Actor Robert De Niro (1943)

Martin Scorsese co-writes, produces, and directs the American epic western crime drama film, Killers of the Flower Moon (2023). Inspired by David Grann’s non-fiction book from 2017, Scorsese and Eric Roth bring the story to life. During the annual ‘flower moon’ phenomenon on their Oklahoma reservation, Osage Nation elders mourn their descendants’ assimilation into White American society while burying a ceremonial pipe. It is during this time that ...

The film The Irishman (2019) is a Martin Scorsese-directed and produced epic gangster movie, based on Steven Zaillian’s screenplay adapted from the book I Heard You Paint Houses by Charles Brandt. It follows the story of Frank Sheeran, an elderly Irish-American WWII veteran living in a nursing home, who reflects on his past as a hitman for the Italian-American Mafia. Sheeran starts off as a delivery truck driver in 1950s Philadelphia and begins selling meat shipments to local gangster ‘Skinny ...

Directed by Todd Phillips, Joker (2019) is an American psychological thriller film with a screenplay co-written by Scott Silver. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, the loosely based DC Comics story follows Arthur Fleck, an aspiring stand-up comedian and clown living in Gotham City during the early 1980s recession with his mother Penny. Despite suffering from a neurological disorder that causes uncontrollable laughing fits, Arthur relies on social services for medication. Randall, his co-worker, gives him a revolver after he is ...

The Intern (2015) is a buddy comedy-drama film from American director, writer, and producer Nancy Meyers. At 70 years old, Ben Whittaker is a widower who has retired from his role as an executive at DEX One. However, he finds retirement to be too mundane and applies for the new position of senior intern at About The Fit – an e-commerce fashion startup located in Brooklyn. Despite initial doubts from CEO Jules Ostin, Ben impresses his colleagues with his amiable personality and wise insights on life and work. One day, he takes it upon himself to organize Jules’s messy desk which she had complained about, ...

The American heist action thriller film, Heist (2015), was directed by Scott Mann and written by Stephen Cyrus Sepher and Max Adams. It is based on an original story by Sepher. The plot follows Luke Vaughn, a former employee at the Southern casino ‘The Swan’, who needs $300,000 for his sick daughter’s surgery. When he asks his boss, Francis ‘The Pope’ Silva, for a loan, he is rejected and ultimately fired by Silva’s right-hand man, Derrick ...

American Hustle (2013) is a black comedy crime film, helmed by director David O. Russell and written by Eric Warren Singer. The movie drew inspiration from the real-life FBI Abscam operation that took place during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Set in 1978, it follows the tale of con artists Irving Rosenfeld and Sydney Prosser, who have teamed up to pull off various scams. To improve their schemes, Sydney assumes the guise of ‘Lady Edith Greensly’, an English aristocrat. Despite their successful partnership, Irving is torn between his love for Sydney and his ...

Grudge Match (2013) is an American sports comedy film directed by Peter Segal. Two Pittsburgh boxers, Henry ‘Razor’ Sharp and Billy ‘The Kid’ McDonnen, were fierce rivals during their prime. Despite each having only one loss on their records, Kid defeating Razor in one fight and Razor defeating Kid in the other, they never had a chance for a rematch. When Razor suddenly retires without explanation, Kid is left infuriated and robbed of a big payday. Many years later, Razor finds himself short on cash and working at a shipyard when he is approached by promoter Dante Slate Jr., the son of the man ...

New Year’s Eve (2011), an American romantic comedy directed by Garry Marshall and written by Katherine Fugate, tells interconnected stories of people facing various issues on this special night. As the Vice-President of Times Square, Claire Morgan is busy with final preparations for the ball drop, assisted by her friend and police officer Brendan. Meanwhile, Ingrid Withers, an employee at Ahern Records who was almost hit by a car and denied a vacation, decides to quit her job. She offers deliveryman Paul Doyle tickets to the Ahern Records Masquerade Ball if he helps ...

The American exploitation action film, Machete (2010), was helmed by directors Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis. In the story, Mexican Federal Machete Cortez and his younger partner embark on a rescue mission for a kidnapped girl in Mexico. Tragically, during the operation, Machete’s partner is killed while the girl stabs him in the leg before meeting her own fate. To make matters worse, Machete’s corrupt Chief betrays him to powerful drug lord Rogelio Torrez, who not only kills Machete’s wife but also implies that his daughter may be next. As a ...

Stardust (2007) is a romantic fantasy adventure co-written and directed by Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman. The film is based on Neil Gaiman’s novel of the same title and takes place in the English village of Wall, near a stone wall that marks the border of the magical kingdom of Stormhold. Despite being forbidden to cross, Dunstan Thorne manages to deceive the guard and sets foot in the marketplace beyond. There, he meets Una, a princess enslaved by a witch who offers him a glass snowdrop in exchange for a kiss. ...

Arthur and the Invisibles (2006) is a French live-action/animated film directed and co-written by renowned filmmaker Luc Besson. The movie is based on Besson’s children’s book series, which includes Arthur and the Minimoys and Arthur and the Forbidden City. Set in Northeastern Connecticut during the year 1960, the story follows 10-year-old Arthur Montgomery as he lives with his grandmother Daisy on a quiet farm. His grandfather, Archibald, has recently gone missing and his parents are away searching for work. While listening to Daisy’s ...

