On The Edge of Your Seat: All Time Thriller Films from Masterful Directors

The 42 films highlighted below are cinematic gifts of genre suspense that feature scenes that take the viewer through a range of emotions -- from shock to awe to reflection. After watching most of the films noted below, you may need a bit of time to comprehend what you've scene, if not a conversation with a cinephile friend.

I've highlighted quite a few recent films, released between 2019 to 2025, in addition to some classics from earlier this century and beyond. I've also grouped some films by category (courtroom drama thrillers) and noted films by specific directors. This includes David Fincher, Steven Soderbergh, Michael Mann and The Coen Brothers (amongst others) to highlight some masterpiece films from those that are known for producing movie scenes that often make you squirm with anticipation and suspense.

Each entry includes the best (or my favorite) movie poster image I could find, the name of the director, year made and a quick film review of why I think the film is a must see.

Between the films I've specifically highlighted and the numerous others noted, there's 250+ hours of film viewing opportunity encapsulated into a 15 to 20 minute read in this post.

‐------------------------------------------------------------

One Battle After Another (2025, Paul Thomas Anderson)

• One of cinema’s very best all time directors does possibly his best work to date in a career of 4 star films which includes Boogie Nights, Magnolia and There Will Be Blood. This is an intense and driving action film of running and chasing and pursuit, accented with sharp humor and a film score which expertly captures the tension. The film features impeccable acting from Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Chase Infiniti, Benicio del Toro and every supporting actor. The incredible film score was composed by Jonny Greenwood, the lead guitarist and keyboardist of Radiohead. One Battle After Another is compelling and puts the viewer on the edge of their seat for literally all 170 minutes (no bathroom breaks allowed). Sean Penn, playing Colonel Steven J. Lockjaw, delivers a performance which will stick with you long after the film ends. Lockjaw stands out to me as one of the most memorable movie characters in recent film history.

• This is an all time masterpiece that echoes the high stakes intensity of the films The Town and No Country for Old Men. The desperate car chase scenes through Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, along with the music infused body and mind buzz, expertly captures the life and death tension of the moment.

One Battle After Another is non stop from start to finish.

Wrath of Man (2021, Guy Ritchie)

• Few actors in action revenge films deliver like Jason Statham. He looks the part and really does give one the feeling that he is the one person on Earth you would want on your side if your options included fighting for survival and enacting revenge.

• Guy Ritchie delivers arguably his best film (with all due respect to Snatch and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels) in this armored car heist, time shifting neo-noir crime thriller that just keeps getting better as more context is revealed, one peel of the banana at a time. This film has elements of the Michael Mann classic bank heist film Heat, but its darker, completely disinterested in any romantic subplots (Heat had many of those) and really doesn't feature any characters that you would say are good people.

• There are many terrific supporting acting performances in this film of men portraying bad people, most notably Scott Eastwood and Holt McCallany. Even Post Malone and Andy Garcia are cast in this thrilling and smart revenge thriller that uses its terrific score to increase the intensity and stakes until the last scene. Jason Statham has never been better.

Guy Ritchie and Jason Statham get the best out of each other in Wrath or Man.

No Country for Old Men (2007, Coen Brothers)

• This film is nearly perfect. A drama with few words, terrific character actors and a plot that just continues to slowly unfold. It's hard to imagine anyone portraying a villain better than Javier Bardem in this incredible film that offers sweeping scenes of the West interspersed with action, intrigue and violence.

The Square (2008, Nash Edgerton)

• This film is full of morally challenged characters that make it hard for the viewer to really care about what happens to any of them. Everyone wants more money, for one reason or another, and things unravel quickly when the main character gets "too smart" trying to cover up his affair until chaos sets in. There are lots of unexpected twists and turns in this gem of an Australian film that helped to elevate the career of the terrific Joel Edgerton (he starred in the excellent 2025 film Train Dreams).

• The last scene in this film is devastating in many ways, leaving the viewer almost relieved that the last twist in the film has brought it to an emphatic end.

  
  

Parasite (2019, Bong Joon Ho)

• This gripping thriller from the talented Korean filmmaker (known for Mother, The Host, Okja, Snowpiercer) takes viewers on a suspenseful journey, exploring themes of social inequality, class distinctions, and the harsh realities of life. The narrative unfolds with unexpected twists, leading to a series of events that spiral out of control, beyond what anyone could imagine. This is often considered to be one of the best films made since the turn of the century.

