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25 Best Movies of All Time Set In Los Angeles

A scene from 1988’s ‘Die Hard’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Los Angeles, also known as the “City of Angeles’, has appeared in many classic movies.

From comedies like ‘Swingers‘ and ‘Fletch‘, to heist movies like ‘Den of Thieves‘ or ‘Heat‘, noir films such as ‘Chinatown‘ and ”The Long Goodbye‘, futuristic sci-fi like ‘Blade Runner‘ or ‘They Live‘, and even holiday films such as ‘Die Hard‘ (Yes! ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie!), LA has a long history of being featured in Hollywood movies.

The latest film to be set in Los Angeles is ‘Crime 101‘, which stars Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry, and opens in theaters on February 13th.
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In honor of the new film and Tinseltown, Moviefone is counting down the top 25 movies of all time that are set in Los Angeles.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry Talk New Crime Thriller ‘Crime 101’

25. ‘They Live‘ (1988)

(L to R) Roddy Piper and Keith David in ‘They Live’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

A lone drifter (Roddy Piper) stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.
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24. ‘Swingers‘ (1996)

After 6 years together, Mike’s (Jon Favreau) girlfriend leaves him, so he travels to LA to be a star. Six months on, he’s still not doing very well— so a few of his friends try to reconnect him to the social scene and hopefully help him forget his failed relationship.
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23. ‘Mulholland Drive‘ (2001)

Blonde Betty Elms (Naomi Watts) has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia (Laura Harring). Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman’s identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux) runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.
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22. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)

When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.
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21. ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin‘ (2005)

Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has a pleasant life with a nice apartment and a job stamping invoices at an electronics store. But at age 40, there’s one thing Andy hasn’t done, and it’s really bothering his sex-obsessed male co-workers: Andy is still a virgin. Determined to help Andy, the guys make it their mission to de-virginize him. But it all seems hopeless until Andy meets small business owner Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mom.
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20. ‘La La Land‘ (2016)

(L to R) Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in ‘La La Land’. Photo: Lionsgate.

Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
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19. ‘Yes Man‘ (2008)

Carl Allen (Jim Carrey), a guy whose life is going nowhere, signs up for a self-help program based on one simple covenant: say yes to everything…and anything.
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18. ‘Collateral‘ (2004)

Cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) picks up a man (Tom Cruise) who offers him $600 to drive him around. But the promise of easy money sours when Max realizes his fare is an assassin.
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17. ‘Blade Runner‘ (1982)

In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
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16. ‘L.A. Story‘ (1991)

With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a “wacky weatherman” (Steve Martin) tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter (Victoria Tennant), who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.
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15. ‘Nightcrawler‘ (2014)

(L to R) Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo in ‘They Live’. Photo: Open Road Films.

When Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina (Rene Russo), a TV-news veteran.
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14. ‘The Long Goodbye‘ (1973)

In 1970s Hollywood, Detective Philip Marlowe (Elliot Gould) tries to help a friend who is accused of murdering his wife.
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13. ‘Training Day‘ (2001)

On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop (Ethan Hawke) works with a rogue detective (Denzel Washington) who isn’t what he appears.
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12. ‘Boyz n the Hood‘ (1991)

In the middle of the Los Angeles ghetto, drugs, robberies and shootings dominate everyday life. During these times, Furious tries to raise his son Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) to be a decent person. Tre’s friends, on the other hand, have little regard for the law and drag the entire neighborhood into a street war…
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11. ‘Fletch‘ (1985)

When investigative reporter Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher (Chevy Chase) goes undercover to write a piece on the drug trade at a local beach, he’s approached by wealthy businessman Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), who offers him $50,000 to murder him. With sarcastic wit and a knack for disguises, Fletch sets out to uncover Stanwyk’s story.
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10. ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ (2005)

(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
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9. ‘L.A. Confidential‘ (1997)

Three detectives (Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey) in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.
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8. ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)

Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.
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7. ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood‘ (2019)

Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
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6. ‘Beverly Hills Cop‘ (1984)

Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend (James Russo) is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.
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5. ‘Den of Thieves‘ (2018)

(L to R) Maurice Compte and Gerard Butler in ‘Den of Thieves’. Photo: STXfilms.

