M. Night Shyamalan Movie Twists, Ranked

M. Night Shyamalan Movie Twists, Ranked

Depending on who you talk to, M. Night Shyamalan is a master of suspense, leading his audience into believing that a film will go in one direction, only to pull the rug out from under us with a surprise twist. At least, that is what one group will tell you. To others, he is a director who cheaply abuses his fake out gimmick as an ironic way to remain relevant despite his consistent failures as a filmmaker.

Love him or hate him, M. Night Shyalaman does, indeed, take pleasure in titillating his audience with a fun twist ending, which he especially made clear with the resolution(s) of his comic book genre analysis, Glass, but more on that later. While twist endings have certainly been a defining aspect of his over the past couple of decades, there are endings that have left us in the deepest state of shock, as well as those that left us sheepishly underwhelmed.

Without taking overall movie quality into account, let’s take a look at M. Night Shyamalan’s most memorable twists, ranked from “Really? What the heck?” to “REAAAAALLLLLY?! WHAT THE HECK!” Of course, I will be discussing the ending of these films, so SPOILER ALERT!

9. Lady In The Water (2006)

You’re probably wondering, Why even include this one on the list? There’s no twist. Well, that is precisely why it is ranked at the bottom. The twist is laughable, wholly inconsequential, and comes so early in the film that it is easy to disregard it as a twist.

M. Night Shyamalan’s seventh effort as writer and director is about a bedtime story character named... Story (Bryce Dallas Howard) who becomes stranded at an apartment complex maintained by superintendent Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti). Heep must protect Story from vile creatures trying to keep her from returning to her fantasy world. Meanwhile, Story also tells Heep that her purpose for visiting the human world is to become the muse for an aspiring author destined to write a book that will inspire future leaders to make the world a better place, but only after the challenging concepts he proposes lead to his assassination. The author is played by M. Night Shyalaman.

That is the twist, people. The movie you thought was a modern variation of the fairy tale is really Shyamalan’s personal indictment on the people who criticized his own writing. This could have been more easily forgivable or even accepted as an intriguing plot point if not for the self-indulgent decision to cast himself as the writer who will one day save the world and die doing it. Lady in the Water’s “hidden” message is so on the nose that it only did less to legitimize M. Night Shyamalan’s reputation as a dramatist and more as an unintentional comedic genius.

I suppose his next film (and the next on our list) was his way of swerving into that skid.

8. The Happening (2008)

People who hate The Happening are those who do not know how to have fun with a movie regardless of quality. Do not get me wrong: as a serious disaster movie, I think it’s not great, but as a satire of disaster movies, I think it’s brilliant.

M. Night Shyamalan cast Mark Wahlberg in the, then, unlikely role of a high school biology teacher struggling to protect his wife (Zooey Deschanel) and his best friend’s daughter (Ashlyn Sanchez) after a mysterious disaster occurs that, somehow, is resulting in a sweep of fatalities across the country. The marketing material kept the actual “happening” of the film a secret, as well as the hilariously bizarre moments the film is now infamous for (“Whaaaaat? Nooo!”), but we discover in the film’s opening that something is causing people to take their own lives. Intriguing (pre-Bird Box) setup, but wait until you hear the twist!

Instead of widespread mania or biological warfare as characters speculate at first, the earth’s vegetation is emitting a poisonous gas out of revenge against human beings. While this could have been M. Night Shyamalan’s attempt at environmental commentary, it is impossible not to laugh at the idea, especially with the robotic acting, off-putting dialogue, and other head scratcher moments from beginning to end. Really, I think he knew what he was doing with this one and we just weren’t ready for him to show his darkly humorous side, but it does not save the twist from feeling empty.

At least it was not as ambiguous as this one...

7. Signs (2002)

Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs that alien invaders are among us in M. Night Shyamalan’s third mainstream thriller. Mel Gibson plays Graham Hess, a former minister, having lost his faith following the death of his wife, whose family is plagued by suspicions that Earth may be under attack. The biggest red flag is the huge crop circle that formed on Gibson’s farm just overnight.

The film’s climax sees the family in seemingly better times having survived the night of the predicted invasion, until they discover an intruder in their midst: one of their extraterrestrial visitors, holding Graham’s son Morgan (Rory Culkin) with sinister intent. Suddenly, Graham has a flashback of the last thing his late wife said to him: “Tell Merrill to swing away,” prompting him to tell his high school baseball star brother, Merrill (Joaquin Phoenix), to grab his old slugger and take a good swing at the alien. In all the commotion, the alien knocks over a glass of water on the table (which there are many laying around, thanks to Graham’s germaphobic daughter, played by a young Abigail Breslin), which drips down his skin and appears to have a deadly effect on him. So, with a mix of melee fighting skills and a generous dose of acidic water, Merrill manages to successfully defeat the alien.

There are two twists that I count in this scenario and I do not care much for either of them. For one, the idea of our otherworldly enemy being allergic to water is a blatant rip-off of H.G. Wells’ common cold-sensitive martians in The War of the Worlds, and, on the other hand, I cannot decide what to make of Graham’s wife’s psychic vision. Is there supposed to be a deeper symbolic meaning to this reveal, did the wife have some secret connection to the aliens, or was it just thrown in there for convenience? Unfortunately, I have to go with that last option, personally, which is heartbreaking since Signs is on fire with some very effective moments of suspense until the final letdown.

Some would actually say the same about this next film.

6. Unbreakable (2000)

Most comic book movies glorify the idea of being a superhero as the best thing that could ever happen to you. For David Dunn (Bruce Willis), it marks a point of depression for him. You can’t really blame him though, since he makes his revelation by being the only survivor of a fatal trainwreck.

In M. Night Shyamalan’s intriguing analysis of superhero mythology, Unbreakable, Dunn discovers, denies, and comes to accept his superhuman abilities (strength, indestructibility, and sensing evil through physical touch) with the help of a comic book enthusiast, who is the complete opposite of indestructible, named Elijah Price (Samuel L. Jackson). The ending of the film sees Dunn shaking hands with his new friend and, suddenly, his “sixth sense” kicks into gear, allowing his see a vision of Price sabotaging the same train he survived. In that moment, Dunn realizes that his ally is really his arch enemy, an aspiring supervillain searching for his superhero.

There is a variety of reasons to love this twist, even if you are one of those who claims to have seen it coming. Not only does it serve as a potent, thought-provoking indictment on comic book tropes, but also a commentary on the dangerous effects of obsession. Price is so determined to prove that his comic book fantasies are reality that he willfully assumes the role of the antagonist (and alias Mr. Glass) and goes to grave lengths to carry out his mission, leading to his downfall.

Of course, it would not be a superhero movie without an arch villain, so the reveal does lose momentum in that regard. Perhaps if the audience did not know it was a comic book movie...

5. Split (2017)

After a series of embarrassing critical and commercial failures that I will not mention for the sake of our readers’ mental health, M. Night Shyamalan finally made what appeared to be comeback with 2015’s The Visit (more on that later). This made audiences skeptical if he could make another killing two years later with this thriller starring James McAvoy as man with dissociative identity disorder holding three teenage girls captive.

