Tag: the-gift

  • Every Movie of Director Sam Raimi’s Career Ranked

    Every Movie of Director Sam Raimi’s Career Ranked

    (L to R) Director Sam Raimi and Rachel McAdams on the set of 20th Century Studios' 'Send Help'. Photo by Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Director Sam Raimi and Rachel McAdams on the set of 20th Century Studios’ ‘Send Help’. Photo by Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Sam Raimi is one of the most beloved and unique directors of his generation.

    Raimi’s career began in the early 1980s when he teamed with actor Bruce Campbell and producer Robert Tapert to make the groundbreaking horror film ‘The Evil Dead‘, eventually leading to the equally groundbreaking sequels ‘Evil Dead II‘ and ‘Army of Darkness‘.

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    He would go on to direct such popular movies as ‘Darkman‘, ‘The Quick and the Dead‘ and ‘A Simple Plan‘, before making the box office hit ‘Spider-Man‘, which reinvented the genre.

    Raimi would follow that up with the successful sequels ‘Spider-Man 2‘ and ‘Spider-Man 3‘, before moving on to make ‘Drag Me to Hell‘, ‘Oz the Great and Powerful‘, and the MCU movie ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘.

    The director’s latest, ‘Send Help‘, opens in theaters on January 30th and stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien.

    In honor of ‘Send Help’, Moviefone is counting down every film Sam Raimi has ever directed, including his latest.

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: Benedict Cumberbatch Talks ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’


    17. ‘Spider-Man 3‘ (2007)

    (L to R) Thomas Haden Church and Tobey Maguire in 'Spider-Man 3.' Photo: Sony.
    (L to R) Thomas Haden Church and Tobey Maguire in ‘Spider-Man 3.’ Photo: Sony.

    The seemingly invincible Spider-Man goes up against an all-new crop of villains—including the shape-shifting Sandman (Thomas Haden Church). While Spider-Man’s superpowers are altered by an alien organism, his alter ego, Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire), deals with nemesis Eddie Brock (Topher Grace) and also gets caught up in a love triangle.

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    16. ‘It’s Murder!‘ (1977)

    A scene from 1977's 'It's Murder!'
    A scene from 1977’s ‘It’s Murder!’

    The film tells the story of a family whose uncle is murdered. The son (Raimi) gets everything because he’s in the will. A detective (Scott Spiegel) is trying to find out who murdered the uncle while avoiding ending up dead as well.

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    15. ‘Oz the Great and Powerful‘ (2013)

    2013's 'Oz the Great and Powerful'. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
    2013’s ‘Oz the Great and Powerful’. Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.

    Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus illusionist and con-artist, is whisked from Kansas to the Land of Oz where the inhabitants assume he’s the great wizard of prophecy, there to save Oz from the clutches of evil.

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    14. ‘Crimewave‘ (1986)

    (L to R) Sheree J. Wilson and Brion James in 'Crimewave'. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
    (L to R) Sheree J. Wilson and Brion James in ‘Crimewave’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.

    Fed up of his business partner, Ernest Trend (Edward R. Pressman) hires the services of two exterminators. When things go drastically wrong and they murder the wrong man, the race is on to frame an innocent video surveillance man.

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    13. ‘For Love of the Game‘ (1999)

    Kevin Costner in 'For Love of the Game'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Kevin Costner in ‘For Love of the Game’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    A baseball legend (Kevin Costner) almost finished with his distinguished career at the age of forty has one last chance to prove who he is, what he is capable of, and win the heart of the woman (Kelly Preston) he has loved for the past four years.

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    12. ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ (2022)

    (L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.' Photo: Marvel Studios.
    (L to R) Charlize Theron and Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

    Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), with the help of mystical allies both old and new, traverses the mind-bending and dangerous alternate realities of the Multiverse to confront a mysterious new adversary.

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    11. ‘Drag Me to Hell‘ (2009)

    Alison Lohman in 'Drag Me to Hell'. Photo: Universal Pictures .
    Alison Lohman in ‘Drag Me to Hell’. Photo: Universal Pictures .

