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Apart from the detail that he was a heroin dealer, Frank Lucas' career would be an ideal case study for a business school. "American Gangster" tells his success story. Inheriting a crime empire from his famous boss Bumpy Johnson, he cornered the New York drug trade with admirable capitalist strategies. He personally flew to Southeast Asia to buy his product directly from the suppliers, used an ingenious importing scheme to get it into the United States, and sold it at higher purity and lower cost than anyone else was able to. At the end, he was worth more than $150 million, and got a reduced sentence by cutting a deal to expose three-quarters of the NYPD narcotics officers as corrupt. And he always took his mom to church on Sunday.

Lucas is played by Denzel Washington in another one of those performances where he is affable and smooth on the outside, yet ruthless enough to set an enemy on fire. Here's a detail: As the man goes up in flames, Frank shoots him to put him out of his agony. Now that's merciful. His stubborn antagonist in the picture is a police detective named Richie Roberts ( Russell Crowe ), who gets a very bad reputation in the department. How does he do that? By finding $1 million in drug money -- and turning it in. What the hell kind of a thing is that to do, when the usual practice would be to share it with the boys?

There is something inside Roberts that will not bend, not even when his powerful colleague ( Josh Brolin ) threatens him. He vows to bring down Frank Lucas, and he does, although it isn't easy, and his most troubling opposition comes from within the police. Lucas, the student of the late Bumpy, has a simple credo: Treat people right, keep a low profile, adhere to sound business practices and hand out turkeys on Thanksgiving. He can trust the people who work for him because he pays them very well and many of them are his relatives.

In the movie, at least, Lucas is low-key and soft-spoken. No rings on his fingers, no gold around his neck, no spinners on his hubcaps, with a quiet marriage to a sweet wife and a Brooks Brothers image. It takes the authorities the longest time to figure out who he is, because they can't believe an African American could hijack the Harlem drug trade from the Mafia. The Mafia can't believe it, either, but Frank not only pulls it off, but is still alive at the end.

When it was first announced, Ridley Scott's film was inevitably called "The Black Godfather." Not really. For one thing, it tells two parallel stories, not one, and it really has to, because without Roberts, there would be no story to tell, and Lucas might still be in business.

But that doesn't save us from a stock female character who is becoming increasingly tiresome in the movies, the wife ( Carla Gugino ) who wants Roberts to choose between his job and his family. Their obligatory scenes together are recycled from a dozen or a hundred other plots, and although we sympathize with her (will they all be targeted for assassination?), we grow restless during her complaints. Roberts' domestic crisis is not what the movie is about.

It is about an extraordinary entrepreneur whose story was told in a New York magazine article by Mark Jacobson . As adapted into a (somewhat fictionalized) screenplay by Steve Zaillian (" Schindler's List "), Lucas is a loyal driver, bodyguard and coat holder for Bumpy Johnson (who has inspired characters in three other movies, including " The Cotton Club "). He listens carefully to Johnson's advice, cradles him when he is dying, then takes over and realizes the fatal flaw in the Harlem drug business: The goods come in through the Mafia, after having been stepped on all along the way.

So he flies to Thailand, goes upriver for a face to face with the general in charge of drugs, and is rewarded for this seemingly foolhardy risk with an exclusive contract. The drugs will come to the United States inside the coffins of American casualties, which is apparently based on fact. It's all arranged by one of his relatives.

In terms of his visible lifestyle, the story of Frank Lucas might as well be the story of J.C. Penney, except that he hands out turkeys instead of pennies. Everyone in his distribution chain is reasonably happy, because the product is high quality, the price is right, and there's money for everyone. Ironically, an epidemic of overdoses occurs when Lucas' high-grade stuff is treated by junkies as if it's the usual weaker street strength. Then Lucas starts practicing what marketing experts call branding: It becomes known that his "Blue Magic" offers twice the potency at half the price, and other suppliers are forced off the streets by the rules of the marketplace, not turf wars.

This is an engrossing story, told smoothly and well, and Russell Crowe's contribution is enormous (it's not his fault his wife complains). Looking like a care-worn bulldog, his Richie Roberts studies for a law degree, remains inviolate in his ethical standards and just keeps plugging away, building his case.

The film ends not with a " Scarface "-style shootout, but with Frank and Richie sitting down for a long, intelligent conversation, written by Zaillian to show two smart men who both know the score. As I hinted above: less " The Godfather " than " Wall Street ," although for that matter a movie named "American Gangster" could have been made about Kenneth Lay.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

American Gangster (2007)

Rated R for violence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality

157 minutes

Denzel Washington as Frank Lucas

Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts

Chiwetel Ejiofor as Huey Lucas

Josh Brolin as Det. Trupo

Cuba Gooding Jr. as Nicky Barnes

RZA as Moses Jones

Ruby Dee as Frank's mother

Carla Gugino as Laurie Roberts

Armand Assante as Dominic Cattano

Ted Levine as Toback

Directed by

• Ridley Scott
• Steven Zaillian

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‘american gangster’: film review.

A gangster movie focused on character rather than action, it's smooth and smart enough to attract a significant audience beyond the considerable fan base of its stars, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

By Kirk Honeycutt

Kirk Honeycutt

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The title is catchy but misleading. Frank Lucas was less an “American Gangster” than an original Old Gangster in sable, a caricature in the tradition of ’70s blaxploitation flicks.

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So this is a gangster movie focused on character rather than action and on the intricacies of people’s backgrounds, strategies and motivations. Whether it means to, the film plays off a clutch of old movies, from “The Godfather” and “Serpico” to “Superfly” and “Shaft.” But Scott and writer Steven Zaillian make certain their Old Gangster is original and true to himself and his times rather than a concoction of movie fiction. Consequently, the movie is smooth and smart enough to attract a significant audience beyond the considerable fan base of its stars, Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe.

You do sense in this movie that its principals are returning to safe harbor. After a discouraging foray into feeble comedy by Scott and Crowe (“A Good Year”) and Gothic Southern melodrama for Zaillian (“All the King’s Men”), these artists scramble back to an emotional naturalism more aligned to their sensibilities. Even for Washington, who seldom makes a false step careerwise, the film represents a welcome return to the larger-than-life villainy he performed so well in 2001’s “Training Day.”

Meanwhile, Richie Roberts (Crowe), a street-smart drug cop in New Jersey, is Frank’s opposite: He can’t help alienating everyone who crosses his path. His wife wants a divorce, insisting he leads a life entirely unsuitable to the welfare of their only child. Fellow cops shun him from the moment he brings in nearly a million dollars of recovered drug money. No one can understand why he didn’t keep it, which says a lot about the state of policing in the New York/New Jersey area in 1968.

Frank’s stroke of genius in the drug trade is to cut out the middleman. He flies to Thailand, takes a boat up the river in the Golden Triangle, makes a deal with a Chinese general, then arranges through an in-law to ship the kilos to New York in military planes coming back from Vietnam. His heroin, branded Blue Magic, hits the street twice as good and half as much as the competition.

It is so pure that dead junkies turn up all over New York. The police are baffled but look in all the wrong places. It never occurs to them that a black man is behind the scheme. Richie, whose whacked-out partner is one of Blue Magic’s victims, is given his own task force. He finally targets Frank, but no one will believe him.

Richie’s major opposition comes from within. New York’s anti-drug task force, the Special Investigations Unit, is rife with corruption. As personified by Detective Trupo (a strutting Josh Brolin), the SIU takes its cut right off the top.

In a story that ranges from the jungles of Harlem and Thailand to North Carolina backwoods, Scott is both hurried and leisurely. He covers a lot of territory, often in low-light levels and with the Vietnam War playing on background TV sets, soaking up the sordid atmosphere, including naked, surgically masked women cutting the dope — so no one will steal anything — and celebrities like Joe Lewis cheerfully slumming with the gangsters. The scruffiness of Richie’s world makes a brilliant contrast to Frank’s penthouse. Yet both worlds teem with moral ambiguity.

If there are no false steps here, there are few highlights either. Such films as “The Godfather” and “Serpico” contain iconic scenes and sequences. “American Gangster” contributes little. It’s workmanlike and engrossing, but what sticks in the mind are Frank and Richie, not what anybody does.

This review was written for the theatrical release of “American Gangster.”  

AMERICAN GANGSTER Universal Imagine Entertainment presents a Relativity Media/Scott Free Prods. production Credits: Director: Ridley Scott Screenwriter: Steven Zaillian Based on an article by: Mark Jacobson Producers: Brian Grazer, Ridley Scott Executive producers: Nicholas Pileggi, Steven Zaillian, Branko Lustig, Jim Whitaker, Michael Costigan Director of photography: Harris Savides Production designer: Arthur Max Music: Marc Streitenfeld Costume designer: Janty Yates Editor: Pietro Scalia Cast: Frank Lucas: Denzel Washington Richie Roberts: Russell Crowe Huey Lucas: Chiwetel Ejiofor Detective Trupo: Josh Brolin Eva: Lymari Nadal Lou: Ted Levine Nate: Roger Guenveur Smith Freddie Spearman: John Hawkes Moses Jones: RZA Nickey Barnes: Cuba Gooding Jr. Dominic: Armand Assante Mama Lucas: Rudy Dee Running time — 157 minutes MPAA rating: R

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American Gangster (2007)

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Movie Review | 'American Gangster'

Sweet, Bloody Smell of Success

By Manohla Dargis

• Nov. 2, 2007

Greatness hovers just outside “American Gangster,” knocking, angling to be let in. Based in rough outline on the flashy rise and fall of a powerful 1970s New York drug lord, Frank Lucas, the film has been built for importance, with a brand-name director, Ridley Scott, and two major stars, Denzel Washington as Lucas, and Russell Crowe as Richie Roberts, the New Jersey cop who brings him down. It’s a seductive package, crammed with all the on-screen and off-screen talent that big-studio money can buy, and filled with old soul and remixed funk that evoke the city back in the day, when heroin turned poor streets white and sometimes red.

This being an American story, as its title announces and Steven Zaillian’s screenplay occasionally trumpets, there’s plenty of blue in the mix too, worn by some of New York’s very un-finest. Mr. Lucas was among the city’s most notorious underworld hustlers, but one of the film’s points (at times you could call it a message) is that he was just doing what everyone with ambition, flair and old-fashioned American entrepreneurial spirit was doing, including cops: getting a piece of the action. His piece just happened to be bigger than most, stretching across Harlem and snaking into other neighborhoods, into alleys and apartments where someone with ready cash and a hungry vein was always aching to get high.

You see a few of those veins, popping, all but jumping in anticipation of another hit. Sometimes the needle slides into a clean arm, though every so often the camera comes uncomfortably close as a spike jabs into a suppurating wound. You could call these images metaphoric, something about the oozing, bleeding body of the exploited underclass, but mostly they’re just graphic evidence of the damage done. Despite the intermittent nod to someone nodding out and even dying, this isn’t about the suffering of addicts or of those forced to watch their neighborhoods perish alongside them. It’s about good guys and bad, a classic story of white hats and black squaring off at the corral at 116th Street and Eighth Avenue.

Mr. Crowe, his jaw thrust forward as aggressively as his pelvis, wears the white hat, while the silky, smooth-moving, smooth-talking Mr. Washington wears the black. They’re irresistible, though neither possesses the movie because each occupies a separate if parallel story line. Mr. Washington has the more developed and dynamic role, which he inhabits easily, whether flashing his wolfish grin or draining the affect from Lucas’s face to show the soulless operator beneath the swagger and suit. Lucas’s rival, Nicky Barnes (Cuba Gooding Jr. in a sharp, small turn), wore the pimp threads and fedoras the size of manhole covers (he also read Machiavelli). Lucas dressed like the businessman he believed himself to be and was.

Formally, the plot takes the shape of a simple braid, with Lucas’s and Roberts’s stories serving as individual narrative strands that become more and more tightly plaited. Complicating this simple, at times overly mechanical back-and-forth design is a third player with a smaller strand, a corrupt New York detective, Trupo (Josh Brolin in a knockout performance), who shakes down Lucas and other larcenous types. The baddest bad man in town, a thug’s thug, Trupo wears his power as confidently as the long black leather coat he whips on for battle. He hassles Lucas, who hates him in turn, and openly indulges his contempt for Roberts because the other cop is honest, which means he’s a threat to Trupo and his kind.

It’s hard not to fall for these men pumping like pistons across the screen, which is as much part of the movie’s allure as its problem. Mr. Scott doesn’t escape the contradiction that bedevils almost every Hollywood movie about gangsters, which cry shame, shame, as they parade their stars, crank the soul and showcase the foxy ladies, the swank digs and rides. Mr. Washington obviously enjoys sinking into villainy, but he never finds the lower depths. There’s little of the frightening menace the actor brought to “Training Day,” where you see the pleasure his character derives from his sadism. Even when Lucas goes ballistic, beating a man to pulp, the film tosses in a laugh about the proper way to clean a bloodied rug.

