“They get ready to kiss, begin to kiss, and kiss and kiss and kiss in a way that brings down the house every time.” – The Edison catalog

The first kiss seen by audiences, May Irwin and John Rice re-enacted a kiss for Thomas Edison. Considered a great scandal, it was, incidentally, the most popular film that year.

“Why are you here at such an hour?” – Lucrezia
“If I am late – a thousand pardons!” – Don Juan

As the first Vitaphone film that mixed sound and music, Don Juan also held the record for the most screen kisses. John Barrymore would kiss his female co-stars a total of 119 times.

“And now look at us!” – Felicita

This open-mouth kiss might have had more to do with the passionate love affair between co-stars John Gilbert and Greta Garbo rather than the screenplay. Gilbert and Garbo would start in three more films together during their brief yet intense love affair.

“You’d better go now. I’m… beginning to like you.” – Amy Jolly

Ever the seductress, Marlene Dietrich dressed in men’s tuxedo-ware and kissed a woman in this movie. She was also nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award despite knowing little English and speaking her dialogue phonetically.

“He says it’s the chance of a lifetime.” – Mary to George

In his first movie after serving in the military, Jimmy Stewart was said to be nervous about his comeback film. In one take, Frank Capra was able to capture one of cinema’s most intense kissing scenes. Filmed during the Hays Code era of Hollywood, part of the kiss was censored for being too passionate.

“I never knew it could be like this. Nobody ever kissed me the way you do.” – Karen

The famous kissing scene between Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr was censored for being too erotic. Interestingly, the scene was a last minute decision and improvised by director Fred Zinnemann.

“I just sat here thinking about you.” – Denis

Based on a novel by Alec Waugh, this film featured four different love affairs amidst the backdrop of race and politics in the West Indies. Star Joan Fontaine was said to have received hate mail for relationships depicted in the film. The onscreen pair would kiss later in the film (the clip shows their growing affections for each other).

“We’re free to do what we want.” – Bob
“Darling… other people often do what they don’t want to do at all.” – Alex

This story plot revolved around a love triangle between a man and woman and their affair they are both having with a young man. Peter Finch famously said of his kissing scene, “I did it for England.”

“I like you, Maude.” – Harold
“I like you, Harold.” – Maude

Ruth Gordon was 74 and Bud Cort was 23 during the making of this quirky film. Cort later said about the film, “I think because it is totally timeless, reveals so much mystery and truth about the big questions of life, and contains two inimitable performances, if I do say so myself.” If Bud Cort had his way, he would have kissed Greta Garbo as Maude.

“Out of the fire of love come ashes. Even the greatest love eventually fizzles out.” – Alfredo

This brilliant scene shows the grown up Salvatore watching all the clips of kissing, nudity and general passion the local priest had the movie projectionist, Alfredo, remove many years ago. Look for kissing scenes featuring Donna Reed, Joan Crawford, Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, Gerta Garbo and Spencer Tracy to name a few.

“Close your eyes.” – Vada
“But then I won’t be able to see anything.” – Thomas J

This precious scene was Macaulay Culkin’s first on-screen kiss. This kiss was awarded the “Best Kiss” award at the 1992 MTV Movie Awards.

“Every time I think it’s impossible to love you more, I do. Ever deeper.” – Peyton

Ousting You’re in the Army Now (1941) by 18 seconds, Elena Undone is the longest kiss at 3:24. Considering that Jane Wyman and Regis Toomey’s lips were glued together, it seems fitting that a real 3 minute plus kiss now hows the title.

Yes, real-life reality shows are usually started when the focus of the show agrees to it, but The Truman Show predicted that in several years, reality shows would be common. That was 1998, when there were few reality shows. Now in 2012, television is filled with them: Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Mob Wives, and the worst of them all, Jersey Shore. Back in 1998, the idea of making a show about someone’s life was strange enough to make a movie about it. Today’s society has been reduced to watching idiotic celebrities insult each other, horny people punch each other, and wives of criminals at each others necks. Oh well, there’s still 30 Rock…

No, we don’t have flying cars (at least not widespread) or robot slaves, but one thing is certain: Our iPhones expire after about 1-3 years. The robots in Blade Runner expire after 4 years. Both now and in the 1982 film, our technology is set to expire so we’ll simply go back and get more and more technology. That mistake was made multiple times throughout history, never turning out well, but perhaps the appeal of the iPhone and iPad will make sure that the cycle works.

2001 is more often associated with terrorism than with the space age, but one thing became true: robots, like HAL, have killed humans. Drones are often set out to kill terrorists (for example, Alwaki) to spare soldiers that might have otherwise been killed during the mission. If you’re asking why they didn’t get Osama with the drones, it is because it might have alarmed Pakistani civilians if their neighbors were suddenly killed by a bomb. Of course, they must have also been alarmed when US Soldiers finally killed their evil neighbor.

On YouTube, 4 Million videos are uploaded every 5 seconds. And do you find it hard to doubt that at least one of those videos is filled with people attacking each other, torture, and even murder? While it is not shown on TV like in Videodrome, just think that as you read this, some messed-up sociopath is killing someone while taping it. These snuff or even real torture videos may remind old-film lovers of an even older film, Peeping Tom.

If you read the news, you might have heard about the riots in England in early 2011. Crime and lawlessness were everywhere… much like Alex’s violent gang that goes around paralyzing writers, killing women with statues and raping people while chanting “Singing In The Rain.” As for the Ludovico Sequence, there are ways to neutralize homicidal feelings in criminals. Although the rioters are not as violent as the Droogs (Alex’s gang), just think what may happen in a few years, if the economy in England slides down further, and riots become more common. Then, there may be a gang as violent as Kubrick and Burgess depicted the Droogs to be in England.

I admit that the birth situation in the world is not as dire as in the film, but birth rates are declining, especially in Europe. For example, in Italy the average fertility rate is 1.40, and these numbers are declining even further. In France it’s 2.05. In Singapore, it’s 0.75. Again, there is proof that these numbers will dwindle further, but it is nearly impossible for us to resolve while many are worried about overpopulation. Underpopulation issue is actually more important.

No, there are no robotic policemen (yet), but people who lost limbs have often been rebuilt by machinery, although no one has yet been rebuilt an entire man with robotics. It is indeed an interesting idea for a man to be completely rebuilt. Perhaps at some point in the future, its prediction will come true.

What this classic triumph of science fiction predicted was that at some point in the future, humans would have small and handheld communicators that they would bring everywhere. It is very obvious that this prediction has come true, although we don’t have robot companions like Robbie. Actually, a version of Robbie might be true in Japan, as a robot that is used as a housekeeper, babysitter or even a friend is being released.

While not that much of the film has come true, one aspect has: remember the mall scene? The advertisements were aimed at the main character. Computers often save your searches, and find advertisements that they think you’ll like based on them. For example, if you type in “Yankees vs. Mets” you’ll later see an advertisement for tickets. Look up a lot of books? Barnes & Noble. Look up a lot of movies? Tickets to the premiere of a film.

The reason this is number 1 is because it is quite amazing that memories can be erased. In the 2004 film, a couple decides to have their memories erased of each other. First the girlfriend does, then the boyfriend, played by Jim Carrey, decides to retaliate and erase his memories. During the procedure, he desperately tries to save memories of her. In real life, Dutch scientists have found a way to erase traumatic memories for people who are suffering. One difference between the film and real life, however, is that the procedure is not for a break-up, but rather troubling memories of death, mugging, or even rape.