    After denying a woman (Lorna Raver) the extension she needs to keep her home, loan officer Christine Brown (Alison Lohman) sees her once-promising life take a startling turn for the worse. Christine is convinced she’s been cursed by a Gypsy, but her boyfriend (Justin Long) is skeptical. Her only hope seems to lie in a psychic (Dileep Rao) who claims he can help her lift the curse and keep her soul from being dragged straight to hell.

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    10. ‘Send Help‘ (2026)

    (L to R) Rachal McAdams as Linda Liddle and Dylan O'Brien as Bradley Preston in 20th Century Studios' 'Send Help'. Photo by Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Rachal McAdams as Linda Liddle and Dylan O’Brien as Bradley Preston in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Send Help’. Photo by Brook Rushton. © 2025 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Two colleagues (Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien) become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it’s a battle of wills and wits to make it out alive.

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    9. ‘The Gift‘ (2001)

    Cate Blanchett in 'The Gift'. Photo: Paramount Classics.
    Cate Blanchett in ‘The Gift’. Photo: Paramount Classics.

    Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett), young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others’ futures⁠—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client’s violent husband and plagued by visions of a missing local woman, Annie finds herself pulled into a thicket of lies and deception in which her extraordinary gift may ultimately get her killed.

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    8. ‘A Simple Plan‘ (1999)

    (L to R) Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton in 'A Simple Plan'. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    (L to R) Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton in ‘A Simple Plan’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    Captivated by the lure of sudden wealth, the quiet rural lives of two brothers (Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton) erupt into conflicts of greed, paranoia and distrust when over $4 million in cash is discovered at the remote site of a downed small airplane. Their simple plan to retain the money while avoiding detection opens a Pandora’s box when the fear of getting caught triggers panicked behavior and leads to virulent consequences.

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    7. ‘The Quick and the Dead‘ (1995)

    (L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio, Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone and Russell Crowe in 'The Quick and the Dead'. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
    (L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio, Gene Hackman, Sharon Stone and Russell Crowe in ‘The Quick and the Dead’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

    A mysterious woman (Sharon Stone) comes to compete in a quick-draw elimination tournament, in a town taken over by a notorious gunman (Gene Hackman).

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    6. ‘Darkman‘ (1990)

    Liam Neeson in 'Darkman'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Liam Neeson in ‘Darkman’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Dr. Peyton Westlake (Liam Neeson) is on the verge of realizing a major breakthrough in synthetic skin when his laboratory is destroyed by gangsters. Having been burned beyond recognition and forever altered by an experimental medical procedure, Westlake becomes known as Darkman, assuming alternate identities in his quest for revenge and a new life with a former love (Frances McDormand).

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    5. ‘The Evil Dead‘ (1981)

    Bruce Campbell in 'The Evil Dead'. Photo: New Line Cinema.
    Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

    In 1979, a group of college students find a Sumerian Book of the Dead in an old wilderness cabin they’ve rented for a weekend getaway.

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    4. ‘Spider-Man‘ (2002)

    (L to R) Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in 'Spider-Man'. Photo: Sony.
    (L to R) Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst in ‘Spider-Man’. Photo: Sony.

    After being bitten by a genetically altered spider at Oscorp, nerdy but endearing high school student Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is endowed with amazing powers to become the superhero known as Spider-Man.

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    3. ‘Evil Dead II‘ (1987)

    Bruce Campbell in 'Evil Dead II'. Photo: Rosebud Releasing Corporation.
    Bruce Campbell in ‘Evil Dead II’. Photo: Rosebud Releasing Corporation.

    Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) and his girlfriend Linda (Denise Bixler) find a log cabin in the woods with a voice recording from an archeologist who had recorded himself reciting ancient chants from “The Book of the Dead.” As they play the recording an evil power is unleashed taking over Linda’s body.

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    2. ‘Spider-Man 2‘ (2004)

    (L to R) Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina in 'Spider-Man 2'. Photo: Sony.
    (L to R) Tobey Maguire and Alfred Molina in ‘Spider-Man 2’. Photo: Sony.

    Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) is going through a major identity crisis. Burned out from being Spider-Man, he decides to shelve his superhero alter ego, which leaves the city suffering in the wake of carnage left by the evil Doc Ock (Alfred Molina). In the meantime, Parker still can’t act on his feelings for Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst), a girl he’s loved since childhood. A certain anger begins to brew in his best friend Harry Osborn (James Franco) as well…

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    1. ‘Army of Darkness‘ (1993)

    Bruce Campbell in 'Army of Darkness'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Bruce Campbell in ‘Army of Darkness’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Ash (Bruce Campbell), a handsome, shotgun-toting, chainsaw-armed department store clerk, is time warped backwards into England’s Dark Ages, where he romances a beauty and faces legions of the undead.

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  • Best Keanu Reeves Movies

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 4.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

    Keanu Reeves is one of the most beloved actors of his generation!

    Reeves’ resume features classic movies like ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure,’ ‘Point Break,’ ‘Speed,’ ‘The Matrix’ series and the ‘John Wick’ franchise.

    His latest, ‘John Wick: Chapter 4,’ which is once again directed by Chad Stahelski, opens in theaters on March 24th.

    In honor of the new ‘Wick’ movie, Moviefone is counting down the 30 greatest Keanu Reeves movies of all time, including ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’

    Let’s begin!


    30. ‘Knock Knock‘ (2015)

    Lionsgate Premiere
    Lionsgate Premiere

    When a devoted husband and father (Reeves) is left home alone for the weekend, two stranded young women (Lorenza Izzo and Ana de Armas) unexpectedly knock on his door for help. What starts out as a kind gesture results in a dangerous seduction and a deadly game of cat and mouse.

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    29. ‘The Matrix Resurrections‘ (2021)

    Plagued by strange memories, Neo’s (Reeves) life takes an unexpected turn when he finds himself back inside the Matrix.

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    28. ‘The Day the Earth Stood Still‘ (2008)

    A representative of an alien race that went through drastic evolution to survive its own climate change, Klaatu (Reeves) comes to Earth to assess whether humanity can prevent the environmental damage they have inflicted on their own planet. When barred from speaking to the United Nations, he decides humankind shall be exterminated so the planet can survive.

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    27. ‘Much Ado About Nothing‘ (1993)

    In this Shakespearean farce, Hero (Kate Beckinsale) and her groom-to-be, Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard), team up with Claudio’s commanding officer, Don Pedro (Denzel Washington), the week before their wedding to hatch a matchmaking scheme. Their targets are sharp-witted duo Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) — a tough task indeed, considering their corresponding distaste for love and each other. Meanwhile, meddling Don John (Reeves) plots to ruin the wedding.

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    26. ‘River’s Edge‘ (1987)

    A group of high-school friends (Reeves, Crispin Glover and Ione Skye Leitch) must come to terms with the fact that one of them, Samson (Daniel Roebuck), killed another, Jamie (Danyi Deats). Faced with the brutality of death, each must decide whether to turn their friend in to the police, or to help him escape the consequences of his dreadful deed.

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    25. ‘Always Be My Maybe‘ (2019)

    Netflix
    Netflix

    Reunited after 15 years, famous chef Sasha (Ali Wong) and hometown musician Marcus (Randall Park) feel the old sparks of attraction but struggle to adapt to each other’s worlds.

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    24. ‘The Matrix Reloaded‘ (2003)

    Six months after the events depicted in The Matrix, Neo (Reeves) has proved to be a good omen for the free humans, as more and more humans are being freed from the matrix and brought to Zion, the one and only stronghold of the Resistance. Neo himself has discovered his superpowers including super speed, ability to see the codes of the things inside the matrix and a certain degree of pre-cognition.

    But a nasty piece of news hits the human resistance: 250,000 machine sentinels are digging to Zion and would reach them in 72 hours. As Zion prepares for the ultimate war, Neo, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) are advised by the Oracle (Gloria Foster) to find the Keymaker (Randall Duk Kim) who would help them reach the Source. Meanwhile Neo’s recurrent dreams depicting Trinity’s death have got him worried and as if it was not enough, Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving) has somehow escaped deletion, has become more powerful than before and has fixed Neo as his next target.

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    23. ‘The Lake House‘ (2006)

    A lonely doctor (Sandra Bullock) who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect (Reeves). They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it’s too late.

