Slow Burn Movies

From David Fincher, starring Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, Kevin Spacey, Andrew Kevin Walker
Rated R

Se7en is a 1995 psychological thriller directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and Kevin Spacey. The story follows two detectives, David Mills (Pitt) and William Somerset (Freeman), as they investigate a series of gruesome murders that appear to be inspired by the seven deadly sins. As the detectives begin to unravel the mystery behind the killings, they come to the realization that they are up against a serial killer whose ultimate goal is to create a masterpiece of death. Along the way, they must battle their own psychological and moral dilemmas as they become increasingly aware of the killer's ultimate plan. The film has been praised for its dark atmosphere, complex characters, and memorable twist ending.

From Ridley Scott, starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Rated R

Alien is a classic sci-fi horror film directed by Ridley Scott and released in 1979. It follows the crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo, which is on its way home when it receives a distress call from a nearby planet. The crew investigates the source of the call, only to find a derelict alien spacecraft filled with hundreds of egg-like objects. One of the eggs hatches, releasing a terrifying creature that begins to kill off the crew one by one. The remaining survivors must battle the deadly creature and find a way to escape before it's too late. The film is noted for its intense visuals and groundbreaking effects, as well as its complex characters and gripping plot.

From Bong Joon Ho, starring Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-sik
Rated R

Parasite is a 2019 South Korean dark comedy-drama film directed by Bong Joon Ho. It follows the members of a poor family, the Kims, who eventually infiltrate the wealthy Park family by posing as unrelated, highly qualified individuals. After initial success, their deception is eventually discovered and a series of events leads to a chaotic climax. Throughout the film, Bong Joon Ho examines the stark class divisions between the two families and the widening gap between the haves and the have-nots in South Korean society.

From Alfred Hitchcock, starring James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter
Rated PG

Rear Window is a classic 1954 suspense/thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock. It follows the story of a professional photographer, L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries, who is confined to his wheelchair and apartment due to an accident. To pass the time, Jeff spends his days spying on his neighbors through the rear window of his apartment. He soon becomes suspicious of one of his neighbors, Lars Thorwald, and believes he has committed murder. With the help of his girlfriend, Lisa Fremont, and his nurse, Stella, Jeff sets out to uncover the truth. The film is widely regarded as one of Hitchcock's greatest works and is noted for its use of suspense, visual effects, and its cleverly-written dialogue.

From Sergio Leone, starring Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards
Rated PG-13

Once Upon a Time in the West is a western drama film directed by Sergio Leone and released in 1968. The film stars Henry Fonda, Charles Bronson, Claudia Cardinale, and Jason Robards. The story follows ruthless railroad tycoon Mr. Morton (Fonda) and his henchmen as they try to take away the land of a widow, Mrs. McBain (Cardinale). In order to do so, they must first eliminate her husband, an outlaw. In response, Mrs. McBain enlists the help of the mysterious "Harmonica" (Bronson) to protect the land. As the battle ensues, Harmonica finds himself in a battle of betrayal, revenge, and justice, culminating in a tense climax. The film is a masterful blend of intense action and complex characters, set against a stunningly beautiful backdrop of the western landscape.

From Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, starring Ulrich Mühe, Martina Gedeck, Sebastian Koch, Ulrich Tukur
Rated R

The Lives of Others is a 2006 German drama film about the monitoring of East Berlin citizens by agents of East Germany's secret police, the Stasi. It follows the story of a Stasi agent, Gerd Wiesler, who is assigned to spy on a successful playwright, Georg Dreyman, and his girlfriend, Christa-Maria Sieland. Wiesler's surveillance of the couple slowly reveals the truth of their relationship and ultimately changes both their lives. As Wiesler begins to sympathize with their plight, he is forced to make a difficult decision between loyalty to the state and loyalty to his conscience. His actions ultimately have a positive outcome for the couple, but at a personal cost. The film conveys a powerful message of the importance of freedom and the consequences of totalitarianism.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter
Rated G

2001: A Space Odyssey is a mesmerizing, mind-bending journey through space and time. It follows a voyage to Jupiter with a crew of scientists and a sentient computer, Hal 9000, aboard a spaceship Discovery. The mission is to discover the origin of a mysterious, black monolith that has been found on the moon. Along the way, the crew encounters a variety of obstacles, which in turn leads to an exploration of the nature of human evolution, artificial intelligence, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. The film, which was released in 1968, is considered by many to be a masterpiece of science fiction and is renowned for its groundbreaking special effects and philosophical themes.

From Thomas Vinterberg, starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm
Rated R

The Hunt is a psychological thriller about Lucas, a seemingly normal man who is suddenly ostracized by his small rural community when he is falsely accused of sexually assaulting a young girl. Despite his protests of innocence, Lucas finds himself the target of a witch hunt, as his friends and neighbors become convinced of his guilt. In an attempt to clear his name, Lucas embarks on a desperate search for the truth while facing mounting hostility and violence from the people he once called friends. The film weaves together psychological suspense, ethical quandaries, and a powerful depiction of the devastating impact of mob mentality.

From Michael Mann, starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight
Rated R

Heat is a 1995 crime thriller directed by Michael Mann, starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. The film follows the lives of professional criminal Neil McCauley (De Niro) and Lt. Vincent Hanna (Pacino), a dedicated police officer trying to bring him down. As they become increasingly involved in each other's lives, they both find themselves in a constant struggle between their personal and professional obligations. The film shows the intense and complex relationship between them, as well as the moral code of honor that exists between criminals and the police. It's an intense and gripping crime drama that examines the cost of a life lived on the edge.

From Denis Villeneuve, starring Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, Mustafa Kamel
Rated R

Incendies is a 2010 Canadian drama film written and directed by Denis Villeneuve and starring Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette, and Rémy Girard. After the death of their mother, Nawal, twins Jeanne and Simon Marwan embark on a journey to uncover their family history and discover their mother’s secrets. The film follows the twins as they travel to the Middle East and uncover their mother’s past, including her involvement in the civil war of her native country and her mysterious first love. Along the way, they discover secrets of the past, secrets that will affect their future. As they grapple with the painful truth they uncover, they must also find a way to forgive the mother they thought they knew.

From Akira Kurosawa, starring Takashi Shimura, Nobuo Kaneko, Shin'ichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka
Rated Not Rated

Ikiru (1952) is a classic Japanese drama directed by Akira Kurosawa. The story follows the life of Kanji Watanabe, a middle-aged, lifelong bureaucrat in Tokyo's City Hall. After being diagnosed with terminal stomach cancer, Watanabe embarks on a journey of self-discovery, seeking to make a lasting impact on the lives of those around him. With the help of his newfound friends, he embarks on a quest to build a public park for children, in the hopes of creating something of lasting value before his life ends. Through his struggles, Watanabe comes to realize the importance of enjoying life to the fullest, and ultimately finds peace in the knowledge of his own mortality.

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 Academy Award-winning 2007 American crime thriller film directed by the Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan Coen. The film is based on Cormac McCarthy's 2005 novel of the same name. Set in 1980, No Country for Old Men follows the story of Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a hunter from Texas who stumbles upon the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong while hunting in the desert. Taking the cash he finds at the site, he sets off a chain of events that includes a relentless, psychopathic hitman (Javier Bardem), a determined sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones) and a troubled Vietnam veteran (Woody Harrelson). In the end, Moss must battle not only the forces of greed and evil, but his own conscience as well.

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks
Rated R

Taxi Driver is a 1976 film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro. The movie follows Travis Bickle, an emotionally unstable Vietnam veteran living in New York City who drives a taxi cab at night. As he struggles to make sense of the world around him and cope with feelings of loneliness and isolation, he begins to obsess over saving a young prostitute and plans a violent mission of vigilante justice. The film explores themes of urban degradation, violence, and desperation, as well as the psychological toll of trauma. The film was critically acclaimed, winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and four Academy Award nominations.

From John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur
Rated R

The Thing is a science fiction horror movie directed by John Carpenter in 1982. It tells the story of a group of American researchers in Antarctica who discover a shape-shifting alien organism that assimilates and imitates other organisms. As the creature begins to hunt the members of the research team, paranoia and distrust spread among them, leading to a desperate struggle for survival against the unstoppable force. The movie has become a cult classic, acclaimed for its sense of paranoia and atmosphere of dread.

From Paul Thomas Anderson, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Ciarán Hinds, Martin Stringer
Rated R

There Will Be Blood is a 2007 American drama film written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and based on Upton Sinclair's 1927 novel Oil!. Set in the early 20th century, the film tells the story of a ruthless oil prospector (Daniel Day-Lewis) who violently clashes with a religious leader (Paul Dano) after striking oil on a family's land. The story follows the oil prospector's rise to power and his eventual descent into madness and ruin, as well as his complicated relationship with his son (Dillon Freasier). The film was highly acclaimed and won two Academy Awards, for Best Actor (Day-Lewis) and Best Cinematography (Robert Elswit).

From Roman Polanski, starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez
Rated R

Chinatown is a 1974 neo-noir mystery film directed by Roman Polanski and starring Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston. Set in 1937 Los Angeles, the plot follows private investigator J. J. Gittes as he investigates the connection between a real estate mogul, Noah Cross, and the murder of an aspiring actress, Evelyn Mulwray. Gittes eventually uncovers a convoluted web of blackmail, corruption and deceit, learning that Cross is in fact Evelyn's father and that he has been plotting to gain control of the city's water supply. In the end, Gittes must make a difficult choice between doing what is right and protecting those he loves. Chinatown received widespread critical acclaim, and is widely considered one of the greatest films of all time.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary
Rated PG

Jaws is a 1975 American horror-thriller directed by Steven Spielberg. Based on the novel by Peter Benchley and starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, the film follows Chief Brody (Scheider), a police officer who is called upon to confront a great white shark terrorizing the fictional New England resort town of Amity Island. With the help of a grizzled fisherman, Quint (Shaw), and an oceanographer, Hooper (Dreyfuss), Brody sets out to hunt and kill the shark, leading to a thrilling and suspenseful climax. Along the way, the trio is faced with various challenges, including cold-blooded deception and personal conflict, as they try to save the town from destruction. Jaws is considered one of the greatest horror-thrillers of all time and spawned three sequels.

From Bong Joon Ho, starring Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung, Roe-ha Kim, Jae-ho Song
Rated Not Rated

Memories of Murder is a 2003 South Korean black comedy-thriller film written and directed by Bong Joon Ho. The film is based on the real-life unsolved Hwaseong serial murders of the 1980s, which remain Korea's most infamous cold case. The story follows two bumbling local detectives, Park Doo-man and Seo Tae-yoon, as they attempt to solve a series of grisly murders. As the two detectives follow one wrong lead after another, they eventually begin to suspect a psychopathic serial killer is behind the murders. With growing pressure to solve the case, Park and Seo are forced to use methods of questionable legality as they desperately search for the murderer. Along the way, the film also explores issues of class and justice in Korean society.