This list starts out with a movie most of us are familiar with, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. This movie was greatly praised in the West, but was mostly snubbed in China due to being too “westernized.” I actually like this movie a lot, and it was a good introduction to an audience who were unfamiliar with this genre. Directed by Ang Lee, the film is based on the novels by Wang Dulu and deals with the relationship between Li Mu Bai, his unrequited love Yu Shu Lien, and a rebellious nobleman’s daughter, Jen.
Quick Trivia : Cheng Pei-Pei who stars as the Jade Fox, Zhang Ziyi’s teacher, is also in another famous movie in this list.

Directed by Ronny Yu, this film is based on the novel Bai Fa Mo Nu Zhuan (Legend of the White Haired Maiden) by Liang Yusheng. The film, starring Brigitte Lin and Leslie Cheung, is a Romeo and Juliet love story between two characters and the struggle both must go through to be together. There’s a lot of fantasy elements and strange characters like the twin antagonist, who is half male-half female. The ending may seem like a cliff-hanger for the sequel, but I personally disagree. It feels right just the way it is, because it is pretty much what happens in the novel.

This film is a sequel to Swordsman, and is directed by Tsui Hark as an adaptation to the Jin Yong novel, Smiling Proud Wanderer. The sequel is listed because it is just as good as the first film, and it includes one of my favorite characters, Dong Fang Bu Bai. The movie is very different from the novel, which is one of its criticisms, but it’s still exciting and fun to watch.

Unlike other films that are based on novels, this one is actually based on a comic book. This movie is famous for its extensive use of CGI, although it may seem outdated now. Wind and Cloud, two young men stripped of their families and friends, are brought up to be killing machines for a tyrant. After finding the truth to their past, they must work together to defeat their enemy.

The House of Flying Daggers is slightly different from the average wuxia film in that it is not just a straight martial arts film but also a romantic tale. It was directed by Zhang Yimou and stars Andy Lau and Zhang Ziyi (one of the most successful Chinese actresses working at present). The film is set in 859 AD. The once great Tang Dynasty is now in decline. Numerous rebel groups have formed, the largest of which is the House of Flying Daggers, based in Feng Tian county. The Flying Daggers steal from the rich and give to the poor, gaining the support of the locals. When the film was released it received critical acclaim at Cannes and, in the authors opinion, is a must-see film for any fans of this genre.

Unlike most films, where the male character is the courageous hero able to handle combat on his own, the main character here is a scholar and starts out innocent and clumsy until he meets Yang, a woman forced to become a fugitive after her family was slaughtered by a cruel eunuch. Acclaimed for its cinematography and special effects, this is a beautiful film with a deeply haunting ending. The clip above is a scene of the bamboo fight in the movie that inspired the bamboo fight scene between Zhang Ziyi and Chow Yun Fat in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

Based on the book Meteor, Butterfly, Sword, this movie is filled with secrets-within-secrets-within-secrets. The film starts out with an assassin hired to kill the leader of a powerful clan, but the job turns out to be a little bit different than usual. People are not what they appear to be, each step is a trap, and too many important members are turning up dead. There’s a traitor amongst them, but who is it? This is a cat-and-mouse film that questions who really is the cat and who really is in control.

Cheng Pei-Pei stars as the resident female bad-ass, Golden Swallow. Sent to rescue her brother from evil bandits, she can totally hold her own against most of the men in the film. With the help of “Drunken Cat,” a beggar she meets along the way, she goes to confront the leader of the bandits and assure the safe return of her brother. This is one of the most famous films in wuxia, with many classic scenes such as “I’ll show you my skill, you show me yours” in the beginning. If you can only watch one film on this list, I totally recommend this one.

This is one of those “you either like it, or you don’t” movies, and rightly so. Scenes and characters come and go, and the plot just seems to meander into nowhere. So why is it on this list? Personally, I think this film is mostly misunderstood. Ashes of Time is a semi-prequel starring the character, Ou Yang Feng, who would later become the prime antagonist in the story “Legend of the Condor Heroes,” a television series so famous it is adapted numerous times and the actors always become household names. As a psychological film that questions the nature of good and evil, the motive of human beings, and destiny, this movie is an interesting, though bleak look into another side of wuxia.

By the way, it was re-released a few years ago as “Ashes of Time Redux.” I haven’t seen the that version of the movie, but I do know that a couple more scenes were added, the music was entirely redone, and the cinematography has changed. The trailer on this entry is of the original version.

You may think of Chu Liu Xiang as the James Bond of wuxia. He is a gentleman thief that could charm a any snake with his smile. Unfortunately, he has been accused of murdering the leaders of the biggest clans in the country and must find the real killer to clear his name. This is a fast-paced film complete with beautiful sets, awesome martial arts, and a whole lot of mystery. The trailer spoils a little bit, but it doesn’t deter from the excitement of the film.

The first actual, full-on spoof of the stale genre was 1981′s Student Bodies. A very strange film, it centers around ‘The Breather’ (called so because of his heavy breathing), a serial killer targeting students over the phone. While spoofing the various cliches and tropes found in Friday the 13th, Prom Night and Halloween, the film also delivered several very strange but original moments, including an infamous janitor named Stick and a body count meter in the bottom corner. Ending with several twists stacked onto each other, the film is beloved as a cult hit and ushered in the age of ‘self-realization,’ with those horror franchises named before accepting their goofiness and ham, briefly giving them a shot to the heart.

Much like Student Bodies, 2000′s Scary Movie was a response to the stagnate horror genre, taking to town many films, the most prominent being Scream and I know What You Did Last Summer, with many potshots also had at various horror films like The Sixth Sense and The Blair Witch Project. Despite being released almost 20 years later than Student Bodies, a lot of the things it parodies (slutty cheerleaders, ignorant locals, the hackneyed twist ending) were true in the ’70s and ’80s, further showing just how predictable the genre can be. The film is mainly a take on Scream (which was actually satire too), with a parody of the killer from that film, Ghostface, terrorizing a small town and its youth. It also launched it’s own franchise, with a fifth installment coming some time in 2013.

While not as obvious a spoof as the last two films, James Gunn’s Slither is still satire, albeit light, as it’s also a tribute. What it’s both mocking and celebrating are the gory, splatstick B-movies of the ’80s, like Class of Nuke ‘Em High and Killer Klowns from Outer Space. Films like those inspired Gunn to work in Hollywood, and he pays them respect while also tongue-in-cheek making fun of the small, backwoods town and cliches, including the town’s many characters. Largely similar to Night of the Creeps, another B-movie, the film’s about a local southern place in the middle of nowhere targeted by aliens who wish to enslave everybody. Filled with over the top gore and a mix of slapstick and legit horror, it’s become one of the newest editions in the cult film pantheon.

This low-budget, independent film is really only satire in its deconstruction of the tropes found in horror films. Largely, it’s more a love-letter to the Friday the 13th and Halloween franchises, with the main character, Leslie Vernon, being just like Jason Voorhees or Michael Myers. Filmed in the mockumentary style, this 2006 sleeper hit follows Vernon, who by day hires a film crew (much like Man Eats Dog) to explain the various whats and whys of being a psycho, ritualistic murderer, and who by night set ups those very rituals and scenarios, such as picking the virgin, getting her friends to go to the abandoned woods, etc., all so he can brutally murder them. Its tearing down of the stereotypes found in campy, scary movies is both smart and subtle, with a dosage of black humor. A sequel is currently being written.

