Blackkklansman
Spike Lee’s complex crime thriller exploring black power, white supremacy, and the nature of political and racial violence in the 1970s begins strongly but ends with a didactic moral lesson that betrays the lack of faith it has in its audience.
Appaloosa
A rather dull, slow-paced western that is more about its dysfunctional romantic relationship than gun-slinging, horse-riding, bandit-chasing action.
Amistad
This film explores the horrors of slavery through an atypical lens in exciting and moving ways, but runs out of gas by the end and barely drags itself across the finish line.
The Mad Miss Manton
Funny, charming, witty; it’s a screwball crime comedy about socialites solving a murder, and maybe falling in love along the way. What more is there to say?
The Driver
Stripped to the absolute bone, this odd amalgam of muscle car thrills and arthouse aesthetics inspired a future generation of filmmakers but doesn’t quite have the oomph it used to.
Wolfs
Two likable stars recapture the energy of their past collaborations in this crime comedy, neo-noir hangout flick.
The Red Shoes
Richly realized and beautifully shot, this tale of artistic passion and dangerous obsession is a true cinematic masterpiece.
The Package
Despite a few flaws, this forgotten forerunner to the wave of 90s thrillers mixes political intrigue with tense drama in very enjoyable ways.
Take the Money and Run
Woody Allen’s directorial debut is comedically solid but narratively bereft.
Shanghai Express
A character drama first, and a kind of adventurous spy thriller second, this Marlene Dietrich star vehicle accomplishes a great deal despite being constrained largely to one train and two train stations.
Bicycle Thieves
The quintessential Italian neorealist film succeeds at capturing a slice of life tragedy within the context of post-war Italy, but doesn’t succeed at living up to the hype that surrounds it.
Freebie and the Bean
This early form of the buddy cop comedy has its sensibilities stuck somewhere several decades before what a modern audience likely finds acceptable.