Director Robert Eggers, of The Northman, an epic saga of revenge in the Viking Age. While Eggers' first two films made the most of minimalist casts, this one features his biggest ensemble to date, filled to the brim with acclaimed veterans with impressive filmographies.
Fans may love stars Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy, to say nothing of ing players like Willem Dafoe, Ethan Hawke, and Nicole Kidman, but The Northman's actors have lots of lesser-known films that deserve more recognition than they get.
Straw Dogs (2011) - Alexander Skarsgård
Being a remake of Sam Peckinpah's much-beloved 1971 classic, the 2011 Straw Dogs perhaps had no chance of escaping its predecessor's shadow, receiving mixed reviews and a poor box office take. Still, while it may not reach the heights of the original film, it's an effective little thriller with a lot of positive qualities to recommend.
Updating the time period and changing the setting from rural England to the Deep South helps give the new Straw Dogs a different feel, and it certainly doesn't skimp on the story's disturbing violence, playing it for visceral horror. What really carries the movie are the performances, with Skarsgård being especially chilling as the villainous Charlie Venner.
The Killing Of A Sacred Deer (2017) - Nicole Kidman
Given that polarizing horror-thrillers are one of A24's signatures, Yorgos Lanthimos just might be their perfect director. The story of heart surgeon Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell), who finds his family under a terrible curse, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is a self-consciously weird movie, playing awkward character dynamics for all they're worth and creating an atmosphere of all-encoming dread.
It's certainly not a film for everyone, but The Killing of a Sacred Deer works as a tense examination of guilt and the terrible results of the sins of the father carrying over to the next generation. The movie also deserves credit for cementing Barry Keoghan's reputation as one of this generation's great actors, and a master of unsettling creepiness.
In A Valley Of Violence (2016) - Ethan Hawke
A darkly comedic western in which drifter Paul (Ethan Hawke) finds himself the target of a pompous sheriff's deputy, In a Valley of Violence's limited release ensured that it died a quick death at the box office despite largely positive reviews. Fortunately, the film is currently available on Netflix, meaning viewers longing for a journey to the old west can get another very entertaining fix.
Hawke is, of course, excellent in the role of the mysterious stranger, and the ing cast, including fan favorites like Taissa Farmiga, Karen Gillan, and James Ransone, all play off of each other very well. In addition, director Ti West's horror roots mean the movie has plenty of suspense to go along with the chuckles.
Emma (2020) - Anya Taylor-Joy
Emma proves that her novels are always ripe for a new spin. While coming out in theaters right as COVID fears were picking up meant the movie didn't set the world on fire, it scored raves from critics and ended up scoring Oscar nominations for Best Costume Design and Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
Taylor-Joy is pitch-perfect as the titular would-be matchmaker, playing her with the right mix of wit and naivete that make the character so charming. Other highlights include the magnificent sets and costumes, which are often ridiculous but fit with the film's lightly satirical tone and end up looking fabulous all the same.
The Beguiled (2017) - Nicole Kidman
Sofia Coppola is often noted as one of this generation's great feminist directors, crafting stories around the perspective of strong female characters and their perspectives. As such, she was an excellent choice for a new take on The Beguiled, a unique contrast to when the "man's man" duo of Don Siegel and Clint Eastwood tackled the novel in 1971.
Set in Virginia during the American Civil War, The Beguiled follows the residents of a small girls' school as their lives are upended by a wounded Union soldier. Filled with great performances, including Nicole Kidman as suspicious schoolmarm Martha Farnsworth, it's a tense drama that effectively presents themes of female empowerment with enough subtly that it doesn't overwhelm the story's moral ambiguity.
Lord Of War (2005) - Ethan Hawke
An actors' actor if there ever was one, Nicolas Cage has many underrated films under his belt, and Lord of War stands out as one of his great hidden gems. Although reviews at the time of release were fairly mixed, the movie is a fascinating look at a difficult subject, showing the horrible consequences of arms dealing and never going for easy answers.
As international arms dealer Yuri Orlov, Cage brings the right level of sympathy while never letting the audience forget that his character is a bad guy. Ethan Hawke is also very good as Interpol agent Jack Valentine, a fundamentally good man who sees his idealism shattered over the course of the brutally cynical story.
The Diary Of A Teenage Girl (2015) - Alexander Skarsgård
Marielle Heller's directorial debut tells the story of Minnie Goetze, a 15-year-old girl living in 70s San Francisco who has an affair with her mother's boyfriend. It's certainly risqué material, likely limiting its commercial potential, but The Diary of a Teenage Girl is a likable, earnest coming-of-age story, thanks to Bel Powley's wonderful lead performance, and Heller's sensitive touch.
The film also works as a new take on how many fans see Skarsgård, who came to fame playing a hunky, sexy vampire on True Blood, but is now playing a character who any reasonable person would see as a sleazy cad at best. But the movie never portrays Monroe as a villain, but instead as a charming man who nonetheless has deep flaws that would make him a poor partner for Minnie even if he weren't an adult.
Auto Focus (2002) - Willem Dafoe
Based on the true story of the murder of Hogan's Heroes star Bob Crane (Greg Kinnear), Auto Focus is an underappreciated trip through Hollywood's dark side. The film was not a box office hit, but still scored positive reviews from the likes of Roger Ebert and A.O. Scott, and is essential viewing for fans of Paul Schrader's best screenplays.
As befitting a film directed by the man who wrote Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, Auto Focus pulls no punches with its lead character, showing Crane's downward spiral from squeaky-clean family man to sex-addicted mess. It's not for the faint of heart, but it is a compelling story of how fame and bad influences can set even the best people on the path of self-destruction.
Predestination (2014) - Ethan Hawke
Based on the Robert A. Heinlein short story "All You Zombies," Succession), the movie is a brainy tale that combines the genre's best qualities, both intellectual and visceral.
Not only is Predestination packed with thrills, but it also has an engaging human story to go along with the fantastical elements. By the time of the final reveal that changes everything, the viewer truly cares about these characters and feels terrible about all the hardships they've had to endure.
Mississippi Burning (1988) - Willem Dafoe
How does one make FBI agents sympathetic heroes? Cast Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe, and put them up against the Ku Klux Klan. Inspired by the real-life investigation into the murder of three civil rights activists, Mississippi Burning was controversial upon its release, but it deserves recognition for its unflinching depiction of the pre-Civil Rights Act South.
One could fault Mississippi Burning for focusing on white law enforcement rather than the black leaders who protested against segregation, but the movie is so filled with righteous anger that it earns its place in the pantheon of great anti-racism films. Hackman and Dafoe give fantastic performances, and seeing them give a group of racist murderers their comeuppance is immensely satisfying.