Seriousness has always been one of Mr. Scott’s strengths as a director, but when his material has skewed too light, too frivolous, the gravity and purpose etched into each one of his meticulous, beautiful images have also helped sink films. He couldn’t make an ironic gesture if he wanted to, or toss off an idea or a shot. Everything counts, even if it shouldn’t. (Such was the case with his and Mr. Crowe’s last collaboration, their 2006 Provençal folly, “A Good Year,” a soufflé made with lead.) Mr. Scott makes the case for his and his new film’s seriousness in its opener, which shows Lucas tossing a match at a man who has been doused with gasoline and then pumping bullets into the burning, screaming figure.

This is the match that ignites the story of a criminal overlord who, without mercy or remorse, takes down one human being after another, many of whom, like the addicts he supplied, were as helpless as that burning man. By rights this match should also ignite a tragedy, and you can almost feel Mr. Scott trying to coax the material away from its generic trappings toward something rarefied, something like Francis Ford Coppola’s 1972 definitive American story, “The Godfather.” He comes closest to that goal with the suggestion that the lethal pursuit of the American dream is not restricted to one or two families — the Corleones, say, or the Sopranos — but located in a network of warring tribes that help to obscure the larger war of all against all.

The America in this film isn’t a melting or even a boiling pot; it’s a bitter object lesson about the logic of market-driven radical individualism, wherein a self-styled Horatio Alger type, thwarted by racial prejudice and born into poverty in North Carolina, grows up to become a powerful captain of the illegal-drug industry. Lucas pulls himself up by his bootstraps, a gun tucked into his belt, and becomes a folk hero (and a pop culture idol) who doles out free turkeys to the very community he helps enslave with narcotics, fear and despair. He gathers his relatives around to help him, modeling himself after the Mafia families with whom he does business. He builds a gang, but only so it can serve his personal desires.

The bottom line of what a Frank Lucas does — to people, to neighborhoods — doesn’t make for entertainment. And so, despite Mr. Scott’s talent for trouble and shadows (the cinematographer Harris Savides bleeds all the bright color from this world), he soon loosens his grip on Lucas. He lingers over the garish surfaces and violence, and the exotic locales where Lucas found a steady supply of pure heroin. He quotes “Super Fly,” fires up Bobby Womack, samples Richard M. Nixon and tosses in a pinch of black power rhetoric to mask the rot. He distracts and entertains until the divide between his seriousness of purpose and the false glamour that wafts around American gangsters, and invariably trivializes their brutality, becomes too wide to breach.

Like many moviemakers (and watchers), Mr. Scott loves his bad guy too much. And by turning Lucas into a figure who seduces instead of repels, an object of directorial fetishism and a token of black resistance, however hollow, he encourages us to submit as well. Part of this is structural and economic: blood and nihilism are always better sells than misery and hopelessness. Yet there’s also a historical dimension, because when Lucas strolls down a fast-emptying Harlem street after putting a bullet into another man’s head and the camera pulls back for the long view, you are transported into the realm of myth. Once, another gunman, or the director, might have taken direct aim at Lucas. But the world belongs to gangsters now, not cowboys.

“American Gangster” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Explicit and very realistic-looking intravenous drug use and bloody, bloody gun violence.

AMERICAN GANGSTER

Opens today nationwide.

Directed by Ridley Scott; written by Steven Zaillian, based on the New York magazine article “The Return of Superfly,” by Mark Jacobson; director of photography, Harris Savides; edited by Pietro Scalia; music by Marc Streitenfeld; production designer, Arthur Max; produced by Brian Grazer and Mr. Scott; released by Universal Pictures. Running time: 158 minutes.

WITH: Denzel Washington (Frank Lucas), Russell Crowe (Richie Roberts), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Huey Lucas), Cuba Gooding Jr. (Nicky Barnes), Josh Brolin (Detective Trupo), Ted Levine (Lou Toback), Armand Assante (Dominic Cattano), John Ortiz (Javier J. Rivera), John Hawkes (Freddie Spearman), RZA (Moses Jones), Lymari Nadal (Eva), Yul Vazquez (Alfonse Abruzzo), Ruby Dee (Mama Lucas), Idris Elba (Tango), Carla Gugino (Laurie Roberts), Joe Morton (Charlie Williams), Ruben Santiago-Hudson (Doc), Roger Guenveur Smith (Nate), Roger Bart (United States attorney), Chuck Cooper (private doctor) and Linda Powell (social worker).

American Gangster Review

16 Nov 2007

156 minutes

American Gangster

It is interesting (and not coincidental) that Ridley Scott’s latest, American Gangster, is opening in the same month that his third feature, Blade Runner, gets a reissue. There are cosmetic similarities. Both take place in distinctive milieus (Los Angeles 2019; Harlem 1971) dominated by bad fashions. Both involve

a subdued cop on the hunt for a more charismatic villain. But marking the differences in such close proximity is instructive about how Scott’s career has developed. The Scott of The Duellists, Alien and Blade Runner wallowed in atmosphere, mood and backlight (debatably at the expense of story and character), whereas the Scott of American Gangster puts plot ahead of pictorialism, dwells on relationships not cityscapes and gets on with things in almost documentary style. In theory, it should make him a better filmmaker but, while you would never begrudge Scott’s desire to grow or try new things, you can’t help but wish that Gangster would indulge his prodigious visual talents a little more often.

Scott’s first foray into epic crime territory, after the small-scale con of Matchstick Men, is undeniably enjoyable, yet it never really gets to grips with the full potential of the story. The twin yarns of gangster Lucas and cop Roberts are a template for crime thrillers of the past 30 years, but while it boasts performances by two modern greats, it never adds up to a completely satisfying whole.

Part of the problem here is that, from such rich source material, American Gangster doesn’t tell a story. From the get-go, Zaillian’s screenplay gets stuck in a repetitive rut, and very little, be it narrative threads, character arcs or thematic depth, actually develops. Roberts doesn’t do much detecting to get to Lucas; the latter just reveals himself as a kingpin via a fashion faux pas at a boxing match. Scott and Zaillian want to suggest a symmetry between Lucas and Roberts - that both men are outsiders in their own worlds, driven by specific codes of ethics - but struggle to make the comparison compelling. Scott also shortchanges on the true story’s astonishing coda, which would seem ripe for the Hollywood treatment. And worst of all, he can’t actually pin down what the film is about.

Aside from a few new licks - Roberts’ nifty use of a dead perp

to exit an incendiary crime scene; images of scantily clad chicks bagging up drugs, near nude so they can’t stash the dope; Lucas’ ingenious method of transporting the drugs into the US - very little in the movie feels fresh, re-treading scenes, riffs and imagery from the whole history of crime flicks. There’s the minutiae of police drug squad procedure (The French Connection), a police force besieged by cops on the take (the films of Sidney Lumet, especially Serpico) and the gangster as kind family man (The Godfather - Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas’ dim brother comes across as a blinged-up Fredo). Even the music sounds second hand (who can hear Across 110th Street and not recall Jackie Brown?), Scott not quite having the affection for tunes of the era to turn up something different.

To his credit, Scott doesn’t OD on the ’70s-ness of Gangster; a throwaway allusion to the new-fangled microwave is about it. Yet all this familiarity doesn’t breed complete contempt. American Gangster’s string of crime movie staples - drive-bys; Mafia meetings (all hail Armand Assante!); cops pinning up pictures of suspects on boards and drinking coffee; wire-wearing snitches - is served up with enough verve to engage. But the film’s strengths unquestionably lie in the double-header of Washington and Crowe. After playing a gladiator, sailor, maths genius and boxer (we’ll skip over A Good Year), it’s good to see Crowe playing something approaching a regular Joe - slightly overweight and struggling to keep his principles when treated as a pariah. That Roberts is the only straight cop in a force full of corruption is a nice role-reversal, and Crowe gives Roberts a gravitas and believability he in all probability didn’t have on the page.

Despite Crowe’s sterling efforts, though, this is Washington’s show. Channelling some of the intensity and aggression he brought to Training Day but tempering it with touches of charm and class, Washington effortlessly stumps up menace, smarts and attitude. In one breathless moment he leaves his brothers in a diner, walks across the street, shoots a rival in the face, and calmly returns to his food. American Gangster is very good at this - little violences, sporadic shootings and ferocious fistfights that end as quickly as they erupt - and Washington delivers it with maximum impact. But you also swallow him as a devoted husband, concerned uncle (his nephew wants to follow his lead into crime) and urbane businessman. There is a fascinating scene in which Lucas berates a rival mobster (Cuba Gooding Jr.) for selling inferior narcotics under the same Blue Magic banner as Lucas’ own heroin: it is surely a sign of the times when a gangster flick features a discussion on the merits of branding.

For a film fuelled by so much testosterone, some of the best moments involve the men being dressed down by women. Lucas’ run in with his proud mother (Ruby Dee) is one of the very few times anyone actually stands up to him. Equally good is Roberts’ courtroom tussle with his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) over custody of their kid, who floors the cop with a terrific character dissection. In some ways, these scenes register stronger than The Obligatory Washington/Crowe Face Off. In a Pacino-De Niro-Heat stylee, the pair have only one scene together - look out for the ways both actors use a coffee cup to subtly delineate who has the upper hand in the conversation - but it doesn’t have the oomph or mythic resonances that the moment requires.

Approaching the edginess that marked Black Hawk Down, Scott splits his style in two; a spare, sparse look for Roberts, mostly grey-grim tones and handheld urgency, and a more colourful, stately approach for Lucas. It’s an apt decision but disheartening. Scott seems to take his visual sense from TV’s The Wire, and there is something disappointing in that unparalleled visual imagination being dulled down to a small-screen aesthetic. Some imaginations are too big to be contained within HBO house style.

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You review: American Gangster

Face off... Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in American Gangster

A Ridley Scott gangster movie was always going to be a hard sell: a director of Oscar-winning ambition attempting to film a classic crime thriller with epic grandeur, and even having the temerity to name it American Gangster? This movie needed to be better than just good to fulfil the hype and satisfy all the critics muttering "Scorsese" under their breaths.

Our own Peter Bradshaw, for one, is not convinced. "Here's a startlingly original true-life story told in an oddly unoriginal way," he writes . "And that attempt at instant classic status in the title doesn't quite convince. It's got no more dark grandeur than American Idol."

The Evening Standard's Derek Malcolm is of a similar view, stating that Scott is "no Martin Scorsese". But he points out that despite this "he is still a highly visual filmmaker who can tackle a story 'based on truth' with power and skill, especially when he has good actors to help him out".

Kenneth Turan in the LA Times is of the opinion that Scott has manufactured a classy piece. "It takes nerve to call a film American Gangster," he writes. "But once you see this finely made and richly satisfying film, you understand it's the only title possible."

Daniel Cook Johnson of the Film Babble Blog also steps up in Scott's defence. "American Gangster is getting a lot of unfair comparisons to other mob movie classics such as The Godfather, Scarface, and even Blaxploitation touchstone Super Fly," he says. "But these are easy cheap shots. I don't predict any Oscar nominations for this film and it most likely won't make my top ten films of 2007 list but it's well crafted, extremely well acted, and offers lots to sink one's teeth into."

So there you have it: American Gangster is good, but perhaps not great, held back by the nagging feeling that you've seen of all this somewhere before, according to the critics. What about you? Do you agree that the movie pales into insignificance when compared with Scorsese's ouvre? Or are we dealing with a bunch of po-faced film experts out to damn any piece of work which fails to conform to their own ridiculous standards of originality?

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American gangster, common sense media reviewers.

Violent, drug-fueled drama isn't for kids.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Gangsters are cruel, cocky, and greedy; cops are e

Several scenes show shooting, fighting, and tense

Prostitutes stroll New York streets. Dancers in a

Much profanity, including nearly 100 uses of "f--k

Coca-Cola, Ford Mustang.

Pervasive drugs (opium, heroin, pills, marijuana,

Parents need to know that this based-on-a-true story drama about a brutal 1970s gangster isn't for kids. He commits extremely violent acts, which are depicted explicitly (often with guns) and accompanied by blood, wounds, and groaning. And since the plot focuses on heroin smuggling and dealing, there are many …

Positive Messages

Gangsters are cruel, cocky, and greedy; cops are earnest and honest to a fault. Their run-ins result in violence and, eventually, collaboration.

