The Machinist (2004)

Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John Sharian
Director: Brad Anderson
Country: Various
Genre: Mystery

Twice the Bale performance at half the weight!

Brad Anderson, of cult classic Session 9 fame, crafts this Hitchcockian mystery of an insomniac trying to piece together the puzzle of his faltering life. Sometime between American Psycho and Batman Begins Christian Bale found the time to lose 63 pounds for this harrowing role, and ends up putting in one of his best performances. The film is chock full of the symbolism that mystery buffs drool over, but it’s all built on a very real human drama which is what gives any film longevity. The script, the acting, and the direction all work with such synergy that it’s hard to believe this film hasn’t received more attention than the “Christian Bale skeleton” film. It’s dark and twisted, but always has a sense of fun in its execution.

1001 Movie Club: Seven (1995)

David Fincher was surely shot into prominence right out the gun with his feature directorial debut as the third installment in the ultra successful Alien franchise. Three years later he sealed his fate in the directors hall of fame by not only sidestepping the sophomore slump, but progressing leaps and bounds to experienced veteran status. Fifteen years later, Seven is still pointed to as one of the go-to gritty neo-noir stories for anyone interested in the crime genre.

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Shutter Island (2010)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Director: Martin Scorsese
Country: USA
Genre: Thriller-ish.

At Shutter Island nothing is as it seems.

In his fourth collaboration with DiCaprio, Scorsese has pulled out one of his best performance, and crafted perhaps one of his most interesting films. Sure to infuriate some and delight others, Shutter Island is all about evoking a response out of the audience – participation. It’s a detective story about a detective, but the investigation isn’t the investigation that the detective is investigating. Or is it? It raises a lot of questions, and doesn’t take the audience for granted in finding the answers for themselves. Also, in a departure from his usual visual style, Scorsese has created one of his more luscious looking, albeit foreign feeling, films to date.

The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

Starring: Matt Damon, Joan Allen, David Strathairn
Director: Paul Greengrass
Country: USA
Genre: Action

Ultimatum (noun) – a final demand or statement of terms, the rejection of which will result in retaliation or a breakdown in relations.

What’s surprising about the third film in the franchise is its timeline. It overlaps quite a bit with The Bourne Supremacy, though watching the previous film in the series you’d never know it. It takes a bit to catch up, but luckily Ultimatum doesn’t play to the lowest common denominator. It’s jam packed with the stuff we’ve come to love from Bourne, fist fights (he punches a book into someone’s face!), car chases (even one on a motorcycle!), and good ol’ fashion treason. Strathairn brings a wonderful intensity to the mix, while Allen becomes a very appealing ally. It’s an incredibly thrilling film, certainly equal to its predecessors. The scene at Waterloo Station with Paddy Considine = pure adrenaline. And when all is said and done, the film leaves open the possibility of another sequel, but doesn’t fail to give closure to the trilogy.

The Bourne Supremacy (2004)

Starring: Matt Damon, Brian Cox, Joan Allen
Director: Paul Greengrass
Country: USA
Genre: Action

A.K.A. Jason Bourne Hunting

Sequels always face an uphill battle. Simultaneously they must forward the story of the character(s) while still stringing together all of the things audiences loved about the first film. It’s an uphill battle that Bourne handles with a magazine slap to the face. The Bourne Supremacy takes all of the action sequences from the first film, and mixes it in a story of espionage and revenge. It takes the action sequences and pumps steroids into them. The end car chase that mirrors the first films is so outrageous and over the top, but it’s hard not to admire its brazened stunt driving. It’s pure thrilling entertainment. Damon kicks it as Bourne, but it doesn’t hurt when you have a supporting cast like Brian Cox and Joan Allen. Greengrass takes over the helm, and knocks it out of the park with his fast paced style.

Michael Clayton (2007)

Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swindon
Director: Tony Gilroy
Country: USA
Genre: Thriller

This film excels in every aspect of filmmaking.

Legal thrillers aren’t necessarily a genre that include movies one would want to watch over and over again, at least not normally. Michael Clayton is an exception to that rule as Tony Gilroy has crafted one of the most brilliant thrillers in the last decade. It’s really anything new, however every.single.aspect of the film is the best it could possibly be. From the outstanding performances by Clooney, Swindon, and particularly Wilkinson, to the highly intelligent, but never condescending script, to the precise direction, everything works together so well to tell this story of corporate corruption and how different people deal with ‘right’ and ‘wrong’.

The Bourne Identity (2002)

Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper
Director: Doug Liman
Country: USA
Genre: Action

Bourne. Jason Bourne. Shaken and stirred.

In the  year that James Bond became a Saturday Morning Cartoon, a new action spy emerged.  Jason Bourne, played by then unlikely candidate Matt Damon, brought the perfect mix of old school action mixed with new school style. In the beginning of the ultra successful franchise, Bourne awakens without any memory of who he is, and slowly tries to piece the jigsaw puzzle of his life together. It has car chases that stand up to The French Connection and Bullitt, and hand-to-hand combat that compares to the best of martial arts flicks. Add to it an intriguing story of finding your identity, spies, Run Lola Run, snipers, government corruption, and Clive Owen, and you’ve got yourself quite a quality film on your hands.