5. Flipped - This is not an amazing movie in terms of direction, but the plot was so engaging and the characters were multidimensional and likable. This movie will make you laugh, cry, and everything in between. There is just a great variety of emotional engagement, and it makes the movie a unique experience. Throughout the whole movie, the talented actors made the characters easy to relate to and made you want to root for the protagonists wholeheartedly without being disingenuous. Very few movies have that kind of affect on the viewer, and for that reason, Flipped is in the top five.
4. State of Play - This movie represents the return of the original political thriller. At the time, political thrillers were just glorified action movies which focused less on characterization and acting, and more on special effects and pure action. While I enjoy action movies as much as the next guy, I particularly appreciate interesting, suspenseful plots and intelligent acting. The movie itself is incredibly entertaining, with Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe delivering fantastic performances - but the true significance of this movie is bringing back the political thriller genre. This led the way for other brilliant movies in the genre such as The Constant Gardener and Frost/Nixon.
3. Oldboy - This is the second entry in the Vengeance trilogy by the masterful director, Park Chan-Wook. All three movies could easily be in this list, but this is definitely my favorite entry in the trilogy. I would go as far as to say this represents the pinnacle of Korean direction and cinematography. Each frame is so precise and measured. The actors are phenomenal, with moving, emotionally engaging performances throughout. The plot is genius, and the twist is genuinely tough to predict. Until about halfway through the movie, everything is confusing but still interesting and engaging enough to keep the viewer interested. This is intentional, as is the case in all three of Park Chan-Wook's movies in the series. When it all comes together, there is no experience like Oldboy out there, and it is one of the best psychological thrillers ever made. However, I highly recommend watching this movie with English subtitles rather than the voice-overs which are hilariously bad.
2. Michael Clayton - This movie has a fairly predictable plot, but it is all about the acting. Two of my favorites, George Clooney and Tilda Swinton, have two of the best performances I have ever seen. Each scene is spot on in terms of emotional and facial cues. The actors portray the proper mood and atmosphere sometimes without even saying a word. This is a perfect example of when the dialogue (while excellent, as is always the case for Clooney movies), is transcended by the acting skill. It is extremely rare for a movie to be so focused on the tiny details, and with Clooney and Swinton, it works brilliantly. Some think it is slow paced, but for someone who appreciates brilliant acting, it will not fail to impress.
1. Good Night, and Good luck - This political drama was a huge breakthrough for Clooney as a writer. The cast was made up of many up and coming stars at the time (Downey Jr., Langella, Clooney), yet it had a chemistry that was unparalleled. The dialogue was witty, interesting, and engaging. The plot was not only suspenseful and entertaining, but it made the viewer question moral standards in journalism. The subject matter was something that resonated with me, as I was always interested in the role of media in social issues. This movie not only represents my love for journalism, but also for writing in general. If you are interested in journalism, you will absolutely love this movie. If you just want to watch a great movie, I also highly recommend it. It doesn't get much better than this.
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