The Insider. It’s a true story, very academic but also pretty engrossing. It’s about a Vice President of Product Development/Senior Chemist at a tobacco company and a 60 minutes reporter who blow the whistle on tobacco additives. They team up with lawyers, scientists, other journalists and government regulators.

It’s not ‘thrilling’ like The Martian, half the movie takes place in boardrooms. But it’s still very engrossing.

I’d also recommend Frost/Nixon. It’s about a reporter who interviews president Nixon and get him to admit to his criminal dealings. Both the reporter and Nixon are high power individuals, very smart and at the top of their game. I won’t spoil it but it’s pretty engrossing too.

I dunno, maybe that’s valid and maybe the movies are so different. But in Crimson Tide he did a good job of playing a well educated Junior Navy Officer. It’s a big change from Training Day where he’s rough around the edges, using drugs and only too willing to kill.

Batman he was tormented by the loss of his parents but not crazy. It’s the pathos of his character. Not just him being crazy for the sake of being crazy.

I didn’t pick up on the slightly crazy in Batman. Same with Vice and Public Enemies. In The Big Short he was an even tempered guy who kept a level head as the world around him was collapsing.

Denzel Washington. He can be one hell of a villain (Training Day, American Gangster) to one hell of a hero (Crimson Tide, The Equalizer, Man on Fire) to something in between (Flight).

Joaquin Phoenix. He can be a sweet yet doofy dreamer hipster (her) to a cracked out psychopath (Joker) to Johnny Cash and do it incredibly well.

From Boston crackhead, to a vice president, to an autistic stockbroker, to a serial killer, to Batman, to a 1920s FBI agent. Dude has nothing but range. Wtf are you talking about.

The original release. Redux and directors cuts are interesting but the original release is about as good as it gets.

Panic Room. It’s an okayish thriller, not bad but not great either. But man does the trailer create the hype. I saw the trailer and I had to go see that movie the moment it came out.

On the other end of the spectrum the trailer for Terminator 2 is awful. I’d have passed on seeing it had I seen the trailer. It’s so bland and really doesn’t sell the movie as being the masterpiece it is.

Some of his movies run a little flat. However I’d say Traffic is his Magnum Opus.