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    22. ‘Something’s Gotta Give‘ (2003)

    Harry Sanborn (Jack Nicholson) is an aged music industry exec with a fondness for younger women like Marin (Amanda Peet), his latest trophy girlfriend. Things get a little awkward when Harry suffers a heart attack at the home of Marin’s mother, Erica (Diane Keaton). Left in the care of Erica and his doctor (Reeves), a love triangle starts to take shape.

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    21. ‘Street Kings‘ (2008)

    Tom Ludlow (Reeves) is a disillusioned L.A. Police Officer, rarely playing by the rules and haunted by the death of his wife. When evidence implicates him in the execution of a fellow officer, he is forced to go up against the cop culture he’s been a part of his entire career, ultimately leading him to question the loyalties of everyone around him.

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    20. ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘ (2019)

    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in 'John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum.’

    Super-assassin John Wick (Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn.

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    19. ‘DC League of Super-Pets‘ (2022)

    In “DC League of Super-Pets,” Krypto the Super-Dog (Dwayne Johnson) and Superman (John Krasinski) are inseparable best friends, sharing the same superpowers and fighting crime in Metropolis side by side. When Superman, Batman (Reeves) and the rest of the Justice League are kidnapped, Krypto must convince a rag-tag shelter pack—Ace the hound (Kevin Hart), PB the potbellied pig (Vanessa Bayer), Merton the turtle (Natasha Lyonne) and Chip the squirrel (Diego Luna) to master their own newfound powers and help him rescue the superheroes.

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    18. ‘The Gift‘ (2000)

    Annie Wilson (Cate Blanchett), young widow and mother of three, makes her living foretelling others’ futures⁠—though her own has become cloudier than even she can see. Threatened by a client’s (Hilary Swank) violent husband (Reeves) and plagued by visions of a missing local woman (Katie Holmes), Annie finds herself pulled into a thicket of lies and deception in which her extraordinary gift may ultimately get her killed.

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    17. ‘Dangerous Liaisons‘ (1989)

    In 18th century France, Marquise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) asks her ex-lover Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) to seduce the future wife (Michelle Pfeiffer) of another ex-lover (Reeves) of hers in return for one last night with her. Yet things don’t go as planned.

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    16. ‘The Matrix Revolutions‘ (2003)

    The human city of Zion defends itself against the massive invasion of the machines as Neo (Reeves) fights to end the war at another front while also opposing the rogue Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving).

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    15. ‘The Replacements‘ (2000)

    Warner Bros. Pictures
    Warner Bros. Pictures

    Maverick old-guard coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) is hired in the wake of a players’ strike to help the Washington Sentinels advance to the playoffs. But that impossible dream hinges on whether his replacements can hunker down and do the job. So, McGinty dusts off his secret dossier of ex-players who never got a chance (or screwed up the one they were given) and knits together a bad-dream team of guys who just may give the Sentinels their title shot.

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    14. ‘John Wick: Chapter 2‘ (2017)

    John Wick (Reeves) is forced out of retirement by a former associate looking to seize control of a shadowy international assassins’ guild. Bound by a blood oath to aid him, Wick travels to Rome and does battle against some of the world’s most dangerous killers.

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    13. ‘Parenthood‘ (1989)

    The story of the Buckman family and friends, attempting to bring up their children. They suffer/enjoy all the events that occur: estranged relatives, the ‘black sheep’ of the family, the eccentrics, the skeletons in the closet, and the rebellious teenagers.

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    12. ‘The Devil’s Advocate‘ (1997)

    Aspiring Florida defense lawyer Kevin Lomax (Reeves) accepts a job at a New York law firm. With the stakes getting higher every case, Kevin quickly learns that his boss (Al Pacino) has something far more evil planned.

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    11. ‘The Neon Demon‘ (2016)

    When aspiring model Jesse (Elle Fanning) moves to Los Angeles, her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will take any means necessary to get what she has.

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    10. ‘Toy Story 4‘ (2019)

    Walt Disney Pictures
    Walt Disney Pictures

    Woody (Tom Hanks) has always been confident about his place in the world and that his priority is taking care of his kid, whether that’s Andy or Bonnie. But when Bonnie adds a reluctant new toy called “Forky” (Tony Hale) to her room, a road trip adventure alongside old and new friends will show Woody how big the world can be for a toy.