Violence & Scariness

Several scenes show shooting, fighting, and tense stand-offs between men wielding large guns. An early scene shows the funeral of gangster's mentor, followed by vows of aggression against rivals. Clips of the Vietnam War appear on background TVs. Cops raid drug locations, with guns drawn and used. A man is thrown down the stairs, with bloody results. Following a shooting, there's blood on the floor and walls. Frank coldly shoots a man on the street (hole in head visible). Flashback shows Frank shooting someone while saying he's a "gentleman." Frank beats a man at a party in his home, then blows up over the blood on his white carpet. Skeet shooting; brief shots of a boxing match.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Prostitutes stroll New York streets. Dancers in a Bangkok bar show cleavage and sexy behavior. Women's naked breasts are visible as they work to process drugs. Brief, rowdy sex scene in a kitchen; a couple of scenes show kissing (Richie with a stewardess). Men appear in bars and clubs with multiple girlfriends and sex workers who show cleavage in tight outfits. Frank and Eva kiss passionately, though the act is mostly covered up by her long hair. Frank is massaged by a woman naked from the waist up.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Much profanity, including nearly 100 uses of "f--k" (some with "mother"), as well as plenty of uses of "s--t," "ass," "damn," and "hell." Also several uses of the "N" word -- sometimes between friends, other times used in a derogatory way.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Pervasive drugs (opium, heroin, pills, marijuana, cocaine) and drinking. Nixon appears on TV, denouncing "drug abuse." Drinking in bars (some in Southeast Asia, where the atmosphere is decidedly seedy), at parties, on the streets, and in hotel rooms. Frequent cigarette and cigar smoking (reflecting the 1970s setting). Images of heroin transportation (by sacks and bricks), production, and use; needles shown on tables and in arms (a bloody needle in one shot); cocaine and heroin snorting.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this based-on-a-true story drama about a brutal 1970s gangster isn't for kids. He commits extremely violent acts, which are depicted explicitly (often with guns) and accompanied by blood, wounds, and groaning. And since the plot focuses on heroin smuggling and dealing, there are many shots of junkies and drug use (including needles in arms, cocaine being snorted, and more). Sexual content includes scenes with prostitutes, kissing, bare breasts, and cleavage, and there's plenty of language, including almost 100 uses of "f--k." To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (7)
• Kids say (12)

Based on 7 parent reviews

Frank Lucas is the American Gangster.

Morally ambiguous, well-acted and well-directed film with some heavy violence, what's the story.

Based on a true story and set in the mid-70s, AMERICAN GANGSTER centers on NYC heroin kingpin Frank Lucas ( Denzel Washington ) and Richie Roberts ( Russell Crowe ), an upright-to-a-fault detective intent on putting the ruthless gangster behind bars. Frank and Richie's relationship is complicated throughout the film; they're opposite but also linked. Both their self-images are grand: Frank rules NYC's drug underworld, and Richie turns in $1 million worth of drug money rather than keep it for himself. But while Frank surrounds himself with devoted family members, Richie is alone, rejected by his wife ( Carla Gugino ) and his fellow cops, who call him out as a "boy scout." Ambitious and politically astute, Frank sees his success as a representation of black progress. Richie's path is less sensational, more movie-style earnest. He and his hardworking undercover crew discover Frank's business precisely because Richie isn't as racist as his superiors, who don't believe that a black man could outscore the Italian mafia at their own game.

Is It Any Good?

The problem at the center of Ridley Scott 's film is that as much as the movie loves Frank's intelligence and charisma, it must also condemn his brutality and criminality. The movie's solution is typical: It pits Frank against worse villains and puts him on a parallel track with a familiar hero.

Still, as the film scrambles to its end (the last half hour moves very quickly), the two develop a mutual respect. In part, this is a function of Richie's liberal bent. He'll not only arrest a black man, he'll also work with him ... to build cases against a lot of other bad guys. And so they share a sort of moral code after all, premised on their recognition of racial equality. As corny as this relationship may be, it returns again to the movie's central problem: It loves Frank and has to hate him.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about whether the movie glamorizes criminal behavior. How is Frank both villainous and attractive? How does the film compare and contrast him to Richie, who's upright on the job but not a good husband? Families can also discuss the fact that the movie is based on a true story. How accurate do you think it is? Why do filmmakers sometimes tweak the facts when they're making biopics or movies based on actual events?

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 1, 2007
• On DVD or streaming : February 19, 2008
• Cast : Chiwetel Ejiofor , Denzel Washington , Russell Crowe
• Director : Ridley Scott
• Inclusion Information : Black actors
• Studio : Universal Pictures
• Genre : Drama
• Run time : 157 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : violence, pervasive drug conviolence, pervasive drug content and language, nudity and sexuality.
• Last updated : September 12, 2023

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Search Reeling Reviews

American gangster.

Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) drives for Harlem’s most powerful criminal kingpin. When his boss suddenly dies, Frank seizes power and begins to build his own crime family by undercutting the Mafia hold on the illicit drug trade. Honest, outcast, streetwise cop, Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe), notices the change in the drug underworld power structure and it begins a battle between two men of integrity, though on opposite sides of the law, in “American Gangster.”

Laura's Review: B-

Vice squad Detective Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe, "Gladiator," "A Good Year") is an honest Jersey cop working with a corrupt New York City police department circa 1968. His partner, Javy Rivera (John Ortiz, "Miami Vice," "El Cantante"), is nervous about their survival and on the H. The high quality drug marketed as Blue Magic leads Richie to a surprising source, Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington, "Training Day," "Inside Man"), a black man more powerful than the Italian mob and a true "American Gangster." The main problem with director Ridley Scott ("Gladiator," "A Good Year") and screenwriter Steven Zaillian's ("Schindler's List," "Gangs of New York") "American Gangster" is that their mobster, Frank Lucas, just isn't that interesting. Except for some cooly ruthless acts of violence and some business smarts which are not elucidated until near the film's end, Lucas is kind of white bread. Here's a guy who goes gunning for a Puerto Rican beauty queen and wins her as a trophy wife, yet, in typical Denzel Washington fashion, never seems to lust for her. At least Russell Crowe gets down and dirty with his divorce attorney. The film plays like "Serpico" by way of "Scarface" if Tony Montana was an accountant. Crowe's Roberts is where the film's interest lies. He is a man whose job has destroyed his family life and whose uncompromising honesty makes him an outsider yet who maintains ties with a childhood friend who is a known Jersey mobster. Chief Toback (Ted Levine, "The Silence of the Lambs") lets him set up his own squad, amusingly done with a sales pitch from John Hawkes ("Me and You and Everyone We Know," HBO's "Deadwood") before they fade away to background, and Roberts tries to figure out just who is selling heroin that's twice as good as any other for half the price. Meanwhile, we've seen Lucas, the driver to a former Harlem mobster, use his mentor's wisdom and fly to Vietnam where he forges a direct deal for pure heroin, cutting out the middleman. (The filmmakers keep his transportation method as a 'surprise' for the film's climax, but I suspect most people remember the details. Lucas would have been far more intriguing if his operation had been spelled out all along.) His wealth established, Lucas then brings his mother (Ruby Dee, "Jungle Fever") and six brothers from North Carolina where he seems to expect they will flourish as big city drug kingpins. Besides the different business fronts the Lucas boys get, there is little to distinguish them and mom is an angelic hypocrite. Back to Roberts who is not only unraveling the Blue Magic mystery but is having to dodge Det. Trupo (Josh Brolin, "Grindhouse," "In the Valley of Elah"), a New York veteran invested in keeping Lucas in business. When Roberts finally prevails (in "Godfather" fashion, the drug bust is intercut with the Lucas family at Sunday services), we learn that when he passed the bar he became a defense attorney whose first client was Lucas! And that the two together exposed the corruption involving 75% of the New York Vice Department! Now that would have been a movie! Crowe turns in another fine performance as blue collar cop Richards, but Washington is too inscrutable. There's just not enough juice for a villainous role and we never really know what drives him. When the two finally face each other after almost two and a half hours run time, one is maybe supposed to feel the enormity of two Oscar winners on screen together for the first time like Pacino and DeNiro in "Heat," and while it is nowhere near that momentous, Crowe finally sparks some fire in his costar. Support is a staggering who's who list of actors, but few make any real impression. Brolin's having quite a year (and is still to be seen in the upcoming "No Country for Old Men") and sinks his teeth into his tough corrupt cop with more bite than Denzel does and Ortiz is sympathetic as Crowe's ill-fated partner, but too many more seem like cameos instead of characters. Cuba Gooding Jr. ("As Good As It Gets," "Daddy Day Camp") doesn't embarrass himself for a change as Nicky Barnes, but I can barely remember what his purpose was. As Lucas's mob contact, Armand Assante ("The Mambo Kings," TV's "Gotti") is slick but not sinister. Female support does not fare much better, although Carla Gugino ("Spy Kids," "The Lookout") is strong as Richie's wife and Melissia Hill makes an imprint as the head of Frank's cutting operation. Lymari Nadal (TV's "Battlestar Galactica") is a blank slate as Frank's trophy wife, though, and Ruby Dee is better than the saintly mother she's saddled with here. "American Gangster" isn't a bad movie, it's mostly a misnamed one, and if ever there's an opportunity to make a sequel that blows away its predecessor, this is it.

Robin's Review: C

Ridley Scott, directing the script by Steve Zaillian (adapted from the Mark Jacobs article, The Return of Superfly), makes ponderous the story about two men - one a cop, the other a criminal – who share a code of ethics. Each story is broadly told, taking a lot of time (the film runs 158 minutes) to show both men’s integrity in the careers they have chosen. Frank runs his crime family (which includes his own family) with a business ethic that brooks no dissension. He goes up against the Mafia to take control of the drug business on his own turf. Frank is destined for a meteoric rise end equally fast fall. Richie is a rare thing in the late 1960’s and early 70’s NYPD – he is an honest cop. His fellow officers put up with his goody good ways – until he turns in a big stash of cash seized in a bust. The cash should have been “misplaced” and quietly distributed to the corrupt members of the police force. Richie's honorable, law-abiding act, though, makes him a pariah to his colleagues. He must work alone in his quest to find the new crime boss, Lucas, and bring him down. That is, until the Feds recruit him, also to get Frank. One word that comes to mind as a descriptor of American Gangster” is wooden. Another is plodding. There is no reason that this straightforward tale of two men on a collision course needs to push the 3-hour envelope. In fact, there is so much extraneous baggage attached to the story – for example, there is an extended musical interlude that can only be there to showcase the period Motown music – the film should have run two hours at most. A big problem is that neither Washington nor Crowe have more than two-dimensional characters. I should have cared, for different reasons, about each but their stories lumber along to an anticipated conclusion that holds no surprise. (Well, there is a bit of a twist in the film’s coda.) Also, a gangster movie of this scope, with dozens of supporting characters, should give us believable people. Just think about “The Godfather” and its long list of unforgettable characters. I forgot most of the supporting character (heck, I almost forgot the stars!) almost before I walked out of the “American Gangster” screening. Techs are very good, especially the first class period production design by Arthur Max. Editing is huge problem, making me wonder, as I watched the film, what Gangster” could have been in the hands of a different editor. The film has the feel of being edited by committee where they cannot come to a consensus on what to cut. Instead, they left way too much in. American Gangster” is a bloated crime tome that meanders far too much before it gets to its point. In addition, I did not care once I got there.

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The Best Gangster Movies Of All Time According To Rotten Tomatoes

Venture with us into the realm of tommy guns, fedoras and Robert De Niro — let's talk about gangster movies! We know that you're all desperate to discover new content, so we're going to make you an offer you can't refuse. Today, we're taking a look at the best gangster movies out there. And you don't have to just believe us, either. We're bringing the power of data with us.

This list isn't just our opinion; it's backed up by the reviews aggregated by Rotten Tomatoes. These films are ranked by their Tomatometer score (which only factors in review scores from approved critics) and then audience score. We think you'll probably be surprised by some of the results. The bar is extremely high — just as a bit of a hint, films had to have at least a 97% Tomatometer score to crack this list.

Sit back, grab a cannoli and don your finest suit — these are the best gangster movies of all time according to Rotten Tomatoes.

Mean Streets

Betcha didn't see this one coming — we're kicking things off with a Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro collaboration. Amazingly, even though this pairing is often the duo that immediately springs to mind in the world of gangster movies, this is their only collaboration that qualified for this list.

Mean Streets is often forgotten when discussing the great gangster films of Martin Scorsese. It's one of his first films, so it definitely has a much rawer feel than some of his later, more polished works. It does feature some impressive performances, especially from De Niro and another frequent collaborator, Harvey Keitel. It also tells a familiar story to many of Scorsese's other works, and is much less subtle with how its characters deal with their criminal behavior when put up against their Catholic faith.