Mel Brooks, known for many hilarious satires, from the old west in Blazing Saddles to Broadway in The Producers, sets his eyes on the horror icon itself, Frankenstein’s monster, in 1974. It’s a complete reworking of the Frankenstein saga, only done in classic Brook’s fashion, with plenty of slapstick and meta-humor. Some of the humor is subtle (Igor’s hump switching locations), much of it is broad (‘Puttin’ On the Ritz’), but it’s all very funny and very smart, successfully paying tribute to the classic tale and also lampooning its many cliches. Brooks would later try to replicate this formula with Dracula: Dead and Loving It to less success.

Released in 2010, this recent spoof targets the ‘back-woods murderous redneck’ trope, found in many films including Deliverance, The Hills Have Eyes, and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Unlike those films though, the main characters in this film are the rednecks, who aren’t murderous at all. Instead, they’re both incredibly nice, warm people but due to a series of misunderstandings and pure bad luck, are mistaken for those very stereotypes by a group of teenagers vacationing in an old cabin in the woods, who begin to attack the poor guys. It’s a complete reworking of the original cliche, and it works brilliantly, giving rednecks a rare, fair credit.

Another take on the Frankenstein tale, this one comes from the legendary comedy pair of Abbot and Costello, who were known for many kooky adventures. Despite the title, this is more of a ‘monster movie’ spoof than a specific Frankenstein spoof, with both Dracula and The Wolfman being included. In the film, the helpless duo end up unleashing Dracula and Frankenstein’s monster unto the world, and along the way come across the Wolfman too. Like their previous films, it’s zany and full of slapstick, but is still both funny and relevant. Like Young Frankenstein later, the many cliches of Frankenstein are poked fun at, only this time, two more monsters get the treatment.

Directed by the master of horror himself, Wes Craven, Scream manages to be both a complete deconstruction of slasher films and at the same, a great horror movie. Instead of being goofy and silly like other parodies before it, it uses those tropes for it’s advantage, with the murderer of the film, Ghostface, terrorizing a group of students using the various rules of horror movies, like not having sex and not doing drugs. The film openly acknowledges the tropes associated with this type of film, which makes the film stronger and unique. Even the twist ending is fresh. Smart, humorous, and edgy, it was followed by three sequels.

Zombies, a staple of horror since the very beginning, had managed to get through the years without a lot of mockery or grief. That changed in 2004 though, with Edgar Wright’s Shaun of the Dead, a hilarious rundown of zombie cliches and tropes. It’s centered around the titular Shaun, a workaholic with a fratboy best friend and a failed relationship, who’s thrust into the zombie apocalypse. Filled with as much heart as it has laughs, it’s become one of the most popular zombie films of all time, despite making fun of the entire idea throughout. It’s also part of Edgar Wrights ‘The Three Flavors Cornetto Trilogy,’ with Hot Fuzz (a parody of action films) and The World’s End (a parody of sci-fi).

The most recent of these films (just released in April, 2012), The Cabin in the Woods is an ambitious, brave take on pretty much everything horror. A group of youths travel to an old, abandoned cabin in the middle of nowhere, and what follows is exactly what you would imagine: sex, drugs, and murder. The thing is though, (and this isn’t a spoiler, honest), it’s all being controlled by some organization. From drugging the kids so they become dumber to blocking all the exits, they make the teenagers their puppets. The film only gets weirder and crazier as it goes along though, but every cliche and stereotype and monster all get a turn at being spoofed. It’s violent, funny, sexy, and most of all, original. It’s exactly what the horror genre needed, and hopefully it inspires more creativity.

This list covers a handful of films that I believe to be truly outstanding with their use of special effects, and despite there being a plethora of films that could be on this list, these films are the finest example of modern day technology pushed to its very limits.

Deep Impact is a 1998 science-fiction disaster film which finds a 7-mile wide comet, discovered by young astronomer Elijah Wood, to be heading toward Earth with the predicted consequence of mass extinction. The film is particularly known for the impact of the comet fragment, detached from the much larger original comet that is destroyed in a suicide mission by a team of specialist astronauts lead by Robert Duvall, as it hits the Atlantic Ocean and causes a supersonic mega tsunami.

The power and destruction of the comet fragment is really quite impressive, and the tidal waves that proceed to engulf New York City are incredible to behold. This film may not be the highest-earning film, nor have won an endless list of awards and commendations, but it still remains one of the greatest and most realistic disaster films of our time and utilizes special effects to a level of outstanding realism for its time.

I was hesitant about placing a war film on here, due to the nature of its special effects being very different to the other entries. However, this film is arguably the greatest war film of all time and not only contains the acting talents of Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore and Giovanni Ribisi but also holds Steven Spielberg as the director of this emotional tale of 7 soldiers’ brave campaign through World War II.

The film is noted for its opening 27-minute portrayal of the D-Day Normandy beach landings on June 6th 1944. This opening alone is the reason this film deserves a place on this list. The gritty realism has been said to be too much for surviving veterans, and younger generations are struck by both awe and horror at the loss of life. A film that can evoke so much emotion through incredibly realistic special effects and carefully planned screenplay deserves not only to be on this list, but to be seen by everyone as a reminder of human history and the arduous campaigns that fill our past.

All of the original trilogy Star Wars films contain incredible special effects for their time, but I thought it fitting for the film that started it all should be here to represent them. George Lucas crafted the most memorable depictions of space ever to appear on the big screen, and the unforgettable cast and plot helped to make Star Wars one of the greatest film series of all time.

For a film of 1977 origins, Star Wars manages to still captivate and wow modern day generations with its battle scenes and intelligent use of special effects, and have helped make this series one of the targets for modern day visual artists who hope to recreate Lucas’ space opera classic.

Michael Bay’s robot science-fiction film was met was immediate praise from critics and the general public after viewing, most notably for its breathtaking special effects. The 32-feet tall Optimus Prime wowed audiences with his stunning realism and and attention to detail. The film was nominated for four Oscars regarding its visual technologies used, and it’s not hard to see why. This film has spawned two successful sequels, the latest being the 4th highest grossing film of all time. Michael Bay spent a fortune on the special effects in Transformers, and it easy to see where the money went.

Director Roland Emmerich, known for his audacious use of special effects (2012, The Day After Tomorrow) brought us this alien invasion disaster film in 1997 which showed off some truly spectacular scenes. A personal favorite is the memorable attack on the White House, in which a beam from an alien ship obliterates the building into mere dust and fragments.

This film received a medium response by critics, but mainly due to the acting and plot as the special effects were regarded highly despite this. The explosive invasion of Earth holds some truly stunning scenes of special effects, and is a must see for sci-fi action film lovers.

Peter Jackson produced this Best Picture nominated alien epic, and his talents couldn’t have been portrayed any better. The South-African based science-fiction film entices viewers from its very opening as an alien mother ship is seen hovering over Johannesburg . The sheer size and immense power of the ship is some of the greatest vehicular design in all of film making and it is clear that director Neill Blomkamp’s childhood dreams of CGI masterpieces were brought to life. It is said he wanted Weta Digital to work on the effects for the film’s creatures, but they were busy working on James Cameron’s Avatar. However, with other tools and people at his disposal, Blomkamp crafted a sci-fi benchmark.

With a budget of $207 million dollars, the special effects in King Kong still remain some of the most amazing ever used. Peter Jackson brought Kong to life through his intuitive screenplay and some help form the versatile Andy Serkis in his role as Kong. For his performance, Serkis donned a full suit in the shape of a gorilla in which he would act out the Kong motions and behavioral patterns. Serkis’ performance as Kong earned him significant praise and Jackson’s adaptation of this into the film was also praised. King Kong was criticized for its three hour running time, but the epic fantasy adventure is still adored by loyal fans and Kong is still one of the most lifelike fictional creatures ever to appear on screen.

