Top 10 James Bond Movies

Today, Daniel Craig's fourth (and possibly last) film as James Bond hits theaters, in the form of Spectre. It's an appropriate finish to the British actor's time as 007, pitting against the evil worldwide organization that started it all. However, as everyone well knows, there have been many iterations of the MI6 agents for over 50 years, and cinephiles are always decisive about which Bond flick is the best. Well, here is the argument to end them all: Movie Critic's Club's Top 10 James Bond Movies of all time, taking into account everything from Dr. No to Skyfall. As you probably know, I am a huge fan of 007, following him since childhood and even writing about the franchise on the blog. The Bond Girls, the Bond Villains, the gadgets, the cars, the exotic locales, the theme songs, the overpowering Britishness... there are so many things to adore about this super spy's movies. But today, after weeks of blood, sweat, and martinis, I have settled on my Top 10 James Bond movies (click here for the complete ranking of the entire series). So without further ado, here is the best films starring Bond. James Bond.

10. The Man with the Golden Gun (Guy Hamilton, 1974)

There are many aspects to hate about this movie (Mary Goodnight, Lulu's theme song, and the car flip for starters), but the reason this movie makes the Top 10 is for the sheer awesomeness of Christopher Lee, who recently passed away. His Francisco Scaramanga is infinitely more interesting than Roger Moore's James Bond, and who can forget his secret base- a Funhouse of terror!!! It's the sort of silly goodness that Moore's bonds excelled at, but they actually make a case here for Moore's ability to be both suave and deadly. Herve Villechaze is hillarious in it as well, as the midget henchman of Scaramanga. And Maud Adams excels at the ice-cold, yet damaged Bond Girl that we're sad to see go by the end. The climactic battle between Scaramanga and 007 is a highlight in the entire series, so despite all it's major faults, Lee's amazing work in the franchise earns The Man with the Golden Gun a spot in the Top 10.

9. Moonraker (Lewis Gilbert, 1979)

As you can tell, Moore's campy James Bond holds a special place in my heart. This was my favorite 007 as a child, so even though I find it droll and oftentimes boring now, I will always love seeing James Bond kick some bad guy butt in outer space. There's also some dark stuff going on in this movie: do you remember the woman getting eaten by dogs? Or the fact that bad guy Hugo Drax (Michael Lonsdale, with his quintessential villainous beard) tries to poison the entire population of Earth?!? Richard Kiel makes a welcome comeback as Jaws, and despite a cringe-worthy name, Lois Chile's Holly Goodhead is quite a spectacular Bond Girl. It was great seeing James Bond react to the Star Wars boom by literally going into outer space, and Moonraker is probably the best example of the campiness that a James Bond movie was capable of serving (I mean the space stuff is cheesy enough, but Bond fighting a python, duking it out with Jaws on a ski lift, and making the password to the secret lab the five-tone motif from Close Encounters of the Third Kind is nothing short of trashy brilliance).

8. You Only Live Twice (Lewis Gilbert, 1967)

I guess Lewis Gilbert had a thing for space. Anyways, for as slow as this movie is for much of the first and second acts, ultimate 007 baddie Ernst Stavro Blofeld has a VOLCANO LAIR. Plus, the crooning Nancy Sinatra theme song soars to unparalleled theme song heights (surpassed only by "Nobody Does It Better" from our #4 film), and the sweeping visuals of Japan are gorgeous to behold. The Little Nellie sequence is iconic for various reasons, and though it does practically nothing to further the plot, it is inspired action filmmaking. Donald Pleasance's performance as Blofeld is easily the best in his multiple incarnations, and the producers never got his casting quite right after this. His scar, his cat, his sheer villainous mannerisms are all pretty cool.

7. Thunderball (Terence Young, 1965)

Following up our #1 film is a monumental task, but Terence Young got pretty close to perfection with Thunderball. This is probably my favorite source novel in the Ian Fleming series, and the movie captures the kinetic energy quite well. It has some great spy stuff and gadgets as well, so that even when the plot slows down, you're never bored. Adolfo Celi's Emilio Largo is probably one of my favorite Bond villains (eyepatches should be an essential accessory for any white tuxedo), and he's one of the rare ones to be wonderful in both the dramatic scenes as well as the action ones. And though there's a lot of hatred for the underwater fights, I personally think they're some of the best shot scenes in the entire Bond oeuvre. It captures the spirit of the Cold War so well, and I'm still in love with the plot. Many publications have called this the best Bond film, and as you can tell, it's for good reason; very few Bond films work as well as Thunderball.

6. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Peter R. Hunt, 1969)

Ok, I know I'm going to get a lot of flack for this one, but have you actually watched this movie recently? It's a heck of a film. Sure, George Lazenby is largely unsuited for the role of James Bond. However, move past that one-off casting, and you've got one of the most spectacular Bond films ever devised. Blofeld's brilliant follow-up to the volcano lair in You Only Live Twice is a frozen ski resort on top of a mountain. The plot is more complicated than it has any right to be (something about brainwashing beautiful women so that they can convince the global governments to forgive SPECTRE?), but just admiring the mountain visuals is more than enough to satisfy the average moviegoer. The ski chase scene is impeccably crafted, and leaves viewers bobbing and weaving with our hero. However, the best part of this amazing movie is Diana Rigg's Tracy Draco, the ultimate Bond Girl for many reasons. Her tragic marriage to 007 ends the only way it possibly can- in gunfire- but it's the one time in the pre-Craig era that we see Bond cry. It's a humanizing and important move that has implications for the entire series that follows. Most people try to ignore OHMSS, but if you just give it a chance, you'll see that it's actually a very rewarding experience.

5. Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)

It barely classifies as a Bond movie, but Casino Royale's origin story/reboot/reinvention of the James Bond character is the closest thing the franchise has to a classic epic. A tale of love and betrayal, of learning not to care for anyone in order to do your job, and realizing that the only person you can trust is yourself, this film feels like a mythological legend than an action movie. Daniel Craig silences all naysayers (remember when we were complaining that we couldn't possibly want a "Blonde Bond"?) by making Bond intimately human, capable of making mistakes but still being suave, sophisticated, and above all else brutal. It's the darkest Bond movie ever made, and features some of the strongest secondary characters in any 007 flick. Mads Mikkelson makes a creepy villain, and Eva Green is nothing short of captivating as Vesper Lynd- both more than capable of holding their own in the same frame as Craig. It's a trio of truly inspired performances, leading to one of the best made action movies in the better part of a decade.