Don't sleep on Mean Streets . Not only is it a great film in its own right, but it's also the place to start if you want to see how Scorsese has evolved as a filmmaker over the years.

Un Prophete (A Prophet)

A lot of movies about organized crime have moments of levity to help break the tension. Un Prophete is not one of them. This is a white-knuckle film about the brutality of prison life and one man's rise from complete nobody to becoming the king of the criminal underworld.

Un Prophete is about a man named Malik who is sent to prison for attacking a group of police. He cannot read or write, and quickly learns to fall in with a gang in order to survive. As he impresses and crosses various power players in the different criminal groups, Malik also begins to hedge his bets to set himself up for success.

Un Prophete works for a lot of reasons: The direction and writing are razor sharp. The pacing never flags. Arguably most importantly, however, the acting is superb. Niels Arestrup turns in a chilling performance as Luciani, but this is a true star turn from lead actor Tahar Rahim. He is simply dynamite in Un Prophete , and you'll want to watch him in anything after seeing him in this.

When people talk about actors in gangster movies, a few names almost always come up — names like Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, and Harvey Keitel. James Cagney isn't mentioned as often, at least by younger film fans, but modern gangster movies owe a lot to the man, and  White Heat is a great place to start if you want to understand why.

Cagney plays Cody Jarrett, a psychotic gangster who is overly attached to his mother, Ma Jarrett. Cagney is amazing to watch in this film — he bounces all over the screen, going from zero to one hundred in a split second and keeping the audience (and every character he comes across) on their toes. His supporting cast (especially Margaret Wycherly as Ma and Virginia Mayo as Cody's wife, Verna) are also completely on point and compelling.

White Heat has some serious drama and great action scenes, and the final showdown includes one of the most climactic death scenes ever put to film. Top of the world, indeed.

The Godfather Part II

The Godfather Part II is one of the rare sequels that some say even surpasses the original — quite the tall order, as The Godfather is also considered a masterpiece. Francis Ford Coppola's sequel tells a tale that's infinitely more complex than the original, so make sure you're paying attention.

The Godfather Part II serves as both a prequel and a sequel to the original film, jumping between different time periods as it shows the trials and tribulations in the history of the Corleone family. Michael (Al Pacino) and Vito (Robert De Niro) are the featured characters here, though the cast is a veritable who's who of big names — Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall, and Talia Shire are just a few of the other stars who appear.

The Godfather Part II is just incredible across the board. It's a gripping tale full of tension, great action, and amazing performances. It's also beautiful to look at. Set up a double feature with this and the original film (maybe just ignore Part III ) and take it all in.

Scarface (1932)

This probably isn't the Scarface you're thinking of. The Al Pacino-led "Say hello to my little friend!" classic is actually a remake of this film, with some key plot details changed. It's mostly the same movie, but the 1932 Scarface is probably a bit tamer when viewed through modern eyes.

This Scarface tells the story of Tony Camonte, an Italian immigrant who starts taking over more and more of Chicago as his confidence grows. He slowly takes out the competition, betraying allies and friends when it suits him, all the while inspired by a massive neon sign outside his apartment that reads "The World is Yours!" Just as in the Pacino remake, Tony eventually gets in over his head, and a dramatic showdown closes the film.

Scarface boasts an incredible lead performance from Paul Muni, one of the best actors of his era. Keep a lookout for Universal horror stalwart Boris Karloff in a supporting role as well.

The French Connection

The French Connection is an arguably overlooked classic in the gangster movie canon. It focuses more on the detectives than the criminals, but incorporates a lot of the same plot devices and stylistic flourishes you'd expect from the genre. It's also got some amazing performances from its lead actors, and it's a movie any fan of classic mafia movies should check out.

Gene Hackman stars in The French Connection as "Popeye" Jimmy Doyle, a narcotics detective on the trail of a French heroin smuggler named Alain Charnier. Together with his partner Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider), Doyle must infiltrate the seedy criminal underworld and stop Charnier from escaping the country.

The French Connection is intense all the way through — you never know who you can trust, or if Doyle and Russo will come out on top. It's based on a true story, and it absolutely cleaned up at the Oscars the year it was released. It's an incredible film that no one should miss.

The Killing

A Stanley Kubrick-directed heist movie? You know you're in for the goodness with this one. The Killing  absolutely oozes tension — Kubrick is one of the best directors ever at establishing a mood and making you wait in anticipation for the big payoff. The Killing has big set pieces to help build its dynamic, and a relatively short runtime (only 83 minutes) means the plot never slows down.

The Killing is about a gangster named Johnny (Sterling Hayden) trying to pull off one last score: a robbery of the counting room during a massive horse race. He recruits an eclectic team to help him pull off his meticulously planned heist. It's all set up to go off without a hitch, of course — if not for one member telling his wife, who starts hatching a plan of her own.

The Killing is one of Kubrick's earliest films, but you can already see a lot of the director's trademark precision in it. Fans of Quentin Tarantino 's  Reservoir Dogs should check this one out —  Tarantino cites The Killing as a major influence on that film.

The Godfather

There isn't a lot we can say about The Godfather that hasn't already been said. It's widely considered one of the best films of all time , and is seen by some as a turning point for American cinema in general. It has some all-time great performances from some of the biggest actors in history, including Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, James Caan, and Robert Duvall. It helped fuel the rise of director Francis Ford Coppola as part of the new Hollywood elite. The Godfather is, quite simply, one of the most important films ever made.

If you don't know the story, The Godfather is based on a book of the same name by Mario Puzo. Puzo's characters and events are all fictional, but he based the story of the Corleone family, one of the most powerful mafia families in post- World War II New York, on real mafia crime families, and it isn't hard to identify his real-life influences.

If you haven't seen it, you should. If you have seen it, you should probably watch it again. Pair it with Part II for a great double feature.

Chinatown isn't 100% a "gangster" movie; however, this neo-noir classic touches on enough similar areas to count. It's got arguably the best performance of Jack Nicholson's storied career, awesome supporting work from acting greats like Faye Dunaway and John Huston, and some of the best cinematography you'll ever see.

This is one of those classic noir movies where you simply have no idea who or what you can trust, even after it's all over. Everyone in Chinatown is self-serving, pulling strings and manipulating events (and the audience) for their own gain. It tells the story of the struggle for California water rights, as various political and labor organizations work in the shadows for the power (and money) to control the state's reservoirs. Nicholson plays a private detective who is pulled into the struggle by a femme fatale who is not exactly who she says she is.

Chinatown has a lot of twists and turns, and to say much more might give too much away. It's got one of the all-time great closing lines in cinema, and the mystery is unraveled bit by bit — just enough to keep you guessing until the dramatic, final reveal.

The Public Enemy

We're getting into some seriously elite company here: the vaunted "100% fresh" Tomatometer rating. The Public Enemy might be a little hard for modern audiences — it's almost a century old at this point, so a lot of the acting and filmmaking techniques might seem a bit dated. That said, it's really astounding to watch a movie of this vintage and see just how much influence modern gangster films draw from it.

The Public Enemy stars James Cagney as a Prohibition-era gangster named Tom Powers. The film gradually shows the events in Tom's life that push him towards the world of organized crime — bad luck, bad choices and bad influences all conspire to lure him down the path. Cagney totally carries the film: despite the warnings in both the prologue and epilogue, you can't help but be drawn in and captivated by his performance. He's intense, compelling, and oddly sympathetic, despite the fact that he's a despicable human being.

The Public Enemy is a gangster classic. Grab yourself a grapefruit and give it a whirl.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Another film with a 100% Tomatometer rating, The Friends of Eddie Coyle  showcases one of the most underrated actors in history: Robert Mitchum. Few actors of Mitchum's era had his type of screen presence, yet he's only really remembered for a few films, like Night of the Hunter and the original Cape Fear . One of Mitchum's best films,  The Friends of Eddie Coyle  focuses on the sorrow and fear of the criminal underworld rather than glamorizing it.

Mitchum stars as the title character, a low-level gunrunner facing a heavy prison sentence. He realizes that the only way to avoid spending his final years in prison is to become an informant, but he tries to keep up his criminal lifestyle as well. Soon, every side is out to get him, and he slowly learns that he can't trust anyone.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle isn't uplifting, and it doesn't have that glitz and glamor about "the lifestyle" that a lot of movies about organized crime portray. Mitchum does an incredible job as the everyman caught in the wheels of the machine, and you can't help but be captivated by the tragedy of his character.

Angels with Dirty Faces

Here you have it, folks — Angels with Dirty Faces , the highest-rated gangster movie on all of Rotten Tomatoes. It's another James Cagney flick, and probably the most famous of the actor's classic gangster films. It also touches on some of the main themes that are explored in most modern gangster movies — should these bad men have our sympathy, and do they have a chance at redemption?

Cagney stars as Rocky Sullivan, who is sent to reform school as a child after stealing from a train with his friend Jerry. Jerry is not caught, and eventually becomes a Catholic priest. Rocky, however, continues down the path toward organized crime, and is eventually sent to prison.

When Rocky gets out, he attempts to claim his share of the last big heist he pulled, but his former partner declares war on him. Rocky recruits a gang of misguided youths, while Jerry tries to keep those kids from following in Rocky's footsteps. There are so many betrayals in this movie, and you're never sure who is going to come out on the winning side — or what that winning side will ultimately look like.

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MGM: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies

MGM: The studio whose movies come with the unforgettable lion’s roar.

When it comes to choosing the 100 essential MGM movies for their 100th anniversary, there’s good news and bad news. The good: We’ve got The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly , the spaghetti Western masterpiece, along with many more classics ( West Side Story , The Great Escape , A Fish Called Wanda ), modern hits ( Creed , Barbershop , Legally Blonde ), and more 007 than you can shake and stir a stick at.

The bad: Many of the movies we associate with MGM — like The Wizard of Oz  or famous musicals like Singin’ in the Rain — aren’t featured here. Why? Okay, history lesson time. Back in 1986, Ted Turner bought the MGM library, creating Turner Entertainment Company. In 1996, Time Warner bought that company, combining the Turner properties with Warner Bros.’, which is why all those movies are on the MAX streaming service.

And because we’re celebrating MGM’s 100th birthday in conjunction with Fandango At Home, we’re selecting only movies currently owned by MGM. So what does that leave us with? Bond, James Bond. Through all the ups and downs and boardroom deals, MGM has always been in league with cinema’s favorite secret agent, and we tried to cover all the Bonds here. Sean Connery ( Dr. No ). Roger Moore ( The Spy Who Loved Me ). Timothy Dalton ( The Living Daylights ). Pearce Brosnan ( GoldenEye ). Daniel Craig ( Casino Royale ).

We also have the United Artists library, which MGM bought in 1982. This allows us to choose films from as far back as the 1950s, including Best Picture winners The Apartment , In the Heat of the Night , Midnight Cowboy , Rocky , Annie Hall , and Rain Man .

Along with those are deeply influential films, like the eerie The Night of the Hunter , paranoid thriller The Manchurian Candidate , ice-cold Thief , humanist courtroom drama 12 Angry Men , and Ronin with its incredible car chases.

Many directors and stars have gone in league with what would become the MGM library, including Stanley Kubrick ( Paths of Glory ), Martin Scorsese ( Raging Bull ), Robert Altman ( The Long Goodbye ), Peter Sellers ( The Pink Panther ), Marilyn Monroe ( Some Like It Hot ), Sissy Spacek ( Carrie ), Cher ( Moonstruck ), Patrick Swayze ( Road House ), Nicolas Cage ( Leaving Las Vegas ), and Robin Williams ( The Birdcage ).

Beyond United Artists, MGM also purchased Orion Pictures, which unlocks genre prizes like RoboCop , The Terminator , and The Return of the Living Dead , along with Best Picture winners The Silence of the Lambs and Dances With Wolves .

And now, it’s a new day and age for MGM, having been acquired by Amazon in 2021. In this revitalized era, the Rocky and Creed series have lived on, movies like Licorice Pizza , Cyrano , and Till released, and they’ll continue to re-invent Bond for modern times.

Now, rent or purchase any of the 100 essential MGM movies on Fandango at Home  and celebrate 100 years of MGM!

