Looper

Rian Johnson's 2005 teen noir Brick and 2008 con man film The Brothers Bloom are two of my favorite films of the past decade, so naturally I was curious to see if Johnson's talents would continue to grow with an ambitious science fiction idea and a comparatively huge budget this time out. The writer/director gamely rose to the challenge; Looper is easily one of the best films of the year, and instantly positions itself as one of the best time travel movies ever made.

Looper
Writer/Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt

The Master

Paul Thomas Anderson makes films, not movies. For those who don't think there's a difference, watch The Master and then watch practically anything else; there's an undeniable craftsmanship that pervades every frame, and a certainty and singularity of vision that is very rare in the "film by committee" age of Hollywood in which we're living. Anderson has grappled with religion before, most recently in There Will Be Blood, but this movie isn't quite the searing critique on Scientology you may have heard. From the opening moments of the film, in which the camera pans over the top of a quiet sea and suddenly we're blasted with the loud opening notes of Johnny Greenwood's score, Anderson seems determined to challenge our preconceived notions about what we're about to see.

The Master

Writer/Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Lawless

John Hillcoat's Lawless may seem a bit late to the game by exploring the illegal manufacture and distribution of alcohol during Prohibition because HBO's "Boardwalk Empire" has been mining similar territory for a few seasons already. But Hillcoat's film was in development for years, under various titles and even with a wildly different cast, before it was finally financed and brought to the screen by Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures. The result is one of the year's most gripping films: a great drama with a compelling story, fantastic performances, and stylish direction that immediately stands with the best pieces of art that explore this time period.

Lawless
Director: John Hillcoat
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Jason Clarke, Jessica Chastain, Guy Pearce

Premium Rush

It's a coincidence that Top Gun director Tony Scott died in the same week that this film hits theaters, because writer/director David Koepp's Premium Rush is the Top Gun of New York City bike messenger movies. The story is ludicrous, but much in the same way that Scott's kinetic style inspired countless men to sign up to be Navy fighter pilots after watching his movie, Koepp and his team know how to make riding a bike look freaking cool. A departure from the serious cinematic realm in which Joseph Gordon-Levitt generally likes to operate, Premium Rush is a goofy, fun film with memorable and ridiculous action scenes. 

Premium Rush

Co-writer/Director: David Koepp

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Dania Ramirez, Jamie Chung