A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
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4. ‘Die Hard‘ (1988)

NYPD cop John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her offices Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.
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3. ‘Drive‘ (2011)

Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he’s been warming up to a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) gets out of jail, he enlists Driver’s help in a million-dollar heist. The job goes horribly wrong, and Driver must risk his life to protect Irene and Benicio from the vengeful masterminds behind the robbery.
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2. ‘Chinatown‘ (1974)

Private eye Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband’s (Darrell Zwerling) extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.
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1. ‘Heat’ (1995)

(L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
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February 22, 2026
Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies

We look back at 11 of Jake Gyllenhaal‘s most essential performances.

‘Velvet Buzzsaw’ (2019)

Netflix

“Velvet Buzzsaw” (now playing on Netflix), Jake Gyllenhaal confirms his place as one of the most exciting and unpredictable actors working today. The art world satire/blood-and-guts horror thriller is another left turn from an actor whose career is made almost entirely of left turns.
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‘Donnie Darko’ (2001)

Flower Films

Gyllenhaal’s big breakthrough came in the form of Richard Kelly’s instant cult classic, a movie that never gained commercial success but is one of the most quotable midnight movies in recent memory. Gyllenhaal plays the titular character, a schizophrenic teen haunted by visions of the end of the world … and it just gets weirder from there. In a less assured actor’s hands, Kelly’s metaphysical tangents and apocalyptic conundrums would have been gobbledygook. But Gyllenhaal didn’t make you believe; he made you feel.
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‘Brokeback Mountain’ (2005)

Focus Features

Just four years after “Donnie Darko,” Gyllenhaal cemented his place as one of the most exciting American actors of his generation in Ang Lee‘s soulful, Oscar-winning “Brokeback Mountain.” As a cowboy grappling with his romance with another cowboy (an equally impressive Heath Ledger), Gyllenhaal pulled off a daring feat that he made look positively easy. This is a character who was rugged, conflicted and ultimately tragic, a character whose power lied in the symbolic as much as the personal. (Gyllenhaal was rightfully nominated for the Academy Award for his performance.)
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‘Zodiac’ (2007)

Paramount/WB

David Fincher’s 2007 is a stone-cold masterpiece and Gyllenhaal’s performance is its beating heart. As San Fransisco cartoonist Robert Graysmith, Gyllenhaal brings a much-needed warmth to the epic saga of how a single serial killer consumed countless lives in California in the late 60s and early 70s. Gyllenhaal’s experience on the film wasn’t a pleasant one (he told the NY Times that Fincher likes to “paint with actors”) but it ultimately produced one of Gyllenhaal’s funniest, most lived-in performances ever.
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‘Source Code’ (2011)

Summit

Gyllenhaal is in fully buggy-eyed sci-fi mode for Duncan Jones’ follow-up to his hugely influential debut “Moon.” In “Source Code,” Gyllenhaal plays a US Army pilot who, upon boarding a commuter train outside of Chicago, is involved in a terrorist bombing. He is then, through mysterious circumstances, asked to relive the bombing again and again and again in an attempt to locate the terrorist responsible. Despite a cumbersome high concept and dopey twist ending, you always believe what you’re seeing, largely thanks to Gyllenhaal’s commitment to the role.
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‘Prisoners’ (2013)

Warner Bros.