Till (2022) 96%

Cyrano (2021) 85%

Licorice Pizza (2021) 90%

Creed (2015) 95%

Skyfall (2012) 92%

Casino Royale (2006) 94%

Rescue Dawn (2006) 90%

Capote (2005) 89%

Hotel Rwanda (2004) 91%

Osama (2003) 96%

Pieces of April (2003) 84%

Barbershop (2002) 82%

Ghost World (2001) 93%

Legally Blonde (2001) 71%

The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) 69%

Ronin (1998) 70%

The Birdcage (1996) 84%

Leaving Las Vegas (1995) 91%

Richard III (1995) 96%

GoldenEye (1995) 80%

Get Shorty (1995) 89%

Hackers (1995) 33%

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) 92%

Benny & Joon (1993) 76%

The Cutting Edge (1992) 57%

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 95%

The Man in the Moon (1991) 91%

Thelma & Louise (1991) 86%

Dances With Wolves (1990) 87%

UHF (1989) 61%

Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) 82%

Road House (1989) 44%

All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) 44%

Rain Man (1988) 88%

A Fish Called Wanda (1988) 96%

Child's Play (1988) 74%

RoboCop (1987) 92%

Spaceballs (1987) 52%

Moonstruck (1987) 89%

Overboard (1987) 46%

The Living Daylights (1987) 73%

Platoon (1986) 89%

The Return of the Living Dead (1985) 91%

The Terminator (1984) 100%

1984 (1984) 73%

Red Dawn (1984) 50%

Yentl (1983) 69%

Thief (1981) 80%

The French Lieutenant's Woman (1981) 83%

Raging Bull (1980) 92%

Dressed to Kill (1980) 83%

Manhattan (1979) 94%

Hair (1979) 83%

Mad Max (1979) 89%

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) 93%

Annie Hall (1977) 97%

A Bridge Too Far (1977) 59%

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) 82%

Carrie (1976) 93%

Rocky (1976) 92%

Rollerball (1975) 67%

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974) 98%

Lenny (1974) 87%

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (1974) 88%

The Long Goodbye (1973) 95%

Theater of Blood (1973) 88%

Last Tango in Paris (1972) 82%

Fiddler on the Roof (1971) 81%

Midnight Cowboy (1969) 89%

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) 70%

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1967) 97%

In the Heat of the Night (1967) 96%

For a Few Dollars More (1965) 92%

The Train (1965) 95%

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) 98%

A Shot in the Dark (1964) 94%

Topkapi (1964) 95%

The Masque of the Red Death (1964) 91%

The Great Escape (1963) 94%

Lilies of the Field (1963) 92%

It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) 69%

The Pink Panther (1963) 89%

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) 97%

Dr. No (1962) 95%

West Side Story (1961) 92%

The Apartment (1960) 94%

Inherit the Wind (1960) 93%

The Magnificent Seven (1960) 89%

Exodus (1960) 65%

Some Like It Hot (1959) 95%

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959) 94%

The Defiant Ones (1958) 91%

Run Silent, Run Deep (1958) 100%

12 Angry Men (1957) 100%

Paths of Glory (1957) 96%

Witness for the Prosecution (1957) 100%

The Night of the Hunter (1955) 93%

Marty (1955) 96%

Vera Cruz (1954) 81%

Red River (1948) 100%

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7 new to Prime Video movies with 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes April 2024

These critically-acclaimed moves are now streaming on Amazon Prime Video

A new month means a fresh collection of new Prime Video movies and Amazon’s streaming service has plenty to offer in April 2024. 

Prime Video has added such a large glut of new movies this month that you might find it a little tough to know which are worth adding to your watchlist, and that’s where we can help. Below you’ll find a selection of new to Prime Video movies that have scored at least 90% or higher on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes , which is a testament to their status as quality picks. 

This list even includes one of the very best movies of last year with arguably Paul Giamatti’s career-best performance, which is no mean feat. If you’re a Prime Video subscriber, these are the five new additions that you need to watch this month. 

'The Holdovers' (2023) 

By the time the credits rolled on "The Holdovers" my jaw was starting to hurt from smiling too much. They don’t make movies like this anymore, but they really should. Alexander Payne’s holiday-themed comedy is a testament to the enduring appeal of an unashamedly heartfelt movie. This delightful charming film will have you laughing one moment and tearing up the next, and don’t be surprised if you declare it your new favorite movie by the end. 

"The Holdovers" sees Paul Giamatti give a career-best performance, as Paul Hunham, a cranky professor at a posh New England boarding school. Forced to stay on campus over Christmas break to look after the students with nowhere else to go, the inflexible educator develops an unexpected bond with a young burnout (Dominic Sessa) and the school’s cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who is grieving the death of her son. This odd trio are unlikely companions, but over the festive period, their bond grows in ways that will warm your soul.

Genre:  Comedy Rotten Tomatoes score:  97% Stream it on  Prime Video

'Chinatown' (1974) 

“Chinatown” is a hard-boiled classic that blends crime mystery with character-driven drama. The 70s flick stars Jack Nicholson as Jake Gittes, a private investigator in Los Angeles, hired by a woman (Faye Dunaway) who suspects her husband of having an affair. The job is complicated when Jake learns the husband is a high-ranking city official, and the situation takes a further turn when another woman is revealed to be the husband’s actual wife. And that’s just the start of a twisting tale involving deception, double-crossing and murder. 

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Nominated for a host of Oscars upon release, and winning Best Original Screenplay, “Chinatown” is a landmark American picture that has unquestionably stood the test of time. It succeeds because of the brilliant performance, and palatable chemistry, between Nicholson and Dunaway, as well as the slick screenplay and strong direction. Legendary critic Roger Ebert added the film to his “Great Movies” list, and that’s a deserved ringing endorsement. 

Genre: Thriller Rotten Tomatoes score:  98% Stream it on  Prime Video

'Fighting with My Family' (2019) 

I have zero interest in professional wrestling. So it speaks to the high quality of “Fighting with My Family” that it ranks as one of my favorite sports movies of the last five years. This biopic is a dramatized version of the early career of Paige (real name Saraya Bevis), a pro wrestler from Norwich, England who achieved her dream of wrestling superstardom and became the two-time WWE Divas Champion and the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion. 

Directed by Stephen Merchant, co-creator of the U.K. version of “The Office”, the easy-watching comedy stars Florence Pugh as Paige, with Lena Headey and Nick Frost playing her eccentric parents and Vince Vaughn her demanding WWE coach. Paige’s rise from zero to hero is extremely enjoyable but also fairly predictable. However, the subplot that looks at her brother , Zac (Jack Lowden), who doesn't make the grade is arguably even more interesting as it explores a side of professional sports rarely showcased in movies: failure. 

Genre:  Sports Biopic Rotten Tomatoes score:  93% Stream it on  Prime Video

'Nebraska' (2014) 

Another tender comedy-drama from Alexander Payne, “Nebraska” trades the prep school setting of “The Holdovers” for a cross-state road trip as Bruce Dern and Will Forte play a father and son duo traveling from Montana to Nebraska to claim a million-dollar sweepstakes prize. While the broad strokes are different, the abundance of heart and likable characters are very much found in both. 

Presented in black-and-white, “Nebraska” is a very low-stakes movie. There are no dramatic twists or earth-shattering stakes in play, but it succeeds in its simplicity thanks in large part to two stunning performances from Dern and Forte, as well as a memorable supporting turn from June Squibb. There’s even time for Bob Odenkirk to show up and steal a couple of scenes as well. If you’re looking for comfort in movie form this month then “Nebraska” is an essential watch, and really makes for an excellent double-bill alongside “The Holdovers”. 

Genre: Drama Rotten Tomatoes score: 91% Stream it on  Prime Video

'Rosemary’s Baby' (1968) 

A chilling horror classic that sees Mia Farrow play the eponymous Rosemary who falls pregnant after moving into a swanky New York City apartment building with her struggling actor husband, Guy (John Cassavetes). During the pregnancy, Rosemary’s neighbors Roman (Sidney Blackmer) and Minnie (Ruth Gordon) take a strange interest, and the expectant mother begins to feel isolated from her husband and becomes suspicious that something sinister is afoot. 

Building to one of the most memorable endings in any movie ever, and with a score that will send shivers down your spine, “Rosemary’s Baby” may seem a little slow by modern-horror standards, but it’s a brilliantly unsettling watch that carefully builds up to a horrifying conclusion. It’s also a great time to watch this legendary horror flick as two scary movies currently in theaters, “Immaculate” and “The First Omen”, take more than a little inspiration from Rosemary's chilling pregnancy.

Genre: Horror Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%   Stream it on  Prime Video

'Música' (2024)

“Música” is a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age comedy from Rudy Mancuso. The movie marks Mancuso's feature film directional debut, and the online musician also co-wrote the flick. It follows an aspiring creator struggling with synesthesia, a phenomenon that causes sensory overload, as they attempt to navigate the pressures of love, family and their Brazilian heritage in Newark, New Jersey. This could be a breakout Prime Video success story based on the joyful trailer.   

Genre: Drama/comedy Rotten Tomatoes score: 97% Stream it on Prime Video

'The Station Agent' (2003)

In one of his earliest films and rare leading roles, Peter Dinklage stars as Finbar McBride, a downcast train aficionado who relocates after his boss dies and leaves him a railroad depot in New Jersey. Though he's often cast in supporting roles, this idiosyncratic dramedy from director Tom McCarthy showed that Dinklage could anchor a film with an authentic dramatic performance. 

Helping to pull off "The Station Agent's" heartwarming story are brilliant performances by supporting cast Bobby Cannavale and Patricia Clarkson as a local food vendor and his unhappy wife, respectively, whom McBride befriends as he sets down roots in his new home. It’s only through steadily opening himself up to new experiences that McBride learns to approach life from a more glass-half-full kind of perspective. 

Genre: Drama/comedy Rotten Tomatoes score: 94% Stream it on Prime Video

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Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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16 Movies About Christianity That Critics Loved, Ranked According to Rotten Tomatoes

These films about faith garnered praise from audiences and critics alike.

Movies about faith and religion generally have a reputation for being subpar, often laughable exercises in message over substance. It's lamentable that faith-based audiences haven't had more selection historically. Especially considering the size of the demographic, it's a pity this has long been the case.

One of the surprise breakout hits of 2023, Jesus Revolution scored well with audiences and exceeded expectations at the box office. Critics generally endorsed the faith-based drama, with the film hovering just above a "Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes. Movies dealing with faith can be challenging to evaluate, especially from a critical angle. But as films that deal with themes of Christianity have become more popular in recent years , many have scored well on Rotten Tomatoes with both audiences and critics.

16 'Breakthrough' (2019)

Rotten tomatoes score: 62%.

Based on the true story of a young boy named John Smith , Breakthrough revolves around the miraculous recovery of John ( Marcel Ruiz ), who falls through the ice of a frozen lake and is declared dead for over an hour. But his mother, Joyce Smith, holds out hope and desperately prays for her son's recovery. John's heart begins to beat again through the power of prayer, and in defiance of initial medical expectations, he finally makes a full recovery.

Breakthrough is a rare example of a faith-based movie that respects the medical profession. Moreover, it isn't afraid to show the characters' doubts and difficulties, which makes the eventual breakthrough much more potent and poignant. The movie is more than just faith, it's an all-encompassing movie that mixes faith, love, community, and hope to uplift, inspire, and bring joy. Even though it might not be a blockbuster, this movie could inspire others of the same genre to succeed.

Breakthrough

Directed by Roxann Dawson, Breakthrough tells the story of a mother's unwavering love and faith following her son's miraculous recovery from a tragic accident that left him submerged in icy waters for more than 15 minutes. Chrissy Metz stars as the steadfast mother who prays for her son's survival against all medical odds, in a narrative that explores themes of spirituality and resilience.

Rent on Amazon Prime

15 'Jesus Revolution' (2023)

Jesus Revolution is inspired by the true story of a Christian revival that took place in the late 1960s in southern California, led by, of all people, hippies. The story follows the intersecting narratives of Greg Laurie , Chuck Smith , and Lonnie Frisbee , all leaders and pastors in this movement where thousands of people in California started following Jesus, leading to thousands more across the country in subsequent years.

The three men playing these roles also couldn't be more different. Greg Laurie is played by relative newcomer Joel Courtney , whose biggest role previously was as a child actor in Super 8 . Chuck Smith is played by Kelsey Grammer , well-established in Hollywood and on television. Fans of Christian media will recognize Jonathan Roumie who plays Lonnie Frisbee from his role as Jesus in The Chosen . It's the differing paths of these actors and ultimately their characters that create the perfect storm for revival to occur in this story.

Jesus Revolution

The true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 1970s and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California.

Watch on Netflix

14 'I Can Only Imagine' (2018)

Rotten tomatoes score: 67%.

I Can Only Imagine is a biographical drama about the real life of Bart Mallard , lead singer of the band MercyMe. The film traces Bart's childhood in Texas, his abusive relationship with his father, and their eventual reconciliation. Dennis Quaid and Cloris Leachman are the heavy hitters of the cast, but Broadway performer J. Michael Finley gives a moving performance as Bart and handles all of his singing.