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    9. ‘My Own Private Idaho‘ (1991)

    In this loose adaptation of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” Mike Waters (River Phoenix) is a gay hustler afflicted with narcolepsy. Scott Favor (Reeves) is the rebellious son of a mayor. Together, the two travel from Portland, Oregon to Idaho and finally to the coast of Italy in a quest to find Mike’s estranged mother. Along the way they turn tricks for money and drugs, eventually attracting the attention of a wealthy benefactor and sexual deviant.

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    8. ‘Man of Tai Chi‘ (2013)

    Directed by Reeves, in Beijing, a young martial artist’s (Tiger Chen) skill places him in position to experience opportunities and sacrifices.

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    7. ‘Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure‘ (1989)

    Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Reeves) are high school buddies starting a band. They are also about to fail their history class—which means Ted would be sent to military school—but receive help from Rufus (George Carlin), a traveller from a future where their band is the foundation for a perfect society. With the use of Rufus’ time machine, Bill and Ted travel to various points in history, returning with important figures to help them complete their final history presentation.

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    6. ‘John Wick: Chapter 4‘ (2023)

    John Wick (Reeves) uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.

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    5. ‘Constantine‘ (2005)

    Keanu Reeves as John Constantine in 2005's 'Constantine.'
    Keanu Reeves as John Constantine in 2005’s ‘Constantine.’

    John Constantine (Reeves) has literally been to Hell and back. When he teams up with a policewoman (Rachel Weisz) to solve the mysterious suicide of her twin sister, their investigation takes them through the world of demons and angels that exists beneath the landscape of contemporary Los Angeles.

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    4. ‘Speed‘ (1994)

    Los Angeles SWAT cop Jack Traven (Reeves) is up against bomb expert Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper), who’s after major ransom money. First it’s a rigged elevator in a very tall building. Then it’s a rigged bus–if it slows, it will blow, bad enough any day, but a nightmare in LA traffic. And that’s still not the end.

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    3. ‘Point Break‘ (1991)

    In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers who call themselves The Ex-Presidents commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. Believing that the members of the gang could be surfers, the F.B.I. sends young agent Johnny Utah (Reeves) to the beach undercover to mix with the surfers and gather information.

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    2. ‘John Wick‘ (2014)

    Ex-hitman John Wick (Reeves) comes out of retirement to track down the gangsters that took everything from him.

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    1. ‘The Matrix‘ (1999)

    Warner Bros.
    Warner Bros.

    Set in the 22nd century, The Matrix tells the story of a computer hacker who joins a group of underground insurgents fighting the vast and powerful computers who now rule the earth.

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  • Here Are the 2015 DGA Awards Film Nominees

    Fresh off its impressive haul at the Golden Globes the weekend, “The Revenant” is poised to nab yet another statuette with a nomination for a Directors Guild of America Award.

    The DGA announced its annual slate of honorees for outstanding directorial achievement on Tuesday, and “Revenant” director Alejandro G. Inarritu was among the five nominees. Inarritu also won the DGA award last year, for 2014’s “Birdman,” and with the new momentum from “The Revenant”‘s Globes wins, the director looks like an early favorite to repeat.

    The rest of the nominees were rounded out by Tom McCarthy (“Spotlight”), Adam McKay (“The Big Short”), George Miller (“Mad Max: Fury Road”), and Ridley Scott (“The Martian”). In addition to those names, the DGA also included a new category this year, honoring directors who helmed their first feature films in 2015.

    “There’s a first time for every feature filmmaker, but not every first time offers fresh viewpoints in storytelling that are imperative in this industry,” said DGA president Paris Barclay in a statement. “The first-time feature directors we’re recognizing with this inaugural award we hope will develop successful and lengthy careers. We are excited and invigorated by all they have to offer.”

    The full list of nominees is below. The DGA Awards will be handed out at a ceremony on February 6.

