From Paul Thomas Anderson to Jack Black: Finn Wolfhard’s four favourite movies
In 2016, it seemed like everyone you knew was obsessed with Stranger Things, the Netflix show paying homage to ‘80s sci-fi and horror led by a group of kids reminiscent of the cast of beloved movies like The Goonies and Stand By Me. The series was an instant hit, boosting the careers of actors such as Millie Bobby Brown, Joe Keery and Finn Wolfhard.
The latter had barely acted before landing the role of Mike Wheeler in the show, submitting a tape after hearing about open auditions for a new Netflix show. Before then, he had only cameoed in episodes of The 100 and Supernatural, but to his surprise, he bagged one of the leading parts in the Duffer Brothers’ now-hugely successful show.
Since then, he has appeared in movies such as IT, The Goldfinch, The Turning and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio while also honing a music career fronting bands such as Calpurnia and The Aubreys. The actor has barely entered his 20s, but it seems he has a promising career ahead of him, seemingly at home in sci-fi, horror and fantasy projects.
Yet, in an interview with Letterboxd, Wolfhard revealed his four favourite movies, none of which fell into the above categories. Instead, it seems as though Wolfhard prefers comedies, with his first pick being the ‘90s classic Boogie Nights. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the film was responsible for shooting the filmmaker to international acclaim, as well as boosting Mark Wahlberg’s career as a respected actor.
Boogie Nights sees Wahlberg’s character enter the world of porn during its golden age in ‘70s Los Angeles. He meets all sorts of interesting characters as he transforms from Eddie Adams, a humble potwasher, to Dirk Diggler, one of the adult industry’s most bankable stars. Wolfhard called it “a movie that I’ll never get sick of,” adding, “I just think it’s the greatest.”
The actor is also a big fan of Richard Linklater’s School of Rock, a classic 2000s comedy featuring Jack Black as a musician who ends up becoming a substitute teacher. As he spends more time with his students, he realises they have the talent to win a battle of the bands competition. It was “such a big movie for me as a kid,” according to Wolfhard, who just “loves” it.
Next, Wolfhard selected Jody Hill’s Observe and Report as one of his favourites, a comedy that received mixed reviews upon its release in 2009, with some calling it too bleak. The film stars Seth Rogan as a mall security officer who takes his job a little too seriously due to his emotional instability. Events unfold into chaos as Rogan’s character displays some concerning behaviour. Wolfhard called the movie “underrated,” stating that it is “a really good dark comedy.”
The actor didn’t exclusively pick comedies, however, as he also selected The Social Network – the critically acclaimed drama about Mark Zuckerberg’s rise to prominence as the creator of Facebook. The David Fincher-directed film won several Oscars and is widely praised as one of the filmmaker’s best works. Complete with a fantastic score by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Wolfhard didn’t elaborate on why he loves the film, but it’s not hard to see why.