4. The Spy Who Loved Me (Lewis Gilbert, 1977)

The best Roger Moore film for many reasons, The Spy Who Loved Me reinvigorated the franchise after falling largely flat in the wake of Diamonds are Forever and Live and Let Die. It saw James Bond jump off the mountainside with a Union Jack parachute- an iconic image that when paired with the iconic Bond them makes it the stuff of legend. Moore finds the right balance of comedy and action here, allowing him to trade quips with Agent XXX (Barbara Bach) and fist fight the indomitable Jaws (Richard Kiel) in the same scene. The music is all kinds of 70's goodness, led by the greatest Bond theme of all time, "Nobody Does It Better". The action scenes are work and flow really nicely in this one, and the tension between England and Russia feels properly rooted in reality. The sets are also amazing, taking our heroes from the opening Alps ski chase, to the pyramids in Cairo, to an underwater base so menacing it looks like a spider and calls itself "Atlantis".

3. Goldeneye (Martin Campbell, 1995)

Out of all the Bond movies ever made, Goldeneye was probably the riskiest endeavor. The Cold War had ended, a controversial Bond (Timothy Dalton) had just shamefully left the franchise, and Albert R. Broccoli's (the godfather of the franchise and it's constant producer since Dr. No) health was rapidly deteriorating. The world was left wondering whether Bond was even relevant anymore. However, as seen on many occasions, the filmmakers behind Bond work best when the odds are stacked against them. For Goldeneye is a near-perfect Bond movie, made with a precision and excellence that's uncommon to most action films. Picking up the mantle left by her father, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson craft an excellent story from a post-Cold War environment, built upon the idea that the misfits left behind in the aftermath still want a war. Sean Bean is a great villain, and his Janus group (consisting of iconic characters like Xenia Onatopp, a disgraced Russian general, and Boris) is the best evil organization in the franchise besides SPECTRE. However, the most important part of Goldeneye is Pierce Brosnan- probably the definitive example of how Ian Fleming wanted Bond to look, walk, and talk. It shows how remnants of the Cold War still impact the world, and how only one man can save us... James Bond himself.

2. Skyfall (Sam Mendes, 2012)

Normally I hesitate to rank a recent movie so high on a Top 10 that spans across 50 years. However, I don't think anyone would argue that Skyfall is one of the best Bond movies ever made. It has all the right ingredients, but most importantly, it never loses sight that James Bond is the main character in this franchise. While many films' villains overshadow the hero, director Sam Mendes makes sure never to put anyone other than Daniel Craig's Bond in the spotlight. And that's hard to do when his co-stars are the criminally non-Oscar nominated performances of Judi Dench and Javier Bardem. Skyfall is the movie that makes M the Bond Girl, and makes it work so darn well- almost as well as Bardem in the IT-baddie role that's truly scary and creepy. The titular song by Adele harkens back to the original movies that made the franchise so succesfful, making Skyfall more of a traditional Bond arc than most of the Craig films. And it works really well- Moneypenny comes howling back with a vengeance, Q is quirkily reinvented as a young man, and Ralph Fiennes dutifully steps into the role of M will vigor and prominence. I love, love, love this movie, and any Bond fanatic should too.

1. Goldfinger (Guy Hamilton, 1964)

Was this ever not getting #1? Goldfinger sets up the Bond mythology by introducing for the first time (and never more effectively) in the perfect formula of the Bond Girl, Bond Villain, gadgets, cool car, henchmen, iconic quips/one-liners, and a plot so ludicrous it just might work. Sean Connery never shone as bright as he did when next to the likes of Auric Goldfinger and Pussy Galore- in many people's minds as the best Bond Girl/Bond Villain combination ever to grace the silver screen. What more can I say about this one? It doesn't get any better than this. Now, everybody start singing, "GOLLLLLLDDDDDD-FINGAHHHHHH", and buy your tickets to go see Spectre, in theaters everywhere now.

(NOTE: I will also say that if only the middle section of Die Another Day (the Ice Palace) existed, it would be in my Top 5. It's a shame that the horrifically terrible opening, and by-the-numbers ending overshadow a great sequence that includes Rosamund Pike being ice-cold and awesome, and Halle Berry beating Bond the punch by having some of the best double entendres in the franchise (though his "Mr. Kill" joke is pretty amazing).

2015 Summer Movie Oscars!

Hello gang, and welcome to the 2015 Summer Movie Oscars! Today, I'll be breaking down the best and the brightest highlights of this summer movie season. Much like the Academy Awards, I'll be discussing my favorite movies of the summer through the lens of an awards ceremony. The movies included on the list were released between May 1st-August 28th. And before you get too angry, these aren't nearly my predictions or desires to win real Oscars, just who and what I felt deserved the most recognition for leaving an impact on me this summer; as a result, these are all very mainstream picks in between some good artsy pieces. So, without further adieu, let's get on with the show!

Special Mentions:

Amy (Asif Kapadia)- Two movies really affected me this summer, but because they don't easily fit into any of the Oscar categories I've chosen to use here, I thought they deserved special mention. The first of these is Amy, a documentary that profiles the life of this Grammy-winning cultural phenomenon Amy Whinehouse. Through home-video footage of her, and testimonies from those who (for better or  worse) surrounded her on a daily basis, the documentary shines light on a life that many misunderstood and a everyone adored. The most affecting part of the documentary is the way Kapadia plays Amy's songs after certain events in her life, and viewers realize how personal and disturbing some of her most famous songs remain ("Rehab" in particular is much more dangerous than most people realize).

Shaun the Sheep Movie (Mark Burton, Richard Starzak)- For a good time, look no further than this frickin' hilarious British claymation feature from the people behind Wallace and Gromit. With zero dialogue and more puns than any single person can count, this family-friendly tale of survival in the big city is much better than you think it is. I was crying laughing so hard, and though it didn't make a whole lot of money in the US box office, I can say from personal experience that everyone who I saw it with absolutely adored it.




Best Music- Dope

A love letter to '90's hip-hop as much as it is a poignant portrait of contemporary African-American culture, the music of Dope really cements the film's key messages. It has you tapping your feet to the beat throughout the film, and the sheer epic-ness of the final song "It's My Turn Now" perfectly illustrates how timely and important this film remains. Bonus winner for Best Original Song goes to "Who Can You Turst" by Ivy Levan from Spy, for effectively capturing the essence of the Bond themes with this brassy, loud, wonderful song. 
(Other Nominees: Mad Max: Fury Road, Ricki and the Flash, Southpaw, Spy)


Best Visual Effects- Ant-Man

I'm including this award because the Academy loves to recognize summer movies here, so it felt natural to include it in a rundown of the summer movie Oscars. Out of all the movies to be released this summer, none felt visually as impressive as Ant-Man, for seamlessly blending the shrinking technology into the Marvel Universe without ever looking schlocky. It's probably not as impressive as the realness of Mad Max: Fury Road (more on that later, I promise), and wasn't as flashy as Jurassic World (which would have won Best IMAX Presentation if such a thing existed). But for a movie that I loved as much Ant-Man, I needed to recognize it somewhere. It visually impressed me the much, which only aided to how fun and escapist this movie was for me in the dog days of July.
(Other Nominees: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Mad Max: Fury Road, Spy)