One of Gyllenhaal’s great strengths is that he’s a character actor burdened with leading man looks. This lets him take charge of any movie he’s in but also gives him a chameleonic ability to also slip into the background of a larger ensemble. In Denis Villeneuve‘s breathless thriller, Gyllenhaal plays a twitchy detective assigned to a child abduction case. Not only is Gyllenhaal’s storyline somewhat secondary (to the main plot about a pair of parents exacting their own biblical revenge against who they think are responsible) but he still manages to steal the show.
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‘Enemy’ (2013)

A24

The same year that the big-budget “Prisoners” was released, Gyllenhaal’s other team-up with Villeneuve came out, a much smaller, much stranger affair that was just as thrilling. In “Enemy,” Gyllenhaal plays a straight-laced father-to-be who discovers a man who is his exact double. When they decide to swap lives, things get even more metaphysically unglued, leading to one of the most final arresting final shots in recent memory. The less you know going into it, the better … but just watch it. You won’t be sorry.
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‘Nightcrawler’ (2014)

Open Road Films

In Dan Gilroy’s audacious directorial debut, Gyllenhaal (who also produced) plays a stringer who chases after accidents and violent crimes to sell the footage to local television broadcasts. It’s a testament to Gyllenhaal’s inherent likability that you go on this dark odyssey with him, never once questioning why you’re watching such morally reprehensible stuff. As the movie veers into its third act, it becomes almost uncomfortably bleak, but don’t worry, Jake is there for you.
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‘Nocturnal Animals’ (2016)

Focus Features

Tom Ford’s sophomore feature isn’t for everybody, that’s for damn sure. But for those adventurous enough to take the ride, well, chances are they’ll be rewarded. Gyllenhaal plays Amy Adams’ estranged husband, who works through the death of their relationship by writing a sensationalistic, very violent novel, which he sends to Adams. “Nocturnal Animals” is delineated by the world of the story and the “real world,” with Gyllenhaal portraying characters in both. It’s his inherent emotionality that gives the story weight. He leads you through the gore.
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‘Okja’ (2017)

Netflix

Bong-joon Ho’s Netflix sensation, about a genetically modified “super-pig” and the evil forces surrounding its creation and exploitation, is a sometimes-gentle, sometimes-horrifying story of a young girl and her creature companion. (Think “E.T.,” with a strong PETA bent.) But nothing will prepare you for Gyllenhaal’s performance as Johnny Wilcox, a kind of Jack Hanna-on-amphetamines zoologist/TV personality, who is drawn into Okja’s story. Everything about the character, from his clothes to his mustache to his squeaky, high-pitched voice is a choice, and Gyllenhaal commits brilliantly. This might be the most full-on performance of his entire career.
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‘Stronger’ (2017)

Roadside/Lionsgate

It’s absolutely shocking that Gyllenhaal didn’t an Oscar nomination for this weirdly overlooked film. As Jeff Bauman, an average Boston schlub who becomes a symbol of the Boston Strong movement after the marathon bombing took both if his legs, Gyllenhaal gives an incredibly real, incredibly vulnerable performance that is all the more impressive for being based on a real-life person. Emotionally gripping and deeply felt, this is one of his greatest performances and one of his most criminally under-seen.
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‘The Sisters Brothers’ (2018)

Annapurna

Unusual western “The Sisters Brothers” made headlines last year but not for the reasons you’d expect. This was a movie that cost $40 million to make and earned back an infinitesimal fraction of that back. And it’s a shame, too, because the movie is brilliant. “The Sisters Brothers” found Gyllenhaal back in supporting man role, this time playing a confederate of a pair of killers (Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly), who are tracking a man who supposedly has the ability to locate gold (Riz Ahmed). Gyllenhaal brings his usual sensitivity to a role that could have just been played as an old timey weirdo.
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New Jake Gyllenhaal Movies

Here are the recent movies from Jake Gyllenhaal.

Watch the interview of Jake Gyllenhaal & director Antoine Fuqua about their new movie ‘The Guilty’.
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The action thriller movie ‘Ambulance’ will be coming out on Feb 18th, 2022.
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October 18, 2021
The 15 Best Directorial Debuts of the Past 10 Years

Most directors require years to truly hone their craft and start operating at the top of their game. But some, like “Moon” director Duncan Jones, manage to knock it out of the park on their very first time at bat. To celebrate “Moon’s” 10th anniversary, here are the 15 best directorial debuts from the past decade.