  
  

Parasite is one of the best films of the 21st century.

Master Gardener (2022, Paul Schrader)

• This film features Joel Edgerton as a meticulous horticulturist devoted to tending the grounds of a beautiful estate owned by the wealthy homeowner, played by Sigourney Weaver. When he's told to take on her troubled great-niece as an apprentice, his life is thrown into chaos and dark secrets from his past emerge.

• I picked this film, but could have just as easily picked from one of two other recent releases from Paul Schrader. First Reformed, released in 2017, features Ethan Hawke as a Reverend in an unforgettable performance that may be his best and The Card Counter (2021) features Oscar Isaac in a memorable role in a film with a complex plot.

• Paul Schrader wrote the 1976 Martin Scorsese directed film Taxi Driver and is a legendary film writer and screenwriter with credits including American Gigolo, Raging Bull and Affliction. He hasn't directed a lot of films, but has had a heck of a late in life run directing these 3 terrific thrillers in his 70's. All of these films get into unique and interesting topics with psychological drama and intrigue around every corner.

  
  

Ethan Hawke is at his best in First Reformed.

Conclave (2024, Edward Berger)

• If your Catholic, you have to watch this movie! It does a terrific job of explaining the process of nominating a pope and the interesting dynamics of this incredible religion that has believers on every continent. Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and Stanley Tucci star, but all the acting is top notch and the film features incredible scenes of Rome and stunning costume design. I can't recall a PG rated thriller film, there's no intimacy or violence, that I've ever seen that delivers the kind of edge of your seat drama without those elements.

• The director, Edward Berger, also made All Quiet on the Western Front.

Blue Ruin (2013, Jeremy Saulnier)

• When a down and out drifter finds out his parents murderer has been released from prison, he attempts to snap into action and enact revenge. The problem is that he has no money, no resources and can barely manage to find a meal or a place to sleep at night, much less a weapon. He acts on instinct alone, with no plan. This is a clumsy, messy and shocking thriller you won't forget.

• The director also made noted films Rebel Ridge and Green Room.

The Gift (2015, Joel Edgerton)

• Joel Edgerton is back again (as director and actor) playing a long lost obsessive friend (to Jason Bateman) in this 'not for the faint of heart' thriller. While Bateman's character may not be the most likeable guy, no one deserves the unwanted affection of Gordo (Joel Edgerton's character). This film is almost a horror thriller and I can promise you that you will remember Joel Edgerton's face if you ever hear the name Gordo after watching this film.

After Hours (1985, Martin Scorsese)

• I could list 10 to 12 more well known thrillers from this iconic director (including Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Goodfellas, Casino, The Departed, The Color of Money, Wolf of Wall Street, Gangs of New York, Killers of the Flower Moon, Raging Bull), but you know about most of those films. You may not know about this one.

• After Hours (1985) is a strange film where a mostly ordinary guy explores the depths of seedy New York over the course of a crazy evening (that becomes a morning) during which each situation Griffin Dunne steps into is weirder than the next. One of Marty's most unique films.

--------------------------------------------------------------

The Legal and Courtroom Drama Collection

Juror#2 (2024, Clint Eastwood)

• This film will test your emotions and really make you think about what you would do if faced with the situation the main character (the terrific Nicholas Hoult) is faced with. There's a lot of judgment and a lot of layers to this film as the characters struggle with moral dilemmas and decisions about doing the right thing. We typically want (and have) to follow the stated laws, but what if the law doesn't give us the answer we want and maybe doesn't even deliver an outcome that helps society. Clint Eastwood made this film in his 93rd year on this Earth! He has captivated us for decades and when you take into account his acting, producing and directing credits, he's a GOAT candidate. My favorite films he's directed over the years are Absolute Power, True Crime, Gran Torino, Juror#2, Mystic River, American Sniper, A Perfect World and Sudden Impact.

Presumed Innocent (1990, Alan J. Pakula)

• Based on a story by famous author Scott Turow, this is one of many memorable Harrison Ford performances that are completely outside of the Han Solo and Indiana Jones characters he is most known for. This is a twisty turny courtroom murder thriller that is highly regarded in this thriller sub genre. Some other great Harrison Ford performances include What Lies Beneath, Blade Runner, The Fugitive and Patriot Games.