Best Supporting Actor- James Spader, Avengers: Age of Ultron

As problematic as this movie was at times, and for how disappointed I was in it's overall place in the Marvel Universe, one aspect of Age of Ultron I sincerely loved was the titular villain. James Spader captures Ultron with terrifyingly easy malevolence, and his delivery of some of the movie's best lines stuck with me more than anything else about this film. He is able to do a lot with a 7-foot tall baddie that destroys the Avengers from the inside, and his loose moral compass will affect the team for several movies to come. I found myself imitating Spader's performance for month's after the film's release, and in my book, that was enough to merit this win.
(Other Nominees: Michael Douglas, Ant-Man; Nicholas Hoult, Mad Max: Fury Road; Tye Sheridan, The Stanford Prison Experiment; Jason Statham, Spy)

Best Supporting Actress- Jada Pinkett Smith, Magic Mike XXL

For anyone who watched the magnificent Gotham this past year, they know how much of a scene-stealing powerhouse Jada Pinkett Smith is. And so it was with Magic Mike XXL that the best part of the movie was this female ringleader of the strippers in this deliberately more fun sequel. She dominates the film in every scene, and seems to be having the time of her life controlling the men to perform for the "Queens" of the audience. I beamed every time she showed up on the screen, and I never wanted her to leave Mike's side.
(Other Nominees: Kiercey Clemons, Dope; Julia Garner, Grandma; Evangeline Lily, Ant-Man; Kirsten Wiig, The Diary of a Teenage Girl)




Best Screenplay- Inside Out

Pixar's back! My second-favorite movie of the year so far was this timeless, vastly intelligent original work from the minds behind Up. The screenplay prides itself on traversing the real-world intricacies of the human brain, told from the perspective on the five basic emotions. Parts of this film blew my mind completely open, such as how Fear, Anger, and Disgust have to function alone when Joy and Sadness disappear. It's trippy stuff even for adults, and like the best Pixar features, older generations will love this film even more than kids. It should become mandatory viewing for all psychology classes; but, more importantly, it should be shown to all kids to show that it's ok to be sad sometimes. I loved this movie a lot in case you haven't been able to tell, and I really do recommend it to every and anyone who wants to be swept up in everything movies can do.
(Other Nominees: Dope, Mad Max: Fury Road, Spy, Trainwreck)



Best Actor in a Leading Role- Ian McKellen, Mr. Holmes

Few actors are as universally underrated in terms of awards as much as Ian McKellen, whose silent magnificence in heavy-hitters like X-Men and The Lord of the Rings hasn't earned him any Oscars because of the genre of the work. He's never really given a bad performance (even amidst some of the snoozier work he's done), and that streak continues with this summer's Mr. Holmes. The story of an aging Sherlock Holmes who's trying to remember his last case, McKellen plays the famous detective at various points in his later life, with different nuances in his facial expression showing the character's frustration and thoughts to brilliant effect. It's a tough argument to convince someone to see yet another incarnation of the British detective, but McKellen makes that argument null and void. The movie is charming enough, and the other actors are all fine, but it's McKellen that makes you want to see Mr. Holmes until the end.
(Other Nominees: Jason Bateman, The Gift; Tom Hardy, Mad Max: Fury Road; Jake Gyllenhaal, Southpaw; Shameik Moore, Dope)

Best Actress in a Leading Role- Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road

Anyone who knows me knows of my obsession with this critical darling of an action film, so get ready to hear me rant about my love. Let's start off by saying how indescribably AMAZING Charlize Theron is in Mad Max: Fury Road. Her character is infinitely more complex and better developed than even the title character, and was able to sneak in as the feminist action hero of the summer. She's stronger, faster, and delibaretly more exciting than her counterpart (and it's a wonder of the world what her and Tom Hardy were able to do together, literally sharing the action scenes and relying on each other without even the smallest morsel of romance or any of the other thousands of cliches usually reserved for male-female leads). Is a Signorney Weaver-type-action-heroine Oscar nomination too hard to ask for? Not if anyone actually journeyed the Fury Road. Theron is the woman to beat so far, and rightfully so; she's more progressive than any of the other female leads this summer, and deserves all the praise that's (hopefully) coming to her.
(Other Nominees: Nina Hoss, Phoenix; Melissa McCarthy, Spy; Mya Taylor, Tangerine; Charlize Theron, Mad Max: Fury Road; Lily Tomlin, Grandma)

Best Director- George Miller, Mad Max: Fury Road

But beyond sheer acting awesomeness from the lead character, Mad Max: Fury Road's sheer insanity and cinematic excess comes from the warped mind of George Miller. Returning to the franchise he originally worked on with Mel Gibson, the director spent considerable time making sure Fury Road looked as realistic and hardcore as possible. This is the what happens when you give a true artist a couple million dollar budget. Without Miller, this wouldn't have been the action spectacle it became. He was able to turn a literal two-hour car chase into a gorgeous piece of art that reminds viewers why they go to the movies in the first place. From that breathtaking sandstorm sequence, to the unbelievable craziness of the car battles, Miller should be thanked for generations to come for creating one of the best action movies of all time.
(Other Nominees: Pete Docter, Inside Out; Joel Edgerton, The Gift; Paul Feig, Spy; Marielle Heller, The Diary of a Teenage Girl)

Best Picture- Mad Max: Fury Road

I could keep ranting about the mesmerizing acting of the masterful directing of Mad Max: Fury Road. I could say it's the best action movie from the decade. I could also say that likely no other movie will top it for me this year. But that would be robbing it of it's importance as a summer blockbuster, one that seriously breaks the boundaries put forth by most blockbusters. It turns a woman into a character rightfully equal to the mad counterpart (as illustrated from the opening credits, which places her to the right, but ultimately higher-up than Tom Hardy on the same card), which is so depressingly rare that it's refreshing to say the least. It's a feminist action flick that ultimately tells viewers to rip down the patriarchy and install a new system of tranquility with Imperator Furiosa in charge. In all seriousness, as gleefullly gory and over-the-top action-packed it is, Mad Max: Fury Road is one of best feminist films in recent years, and one that will have both men and women equally cheering in their seats. This movie is why I love movies, and goes to show that despite all odds and everything I was saying negatively about it leading up to its release, films can still take my breath away.
(Other Nominees: Ant-Man, Dope, Inside Out, Spy)

Thanks for reading! This year, I hope to write on this blog some more... with some Top 10's I've been working on coming your way soon! To whet your appetite, I'm going to rank a certain film studio's greatest films, and (finally) discuss with you all my favorite installments of my cinematic hero...

