Bookworm Cottage Style

I try to have at least one movie night per week, relying mostly on my library’s DVD collection. I also make an effort to get to theaters a few times a year. Trying to break out of a viewing rut and decide what to watch next? Here are some recent movies I enjoyed, which coincidentally all happen to be thriller/suspense films in one form or another.

Black Bag (2025; 1h 35m) // This is a spy thriller about a group of British intelligence agents. When George suspects his wife of being a double agent, he is not sure who on his team he can trust, and how far he will go to protect the woman he loves. This movie is directed by Steven Soderbergh, who also directed Ocean’s Eleven, so it has a similar feel (moody lighting, funky instrumental soundtrack, fast-paced plot) to the Ocean’s franchise.

Project Hail Mary (2026; 2h 36m) // Project Hail Mary was a five-star read for me, so I had high expectations headed into the theater. It was fantastic! The sci-fi adventure thriller is about a goofy science teacher (played by Ryan Gosling) who wakes up on a space ship with little memory of how he got there. He slowly pieces together that he is there to save Earth from a mysterious substance that is dimming the sun, but nothing could have prepared him for what happens next. This is an incredibly heartwarming, feel-good movie about hope, teamwork, friendship, and saving the world. It was directed by the same duo who directed 21 Jumpstreet, and is all around a really fun, happy film. This is no question my favorite movie I’ve seen this year. 

Relay (2025; 1h 47m) // This thriller is about a fixer (played by Riz Ahmed) who brokers deals between whistleblowers and corrupt corporations. He keeps his identity a secret by having his clients follow a very specific set of instructions. But when one of his clients is threatened, he has to pivot quickly to save them both. This is a great movie that felt really unexpected and original. 

The Order (2024; 1h 56m) // Based on a true story, this movie is about an FBI agent (played by Jude Law) investigating a string of bank robberies in the Pacific Northwest that he soon learns are related to a white nationalist terror organization. This is a tense, edge-of-your seat movie that kept me engaged.

Casino Royale (2006; 2h 24m) // This is the first of the Daniel Craig James Bond spy films. I’ve seen it at least half a dozen times but the plot is so complex that there are so many details I had completely forgotten about. This is one of those movies that requires your full attention, but it’s worth the effort. It’s one of the best Bond films and one of my favorites. 

The Rip (2026; 1h 52m) // Matt Damon and Ben Affleck play Miami cops who discover millions of dollars in cash in a cartel affiliated property. When they start taking an off-the-books approach to securing the house and the money, no one on the team is sure who they can really trust. This was a great crime/action film that was more entertaining than I expected.

If you’re looking for more movie recommendations, here are 5 others I enjoyed.