Out of the Past
Year Released: 1947 This 1947 flick is based on the novel Build My Gallows High by Geoffery Homes, which is the same title used for the film adaption in the United Kingdom. No matter which title you prefer, the film noir is filled with mystery, twists and turns, and of course, amazing cinematography.
Out of the Past is often hailed as being one of the best of its kind, including in a review by Roger Ebert, which is accompanied by a perfect rating of 4/4. It holds an impressive 94% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. In 1984, the film was remade, being released under the title Against All Odds. Among the cast members of the remake include Rachel Ward, Jeff Bridges and James Woods.
The Silence of the Lambs
Year Released: 1991 You probably won’t run into many people who haven’t at least heard of The Silence of the Lambs. Or, even if they’ve never heard the title, who don’t know about Hannibal Lecter. Anthony Hopkins stars as the deranged cannibal who gets inside the head of the young detective played by Jodie Foster.
The film won several awards, including four Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Actress. Jodie Foster then won a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role in the film.
To Be or Not to Be
Year Released: 1942 This film came out in the middle of World War II and uses comedy to shine a light on some very real things that were happening in those days. The movie tells the story of a Polish theater company that’s threatened by the invading Nazis, so they turn into spies to support themselves.
The reviews for To Be or Not to Be were mainly positive, with Rob McShane of Time Out saying, “It’s certainly one of the finest comedies to come out of Paramount.”
Duck Soup
Year Released: 1933 Duck Soup is another one of the films on our list that didn’t do so hot in the box office but gained more recognition and appreciation as time went on. The Marx Brothers comedy follows some silly spies trying to stage a revolution in the small nation of Freedonia.
It has a 92% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 50 reviews, and holds a 7.8/10 on IMDb. Roger Ebert gives it a 4/4, including in his review that he believes it to be the best of the Marx Brothers films.
Boyhood
Year Released: 2014 There’s a very interesting production tale behind this 165-minute film that was released in 2014. Written and directed by Richard Linklater, it took more than a decade to shoot, beginning in 2001 and wrapping up the year before it came out. The script was actually conceptualized throughout the years, as well, as they began with just basic plot points.
The film premiered at Sundance in 2014 and was released in theaters not long after. It won several awards, including the Silver Bear Award for Best Director at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, and two Golden Globes, though it was nominated for five.