Neill Blomkamp – ‘District 9’ (2009)

TriStar Pictures

Neill Blomkamp established a clear formula with his feature film debut, using high concept sci-fi as a way of telling a story about the racial and social inequality rampant in his come country of South Africa. Frankly, he did it best the first time around.”District 9” stars Sharlto Copley as a government bureaucrat who learns firsthand what it’s like to live as an alien refugee on a hostile world.

Duncan Jones – ‘Moon’ (2009)

Sony Pictures Classics

Duncan Jones probably could have coasted through life just having the coolest dad in the world (his dad is David Bowie), but instead he went and established himself as one of the most exciting new voices in science fiction. “Moon” does a whole lot with its limited cast and budget, showing the quiet, desperate plight of a lunar miner who just wants to get back home, yet finds out the job is much more than he bargained for.

Drew Goddard – ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ (2012)

Lionsgate

You could be forgiven for thinking that producer/co-writer Joss Whedon also directed “The Cabin in the Woods,” as it has that same sense of wit and energy common to so many Whedon projects. But it’s actually Drew Goddard steering this ship. What begins as a delightful homage to b-movie horror flicks like “The Evil Dead” winds up going to some pretty bizarre places by the end.

Ryan Coogler – ‘Fruitvale Station’ (2013)

The Weinstein Company

“Fruitvale Station” didn’t just show the world what a promising new talent it had in Ryan Coogler, it also kicked off a very fruitful partnership between Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan. This haunting drama follows the last 24 hours in the life of Oscar Grant III, leading up to the infamous police shooting that sparked unrest in San Francisco.

Chad Stahelski – ‘John Wick’ (2014)

Summit Entertainment

As much as “John Wick” is hailed as the film responsible for bringing star Keanu Reeves back into the action movie spotlight, it’s also a showcase for director Chad Stahelski. This movie simply wouldn’t have worked without Stahelski’s keen eye and the inspiration he drew from Japanese anime and Hong Kong action movies for the many bone-crunching action scenes. Equal credit also goes to Stahelski’s fellow first-timer, uncredited co-director David Leitch.

Dan Gilroy – ‘Nightcrawler’ (2014)

Open Road Films

It’s hard to believe “Nightcrawler” is the work of a first-time director. It’s just so confident and self-assured in its exploration of the seedy underbelly of the Los Angeles news scene. It doesn’t hurt that writer/director Dan Gilroy had an incredibly intense performance from Jake Gyllenhaal to bank on.

Alex Garland – ‘Ex Machina’ (2015)

A24

Alex Garland had built up a strong reputation as a writer on films like “The Beach,” “Sunshine” and “Dredd,” but “Ex Machina” marked his first time behind the camera. Needless to say, he didn’t disappoint one bit. “Ex Machina” is a gorgeously shot and very moody look at a robot coming to terms with her very existence.

Robert Eggers – ‘The Witch’ (2015)

A24

Never let it be said that director Robert Eggers didn’t put in the effort to make his debut film look and feel authentic. Watching “The Witch” is like being transported back to 17th Century New England and seeing firsthand what it’s like to eke out a living in a haunted wilderness.

Tim Miller – ‘Deadpool’ (2016)

20th Century Fox

2016 would have been a lousy year for X-Men fans if Tim Miller‘s “Deadpool” hadn’t shown up to ease the blow of “X-Men: Apocalypse.” Miller gave us a superhero movie that’s unabashedly adults-only, hilariously self-aware and content to tell a much more personal, small-scale superhero origin story. It was the first of several signs that this franchise may actually work best in the R-rated realm.

Travis Knight – ‘Kubo and the Two Strings’ (2016)

Focus Features

Laika CEO Travis Knight shouldered a very different burden for the company by taking the reins of its fourth animated feature. The end result is both one of the most visually stunning animated movies in recent memory and the best Laika film since 2009’s “Coraline.”

