Actor Willem Dafoe (1955)

Wes Anderson directed Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009), an American stop-motion animated comedy film. While pilfering Berk’s Squab Farm, our cunning protagonist sets off a fox trap, inadvertently trapping himself and his wife Felicity. In the midst of their escape, she reveals her pregnancy and implores her husband to find a less hazardous job. He agrees and two human years (12 fox years) later, the Fox family, now including their son Ash, is residing in a cozy hole. Despite warnings from their lawyer Clive Badger about the dangers of being close to three farmers – Walt Boggis, Nate Bunce, and Frank Bean – Mr. ...

In the American drama film Fireflies in the Garden (2008), written and directed by Dennis Lee, we see a strained relationship between English professor Charles and his son Michael. Since their boyhood road trip, when young Michael falsely claimed to have lost his glasses, their interactions have been filled with rule breaking and retaliation. When Lisa’s younger sister Jane stays with them while she is pregnant, she becomes close with Michael and takes his side against Charles. This tension only escalates when Michael embarrasses Charles in front of his colleagues by claiming to have written a Robert Frost poem. ...

Abel Ferrara’s independent film, Go Go Tales (2007), follows the story of Ray Ruby, the manager of Ray Ruby’s Paradise. As the number of tourists dwindles, Ray becomes worried about the future of his establishment. To attract more customers, he decides to hold a lottery. However, with finances running low and bills piling up, including payment for the pole dancers, Ray struggles to keep the club afloat. To make matters worse, Lillian, the landlady, threatens to turn the space into a Bed Bath & Beyond if she does not receive rent money soon. In a desperate attempt to ...

Inside Man (2006) is an American crime thriller film directed by Spike Lee and written by Russell Gewirtz. It centers on an elaborate bank heist-turned-hostage situation on Wall Street. In August 2005, inside a small, dimly-lit cell, Dalton Russell brags about committing the perfect bank robbery. In New York City, masked robbers seize control of a Manhattan bank, using variants of the name “Steve” as aliases and dressed in painter coveralls. They hold patrons and employees hostage and divide them into groups, rotating them among various rooms while disguised ...

In the film Paris, I love you (2006), 20 different filmmakers each capture five-minute moments in the magical City of Love. These moments are linked together through transitional interstitial sequences and an introduction and epilogue. The transitions smoothly connect the previous film’s ending shot to the following film’s beginning shot, creating a continuous flow and building anticipation for what comes next. Through this technique, we witness the vibrant life of Paris through a recurring mysterious character and a common theme of love that ties all 20 segments together. 01. Tuileries (

Based on Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley series, Ripley Under Ground (2005), a crime thriller, was directed by Roger Spottiswoode. The movie revolves around the death of Tom Ripley’s friend Philip Derwatt, an accomplished artist who perishes in a car accident. To honor his memory and make some quick cash, Ripley, along with Jeff Constant, Bernard Sayles, and Cynthia (Derwatt’s girlfriend), devise a plan for Bernard to forge more of Derwatt’s paintings. In order to keep their secret safe, they hide Derwatt’s body in a freezer. Adding ...

The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) is an American adventure comedy-drama directed by Wes Anderson and written by both Anderson and Noah Baumbach. While documenting his latest sea expedition, oceanographer Steve Zissou’s closest friend and lead diver, Esteban du Plantier, is consumed by a large, glowing spotted creature referred to as a ‘jaguar shark’ by Zissou. Determined to capture the shark’s demise for his next project, Zissou enlists the help of a diverse crew aboard his aging research ...

Finding Nemo (2003) is a heartwarming and humorous adventure from Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures. Marlin, a clownfish living in the Great Barrier Reef with his wife Coral, anxiously awaits the arrival of their eggs. However, their joyful anticipation is cut short when they are attacked by a barracuda, leaving Marlin as the sole protector of their only surviving egg. Fast forward six years and Marlin’s overprotective nature has only grown as he sends his son Nemo off to school. But Nemo’s rebellious streak leads to him getting captured by scuba divers. Desperate to find his son, Marlin meets Dory, a blue tang with a forgetful memory who ...