Another Peter Jackson entry here, but he returns as director in Return of the King to end the most memorable epic high fantasy series of all time and craft the 5th highest grossing film of all time. The final battle scenes, taking place outside of Minas Tirith, remains the most spectacular fictitious battle ever to grace our screens.

J.R.R Tolkein’s Middle-Earth writings are some of the most renowned in literature, and Peter Jackson has brought to life Tolkein’s vision in amazing fashion. It took myself 10 years to finally get around to watching the films, and they lived up to everything I hoped they would.

Christopher Nolan is known for creating mind-boggling, eccentric plots and mesmerizing screenplay, but Inception has to be his greatest piece to date. With an all-star cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Joesph-Gordon Levitt, Michael Caine and Cillian Murphy amongst others, Inception is the intriguing look into the world of dream theft and how our world can be so easily manipulated when we lie in bed every night. A particular scene in the film shows off the visual effects to a stunning level when Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character, Arthur, is running down a revolving corridor in zero gravity. This scene was filmed with an actual corridor placed on a revolving axis, to simulate the anti-gravity effects. Watching the scene alone brings about a excited nausea, I can only imagine what it must have been like to film such a stunt.

Did you really expect anything else? The only film to gross more than $2 Billion, nearly $3 Billion, and a film that creator James Cameron had to wait seven years for technology to catch up with. Officially budgeted at $237 million, and going on to gross $2,782,275,172, Avatar changed the way filmmakers and cinematographers view the world of camera effects and CGI, and has been called a ‘breakthrough in cinematic technology.’ The film made extensive use of cutting-edge motion capture filming techniques to produce a true 3-D experience, that was filmed entirely in these ground-breaking techniques as opposed to having a 3-D overlay placed on the film at the end for that final drop of profit. The average film is shown in 24 frames per second, and Cameron has already announced his plans to film the sequel to Avatar in 60 frames per second. Cameron has taken CGI and technology in cinema to incredible heights, and he shows no sign of stopping his forging of modern day special effects.

Larry Clarke’s feature debut came along with very mixed reactions from critics. The film Kids is one of the most realistic depictions of lower-class, urban teenagers one may ever come across. The film plays out like a documentary about sexually active teenagers in New York. The plot is circled around a young boy named Telly who has infected many virgins with HIV including a girl named Jennie. Jennie treks across New York to prevent him from infecting any others while Telly takes it on himself to raise hell in his urban neighborhood.

The film’s dark premise is profusely unsettling in the sense that you couldn’t explain it to a callow younger sibling. There are many scenes that involve underage drug use and very explicit sex scenes that I’m surprised Larry Clarke wasn’t arrested for. Regardless, Kids is indeed a very important film sure to widen eyes of adults and teens alike, with its abysmal, terrifying methods of storytelling.

The Outsiders is about a group of social outcasts (hence the title) and their journey through conflict and friendship. Though it has strained from the novel quite a bit, the source material’s social commentary transcends into the film with a copious surge that anyone could fathom. The story itself does not only focus on the relationship of friends but the clash of family and the anguish of lost loved ones.

The Outsiders is a film that’s much more restrained in its dark subject matters then most movies you’d see on this list. The Outsiders is an entertaining film from legendary director Francis Ford Coppola but with a bleak message of social class and seeing the world in only black and white, The Outsiders provides an age old fable.

A motion picture that was derived from a true case but I unfortunately discovered (from what I researched) has contrasted in many ways. Nevertheless, River’s Edge is an enthralling and very interesting piece on friendship and psychological disintegration. The film is centered on a coterie of friends who discover one of their own had been murdered and to an even more comprehensive revelation by a member of their own clique.

This film was very quaint in the style and the mannerisms that the young characters displayed. After one of their best friends have died, they don’t feel dismay or sorrow for her loss but rather confound ambivalence. The young boy who murdered the girl has his friend go out of his way to try to keep him from being caught but at his own risk. On the other hand, his other friends are bewildered when attempting to decide on whether to report him. River’s Edge is a very flustered story that deals with very different (yet interesting) characters who have to deal with their own issues while trying to piece the puzzles to a larger problem.

Gus Van Sant after making such big movie hits such as Milk, Good Will Hunting and Finding Forrester has taken another road in the medial portion of his career. Elephant, winner of the Palme d’Or, is a story about many different individuals within the same high school in the days leading up to a school shooting. The premise is very chilling and with it’s interesting premise comes one of his best movies in years.

Elephant is a disquieting tale showcasing the live of socially prominent teen students to ethically reticent or even estranged loners. Though the filming technique is an attempt to make the film into a piece of art rather than an entertaining spectacle, Elephant is shot with raw ferocity and plays out with a real feeling of finesse in the story. Aside from the build up of characters, the school shooting scene is surely the most memorable, staggering moments in this feature not even contemplating to hide the violence or the brutality of the situation.

A very interesting ‘neo-noirish’ twist in a high school drama story. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as the intelligent loner on a mission to look for his ex-girlfriend through the underground workings of underage drug dealers and the high school students who affiliate themselves with them. Brick is an intelligent drama that can seem very murky in subject manner and somber in its content dealing with troubled students.

With a highly stylized filming method (not uncommon in noir films), Brick pieces together an interesting high school tale with interesting (and perhaps sometimes very astute) characters that story is centered around. Brick does contain a lot of very violent scenes involving multiple fights that the protagonist gets himself into as well as other moments (that I shall remain untold). For an average film goer, this film should be able to follow pretty easily and if they actually pay attention, they could find the significance behind how Brick plays out.

Its very hard to discern a movie like this, watching L.I.E. most of us should be able to tell how well written it is but how to perceive of the premise: a fifteen-year old boy’s relationship with a much older pedophile. This is one of Paul Dano’s first movies and by watching it, you can tell that he has one of the most natural talents in the industry today and the always amazing Brian Cox shined as the disturbingly dynamic pedophile.

The story itself is one that may entice anybody to check it out (myself included) and, by watching it, may get a sense of apprehension or disgust by its content. L.I.E. was one of the most popular films of the year because of its uncommonly perception of teen boys in a bourgeois residential neighborhood. This film deals with sexual confusion, bi-curiousness and the intriguing behavior one young individual could infect another with.

Clareece Jones is an extremely overweight, illiterate and socially tormented young woman living in a very low class location in Harlem, New York. Precious is so far the only movie that has received as much Oscar recognition as it has and deserving as well. Precious deals with in her life something that is utterly dismaying yet not too aberrant, as these kinds of stories have appeared on television programs many times before.

It’s always interesting to see a very tragic story such as this from one person’s perspective and when we received that in this film, jaws dropped and tears jerked. Hearing the warning of this movie’s content, one may be repelled to watch it such as incestuous pedophilia, domestic abuse, social blusters and bullying. But giving it a chance, you will find Precious to be one of the most touching, relate-able, and strangely feel good films of the year.

It’s hard to begin to explain a film like this and how tragic it can be. A sweet, intelligent girl on a lower tier of the social ladder destroys herself to become more prominent in the social conglomeration. Yes, it is a story many of us had heard so many times before but it’s something that should always hook kids and parents alike. The movie itself alarms the viewers with its very odd opening and its inevitable outcome.

Thirteen shows its audience how hard it could be to avoid peer pressure when to become popular is something all of us want (whether we’d like to admit or not). In this film particularly, the main character pursues in very appalling transgressions such as stealing, underage promiscuity, smoking and drinking. Daunting? Yes, but nevertheless a great tale that should be pursued by anyone looking for a peculiarly good story.

This movie abolished any misconceptions or prejudice I had against people living in this type of environment. Boyz n the Hood is John Singleton’s first feature about the troubles young high school students deal with while living in a gangster filled neighborhood. The protagonist is pushed into a world where violence and the strict lawless grey areas come into contact with young people attempting to graduate high school and making a name for themselves.

Boyz n the Hood is an Oscar-nominated triumph of suburban crime life and an exploration of characters who deal with the social atrocities that they try to avoid. This was a story that needed to be told so that the only people who are aware of these misconducts and villainy are not the only ones who know what’s occurring. Boyz n the Hood is a teen drama, that doesn’t only focus on the young characters that attempt to avert from the crime but the characters that participate in the acts.

Rebel Without a Cause is the iconic scrutinizing of troubled teens; this consists of a capaciously scary world of knife duels and lethal games of “chicken.” Rebel Without a Cause is, for good reason, the most famous portrayal of rebellious teens and their dysfunctional relationship with their family as well as their peers. This affection themed film won over a profusely large audience with its commentary on the outlook of adolescence.

James Dean’s star making performance focuses mostly on his character who seems to be a very troubled, socially awkward and highly disillusioned seventeen year old juvenile. Sure, there are many teenagers who fit this description nowadays but to be candid, they wouldn’t be as cool. Rebel Without a Cause has aged with grandeur and spectacle; it was definitely a teen film ahead of its time.

My Own Private Idaho, Basketball Diaries, Running with Scissors, American History X, and many more

A phobic con artist, Roy Walker, and his accomplice, Frank, are about to pull of their next job when Roy’s estranged teenage daughter, Angela, arrives. Roy is an obsessive-compulsive agoraphobic, who is at first disrupted in his carefully ordered routine, but soon begins to enjoy the relationship that is developing with the daughter he never knew he had as she grows fascinated with his career.

Later on in the film, the mark of the con, Chuck, is waiting outside Roy’s house alongside a badly beaten Frank, Angela shoots Chuck and Roy sends her off with Frank into hiding until the matter has calmed down. Roy begins to take care of Chuck’s body who suddenly springs to life and knocks Roy unconscious. Roy awakes in hospital to find Frank and Angela missing. He slowly realizes that Frank has pulled a con on him, and after talking to his divorced wife, it is revealed that Roy’s actual daughter was a miscarriage and Angela was just Frank’s accomplice.

In this endlessly bizarre, dystopian, sci-fi from the mind of Terry Gilliam, Sam Lowry is an ordinary (well, ordinary compared to the rest of the characters) bureaucrat living in this not-so-distant future country, who is employed to investigate a rather serious mix up, and becomes a public enemy.

Sam is captured by his old friend Jack Lint as he is now assumed to be a terrorist. He is taken to be tortured, but then Tuttle and members of the resistance against the government storm the chamber and rescue Sam. They flee in a hail of gunfire, and Sam and his love interest Jill, leave happily ever after and settle in the countryside. Except they don’t. It is revealed that this is all happening inside Sam’s head, who is actually sitting in the torture room now catatonic and a lost cause.

Speaking of course about the original here, this 1973 horror stars Edward Woodward as police sergeant Neil Howie. He receives an anonymous letter requesting him to journey to the Hebrides and investigate the disappearance of a young girl. Upon arriving at the island Summerilse, the devout Christian Howie is rather unnerved, to say the least, at the locals choice of a Celtic pagan religion.

Near the end of the film it is revealed that Howie was lured to the Isle by the islanders, who were successful in leading him to believe that a missing girl was being held captive against her will. Because of the dreadful harvest in the previous year, their religion calls for a sacrifice to be made, and Howie is just the right man for it. He is stripped naked, dressed in ceremonial robes, then dragged into a giant wicker statue which is then set ablaze.

This classic horror from Roman Polanski revolves around a young couple who move into a new apartment with a sinister reputation. It was supposedly once possessed by cannibal murderers, witches, Satanists and a lot of other outstanding members of society. An array of strange things and creepy neighbors arise, and as Rosemary becomes pregnant she suspects that they may have plans for the baby.

As it happens, it turns out that Rosemary’s baby is actually the spawn of the Devil and all of her neighbors begin to scream “Hail Satan.” Then persuaded by one of her neighbors, Roman, Rosemary reluctantly decides to give in to her maternal instincts and is seen cradling the baby, “He has his Father’s eyes…”

Randle Patrick McMurphy has once again got himself in trouble with the law, and now to escape prison he pleads insanity. He then ends up in a mental hospital, where he meets a range of colorful and of course, insane characters, as well as the oppressive and degrading Nurse Ratched. Together, the inmates led by McMurphy go on a rebellious streak in protest of her.

After a night of drinking and women smuggled in by McMurphy, Nurse Ratched arrives to discover the mess the next morning. Billy, a stuttering and socially awkward man-child, at risk of suicide is discovered with a lady, the Nurse threatens to tell his mother. Left alone in the room for a few seconds, Billy consequently kills himself with a piece of glass. Horrified by this, McMurphy assaults and strangles Ratchet nearly to death. He is knocked out then taken away. Later, the chief, a giant, seemingly mute Red Indian discovers McMurphy with lobotomy scars, so he escapes in the way that McMurphy said he would.

A young FBI cadet, Clarice Starling, is tasked with collaborating with a manipulative and genius serial killer Hannibal Lecter. They are to try and catch another killer, Buffalo Bill, a man who captures then skins his victims to form a selection of coats made from women’s skin.

After Lecter’s escape from a “secure” cell in Tennessee, Clarice investigates the hometown of the first victim of Bill. She winds up inside Bill’s home while a SWAT team enter the wrong house. She draws her weapon as Bill escapes to the basement and then pursues him carefully. The lights go out leaving Clarice in complete darkness but she eventually kills Bill. Days later, she receives a call from Lecter in the Bahamas, now at large. He puts down the phone remarking “I’m having a friend for dinner” then pursues the prison doctor along the road.

An unstable insomniac and a charismatic soap salesman named Tyler Durden team up, after the insomniac’s house is mysteriously destroyed. Together they create a secret fight club and the insomniac is now able to get some sleep. As the club expands, so to does the philosophy behind it until the insomniac begins to believe it is out of control.

While tracing Tyler’s steps around the other fight clubs he has set up, the insomniac gets an eerie feeling of déjà vu. He remembers everywhere he is going until one of the participants in the club identifies him as Tyler Durden. He and Tyler are the same person. Durden has set up plans to bring down headquarters of several major credit companies to cripple finance networks. The insomniac attempts to disarm bombs set up to destroy the buildings when he is knocked out by Tyler after an imaginary and awesome fight. After destroying the illusion of Tyler by shooting himself, the insomniac is unable to stop the bombs and Tyler’s plans are fulfilled.

In what could be the most unchronological film ever, an ex-insurance investigator, Leonard Shelby, can no longer create new memories after an assault where his wife was killed and he took a hard knock to the head giving him this bizarre defect. Memento shows two storylines, one in color going backwards from the moment Leonard kills his friend Teddy and the other showing a phone conversation Leonard has with a mystery person in normal time.

