525 Best Thrilling Movies to Watch (Page 24)

With Netflix producing countless true crime documentaries, you’d be forgiven for dismissing How to Rob a Bank as usual, forgettable fare. But the documentary ever so slightly curbs cliches by focusing on a theme—in this case Hollywood, in honor of Scurlock’s pseudonym and love of movies—without losing sight of the bigger picture. Which is to say, directors Seth Porges and Stephen Robert Morse go all in the movie theme without giving way to cheesiness, mostly by honing in on Scurlock’s favorite films like Heat and Point Blank and effectively replicating the thrill of those action classics. It uses fine, storyboard-like illustrations that are mostly entertaining and nostalgic but occasionally quite beautiful, and borrows the same synth soundtrack from the said films. But it even though it initially sets Scurlock as the anti-hero, a Robin Hood of the times, its sympathies lie with the victims, the traumatized bank tellers and goers. It’s a smartly made and engaging film, complete with the quintessential shootouts and elaborate heists, and it thankfully doesn’t let the talking heads do all the work.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Actor: Al Pacino, Chezca Vega, Gavin Langelo, Jeff Bezos, Jordan Burtchett, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Costner, Kurt Ostlund, Lesley Mirza, Lori Petty, Maia Rose Michaels, Mark Biggins, Morgan Freeman, Patrick Swayze, Randy Lee, Robert De Niro, Scott Patey, Tristan McKinnon, Val Kilmer

Director: Seth Porges, Stephen Robert Morse

Rating: R

There is goodness within everyone… supposedly. However, there are some instances where the belief is almost foolish, some sins done against humanity that can't be explained, reasoned out, or defended. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer challenges that notion in three characters (the titular serial killer, his fellow ex-con Otis, and Otis’ sister Becky) and in the silent, unprotesting way writer-director John McNaughton makes us witness their lives. While true crime aficionados and horror fans might find this rather tame, the true horror of this portrait isn't in the kills, but rather in the way we’ve become accustomed to this violence, the same way a literal serial killer would be.

Genre: Crime, Horror, Thriller

Actor: Anne Bartoletti, Mary Demas, Michael Rooker, Tom Towles, Tracy Arnold

Director: John McNaughton

Rating: NR

Real life violence is usually not a good idea, but when those in power would do anything to gain more power at the expense of those more vulnerable, sometimes those with the strength should wreak violence. After a fruitful action-comedy collaboration with Netflix, writer-director Timo Tjahjanto teams up with them again for a darker crime thriller The Shadow Strays. It’s a straightforward rescue crime thriller that follows the trend set by John Wick, but with Tjahjanto’s insane horror-inspired, gore-filled kills and Aurora Ribero’s dynamic performance, The Shadow Strays is brutal, exciting, and a cathartic watch in a world betrayed by those at the top.

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Actor: Adipati Dolken, Ali Fikry, Andri Mashadi, Arswendi Nasution, Arswendy Bening Swara, Aurora Ribero, Chew Kin-Wah, Daniel Eka Putra, Hana Malasan, Kristo Immanuel, Mawar Eva De Jongh, Tanta Ginting, Taskya Namya, Yayan Ruhian

Director: Timo Tjahjanto

Rating: R

Never has evil been so darn fun to watch. Bridget (Linda Fiorentino) is such a captivating villainess, you'll actually find yourself rooting for her at times in this noirish take on..., I don't know what, but it involves drug money, double-crosses, lots of witty repartee and cat-and-mouse manipulation that will make your stomach hurt. The script is tight, the acting is all testosterone driven and crisp and you'll hear some choice words come from nice guy Bill Pullman (as Bridget's husband Clay) that you never imagined he could say. Peter Berg (Mike) is fantastic as the guy's guy determined to earn his Alpha-dog badge by subduing the fierce and wickedly intelligent heroine, Bridget. Fiorentino won a BAFTA award for her performance and was nominated, along with Director John Dahl, for several others. The movie did not qualify under Academy rules for the Oscars, but it would have been a strong contender.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Romance, Thriller

Actor: Anne Flanagan, Bill Nunn, Bill Pullman, Bill Stevenson, Dean Norris, Donna W. Scott, Herb Mitchell, J.T. Walsh, Jack Shearer, Linda Fiorentino, Michael Raysses, Mik Scriba, Peter Berg, Walter Addison, Zack Phifer

Director: John Dahl

Rating: R

Bryan Cranston, best known for his role as Walter White in the Breaking Bad series, stars as Robert Mazur, a federal agent, who goes undercover to infiltrate the trafficking network of Colombian drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. With the film based on Mazur’s memoir, Bryan Cranston gives an impressive lead performance that captures the intense distress that deep cover can bring. Besides Cranston, co-stars Benjamin Bratt, Diane Kruger, Amy Ryan, and an exceptional John Leguizamo are entirely persuasive and make the film experience enjoyable and intense. The Infiltrator is entertaining and maintains a good pace, with a great cast that makes it a true joy to watch, especially for those who enjoy stories based on real criminals. 

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller

Actor: Amy Ryan, Andy Beckwith, Art Malik, Benjamin Bratt, Brad Furman, Bryan Cranston, Carsten Hayes, Daniel Mays, David Horovitch, Diane Kruger, Dinita Gohil, Ekaterina Zalitko, Elena Anaya, Georgia Braithwaite, Gino Picciano, Jasmine Jardot, Jason Isaacs, John Leguizamo, Jordan Loughran, Joseph Gilgun, Juan Cely, Juliet Aubrey, Lara Decaro, Leanne Best, Matthew Stirling, Michael Pare, Natalie Davis, Niall Hayes, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Katz, Rubén Ochandiano, Saïd Taghmaoui, Tim Dutton, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Yul Vazquez

Director: Brad Furman

Rating: R