The movie’s final girl, Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy) manages to narrowly escape James McAvoy’s Kevin Wendell Crumb after he takes on the persona of his strongest and most animalistic identity, The Beast, but only by proving that she, like Kevin, is also a victim of an abusive childhood. M. Night Shyalaman tricks the audience into believing this is the inevitable twist we have been waiting for, until a bonus scene reveals the film’s true purpose. We see two women chatting about Crumb’s arrest at a diner, comparing him to another man who was arrested about 17 years prior whose name they cannot recall, until Bruce Willis as David Dunn interjects with their answer: “Mr. Glass.”

“Split is an Unbreakable sequel?!” is what audiences gasped as they walked out of the theater. It was a perplexing, yet warmly welcomed reveal that showed how Split was the beginning of David Dunn’s next villain. It helped M. Night Shyalaman, once again, gain relevance as an innovator of the surprise ending and had fans excited to see where his comic book-inspired universe would go next.

Depending on who you ask, the next and final chapter in the Unbreakable universe served as Shyamalan’s most ambitious venture into twisty storytelling yet.

4. Glass (2019)

Which leads me to this follow-up. If you go to an M. Night Shyamalan movie for his signature twist ending, Glass, his conclusion to story set up in Unbreakable and Split is the ultimate experience for fans because it is chock full of them.

After learning that his next big adversary is on the loose, David Dunn (Bruce Willis reprising his superhuman Unbreakable role) tracks down James McAvoy’s Kevin Wendell Crumb (nicknamed The Horde in the media) only for both of them to be arrested and placed in an insane asylum, where Dunn is reunited by his former friend-turned-enemy Elijah “Mr. Glass” Price (Samuel L. Jackson). The trio of living comic book caricatures are monitored by Dr. Ellie Staple (Sarah Paulson), a psychologist who specializes in convincing people who believe they are superheroes that their abilities are an illusion. Inevitably, we learn Staple’s true intentions, as well as a couple of other revelations - all within the span of about 20 minutes.

First, Crumb’s father was killed on the same train Dunn survived, leading to the abuse he endured by his mentally ill single mother. Second, Staple is actually a member of a covert organization with intent to keep the existence of superheroes and villains a secret to the public, explaining her unusual job title. Finally, Elijah Price copied video evidence of David Dunn and Kevin Wendell Crumb’s abilities, which Casey Cooke (Anya Taylor-Joy returning from Split), Dunn’s son, Joseph (Spencer Treat Clark), and Price’s mother (Charlayne Woodard) reveal to the world over social media, making Staple’s mission a failure.

Despite how the conclusion(s) of Glass faced criticism for having a few too many endings and an underwhelming hero-villain battle at the climax, watching the compendium of this three-chapter comic book analysis come to a close was satisfying for me, especially given how M. Night Shyamalan's twist ties these characters together. It was a unique distraction from the usual slam-bang-boom we get from superhero movies, so as a twist it worked.

M. Night Shyalaman managed the reverse effect with this next film.

3. The Village (2004)

The Happening is hilarious schlock. Lady In The Water is irritatingly quirky. The Village is just a bland period piece spliced with a monster movie with characters who should have invested in coffee crops, until you find out what is really going on.

A community of 19th-century townsfolk lives in constant fear of the creatures that hide in the woods outside their quaint village, desperate to stay loyal to the agreement that as long as no one steps foot in the woods, the creatures will leave them alone. When young villager Lucius (Joaquin Phoenix) is injured, his fiancee, Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) feels she has no choice but to enter the woods in search of the proper medicine to nurse Lucius back to health, despite her blindness. Yet, her lack of sight is the exact reason the village Elders are willing to let her take this journey. Why?

Not only are the creatures non-existent rumors, as the chief Elder (Willaim Hurt) reveals halfway through, but all that exists outside of the woods is… modern society. Yes, the villagers are pawns in a social experiment kept secret by the park rangers who own the land the village was built on and the monsters are the Elders’ ploy to shield its people from the truth. I don’t care if you claim to have guessed that halfway, if you felt confused, or if you think this is the pinnacle of M. Night Shyamalan’s laziness as a writer, I stand firmly by my belief that is one of the more clever ideas the filmmaker has come up with and makes The Village a far more interesting film than I would have initially expected.

I also did not expect to like this next film's twist as much as I did.

2. The Visit (2015)

M. Night Shyamalan was rotting in movie jail, as far as former fans were concerned, when he teamed up with horror movie wizard producer Jason Blum for this hopeful comeback. I would call The Visit, the filmmaker’s first try into the found footage genre, a surprise success in that regard, particularly for being a better attempt at his darkly comic sensibilities after The Happening and for its big surprise near the end.

What at first appears to be teenager Becca’s (Olivia DeJonge) fun attempt to document her and her brother, Tyler’s (Ed Oxenbould) first ever visit to their grandparents’ house soon turns into video evidence of their fight for survival as “Nana” (Deanna Dunagan) and “Pop Pop” (Peter McRobbie) show early signs of not being right in the head. Nana runs through the house naked, Pop Pop keeps dressing up for a non-existent costume party, and hints at the old couples’ extraterrestrial lineage are mentioned at one point. It is challenging for the children to accept that their grandparents are insane, until a revealing video chat with their mother (Kathryn Hahn) saves them from worrying if they are destined to inherit their mental illness because those crazy people are not who they say they are.

“Nana” and “Pop Pop” are actually mental patients that the real Nana and Pop Pop used to visit, until the imposters escaped, murdered them, and assimilated themselves into their home before the children arrived. In a film filled with laughably bizarre insanity, the twist is a very creepy and devilishly funny discovery that serves as the film’s second biggest “Oh crap!” As for the biggest “Oh crap!” moment, if you have seen the film, you surely know what I am referring to. If not, I will let you find that out on your own.

But no twist that M. Night Shyamalan has delivered in his prolific career has ever, and may not ever, be as iconic his breakout hit.

1.The Sixth Sense (1999)

M. Night Shyamalan had directed two films to not much avail before this Academy Award-nominated chiller.

The title of The Sixth Sense refers to young Cole Sear’s (Haley Joel Osment) ability to see the spirits of the unwitting dead. Cole seeks the help of Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist whose marriage has fallen apart since his violent encounter with a former patient (Donnie Wahlberg), to help him cope with his terrifying gift, believing that he is the only one who can help him. Yet, it is Cole who ends up helping Crowe the most, as he realizes in the film’s epic finale.

The violent encounter with Crowe’s former patient (a gunshot to his stomach) years earlier actually ended his life and Crowe had been a ghost through the whole movie. Finally understanding his wife’s inability to communicate with him and after successfully aiding Cole in taking ownership of his skills, Crowe chooses this moment to crossover into the proper afterlife - a bittersweet conclusion wrapped in unbelievable shock. Shyamalan earned comparisons to Steven Spielberg with this hit and justifiably so, considering the clever ways he hints at what would eventually become his trademark without spilling the beans, even if Are You Afraid of the Dark? did the same concept years earlier.

We’ll just ignore that.

What do you think of our ranking? Do you agree that The Sixth Sense is the ultimate movie fake out, or do you think I was a little too generous to M. Night Shyamalan? However you feel, let us know in the comments and be sure to check for more fun facts and updates here on CinemaBlend.

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All The Harry Potter Movies, Ranked

All The Harry Potter Movies, Ranked

The Harry Potter franchise, for many individuals, was an integral part of their coming of age. Whether fans were the same age as Harry when he began his wizarding adventure, or a bit younger or older, the tale has amassed an army of fans with J.K. Rowling's novels and a successful film franchise to boot. Now as fans are in the midst of the spinoff Fantastic Beasts franchise, they may question whether the Harry Potter movies are still as good as they remember.

