Holmes cap and coat in adaptations which tell tales from literary great, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, prior to 1970, there was only one name as synonymous with Sherlock as Doyle, and that was Basil Rathbone. Starring alongside Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson, the pair starred in 14 films and a radio show as the formidable crime-solving duo. In fact, Rathbone was so closely associated with the role, he not only voiced Holmes in 1986’s The Great Mouse Detective, but is the inspiration for the titular Basil of the source material book series. One of his most interesting performances as the erudite detective comes early on in the cinematic series in The Spider Woman. Based on the more recognizable title, The Signs of the Four, in this iteration Sherlock fakes his death, goes undercover, and faces off against his most prolific and proficient foe since Moriarty. With so many Holmesian films available, it’s easy to have overlooked this earlier gem, but if you’re a lover of the violin-playing virtuoso of villain vanquishing vigor, take the time to mark The Spider Woman off your Sherlock watchlist. (Patrice Downing)
Antz
At a time before Pixar had completely cornered the market on existential crises and other heavy adult themes in animated movies, 1998’s Antz brought to life a shockingly dark and heavy tale, offset by levity from loads of Woody Allen snark. It’s a struggle to consider this a movie for kids, and I would think twice before showing it to young children. The story centers around Allen’s Z, a worker ant questioning his place in life and the overall uniformity of the ant colony structure. His antics gradually unravel the fascist system, and along the way, there is surprisingly graphic violence, including an intense and deadly battle with a termite colony, and a scene with ants disintegrating in the light pouring through a magnifying glass. Loads of heart and humor help offset the dread and tell a dynamic story. The animation is incredible for 1998, and would still hold up well today. The clever writing is enhanced further by a stacked cast led by Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone, Christopher Walken, Danny Glover, Dan Aykroyd, and Jennifer Lopez, along with great character actors like Jane Curtin, Anne Bancroft, and John Mahoney. It is also perfectly paced, coming in at 87 minutes. (Jason Mack)
The Butterfly Effect
The theory that a butterfly can flap its wings from the west coast and cause a hurricane on the east coast has always been an interesting theory to me, and that’s in part due to the 2004 Ashton Kutcher movie, The Butterfly Effect. The film follows Evan (Kutcher), who suffered several blackouts during childhood and adolescence, before he realizes in adulthood that if he reads his childhood journals, his mind can re-enter his past self, alter the past, and change the future. He tries to play god to create the perfect life for himself and his friends, and learns no one can play god. This movie has an interesting concept and is incredibly dark, as every time Evan alters the past, his future gets darker. I have seen it more times than I can remember, and everyone brings something great to the table, none more so than Kutcher, who is usually the funny guy, but here he plays a much different character. This is one movie I will always recommend, but be warned: This movie contains a lot of very dark material, including suicide, murder, molestation, and abuse. (Austen Terry)
Bee Movie
Bee Movie cannot be quantified or qualified in the same way your run-of-the-mill Martin Scorsese or Marvel movie can be. It exists on a plane beyond this reality. This Jerry Seinfeld project exists to ask the very important question: What if Bees sued the human race over the rights to honey? And holy crap, is this a wild thrill ride. There’s romance, action, horror, and everything in between. Honestly, this movie is like dumping every possible soda into your Polar Pop at 3 a.m., because by the end you are delirious and highly caffeinated. And the performances! Oh my goodness! Some incredible work by Seinfeld himself, as well as Patrick Warburton, Renée Zellweger, and Matthew Broderick. But the standout to me is John Goodman. He brings the southern charm and drawl that just perfectly marinates his character to level of smarminess that can’t be matched. It’s an incredible time that’s entertaining for bee enthusiasts of all ages. (Sam Nichols)
Also See: Lord of the Flies, The Mosquito Coast, The Ant Bully, The Secret Life of Bees, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest