Movies Where The Villain Wins

From Christopher Nolan, starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine
Rated PG-13

The Dark Knight is a 2008 superhero film directed by Christopher Nolan. The film follows the story of the DC Comics character Batman as he attempts to thwart a criminal mastermind known as the Joker, who seeks to wreak havoc on the people of Gotham City. Bruce Wayne must confront the Joker's reign of terror while also dealing with the rising threat of the powerful crime lord, Harvey Dent. With the help of his ally, Lieutenant Jim Gordon, and the new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, Batman attempts to bring order back to Gotham City. The Dark Knight features an all-star cast including Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, and Morgan Freeman. The film was a critical and financial success and is widely considered to be one of the greatest superhero films of all time.

From David Fincher, starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Meat Loaf, Zach Grenier
Rated R

Fight Club is a 1999 cult classic directed by David Fincher and based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk. The film follows an unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) who is suffering from insomnia and finds solace in going to support groups to gain the support he needs. After meeting a mysterious soap salesman named Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), the narrator is introduced to a secret underground fight club, which begins to take over his life. The fight club attracts a growing number of participants, including a group of anarchists who plot to overthrow the established order and create a new society. As the violence escalates, the narrator is forced to choose between his new life and the old, and the consequences of his actions. Fight Club is an intense, darkly humorous, and provocative look at the psychology of men, questioning the nature of masculinity and the meaning of life.

From Milos Forman, starring Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Michael Berryman, Peter Brocco
Rated R

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is an Academy Award-winning film from 1975, directed by Milos Forman. The movie follows Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a criminal who feigns insanity to avoid a prison sentence. He is committed to a mental institution under the watchful eye of the oppressive Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). With the help of the other inmates, McMurphy devises a plan to rebel against the oppressive environment, but ultimately fails to escape the consequences of his actions. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest is an iconic film which highlights themes of institutionalization, mental health, and freedom of expression.

From Irvin Kershner, starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams
Rated PG

Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back is a science fiction action film directed by Irvin Kershner in 1980. The film is set three years after Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope, and follows Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Princess Leia and their allies in the Rebel Alliance as they battle Darth Vader and the Galactic Empire. Luke begins a journey to learn the ways of the Jedi from Jedi Master Yoda. Along the way, a romance between Han and Leia begins to blossom. Meanwhile, Vader and the Empire capture Han, and set a trap for Luke, who eventually finds himself face-to-face with Vader. It is revealed that Vader is Luke's father, and Luke is offered a chance to turn to the dark side of the Force. The film is the second installment of the original Star Wars trilogy, and ends with the Rebels discovering a new base and the Empire being defeated. The film was met with critical acclaim, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time.

From Jonathan Demme, starring Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Lawrence A. Bonney, Kasi Lemmons
Rated R

The Silence of the Lambs is a psychological horror-thriller film directed by Jonathan Demme and released in 1991. It follows FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) as she attempts to catch a serial killer known as “Buffalo Bill” (Ted Levine). To help her in her investigation, Clarice seeks the help of the incarcerated Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist with a dark past. As Clarice attempts to get closer to her prey, she finds herself in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with the cunning and manipulative Lecter, who has his own agenda. The Silence of the Lambs is a thrilling and suspenseful story that has gone on to become one of the greatest and most iconic films of all time, winning five Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

From Christopher Nolan, starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior
Rated R

Memento is a neo-noir psychological thriller written and directed by Christopher Nolan, who later went on to direct the Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception. The story follows Leonard, a man with anterograde amnesia, who is trying to find the person responsible for the murder of his wife. Leonard is unable to make new memories, so he relies on tattoos, Polaroid photos, and notes to remember facts and events that have occurred. With the help of Teddy, an ex-insurance investigator, Leonard pieces together clues from his past in order to solve the mystery of his wife's death. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly complicated as the audience is presented with two timelines, one in reverse and one in forward order, which ultimately converge. Memento is a suspenseful and thought-provoking exploration of memory, identity, and morality.

From Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson
Rated R

No Country for Old Men is a 2007 crime thriller directed by the Coen brothers. The film follows the story of a welder and Vietnam veteran, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), who discovers a fortune of drug money in the desert. He takes the money, and sets off a chain of events that leads him into a desperate battle with a relentless killer, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). The film follows the paths of Moss, Chigurh, and an aging Sheriff, Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones). It is a story of morality, fate, and violence, and examines how the choices people make can impact the lives of those around them. The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture.

From Anurag Kashyap, starring Manoj Bajpayee, Ashish Chhipa, Richa Chadha, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Rated Not Rated

Gangs of Wasseypur is a 2012 Indian crime film directed by Anurag Kashyap and starring Manoj Bajpayee, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Richa Chadda, Huma Qureshi, and Pankaj Tripathi. Set in the industrial city of Wasseypur, the story follows the fight between two rival gangs and the impact it has on their families. The film spans several decades and follows the story of Shahid Khan (Manoj Bajpayee), a former coal miner who becomes a gang leader, and his son Faizal (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a small-time thief. The film chronicles the generations of violence that follow, as well as the attempts to break the cycle. The film was widely praised for its engaging story, stellar performances, and stylish direction.

From David Fincher, starring Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, Tyler Perry
Rated R

Gone Girl is a 2014 psychological thriller film directed by David Fincher, based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn. The film centers around Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck), who is accused of murdering his wife Amy (Rosamund Pike) on their fifth wedding anniversary. As the case against Nick grows more complex and the media frenzy around the case intensifies, Nick and his defense team uncover incriminating evidence from Amy's past that suggests she may not be as innocent as she appears. The film follows the story of Nick's search for the truth, revealing a dark and twisted tale of deception and betrayal.

From Terry Gilliam, starring Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Robert De Niro, Katherine Helmond
Rated R

Brazil is a science-fiction black comedy film written and directed by Terry Gilliam. The story follows a daydreaming, lower-level government employee, Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce), who becomes a victim of bureaucracy when he attempts to rectify a simple mistake. As he attempts to navigate the surreal and oppressive world of the government bureaucracy, Sam finds himself drawn into a complex and bizarre web of mistaken identities, dream sequences and secret organizations. Along the way, he encounters characters such as his mother Ida (Katherine Helmond), a mysterious woman named Jill Layton (Kim Griest), and torturer Mr. Helpmann (Robert De Niro). The film satirizes the bureaucratic and technological world of the 1980s, and its effects on individuals. It also explores themes of individual freedom, identity, and the meaning of life.

From Dan Gilroy, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Bill Paxton, Riz Ahmed
Rated R

Nightcrawler is a 2014 American crime thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Louis Bloom, a driven, ambitious young man living in Los Angeles who discovers the world of "nightcrawling" - illegally filming accidents, crime scenes, and other emotionally charged events in order to sell the footage to the local news stations. As Bloom's success and ambition grow, he becomes increasingly ruthless and unscrupulous in his pursuit of success. The film follows Lou's moral corruption and its consequences, as well as his relationship with an ambitious news producer played by Rene Russo. The film explores themes of ambition, morality, and the dark side of the media and entertainment industry.

From Gregory Hoblit, starring Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Edward Norton, John Mahoney
Rated R

Primal Fear is a 1996 American legal thriller film directed by Gregory Hoblit and starring Richard Gere, Edward Norton, and Laura Linney. It is based on William Diehl's 1993 novel of the same name. The film tells the story of an altar boy, Aaron Stampler (Edward Norton), who is accused of murdering an influential Chicago Catholic Archdiocese leader Archbishop Rushman (Stanley Anderson). Despite his lack of experience in criminal law, defense attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) takes on Aaron's case, believing him to be innocent. He soon uncovers evidence that Aaron was abused by the Archbishop, leading him to believe that Aaron was driven to kill in a fit of rage. As the trial progresses, Aaron's true identity and the reasons behind the murder become more and more mysterious, eventually leading to a shocking conclusion.