The short answer is "yes," although adult fans who already know the major beats may want to pick and choose which classic movies to revisit, and which ones may not be quite as fun now that they're all grown. Harry Potter's tale is still great, but some of the movies definitely stand out as superior to others. One may think all the films are the same quality, but will quickly realize upon re-watch this is far from the case.

Before diving into this list, it's worth mentioning again this ranked list is for those who know the world of Harry Potter and have already seen the movies. Trying to watch the movies in the ranking they're given for the first time would be absolute madness and is not at all advised by me, or probably any other fan. Watch the whole series through first, then come back to this list and see if you agree with these favorites.

8. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets may have been cool as hell to experience back in the day, but nowadays, it's a huge time suck. The Harry Potter movie clocks in at just under 3 hours in length, and was one of the last attempts to try and adapt even minor details from the corresponding book of the same name. It drags on upon re-watch, especially for audiences who know how it ends.

It was fine for the time it was released and, as mentioned, none of these movies are necessarily "bad." When measured up against its peers, however, there are far more engaging scenes to watch in other movies compared to Ron navigating a giant game of Wizard's Chess. Just remember that Harry unknowingly got Voldemort's diary, and ended up saving his future wife from a Basilisk while also unintentionally destroying a Horcrux. As for the rest, well, it can largely be forgotten.

7. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 isn't just an awkward title, it's a movie with an awkward ending. While the intention of splitting the final book into two separate movies was the right idea from Warner Bros., it required this Harry Potter movie to essentially end at the middle point in the story.

Now, that middle point was Voldemort's stealing of the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's corpse, which was pretty dark and crazy. Still, in the context of what's to come, Harry Potter movie lovers may find themselves a bit too anxious to suffer through all of the depressing parts of this movie knowing the real action is laying in wait in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. As a consolation, it's one of the best in that it made Part 2 a stronger film, so there's that!

6. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Much like in the books, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was the Harry Potter movie where the main cast "grew up." Everyone in the cast dealt with their own issues and the fact the magical world at large was unwilling to admit Voldemort had truly returned. This was also the directorial debut of David Yates, who would direct the rest of the movies from then on.

So, what makes this Harry Potter movie a cut above the two previous entries? Beyond the fact the general story shifts to a more adult tone, Dolores Umbridge was one of the best villains in the franchise. It helped that the actress who played her, Imelda Staunton, was a near-perfect casting that really encapsulated what made the headmaster so damn irksome and evil. Watch for Umbridge, stay for the heart-wrenching exit of Sirius Black.

5. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

At the risk of proving my point with its middling status on this list, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is one of the more underrated titles of the franchise. It's forced to navigate a sort of sexual awakening amongst the characters, and also shows the death of Albus Dumbledore all in the span of two and a half hours, which sounds like a damn near impossible task.

Yet Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince manages to do both well enough, and may even convince some audiences to feel a sense of pity for Draco Malfoy, who never deserved any prior. The Slytherin goes through quite the gauntlet of emotions in this adventure, which is somewhat overshadowed by other events, but tragic to see nonetheless. It's a performance Tom Felton can be proud of, provided he ever re-watches the Harry Potter movies down the road.

4. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

It's the Harry Potter movie that started it all, and just as enjoyable to watch today as it was back then. Perhaps it's the nostalgia of reliving the movie that showed Hogwarts for the first time, or the wonderful directing of Chris Columbus? There's also that awesome iconic scene of Hagrid's arrival to tell Harry he's a wizard, which remains one of the most memorable moments in this franchise.

Really, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the Harry Potter movie that set the standard for all of the films that followed. It's still very much a kids film, but there's enough maturity to it that older fans won't groan and feel bored living through it once again. At least, not as much as they would while watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and watching Ron Weasley freak out about spiders.

3. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

This is hands down the best of the young Harry Potter movies, and a lot of that is credit to Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron. He expertly edited down the story into a masterful adaptation, which was a challenge the two prior films balked at. It was a great decision that effectively set a standard for the movie world of Harry Potter: that all events directly affecting Harry stayed, and the rest got shuffled out.

It also helps that Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban marked a significant change in the main cast. Each actor came into their own as actors, and it was the first film in which Michael Gambon took on the role of Albus Dumbledore. There's so much that is different about Azkaban compared to the first two films it could've caused some massive backlash, but instead, it created one of the best Harry Potter movies of the whole franchise.

2. Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire

It was quite a tall order for a film to tackle Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, which featured one of the biggest events to have ever happened at Hogwarts, The Triwizard Tournament. The scale of the film still feels massive upon re-watch, and while the movie left out a good deal of material from the book, it nailed the whole scope and majesty of the tournament rather well.

It's still so satisfying to watch, and fun right up until Cedric Diggory's corpse flops in front of the unassuming crowd at the final event. Some would argue the Harry Potter movie somewhat undersells Voldemort's return with too much emphasis on the tournament, but things get so dark after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, fans revisiting should appreciate the final truly lighthearted adventure in the franchise right before everything goes to shit.

1. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

As mentioned earlier, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 took the bullet so that this Harry Potter movie could get a lion's share of the glory. It offered a non-stop thrill ride that led up to the final showdown between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. We even got a scene where Mrs. Weasley called Bellatrix a bitch; it's just all so fantastic!

It's not often that fans of a franchise should hit up the final film first when contemplating a re-watch, but starting from the beginning may cause a burn out before hitting this gem. Hit this one up early because it's a great way to reflect on how far the franchise came leading to that grand finale. The book helped, but the movies really brought a fantastical and tragic final sequence together in a way imaginations couldn't quite do justice.

Related: The Harry Potter Cast: A Look Back Then And Now

Those who disagree with the ranking or just want to sing praises of the wonderful Harry Potter universe can do so in the comment section below. Make your opinion heard and then hop over to the other sections on CinemaBlend for all the latest news in movies, television, and pop culture.

Or let us know your own ranking of the films using the survey below!

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All The Planet Of The Apes Movies, Ranked

All The Planet Of The Apes Movies, Ranked

Before The Avengers, before Harry Potter and even before Star Wars, there was the Planet Of The Apes series. Starting with the original in 1968 and now up to its ninth film in the series, War For Planet Of The Apes, the series was one of the first major franchises in movie history.

Sure, there had been some long-running B-horror movie franchises and a handful of other examples in other genres – most notably James Bond - but Planet Of The Apes was basically the first one that set the template for what we understand to be major franchises, like The Avengers and Star Wars.

All told, there have been books, graphic novels, a TV show, toys and video games based on the series, just as there are for modern franchises. There are also nine Planet of the Apes movies that make up the franchise, though unlike some of the major franchises, the nine are separated into three distinct versions of the story and there isn’t a linear story to all nine. But, with that said, let’s get into which of these movies is the worst, which is the best and which ones fall in between.

9. Planet of the Apes (2001)

Tim Burton’s remake was supposed to be a hit. It had fans of the long-forgotten series, which had not released a new film for almost three decades, salivating at the thought of what the great Tim Burton could do with the world they loved. Surely his unique way of looking at things and his distinct style of filmmaking was perfect for a remake. After all, his Batman movie in 1989 reinvigorated that franchise.

