The Graduate (1967)

The Graduate (1967)

[8] Dustin Hoffman plays Ben Braddock, an aimless college graduate who stumbles into an affair with the older Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) before falling in love with a girl his own age... Mrs. Robinson's daughter. The Graduate was groundbreaking for…
Misery (1990)

Misery (1990)

[8] Kathy Bates delivers a spooky Oscar-winning performance in Rob Reiner's film based on the novel by Stephen King. Screenwriter William Goldman builds a tremendous amount of tension and suspense with barely more than two characters and one room. The…
The Hustler (1961)

The Hustler (1961)

[7] Paul Newman plays Fast Eddie, an overzealous pool player who'll sacrifice everything to beat the renowned Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). This cautionary tale about obsession is the perfect showcase for several fine performances. It may be Newman's finest work.…
Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

[8] A lonely writer falls in love with a singing, dancing courtesan in this bawdy musical that soars on the charms of co-stars Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. The song numbers cannibalize lyrics from love songs over the past century,…
King Kong (2005)

King Kong (2005)

[8] After finishing The Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson tackled a remake of his favorite film, King Kong. Jackson's remake is largely faithful to the 1933 original, while generously expanding the storyline and embellishing some of the characters. Jackson…
None But the Lonely Heart (1944)

None But the Lonely Heart (1944)

[6] Cary Grant plays a wandering Londoner who's reluctant to settle down. This changes when he discovers his mother, played by Ethel Barrymore, has terminal cancer. Poverty and loneliness drive Grant and Barrymore to desperate measures, and just when you…
Witness (1985)

Witness (1985)

[8] Harrison Ford must hide among the Amish after he discovers corruption within his police department. Witness was an opportunity for Ford to show his acting chops, and it remains one of his best performances. This was the first American…
The Hurt Locker (2009)

The Hurt Locker (2009)

[7] Kathryn Bigelow (Strange Days, Near Dark) won the Oscar for directing this suspense thriller about three soldiers who disarm bombs in Iraq. The movie also won Best Picture, maybe just because nothing better came out during the year (except…
Precious (2009)

Precious (2009)

[7] Precious is the kind of movie a studio exec must dread hearing a pitch about: "So, there's this girl, and she's really sad, her daddy raped her, she named her down syndrome baby Mongo, her mother violently abuses her,…
The Blind Side (2009)

The Blind Side (2009)

[5] Sandra Bullock won an Oscar for her performance in this film, and that's pretty much the best reason to see this movie. I'm not sure if it was the best performance of the year, but she is certainly very…