The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

[6] This screwy comedy about top secret military psychics is based (to questionable extent) on truth. While the ramifications of the subject matter is provocative, the film wisely overlooks them to revel in the absurdity of it all. By its end, The…
Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1994)

[6] Kenneth Branagh directs and stars in this somewhat faithful adaptation of Shelley's spectacular novel. While it hits most of the plot points, it doesn't quite capture the essence of Shelley's work -- that if you tinker irresponsibly with nature (or play…
Nosferatu (1922)

Nosferatu (1922)

[7] Of the handful of silent films that still have shelf life, Nosferatu is perhaps the most popular. It's the cornerstone of the entire horror genre, as well as the first time audiences ever saw a vampire on film. It's an adaptation…
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 this Batman…
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, has ever…
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1982)

Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker (1982)

[8] An orphaned teen (Jimmy McNichol) becomes fearful of his aunt (Susan Tyrrell) after she kills a man in their home. But that just scrapes the surface of Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker. Add in that the aunt has incestuous desire for the boy and…
Serpico (1973)

Serpico (1973)

[6] Al Pacino stars in the true story of Frank Serpico, a New York City cop who discovers a city-wide bribe scheme police are profiting from and rejects becoming part of it. But in doing so, he loses the trust of all…
Campus Man (1987)

Campus Man (1987)

[6] An enterprising college business student (John Dye) needs money for tuition fast, so he creates the campus' first all-male sports calendar, highlighting his high-diving roommate (Steven Lyon). The calendar is a success, but a shady investor and a fashion magazine editor threaten to…
The 400 Blows (1959)

The 400 Blows (1959)

[8] François Truffaut made his feature directorial debut with this semi-autobiographical tale of a disenfranchised twelve-year-old Parisian boy who takes his first steps into a life of petty crime. Truffaut went into The 400 Blows with an admirable mission statement -- to capture…
Yellow Sky (1948)

Yellow Sky (1948)

[6] Gregory Peck stars in William Wellman's (The Ox-Bow Incident, The Story of G.I. Joe) eerie western about a band of thieves that wander into a Death Valley ghost town where a young woman (Anne Baxter) and her grandfather have struck gold.…