Because of its autobiographical nature, this story is intensely personal and resonates deeply with fans. It also has great music, and the popular MercyMe song "I Can Only Imagine" gets to be appreciated on a deeper level, as fans now know the origin story, not only of the singer but also of the song.

I Can Only Imagine

Watch on Tubi

13 'Come Sunday' (2018)

Rotten tomatoes score: 69%.

Come Sunday centers on Carlton Pearson ( Chiwetel Ejiofor ), who is a successful and charismatic Pentecostal preacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He belongs to the prosperity gospel movement, which promotes the idea that faith can bring about material success and personal wealth, and he has a sizable congregation. When Pearson gets a discovery that contradicts his long-held convictions, however, his life takes a drastic shift.

The movie offers a warning about the theological misunderstandings and abuses that can occur in charismatic societies where the phrase "God told me" is often used . It also raises questions about the nature of God, salvation, and the role of organized religion in the lives of believers, providing audiences with a provocative look at the path of a man who dared to doubt and develop his religion in spite of the difficulties it caused.

Come Sunday

12 'a hidden life' (2019), rotten tomatoes score: 82%.

A Hidden Life is based on the true story of Franz Jägerstätter , a conscientious objector during World War II, who refused to fight for the Nazis when they recruited soldiers from his small Austrian town. His fate is written on the wall, but the audience takes the journey with him, as he wrestles with his conscience, talks with his wife, and consults his local clergy about his moral dilemma. The punishment for not fighting is clear, but Franz accepts his death with sadness to lose his family but joy at having obeyed his Creator.

Directed by Terrance Malick , this is perhaps one of the most beautiful films ever made. There are wide, expansive shots of the family farm nestled in the Austrian mountains. We see the vastness of the country and also witness the intimacy between a husband and wife. We know that Franz's character has changed from how he was as a young man, but the struggle the audience sees is more simple: the struggle to follow his conviction. Once he realizes that he cannot fight in the war, he is resolved. And while his bravery is simple, the audience sees the cost of his courage, culminating in his death.

A Hidden Life

Rent on Amazon

11 'Chariots of Fire' (1981)

Rotten tomatoes score: 83 %.

An earnest and sentimental, undeniably touching Oscar-winning drama about love and friendship between men, this British classic directed by Hugh Hudson is based on the true story of Christian Eric Liddell ( Ian Charleson ) and Jewish Ben Cross ( Harold Abrahams ), competitors in the 1924 Olympics.

Winner of four Oscars (from seven nods) including Best Picture, Chariots of Fire is widely regarded as one of the best sports movies ever. Perhaps most of all, it's known for the pulsing and rousing electronic Vangelis score. One year later, Vangelis would compose and perform the equally brilliant score for Blade Runner .

Chariots of Fire

Two British track athletes, one a determined Jew and the other a devout Christian, are driven to win in the 1924 Olympics as they wrestle with issues of pride and conscience.

10 'Silence' (2016)

Rotten tomatoes score: 83%.

Silence is the movie Martin Scorcese waited over twenty years to make. It's the story of two Jesuit priests, played by Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver , who go on a rescue mission to Edo-era Japan to rescue their mentor, played by Liam Neeson . Their mentor, Ferreira, is rumored to be dead or worse -- to have renounced his faith. In their search, the two men experience persecution, hunger, and despair.

This film is clearly a labor of love for Scorsese , arguably his most personal film. It's visually stunning, with sweeping shots of the Japanese coasts and forests. More intimately, Scorsese is able to showcase human suffering, loneliness, and hope (or the lack of it) through these characters. Silence is a bleak and grueling watch clocking in at over three hours, but Scorsese's passion makes it essential viewing for any film fan. Justin Chang of Los Angeles Times named Silence the best film of 2016, calling it "shattering" and "an anguished masterwork."

In the 17th century, two Portuguese Jesuit priests travel to Japan in an attempt to locate their mentor, who is rumored to have committed apostasy, and to propagate Catholicism.

Watch on Paramount +

9 'Hacksaw Ridge' (2016)

Rotten tomatoes score: 84%.

Hacksaw Ridge is based on the true story of Desmond Doss, an American who served in the Army during World War II but refused to handle a rifle or work on Saturdays because of his faith as a Seventh-Day Adventist and pacifist Christian. Regardless, Doss enlisted in the army as a medic following the attack on Pearl Harbor. After enduring beatings, verbal assault and nearly being discharged from the army, the explosive, powerful film culminates with Doss being accepted by his fellow soldiers, and saving 75 men at Hacksaw Ridge.

Garfield is known for taking on roles that explore faith and meaning, and this is a prime example. Directed by Mel Gibson , the intensity of the war scenes he captures offers a stunning backdrop to witness Doss's unwillingness to bear arms. Hacksaw Ridge served as something of a comeback for once disgraced Gibson, garnering positive critical and audience response in addition to six Academy Award nods.

Hacksaw Ridge

Watch on Netflx

8 'Ben-Hur' (1959)

Rotten tomatoes score: 85%.

One of the most spectacular period movies on record, The Best Years of Our Lives helmer William Wyler 's astounding epic is based on the most popular Christian novel of the 19th century: Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ . The story follows a wrongly convicted and enslaved Jewish noble whose adventures parallel, and even intertwine, with the story of Jesus.

Featuring Charlton Heston 's best performance, Ben-Hur won a record 11 Oscars (only matched by Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King . The climactic chariot race is still among the most rousing action set pieces ever committed to film. It's definitely worth mentioning the 1925 silent MGM feature here as well, a landmark in its own right that every film fan should experience. A laughably under-cooked 2016 remake came and went.

After a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.

Watch on MGM+

7 'The Tree of Life' (2011)

Director Terrence Malick's Tree of Life is arguably one of the first and biggest mainstream films to deal with the concept of faith, pulling explicitly from the Bible, especially the Book of Job. The movie follows the adult Jack O'Brien, played by Sean Penn as he reflects on his childhood, his parents being played by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain .

One of the most theologically profound aspects of this movie is the attention it gives to two opposing forces of humanity: the way of grace and the way of nature. The adult Jack O'Brien feels both of these forces within himself as he remembers his childhood. His mother who is kind, nurturing, and patient, embodies the way of grace. His father who is short-tempered, restless, and at times cruel, exemplifies the way of nature. The adult Jack tries to work out who he is as these dual forces battle within him like they do for all of us. Though it's somewhat divisive, Tree of Life was an overall triumph, garnering three Oscar nods including Best Picture.

The Tree of Life

Watch on Hulu

6 ​​​'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' (2019)

Rotten tomatoes score: 86%.

Based on the true story of William Kamkwamba , The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind follows William ( Maxwell Simba ) as he is forced to drop out of school due to a famine that devastates his village. Despite having no formal education, William is motivated to find a solution to the issues affecting his community, especially the starvation and drought that endanger their way of life. He becomes passionate about using wind energy to power a water pump and irrigate the fields, giving a lifeline for his village's survival after being inspired by a book he finds in the neighborhood library.

The movie's themes of resiliency, ingenuity, and the strength of the human spirit are set against this backdrop as it emphasizes how faith can bring comfort, motivation, and a sense of purpose during trying times. Although it's frequently tough to watch due to its honest depiction of human suffering, this only helps its high points pay off and makes the movie one of the most inspirational stories about human resilience and faith.

The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind

5 'calvary' (2014), rotten tomatoes score: 89%.

Calvary follows the story of a sincere, yet imperfect priest seeking to minister to a town that is burdened by sin and doubt. After an anonymous source warns Father James will pay for the sins of other priests with his life, the weight of the problems of the town seems to grow, and it seems there is a limit to the reconciliation Father James is able to usher in. Brendan Gleeson plays the priest Father James perfectly.

The film provides an interesting premise: rather than telling a story of a bad priest in a good world, this is the story of a good priest in a bad world. The values of forgiveness and restoration are strong, though they are always contrasted with despair and melancholy. Nearly a decade before his Oscar-nominated turn in The Banshees of Inisherin , Gleeson displayed his distinct gift for grounding dark comedy in layers of humanity.

4 'Women Talking' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes score: 90%.

Women Talking is just what it sounds like. The film centers around a conversation between female representatives of a Mennonite community in Bolivia who must decide together how to respond to a crisis in their community. Over a period of four years, the women have been attacked in the night by certain unknown men in their community. They have a small window of time when the men are away from the colony and the women must decide -- should they run, fight, or do nothing?

This movie grapples with the question so many Christians deal with: What happens when I'm suffering and God is silent? Working out the answer to this question is exquisitely achieved in this film, which calls itself "a work of female imagination." The cast and crew were made up of nearly all females, with particularly excellent performances by Claire Foy and Rooney Mara . In the end, the women make their decision communally. They share their stories, their anger, and their hurts. In the end, they do come to a decision, and while they know it's right, it doesn't mean it's easy.

Women Talking

3 'first reformed' (2018), rotten tomatoes score: 94%.

First Reformed deals with crises of faith. Ethan Hawke plays Father Toller, pastor of a historic church in upstate New York with a dying congregation. Amanda Seyfried plays Mary, a pregnant woman worried about her husband, a man consumed by the thoughts that the earth will become uninhabitable for their child due to climate change. These characters come together, dealing with the weightiness of their personal lives, local politics, and a worldwide existential threat.

The most marvelous thing about this film is the relationship between its two main characters, played by Hawke and Seyfried. They're calm and understated, yet carrying the weight of the world within themselves. Yet this resonates as a human experience. Humans carry on in the face of death, loss, failure, uncertainty, and fear. These two characters look to Christianity for answers, but the answers don't come easily.

First Reformed

2 'mass' (2021), rotten tomatoes score: 95%.

Mass is the story of one conversation that takes place entirely in a church basement. Two sets of parents who are connected by tragedy meet in an attempt to heal from the deaths of both of their sons. And while the setting is simple, the movie deals with the incredibly heavy issues of blame, guilt, and reconciliation. The movie is the directorial debut of Fran Kranz (he played the pothead in Cabin in the Woods ), who also wrote and directed.

Reed Birney , Ann Dowd , Jason Isaacs , and Martha Plimpton all give moving performances of parents dealing with grief and hurt. The four of them create a lasting tension in the room together that makes trudging through their feelings difficult and volatile. Despite overwhelmingly positive response from critics as well as audiences ( the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is 91%), Mass more or less went under the radar upon release. It's one of the most powerful drama movies so far this decade, a gut punch about grace and redemption.

Years after a tragic incident that changed their lives, two sets of parents agree to meet in a small church basement to discuss the unimaginable pain caused by their sons. Through their conversation, they confront their deepest grief and seek a path toward understanding and reconciliation.

1 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' (1928)

Rotten tomatoes score: 98%.

A breathtaking triumph of the silent era, Carl Theodor Dreyer 's masterpiece depicts the trial and execution of the eponymous defender of France who claimed to hear the voice of God. The film was released eight years after the Roman Catholic Church made Joan of Arc a patron saint.

Stylistically, The Passion of Joan of Arc is the place where French Impressionism, German Expressionism and Soviet Montage meet. The director was famously meticulous in research surrounding the life and death of the subject, the production exquisitely framing Renée Jeanne Falconetti's performance that's long been regarded as among the best in film. Few films if any have relied so heavily on close-ups to such remarkable effect.

The Passion of Joan of Arc

NEXT: The Best Religious Horror Movies

Screen Rant

Henry cavill's new spy movie breaks major rotten tomatoes record once held by dceu movie.

Henry Cavill's newest spy movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, breaks a major Rotten Tomatoes record once held by the actor's DCEU movie.

• The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has broken a major Rotten Tomatoes record for leading actor Henry Cavill.
• With a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 94%, audiences reportedly love the action thriller.
• The movie has become Cavill's highest-rated among audiences, defeating Zack Snyder's Justice League for the privilege.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare just broke a major Rotten Tomatoes record for Henry Cavill. Cavill, who previously played Superman in the DC Extended Universe, starred in the spy action movie as Gus March-Phillipps, the founder of Britain's Small Scale Raiding Force. The latest feature is based on Damien Lewis' Churchill's Secret Warriors: The Explosive True Story of the Special Forces Desperadoes of WWII and a real-world mission, Operation Postmaster.

Although Cavill's recent movie, Argylle , proved to be a critical disappointment, Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 's reviews have been exceptional. The movie has already become Cavill's highest-rated film among audiences on Rotten Tomatoes . With a score of 94% at the time of writing, it has already defeated the DCEU movie Zack Snyder's Justice League , which has an audience score of 93%. Although the audience score could fluctuate, it is based on more than 500 verified ratings.

