Actor Kevin Costner (1955)

Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 (2024) is an epic Western directed and produced by Kevin Costner. Co-written with Jon Baird, it’s based on a story by the pair and Mark Kasdan. In 1859, surveyors mark stakes in the San Pedro Valley to outline the borders of Horizon, a forthcoming frontier town. Soon after, Desmarais, a missionary, discovers the deceased surveying party and buries them before establishing Horizon. Four years later, an Apache raid led by Pionsenay strikes the now-flourishing town and kills ...

Let Him Go (2020) is an American neo-Western film, directed by Thomas Bezucha and based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Larry Watson. Starring Diane Lane and Kevin Costner, the story is set in Montana in 1961 and centers around retired sheriff George Blackledge, his wife Margaret, their son James, James’s wife Lorna, and infant son Jimmy. One day, while out on a walk, Margaret notices James’s horse wandering alone and becomes concerned. George goes to ...

The film The Highwaymen (2019), directed by John Lee Hancock and written by John Fusco, follows the story of notorious criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow. In 1934, after two years on the run, they break several associates out of Texas’ Eastham Prison Farm. To track them down, Chief Lee Simmons of the Texas Department of Corrections convinces Governor ‘Ma’ Ferguson to hire retired Texas Ranger Frank Hamer. Despite his reluctance to leave retirement and his wife Gladys, Hamer joins the manhunt after a shootout in Missouri involving the fugitives. He ...

The American comedy-drama film, The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019), directed by Simon Curtis and written by Mark Bomback, is based on the 2008 novel by Garth Stein. In Seattle, a dying Golden Retriever named Enzo (after Enzo Ferrari) is eagerly waiting for his master and best friend, Denny to return home. As soon as Denny arrives, he notices that Enzo is unable to move and gently picks him up, assuring him that he will always be there for him. It triggers a memory for Enzo of a documentary he watched about belief in ...

Yellowstone (2018–2024), an American neo-Western drama TV show created by Taylor Sheridan and John Linson, first aired on June 20, 2018, on Paramount Network. The series centers on the Dutton family, headed by John Dutton, who commands the largest contiguous ranch in the United States. The family constantly faces attacks from neighboring land developers, an Indian reservation, and America’s first National Park. It delves deeply into the violent reality of a world hidden from the media’s gaze – one where developers profit immensely from land grabs, and ...

The film Molly’s Game (2017) is both written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, making it his directorial debut. It is based on the memoir of the same name by world-class mogul skier Molly Bloom. Despite her Olympic aspirations, Molly’s career as a skier is cut short due to a severe injury during a qualifying event in 2002. Taking a break from her law school plans, she moves to LA where she becomes a bottle service waitress at a club. There, she meets Dean, an extravagant but unsuccessful real estate developer who hires her as his office manager. Through this job, Molly gets involved in organizing underground ...

Hidden Figures (2016) is an American biographical drama film, directed and written by Theodore Melfi and Allison Schroeder, respectively. The film brings to life the remarkable story of three female friends who worked in NASA’s African-American computing section at Langley during the intense American-Soviet space race of early 1961 to early 1962. Based on Margot Lee Shetterly’s non-fiction book of the same name, it sheds light on their overlooked yet monumental contributions to America’s advancements in space exploration. Despite facing obstacles due to ...

Criminal (2016) is an American action thriller film directed by Ariel Vromen and written by Douglas Cook and David Weisberg. The story follows the death of London-based CIA operative Billy Pope in an unsuccessful deal with hacker Jan Strook, also known as The Dutchman, for a wormhole program that provides access to nuclear codes. In order to retrieve the missing program and $10 million, Quaker Wells, Billy’s superior, enlists the help of Dr. Micah Franks to transfer Billy’s brain functions into another person. ...

The American sports drama film McFarland, USA (2015), directed by Niki Caro, follows the story of football coach Jim White in his new job at McFarland High School. After losing his previous position due to an outburst that led to a player’s injury, White and his family move to the predominantly Latino community of McFarland, California. Adjusting to their new neighborhood proves difficult and the family laments not being able to afford a home in nearby Bakersfield. White starts off as assistant football coach but ultimately loses his coaching status after pulling injured player Johnny Sameniego from a game, which ...

Black or White (2014), directed and written by Mike Binder, tells the story of Elliot Anderson, a man who becomes a widower after his wife dies in a car crash. He raises his granddaughter Eloise while dealing with his grief through heavy drinking. However, Elliot’s life is upended when the child’s grandmother, Rowena – who happens to be black – insists that her son Reggie, a drug addict whom Elliot holds responsible for his daughter’s death, take custody of Eloise. This sparks a heated custody battle as Elliot fights tooth and nail to prevent his granddaughter from being in the care of her ...

