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Gaslight (1944)
Absolutely sensational. This is a powerhouse of a movie, a thriller filled with all the things most suspense films are missing these days. To say that any of the performances are less than explosive would be a crime, but Ingrid Bergman is the one who shines brightest, giving what is probably her finest career role and I daresay one of the most chilling in noir history. The film, like its title subject, begins as a dim affair and slowly burns its way into gripping tension. Cukor does a fantastic job leading his audience into dark corners but never showing too much or completeing explanations until they must be revealed.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Filmmaking on a grand scale, acted to perfection and meticulously drawn. The film isn't so much about what age does to our physicality but what time does to our souls, and while the story can be painful, and sometimes heartbreaking to watch, it is a warm picture about the beauty of mortality and the importance of enjoying what we've got when we've got it. It is becoming ever more clear that David Fincher is one of Hollywood's most promising talents, and his pictures seem to mature in both subject matter and craft with every step. This is a movie to get excited about- it's the kind of sweeping epic that places us somewhere else and makes us excited about the movies again.
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