Renegades of the Sage (1949)

Writing great villains is about striking a balance between charming and evil, so we love them but also love to see them lose.

If you want to feel the rush, you have to take the risk.

Poor Black characters are usually surrounded by crime and violence, while poor White characters are portrayed as noble and hard-working.

James Cameron’s “Aliens” (1986) is a pinnacle of science fiction storytelling. Within this classic monster movie lies a powerful female character, Ellen Ripley (brilliantly portrayed by Sigourney Weaver).

This horror movie combines elements of horror and babysitting with Black representation.

With The Father, writer-director Florian Zeller- who wrote and developed the play upon which the film is based- pulls no punches as he confidently makes every effort to put the audience in the mind of someone whose grip on reality has all but vanished. It’s a dazzling testament to Zeller’s abilities as a director as he makes his first transition from stage to film appear as if he’s been working behind a camera his entire career. The dialogue he fashions with co-writer Christopher Hampton, along with the work of production designers Peter Francis and Cathy Featherstone, collectively makes the downward spiral of dementia startlingly tangible, doing so in a way that can be comprehended by everyone except the person it directly affects.