When the two stories collide, Leonard has killed the man who he believes is John G, his wife’s killer, in an abandoned building. After muttering the word “Sammy” (a man with a similar condition, who Leonard only talks about to people he’s met), Leonard realizes he must have killed the wrong man. Under pressure, Teddy reveals that Leonard’s wife actually survived but died of an insulin overdose described in the Sammy story and that Leonard deliberately created an unsolvable puzzle to give himself purpose. So Leonard uses the license of Teddy’s car as a clue to find the “killer” which will eventually lead to Teddy’s death.

Two homicide detectives pursue a serial killer who targets people who have committed one of the seven deadly sins, using inventive and often genius ways to kill them. First comes the sin of Gluttony as Mills and Sommerset discover the body of a morbidly obese man who has been forced to eat spaghetti hoops to death.

Near the conclusion, all but two murders have been committed, Mills and Sommerset await for news on the next but the killer, John Doe, then hands himself into the police covered in blood. If the detectives take him to the next two bodies he says he will confess to the killings. At the outskirts of town a van arrives with a mysterious package to be delivered to this location at this time. Sommerset opens the box and recoils in horror at what he sees. Straight away he rushes to Mills shouting at him to put his gun away. Doe reveals that he has killed Mills’ wife and the child inside her. Stricken with grief, Mills executes him. Doe himself was envy and in killing him, Mills was wrath, thus completing Doe’s “masterpiece.”

After a truck hijacking, five men are arrested and brought to be investigated. All of them are not guilty and are released but then decide to plan a revenge operation against the police. The job is pulled off, but then the five discover that the legendary master criminal Keyser Soze believes each of them have wronged him and desires something back. The “payback job” doesn’t go well as 27 men are left dead on a destroyed ship.

We learn all of this by the testimony of one of the conmen, a quiet man with cerebral palsy named Verbal Kint, who is one of two survivors on the boat. After telling his story, agent Kujan, the man Verbal is talking to, concludes that Dean Keaton, another one of the five criminals, is Keyser Soze and lets Verbal go. As he leaves, Kujan discover to his horror that the story relayed to him was actually made up from things Verbal saw on the wall behind him, and as he runs around looking for Verbal a fax come through with the artists impression of what Soze looks like from the other survivor. It is a drawing of Verbal. Now clear of the station Verbal begins to walk normally and gets into a car with his associate and drives off.

Notable Omissions: Primal Fear, Chinatown and a few others. These were not included as I have not yet seen these films.

We start our list with Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis in Atonement. She may not be given the benefit of the doubt, but this and A Dangerous Method (2011) show that when she is given good scripts, she can make the most of the material. She plays Cecilia with alternating lust and vindictiveness toward James McAvoy and Saoirse Ronan, respectively. She breaks free of Elizabeth Swann and gets a chance to play a three-dimensional character, and makes the most of it.

As Annette Bening’s partner in a two-mother relationship, Julianne Moore plays her character as a modicum of mystery. Her affair with Mark Ruffalo’s character Paul sets off a chain of heartbreak and confusion, which shockingly works itself out for her and Bening by the end.

Sarcastic and sassy, Shailene Woodley received a Golden Globe nomination as the smart-alec daughter of George Clooney. Unfortunately, a Golden Boy nomination eluded her this year. Her bitter monologue towards her dying mother reveals a vulnerability and sadness that will stay for a while. Her troubled character is only a teenager, but her performance is well beyond her years. With a little more time, this performance could probably be ranked higher.

Admittedly, the film hasn’t held up to its critical acclaim recently, but it is certainly good for an adaptation of a graphic novel. While Hugo Weaving is fantastic as V, it is Natalie Portman as the strong-willed Evey Hammond that makes the film. Her rebellion and corruption by V is one of the most enduring character performances of the 2000s.

As Josh Brolin’s trailer-trash wife, Kelly Macdonald provides his character Llewellyn Moss with a level head. Her final confrontation with Anton Chigurh, where she pleads (albeit unsuccessfully) for him to spare her life is one of the most enduring moments of the film. She alternates between comic relief, loving wife, and tough-willed woman throughout the film.

In many ways, Emma Thompson’s character Karen is the glue of the film – she is the sister of the new British Prime Minister, and she provides a shoulder for Liam Neeson to lean on. She also plays mother to two children, hoping to keep the cheer going during the holiday season. When she finds out about Harry’s (Alan Rickman) affair, she finally loses her composure and weeps while listening to “Blue” by Joni Mitchell. Nothing is more appropriate for this film.

Wood’s character Molly serves as a wannabe “femme fatale,” lusting after Ryan Gosling while still trying to impact the Democratic primary. After great performances in Thirteen (2003) and The Wrestler (2008), Wood becomes an adult in this film. Her character is a teenager in an adult’s body, and her monologue about getting pregnant and her subsequent frantic phone calls before her demise are shattering in a film that shatters the grand illusion of American politics.

As the mother of a 12 year-old boy, Toni Collette should have earned her second Supporting Actress nomination for this film. Her troubles with motherhood forces Hugh Grant’s Will to act as a surrogate to her son, while she struggles to put her life back together.

Mixing politics and satire, Hope Davis serves as a great foil to Paul Giamatti’s Harvey Pekar. 2003 was a better year for female performances than people realize (as will be seen later in this list), and Davis is no exception. Her “chronic nerviness” and scathing commentary help make the film one to watch.

Admittedly, Scarlett Johansson hasn’t made the best choices since, but one could argue that without Lost in Translation, she wouldn’t have broken out. Her counterpoint to Bill Murray’s character Bob Harris, her character is suffering a quarter-life crisis, and they struggle to pick themselves up surrounded by the lure of Tokyo’s nightlife.

As the enigmatic precog Agatha, Morton plays a frightening symbol of what the future could become. Seeking to avenge her mother’s murder, Agatha is the heroine in a film where anti-heroes are the norm, and her character helps Tom Cruise beat the system.

She may be more famous as Jake Gyllenhaal’s older sister, but Maggie Gyllenhaal’s performance in Secretary shows that she is talented in her own right. It’s a powerful character study about personal dysfunction and the power of submission, as she becomes the submissive partner of eccentric attorney James Spader. Her devotion – which could also be argued as being a stalker or as a weak-willed woman – holds up, and her character Lee is one of the screen’s premier female anti-heroes.

It could be said that her performance is better – and certainly just as heart-wrenching – as her Oscar-winning performance in A Beautiful Mind. As Kathy, Connelly is a recovering drug addict and alcoholic whose ignorance cause her to lose her father’s house. Connelly is brilliant as an addict, but even more as a seductress, luring married policeman Lester (Ron Eldard) into causing trouble for the Behrani family. I doubt Jennifer Connelly’s performance would have beat Charlize Theron, but man, it would have been closer than it was had she been nominated.

I think the only reason (as fickle as it sounds) that Mila Kunis was snubbed was because of her role as Meg Griffin. Regardless, Kunis’ character Lily is the embodiment of the “femme fatale” – or is it all part of Natalie Portman’s hallucination? One of the most psychologically chilling performances, Lily is hypersexual, and certainly convinced that she could be Nina. Her “bad girl” image is a perfect contrast to Nina’s conservative, controlled image which gradually falls apart. We get to see Kunis as a bad girl, and it’s a chilling portrayal.

Kate and Leo re-unite, and it’s evident the chemistry is still there between the two. I have no problem with Kate Winslet winning Best Actress, but this is the movie she should have won for, instead of The Reader. Her character April Wheeler starts as an enthusiastic and idealistic young wife, whose love and spirit wane over the course of twenty-plus years. Her scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio indicate that even when they aren’t living pseudo-happily ever after (a la Titanic), there is still an amazing camaraderie and friendship and deep-seated love and respect between them. Why she was nominated for The Reader instead eludes me, as she proves just how fraudulent and farcical the American can be, and often is.