Jordan Peele – ‘Get Out’ (2017)

Universal Pictures

A horror movie may not have been what “Key & Peele” fans were expecting from Jordan Peele‘s first feature-length project. But Peele certainly left a strong impression with this satirical yet disturbing look at modern race relations. There’s a reason this one became a cultural phenomenon in 2017.

Greta Gerwig – ‘Lady Bird’ (2017)

A24

Greta Gerwig made the jump from starring in thoughtful indie comedies to writing and directing one in 2017’s “Lady Bird.” Easily one of the most critically acclaimed releases of 2017, “Get Out” draws heavily from Gerwig’s own experiences as a restless teen in Sacramento. The result is a very funny and very authentic coming-of-age tale.

Bo Burnham – ‘Eighth Grade’ (2018)

A24

It’s pretty rare to find a coming-of-age teen movie starring actual teenagers, but that’s one reason why Bo Burnham‘s “Eighth Grade” stands out so much. “Eighth Grade” is another example of a director pulling from their own life (in this case, Burnham’s struggles with anxiety and depression) to craft a refreshing and authentic look at the teen experience.

Ari Aster – ‘Hereditary’ (2018)

A24

“Hereditary” is easily one of the most unnerving horror movies to come around in a long time. Like many great horror films, “Hereditary” works because the supernatural trappings are merely there to accentuate deeper themes of tragedy and loss. This film immediately established Ari Aster as one of the most promising new voices in the genre, and we’ll see if that appeal can carry over to his followup project, “Midsommar.”

Bradley Cooper – ‘A Star Is Born’ (2018)

Warner Bros.

Plenty of big-name actors dabble in directing (it’s one of the perks of Hollywood super-stardom), but few have made the leap behind the camera as deftly as Bradley Cooper. “A Star Is Born” is hardly the first time we’ve seen this story told, but Cooper and co-star Lady Gaga make it their own. Is Cooper destined to become the next Clint Eastwood?

June 12, 2019
Jake Gyllenhaal’s 8 Essential Performances

From “City Slickers” to the upcoming “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” it feels like Jake Gyllenhaal has been in our lives as an actor for, well, as long as we can remember. (Do you remember him in “City Slickers?” He played Billy Crystal’s son.)

There’s something about those dreamy, droopy eyelids and that impish grin that have burned themselves into the pop culture firmament, long before the days he was shuffling across the heartland in “Bubble Boy” and even through when he was floating through space, trying to escape a mysterious alien entity in “Life.” There’s also “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time,” which we’ve all agreed that it’s best to try and forget ever happened. But with the 37-year-old actor’s birthday coming up on December 19, we decided to celebrate his greatest achievements as an actor, those performances where he transformed himself — or our expectations of him — into something better, bigger or more unexpected than ever before.

“Donnie Darko” (2001)

Flower Films

Richard Kelly’s debut film spawned a cult following and two wildly different versions, but the thing that unified both (and audiences) was Gyllenhaal’s turn in the title role. Lumbering through the film as an ordinary teenager prone to mysterious, psychedelic visions, he proved that his fresh-scrubbed good looks could hide deeper complexities that he’d only begun to explore as an actor.

“Brokeback Mountain” (2005)

Universal

Ang Lee’s adaptation of Annie Proulx’s short story of the same name changed a lot in Hollywood about perceptions of gay characters, not to mention their stories. It also demonstrated what gifted actors Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger were.

As the erstwhile focus of the film, Ledger’s Ennis is consumed by the torment of his feelings and the society that condemns them. And Gyllenhaal provides a wonderful, equally tragic counterpoint as Jack Twist, whose juggling of the life he must pretend to lead, and the one he truly wants, ultimately fuels Ennis’ epiphany about what their love truly meant to him.

“Zodiac” (2007)

Paramount/WB

When David Fincher asks you to play a role in one of his films, you don’t refuse.