Instead, sadly, this Planet of the Apes movie was a total disappointment. The whole project was in production hell for years before Tim Burton and his crew would take it on, casting Mark Wahlberg as a human astronaut that goes forward in time thousands of years and ends up on the Planet Of The Apes. Tim Roth plays the villain and Helena Bonham Carter stars as the love interest of sorts.

The plot is a time-traveling mess and it’s hard to follow, but it ends with Marky Mark somehow going back in time to what he thinks is his own time, on what looks like his Earth, until he looks up and sees Tim Roth’s ape character sitting on the chair in the Lincoln Memorial. So… it’s even further into the future? Who knows.

8. Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973)

Battle For The Planet Of The Apes was the fifth and final installment of the original series. It was made on a shoestring budget and it shows. Even the reviews of the day said it felt like the franchise was on its last legs.

The film opens in the future, but tells the story, in flashback, of how Caesar, played by Roddy McDowell, after the war of Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes, attempts to rebuild the world. His human foe, Kolp, leading what is left of the human population, rises up against Caesar and the Apes, and after some serious fighting, peace is made between the apes and the humans.

The movie, like its predecessor, Conquest, is meant to be a comment of racial equality, but also like its predecessor, it is little too on the nose and a little ham-handed.

7. Beneath The Planet Of The Apes (1970)

Beneath The Planet Of The Apes was a hastily thrown together sequel of the original 1968 movie, and it shows. Like a lot of direct sequels to big movies in the '70s and '80s, it sort of doesn’t fit into the larger narrative. Though it does end in the nuclear explosion that does create the post-apocalyptic world that would drive the events of Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes.

Charlton Heston does briefly return from the original, though his role is significantly smaller, as the story follows another astronaut, Brent, that followed Heston’s character, Taylor, to the planet to rescue him. Roddy McDowall, who plays Cornelius in the original movie, is absent from this one, again showing that the big picture wasn’t in play here, as his character would become very important to the story arc in the future movies.

Beneath The Planet Of The Apes a good enough movie, but it really lacks the broader vision that would come with the following movies. It’s just sort of a cut and dry simple sequel that quickly tries to follow the main story of the first movie and the bigger picture, including the weird telepathic humans that don’t really have much of a larger role in the following movies.

6. Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes (1972)

Conquest Of The Planet Of The Planet Of The Apes is the first time fans of the series would meet a fully grown Caesar. The character Caesar is perhaps the most famous character in the series, as he played a pivotal role in the end of the original five films and is the hero of the reboot series that began in 2011.

Conquest Of The Planet Of The Apes follows Caesar, who was born to Cornelius and Zira in Escape From The Planet Of The Apes, which was set in the 1970s. In Conquest, set in the early 1990s in America, Caesar is living as a circus performer, hiding his ability to speak and his intelligence with his handler, Armando.

Caesar is tracked by Kolp (who is also fully introduced in this film) and is eventually captured, but he escapes after he avoids execution. Caesar leads the apes in rebellion against the humans, and at the end he shows his mercy and makes a speech declaring peace and his desire to see apes and humans live together, a theme that was continued in Battle.

5. Escape From The Planet Of The Apes (1971)

Escape From The Planet Of The Apes is when the series really starts to put together a larger story, and it all sort of happened as a happy accident. Due to budget constraints, the film was set in 1971 New York City, so it wouldn’t require elaborate sets and costumes like the previous two.

Roddy McDowall returns to the fold as his character, Cornelius, and his wife Zira escape the apocalypse of Beneath on Taylor’s spaceship and land in current-day New York. At first they are welcomed, but, as would become a recurring theme in the series, they're eventually discriminated against once it is revealed that Zira is pregnant with Caesar.

Escape From The Planet Of The Apes begins the larger story of how the apes came to dominate Earth in the future and the genesis of intelligent apes. Like all the movies, it’s a little cheesy compared to today’s movies, but the story has vision, which was not only new for the Apes movies, but also movies on the whole. The first true sci-fi franchise was really born with Escape From The Planet Of The Apes.

4. Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes (2014)

Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes is the second entry in the rebooted trilogy that starts with Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes. It explores the beginnings of the conflict between the newly intelligent apes, led by Caesar, played by the absolutely amazing Andy Serkis, against what is remaining of the human population after the Simian Flu that gave increased intelligence to the apes and all but completely wiped out the human population.

All three films in the rebooted trilogy are excellent and Dawn is no exception. Going back the first one, Rise, one of the smartest things the creators of the new series did was ground the origin story of the Caesar and the smart apes in true science fiction. Instead of a simple story that starts with a time-traveling astronaut, they base the genesis of the smart apes on biotech and simple evolution. It’s a great choice.

Unlike the original Planet of the Apes series' first sequel, it’s clear from this sequel that the larger story has been more fully fleshed out from the beginning. While much of Dawn deals with the internal conflicts among the ape population, particularly Caesar and his rival Koba, the big picture conflict with the humans is at the heart of it, as Caesar wants to live in peace, but Koba sees no option but war. Like the original series, the reboots serve as a commentary for race relations and equality.

3. War For The Planet Of The Apes (2017)

The final installment (for now) of the new trilogy, War For The Planet Of The Apes is a tremendous conclusion to the Caesar story and the origins of the “new” planet.

War For The Planet Of The Apes is also filled with nice references to the original series, like the twist of having Caesar’s son named Cornelius, rather than Cornelius being the name of Caesar’s father in the original series. Caesar also rescues a mute woman named Nova, which is a nod to the original character Nova from the first movie, who is also a devolved human.

The plot of the film is driven by great performances by Andy Serkis again as Caesar and Woody Harrelson as his human antagonist, the evil Colonel. War continues the broader themes of equality by using The Colonel as human obsessed with killing the evolved apes rather than live in harmony, and this eventually leads to Caesar being forced into a position that he didn’t want to take: a violent uprising against The Colonel and his men.

2. Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes (2011)

The reboot of the Planet Of The Apes series was an instant classic. Unlike its two successors, Dawn and War, it is light on pure action, at least until the end, and it is strong as an origin story. Like most great science fiction, the story is based somewhere near reality.

In Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes, viewers learn about a drug that James Franco’s character, Will, is developing to treat Alzheimer’s Disease. Testing for the drug is being done on apes. One of the apes is Caesar’s mother, and when she is exposed to the drug, her intelligence increases dramatically. However, she also loses control and is shot, but not until after she has given birth to Caesar, who inherited his mother’s intelligence.

Will takes Caesar home and continues to secretly develop the drug for his father, who is suffering. Eventually, Caesar begins to understand the larger world and his low standing in it as a primate, and after attacking Will’s neighbor, he ends up in monkey jail, which further steels his resolve to rise up. He does finally lead a revolution and the movie ends with Caesar and the rest of the apes escaping to the Redwood forests of Northern California, setting up the conflicts of the future.

1. Planet of the Apes (1968)

The one that started them all is still the best. Sure the original Planet Of The Apes is a little campy and it’s not nearly as slick or as good looking as the reboots, but it is the one that first grabbed people with the amazing story with the incredible twist.

The first time anyone sees the movie, especially if they don’t know the ending, it digs deep into the viewer’s imagination. The twist, when Charlton Heston’s character Taylor sees the top of the Statue Of Liberty and realizes that he is in fact trapped in the future and that the fate of humanity is doomed, is just brilliant. It’s the kind of story that sticks with audiences for a long time. It’s frankly one of the most iconic scenes in movie history.