From Denis Villeneuve, starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo
Rated R

Prisoners is a 2013 Canadian-American thriller film directed by Denis Villeneuve and written by Aaron Guzikowski. The film stars Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal and tells the story of two families whose daughters have been abducted. Desperate to find the girls, the father of one of the girls kidnaps the suspect in the case and holds him prisoner in an attempt to get answers. The suspect claims to be innocent, and the father is eventually forced to confront the dark secrets buried within his own family as he desperately searches for his daughter. As tension and danger mount, the two men must go to extreme lengths to uncover the truth behind the kidnapping before it's too late.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Ryan O'Neal, Marisa Berenson, Patrick Magee, Hardy Krüger
Rated PG

Barry Lyndon is a 1975 period film written and directed by Stanley Kubrick. Set in 18th century Europe, the movie follows the exploits of the titular character, an Irish rogue and social climber, as he uses his wit and charm to make his way in the aristocratic world. The film is based on the 1844 novel The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon, Esq., by William Makepeace Thackeray. It follows Barry Lyndon (Ryan O'Neal) from his humble origins as the son of a poor Irish farmer, to his escapades as a soldier, gambler, and lover. He eventually finds himself caught up in a power struggle for the heart of the beautiful Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson). The film was nominated for four Academy Awards, and won three, including Best Cinematography. It is widely hailed as one of Kubrick's greatest works and has become a cult classic. The film is characterized by its rich visuals, lush period costumes, and intense performances.

From Alejandro G. Iñárritu, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, Domhnall Gleeson
Rated R

The Revenant is a 2015 survival-drama directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. The film follows Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), a fur trapper in the 1820s American West who is mauled by a bear and left for dead by his hunting team. Glass must then fight for survival in a harsh, unforgiving landscape and seek revenge on those who betrayed him. The film shows Glass' remarkable will to survive, and his journey of revenge and redemption.

From Roman Polanski, starring Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon, Sidney Blackmer
Rated Approved

Rosemary's Baby is a 1968 psychological horror film directed by Roman Polanski. The film follows Rosemary Woodhouse (Mia Farrow), a young, pregnant woman who begins to suspect that her husband and their mysterious neighbors have sinister intentions for her unborn child. As Rosemary's paranoia and fear increase, she discovers the horrifying truth about her pregnancy and her husband's plans. The film's themes of religious cults, supernatural horror, and dark secrets have made it one of the most influential horror films of all time.

From Denis Villeneuve, starring Harrison Ford, Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Dave Bautista
Rated R

"Blade Runner 2049" is a neo-noir science fiction film directed by Denis Villeneuve and released in 2017. Set thirty years after the original film, the story follows new blade runner, LAPD Officer K (Ryan Gosling) as he uncovers a long-buried secret that could plunge what's left of society into chaos. His discovery leads him on a quest to find Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), a former blade runner who's been missing for 30 years. With the help of a mysterious woman named Joi (Ana de Armas), K battles against powerful forces as he attempts to uncover the truth about the past and his own identity.

From David Lynch, starring Richard Farnsworth, Sissy Spacek, Jane Galloway Heitz, Joseph A. Carpenter
Rated G

The Straight Story is a 1999 drama film directed by David Lynch and starring Richard Farnsworth. It is based on the true story of Alvin Straight, a 73-year-old man who embarks on a life-affirming and inspirational journey from Laurens, Iowa, to Mt. Zion, Wisconsin, on his 1966 John Deere lawnmower in order to reconcile with his ailing and estranged 75-year-old brother. Along the way, Alvin recounts stories of his past and meets a variety of colorful characters who help him on his journey. The film is a celebration of life and the healing power of family. It is a heartwarming story of hope, redemption, and the simple beauty of human connections.

From Andrei Tarkovsky, starring Natalya Bondarchuk, Donatas Banionis, Jüri Järvet, Vladislav Dvorzhetskiy
Rated PG

Solaris is a 1972 science fiction film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, based on the novel by Stanisław Lem. The film follows Kris Kelvin, a scientist sent to study the mysterious planet Solaris. Upon arriving, he finds that the planet is inhabited by a sentient ocean and its inhabitants, the Solaris people. Kris soon discovers that the planet has the power to create physical manifestations of the crew's innermost thoughts and emotions, leading to a deeper exploration of the human psyche. Through a series of surreal dream sequences, flashbacks, and conversations between Kris and the Solaris people, the film examines the universal themes of alienation, identity, and the nature of reality.