Everybody loves a good hero-versus-villain story.
Whether the villain has always been evil or becomes so throughout, the dynamic makes for compelling cinema.
In these cases, a traditional villain is not needed.
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Its an easily relatable film for anyone with a loud but loving family, even if youre not Greek.
But the 2019 teen comedyBooksmartexcels beyond that by shifting its focus to more meaningful areas.
Although Molly and Amys classmates come off as antagonistic at times,no one here has any villainous intentions.
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Whats so refreshing aboutPast Livesisits nuanced approach to romance.
In any other film, Arthur would have been the villain.
Its the kind of film that could and should be influential for romantic stories.
The Straight Storylives up to its title by truly being a straightforward story of a man visiting his brother.
But one that often goes overlooked is theBeforetrilogy, written and directed byRichard Linklater.
All threeBeforefilms received critical acclaimfor their acting and writing, utilizing real-time, prolonged conversations between Jesse and Celine.
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Thankfully, neither is portrayed as a villain or antagonistic in any way.
Its a comedy that trulyleans into the idea that anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
That man is, well, Forrest Gump, played byTom Hanksin an Academy Award-winning performance.
When it comes to inspiring stories about fighting the odds,Forrest Gumpis no exception.
No other film has explored that concept so beautifully, humorously, and meaningfully asInside Out.
Its been hailed as a modern classic and one of the greatest animated films ever made.
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Along the way, they encounter several creatures that could be villains…but actually not.
Butthese are not overarching villains in the traditional sense but rather obstaclesfor Marlin, Dory, and Nemo.
Indeed, this charming movie is ultimately about Marlin braving the ocean when his worst fear gets realized.
NEXT:10 Great Movies Without an Actual Protagonist
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