Explaining The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’s Release

Its unique release strategy has disguised its success.

Regardless, the audience's adoration for The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an excellent sign of the movie's box office, as word-of-mouth should be positive and encouraging.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has experienced a positive outlook. Its audience score is exceptional, and critics have been favorable enough to tabulate a 73% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Both scores have defeated Zack Snyder's Justice League 's results, but other Cavill-starring movies have been more critically successful. Regardless, the audience's adoration for The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare is an excellent sign of the movie's box office, as word-of-mouth should be positive and encouraging .

The movie seemingly needs its audience's support, as it sits at approximately $9 million at its opening weekend box office. That could appear as a sign of a struggling film, but the reality is much more favorable for Cavill's latest outing. Given its small-scale release and unique distribution strategy, watching Ungentlemanly Warfare worldwide is difficult for many potential viewers. The movie has only been released for domestic audiences and will be available only through streaming outside the United States. Many of Guy Ritchie's movies have had similar treatment.

The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare Ending Explained

The box office is not the ideal way to define success for a movie built for the streaming landscape. Streaming can be difficult to define as success or failure, given the general lack of viewership transparency from many streaming platforms. Regardless, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare will benefit as audience fervor can generate a need to see the movie. When it is released to international audiences, the positive reviews will likely cause skyrocketing viewership for the $60 million project. Streaming is redefining box office numbers, and the high audience score for Cavill's latest thriller is further proof.

How The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare Is Situated On The Release Calendar

It's the only major historical drama in theaters right now.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare released this past weekend on April 19, and as it continues in theaters, the film will have to compete with the recent hit Civil War , along with ongoing blockbusters such as Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire . These titles will prove to be stiff competition, as Civil War especially could satisfy the desire for action spectacle.

However, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare benefits from the fact that it is the only major historical drama in theaters right now. Thus, the film can appeal to a different audience than those who might be looking to see a film like Abigail , Ghostbusters , or the upcoming sports drama Challengers . It also benefits from being released several weeks prior to the blockbuster storm that is May — with releases including The Fall Guy (May 3), Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 10), and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (May 24) — giving it ample time in theaters prior to this heightened competition.

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare’s Director May Contribute To Its Success

Guy ritchie has upped his production of original work in recent years.

Another potential contributor to the success of The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is its director. Ritchie’s movies have been on the rise in recent years, with particularly notable titles including The Gentlemen movie in 2019 and its TV adaptation this year. The Gentlemen show’s recent release in particular might renew audience interest in Ritchie as a director, propelling The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare to success.

Guy Ritchie's upcoming work includes action film In the Grey , which also stars The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare 's Henry Cavill and Eiza Gonzalez.

With all this in mind, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare has a decent pathway to success as it continues its run in domestic theaters and global streaming. It's well situated on the US release calendar, and its streaming release worldwide gives it another way to win that isn't measured by box office. Furthemore, the strong Rotten Tomatoes audience score gives the film momentum as it begins its run. These factors can combine with the power behind Ritchie’s name as a director, further catapulting The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare to greatness.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare

The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is a World War II film following a top-secret combat unit who were formed by Winston Churchill to hunt down Nazis. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie and based on the book The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: How Churchill’s Secret Warriors Set Europe Ablaze and Gave Birth to Modern Black Ops by Damien Lewis.

The 47 Best Movies on HBO Max Right Now (April 2024)

Another streaming service means another vast library of titles to sift through to find what you want to watch. Max is the streaming service from WarnerMedia, hosting not just titles from the pay cable channel HBO, but a bevy of films from the Warner Bros. library and other studios. There’s a great selection of classics, fairly new releases, quirky indies, and yes, superhero movies. The studio behind The Dark Knight and Man of Steel has a solid number of DC films available to stream. But if you’re daunted by all the good movies on Max to choose from, we’ve got your back. Below, we’ve put together a curated list of the absolute best movies on Max. Films that will be well worth your time, with our writers making the case for why each film is special.

So check out our list of the best movies on Max streaming below. And for more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows on Max , best drama movies on Max , and best horror movies on Max .

Editor's note: This article was updated April 2024 to include Priscilla.

'Priscilla' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 84% imdb: 6.5/10.

Release Date November 3, 2023

Director Sofia Coppola

Cast Ari Cohen, Jorja Cadence, Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi

Runtime 113 minutes

Genres Biography, Drama, Music

Based on Priscilla Presley ’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me , Sofia Coppola ’s Priscilla stars Cailee Spaeny in the title role alongside Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley . Coppola wrote and directed the film, which presents the untold story of the Presleys’ marriage and relationship through the eyes of Priscilla. A critical success, Priscilla is an intimate film about female youth and the toxicity of fame. Rather than be just another Elvis story, the movie focuses instead on Priscilla’s life and her growth as a person over the course of their many years together. The heartfelt narrative is further elevated by stellar performances by the two leads, who capture a tenderness and humanity that audiences don’t generally associate with such larger-than-life celebrities. Spaeny’s performance, in particular, is fascinating and earned the actor a Best Actress nomination at the Golden Globe Awards. It’s not much of a crowd-pleaser, but Priscilla has an emotional depth that looks beyond the rock-and-roll glamor of stardom.

Watch on Max

'Dune' (2021)

Rotten tomatoes: 83% | imdb: 8.0/10.

Release Date October 22, 2021

Director Denis Villeneuve

Cast Josh Brolin, David Dastmalchian, Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya Coleman, Jason Momoa

Runtime 155 Minutes

Genres Sci-Fi, Adventure

Adapted from Frank Herbert 's classic science fiction novel, Denis Villeneuve ‘s Dune is a sci-fi adventure drama that focuses on the conflict between two influential families on an alien planet. The movie features an ensemble cast that features Timothée Chalamet , Zendaya , Rebecca Ferguson , and Oscar Isaac . Highly successful at the box office and generally well-received by critics, Dune is an expansive work of worldbuilding, the likes of which are few and far between. It’s well-acted and well-written, but the visual spectacle of the film is what truly blows you away. The movie is truly cinematic in scale and ambition, presenting a beautiful and absorptive world that’s both strange and familiar. The film received a sequel in 2024, Dune: Part Two , which may be even better, but Dune remains a colossal work of science fiction cinema that should be required viewing for all lovers of cinema.

'Barbie' (2023)

Rotten tomatoes: 88% | imdb: 6.8/10.

Release Date July 21, 2023

Director Greta Gerwig

Cast Helen Mirren, Margot Robbie, Ariana Greenblatt, Simu Liu, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera

Runtime 114 minutes

Genres Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy

Greta Gerwig ’s Barbie is a surprisingly existential adaptation of Mattel’s eponymous fashion doll line. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star as Barbie and Ken, who leave Barbieland and journey to the real world on a quest for self-discovery. The movie also features a stacked supporting cast that includes America Ferrera , Kate McKinnon , Issa Rae , and Michael Cera . With her Barbie movie, Gerwig takes the ultra-commercial entity and gives it a deeply thoughtful indie-movie-esque adaptation. That incongruity is precisely what has made Barbie such a celebrated film. Credit is also due to the stellar cast that balances comedy and real emotion to create relatable, three-dimensional characters. Witty and insightful, this Barbie broke records and wormed her way into hearts around the world, and we could all stand to learn from what she has to say.

'The Player' (1992)

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 7.5/10.

Release Date April 10, 1992

Director Robert Altman

Cast Brion James, Greta Scacchi, Cynthia Stevenson, Whoopi Goldberg, Tim Robbins, Peter Gallagher, Fred Ward

Runtime 124 minutes

Genres Satire, Comedy

Written by Michael Tolkin and directed by Robert Altman , The Player is a hilarious satire about Hollywood. Starring incredible talents like Tim Robbins and Whoopi Goldberg , The Player also features a whopping 65 A-list cameos. That's right — there are 65 celebrity cameos in this movie. A film about filmmaking, The Player cleverly pokes fun at the industry with an outlandish plot about a movie exec who receives death threats from a screenwriter whose script was overlooked. Highlighted by biting humor and self-deprecation, The Player charms dark comedy lovers, earning several Oscar nominations and, ironically, even winning Best Adapted Screenplay. - Yael Tygiel

'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg' (1964)

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 7.8/10, the umbrellas of cherbourg.

Release Date December 16, 1964

Director Jacques Demy

Cast Marc Michel, Anne Vernon, Nino Castelnuovo, Catherine Deneuve

Runtime 91 minutes

Genres Drama, Romance, Musical

Written and directed by Jacques Demy , The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a gorgeous musical romance where the entire film’s dialogue is sung. Even casual conversations are shared through music by Michel Legrand . Starring Catherine Deneuve , Anne Vernon , Nino Castelnuovo , and Marc Michel , Umbrellas of Cherbourg follows a young couple (Deneuve and Castelnuovo) attempting to find their way back to each other after being separated by circumstance.

Aside from award nominations and being an obvious influence on the 2016 musical La La Land and Greta Gerwig’ s Barbie , The Umbrellas of Cherbourg itself is a stunning musical masterpiece expressed through a clever format and unforgettable French songs.

'La Strada' (1954)

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 8.0/10.

Release Date September 6, 1954

Director Federico Fellini

Cast Anthony Quinn, Richard Basehart

Runtime 1 hr 48 min

Genres Drama

La Strada stars the dazzling Giulietta Masina as a young woman sent to live with a brutish street performer ( Anthony Quinn ), joining his traveling act as a clown, as well as his wife. The often uncomfortable yet absolutely unforgettable parable from director Federico Fellini explores themes of identity, strength, and compassion through fantastic acting and harsh scenes, co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli , and Ennio Flaiano .

La Strada ’s initial release on the festival circuit garnered immense criticism and controversial reactions, setting a foundation for Fellini's creative flair in his subsequent films. Highlighted by Quinn’s charisma and Masina’s wide-eyed naivety, La Strada devastatingly captures the audience's attention. - Yael Tygiel

'Judas and the Black Messiah' (2021)

Rotten tomatoes: 97% | imdb: 7.4/10, judas and the black messiah.

Release Date February 12, 2021

Director Shaka King

Cast LaKeith Stanfield, Martin Sheen, Ashton Sanders, Dominique Fishback, Daniel Kaluuya, Jesse Plemons

Runtime 126

Genres Biography, History

Directed by Shaka King , Judas and the Black Messiah is a powerful film. Inspired by a true story, it shines a light on an important part of American history. This biographical crime drama co-stars Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton, chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, and LaKeith Stanfield as William O'Neal, a reluctant FBI informant tasked with infiltrating the party in late-1960s Chicago. Judas and the Black Messiah also features Jesse Plemons and Dominique Fishback.

Judas and the Black Messiah not only earned a handful of Oscar nominations for the film, but Kaluuya won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, competing against co-star Stanfield. While the acting, soundtrack, and production are truly stellar, the harsh realities of revolution exposed in the film are triumphant and moving. - Yael Tygiel

'8 1/2' (1963)

Release Date May 29, 1963

Cast Claudia Cardinale, Anouk Aimee, Marcello Mastroianni

Runtime 2 hr 18 min

Genres Drama, Comedy

Directed by Federico Fellini , who co-wrote the film with Ennio Flaiano , Tullio Pinelli , and Brunello Rondi , 8 1/2 delightfully blends comedy, drama, and avant-garde surrealism. An Italian film about movie making, 8 1/2 f ocuses on a frustrated filmmaker attempting to direct his epic sci-fi movie. Starring Marcello Mastroianni as the harried director who finds himself withdrawing into his own mind, electing to live in memories and fantasies rather than reality, 8 1/2 imaginatively explores the creative mind in honest and dream-like ways.

A classic film that utilizes clever practical effects to explore dreamscapes, 8 1/2 gorgeously touches sensuality, the plight of artists, and both internal and external pressure when pursuing greatness. 8 1/2 has earned awards and critical praise, but the film’s respect from modern visionaries like Guillermo del Toro is an endorsement on its own. - Yael Tygiel

'Bicycle Thieves' (1948)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 8.3/10, bicycle thieves.

Release Date November 24, 1948

Director Vittorio De Sica

Runtime 89 minutes

Vittorio De Sica directs Bicycle Thieves , an Italian neorealist film starring Lamberto Maggiorani as a desperate father in post-World War II Rome. Bicycle Thieves co-stars Enzo Staiola as the man’s plucky son, who joins him on his journey to recover his stolen bicycle, a necessity for employment and to keep his family afloat. Writer Cesare Zavattini adapted Luigi Bartolini ’s novel for the screen, allowing for grounded performances and torrid emotional turmoil to be showcased above all else.