From James Wan, starring Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell, Danny Glover, Ken Leung
Rated R

Saw is an American horror movie directed by James Wan and released in 2004. It tells the story of two men, Adam and Lawrence, who find themselves locked in a bathroom and forced to play a gruesome game orchestrated by the twisted serial killer known as Jigsaw. With each passing hour, Adam and Lawrence must use their wits to survive Jigsaw's deadly traps and find a way out of the bathroom before time runs out. Along the way, they uncover the dark secrets and twisted past of Jigsaw, and soon come to realize that they are the latest victims of his sinister game.

From Zack Snyder, starring Jackie Earle Haley, Patrick Wilson, Carla Gugino, Malin Akerman
Rated R

Watchmen is a 2009 American superhero film directed by Zack Snyder and based on the 1986–87 DC Comics limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Set in an alternate 1985 America, the film chronicles a group of retired vigilantes, who are forced back into action to save their world from the brink of nuclear disaster. The story follows a group of superheroes known as the Watchmen, who learn of a plot to kill the President of the United States and must band together to stop it. Along the way, they uncover a conspiracy that could have devastating consequences for the world. In the end, they must confront the truth about themselves and decide whether to accept the consequences of their actions. With amazing action sequences, powerful performances, and a compelling story, Watchmen is a thrilling and thought-provoking adventure that will leave you breathless.

From George Lucas, starring Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Samuel L. Jackson
Rated PG-13

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith is the third installment of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, directed by George Lucas. The movie follows the events of Episode II, as Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) turns to the dark side of the Force and becomes Darth Vader. With the help of Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid), the Emperor of the Galactic Empire, Anakin embarks on a path of destruction, leaving his former mentor, Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor), and his beloved, Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), in his wake. Obi-Wan embarks on a quest to stop Anakin, while Palpatine begins to consolidate his power over the galaxy. The movie culminates in a climactic lightsaber duel between Obi-Wan and Anakin, in which Anakin is presumed dead and Obi-Wan is left to save the Republic.

From Robin Hardy, starring Edward Woodward, Christopher Lee, Diane Cilento, Britt Ekland
Rated R

The Wicker Man is a British horror film directed by Robin Hardy and starring Christopher Lee, Edward Woodward, Diane Cilento, and Britt Ekland. The plot follows Police Sergeant Howie (Edward Woodward) who is sent to the remote Scottish island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. When he arrives on the island, he finds a community of very strange people whose strange and ancient beliefs clash with his own Christian faith. As he investigates, he discovers that the local people are preparing for a strange ritual and that he may be the victim of a pagan sacrifice. The film is a classic of British horror that explores themes of faith, religion, and superstition.

From Michael Haneke, starring Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Mühe, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering
Rated Not Rated

Funny Games follows two young men, Paul and Peter, as they invade the home of a wealthy Austrian family on vacation and begin to terrorize them. Through psychological games and manipulation, they force the family to play along with their cruel and sadistic demands. The family is pushed to their limits, and the tension and suspense build as the family struggles to survive the ordeal. In the end, the family must come together to confront the evil that has invaded their lives.

From Lawrence Kasdan, starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson
Rated R

From James Mangold, starring John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, John Hawkes
Rated R

From Ridley Scott, starring Nicolas Cage, Alison Lohman, Sam Rockwell, Bruce Altman
Rated PG-13

From Mark Pellington, starring Jeff Bridges, Tim Robbins, Joan Cusack, Hope Davis
Rated R

From Joel Schumacher, starring Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Forest Whitaker, Radha Mitchell
Rated R

From Michael Radford, starring John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, Cyril Cusack
Rated R

From Bryan Singer, starring Tom Cruise, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Kenneth Branagh
Rated PG-13

From Paul Verhoeven, starring Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne Tripplehorn
Rated R