Planet Of The Apes deserves its place at the top of the list because obviously without it, there would be no list. It has its drawbacks, like how the special effects are primitive (no pun intended) by today’s standards, but that doesn’t matter. It’s the story (and that twist) that matter. Charlton Heston’s performance is great, as is Roddy McDowall’s as Cornelius. It’s a movie that everyone should see at least once and probably way more than that.

So that’s the list. We hope there are more Planet of the Apes movies in the future, but in the meantime, what do you think? Let us know in the comments and answer the poll below!

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The 10 Best Morgan Freeman Movies, Ranked

The 10 Best Morgan Freeman Movies, Ranked

This is a tough list to make. The list of Morgan Freeman movies that stand out above all the rest. He has had so many great performances and played so many beloved characters over the years, is it even possible to break them down and pick a top ten?

Of course it is! For a man who didn’t really have his big break happen until he was 50 years old, Morgan Freeman has put together an amazing career. His dedication to acting shows in every role he takes and the world -- or at least Hollywood --is much better for it. He can be funny or serious and his God-like voice is both powerful and soothing.

So here it is, the best of the best – and it is the best of the best, his filmography was difficult to cull down, but in the end, we did and here are the choices!

10. Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991)

This version of Robin Hood gets trashed these days, but unfairly so. It probably has something to do with Kevin Costner’s accent, which is admittedly terrible, but there are some amazing performances in the film, like Alan Rickman as the Sheriff Of Nottingham and certainly including Morgan Freeman’s role as Robin Hood’s faithful friend, Azeem.

Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves was a really big deal when it was released. Mel Brooks even made a parody of it, and though it doesn’t get much respect today, it’s worth a second watch if it’s been a while since you last saw it. Especially for the great cameo at the end that the movie managed to keep a secret from most people in those halcyon pre-Twitter, spoiler-free days.

9. Invictus (2009)

Morgan Freeman’s brilliant portrayal of South African President Nelson Mandela in this not-really-about-sports sports movie is what elevates Invictus. It doesn’t matter you don’t like sports movies, or rugby, this is a movie about redemption and overcoming the suffocating history of apartheid in South Africa.

Morgan Freeman’s co-star, Matt Damon, is also masterful in this film. Both were deservedly nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes for their performances. Clint Eastwood’s direction is, as usual, excellent and also elevates the performances, but it’s really all about Freeman’s performance as the beloved South African leader that keeps audiences entranced.

8. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Morgan Freeman credits Street Smart (below) as his breakout role, but for most audiences it was his performance as the chauffeur to Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy) that really put him on the movie star map. Driving Miss Daisy won four Oscars and was nominated for another five, including Best Actor for Freeman, though he didn’t win.

Driving Miss Daisy is another example, like Robin Hood, of a performance and a film that is often overlooked today, but it’s a really well made film with wonderful acting performances from Jessica Tandy, who won an Oscar for her role as Miss Daisy and Morgan Freeman, as well as Dan Aykroyd, who were also nominated!

7. Street Smart (1987)

Morgan Freeman considers this his breakout role and he's also has said that Street Smart is his favorite movie that he has made (sorry Shawshank fans). In the film, Freeman plays a pimp named Fast Black who is suspected by the police of murder. Morgan Freeman’s co-star Christopher Reeve plays a struggling newspaper reporter who fabricates a story about a pimp the police believe is Fast Black and Fast Black believes is about him as well, setting up the conflict between Morgan and Reeve.

Street Smart resulted in Freeman’s first Oscar nomination and set him on the path to stardom. At age 50, it's remarkable this was the movie that really got his career going like gangbusters. It's hard to image there was a time when Morgan Freeman movies were the norm! Everyone can thank Street Smart for all the Morgan Freeman in our lives. Thank you Street Smart!

6. Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins is really just the best way to represent Morgan Freeman’s role as Lucius Fox, the loyal employee of Wayne Enterprises who works with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) to develop and reconfigure all kinds of technology for Wayne’s alter ego, Batman in the Christopher Nolan directed Dark Knight Trilogy.

In Batman Begins, Freeman’s character has been demoted in Bruce’s absence. He is stuck in the Applied Sciences division where the current bosses think he’ll be out of the way, but it turns out that it’s the perfect position for Fox to help Bruce Wayne/Batman. Morgan Freeman’s signature calm-but-firm demeanor is perfect for the loyal and dedicated Fox and his inclusion in the film, while it may be fleeting, is perfect.

5. Glory (1989)

Glory is an incredible and powerful movie. It toes the line between being important and fun brilliantly and Morgan Freeman’s role is critical to that. Freeman understood how important a movie like Glory was from the beginning and he gives it his all in his performance. Glory, believe it or not, was the first time, even in 1989, that many people ever heard the story of African-American soldiers fighting for the Union during the Civil War.

While all the actors in the film played their roles well, not surprisingly it was the two African-American leads, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who were at the heart of this cast. Washington won a richly deserved Academy Award for his performance as a disillusioned private under Mathew Broderick’s command and it would have been perfectly acceptable had Freeman won one too.

4. Seven (1995)

Seven, was a big film for a lot of big stars. While it wasn’t Brad Pitt’s breakout role, it was the first time he was taken seriously as a lead actor. The movie is, however, Gwyneth Paltrow’s breakout role and behind the both of them, like a rock keeping calm in a sea of crazy, is Morgan Freeman's Detective Somerset.

Directed by David Fincher, the film is masterful and Morgan Freeman excels in his performance as a detective on his last case, catching a serial killer. That is the kind of role (and trope) that many actors would phone in or overact in, but not Freeman, he doesn’t overplay the “I gotta get out of here” vibe, but you can feel the pain in his character as he deals with one last psychopath.

3. Unforgiven (1992)

In Unforgiven, Morgan Freeman plays sharpshooter Ned Logan, a loyal and longtime friend to Clint Eastwood’s Will Munny in this epic western. Logan joins up with Munny to help a young man called “The Schofield Kid” track down a gang a vial cowboys accused of torturing a prostitute.

In a film filled with some of the best actors of their day, including Clint Eastwood (who also directed), Gene Hackman, and Richard Harris, Morgan Freeman more than holds his own with his brilliant performance. In fact, Unforgiven might just be his best performance that he WASN’T nominated for any major awards for.

2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Ah yes, that TNT Sunday afternoon special. A movie so important, you can find it somewhere on cable at almost any time of the day or night, every single day. If you took a poll on the street of people asking them for their favorite Morgan Freeman movie, it’s a safe bet that The Shawshank Redemption would far and away be the most popular answer. For a movie that was a disappointment at the box office, that is pretty amazing.

Freeman plays Red, a man whose been in jail for a long time when Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins arrives after he is sentenced to life for murdering his wife and the man she was having an affair with. Red mentors Andy and their friendship grows. It’s a wonderful movie and Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of the convicted criminal with a heart of gold made millions of Gen Xers and Millennials who grew up watching the movie on cable consider Freeman one of the most beloved actors of all-time.

1. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

If you are counting, Million Dollar Baby is the third time a Morgan Freeman performance in a Clint Eastwood-directed film is on the list. It has been one heck of a partnership over the years, to say the least. Million Dollar Baby and its story of redemption is everything viewers could want from a serious and personal movie.

The acting in the movie, by Eastwood, Hilary Swank, And Freeman are as good as you will find in any movie, anywhere, in any time in Hollywood history. It’s a masterclass by all three and it makes even this sad, tragic story a true joy to watch.