With a depressing setting and heavy plot, Bicycle Thieves is, at its core, a powerful film about desperation and resilience, expressed through a heart-wrenching story. Although set in a particular time and place, it is devastatingly relatable regardless of history and location. - Yael Tygiel

'The 400 Blows' (1959)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 8.1/10, the 400 blows.

Release Date May 4, 1959

Director Francois Truffaut

Cast Claire Maurier, Albert Remy, Jean-Pierre Laud

Runtime 1 hr 39 min

Serving as the directorial debut of François Truffaut , who co-wrote the film with Marcel Moussy , The 400 Blows is a French coming-of-age drama about a rebellious pre-teen boy in Paris who turns to petty crime and delinquency when neglected. Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud , Albert Rémy , and Claire Maurier , The 400 Blows is considered a defining film of French New Wave filmmaking.

While many films explore adolescence and coming-of-age stories are a dime a dozen, The 400 Blows beautifully and sympathetically offers a raw perspective at a transitional time period with an honest reflection on the sometimes heartbreaking realities of growing up. - Yael Tygiel

'Stalker' (1979)

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 8.1/10.

Release Date May 25, 1979

Director Andrei Tarkovsky

Cast Alexander Kaidanovsky

Runtime 162 minutes

Genres Drama, Sci-Fi

A mesmerizing sci-fi masterpiece from director Andrei Tarkovsky , Stalker was written by Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky and based on their trippy 1972 novel Roadside Picnic . The film stars Aleksandr Kajdanovsky as the illegal guide journeying across a postapocalyptic landscape where the laws of physics seem irrelevant, bringing a writer ( Anatoliy Solonitsyn ) and scientist ( Nikolay Grinko ) to a mythical place believed to grant wishes.

Stalker explores a variety of existential themes through haunting scenes and stunning shots, which slowly draw in audiences to dive into complex philosophical conundrums. With a unique approach to narrative, sound design, and humanity, Stalker ’s influence expands beyond cinema by inspiring the evolution of the annual festival known as Burning Man. - Yael Tygiel

'Wages of Fear' (1953)

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 8.2/10, wages of fear.

Release Date April 22, 1953

Director Henri-Georges Clouzot

Cast Yves Montand, Folco Lulli, Charles Vanel

Runtime 2 hr 33 min

Genres Thriller

Wages of Fear is an intense existential thriller from director Henri-Georges Clouzot . Adapted from Georges Arnaud ’s 1950 novel and starring Yves Montand , Charles Vanel , Peter van Eyck , and Véra Clouzot , Wages of Fear follows four European men in a South American jungle who are hired by an American oil company to transport nitroglycerine. Through gritty shots and spine-tingling extended suspense sequences, Wages of Fear includes countless scenes that will leave viewers holding their breath.

Wages of Fear continues to captivate audiences, particularly with its balance of biting satire and heart-pumping intensity. It comes as no surprise that Netflix is currently in the process of remaking the French movie. - Yael Tygiel

'Stagecoach' (1939)

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 7.8/10.

Release Date March 2, 1939

Director John Ford

Cast Andy Devine, John Carradine, John Wayne

Runtime 1 hr 36 min

Genres Western

Considered John Wayne ’s legendary breakout role, Stagecoach is an exciting Western that follows a group of strangers traveling via stagecoach through Apache territory. Based on Ernest Haycox ’s short story The Stage to Lordsburg , Stagecoach was directed by John Ford ( The Grapes of Wrath ) and features an ensemble cast alongside Wayne, including Claire Trevor , Andy Devine , and John Carradine ( The Ten Commandments ).

Earning two Academy Awards as well as a slew more nominations, Stagecoach has been adapted for radio, as well as remade quite a few times. Although a fun ride, the historical inaccuracies and blatant prejudices portrayed in the movie, particularly pertaining to indigenous cultures, are undeniable and should not be overlooked. - Yael Tygiel

'Tokyo Story' (1972)

Tokyo story.

Release Date March 13, 1972

Director Yasujir Ozu

Cast Setsuko Hara, S Yamamura, Chieko Higashiyama, Chish Ry

Runtime 136 minutes

Yasujirō Ozu ’s Tokyo Story is a gorgeous drama that follows a retired couple on their journey to visit their grown children in the Japanese capital. Starring ChishÅ« RyÅ« and Chieko Higashiyama , Tokyo Story is a slow burn as it cleverly weaves a story through dialogue, with many key scenes not being shown on screen. Highlighted by a unique use of camera angles, Tokyo Story leans into the generational tale with a rich emotional complexity.

While the technical aspect of Tokyo Story is captivating, the true draw is the generational story, focusing on themes of Westernization. While this film is specifically about a traditional Japanese family as they recover from World War II, these types of shifts within societies are relatable to a multitude of cultures around globe. - Yael Tygiel

'Battleship Potemkin' (1925)

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 7.9/10, battleship potemkin.

Release Date December 21, 1925

Cast Grigori Aleksandrov, Aleksandr Antonov

Runtime 1 hr 17 min

Battleship Potemkin is a truly unique film from writer-director Sergei Eisenstein . A silent film that unfolds over five separately titled acts, Battleship Potemkin focuses on the 1905 naval mutiny of an Imperial Russian Navy's Black Sea Fleet’s battleship. Battleship Potemkin features a collection of non-actors, including Aleksandr Antonov, Vladimir Barksy, and Grigori Aleksandrov , as Eisenstein opted for specific looks and vibes over identifiable movie stars.

Bringing history to the screen, Battleship Potemkin cleverly shares the gruesome realities of revolution, resulting in just over an hour of cinematic brilliance. Over the years, Battleship Potemkin has been praised for its clever montage editing techniques, which earned the film a place within the top ranks of many "best films" lists. - Yael Tygiel

'Pulp Fiction' (1994)

Rotten tomatoes: 92% | imdb: 8.9/10, pulp fiction.

Release Date September 10, 1994

Director Quentin Tarantino

Cast Tim Roth, Bruce Willis, Amanda Plummer, Samuel L. Jackson, Eric Stoltz, John Travolta

Runtime 154

Genres Drama, Thriller, Crime

Read Our Review

Pulp Fiction , directed by Quentin Tarantino , follows several interconnected storylines. One follows Vincent Vega ( John Travolta ), a hitman in the employ of gangster Marsellus Wallace ( Ving Rhames ). His encounters with Mia Wallace ( Uma Thurman ), Marsellus's wife, result in a sequence of intense and unpredictable events. Another narrative thread focuses on Jules Winnfield ( Samuel L. Jackson ) and Vincent Vega as they carry out their assignments. The last one centers on Butch Coolidge ( Bruce Willis ) and his decision to defy Marsellus Wallace's orders, which sets off a chain reaction of events that intertwine with the other characters.

Pulp Fiction is a landmark neo-noir crime film that gained widespread acclaim for its unique narrative structure and impactful storytelling. Almost 30 years later, it remains a cultural touchstone and a testament to Tarantino's influence on contemporary filmmaking. Furthermore, the dialogue is razor-sharp, the performances are flawless, and the twists consistently deliver surprises. Notably, iconic dance moves serve as the film's signature, enduring the test of time. The film was also crafted as a satirical commentary on the themes of contingency and redemption, foundational elements often found in more conventionally typical Hollywood productions. As lively as it is gripping, Pulp Fiction is a thrilling blend of pop culture and pulp, and it undeniably stands out as one of the finest movies of the 1990s. - Jessie Nguyen

'Eighth Grade' (2018)

Rotten tomatoes: 99% | imdb: 7.4/10, eighth grade.

Release Date August 3, 2018

Director Bo Burnham

Cast Deborah Unger, Greg Crowe, Missy Yager, Emily Robinson, Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton

Runtime 93 minutes

Genres Drama, Comedy, Documentary

Directed and written by Bo Burnham , Eighth Grade follows Kayla ( Elsie Fisher ), a teenager navigating the challenges of middle school, grappling with anxiety while striving for social acceptance in the final week of eighth grade. To cope, she creates video blogs offering motivational advice, but her fixation on social media strains her relationship with her otherwise supportive father ( Josh Hamilton ), who desires to be an active presence in her life as her sole parent.

In his directorial debut, Eighth Grade is Burnham’s meticulously crafted ode to the tumultuous and bewildering middle school years, offering reassurance to those experiencing it that things will ultimately get better. Eighth Grade is also one of those rare movies that, despite its subjective individuality, appeals to both adolescent and adult audiences by teaching universal life lessons that everyone must experience and master in order to become an adult. In addition, viewers truly experience Kayla's awkwardness, embarrassment, and cringe-worthy nature as she and other schoolchildren attempt to appear older than they actually are, demonstrating Fisher's true talent and the potential impact of their future. Additionally, Burnham's comedy experience comes through, as his comedic timing both eases the tension and warmly welcomes the audience to the plot. - Jessie Nguyen

'Room' (2015)

Rotten tomatoes: 93% | imdb: 8.1/10.

Release Date October 16, 2015

Director Lenny Abrahamson

Cast Amanda Brugel, Megan Park, Sean Bridgers, Brie Larson, William H. Macy, Joan Allen

Genres Drama, Thriller, Documentary

Based on Emma Donoghue 's 2010 novel of the same name, Room is directed by Lenny Abrahamson and adapted for the screen by Donoghue. The movie follows Ma, played by Brie Larson , a young woman who has endured seven years of captivity, during which her five-year-old son ( Jacob Tremblay ) was born. Their escape finally grants the boy his first experience of the outside world.

Room presents both the highest and lowest facets of humanity within a captivating narrative that delves into the boundless resilience of the human spirit, even in the face of the most daunting challenges. In this examination of loneliness, identity, and the illusion of protection, Larson showcases her most vulnerable state and also displays the height of her talent. She was then awarded an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role for the portrayal. Jacob Tremblay's performance is also exceptional, indicating his potential to become a prominent star in the future. Additionally, director Lenny Abrahamson and cinematographer Danny Cohen , in collaboration with Donoghue's screenplay, present a distressing story through the lens of the most innocent perspective, resulting in a truly distinctive cinematic experience. Rather than avoiding the harsh realities, Room confronts them directly and unflinchingly. - Jessie Nguyen

'The Devil Wears Prada' (2006)

Rotten tomatoes: 75% | imdb: 6.9/10, the devil wears prada.

Release Date June 30, 2006

Director David Frankel

Cast Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt, Anne Hathaway, Simon Baker, Meryl Streep, Adrian Grenier

Runtime 109 minutes

Based on Lauren Weisberger 's 2003 novel of the same name, The Devil Wears Prada follows Andy ( Anne Hathaway ), a recent college graduate with ambitious dreams. When she secures a job at the renowned Runway magazine, she becomes the assistant to the formidable editor, Miranda Priestly ( Meryl Streep ). Andy then embarks on a challenging journey, questioning her ability to endure her demanding role as Miranda's assistant without getting burned.

It's a rare film that not only matches but surpasses the quality of its source material. Viewers continue to ponder the movie's valuable lessons long after the laughter has faded, as these lessons are well-founded, enduring, and skillfully conveyed by the talented actors who bring genuine depth to the material. The Devil Wears Prada continues to be a frontrunner in people's minds when it comes to the most stylish films. However, it goes beyond that, offering a captivating and often comedic peek into the high-speed and alluring realm of high fashion. It also provides viewers with a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes operations of a prestigious fashion magazine. Furthermore, the characters, especially the formidable Miranda Priestly, have achieved icon status in popular culture, solidifying the film's position as a classic. Streep's performance also earned her another Oscar nomination, further recognizing her outstanding portrayal. - Jessie Nguyen

'Seven Samurai' (1956)

Rotten tomatoes: 100% | imdb: 8.6/10, seven samurai.

A poor village under attack by bandits recruits  seven  unemployed  samurai  to help them defend themselves.

Release Date April 26, 1954

Director Akira Kurosawa

Cast Takashi Shimura, Toshiro Mifune

Runtime 207 minutes

Genres Drama, Action

Set in 1586 Japan, Seven Samurai focuses on farmers in a small mountain village who make a desperate plea to rogue samurai to help them defend themselves from a merciless gang of bandits that frequently terrorizes them. Unable to pay for protection, the farmers are aided by a veteran warrior who, along with just six other ronin, train the farmers to resist the bandits and fight alongside them.

At 207 minutes, the period epic is a defining masterpiece from legendary filmmaker Akira Kurosawa and is an iconic highlight of Japan’s samurai cinema. Its engrossing story works in its broad strokes as a heroic action adventure, but nestled within are insightful observations on cultural divides that thrive amid Kurosawa’s meticulous pacing. Also enhanced by some striking acting performances and stunning combat sequences, Seven Samurai remains one of the most influential films ever made and one of the most awe-inspiring movies of all time. - Ryan Heffernan