The American spy film, The Good Shepherd (2006), was both produced and directed by Robert De Niro. Following the disastrous end of the Bay of Pigs invasion in 1961, suspicions arise about a potential ‘mole’ within the CIA. Senior officer Edward Wilson returns home to find a photograph and audio tapes that have been tampered with, leaving some details unclear. Flashing back to his time at Yale University in 1939, Wilson is invited to join the Skull and Bones fraternity where he reveals that he discovered but never read his father’s suicide note. His father, an admiral who had been considered for ...

Shark Tale (2004) is an amusing animated film created by DreamWorks Animation Productions for DreamWorks Pictures. In the Southside Reef resides Oscar, a bluestreak cleaner wrasse who longed to work at the Whale Wash like his late father Earl, despite being teased by his peers. Oscar dreams of fame and fortune but finds himself owing money to his boss, Sykes, who owns the Whale Wash and happens to be a pufferfish. Luckily, his best friend Angie offers him a pearl from her grandmother as collateral to settle his debt. At the same time, Don Lino, head of a shark mob consisting of orcas, sailfish, and octopuses (among others), is displeased with his son Lenny’s ...

15 Minutes (2001) is an American crime film directed and written by John Herzfeld. Two former inmates, Emil Slovak and Oleg Razgul, come to the United States to claim their share of a bank robbery in Europe. While at their partner’s shabby apartment, they are denied their portion of the loot. In response, Emil fatally stabs both his partner and his wife, as Oleg captures it on video with a stolen camera. Daphne Handlova, a Czech immigrant who witnessed the murders, narrowly escapes before being caught by the killers. To conceal the evidence, Emil sets fire to the apartment. Jordy Warsaw, an arson investigator in ...

Directed by Frank Oz, The Score (2001) is an American neo-noir heist action comedy film. Following a close call during a burglary, master safe-cracker Nick Wells contemplates retirement and settling down with his girlfriend Diane to run his Montréal jazz club legitimately. Despite turning down his fence Max’s offer for another job, Nick is approached by fellow thief and ambitious mastermind Jack Teller. Attempting to scare Jack off, Nick sends his associate Burt, but Jack gains the upper hand and ends up at Nick’s home, persuading him to change his mind. In exchange for complete control of the operation and ...

Men of Honor (2000) is an American drama film directed by George Tillman Jr. In the movie, Carl Brashear leaves his life as a sharecropper in Kentucky behind to join the United States Navy in 1949. Prior to leaving, he made a promise to his father that he would never give up and would fight for what he wants. Carl serves on the USS Hoist as part of the crew, working in the galley. During his time on the ship, he witnesses Master Chief Petty Officer Leslie William ‘Billy’ Sunday’s courageous actions as he rescues a diver who had fallen overboard without an air line. Unfortunately, Sunday suffers from an ...

Ronin (1998) is a American action thriller film directed by John Frankenheimer. At a bistro in Montmartre, IRA operative Deirdre meets with two Americans, Sam and Larry, a Frenchman named Vincent, an Englishman called Spence, and a German named Gregor. The group is comprised of ex-government agents or former military members now working as mercenaries. Deirdre assigns them with the mission to steal a mysterious metallic briefcase from a heavily guarded convoy. Before carrying out the main mission, they must first acquire weapons, but this proves to be a trap. Despite surviving the setup and obtaining the weapons, Sam ...

James Mangold wrote and directed Cop Land (1997), a neo-noir crime drama. Garrison, New Jersey is the home of several police officers from the 37th Precinct of the NYPD: Lt. Ray Donlan, Det. Leo Crasky, and officers Gary Figgis, Jack Rucker, Frank Lagonda, and Joey Randone. Taking advantage of a department regulation loophole by becoming ‘auxiliary transit cops’, Donlan and his group are shielded from the scrutiny of the NYPD’s Internal Affairs division. Sheriff Freddy Heflin also protects them, making them virtually untouchable. Heflin has always aspired to join the NYPD but was unable to do so due to ...

Jackie Brown (1997), an American crime film by Quentin Tarantino, is based on the 1992 novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard. A flight attendant, Jackie smuggles money from Mexico into the US for Ordell Robbie, a Los Angeles gun runner. When Ordell’s courier, Beaumont Livingston, is arrested, he enlists the help of bail bondsman Max Cherry to free him. However, after killing Beaumont to keep him quiet, Ordell finds himself in a tight spot when ATF agent Ray Nicolette and LAPD detective Mark Dargus discover the cash and drugs in Jackie’s possession. Facing ...

Marvin’s Room (1996) is an impactful American drama helmed by Jerry Zaks. John Guare penned the screenplay, adapted from Scott McPherson’s play of the same name. The story revolves around Marvin, a man who suffered a stroke two decades ago and has been confined to his bed ever since. His daughter Bessie has dedicated herself to taking care of him in their Florida home, while his other daughter Lee moved away with her husband to Ohio and has not been in touch with her family since. Unfortunately, Bessie receives devastating news from her doctor – she has leukemia, the same illness that claimed their ...