It’s amazing to think of how many other movies and performances aren’t on this list also. Great films like The Power Of One and Lean On Me or powerful films like Amistad. Morgan Freeman’s remarkable career also, of course, includes his stellar voice over work in documentaries like March Of The Penguins.

At 81-years-old, Morgan Freeman is still going, still playing roles that audiences will appreciate for years to come. He is truly a remarkable actor.

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John Cena's 5 Best Movie Roles, Ranked

John Cena's 5 Best Movie Roles, Ranked

Both physically and professionally, John Cena has been a big man for a very long time. But these past few years have been huge for the professional WWE wrestler-turned-Hollywood actor. In less than five years, John Cena went from being a popular athlete on television to one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood at the moment. Not everyone can say they've done that before — or, at least, that they've done it well as Cena has these past couple years.

Indeed, John Cena's fame is ballooning just like his biceps, and it doesn't look like things will be slowing down anytime soon. Particularly with hot roles coming up soon in major studio properties, including his forthcoming part in The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle and his rumored role in The Suicide Squad. With that, we're taking a moment to celebrate the five roles that prove John Cena has become a fun, versatile, committed and commendable rising actor.

Now, before we get ahead of ourselves, it should be noted that I'm ranking these performances according to personal preference from least to greatest, with the first one being my least favorite of the favorites, while the last one here is my favorite of the favorites from the John Cena movies lineup. Hopefully that makes sense. In any case, each of these roles showcase a wealth of promise for the veteran professional WWE wrestler to make his way into the world of film acting.

John Cena has already amassed more credits than muscles at this point, and that's certainly no small feat. There's a good chance that we'll be seeing more of John Cena, the big-time actor, in the years to come. For now, however, here's my ranking of John Cena's best performances to date.

Bumblebee

In the Transformers series, the larger-than-life characters are often the giant anamorphic alien robots who turn into assorted trucks and vehicles. But John Cena give those Autobots and Decepticons a run for their money in the role of Agent Jack Burns, a grizzled, vengeance-focused colonel who sees Bumblebee has a threat that must be eliminated as soon as humanly possible. But while he is one of the main antagonist of the film, that doesn't mean that he puts his movie star charms aside and reside too deeply into the internal anguish of the character.

Often, John Cena's Agent Burns provides the film's funniest lines, particularly through his dry delivery. And yet, his wholehearted commitment to the film's goofy premise helps to sell the film's earnest '80s-esque sense of wonder, giving it the right sense of charm and captivation that was typically lost in the other Transformers sequels. While Cena doesn't quite match the size of his title co-star, his larger-than-life demeanor makes a good impression.

The Wall

As you'll see in this list, John Cena has collected a variety of comedic roles. However, as an actor hoping to prove himself throughout a variety of different roles and films, Cena has also expanded into some serious-minded territory as well. The results have ultimately been more mixed, but he did find a win with The Wall, Doug Liman's intense, visceral war thriller which finds an Iraq War sniper (Cena) and a spotter (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) fighting for their lives when a mission does dramatically (and deathly) wrong.

As U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Shane Matthews, John Cena showcases his comedy chops briefly in the movie's opening moments. But it doesn't take long before shots are fired and violence ensues, and Cena's role in the film becomes a whole lot more dramatic. As a rare opportunity to prove himself beyond his action and comedy skills, Cena proves that he has the potential to expand himself as an actor and elevate himself beyond the short-sighted aspirations of a few casting directors out there in Hollywood. As a result, John Cena's work in The Wall should hopefully allow him to expand as a dramatic actor, much in the same way that Trainwreck allowed John Cena to become the comedy mainstay he has been these past several years.

Sisters

In 2015, John Cena was best known for his memorable work in Trainwreck (more on that soon). But there was another R-rated comedy where his large-and-in-charge comedy stylings proved to be very beneficial. Specifically, that film was Sisters, the Tina Fey-Amy Poehler studio comedy which imagined two party-loving siblings throwing a hell of a rager when their parents suggest they sell their childhood home. In the midst of the party festivities seen on-screen is Pazuzu, a heavily tattooed drug dealer who is invited to bring some weed to the partying.

In the film, John Cena is expected to play it straight more than he normally does in studio comedies, often portraying a silent, menacing type who lets his imposing physicality speak for him. As a drug dealer with an inconceivably high amount of drugs (no pun intended) as his disposal, his presence in the film definitely heightens things, though not in the way it does in the other R-rated comedies mentioned in this article. Nevertheless, through another solid and often-funny role in a major studio comedy, John Cena continued to prove himself as a flexible, yet dependable, big-time comedic presence.

Blockers

Only a few years after the success of Trainwreck, John Cena was once again able to stretch his comedy capabilities in a major studio comedy. It also helped that the actor was given a bigger, more prominent role in the film as well. That movie in question is Blockers, a charming, heartfelt R-rated comedy that is centered around a trio of helicopter parents (Ike Barinholtz, Leslie Mann and Cena, of course), who dedicate to sabotage their teenage daughters' prom night in order to prevent them from losing their virginities. It's a pretty bonkers premise, and one that was definitely heightened by Cena.

As Mitchell Mannes, the beefy softie of the group, John Cena played into the tropes of your typical sports-loving overprotective parent who is so caught up in keeping his daughter's child-like innocence that he is ignoring the realities of your children growing up and becoming functioning adults. By having John Cena in the film in one of the lead roles, there's inherently something outright silly about the film. Because really, how many suburban dads look like him? But to the actor's credit, he really leans into that silliness, playing the film's premise up to the full extent while never making it too goofy or ludicrous for its own good. The result, particularly towards the emotional third act, is a film with a big heart as well as some hearty gaffs.

Trainwreck

While John Cena had already proven himself to be a muscle-bound, charismatic television personality with almost two whole decades of professional wrestling experience under his WWE heavyweight championship belt back in 2015, his acting skills were still left into question a mere few years ago. The actor had tried — and failed — to expand himself into action superstar status with misfire efforts like The Marine and 12 Rounds, and it wasn't crystal clear if audiences would be seeing more of John Cena on the big screen. Well, that certainly changed when Cena proved his big comedy chops in Trainwreck.

In Judd Apatow's sharp, appealing romantic comedy, Trainwreck, John Cena only appeared in a supporting role as Steven, Amy Schumer's muscular, high-strung casual boyfriend. But in his limited screen-time, much like fellow scene-stealer LeBron James, Cena proved to be surprisingly dedicated to the film's raunchy comedy, while also showcasing a surprise knack for improvisation. The result was an impressive and winsome performance which helped paved the way for more roles in future comedies.

While John Cena is in his 40s by now, his acting career remains relatively young. His future roles suggest that his aspirations will be pushed into more blockbusters in the vein of Bumblebee than the smaller-scale comedies and dramas that he has been accustomed to thus far. Hopefully, that transition into bigger and better things proves to be beneficial. If not, there are always comedies out there that could use his skills, his talents and his dedication.

It should also be noted that in addition to the upcoming roles mentioned earlier, we can also look forward to seeing John Cena in Project X-Traction, which is an action-adventure-thriller, also starring Jackie Chan, that's expected to come out later this year. Furthermore, Cena won't be too far from the small-screen either, as he will become the new host of Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, which begin its revamped run on Nickelodeon in June.