We start this list off with one of this year’s snubs – Albert Brooks, one of America’s underrated comedians, plays a mobster who leads a getaway driver in a cat-and-mouse game over a $300,000 heist. It’s one of Brooks’ best, but Drive was snubbed at the Oscars. Considering that Brooks was one of two favorites to win, this snub screams egregious.

In The English Patient, Colin Firth plays the husband of Kristin Scott Thomas. When his wife begins an affair, Firth naturally wants revenge, although it proves to be his downfall, in more ways than one. Firth was an upcoming star, and this was his breakout role.

Say what you want about him personally, but Richard Gere gave a career-best performance as smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn. Having claimed to have “never lost a case,” Flynn plays puppet master (literally and figuratively) in the film, making sure that his perfect record remains intact. In addition, his tap dance combined with his courtroom histrionics are one of the best parts of the film.

Philip Seymour Hoffman has been on a hot streak this past decade. Although The Ides of March was not the critical success it claimed to be, Hoffman’s performance as intensely loyal campaign manager Paul Zara steals the film from George Clooney and Ryan Gosling. His monologue about misguided loyalty and consequences proves that sometimes loyalty can be a fatal flaw. When he is betrayed by Clooney and Gosling at the end of the movie, his final scene is played with malaise and pain that pulls the audience to him. If there is a hero in this film, he is it.

Best known as Ben Affleck’s younger brother, Casey Affleck did receive a nomination that year in the supporting category for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. He should have been a double-nominee that year, though, as his role as Detective Patrick Kenzie forces him to confront his neighborhood pride and still do the right thing. The very end of the film makes him realize how much of a misjudgment he has made in his investigation.

For me, the best part of the film is his scene where he talks back to a salesman, saying “I’m a Dapper Dan man!” The film is a little choppy as a whole, but Clooney’s take on Odysseus makes him an anti-hero in the Great Depression, a time when the public needed a “regular” guy. His banter and face may not have won him the award, but it should have given him his first nomination five years earlier than it actually did.

All you need to know about this film can be summed up in two words: The Dude. As the Dude, Jeff Bridges plays an unemployed pothead who becomes involved in a kidnapping plot. His nonchalance makes all the serious parts of the film seem farcical, and he provides a perfect foil to John Goodman’s Walter. To sum it up: “The Dude abides.”

Dylan Baker, in this writer’s opinion, is one of the more underrated character actors of our time. In Happiness, he plays Bill Maplewood, a supposed “family man” who is, in fact, a pedophile. He abuses two of his son’s classmates, and does it ruthlessly, bordering on being a stalker. The audience feels repulsed by his actions, as they well should, but it’s a testament to Baker’s acting talent that he can be so vicious under a cheerful façade.

Coming off a Best Actor nomination the previous year, Don Cheadle plays a detective in Crash, assigned to find his missing brother. It turns out that his brother is on the other side (i.e. the wrong side) of the law, and when Cheadle can’t save him, his confrontation with his mother forces him to re-evaluate his tardiness. His opening quote, about Los Angeles not being a “real city” and untrustworthy, sets the tone for a troubling film. Say what you want about its Best Picture credentials, but it’s a lot better than people give it credit for. Cheadle is a reason why.

In a double role as twin brothers Paul and Eli Sunday, Paul Dano provides the perfect foil to ruthless oil baron Daniel Plainview, played by Daniel Day-Lewis. Dano’s character Eli, a preacher, goes from aggressor to victim at the drop of a hat. One minute, he is forcing Plainview to confess his sins, and then being forced to admit that “God is a superstition” and “I am a false prophet” in order to prevent Plainview from killing him. I don’t think anybody would have beaten Javier Bardem that year, but Dano certainly could have given him a run for his money.

The only directing nominee on this list, Cold Mountain is just as good as his Oscar-winning directed piece, The English Patient. In many places, it’s better. Minghella leads an amazing ensemble class, including Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Baker, Brendan Gleeson, Natalie Portman, and more. Both he and the film should have received top nominations.

I must admit, I kind of wanted to see Astin on this list so that Return of the King would lose at least one award (because, let’s face it, nobody was going to beat Tim Robbins that year). Still, Astin goes from ensemble to second lead over the course of the trilogy, and considering how far he rose from his child star status, he deserved the nomination, if not the victory.

Much like Dylan Baker, Jason Patric has developed into a fine character actor. The son of Jason Miller (a.k.a. Father Karras in The Exorcist), Patric give a career-best performance in Your Friends and Neighbors. As Cary, Patric shows that you don’t have to kill anyone to be a true sociopath. His character is a rapist, a sexual predator, and a misanthrope who takes perverse delight in sleeping with women, then breaking their hearts. He is probably the most immoral character that almost nobody knows about. While chatting with his male colleagues, Cary recalls that his best sexual experience was a homosexual rape in high school, which he claims “blew him away.” In arguably his most cruel moment, his refusal to wear condoms (because of his macho attitude) results in another character becoming pregnant. Not surprisingly, he blames her. To this writer, this is the Best Supporting Actor performance of 1998 (with all due respect to the late, great James Coburn).

As oenophile and wannabe novelist, Miles, Paul Giamatti plays an anti-hero for the 21st century. His character is the quintessential loser: unpublished, depressed, divorced, and in the middle of a mid-life crisis. And Giamatti is hilarious in this role. His interactions with Jack (Thomas Haden Church) reveal his hard side, while his softer side emerges with Maya (Virginia Madsen). One of my favorite scenes in movie history is the scene after his book is rejected for the final time: he waxes philosophical about how he is nothing more than a “thumbprint on a skyscraper window.” Always getting the last word, Miles later admitted he borrowed from Charles Bukowski. Always poignant, Giamatti always has us on his side, and we find ourselves hoping he can land on his feet.

“Good morning. Oh, and in case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night.” As Truman Burbank, Jim Carrey reveals just how good he can actually be when given the right material. His heartbreaking portrayal of Truman Burbank won him the Golden Globe for Best Actor, but he was shockingly denied his best chance at Oscar gold (you could argue that he should have been nominated for Man on the Moon as well). I will say it – during the year 1998, there was no better performance: not Tom Hanks, not Roberto Benigni, not Edward Norton. How he slipped through the cracks is one of the most astounding Oscar mysteries.

Honorable Mentions: Jack Nicholson, The Departed; Kevin Spacey, L.A. Confidential; Ben Foster, 3:10 to Yuma; Denzel Washington, American Gangster; Gene Hackman, The Royal Tenenbaums

Some key characteristics of Film Noir include:

-A specific visual style characterized by low-key lighting, deep shadows, and obscuring camera angles.
-Disorientation through plot devices such as a non-linear plot line, an unreliable narrator, or flashbacks.
-A sense of impending doom or hopelessness.
-Stories about crime, either from the perspective of the criminal or the investigator. These crimes often include robberies, heists, or crimes of passion such as murder or suicide.
-Morally questionable protagonists that are not portrayed in a sympathetic light. They may be mentally unstable, corrupt, have a criminal background, or be involved with criminals.
-The “femme fatale” – a mysterious and seductive love interest who often leads the hero into compromising positions. She is not necessarily a bad person, although she is most often portrayed in an unflattering light.

