Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins (2005)

[7] Christopher Nolan successfully reboots the Batman franchise by taking a cue from Bryan Singer (X-Men), who showed the world how much better a comic book movie could be by taking its subject matter seriously. While the approach works for…
The Dark Knight (2008)

The Dark Knight (2008)

[8] Without the burden of exposition, Christopher Nolan (Insomnia, Inception) molds his Batman sequel into a compelling crime drama that probes deep into the frightening psyches of Bob Kane's characters. No Batman movie, or comic book movie for that matter,…
The Experiment (2001)

The Experiment (2001)

[8] Twenty men who work menial jobs participate in an 11-day sociological experiment in which they are divided into two groups: prisoners and guards. The prisoners are told they will not have civil rights during the experiment and the guards…
The Shipping News (2001)

The Shipping News (2001)

[6] Kevin Spacey stars in this Lasse Hallström film based on the Annie Proulx novel about a widower who moves with his young daughter to his ancestral home in Newfoundland to start a new life. Judi Dench plays Spacey's aunt who…
Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

Shadow of the Vampire (2000)

[7] John Malkovich stars as renowned German film director F.W. Murnau during the making of the seminal 1922 horror movie, Nosferatu. Willem Dafoe co-stars as enigmatic, creepy-as-shit Max Schreck, who played the vampire in Murnau's classic. But that's just the…
Surrender, Dorothy (2006)

Surrender, Dorothy (2006)

[6] After her daughter dies in a car accident, a mother spends a month with the deceased woman's friends to try and learn more about her in this talkative made-for-TV drama. Diane Keaton stars as the mother, whose abrasive presence…
Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)

Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)

[7] Drew Barrymore stars as a teen in the '60s whose dreams of going to college and getting published are squashed by unexpected motherhood. Riding in Cars with Boys is a comedy/drama based on a true story that spans a few…
The Clearing (2004)

The Clearing (2004)

[6] Robert Redford gets kidnapped, leaving his wife Helen Mirren home with their adult children to try and figure out what the hell is going on. The Clearing divides its time pretty equally between Redford's and Mirren's storylines. Redford's kidnapper…
The Box (2009)

The Box (2009)

[7] The Box is weird, anachronistic, and indulgent, but I'd be lying to say I didn't dig it. This is the third film from writer/director Richard Kelly, who created a cult phenomenon with Donnie Darko, but then flopped big time…
Terminator: Salvation (2009)

Terminator: Salvation (2009)

[6] Terminator: Salvation is passable summer entertainment held together by a sliver of thematic sci-fi integrity and a strong supporting performance by Sam Worthington (Avatar). Why Christian Bale opted into this movie is beyond me -- it's a thankless role.…