    FEATURE FILM NOMINEES:

    ALEJANDRO G. IÑÁRRITU
    The Revenant
    (20th Century Fox)

    Mr. Iñárritu’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Managers: Drew Locke, James W. Skotchdopole, Doug Jones
    First Assistant Director: Scott Robertson
    Second Assistant Directors: Megan M. Shank, Matthew Haggerty, Jeremy Marks
    Unit Production Manager: Gabriela Vazquez (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)
    First Assistant Director: Adam Somner (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)
    Second Assistant Directors: Trevor R. Tavares, Jasmine Marie Alhambra (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)
    Second Second Assistant Directors: Brett Robinson, Kasia Trojak (Argentina, California, and Montana Unit)

    This is Mr. Iñárritu’s fourth DGA Award nomination.

    TOM MCCARTHY
    Spotlight
    (Open Road Films)

    Mr. McCarthy’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Managers: D.J. Carson, Michael Bederman
    First Assistant Director: Walter Gasparovic
    Second Assistant Director: Penny Charter
    Assistant Unit Production Manager: Danielle Blumstein (Boston Unit)
    First Assistant Director: Christo Morse (Boston Unit)
    Second Assistant Directors: Conte Matal, Kristina Mariko Peterson, Annie Tan, Andrea O’Connor (Boston Unit)
    Second Second Assistant Directors: Phil Robinson, Mark Romanelli (Boston Unit)
    Additional Second Assistant Director: Scooter Perrotta (Boston Unit)

    This is Mr. McCarthy’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

    ADAM MCKAY
    The Big Short
    (Paramount Pictures)

    Mr. McKay’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Louise Rosner
    First Assistant Director: Matt Rebenkoff
    Second Assistant Director: Amy Lauritsen
    Second Second Assistant Director: Cali Pomés
    Second Second Assistant Director: Josh Muzaffer (New York Unit)
    Location Manager: Michael Kriaris

    This is Mr. McKay’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

    GEORGE MILLER
    Mad Max: Fury Road
    (Warner Bros.)

    Mr. Miller’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Dean Hood
    First Assistant Director: PJ Voeten
    Second Assistant Directors: Samantha Smith, Wendy Croad, Chris O’Hara
    Second Assistant Directors: Eddie Thorne (Syndey Unit), Emma Jamvold (Syndey Unit)
    Second Second Assistant Directors: Danielle Blake (Syndey Unit), Joshua Watkins (Syndey Unit)

    This is Mr. Miller’s first DGA Feature Film Award nomination.

    RIDLEY SCOTT
    The Martian
    (20th Century Fox)

    Mr. Scott’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Managers: Francesca Cingolani, Miklós Tóth
    First Assistant Director: Raymond Kirk
    Second Assistant Directors: Sarah Hood, Bogi Móricz
    Second Second Assistant Director: Nick Thomas

    This is Mr. Scott’s fourth DGA Award nomination.

    FIRST-TIME FEATURE FILM DIRECTOR NOMINEES:

    FERNANDO COIMBRA
    A Wolf at the Door
    (Outsider Pictures)

    Mr. Coimbra’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Clara Machado
    First Assistant Director: Suzy Milstein
    Second Assistant Director: Raquel Toledo

    This is Mr. Coimbra’s first DGA Award nomination.

    JOEL EDGERTON
    The Gift
    (STX Entertainment)

    Mr. Edgerton’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Luc Etienne
    First Assistant Director: Michael J. Moore
    Second Assistant Director: Matt Haggerty
    Second Second Assistant Director: Dillon Neaman

    This is Mr. Edgerton’s first DGA Award nomination.

    ALEX GARLAND
    Ex Machina
    (A24)

    Mr. Garland’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Sara Desmond
    First Assistant Director: Nick Heckstall‑Smith
    Second Assistant Director: Ray Kenny

    This is Mr. Garland’s first DGA Award nomination.

    MARIELLE HELLER
    The Diary of a Teenage Girl
    (Sony Pictures Classics)

    Ms. Heller’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Molly Salz
    First Assistant Director: Brian Benson
    Second Assistant Director: Jerremy Stewart
    Second Second Assistant Director: Alex Gilbert

    This is Ms. Heller’s first DGA Award nomination.