As for what else is in store for his career, there are some murmurs that he might be involved with the new Fast & Furious movie. That's not confirmed, but it's not hard to see Cena lending his larger-than-life muscle-bound talents to those already-ludicrous action flicks. It would probably be one of the best showcases in Hollywood, truth be told, assuming that John Cena would be given a chance to play up the silliness well-established in the series.

But no matter what is in store for John Cena, we'll be sure to keep you posted on all the latest news, updates and more right here at CinemaBlend.

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The 9 Best Nicole Kidman Movies, Ranked

The 9 Best Nicole Kidman Movies, Ranked

Nicole Kidman is a great actress. One would be extremely hard-pressed to say otherwise. For the past three decades, Kidman has proven herself to be an exceptionally versatile and vulnerable performer, capable of astonishing range and dramatic fortitude, with projects like To Die For and Lion. There are no shortage of strong, powerful performances from Nicole Kidman, and we want to take a moment to highlight a mere few of her exceptional roles throughout her extensive career.

Whether it's comedy, drama, action, adventure, fantasy or musical, to name a few of the genres she has worked in throughout her busy career, Nicole Kidman has provided audiences everywhere with an extensive array of compelling performances, challenging herself in a variety of acclaimed and intriguing titles. While not all of them can be winners (perhaps the less said about 2005's Bewitched or 2007's The Invasion, the better...), Kidman has displayed an impressive and accomplished showcase of her talents, and we want to take this opportunity to highlight a few of our personal favorites.

Now before we ruffle any feathers, we should note some of the films that didn't make the cut. That's not because they weren't worthy of being considered, but because we only have a certain amount of time and space and we can't give every movie its fair due. For instance, after going back and forth, we decided to cut Birth, Margot at the Wedding, Lion, Australia, The Stepford Wives, Dogville, Practical Magic, To Die For, Days of Thunder and, perhaps most controversially, Moulin Rouge.

The reasons vary between personal preference, differing opinions and some critical blind spots in my viewing habits. Nobody is perfect, after all, and I can't say I've seen every movie on Nicole Kidman's resume — though I should definitely make a point on catching up on a few. In any case, keep all that in mind. Now, without further ado, here's how we would rank some of the best of Nicole Kidman's movies.

The Beguiled

Sofia Coppola's 2017 film, The Beguiled, is certainly one that lives up to that title. Filled with intrigue and spellbinding visuals, it's a captivating film. And part of that reason is because Nicole Kidman's subtle, dependable performance carries the film through its soft presentation.

Commanding as ever as the woman who runs a girl school in Virginia in the midst of the Civil War, Nicole Kidman's performance is certainly one that demands respect. In just one glance, she channels so much intensity and ferocity, and for an actress as great and commendable as Kidman, it's great that she is capable of providing so much in such a simple gesture. This movie doesn't get as much attention and notoriety as some of the other films on Nicole Kidman's resume, but it's certainly one that's worth checking out if you are a fan.

Stoker

Park Chan-Wook's English-language debut, Stoker, is certainly a hard film to describe. A psychological thriller written by Wentworth Miller and brought to the same sort of chilling conclusion as some of Chan-Wook's other noteworthy films, it is probably best to leave the details of the plot a mystery if you haven't had a chance to see the film for yourself. But if you're looking for a good reason to see Stoker, one would certainly be Nicole Kidman's performance.

The actress once again displays the ruthless energy that is found in her best work, displaying a commendable sense of conviction and devastation in even a single utterance of a well-written sentence. The result is a ferocious performance that also contains the tenderness found inside her best work.

The Others

Nicole Kidman has found herself inside the horror genre more times than one would assume, as displayed in this article. But to date, one of her most memorable genre exercises remains the tense, twisty tale of The Others. Allowing the actress to display her strengths in a genre that — at the time — was not at one of its peaks, the result is another compelling performance in a role that once again allows the actress to flourish.

To reveal too much more would probably be unkind, since the film relies quite heavily on its twists, but The Others has become in one of the actress' most popular films. And while the horror genre doesn't always garner the best reviews — often unjustly — this film remains one of the most celebrated and acclaimed films on her resume, which is certainly saying something, considering the number of high-grade movies she has starred in.

Paddington

Who can hate sweet, dear Paddington? The formal, well-spoken and immensely polite little British bear is one of the kindest, sweetest souls to make his way to the big screen in quite some time. And while the trailers for 2015's film adaptation, the appropriately-titled Paddington, were dire, the film turned out to be a ravenous surprise, filled with great bouts of wit, charm and flights of whimsy. It's hard not to fall instantly in love with Paddington.

With that said, Nicole Kidman really had her work cut out for her in this family-friendly romp. As the villain of the movie, she had to do something damn near impossible: be antagonistic to that lovely English cub. Nevertheless, it's a major credit to her acting talents that she not only pulled it off, but pulled it off so convincingly. As if audience members needed more reasons to root for Paddington, Nicole Kidman provided them plentifully here. And while it's easily among Nicole Kidman's most well-liked and well-reviewed movies, it's not entirely fair to call it a "Nicole Kidman movie." Hence, why it is a little lower in this ranking than it would've otherwise been.

Cold Mountain

Though it doesn't get remarked upon quite as often now as it did in the decade prior, Cold Mountain is a commendable, richly textured tale. And it's made even stronger by its three central performances from Jude Law, Nicole Kidman and Oscar-winner Renee Zellweger. The film demands a lot out of its viewer through its two-and-a-half hour runtime. And it does like to take its time in slow, contemplative measures. Yet, through the compelling, mindful performances of our lead actors, the journey is worth the trail.

While Renee Zellwegger got the most attention and accolades for her performance, Nicole Kidman is also quite commendable in her role. As a woman hoping to keep things together during the troubles of the Civil War, she displays her talents for showcasing strength and vulnerability in equal measures. It's a strong performance, and one that doesn't often get as much consideration as it should in Nicole Kidman's strong-filled career.

Rabbit Hole

Emotionally authentic yet dramatically challenging, Rabbit Hole continues to be one of Nicole Kidman's finest performances to date. Given the fantastic material from playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, who adapted his play of the same name, and compelled by the sensitive, yet impactful, direction of the great John Cameron Mitchell, Rabbit Hole is a tragedy, filled with sorrow and pathos at every scene. But it never falls into misery, thanks largely to the incredible performances from Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest and a pre-fame Miles Teller. But Kidman, in particular, stands out.

As a mother who is grieving from the death of her young son, Nicole Kidman delivers a commanding, yet deeply vulnerable, performance, filled with emotional intensity and dramatic nuance. It's a tremendous showcase for her dramatic versatility, showcasing the wide range of troubled emotions that come to a person when something this tragic, traumatic and heartbreaking is unfortunately found in someone's lives. The result is a beautifully-realized, delicately somber tale filled with sadness and tenderness in each measures. Kidman was also rightfully nominated for an Oscar for this role.

The Killing Of A Sacred Deer

Before Yorgos Lanthimos won awards voters' affections with last year's wickedly entertaining The Favourite, the Greek filmmakers alienated more than a few viewers with his divisive dark psychological horror flick, The Killing of a Sacred Deer. The film, which follows a cardiac surgeon (Colin Farrell) who makes the sullen company of a strange teenager (Barry Keoghan) who begins to torment the medical expert's family before the surgeon's past sins, is definitely not one that can be enjoyed by a wide audience. It's a moody, bleak, ruthlessly oppressive film, and that is at its kindest moments. But if you're someone who likes their movies a little more bitter than most, The Killing of a Sacred Deer is one that's most certainly worth your while.

