by Jonah Weber
“Drive” by Nicolas Winding Refn
Any film from Nicolas Winding Refn is going to be fast-paced and incredibly intense. “Drive” is about a quiet stunt driver, played by Ryan Gosling, who also is a getaway driver on the side. The level of coolness and intensity portrayed by Gosling is seen within the first ten minutes, and it is fantastic.
“A Ghost Story” by David Lowery
Coming from David Lowery, this is an unexpected film. Starring Casey Affleck in just a white sheet with the eyes cut out, this movie is a fantastic piece of work. Rooney Mara stars as a recent widow that becomes haunted by her deceased husband, Affleck, lurking around in the background.
“Ghost in the Shell” by Mamoru Oshii
Anime from the 1990s is beautiful and Mamorui Oshii is a great storyteller. “Ghost in the Shell” is a film that has paved the way for all the great sci-fi animes that came out after it. It has even inspired the insane “Matrix” movies.
“Batman: Mask of the Phantasm” by Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm
Anyone who grew up a “Batman” fan knows this fantastic 1993 film. For a lot of kids, this might have been one of the darker kids’ movies you first saw. Dealing with issues of grievance, corruption, and injustice, “Mask of the Phantasm” tackles these issues set in Gotham City during the 1940s. It’s an iconic film.