    LÁSZLÓ NEMES
    Son of Saul
    (Sony Pictures Classics)

    Mr. Nemes’s Directorial Team:
    Unit Production Manager: Gábor Szántó
    First Assistant Director: István Kolos
    Second Assistant Directors: Zoltán Gyovai, Edina Galgócz

    This is Mr. Nemes’s first DGA Award nomination.

    [via: Directors Guild of America]

    Photo credit: Kimberley French/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

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  • Psychological Thriller ‘The Gift’ Shows Karma Is Alive and Kickin’

    the gift 2015 reviewSPOILERS AHEAD! Don’t read this unless you want the twist revealed.

    The Gift,” a mystery-thriller released August 7, stars Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Joel Edgerton, who also steps in as first-time director. No blood and guts in this flick, one of the many positives about the movie, which kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I watched it.

    Jason Bateman plays a successful family man who moves to California with his wife, played by Rebecca Hall, after landing a new job there. Everything seems fine, life is great — and getting better! — until an old high-school acquaintance shows up. Unbeknownst to us, Bateman was a bully in high school and spread a nasty rumor he made up that caused Edgerton to suffer mental and physical abuse at the hands of his own father; 25 years later Edgerton comes for payback.

    What I really liked about this psychological thriller is the karma aspect of it. Bateman, as an adult, was a successful salesman with a beautiful wife who made moves up the corporate ladder, but, 25 years ago in high school, he was a bully who put his victim through hell. Instead of peace in their new home, Edgerton is popping up un-announced several times, causing Bateman’s wife extreme anxiety and sleepless nights. Things really start to unravel for the couple as Bateman’s wife learns of his past horrible deeds and starts to question who she married. Bateman’s new friends find out how low he’ll go to get what he wants. He loses his job and has to question the paternity of his new child. Karma at its best!

    “The Gift” is a great psychological thriller and mystery movie that, in my opinion, should be watched by high school and adult bullies alike. It really shows how a person’s actions, and how we treat others — even as kids — can have lasting and sometimes devastating effects on others; even to the point where they carry that hurt around and seek revenge years later.

    Bullying is a real problem in middle school and high school, and “The Gift” puts a nasty little spin on how karma loves to visit when you least expect it. Nice job, Edgerton. Me likey.

    Wendell Escott is a student at El Camino Community College and a contributor to Moviefone’s Campus Beat. Are you a current college student with a love for all things movies and TV? Contribute to Campus Beat!

  • Jason Blum’s Five Favorite Thrillers With a Twist

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    Producer Jason Blum is known for scaring the pants off of us with movies like “Paranormal Activity,” “Insidious,” and “The Purge.” This weekend his new creepy thriller “The Gift” will be hitting theaters starring Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall, and Joel Edgerton. To celebrate his new movie, Blum told us the five thrillers with a twist that always get him.

    Also, be sure to look out for “Sinister 2,” which hits theaters later this month. Relativity Media Hosts A Special Screening Of "The Lazarus Effect" At The Hollywood Forever Cemetery

  • ‘The Gift’ Trailer: Jason Bateman Is Just Not That Into You (VIDEO)

    The Gift
    Is there ever a polite way to tell a creepy high school acquaintance that you never want to see him again? According to “The Gift,” the answer is no — and also, that acquaintance is probably far creepier than you ever imagined.

    The thriller centers around married couple Simon (Jason Bateman) and Robyn (Rebecca Hall), who randomly run into Simon’s former classmate, Gordo (Joel Edgerton), and are soon barraged by expensive gifts left on their doorstep and multiple unannounced visits — seemingly all while Robyn is home alone. Simon tries to sever the rekindled friendship, but unfortunately for him and Robyn, Gordo isn’t going away without a fight (and kills their fish and throws a brick through their window, for good measure).

    You know someone’s in trouble in a movie when they actually say out loud, “I’m very happy,” so obviously that means Simon is doomed. As Gordo reminds him menacingly, “You think you’re done with the past, but the past is not done with you.”

    “The Gift,” which also marks Edgerton’s directorial debut, comes from “Paranormal Activity” and “The Purge” mastermind Jason Blum’s production company, Blumhouse. It’s due in theaters on July 31.

    Photo credit: YouTube

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