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 the REAL…
The Prince of Egypt (1998)

The Prince of Egypt (1998)

[8] Dreamworks Animation's maiden voyage is a stunning achievement of sight and sound. Impressionistic background paintings blend with sexy, angular character designs, all set to a brilliant soundtrack by composer Hans Zimmer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. It kills me that stories from…
Red Dragon (2002)

Red Dragon (2002)

[7] While it lacks the pervasive chill that runs through The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon is a well-made thriller that engages from beginning to end, thanks to a briskly-paced script adaptation by Ted Tally (who won an Oscar for his…
Hail, Caesar! (2016)

Hail, Caesar! (2016)

[6] The Coen Brothers are at it again, this time with a wonky tale of 1950s Hollywood studio politics mixed with political scandal. Hail, Caesar! is scattershot in its narrative. Josh Brolin's character is marginally the main protagonist. Brolin plays a gruff…
The Constant Gardener (2005)

The Constant Gardener (2005)

[6] A British diplomat in Kenya tries to solve the mystery of his activist wife's murder, only to get in over his head with the culprits -- a pharmaceutical company that is intentionally poisoning and killing people. The first third of the…
The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

[7] I love movies. But unlike most other people who love movies, I don't love Wes Anderson movies. To me they're a case of too much style over too little substance. I never care about the story or the characters, and I'm…