Despite the classic Film Noir Period being put to rest at the end of the 1950s, the style and characteristics of the time period still influence Hollywood films to this day. The following is a list of ten outstanding films from the year 2000 or later that feature many of the characteristics of classic Noir cinema.

Starting off we have a psychological thriller that some may find controversial to include on this list. I would contend, however, that the dark journey into the psyche of our female lead is directly in line with the path of impending doom that is a cornerstone of classic Noir films. Right from the beginning, a feeling of despair permeates the screen and does not let go. Outside of crime drama, Film Noir often turned towards performers and their inner demons to create intense drama out of feelings of inadequacy and egotism (classics such as The Big Knife (1955) and Sunset Blvd. (1950) come to mind). The intense results that this can produce are powerfully portrayed in Black Swan’s ongoing struggle between Nina (Natalie Portman) and her ballet rival Lily (Mila Kunis). Despite twisting the more commonly seen “male seduced by female” structure of Noir cinema, Kunis’ seduction of Portman is a classic femme fatale at work. The only question is, did it really happen?

Key Film Noir Aspects: Feeling of Despair, Mental Instability, Femme Fatale

The Lookout makes the list with a classic Film Noir plot line: our “hero,” in this case Chris Pratt (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), gets mixed up with the wrong crowd and unwittingly finds himself at the center of a heist. The exploitation of the lead character through his feelings for the aptly named Luvlee (Isla Fisher) is a great look at the powers of the femme fatale at work. This is one of the more uncomfortable films on the list, as you can’t help but sympathize with Chris’ exploitation after learning through his narration early in the film that he has difficulties with day-to-day interactions after receiving brain trauma in a car accident. The Lookout, in a lot of ways, can be compared to the classic Scarlet Street (1945) and the equally brutal exploitation of the sheepish Christopher Cross (Edward G. Robinson).

Key Film Noir Aspects: Criminal Actions, Femme Fatale

Another trip into the psychological side of Film Noir, this one is weird. Really weird. This film is probably best known for Christian Bale’s incredible commitment to the role, dropping over 60 lbs in order to believably play Trevor Reznik, our “hero” who is struggling with some serious mental issues attributed to his insomnia. It takes the entire film for us to finally get a clear picture of what exactly is going on with Trevor, and along the way we are treated to a barrage of intensely dark scenes. Some are real and some are imagined, but the line is incredibly blurred. Classic use of a dark visual style, a slowly unraveling mystery, and disorienting flashbacks make this one among the more disturbing Neo-Noirs you will ever see.

Key Film Noir Aspects: Visual Style, Mental Instability, Morally Questionable “Hero,” Disorienting Plotline

I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who has seen this film who wasn’t blown away by it. One of Christopher Nolan’s best ever, it has Noir written all over it. Murder, classic Noir visual style, an unreliable narrator and non-linear plot, you name it and it’s here. To top it all off (without giving too much away), in classic Noir style, we find out in the big twist that our “hero” was doomed from the start. A must-see for any Neo-Noir fan (or any Christopher Nolan fan for that matter).

Key Film Noir Aspects: Visual Style, Mental Instability, Unreliable Narrator, Non-Linear Plotline, Murder Mystery

Think what you want about Tom Cruise’s religious affiliations, but he is a straight-up badass in this film. While it may be true that Jamie Foxx is the real hero, if you aren’t rooting for Cruise, you must be watching a different movie. It isn’t until late into the film that we realize that the suave businessman in the back of the cab may not be as admirable as we are led to believe he is. Cruise delivers as our Morally Questionable “Hero,” and in the end, in brutal Film Noir fashion, he learns the same lesson that Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray in Double Indemnity (1944)) and other classic criminals of the ’40s and ’50s always learned: crime doesn’t pay. The seedy nightlife and back alleys of Los Angeles are the perfect backdrop for this tightly woven crime thriller.

Key Film Noir Aspects: Visual Style, Morally Questionable “Hero,” Classic Noir Ending

Our only entry on this list from across the pond, make no mistake about it: In Bruges is funny. Get past the witty banter and midgets, however, and this is a dark film. While the city of Bruges may not be a classic Noir setting, the dark streets and cold atmosphere certainly are. In classic style, we don’t know much about our “heroes” at the start, but through the use of a well-placed flashback and smart dialogue, we learn all we need to know. And while it starts off slow, when this one gets going there’s no turning back. Does anyone fit a role more perfectly than Ralph Fiennes does here?

Key Film Noir Aspects: Visual Style, Criminal Actions, Flashback, Morally Questionable “Heroes”

AND Eastern Promises (2007). All right, I cheated a little here. Really though, either of these amazing films could fit in this spot. Both of them are directed by David Cronenberg and star Viggo Mortensen in two of his best performances put to film. History of Violence harkens back to the outstanding Robert Mitchum Noir, Out of the Past (1947), as an ex-criminal trying to forget his former life finally has his wrongdoings catch up to him. Eastern Promises is very more up-front and in-your-face with its criminal dealings, but shares the dark mood and odd sense of impending doom that are so common in Noir cinema. If you plan on watching these two, be prepared for some serious on-screen violence.

Key Film Noir Aspects: Feeling of Despair, Criminal Actions, Morally Questionable “Hero”

While Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is certainly a dark comedy, it is also very self-aware of its Noir style. In fact, the whole premise of the movie is almost Film Noir come to life: a private eye (played by Val Kilmer in one of my personal favorite roles of his) and bumbling companion (Robert Downey, Jr.) attempt to solve a murder that has been carried out in an eerily similar manner to a murder portrayed in a Hardboiled Fiction-esque novel. Throw in Downey, Jr’s unreliable (and at times hilarious) narration, some key flashbacks, and the beautiful Michelle Monaghan as Harmony, our classic femme fatale, and you’ve got a Film Noir through and through.

Key Film Noir Aspects: Murder Mystery, Morally Questionable “Hero,” Femme Fatale

Coming back for seconds on our list is Joseph Gordon-Levitt, this time in one of the most unique, yet obvious, Neo-Noir films on this list. What would happen if we took a classic Noir murder mystery, complete with characters, visual style, and dialogue straight out of the 1950s, but placed it into a modern day high school setting? Welcome to Brick, a direct homage to Film Noir with a New Millennium, young-adult twist. Rian Johnson knew exactly what he was looking for when he wrote and directed this one, breathing classic Noir characteristics into this film right down to 1950s vernacular. Don’t let the youth of the characters fool you, though: this is as dark and twisted a mystery as any of the films on this list.

Key Film Noir Aspects: Visual Style, Murder Mystery, Classic Noir Dialogue

It may start out a little slow-paced for some, but if you give Drive a chance, you’ll be glad you did. When I first saw this one, Ryan Gosling’s performance became an instant classic in my mind. If you’re wondering what Humphrey Bogart would look like in a modern day film, just watch Gosling as the nameless Driver in Nicolas Winding Refn’s spellbinding film. This is a classic Noir tough guy: soft spoken, calm, thoughtful, but never on the defensive and ready to do whatever it takes at a moment’s notice. We don’t know much about our “hero” to start, and there is a sense of despair as his relationship with his gorgeous next-door neighbor and her son gets him tangled up with the wrong kind of people. It soon becomes very obvious, however, that there is a lot more to this Driver than meets the eye. When the action happens, it happens fast and doesn’t pull any punches. The Los Angeles streets and back alleys are once again a classic backdrop for the Noir visual style of this amazing film.

Key Film Noir Aspects: Feeling of Despair, Visual Style, Morally Questionable “Hero,” Criminal Actions