Anthology Movies

From Damián Szifron, starring Darío Grandinetti, María Marull, Mónica Villa, Diego Starosta
Rated R

Wild Tales is a 2014 Argentine-Spanish black comedy film written, directed and produced by Damián Szifron. The film is composed of six standalone shorts, all united by a common theme of revenge and retribution. Each story is entertaining and thought-provoking, exploring the depths of human emotions and the consequences of breaking social norms. The shorts feature a wide range of characters, from a bride who takes matters into her own hands to a highway tollbooth operator who exacts revenge on a cheating driver. Through the stories, Wild Tales paints a darkly comic and satirical portrait of human nature and its capacity for violence. Ultimately, the film is a commentary on the state of society and how revenge can be a dangerous game.

From Alejandro G. Iñárritu, starring Emilio Echevarría, Gael García Bernal, Goya Toledo, Álvaro Guerrero
Rated R

Amores Perros is an award-winning Mexican film from 2000 written and directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. It is a multi-narrative that tells three interrelated stories of characters whose lives are dramatically changed after they are involved in a horrific car accident in Mexico City. The stories explore the themes of love, loss, revenge, and redemption. All three characters’ lives are affected by the accident, and their stories are intertwined in unexpected ways. The film features powerful performances and stunning visuals, as well as a gripping narrative that is both heartbreaking and uplifting. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won numerous awards at film festivals around the world.

From Directors: Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, starring Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba
Rated R

Sin City is a neo-noir action crime film released in 2005, co-directed by Frank Miller, Quentin Tarantino, and Robert Rodriguez. The film is based on Miller's graphic novel series of the same name and features a cast of multiple intertwining stories set in Basin City. The stories revolve around a group of morally ambiguous characters and their dealings with organized crime, extreme violence, and the search for redemption. The film is mostly shot in black and white, with occasional bursts of color for dramatic effect. The film follows a handful of disparate stories, including a cop searching for a serial killer, an ex-convict looking for revenge, and a corrupt politician looking for power. It also features many popular actors, such as Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, and Jessica Alba. Sin City is a unique take on the crime genre, combining elements of comedy and tragedy to create a unique and memorable experience.

From Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Tom Cruise, Jason Robards, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Rated R

Magnolia is an ensemble drama directed by Paul Thomas Anderson that follows the intertwining lives and shared destinies of a group of seemingly unrelated characters in the San Fernando Valley in California. Through a series of emotionally charged storylines, the characters are all brought together in an unexpected way, creating a tapestry of human experience that is at once heartbreaking and uplifting. The film is ultimately a reflection on life, loss, regret, and redemption, and the power of chance and coincidence in making and breaking our lives.

From Robert Altman, starring Keith Carradine, Karen Black, Ronee Blakley, Shelley Duvall
Rated R

Nashville is a 1975 comedy-drama film directed by Robert Altman and written by Joan Tewkesbury. The movie follows a group of various, interconnected individuals in Nashville, Tennessee, during a tumultuous election for a seat in the US Senate. The movie follows a number of plotlines, all of which eventually converge as the election draws nearer. The plotlines include a country singer (Barbara Jean) who is having an affair with a politician (Haven Hamilton); a local and popular country singer (L.A. Joan) who is trying to make her mark in Nashville; a journalist (Tom) and his alcoholic wife (Linnea Reese) who comes to Nashville looking for a story; a businessman (John Triplette) and his wife (Alama) who are trying to build a career in the country music industry; a housewife (Opal) who is struggling to keep her family together amidst pressure from her husband; and a young woman (Macon) who is searching for her lost father. The movie culminates in a chaotic finale at the Grand Ole Opry, as the characters all come together to witness the results of the election. Throughout the movie, each of the characters has to confront their own

From Jim Jarmusch, starring Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, Lisanne Falk, Alan Randolph Scott
Rated R

Night on Earth is a 1991 comedy-drama directed by Jim Jarmusch and starring Winona Ryder, Gena Rowlands, and Roberto Benigni. The film follows the stories of five different taxi drivers around the world in five distinct cities: Los Angeles, New York, Paris, Rome, and Helsinki. Each of the five stories are unique and explore the complex relationships between the drivers and their passengers on a single night. Through these stories, the film highlights the differences and similarities between cultures, as well as the common humanity of people from all walks of life. Ultimately, Night on Earth serves as a meditation on the often-unseen bonds that connect us all.