Draft Day (2014) is an American sports drama film directed by Ivan Reitman, featuring Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner. On the morning of the 2014 NFL Draft, Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver, Jr. has a difficult choice to make. As he holds the seventh overall pick, he must strategize how to improve his team while also managing personal matters. Domestic issues arise as Ali Parker, the team’s salary cap analyst and pregnant with Weaver’s child, complicates things. Additionally, Sonny’s ...

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014) is an American action thriller film based on the character Jack Ryan from author Tom Clancy’s series. As the fifth film in the franchise and second reboot, it stands apart from previous adaptations by featuring an original storyline. Following the events of September 11, Jack Ryan is a Marine serving in Afghanistan and suffers a critical injury while bravely saving his comrades in a helicopter crash. After a long recovery, he meets Cathy Muller, who assists him during his rehabilitation and eventually becomes his fiancée. It isn’t until ten years later that Jack is recruited by CIA veteran Thomas Harper to ...

3 Days to Kill (2014) is an action thriller film directed by McG and written by Luc Besson and Adi Hasak. American CIA agent Ethan Renner, along with his team, is on a mission to capture the Albino, lieutenant to an arms trafficker known as the Wolf. The Wolf plans to sell a dirty bomb to terrorists at a hotel in Belgrade. However, their plan goes awry when the Albino recognizes and kills one of Renner’s fellow agents, who was disguised as a chambermaid. While chasing the Albino, Renner becomes dizzy and only manages ...

The superhero film Man of Steel (2013) is based on the DC Comics character Superman. The planet Krypton is in turmoil due to the mining of its core. In a desperate attempt to save their race, Krypton’s leading scientist, Jor-El, infuses the genetics codex into his newborn son, Kal-El – the first naturally born Kryptonian in centuries. Tragically, Jor-El is killed by General Zod during a coup. Kal-El is sent to Earth and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent in Kansas, where he goes by the name Clark. As he grows up, his Kryptonian biology and exposure to Earth’s sun give him extraordinary powers that Jonathan urges him to keep secret. However, when ...

Hatfields & McCoys (2013) is a Western television miniseries produced by History channel in 2012. The three two-hour episodes aired over three consecutive days in May, and became the network’s first scripted drama (excluding a previous miniseries, The Kennedys, which was not aired in the US). While the story takes place in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia and Kentucky, it was actually filmed in Romania near Brașov using the Carpathian Mountains as a stand-in. The debut of part one drew record-breaking ratings for History channel and some of the highest numbers in cable TV history. Over 13 million viewers tuned into the first episode, making it the ...

The Company Men (2010), an American drama film written and directed by John Wells, follows the story of Bobby Walker. When his employer, the publicly held shipbuilding corporation GTX, undergoes downsizing during the recession, Walker finds himself among the many employees who are let go. As a white-collar worker with a high salary and family to support, he struggles to maintain his lavish lifestyle after losing his job. Despite receiving outplacement services from GTX, Walker is unable to secure another corporate position and gradually has to give up luxuries like his country club membership and Porsche. Eventually, he ...

The New Daughter (2009) is an American horror film and the first feature directed by Spanish screenwriter Luis Berdejo. Recently divorced novelist John James moves to an old house in rural South Carolina with his teenage daughter, Louisa, and young son, Sam. Their relationship is strained as Louisa accuses him of never loving her mother and ruining everything. On their first night in the house, strange noises outside Louisa’s bedroom window catch her attention. Unseen by her, a humanoid creature lurks on the roof. The next day while exploring the fields and forest nearby, they stumble upon a large mound. While ...

Swing Vote (2008) is an American comedy-drama film directed by Joshua Michael Stern, depicting a fictional U.S. presidential election. In this alternate version of the year 2008, the entire contest rests on the vote of one man – Ernest ‘Bud’ Johnson from Texico, New Mexico. Bud is a simple, unemployed man with no interest in politics until his twelve-year-old daughter Molly inspires him to take a more serious approach to life. Despite her efforts, Bud remains apathetic towards voting and Molly takes matters into her own hands on election day by attempting to cast a ballot for her father at their local ...

The American psychological thriller film, Mr. Brooks (2007), directed by Bruce A. Evans and starring Kevin Costner, follows the story of Earl Brooks. Despite appearing as a respected businessman in Portland, Oregon, Brooks leads a secret life as a serial killer. Struggling to control his ‘killing addiction’, Brooks eventually gives in to his id, Marshall, and murders a young couple in their bedroom. This pattern of leaving a thumbprint on the lampshade earned him the moniker ‘Thumbprint Killer’. His methodical approach includes meticulous ...

The Guardian (2006), an American action-adventure drama film directed by Andrew Davis, begins with a legend recounted by those who have faced perilous situations at sea. This legend speaks of a mysterious force known as the Guardian, which supposedly helps lost individuals reach the surface and hold on until help arrives. Ben Randall is a renowned rescue swimmer in the United States Coast Guard’s Aviation Survival Technician (AST) program. However, his dedication to his job has caused his marriage to fall apart. During one rescue mission, Ben experiences tragedy when his team crashes into the ocean in their HH-60J ...