It’s no wonder that this film won legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins his first Oscar after 14 nominations. Surprises abound, but so does impeccable filmmaking. The 2017 sequel – directed by “Dune” and “Arrival” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve – picks up decades after the events of the first film and stars Ryan Gosling as a replicant working as a blade runner, who comes face to face with Harrison Ford’s Rick Deckard. It may be sacrilegious to say, but “Blade Runner 2049” is as good if not better than Ridley Scott’s seminal sci-fi film. Gwyneth Paltrow, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Cate Blanchett co-star. Ripley makes the trek, but becomes enamored of Law’s character and the life he lives, and begins to take on his character’s traits in odd and unsettling ways. Ripley.” Based on the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, Damon stars as a young man named Tom Ripley who is mistaken for someone else and tasked with persuading another young man (played by Jude Law) to return from Italy to the United States. Matt Damon gives one of the best performances of his career in Anthony Minghella’s 1999 dramatic thriller “The Talented Mr. Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews and Steven Yeun. LaKeith Stanfield plays a telemarketer who gets swept up into a corporate conspiracy and then… well this one is best seen knowing as little as possible going in, but trust us, the ending is unforgettable. If you’re feeling adventurous, writer/director Boots Riley’s 2018 film “Sorry to Bother You” is a wild ride that’s well worth the trip. It culminates in an emotional climax, and is photographed beautifully by cinematography great Roger Deakins. Director Sam Mendes crafts an explosive and thrilling action film that is deeply personal in nature, as Bond is forced to reckon with a changing world all while going up against an enemy from his past. One of the best James Bond movies ever made, 2012’s “Skyfall” deepens the emotional core of Daniel Craig’s 007 without sacrificing spectacle.
Quippy one-liners and insightful observations about friendship abound. If you’re looking for a smart comedy to watch, you can’t go wrong with “Mean Girls.” Written by Tina Fey, the film takes a sharp look at high school from the point of view of a new student (played by Lindsay Lohan) who befriends a couple of outsiders, then gets asked to join the “cool girls.” What begins as recon for her goofball friends turns into a genuine want to be liked (and accepted) by these so-called “mean girls,” played by Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried and Lacey Chabert. The filmmaking is some of the best of Scorsese’s career, from the iconic oner at the Copacabana night club to a cocaine-fueled third act sequence that’ll have you on edge no matter how many times you’ve seen it. Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino co-star in what is essentially a prototype for “The Sopranos,” with Scorsese drawing the audience into the world of the mob through the eyes of a wannabe gangster. Based on a true story, it chronicles the rise and fall of mob associate Henry Hill, as played by the late Ray Liotta. One of filmmaker Martin Scorsese’s many classics, 1990’s “Goodfellas” is a quintessential gangster film. Clooney delivers one of the best performances of his career, ditto Tom Wilkinson as a would-be whistleblower, and Tilda Swinton won an Oscar for her limited yet unforgettable role that culminates in a chilling showdown between her character and Clooney’s. Gilroy directs with a cool confidence that let’s you know you’re in good hands, even when the story is purposefully confounding (the script plays out in a fractured narrative). A wholly original dramatic thriller written and directed by Tony Gilroy, the 2007 film stars George Clooney as a “fixer” for a prestigious law firm who discovers a cover-up that he can’t shake. “Michael Clayton” feels like an adaptation of the best John Grisham novel never written.