The film Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) tells the story of El Mariachi, who is recruited by CIA officer Sheldon Jeffrey Sands for a mission. He must take down General Emiliano Marquez, a corrupt Mexican Army officer working for drug lord Armando Barillo. Barillo plans to assassinate the President and overthrow the government during a time of civil unrest in Culiacán, the capital of Sinaloa. Years ago, El Mariachi’s wife and daughter were killed by Marquez in retaliation for a previous confrontation. Along with El Mariachi, Sands enlists retired FBI agent Jorge Ramírez to kill Barillo, who had also killed his former partner Archuleta. AFN operative Ajedrez is ...

Based on the Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, the American superhero film Spider-Man (2002) follows high school senior Peter Parker on a school trip to a genetics laboratory at Columbia University with his friends Harry Osborn and Mary Jane Watson. After being bitten by a genetically engineered spider, Peter falls ill upon returning home. Meanwhile, Norman Osborn, a scientist and owner of Oscorp, is trying to secure a military contract and tests a performance-enhancing chemical on himself, resulting in him becoming insane and killing his ...

American Psycho (2000), a satirical psychological thriller film, is directed and co-written by Mary Harron and Guinevere Turner respectively. Set in 1987, the story follows investment banker Patrick Bateman as he maintains his façade for his fiancée Evelyn Williams and wealthy acquaintances. During a business meeting, Bateman’s colleagues showcase their business cards and obsess over their designs. One particular card belonging to Paul Allen sparks anger in Bateman, leading him to kill a homeless man and his dog later that night. As Bateman plans dinner with Allen after a Christmas party, he harbors resentment ...

The action thriller film Clear and Present Danger (1994), directed by Phillip Noyce, is based on Tom Clancy’s novel of the same name. The plot centers around a United States Coast Guard vessel in the Caribbean Sea, which discovers an American yacht with evidence that its owner and passengers – businessman Peter Hardin and his family – were killed by the Colombian crew on board. CIA analyst Jack Ryan uncovers that Hardin was involved in money laundering for the notorious Cali Cartel in South America. It is revealed that drug lord Ernesto Escobedo ordered ...

Faraway, So Close! (1993) is a German fantasy film directed by Wim Wenders. It follows the story of Cassiel and Raphaella, two angels who observe the bustling life of reunited Berlin. As divine beings, they have the ability to hear the thoughts of those around them and offer comfort to a dying man. Cassiel has been shadowing his friend Damiel, a former angel who now lives as a human. Damiel runs a pizza parlor named Casa dell’angelo (Angel’s House) and is married to Marion, a trapeze artist he met during his time as an angel. The couple has a young daughter named Doria and Cassiel is intrigued by their new ...

The American epic biographical anti-war drama film, Born on the Fourth of July (1989), is based on Ron Kovic’s 1976 autobiography. Directed by Oliver Stone and co-written by Stone and Kovic, the film follows Kovic’s life in Massapequa, New York. As a child in 1956, he spends time playing with friends in a forest before attending an Independence Day parade with his family and best friend Donna on his birthday. However, after being inspired by President John F. ...

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), an epic religious drama film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader with contributions from Scorsese and Jay Cocks, is based on Nikos Kazantzakis’ controversial 1955 novel of the same name. The film depicts Jesus of Nazareth, a carpenter living in the Roman client state of Judea, struggling with conflicting desires and his understanding of God’s plan for him. ...

Platoon (1986), an American war film written and directed by Oliver Stone, follows the story of Chris Taylor as he volunteers for the U.S. Army in South Vietnam in 1967. His assigned infantry platoon, part of the 25th Infantry Division near the Cambodian border, is led by young and inexperienced Lieutenant Wolfe. However, the soldiers look to two older and more experienced members, Staff Sergeant Barnes and Sergeant Elias, for guidance instead. Taylor joins them for a night ambush against a North Vietnamese Army force and engages in a brief firefight when an NVA patrol appears. During a patrol, one new recruit is ...