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…
Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)

Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956)

[6] Paul Newman headlines this Robert Wise biopic about real-life boxing champ Rocky Graziano. Ernest Lehman's smart, well-paced script sees Rocky through several youthful indiscretions that threaten to ruin him just as the lightweight championship comes within reach. Though he…
The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)

[8] A young man's soul is transferred to a mysterious portrait that bears the decay and debauchery of his lifestyle. The most interesting thing about this Oscar Wilde tale is that you are never told what Dorian Gray's sins are,…
Avatar (2009)

Avatar (2009)

[7] James Cameron's first film since Titanic is a supreme juvenile fantasy with a healthy sense of adventure and discovery. From its floating mountains to its bio-luminescent flora and fauna, the world of Pandora never stops unfolding before our eyes,…
The Black Swan (1942)

The Black Swan (1942)

[4] Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara star in this seafaring tale of a plundering buccaneer who considers changing his ways once he becomes smitten with an aristocratic lady. At times a very beautiful film, The Black Swan fails on the…
To Catch a Thief (1955)

To Catch a Thief (1955)

[7] Cary Grant stars as an ex-jewel thief trying to clear his name after precious jewels start disappearing in the French Riviera. This outing for Alfred Hitchcock succeeds more in character than in suspense set pieces, though you'll get some…
Barry Lyndon (1975)

Barry Lyndon (1975)

[5] Beautifully shot and slavish to Kubrick's singular, intentionally off-putting vision, Barry Lyndon follows the circuitous rise and fall of an unscrupulous man through love and war, as he swindles his way into aristocracy and sews the seeds of his…
The Revenant (2015)

The Revenant (2015)

[8] Hot off his Best Director Oscar for Birdman, Alejandro González Iñárritu delivers another astonishing directorial effort. The Revenant is shot entirely outdoors with available lighting, capturing the story of an 1820s fur trader (Leonardo DiCaprio) who is viciously mauled…
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

[9] Birdman swoops into cineplexes offering the antidote to superhero hysteria, CGI migraines, and Hollywood's usual hackneyed, formulaic bullshit. It's goddamned original, a showcase for skill and craft, and a breath of fresh fucking air. Michael Keaton turns in a…
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

Around the World in 80 Days (1956)

[4] Around the World in 80 Days is a three-hour-long, episodic adventure that's high on spectacle and low on story or character. I wager it played better to a 1950s audience interested in seeing a cliche-ridden "It's a Small World"-like…