From Robert Altman, starring Andie MacDowell, Julianne Moore, Tim Robbins, Bruce Davison
Rated R

Short Cuts is a 1993 ensemble drama film by Robert Altman, based on nine short stories by Raymond Carver. The film intertwines the lives of 22 characters in Los Angeles, all connected to one another in some way. These characters include a firefighter and a police officer, a married couple and a struggling single mother, and a wide variety of other characters. The film explores themes of love, family, death, and social issues, as the characters navigate their lives through overlapping stories. The film was a critical success, receiving three Academy Award nominations and numerous other awards.

From Todd Solondz, starring Jane Adams, Jon Lovitz, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Dylan Baker
Rated NC-17

Happiness is an American dark comedy written and directed by Todd Solondz that follows the lives of three sisters and those around them. The film focuses on the themes of family, love, sex, and depression. The film follows Joy Jordan (Jane Adams), an unhappy phone sex worker, her successful sister Helen (Lara Flynn Boyle), and their younger sister Trish (Cynthia Stevenson), who lives with her well-to-do husband (Dylan Baker). The film also delves into the lives of their neighbors, including a pedophile (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a lonely writer (Jon Lovitz), and a frustrated married couple (Dylan Baker and Louise Lasser). The film is a dark comedy that explores the nature of relationships and modern American life. Despite its often dark tone, the film ultimately conveys a sense of hope and redemption for its characters.

From Steven Soderbergh, starring Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jacob Vargas
Rated R

Traffic is a crime drama that follows several interwoven stories that explore the war on drugs from different perspectives. The film follows a newly appointed U.S. Drug Czar, Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas), and his efforts to reduce the flow of drugs into the United States; a Mexican police officer (Benicio del Toro) on the hunt for a powerful drug lord; the struggles of a wealthy couple (Catherine Zeta-Jones and Dennis Quaid) whose daughter is caught up in a drug scandal; and an undercover DEA agent (Don Cheadle) trying to bring down a major drug cartel. Through these stories, the film examines the many complexities of the drug war, showing how it affects everyone, from the drug addicts to the politicians and law enforcement in both the U.S. and Mexico.

From Alejandro G. Iñárritu, starring Sean Penn, Benicio Del Toro, Naomi Watts, Danny Huston
Rated R

21 Grams tells the story of three seemingly unrelated people whose lives become intertwined by tragedy. Paul Rivers (Sean Penn) is a professor dying of heart disease, Cristina Peck (Naomi Watts) is a housewife and mother of two, and Jack Jordan (Benicio del Toro) is an ex-convict and a recovering drug addict. After a tragic car accident kills Paul and his wife, Cristina and Jack find themselves suddenly connected. Cristina seeks revenge on Jack for her husband's death, while Jack struggles with his guilt and newfound faith. Ultimately, the tragedy unites these three broken souls as they each struggle to make sense of their lives.

From Max Ophüls, starring Anton Walbrook, Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani, Simone Simon
Rated Not Rated

La Ronde is a 1950 French film directed by Max Ophüls. The film tells the story of a chain of ten sexual encounters in which each participant moves on to the next. Through this chain of relationships, the characters explore and express the complexity of human interaction and emotion. The film is composed of ten scenes, each of which introduces a different character and their partner. Each couple represents a different class of society, from the aristocratic to the working class. Through these encounters, the film examines the power dynamics of gender, class, and relationships, as well as how these dynamics can lead to deception and heartbreak. The film is known for its use of tracking shots, with many scenes taking place in a single take. La Ronde is an insightful exploration of human relationships that concludes with a bittersweet ending.