Michael Clayton (2007, Tony Gilroy)

• Tony Gilroy made some good films but this is his masterpiece, and to me, George Clooney's best performance (and George has many to pick from). With incredible supporting performances from Tom Wilkinson and Tilda Swinton, this film has some courtroom drama, but is mostly focused on the moral compromises the lawyers and law professionals face, as they cover up the things they can to protect their clients (and their profits). The acting features some of the best acting performances of any film on this list and really shows the moral compromise and internal rot that comes to those that are paid to slither around and execute their functions, knowing they aren't really doing the right thing for anyone, including themselves. As this movie gets older and you learn more about the world, it's kind of disheartening to see the same story played out over and over, decade after decade.

The Secrets In Their Eyes (2009, Juan Jose Campanella)

• This recommendation is for the 2009 film that won Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Academy Awards and not the 2015 American remake. This (or the next film after this) are probably the best films I've ever seen in the courtroom drama genre, if forced to pick.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023, Justine Triet)

• This is a deeply impactful film about marriage, compromise, perception, and judgment — all unfolding in the shadow of an ambiguous and tragic “accident.” But more than a courtroom thriller, Anatomy of a Fall is an intimate dissection of a relationship under strain.

  The film explores the complexity of loving and respecting a partner while quietly recognizing a widening divide in values, ambition, and emotional needs. It asks uncomfortable questions about how much we can truly know about the person closest to us and how much of what we believe is shaped by our own bias.

  Ultimately, this is a film that lingers. It challenges viewers to reconsider the ease with which we pass judgment and reminds us that every story has layers beneath the surface — and that truth, especially in relationships, is rarely simple.

• Sandra Hüller delivers one of the most commanding performances in recent memory — restrained yet explosive, cerebral yet emotionally raw. Her portrayal anchors the film’s moral ambiguity and forces the audience to confront its own assumptions.

‐‐-----------------‐‐-----------------------------------------

Sinners (2025, Ryan Coogler)

• This is an extremely ambitious film with terrific camera work in a cross time period, involved story of relationships, music and supernatural vampire level gore in the Mississippi Delta. The acting (Michael B. Jordan, Delroy Lindo) is terrific in this kind of biopic, kind of "I don't know what the heck is happening" film that does an incredible, unparalleled job of incorporating African American blues and bluegrass music with dance amid blood suckling vampires.

  
  

Sinners is a fun and interesting ride of a film.

The Fugitive (1993, Andrew Davis)

• This suspenseful action thriller may be the best film Harrison Ford's ever been in. Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones deliver iconic performances, adding to their already impressive careers. The drama that unfolds in this film is highlighted by unforgettable scenes such as spectacular train collisions, daring river escapes, intense dam jumps, and thrilling sequences set in Chicago, including a dramatic escape during the St. Patrick's Day Parade and daring infiltrations of hospitals. It is undoubtedly one of the top films showcasing Chicago.

  
  

The Fugitive never gets old no matter how many times I see it.

Run Lola Run (1998, Tom Tykwer)

• This is a ground breaking film in terms of starts and stops and alternate endings. Its fun, riveting and keeps you on your toes. To make a movie like this before Run Lola Run was released was practically unheard of. Franka Potente gives a powerful performance as the primary lead actor in this exciting and efficient 80 minute film.

• The same director also made the terrific film The Princess and the Warrior with Franka Potente.

A History of Violence (2005, David Cronenberg)

• Viggo Mortensen is at his absolute best in this very complex David Cronenberg film. This film is much different in comparison to some of Cronenberg's mind bending (and often hard to watch) films like the The Fly, Dead Ringers and Crash. I think this film and Eastern Promises (which also stars Mortensen) are the directors best films.

• Ed Harris, William Hurt and Maria Bello are all terrific in this twisting film of reveals. The last scene leaves the audience with an unsettling family dinner scene for a family with a lot to chew on.