Gyllenhaal’s turn as Robert Graysmith in “Zodiac” offered a devastatingly believable portrait of obsession as the cartoonist who becomes consumed by his investigation of the real-life San Francisco serial killer. It’s a movie of deliberate and often understated technique, but Gyllenhaal’s performance mirrors Fincher’s cool precision and its inescapable absorption into a criminal case that remains enigmatic even today.

“Enemy” (2013)

Entertainment One

Gyllenhaal worked with director Denis Villenueve twice in the span of little more than a year on the films “Prisoner” and Enemy.” But the latter proved to be the bigger challenge of the two, a psychological thriller about a man who believes that he’s encountered his own doppelganger. He soon becomes consumed by imitating, and integrating, their lives into one another. Mirroring himself in ways almost imperceptible, Gyllenhaal conjures a vivid portrait of two men whose identities converge into one.

“Nightcrawler” (2014)

Universal

Dan Gilroy wrote for decades before making his directorial debut with this story of a freelance videographer who ruthlessly facilitates and even stages violent scenarios in order to make his name with local news stations. Gyllenhaal stars and co-produces the film, a revelatory, poisonous portrait of ambition run amuck in a profession disinclined to embrace morality in its pursuit of the best headlines. For my money, Gyllenhaal has never been better — or more frightening.

“Southpaw” (2015)

TWC

Eminem was reportedly once considered for the role Gyllenhaal played in this film, Billy Hope, a boxer working towards redemption after the death of his wife. But in addition to transforming himself physically to play a believable and threatening prize fighter, Gyllenhaal lays himself bare in the scenes where his rage and desperation threaten to ruin not only his financial success, but his relationship with his daughter — the last vestige of his connection to his late wife.

“Stronger” (2017)

Bold Films

Jeff Bauman, a real-life survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing who lost both his legs, is an all-timer role for the actor. The emotional and physical trauma — as evidenced through his strained romantic relationship post-accident and his relatable struggle to work through and accept the challenges of his rehab and healing process — is a tricky AF balance that Gyllenhaal pulls off effortlessly. It is both a simmering, internalized performance punctuated with bursts of pain, laughter and tears. Thanks to David Gordon Green’s subtle and inspired “ground-level” approach to the drama, the audience experiences every one of Bauman’s set backs and triumphs. It’s a game of inches down a very long road to recovery, and Gyllenhaal’s performance carries you every step of the way.

“Okja” (2017)

Netflix

There are moments in Bong Joon-Ho’s environmental fable where Gyllenhaal’s performance as Johnny Wilcox, a quite possibly deranged zoologist and TV personality, seem stripped from another film entirely. But in a story about the manipulation not only of the world’s resources (including animals) for corporate narratives, political goals, and personal gain, his contributions galvanize and amplify the film’s themes and showcase both his remarkable versatility and fearlessness.

Even in a small role, he demonstrates a consummate understanding of the film he’s in, and how best to serve it.

November 30, 2018
16 Best Indie Gems on Netflix

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There are some great indie movies on Netflix right now, including terrific indies “Short Term 12” starring the Oscar-nominated Brie Larson and “Fruitvale Station,” the first collaboration between “Creed” director Ryan Coogler and star Michael B. Jordan.

Here’s our list of some of the best, most thought-provoking, beyond-the-mainstream films available now to stream, including Independent Spirit Awards nominee “Tangerine,” the fascinating documentary “The Wolfpack,” and a few featuring Oscar nominee Michael Fassbender.

January 19, 2016
The 29 Best Movies on Netflix You Should Watch Right Now

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You may not realize how many great movies there are on Netflix right now, including brilliant documentaries about sushi masters, mass murderers and Bob Marley, and tons of movie classics you’ve always meant to watch, like “Sunset Blvd.” and “The French Connection.”

There are also devastatingly good performances by screen legends Paul Newman and Steve McQueen, not to mention rising stars like Michael B. Jordan and Brie Larson.

Prepare to add all of these to your queue, as well as terrific movies you probably missed from last year, including “Chef” and “Nightcrawler.” That’s right, you have no life anymore, just this list of movies you need to watch NOW.

August 26, 2015