Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

[8] Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro give terrific, Oscar-caliber performances in this film about a widowed mother who invites her late husband's friend, a recovering drug addict, to stay with her. I was moved by the struggle of two deeply wounded people…
The Kids Are All Right (2010)

The Kids Are All Right (2010)

[8] The teenaged children of a lesbian couple seek out their sperm donor and wackiness ensues. Actually, it's not all that wacky, and that's what's refreshing about The Kids Are All Right. The film steers clear of good/bad absolutes and offers up…
Dune (1984)

Dune (1984)

[9] Dino DeLaurentiis foots the bill for this gravely ambitious film adaptation of Frank Herbert's classic sci-fi novel about the messianic rise of an off-lander who rallies a reclusive desert civilization in a fight against galactic takeover. Hot off The Elephant Man,…
Drive (2011)

Drive (2011)

[8] Ryan Gosling channels his inner Eastwood in this stylish thriller about a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver. The combination of Hossein Amini's emotionally restrained script and Nicolas Winding Refn's visceral direction are a winning combination, boosted tremendously by…
X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)

[8] Bryan Singer returns to helm his fourth film in the X-Men series, and he hits another home run. This one picks up some number of years after the events of Days of Future Past, as an ancient all-powerful baddie named Apocalypse…
Looper (2012)

Looper (2012)

[8] Looper is a mash-up of mobster movie and sci-fi time travel flick, but rather than getting caught up in its own clever twists on a (let's face it) hackneyed sci-fi sub-genre, the movie is wisely more concerned with creating an emotionally…
Blood Simple (1984)

Blood Simple (1984)

[8] The Coen Brothers broke onto the film scene with this claustrophobic mystery/thriller featuring Frances McDormand, John Getz, and Dan Hedaya in a murderous love triangle. M. Emmet Walsh complicates matters for all of them as a hitman for hire. The concept…
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, though the…
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…
Hairspray (2007)

Hairspray (2007)

[8] This version of Hairspray disarms you from the very beginning notes of "Good Morning, Baltimore" and builds to one of the most joyful finales of any movie in recent memory. The musical numbers are all superbly choreographed and staged by director…