And one of the film's greatest strengths is Nicole Kidman. The actress plays Colin Farrell's romantic partner in the movie, and through her commanding, often chilling performance, she helps to capture the unsettling in the everyday mundanities of white collar suburban living. It is most certainly a supporting turn in the film, but Kidman's presence is still welcomed nonetheless, and she helps capture the darkened mood perfectly. Come to think of it, The Killing of a Sacred Deer would make a strange, yet sort of perfect double feature with the next film on this particular ranking.

Eyes Wide Shut

Stanley Kubrick's final picture, 1999's moody, mysterious Eyes Wide Shut, is a confounding conclusion to some, and a melodic, poetic final brush stroke for others. I can't speak for everyone, but I'm definitely in the latter category. Kubrick's swan song doesn't quite reach the same heights as a few of his other masterpieces, but this bizarre, yet alluring, cult film (in more ways than one) is, nonetheless, benefitted enormously by Nicole Kidman.

As carefully constructed as every movie from Stanley Kubrick's filmography, Eyes Wide Shut can often seem haphazard and indecisive as you watch it. But it's one that definitely sticks with you and one that matches the obsessive compulsion that is found in our bewitched main character, played by Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman's real-life husband at the time. Although the couple on-screen share a real, intimate relationship together, one that feels real for that very reason, they don't have quite the same radiant chemistry —intentionally so — that you would expect from your Hollywood A-listers. It is a credit to Kidman, though, that she often sells the humanity and the mystery that is so crucial to this story. And for what it's worth, there are only a few stars who have dropped the f-bomb as well as Kidman does here.

The Hours

In what might remain her most transformative performance to date, The Hours was the film that finally won Nicole Kidman her Oscar back in 2003, and it's not hard to see why. The actress disappears into the role, physically as well as emotionally, in her memorable, stunning portrayal of Virginia Woolf. And that's certainly not a role that an actress can play lightly, particularly with the emotional tribulations that her character goes through here.

Portraying the mental illness that is found in the literary figure, Nicole Kidman dives deep into the role, capturing the emotional highs-and-lows of this character through her acting prowess. The result is widely considered one of her strongest performances to date, and the role is well-accoladed for that particular reason. If you have a chance to check it out, you should do so.

So that's our lineup of the best Nicole Kidman movies, but what do you think? Let us know what's your favorite among the actress' filmography in the comments below.

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10 Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies, Ranked

10 Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies, Ranked

Jake Gyllenhaal is one of Hollywood's top talents, and after a brief marathon of his movies it isn't hard to see why. He's played many different types of characters throughout his career, and in all honesty he's good in just about every single one of them. At least, he is in these 10 movies, which are among the 10 best that the actor has offered audiences over the years.

As the world waits to see Jake Gyllenhaal play Mysterio in the upcoming sequel Spider-Man: Far From Home, I've put together a list of the 10 best films he's put out into the universe for your reading pleasure. These are the top 10 films to enjoy for those who want to see a good Jake Gyllenhaal movie featuring the actor at his best, even if the story or other actors didn't quite live up to the hype. Take a look and find these movies in the universe ASAP.

1. End Of Watch

The top Jake Gyllenhaal movie on this list, End Of Watch earns its spot for the gritty story of two LAPD officers just trying to survive the crime ridden streets. There's action, there's tension, and there are tear-jerking and terrifying moments. This movie is Jake Gyllenhaal at his best, and he looks completely in his element from start to finish. Others may believe there are better options out there, but I really feel they'd be wrong in regards to Gyllenhaal performances.

2. Donnie Darko

No disrespect to everything he's done after, but Jake Gyllenhaal's Donnie Darko remains one of his best to date. It features a much different performance than the characters Gyllenhaal would become later in life. It may not be the most groundbreaking performance the actor has ever given Hollywood, but it is the one that really set him on a path to be one of Hollywood's premiere names. Without it, there's no telling where the actor would be today. Plus, the movie itself still holds up.

3. Brokeback Mountain

No one should need a list to know Brokeback Mountain is one of Jake Gyllenhaal's best. Those who have gone this long without seeing it are making a mistake, and missing out one of the best performances of Heath Ledger's career to boot. For Gyllenhaal it's really on another level than any other role he's taken since, and absolutely one every movie lover should experience at least once. It's insane so many people passed on making this movie!

4. Zodiac

This Jake Gyllenhaal movie isn't more optimistic than many of the others on the list, but at least his character is more of the hero in this harrowing story of one of the most enigmatic serial killers in America's history. Of the selections on this list, Zodiac is the one that best highlights Jake Gyllenhaal's ability to portray an obsessed character, which is often an element in his roles. See this one immediately.

5. Nightcrawler

Here's another Jake Gyllenhaal movie where the actor turns on the crazy, although his character in Nightcrawler is far more insane and sadistic than funny. Gyllenhaal plays Louis Bloom, a man determined to make a living as a tragedy cameraman in Los Angeles. The film and Gyllenhaal is bonkers from start to finish, but it doesn't really hit peak freaky until that scene where he's laughing watching television and looking around and reacting to no one in particular.

6. Okja

One of Jake Gyllenhaal's most underrated roles in a while, Okja features the actor taking that crazy angle he does so well and spinning it into the eccentric television host Dr. Johnny Wilcox. Johnny Wilcox is not the type of character one sees often in a Jake Gyllenhaal movie, let alone a character that he would be the actor to play. It's hilarious, and a high point in a movie that can get pretty damn depressing as it goes on.

7. Southpaw

In a ranked list detailing the best boxing films of all time, Southpaw probably wouldn't be super high. That said, this Jake Gyllenhaal movie has earned its spot here for the way the actor portrays loss, and for how absolutely jacked he got for this movie. He's never in bad shape, of course, but this performance had to have sold a few people on him playing Batman someday.

8. Jarhead

Jarhead puts Jake Gyllenhaal in the shoes of former real life marine Anthony Swofford. For those who haven't seen it, this isn't the typical war movie, as it details one soldier's journey during Operation Desert Storm. This Jake Gyllenhaal movie captures a side of modern warfare from a unique perspective not often shown, and is only elevated in the respect that Gyllenhaal's performance is heightened by director Sam Mendes and a great supporting cast.

9. Brothers

There are a fair amount of feel-good Jake Gyllenhaal movies for audiences to enjoy, but I need to point out this film is not one of them. In Brothers, Gyllenhaal plays the supportive brother Tommy to Tobey Maguire's Sam, who has been overseas. Though he only plays a supporting role, Jake Gyllenhaal knocks it out of the park as Tommy, who only wants the best for his brother in a situation that gets increasingly out of control before anyone realizes it.

10. The Day After Tomorrow

The Day After Tomorrow is one of the biggest guilty pleasure Jake Gyllenhaal movies on the market. The decisions the characters make throughout this disaster film are ridiculous, and it's overall a very subpar blockbuster film. With that said, there are laughs for those willing to "weather the storm." My personal favorite Gyllenhaal moment is when his character Sam Hall nearly drowns in a flood because he won't get off the payphone with his dad.

Now, Jake Gyllenhaal has made a lot more movies than the ten that appear on this list, and it wouldn't be surprising if someone's favorite movie was left off this list. What are your favorites? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

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