Top 10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies

This semester, I have had the privilege of taking a class all about the Master of Suspense: Alfred Hitchcock, arguably the greatest director ever to work in cinema. One of the main takeaways of the course was how versatile Hitchcock was as a filmmaker, not only in terms of genre, but also in the fascinating way he plays with narrative. The class made me appreciate his classics even more, introduced me to some of his lesser-known flicks, and consequently made me despise some of his more studied films (here's looking at you, Marnie). He has created some of the scariest, most suspenseful movies of all time, and of course I knew from the onset of the class that I would be making this Top 10 list by the end. I explored even more than the 14 films featured in the class, and found that though conceptually some are interesting, his execution isn't always perfect (he is only human after all). For my opinions and complete rankings of Hitchcock from Best to Worst, click here to check out my Letterboxd site, with posters and a definitive rating. And now, without holding you in suspense for any longer, here is my analysis of the Top 10 Alfred Hitchcock movies of all time!

10. The Lady Vanishes (1938)

This is one of the goofiest movies you'll ever see, and it's all in the guise of an international mystery. Never before or since has a train felt equally claustrophobic and wide open, and it's all in the way Hitchcock directs his players form one end to the other. The movie is Hitchcock's last in Britain before moving to Hollywood in 1940, and The Lady Vanishes feels like a proper send off to the overt British-ness Hitchcock loved to poke fun at (the entire premise of the film revolves around the fact that the enemies know every British person on the train is going to be at tea at a certain time- it's so ridiculous if you think about it). It's hilarious, and features spot-on chemistry between Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave as strangers who get caught up in this whole affair entirely by coincidence. On that note, there's a certain kind of pleasure in having no lead character for the first 20 minutes; we get a nice overview of everyone pretty quickly, and it's great fun to see how all these characters interact throughout the plot. On a more somber note, the story accurately predicts the state of the world only a few years later during World War II, and shows great foresight on the part of Hitchcock.

9. Lifeboat (1944)

One of Hitchcock's lesser known films is a great directorial triumph, in ways both similar and incredibly different than anything else in his entire filmography. The movie takes place entirely on a tiny lifeboat with eight passengers who survive an attack on their battleship, and they must figure out a way to survive and trust each other (which is easier said than done, once they discover that a Nazi is among their ranks). Hitchcock gives just about equal screen time between the survivors, and each has a very distinct and relevant personality. All the cast's quirks and chemistry feels very realistic, in a way Hitchcock so rarely replicates in his oftentimes exaggerated movies. There's no star dominating the narrative (with the obvious exception of Tallulah Bankhead, who's character is really supposed to be over the top), and that allows for some really great acting to shine. Hitchcock's requisite cameo in the film is also hysterical if you can catch it!

8. Rebecca (1940)

Hitchcock's only win for Best Picture didn't even earn him an Oscar. His producer, the legendary David O. Selznick, won the award, after dominating the previous year's ceremony with Gone with the Wind. Rebecca feels like the appropriate follow up to that titan of a film, as it's a sprawling epic amidst gorgeous architecture and extravagant costuming. With Rebecca, Hitch found a source material that was an engaging mystery, a haunting love story, and a great set piece for Mrs. Danvers (Judith Anderson) to chew up and steal the show. Too bad about that last half hour, which shifts the tone to a courtroom drama not even focusing on the second Mrs. de Winter (Joan Fontaine). If the film ended on a tragic note, with Mrs. Danvers whispering into Mrs. de Winter's ear, then this may be Hitchcock's greatest triumph. But alas, the film falls flat at the end; but don't be discouraged from watching it- it's still a sweeping spectacle that keeps you guessing how it will all turn out, and is really the only "epic" film to come from the Master.

7. Dial M for Murder (1954)

In the 1950's, film companies started looking for ways to compete with the impeding threat of the television. They introduced wide screen that wouldn't translate to square boxes, and they also pushed the invention of 3D filmmaking. Hitchcock was assigned this new type of technological development, and Dial M for Murder is the result. It's not that it even needs the three dimensions in order to tell its story- at it's heart, it's really just a murder mystery, yet another gem in the "perfect murder" series exemplified by Hitchcock's classics. But the 3D works in a way that's not flashy, but emotionally defining of the characters in the apartment. It adds a layer of depth without cheap 3D gimmicks (for the most part), and focuses on the plot twists first and foremost. It's great fun to see Ray Milland scheme and sneak around the fact that he tries to murder his wife, and figure out how they're going to catch him by the end. It's full of delicious double meanings and puns about death- overall the most wonderful and perfect textbook example of Hitchcock's famous "perfect murder" franchise of pictures.

6. North by Northwest (1959)

The Master's return to the "wrong man" narrative is his best example of how pleasurable seeing a Hitchcock movie can be. There's not a lot of academic merit to this one, and doesn't really further any longstanding argument about the state of the world. Instead, what North by Northwest offers is a great sense of entertainment and infectious joy that comes from seeing a movie. The undeniable charm of Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint's ice-cold portrayal of the girl, the frequent travel, and an international mystery that becomes fairly forgettable once a few things start blowing up clearly inspired the James Bond franchise, so at the very least we can thank the film for that. Plus there's more double entendres and hilarious quips than one knows what to do with. It's hard not to love North by Northwest really, and from the opening credits it delivers on its promise of providing one of the best escapist films ever produced.

5. Notorious (1946)

In my opinion, Notorious is Hitchcock's sexiest movie. Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman are next to perfect in the film, and their nose nudging scene is just wonderful. In fact, it wouldn't have existed without that pesky Hays Code; Hitchcock wanted to subvert the censors by not breaking their rule of three-second kisses, so he had Bergman and Grant break every few seconds to nuzzle each other before resuming their make-out session. That's one of the two famous scenes from the movie, the other of course being the high-angle to close-up zoom of the key in Bergman's hand during a party. Claude Rains is also marvelous in easily his best role besides Casablanca, and the international intrigue angle of us vs. the Nazis is in full effect here. It's a neat spy movie, and one that feels both geuninely threatening and suspenseful. If you haven't seen Notorious, be sure to check it out!

4. Rear Window (1954)

What's not to love about Rear Window? Jimmy Stewart is arguably never better, and Grace Kelly is clearly having the time of her life. Plus, the movie's thin allegory as what it feels like to go to the movies is actually a really fascinating argument into society's obsession with voyeurism. It also begs interesting questions about what we do in these situations, and how we make judgements about what we see from afar without knowing the whole story. It's got some great shots, and Hitchcock scares the crap out of us without ever leaving Jefferie's apartment. I challenge you to find a movie that does this to any better effect, but I doubt you'll find one that's more entertaining and enlightening than Rear Window.