  
  

American Beauty (1999, Sam Mendes)

• Kevin Spacey gives one of the best acting performance in modern cinema history. This film started and elevated so many careers including Annette Bening and Chris Cooper, who give complex and powerful performances that may be the best of their careers. This is a drama, filled with dark comedy and rich and complex characters, centered around the plot of a failing marriage. When the doormat Dad decides to stand up and live in defiance of his dominant wife, and pretty much all of society, this film quickly goes from "Interesting, I'm excited to see where this goes," to "I can't believe what I'm seeing." One of my favorite scenes includes an all time 'turn the tables scenario' when Spacey's character is fired from his corporate job and he decides to not take it lying down.

  
  

The Lives of Others (2006, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck)

• The movie narrates the tale of the Stasi in East Germany, depicting how this clandestine police unit monitored individuals' lives and what they believed to be confidential discussions. It explores the repercussions of the surveillance activities from the viewpoints of both the monitored individuals and the monitors themselves. This profound film delves into the significance of human relationships, leaving the viewer with many thoughts to ponder.

  
  

Sexy Beast (2000, Jonathan Glazer)

• Ben Kingsley, as Don Logan, gives one of the more powerful (in your face) and memorable performances of his career in this slick and twisted English mob film that will make you laugh one minute and squirm the next. The film has a great cast and features drama throughout until the end.

• The director, Jonathan Glazer, has made some interesting outside the box films over his career including Under the Skin in 2013 and Zone of Interest in 2024. He received a Best Director Academy Award Nomination for Zone of Interest.

Ben Kingsley commands the screen like few actors can and he does career peek level work in this film.

25th Hour (2002, Spike Lee)

• In the long and amazing acting and directing careers of Edward Norton and Spike Lee, you can argue that this is the arc of both of their careers. Edward Norton's character, Monty, gives a monologue rant in front of a bathroom mirror in one of the most impactful scenes I've experienced in any movie I've ever seen. This film belongs on the same lists that include The Godfather, Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas and No Country for Old Men for me. Last year, The Ringer ranked it as the 3rd best movie made in this century.

• Shout out to Spike's 2025 film Highest to Lowest which is fantastic and captures more of the top notch Denzel energy and presence reminiscent of his performances in Training Day, American Gangster and The Hurricane.

  
  

Career best work by Two Film Giants (Spike Lee, Edward Norton)

Tell No One (2006, Guillaume Canet)

• This is a tough to top French thriller centered around the plot of the disappearance of a doctors wife and the doctor/husband being targeted as the only suspect. The unexpected twists and turns in this film are nonstop, making this an easy film to watch numerous times. If you like the films Gone Girl, The Fugitive and Presumed Innocent, Tell No One will have you glued to the screen.

Mother (2009, Bong Joon Ho)

• Parasite is the entry point for many to the film mastery of Bong Joon Ho, but he has many other films, some nearly as good. This is one of them. Mothers are protective, understandably, and this "oversight" often carries into adulthood. But what about mothers who are obsessed with their sons and are forced to continue to protect them from themselves well into adulthood? Full of twists and turns in this crime and search for the proof of innocence drama, scenes of chilling violence sit side by side with ones with campy ironic humor.

  
  

Shallow Grave (1994, Danny Boyle)

• Ewan McGregor gives (to me) his best performance in this 1994 story of 3 roommates looking for a 4th to take over an empty room. The outcome doesn't turn out as planned and things spiral into completely unforeseen paths when there new roommate passes away leaving some dangerous loose ends in their hands.

• Danny Boyle made many films after this (The Beach, 28 Days Later, Slumdog Millionaire, Steve Jobs), but this is my favorite.

Silent Night (2023, John Woo)

• There are no words spoken in this film by iconic action director John Woo (Face Off). I'm serious. There are only sounds. Interestingly, you don't really miss the words as Woo tells the story, emotionally and masterfully, in this amazing and extremely violent revenge thriller. The plot is centered around a normal guy, a loving and committed father, whose life unravels as he faces the depths of grief after the loss of his son. He decides that his only path forward in life is to train and learn how to use martial arts and weapons to kill anyone involved in the incident that took his sons life.

  
  

Out of Sight (1998, Steven Soderbergh)

• Steven Soderbergh is a director whose name belongs in the same sentence with Scorsese, Coen, Fincher, Eastwood and a few others. He can make you laugh amid smart drama (Logan Lucky, Ocean's Eleven, The Informant), bite your nails to cope with the suspense (Best Picture winner Traffic, Kimi, Black Bag, The Limey), or just play with your mind (Sex, Lies and Videotape, Side Effects, Behind the Candelabra).

