Dunkirk (2017)

Dunkirk (2017)

[7] Christopher Nolan serves up a wartime survival flick about Allied soldiers stranded on the beaches of Dunkirk, France, while the German army surrounds them. The water was so shallow, warships couldn't pick up the troops, so loading the hundreds of thousands of…
Chisum (1970)

Chisum (1970)

[7] John Wayne worked pretty much right up until the end of his life, and even in that last decade there are gems to be found. Chisum stars Wayne as the title character, John Chisum, a New Mexico cattle baron who ends…
Spotlight (2015)

Spotlight (2015)

[6] Tom McCarthy (The Station Agent) cowrites and directs this true story of a Boston investigative newspaper team who expose the Catholic Church for covering decades worth of pedophilic activity by over 87 priests in the city. Spotlight's not a sentimental movie…
The Lost City of Z (2017)

The Lost City of Z (2017)

[8] Just when I thought good old fashioned escapist adventure storytelling was dead, along comes The Lost City of Z. This movie renewed my faith in movies. I was beginning to think I'd seen the end of grand, romantic films like those directed…
The New World (2005)

The New World (2005)

[5] While I'd rather Terrence Malick make a live-action Pocahontas movie than Disney, the results are still far from amazing... and a wee bit boring. Malick focuses on a love triangle between our girl Poca (Q'orianka Kilcher), John Smith (Colin Farrell), and…
Heaven’s Gate (1980)

Heaven’s Gate (1980)

[4] I'd never seen Heaven's Gate until recently. For decades, it has been the title synonymous with "flop" and studio bankruptcy, but it has also been picked back up, reexamined, and declared somewhat of an artistic treasure in recent years. The story centers…
Chariots of Fire (1981)

Chariots of Fire (1981)

[3] A Jew and a Christian compete in the 1924 Olympics, both running in the name of God and adversity. I'm sorry to say I just couldn't give a shit. I couldn't empathize with their motivations. They feel God when they run.…
Out of Africa (1985)

Out of Africa (1985)

[7] In colonial Kenya, a Danish baroness has an ongoing affair with a big game hunter. On one hand, Sydney Pollacks' Oscar-winning best picture is long and subdued. But on the other hand, it does a great job transporting you to another time…
The Imitation Game (2014)

The Imitation Game (2014)

[7] Director Morten Tyldum makes this true story of Alan Turing and his team of mathematicians fighting the second world war from their college studies as thrilling and interesting as possible. Benedict Cumberbatch headlines as the socially awkward leader of the group,…
The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)

The Charge of the Light Brigade (1936)

[7] Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland reteam after their initial pairing in Captain Blood. This time, they're in a love triangle that plays out during an Indian massacre of British women and children, later spurring into action the contents of Alfred…