3. Rope (1948)

Rope remains one of Hitchcock's most experimental pictures, as it is designed a la Birdman to look like one continuous shot. Of course, this wasn't really possible in 1948, so there's some really cheesy cuts that happen when we zoom in on someone's backside; but hey, he actually tried, and it doesn't look half bad. What makes Rope truly spectacular is the way it features two gay men as the protagonists, unabashedly homosexual in a time where it would be a crime to admit it. Of course, these two (John Dall and Farley Granger, both gay in real life) are murderers. However, what's truly special about the film is how little Hitchcock cares about their sexual orientation; he gives them easily the juiciest parts in the film (and that's with some stellar supporting characters), and no one in the narrative seems to care that much about the fact than Brandon and Phillip are lovers. It's only through their murder, and of course Jimmy Stewart's obnoxious and prying eyes, that they get punished for their actions. The humor and death puns are never better here, and of course Hitchcock can't help but throw in some phallic objects for the protagonists to humorously stroke. Rope is one of Hitchcock's most undervalued films, but I beg you to seek out this movie more than any other on this list. It's an important, fun, fast-paced, and darkly wonderful little movie in Hitchcock's oeuvre that truly succeeds.

2. Psycho (1960)

From the opening orchestra's famous theme song, all the way to the checkered finale, Psycho keeps you on the edge of your seat. I've always loved Psycho and have discussed it at length on this blog before, but this recent classroom experience has made me fall in love with it even more. The main reason for this is that ignoring spoilers or how many times you've seen the movie, there is NO warning that Marion's shower scene will happen. Hitchcock punishes the viewer for playing detective (a trick they ironically learned by watching Hitchcock's films), killing off the main character thirty minutes into the film. There's no warning about who Norman Bates really is, and the film miraculously fools you into thinking each time you watch it that Marion will live; there's simply no way to not think that, as the evidence simply isn't there. All rules are thrown out the window once Marion dies, and you just have to go on the roller coaster with no hope of solving the case. The camera is also like a child in this picture, aimlessly choosing people to follow and becoming very sad once someone dies (watch the way it moves after the shower scene- it walks around looking for someone to follow until it reaches Norman)- you've never seen a camera so personified like a person as you do in Psycho. The film is bloody brilliant in every sense of the world, and taking this class further proves why many consider it to be Hitchcock's best film...

1. Vertigo (1958)

...however, as recently exemplified in many polls, Vertigo has begun to dominate the lists of the best films ever made. Hitchcock's masterpiece works against his normal conventions in much more subtle ways than Psycho, and it's much harder to get into Vertigo than his slasher flick. But, if you're patient, you'll realize there's never enough time to say all you want to say about Vertigo. Looking past it's twisty and unpredictable narrative, and beyond the stalker-like tendencies of Jimmy Stewart's character (though there's PLENTY to say about that), Vertigo is for my money one of the best films ever made. It's flawless in its execution, whether it be through set design, costuming, acting, writing, direction, production, editing, cinematography, sound design, music, or any multitude of different filmmaking techniques. Heck, the final transformation of Judy into Madeline, with the blonde hairdo done the right way and the green lights shining on her face, is one of my favorite movie scenes EVER. The more you watch it, the more you'll fall in love with it. It sucks you into the dark and seedy underbelly of manhood, and threatens to destroy you if you let it. Vertigo is that rare kind of movie that never ages, never feels irrelevant, and never quite meets its match. It was a box office bomb in 1958, but French critics reevaluated it as Hitchcock's masterpiece (thank you Laura Mulvey for putting it back on the radar) later down the line. You have to see Vertigo more than once, as you'll pick up on so much more the second time around. It's not everyone's favorite, but it's certainly mine; it's not as fun as Psycho, not as silly as North by Northwest, and not as suspenseful as Rear Window. But for my money, Vertigo is arguably the best movie ever made. It lets you fall in love with the movies every time you watch it, and you'll never want to stop talking about it. And really, isn't that the point of going to the movies?

Thanks for reading everyone, and once again click the link at the top of this post to see my complete rundown rankings of all the Hitchcock movies I've seen!

Marvel Cinematic Universe: Ranked from Worst to Best

This weekend, every person in America will likely be planning on seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron, the continuation of one of the most successful film franchises of all time. Adapting Marvel properties has proven to be a massive success, with the studio combing through some of their most popular, most exciting, and most unique projects and bringing them to life on the silver screen. I am a diehard fan of Marvel comics, and love their combination of mindless action and intelligent humor. A Marvel movie has opened the summer for several years now, and this summer is no exception: we have a new Marvel movie, so it's time for summer 2015! I thought a fun way to celebrate the release of Age of Ultron would be to look back at all the franchise's previous installments so far in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and rank them from worst to best. I adore the way all these movies interact with each other in the universe, and I consider them all one story; however, here are all of the missteps, time-proven formulas, and innovative techniques that make each film unique. Let's get started off to a MARVELous weekend with this list! (NOTE: This list ONLY includes films that are part of MCU, and therefore do not include Fox properties like X-Men or Fantastic Four, nor Sony-owned Spider-Man.)

10. Thor: The Dark World (Alan Taylor, 2013)

Easily the weakest installment of the MCU so far is this shrug-ish Thor sequel. Phoned in at its best and just downright lazy at its worst, The Dark World suffers from having to follow on the heels of very successful films before it (Thor, Avengers, and Iron Man 3). The villain is so lackluster (something about a dark elf) that we hardly even care that his plan will plunge the universe into everlasting darkness (how lame of a story is that???). Natalie Portman's character, Jane Foster, gets reduced to a mere damsel-in-distress role, having nothing interesting to say or do throughout the narrative. Even Chris Hemsworth clearly loses some confidence in Thor this time around, and Anthony Hopkins just looks downright bored. The only good use of characters in the film include Tom Hiddleston's delicious Loki (who steals the show in every scene he's in), and a surprisingly hilarious Kat Dennings as Darcy- Jane's intern who was a throwaway character in the first installment. Thor 2 is largely devoid of interesting action sequences, and does not even attempt to throw plot twists or any sort of jazz into the script. I will say this- it does effectively play for comedy during the final battle sequence, but even that ultimately serves to remind us how laughable this movie remains. 