• If you had to pick one movie that shows the charisma and charm that George Clooney can uniquely bring to the big screen, and which helped to allow him to do what he's done in the 2000's, this may be it. His chemistry with Jennifer Lopez is incredible and this smart crime caper has the perfect mix of witty dialogue, suspense and incredible supporting acting performances (from Don Cheadle, Albert Brooks, Dennis Farina, Steve Zahn and Viola Davis), making it an easy film to watch again and again.

• This was Soderbergh's first great film and you can see how it laid the ground work for the many masterpieces he has delivered since.

  
  

Steven Soderbergh is a Mt. Rushmore level director and this may be his masterpiece.

The Killer (2023, David Fincher)

• Is there any film director who has ever made so many terrific edge of your seat thriller films? Maybe he has director equals but his standard is very high and stomach turning plot twists are his specialty. We could talk about Seven, Zodiac, Gone Girl, Panic Room, Fight Club and many more. I've selected his most recent film, which features the incredible Michael Fassbender, in The Killer. Its hard to imagine any other actor being a better fit for playing a contract killer (an extremely high end and costly one) in this smart film that features beautiful cinematography and location shots.

• This film features one of the top fight scenes in cinema history when Fassbender (named The Killer in the film as he has no stated name) heads to Florida with revenge on his mind. He faces a formidable muscle bound brute in a battle to the death. To say the scene is intense is an understatement as you can almost feel the blows and hear the flesh tearing. There's no martial arts or anything too cute. This is a knock down, drag out battle where anything you can get your hands on serves as a weapon.

  
  

Michael Fassbender gives one of his best performances in The Killer.

Blood Simple (1984, Coen Brothers)

• This neo-noir crime thriller is where it all began for the Coen Brothers and I still find it to be one of their very best films (alongside No Country for Old Men, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, Burn After Reading and Barton Fink). This is a gritty thriller with the crimes committed by people that aren't criminals and who think they are much smarter than they actually are. That makes it all the more interesting and messy.

• The Coen Brothers made this film long before they really hit it big in 1996 with Fargo. It reminds me of some of the early work of Martin Scorsese, particularly Mean Streets and Who's That Knocking at My Door.

Fatal Attraction (1987, Adrian Lyne)

• Michael Douglas is a bit less intense (than in Basic Instinct) in this film, but not by much. After all, he's got to protect his family from a women he "innocently" slept with who wants more, MUCH more, and is willing to go to untold lengths to achieve her outcome. Glenn Close is an all time great actress, but if you have to label one of her performances as "best", how can it not be this one?

  
  

Whiplash (2014, Damien Chazelle)

• A thriller about making music at an elite music college. Yes! This film captures the intensity of these programs which break many mortals not made to handle the rigor and dedication required. J.K. Simmons (Fletcher the teacher) and Miles Teller (Andrew the student) are both incredible, with Simmons winning the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his driving, intense performance at the 2015 Academy Awards. There are a lot of lessons built into the dialogue and context of this film making it a worthwhile movie for repeat viewings. This particular quote from Fletcher sticks out to me:

  "There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'Good Job.'"

Breakdown (1997, Jonathan Mostow)

• Kurt Russell perfectly captures the anxiety and desperation anyone would face if a random truck driver started following and stalking you on the highway. This is a wild ride of a film (think Speed or The River Wild) and features some seriously sinister and heartless villain performances, particularly by the amazing J.T. Walsh.

  
  

Foxcatcher (2014, Bennett Miller)

• Steve Carell, Channing Tatum and Mark Ruffalo all showcase incredible acting depth in this film about family wealth, wrestling, obsession and tragedy. To me, this film and The Big Short really showed to the world the deep acting talent of Steve Carell. I'm not sure I could have ever imagined him taking on a role like this before this film. Much like Adam Sandler, his acting talent extends well beyond the hilarious comic performances that were a staple of much of his early career.

• This director also made the notable films Moneyball and Capote.