From Alejandro G. Iñárritu, starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael García Bernal, Mohamed Akhzam
Rated R

Babel is a 2006 multi-narrative drama film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. It follows four interconnecting stories in Morocco, Japan, Mexico, and the United States. The movie focuses on the theme of communication breakdown and its effects on the lives of the characters. The stories are connected by a single gun which is used in an accident in Morocco and then travels around the world. A married couple from San Diego, Richard (Brad Pitt) and Susan (Cate Blanchett), go on a vacation in Morocco. During their trip, their two children are left alone at home in California and a tragedy occurs. In Japan, a deaf-mute girl named Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) struggles to communicate with her family and finds solace in an unlikely source. In Mexico, two boys are hired to help smuggle a group of illegal immigrants across the border. Finally, in the United States, a Mexican nanny (Adriana Barraza) takes the two children from San Diego on a journey to her home in Mexico. The film shows how the lack of communication can lead to devastating results, while also emphasizing the importance of understanding and empathy.

From Henry Alex Rubin, starring Jason Bateman, Jonah Bobo, Haley Ramm, Hope Davis
Rated R

"Disconnect" is a 2012 American drama film directed by Henry Alex Rubin and written by Andrew Stern. It stars Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Frank Grillo, Michael Nyqvist, Paula Patton, Andrea Riseborough, Alexander Skarsgård and Max Thieriot. The film depicts three interconnected stories revolving around the impact of modern technology on human relationships. A lawyer (Bateman) is seeking revenge against a cyber bully, a journalist (Davis) investigates a child pornography ring online, and a couple (Riseborough and Skarsgård) struggle to connect in their marriage. As the stories intertwine, the consequences of technology come to the forefront, highlighting how its use can both benefit and harm our lives.

From Jim Jarmusch, starring Masatoshi Nagase, Yûki Kudô, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Cinqué Lee
Rated R

Mystery Train is a 1989 comedy-drama film directed by Jim Jarmusch. It follows three different stories that take place in a single night in a run-down Memphis hotel. The first story follows Jun (Youki Kudoh) and her husband, a young Japanese couple who are on a pilgrimage to visit the sites connected with the music of Elvis Presley. The second story follows a group of Italian tourists, Luisa (Nicoletta Braschi), Giancarlo (Roberto Benigni), and Pietro (Paolo Bonacelli), who are experiencing the United States for the first time. The third story follows a drifter, Johnny (Joe Strummer), and his lover, Wendy (Elizabeth Bracco), who are on the run from an unseen enemy. Through these stories, the film captures the essence of American life, culture, and music.

From Ang Lee, starring Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Henry Czerny
Rated R

From Carlos Sorin, starring Javier Lombardo, Antonio Benedicti, Javiera Bravo, Mariela Díaz
Rated Unrated

From Derek Cianfrance, starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Craig Van Hook
Rated R

From Directors: Olivier Assayas, Frédéric Auburtin, Gurinder Chadha, Sylvain Chomet, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Isabel Coixet, Wes Craven, Alfonso Cuarón, Gérard Depardieu, Christopher Doyle, Richard LaGravenese, Vincenzo Natali, Alexander Payne, Bruno Podalydès, Walter Salles, Oliver Schmitz, Nobuhiro Suwa, Daniela Thomas, Tom Tykwer, Gus Van Sant, starring Juliette Binoche, Leonor Watling, Ludivine Sagnier, Fanny Ardant
Rated R

From Michael Haneke, starring Gabriel Cosmin Urdes, Lukas Miko, Otto Grünmandl, Anne Bennent
Rated Not Rated

From Greg Marcks, starring Henry Thomas, Colin Hanks, Ben Foster, Patrick Swayze
Rated R

From Lone Scherfig, starring Anders W. Berthelsen, Ann Eleonora Jørgensen, Anette Støvelbæk, Peter Gantzler
Rated R

From Willard Carroll, starring Gillian Anderson, Ellen Burstyn, Sean Connery, Anthony Edwards
Rated R

From Jill Sprecher, starring Alan Arkin, John Turturro, Matthew McConaughey, David Connolly
Rated R

From Jim Jarmusch, starring Bill Murray, Tom Waits, Roberto Benigni, RZA
Rated R

From Richard Linklater, starring Richard Linklater, Rudy Basquez, Jean Caffeine, Jan Hockey
Rated R