9. The Incredible Hulk (Louis Leterrier, 2008)

Coming off the heels of Iron Man must have been no easy feat, but Marvel seems genuinely caught off-guard in the only Hulk film so far. Edward Norton is awfully cast as the titular character, and has about zero chemistry with Liv Tyler's Betty Ross. William Hurt (as General "Thunderbolt" Ross) and Tim Roth (Emil "Abomination" Blonsky) actually do have a lot of fun in their scenes, and take the actions of their characters very seriously. The climactic Hulk vs. Abomination battle is actually a lot of fun in hindsight, and works well with some of the nicer touches in the picture (Robert Downey, Jr.'s cameo at the end, the foregoing of a nonsensical origin story, and small hints of SHIELD and what's to come in the MCU). It's fairly bland and humor-less when compared with other movies in the franchise, but Incredible Hulk really isn't as bad as you remember it. It's certainly better than that Ang Lee disaster in 2003. 

8. Captain America: The First Avenger (Joe Johnston, 2011)

Captain America has the potential to be a really lame/narcissistic character, and before Joss Whedon figured out what to do with him in The Avengers... well, he was. The first Cap film succeeds at introducing us to a likable hero in Chris Evans, and squares him off against a Nazi bad guy (played by the so-so Hugo Weaving) who's face proves more menacing that he actually is. The plot is also fairly difficult to follow, not that it particularly matters- because we pretty much know how this is going to go down. Hayley Atwell's Peggy Carter and Tommy Lee Jones' Col. Phillips are both really cool and hilarious characters, and there's a lot to be said for Dominic Cooper bringing Tony Stark's father Howard to life, and for Toby Jones' still-creepy portrayal of Red Skull's henchman; but, they all get sidelined in favor of Captain Righteous and Captain Megalomanic. The World War II production design is gorgeous, however, and Johnston takes care in crafting a world that seems realistic for this universe, and still evocative to the 1940s itself. This movie mostly harmless, but overall does nothing to excite me in any meaningful way. 

7. Iron Man 3 (Shane Black, 2013)

This movie brings forth an interesting conundrum to the usual MCU formula: I typically love watching movies over and over again, and the MCU flicks remain no exception (I can't even tell you how many times I've seen the first two Iron Man films or The Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy). However, after falling in love with Iron Man 3 when it came out two summers ago, I just recently re-watched it- and find that it doesn't really hold up well to repeated viewings. The twist about the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) still comes out of nowhere in a really positive way, and the fact that the film deals with Tony Stark's PTSD following the events of The Avengers makes TOTAL sense on why it would happen, and I'm so glad Marvel took a chance to pursue that storyline. That being said, Guy Pierce is kind of a train-wreck as the villain, seeming to go nowhere even by the end. For the most realistic of the Marvel properties in the MCU, the Extremis story can only go so far without seeming ridiculous- which it ultimately does by the end. Gwenyth Paltrow and Don Cheadle- whom I typically love in these movies- get terrible roles in this installment, and lose a lot of their heart and humor that drove them throughout the franchise up to this point. However, with all this in mind, Iron Man has always been about the titular character, and Robert Downey, Jr. does give a heck of a performance in this movie. He thankfully loses his devil-may-care attitude in favor of a more humanizing and well-rounded hero. Oh, and his chemistry with Ty Simpkins is on point. 

6. Iron Man (Jon Favreau, 2008)

Marvel's first film thankfully holds up really well on repeated viewings; and, of course, the fact that it started this whole obsession cannot be overlooked. It features a pitch-perfect performance from Downey, his comeback role that propelled him to one of the most bankable stars on the planet. It's freaking hilarious at points, and downright silly in others- both trademarks of a good Marvel movie. Iron Man is not without its problems, however, as Terrence Howard largely sucks as Rhodie (a role that Don Cheadle thankfully takes over later), and the final battle scene between Iron Monger and Iron Man is largely lackluster (though that does come from the fact that Iron Man really just has terrible villains in the comics to work with). Nevertheless, it's easy to overlook some of these glaring issues in favor of watching Jeff Bridges have a ton of glee playing Obadiah Stane, and Gwenyth Paltrow fits in better than expected as Stark's personal assistant, Pepper Potts. Also, shout out to Paul Bettany for playing JARVIS, Stark's sassy computer and character staple, who plays the faceless role with such ease and grace that it'd be weird to watch these movies without him. The opening sequence is more exciting than it has any right to be, and genuine emotions fuel the entire story. Iron Man also introduced us to fan favorite character Agent Coulson (Clark Gregg), as well as Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury, asking Stark about something called an "Avengers Initiative". 

5. Thor (Kenneth Branagh, 2011)

When Branagh signed on to direct Thor, it left many heads scratching (mine included)- why on Earth would a noted Shakespearean dramatist do a superhero movie? Once we saw the film, however, we no longer wondered what he was doing here. Thor works as a Shakespearean superhero film, filled with several themes of The Bard, including family turmoil, the presence of gods in our everyday lives, and not being able to move past one's destiny. Chris Hemsworth convinces us as Thor, a vain god who can't see past the glories of battle when trapped on Earth for a war he purposely caused. While Hiddleston is still testing the waters as Loki, he nevertheless introduces us to one of the best villains of the MCU thus far. However, the real crowning achievement is Anthony Hopkins, who gives a nuanced and rich portrayal as Odin- ruler of Asgard and Thor and Loki's father. Natalie Portman and Stellan Skarsgard also deliver admirable performances, making us truly empathize with their excitement about finding an alien on Earth. Thor's journey from vain child to "worthy" prince is a blast to watch unfold, and presents a fun treatment of Shakespeare for the comic book crowd. 

4. Iron Man 2 (Jon Favreau, 2010)

Ok, I KNOW I'm getting get some flack for ranking this one so high, but hear me out: I think Iron Man 2 is one of the most fun, exciting, and comical adventures an Avenger has faced thus far. Sure, the RDJ drunk party bit goes on a little too long, but that fight with Rhodie in the War Machine suit is so worth the wait. Plus, we get Sam Rockwell and Mickey Rourke being so ridiculously ludicrous it's hard not to love them. This is the film with the best chemistry between Downey and Paltrow, and all of their lines glimmer with the fast-paced hilarity that proved so resilient in the Katherine Hepburn-Cary Grant movies of the Golden Age of Hollywood. The special effects are top notch here, and the final battle scene seems neither tedious or stupid- it's genuinely a ton of fun to watch unfold. Scarlett Johansson is fantastically cast as the deadpan Black Widow, and her role in this, while limited, does give us hope that we will see great things from her down the line (which, of course, we do). This movie plays mostly for laughs, but unlike Thor 2, sprinkles in some of the most serious material the MCU has ever put out (Tony's alcoholism, his relationship with his father, and the turmoil Tony inflicts on Pepper by putting her in charge of the organization). Iron Man is arguably my favorite Avenger, and this is the movie where we really solidified how fun he can be. Can you honestly say that you didn't have a smile on your face the entire film? 