Before the Devil Knows Your Dead (2007, Sydney Lumet)

• With an incredible cast headlined by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Albert Finney in 2 of their best roles (which is saying a lot given their resumes), Sydney Lumet (5 academy award nominations including for The Verdict, Network and Dog Day Afternoon) delivers a career ending masterpiece of a thriller about greed. Its interesting when so called "easy", victimless (the insurance will cover it and no one gets hurt) crimes turn into something no one could have anticipated. Its even more interesting when the involved parties that thought up the scheme aren't really criminals and gave no consideration to things not going exactly as planned. Hoffman gives one of the most convincing portrayals of a soulless low life that I can remember. Marissa Tomei and Ethan Hawke both deliver terrific supporting acting performances.

BlackBerry (2023, Matt Johnson)

• If films like The Big Short, Wall Street, Jobs or Dumb Money excite you, this film is for you. If you remember the beloved (by many) BlackBerry device which introduced so many of us to the post palm pilot smart phone age, this film will be nostalgic.

• This film features terrific performances by actors I was unfamiliar with who highlight the incredible rise and tragic fall of this company. BlackBerry is a thrilling film highlighting the idealism and excitement of building something amazing and the downfall that comes when greed, individualism and competition make their way into the plot.

  
  

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, Anthony Minghella)

• Matt Damon, Jude Law and Cate Blanchett are at the top of their game in a beautiful film with scenes highlighting numerous parts of Italy, from Rome to Venice to Positano and Ischia. This film really made Jude Laws career and unlocked numerous doors for Matt Damon.

• Phillip Seymour Hoffman (playing Freddie Miles) delivers in a small, but unforgettable supporting role and has my favorite quote in the film, "How's the peeping?"

Basic Instinct (1992, Paul Verhoeven)

• Sharon Stone gives maybe the most powerfully seductive and overtly sexual performance in movie history. Paired with the very best intense version of Michael Douglass, playing a character who is on edge for every second of the film, this is quite the ride.

• Sharon Stone's character name is Catherine Tramell, a perfectly dramatic name for this performance. If you know little about Stone's career, watch this performance and it will flip that view upside down.

After seeing this film at the theater in 1992 with friends, I ran into my parents in the parking lot who were also seeing the same film. It was a bit uncomfortable 😆.

Headhunters (2011, Mortensen Tyldum)

• This dark comedy thriller, by the director who also made the academy award nominated film The Imitation Game, is an edge of your seat thriller that delves into many unexpected areas from art theft to corporate recruiting to shocking violence.

• It's the highest-grossing Norwegian film in history.

  
  

Get Out (2017, Jordan Peele)

• Jordan Peele's first film is quite a treat and is certainly a film that sticks with you long after the credits. The plot of this psychological thriller is complex with terrific and chilling performances from Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Catherine Keener and Bradley Whitford.

  
  

TransSiberian (2008, Brad Anderson)

• Woody Harrelson (as Roy) gives an atypical performance compared to the types of unique and off the wall roles he typically chooses. He plays a church mission group volunteer taking the train from Beijing to Moscow with his wife (played by Emily Mortimer in an incredible career elevating performance). A missed train by Roy leads to a search to find him and a web of deception, drug lords, torture and some incredible twists and turns. This is an all time "Oh My Gosh" film!

  
  

Collateral (2004, Michael Mann)

• Another master of this genre, Michael Mann has thrilled cinema lovers since 1981 when James Caan starred as a diamond safecracker in his film Thief. Few directors have the sharp eye for style and keen ear for music and are able to weave it into their films so precisely. Other favorites from his library are his masterpiece, Heat (1995), The Insider (1999), Public Enemies (2009) and the seriously underrated Blackhat (2015).

• The film featured, Collateral, really highlights the endless depth of Tom Cruise's acting ability. While many of the roles he is most known for before this film featured him playing hot shots or characters you generally root for, this film is much different. In Collateral, he plays the role of no conscience villain. The chemistry between Cruise and Jami Foxx is terrific and the night driving scenes really standout in this captivating film.

  
  

To pair with this, I wanted to include a link to a post from the terrific The Ringer, arguably the best source for film critique and podcasts (like The Big Picture and The Rewatchables). The linked article includes their take on the top 101 best film performances of the 21st century, which includes some movies I've mentioned and many that are terrific and I recommend, particularly:

• In Bruges

• May December

• Shame

• School of Rock

• Da 5 Bloods

• Inglorious Bastards