3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Anthony and Joe Russo, 2014)

I'm a huge proponent for SHIELD-driven stories, and political thrillers are always a fun genre to explore. The Russo brothers bring both of these to the forefront in a shockingly effective way with The Winter Soldier, becoming our best look into the corrupt organization so far. The Russos also realize something very important about Captain America: on his own, he's kind of a lame superhero, but when used as the lens for a much larger story, can be wonderfully effective. And so it is for Captain America 2, which basically throws him into this much larger world without ever feeling like the whole movie is revolved around him. Of course, we do get some inspired performances from Johansson's Black Widow and Jackson's Nick Fury, as well as one from newcomer Anthony Mackie as Falcon, to help balance out the responsibility of headlining the picture. The thrills are here and in full effect in Winter Soldier, and with the weird exception of the titular bad guy (who is fairly uninteresting in the already cluttered storyline), the villain are all marvelous. Robert Redford would typically feel somewhat out of place in the MCU, but as a high-ranking SHIELD agent, he not only tethers us to the 1970's political thrillers that inspired Winter Soldier, but also provides a good acting job from a legend. The plot-twists are fairly unpredictable, and though we never question specific characters' loyalties, we nevertheless feel swept up in the chaos of a government agency gone wild. It's a stellar episode in the Cinematic Universe, and one that hopefully paves the way for more ensemble-driven thrillers in the future. 

2. Guardians of the Galaxy (James Gunn, 2014)

Tell me you're not singing "Hooked on a Feeling" immediately after seeing the poster to this film. Marvel's most brilliant marketing ever convinced audiences to come in droves to see Guardians of the Galaxy, but its staying power in the North American box office came from incredibly strong word-of-mouth. GOG is a fast-paced roller coaster that never lets up, introducing us to an almost entirely-new cast filled with acting titans and relative newcomers. It's goofiness works really well to propel the film as an action-comedy that gives viewers immense satisfaction from beginning to end. It came out of nowhere, as well; aside from a few Marvel fans, hardly anyone knew anything about the Guardians. Now, that's all people can talk about, as it successfully reminds audiences how fun the MCU can really be. The soundtrack "Awesome Mix Vol. 1" is perfect, and drives the movie in terms of both narrative and general excitement. I can speak for days about the AMAZING performances by Chris Pratt (Star Lord), Zoe Saldana (Gamora), Bradley Cooper (Rocket Raccoon), Dave Bautista (Drax the Destroyer), and Vin Diesel (Groot), but I'll leave you to your fond memories instead. 

1. The Avengers (Joss Whedon, 2012)

Really no surprise here, but the film that really solidified the awesomeness of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was The Avengers. I already spoke praises of the cast, so I'll focus instead on how perfectly they mesh together. Their chemistry is practically flawless, and it's a special kind of joy seeing all six (including the yet-unmentioned Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye) Avengers interact with each other on the Helicarrier. The movie is also funnier than most modern comedies, and leaves you busting a gut for nearly the whole film. A film is only as good as its villain, however, and Hiddleston functions beautifully as a seemingly menacing, yet not that good of, a villain. His role reminds us of reading the comics and watching the animated series as a kid, and getting a particular type of glee from seeing the superheroes conquer the bad guys. No where in sight is the angsty and brooding darkness evocative of most superhero franchises, but instead Marvel succeeds at first and foremost allowing us to have a good time. The special effects are extraordinary, and the Battle of New York is easily the best sequence of any Marvel film thus far. The Avengers successfully proves that you can create a blockbuster with heart, wit, intensity, intelligence, and overall joy without ever compromising a sense of fun. And ultimately, that's what superhero movies are for: to give us the best time possible, and to allow us to escape into a world with super soldiers, men in iron suits, aliens, and megalomaniac villains. If Age of Ultron is half as good as The Avengers, then we're in for a cinematic treat unlike any other. 

Well, that's my list! Check in next week for the hardest Top 10 list I've ever had to make: the Top 10 Alfred Hitchcock movies!  

Hidden Gems of the Palme d'Or Winners

Hello everyone, and sorry for the long delay in my postings. It has been a crazy busy couple of months, and I appreciate those who read this blog's patience in waiting for the next post. For your long wait, the next three weeks will be PACKED with content- a new list every week! The 2015 Cannes Film Festival is coming up soon, and for those who don't know, I am going to it this year! So, a project I've undertaken these past few months is watching some of the winners of the Palme d'Or- the festival's highest award. To give you a crash course in Cannes Film Festival politics, there are several juries that hand out a multitude of awards. The Palme d'Or (The Golden Palm) has been around since 1955, though a high prize has always been given, albeit under a different name (it was previously called the Grand Prix). The winner is chosen from a list of films "in competition", usually between 20-25 films from across the globe.

I have been intending for a long time to make a Top 10 list for the winners of this award, but find myself in a bit of a conundrum. First of all, it's quite difficult to reasonably compare the winners of the Palme d'Or, as each year the Festival is headed by a different jury with their own tastes and preferences. So, it's not like comparing Oscar winners that have a stable Academy throughout the years; it's a completely overhauled set of international contenders year after year. But normally, I'd consider doing a "Best Of" list a cop out for not actually creating a discussion-furthering Top 10 ranking. I needed to strike a balance, and be decisive in my choices without actually ranking incomparable winners. My solution is doing a "Hidden Gems" list, as I think it is actually very appropriate in this case. There's a lot of great films that have come from the Festival that I'm sure most people haven't seen, so instead of going on and on about Apocalypse Now and Pulp Fiction (which I can very easily do), I'm going to go over some movies that I think you should really see. So, here you go: my picks for some of the best under-seen Palme d'Or winners (in chronological order, so some are Grand Prix winners):

Brief Encounter (David Lean, United Kingdom, 1946)

"I meant to do it, Fred, I really meant to do it. I stood there trembling right on the edge, but I couldn't. I wasn't brave enough. I should like to be able to say that it was the thought of you and the children that prevented me but it wasn't. I had no thoughts at all, only an overwhelming desire not to feel anything ever again. Not to be unhappy anymore." With these words, Brief Encounter takes a turn for the worst for our central love story. Nonexistent is the Hollywood rom-com formula, where our leading lady (Celia Johnson), a depressed housewife, and leading male (Trevor Howard), an unhappily married man, do not end up together. It's a film that directly challenges the positive effects of even the most affectionate of relationships; Laura's husband (Cyril Raymond) honestly doesn't know his wife is not happy, but loves her to pieces. It's a weepy-eyed look into an extramarital affair that the audience wants to see happen, punishing viewers for daring to defy the rules of marriage. It also has the most annoying entrance of a useless character of all time; we know she's coming, but it still doesn't save us from screaming at the screen to not ruin the end of the love story.

The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder, United States, 1946)

Several films were awarded in 1946, but all shared the same theme: unflinching looks into the dark side of reality. Italian Neorealism classic Rome, Open City also took home a prize that year, but an arguably better (though less popular) film came from the USA. Wilder's sharply written and brutally executed The Lost Weekend offers audiences the chance to experience alcoholism firsthand. With Ray Milland as the lead role, it shows us the hopelessness of escaping the disease from the point of view of a man lost in the bottle. All he wants is to be an author, but since getting rejected time and time again, he feels like his only source of happiness comes from drinking. His family is sick of helping him, and only the love of his life (Jane Wyman) wants anything to do with him anymore. Minus the tacked-on happy ending, it's a realistic, hard to watch experience that truly captures what it feels like to feel alone in the world.

Kagemusha (Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1980)

Akira Kurosawa has crafted some of the most memorable movies in Japanese history, including none less than Yojimbo, Seven Samurai, and Rashomon. However, one of his most overlooked films remains the 1980 masterpiece Kagemusha- a startling achievement in color and epic scope. George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola, fans of Kurosawa since film school, secured the financing for the film that would restart Kurosawa's career in the '80's (cumulating of course in Ran), eventually taking it all the way to the Cannes Film Festival. There, it tied with Bob Fosse's autobiographical All That Jazz, so it remains overshadowed by that American landmark. But Kagemusha offers something to audiences that those since the '50's haven't experienced; namely, a chance to see the Japanese filmmaker translated to the big screen. It's epic in a way most films can only begin to imagine, and though the plot is hard to follow (something about a body double for a king?), Kagemusha succeeds at having harrowingly long takes (the opening shot is unusually still, but is about a 10-minute long shot that showcases amazing acting) mixed with big edits during battle sequences. The dream sequence is a trippy film in and of itself, and stands out as one of the most dizzyingly beautiful uses of color ever. Kurosawa may remain one of the best Japanese filmmakers, and this film, arguably his masterpiece, won him his only Palme d'Or.

Farewell My Concubine (Chen Kaige, China, 1993)

China did not win a Palme d'Or until 1993, but it has become overshadowed by the first female filmmaker ever to win the prize- Jane Campion for The Piano. Despite the tie, The Piano takes all the love for the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. However, I strongly believe that Farewell My Concubine remains a far better film, and one of the only recent examples of a motion picture that truly deserves the word "epic". Tracing the modern history of China from the perspective of two child actors, Kaige's movie has shockingly effective production design that feels like he made the movie Boyhood style across 53 years. Part of China's "Fifth Generation" of filmmakers that brought the country international cinematic attention, Kaige miraculously captures the contained story of two boys (Leslie Cheung and Zhang Fenghi) who perform the same play over their careers, despite the turmoil brought on by war and the rise of the Cultural Revolution. The costumes are gorgeous, the writing is tragic (reflecting the titular play), and the scenes are graphically intense. Despite its three hour runtime, the film remains gripping throughout- a testament to the power of the story and the filmmaking prowess of Kaige. I cannot speak highly enough of this motion picture, and hope that all of you see this movie at least once; it presents the best depiction of modern Chinese history ever captured on camera, and it should be seen by everyone who loves movies.

Elephant (Gus Van Sant, United States, 2003)

Before jumping into the mainstream with films like Good Will Hunting, Gus Van Sant was a popular art house director- a genre he returned to in the 2000's with his controversial "Death Trilogy". His middle film (between Gerry and Last Days), Elephant, took home the Palme d'Or in 2003. It became the first in a long series of fictional movies that tackled the issues of the Columbine Massacre, and set the precedent for emotionless violence in the face of an unstable world. It has a steady beat throughout, and despite its violent subject matter, never glorifies the carnage depicted on the screen. Following a group of unrelated students throughout one day in high school, Van Sant shoots each segment differently depending on the student. For example, he does long takes when he follows an amateur photographer, but jumps frequently when he follows a student confused about his place in the world. The acting is top notch, and all from unknowns- making the film feel disturbingly naturalistic. By the time the shooting comes, Van Sant has soaked all the "fun" that comes from violence in a bloody mess that never loses the beat set from the onset of the narrative. It should be seen by all high school students, as it depicts the problematic representations of bullying, popularity, and relationships. A powerful work, and much different than Good Will Hunting, Van Sant's Palme d'Or win feels deserved and important.

4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu, Romania, 2007)

One of the subtly quiet yet immensely intense Palme d'Or winners ever. Mungiu shoots the story of a woman (Anamaria Marinca) trying to help her friend (Laura Vasiliu) get an illegal abortion from a black market predatory doctor (Vlad Ivanov) with thrilling instinct and gripping sentiment. The film, part of Romania's New Wave, gravitates the story on the woman just trying to help her friend, unrelated to the actual incident yet always a prescience. It leaves the viewer powerless to do anything in this dark (literally, poorly lit) and foreboding world of black market abortions. There's very minimal going on in the narrative, yet you can't ever say you're bored- the powerhouse trio acting in the center and the daring long takes leave you cringing throughout the whole film. The best scene? Despite the strong chemistry between the three leads, there's a very long scene at the friend's boyfriend's (Alexandru Potocean) house- all while the abortion is in its final moments. It's randomly brilliant, that works mainly because of Marinca's distracted acting- where a nearly 10-minute long take has her sitting at a table looking at the grandmother blank. Heartbreaking

Amour (Michael Haneke, Austria, 2012)

Michael Haneke is one of the few directors to win not one, but two Palme d'Ors. His first, The White Ribbon, was popular for the filmmaker, but he received international stardom after an Oscar nomination for Best Picture and Best Director for 2012's Amour. Amour, which follows an elderly couple plagued by a stroke and old age. Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emanuelle Riva, popular stars from the 1960's, unite to give two of the most heartbreaking performances in Cannes history. They love each other deeply, which makes their decisions so much harder in the wake of tragedy. Haneke films their performances with clarity and grace, and reminds viewers the importance of sticking together even in the worst of times. I held back a tear many times throughout the movie, especially when Trintignant has to choose between putting his wife in a home (thereby breaking a promise he made to her to never do that), or taking drastic measures. As evidenced in the title, Amour remains a film about one thing: love, and viewers feel just that throughout the film.

Honorable Mentions: As previously stated, I've spent the past few months watching some of the Palme d'Or winners, and while I wanted to highlight the hidden gems, I also want to call your attention to some of the other big winners. Here are all the other, more mainstream Palme d'Or winners I have ever seen (please comment if you want to talk about them!): Rome Open City, Marty, The Third Man, La Dolce Vita, MASH, The Conversation, Taxi Driver, Apocalypse Now, All That Jazz, Sex Lies and Videotape, Barton Fink, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, The Pianist, and The Tree of Life.

On Friday, we're turning our attention to the blockbuster sensations that have captivated the world's imagination: the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked from worst to best!