Michael Shannon’s Best Movies, Ranked | Pretty Reel

Michael Shannon is a charismatic and always outstanding actor who has crafted an illustrious resume on the big and small screen throughout his career. Respected for his profound work in gripping films like Nocturnal Animals, The Shape of Water, and Knives Out, as well as his captivating television portrayals of Nelson Van Alden in the HBO period drama Boardwalk Empire and Napoleon Marconi in Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers , the artist has turned out to be quite the chameleon when it comes to his craft. After making her film debut in the ’90s masterpiece Groundhog Day, Shannon dazzled audiences with her unique talent for over three decades.

Shannon has been nominated for prestigious accolades such as the Oscars and Golden Globes for his acting work, and has collaborated with impressive directors such as Sam Mendes and Guillermo del Toro, as well as other stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio. , Chris Evans, Matthew McConaughey and Kate. Winslet. The actor is praised for his on-screen versatility, keeping viewers on their toes with his captivating characters and bold imagery, but he consistently plays off the bug-eyed intensity he’s known for when appearing in movies. Silly comedy shows like Delocated and At Home with Amy Sedaris. Shannon will appear alongside Brad Pitt (before he retires) in the highly anticipated action comedy Bullet Train, portraying crime boss White Death. Here are some of Michael Shannon’s best films.

9 Midnight Special

Pictures from Warner Bros.

Boasting an impressive cast led by Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst, the 2016 sci-fi film Midnight Special follows tenacious father Roy Tomlin as he goes on the run with his son Alton. They embark on what is essentially an epic road movie as the group escapes both the government and a nefarious religious cult desperate to track down the couple when it is revealed the boy has special powers.

Shannon delivers a compelling performance as Roy, a desperate man who teams up with his close friend Lucas (Edgerton) and his wife Sarah (Dunst) to flee the powerful forces hunting them down; the sci-fi film marks the fourth collaboration between Shann and director Jeff Nichols. Midnight Special was chosen to compete for the prestigious Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, debuting to widespread critical acclaim.

8 Take Cover

Sony Pictures Classics

Chronicling one man’s struggle with daunting apocalyptic visions, the 2011 psychological thriller Take Shelter centers on Curtis LaForche, a small-town Ohio resident, devoted father and husband who becomes increasingly more afflicted by disturbing visions of the world’s demise, making him wonder whether he should protect his family from disaster or himself. Michael Shannon won the Saturn Award for Best Actor for his brilliant portrayal of Curtis, who begins to wonder if he suffers from paranoid schizophrenia or if he actually foresees the future, causing discord within the dynamic of his family. Take Shelter features an ambiguous ending that leaves viewers wondering about the fate of the LaForches and powerfully explores devastating themes such as mental illness, as well as masculinity and rural America, in a refreshingly honest way.

7 The Iceman

Millennial Entertainment

Starring Hollywood heavyweights like Michael Shannon, great Winona Ryder and Chris Evans, 2012 biographical crime drama The Iceman tells the gripping story of legendary New Jersey hitman Richard Kuklinski, who made a name for himself terrifying ruthless killer while managing to hide his creepy profession from his wife and children. Earning the nickname Iceman due to his attempt to freeze the body of one of his victims in order to mask the time of his death, Kuklinski was seen as a loving family man with a short and violent temper, eventually having was convicted of five murders in 1988. and sentenced to life in prison. Shannon is terrifyingly superb as a mob hitman, with The New York Times declaring that the actor’s “riveting interpretation of Richard Kuklinski, a notorious hitman, has the paradoxical quality, peculiar to many great performance on screen, to be illegible and transparent”.

6 99 Houses

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Michael Shannon earned a Golden Globe nomination when he headlined the 2014 drama 99 Homes alongside Andrew Garfield and Laura Dern, appearing as hard-working real estate operator Rick Carver, who agrees to take the desperate and newly homeless single father Dennis Nash, forcing the reluctant young man to evict people from their homes in exchange for his own. Carver teaches Nash the legal and illegal tips and tricks of the foreclosure game, but as the latter’s fortune grows exponentially, he begins to struggle with a crisis of conscience over his actions. On working with the exceptional Shannon, director Ramin Bahrani told The Wrap: “What I can tell you about Michael is that he’s like a bulldog. He clings to the stage and doesn’t let go. It’s 100% energy with every take. For me, it was a very rare experience with an actor.

5 Mud

Lions Gate

Matthew McConaughey made his return as the titular fugitive in the 2012 coming-of-age drama Mud, which follows the character on the run as he hides out on a small island in the Mississippi River where he is assisted by a teenager Ellis and Neckbone, who set out to reunite him with his longtime love. In the gripping Southern drama, Michael Shannon portrays Galen, Neck’s laid-back diver uncle who he lives with and who is watched, once again proving to audiences his innate ability to play even a supporting role and make it his own. really.

When it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (where it competed for the Palme d’Or), Mud was critically acclaimed and a box office success, with praise for the stellar performances of its cast, the intimate screenplay and exceptional narration by director Jeff Nichols. The director and actor collaborate again, elevating each other’s talent from the first masterpiece Shotgun Stories.

4 nocturnal animals

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Tom Ford directed the 2016 neo-noir psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals, starring a dazzling cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon, which focuses on successful art gallery owner Susan Morrow as she is forced to confront her dark past and her marriage after receiving the sinister manuscript from her first husband.

Based on Austin Wright’s novel Tony and Susan, Ford was drawn to the forward-thinking project because of the central themes, with the creator expressing, “…what appealed to me as a writer and filmmaker, c is the idea of ​​this device. to communicate to someone through a work of fiction. Through a work of written fiction. And thus communicating something that they hadn’t really been able to communicate clearly. I loved this concept. Michael Shannon plays dedicated detective Bobby Andes, who investigates the violent incident that occurs in the novel written by Susan’s ex-husband, with the thriller depicting coincidental stories.

3 The shape of water

Fox projector pictures

The 2017 Oscar-winning romantic fantasy drama The Shape of Water tells the gripping story of mute cleaner Elisa Esposito, a woman in 1960s Baltimore who works for a mysterious maximum-security government laboratory and discovers a mythical humanoid creature. whom she finds herself developing an unlikely bond with. In Guillermo del Toro’s masterpiece, Michael Shannon appears as Colonel Richard Strickland, the ruthless man in charge of the secret study who captured the human-like amphibian in a South American river.

The Shape of Water was praised by critics and audiences alike for its breathtaking visuals, production design, and performances; The Los Angeles Times wrote, “Magical, thrilling and romantic at its core, a sensual, fantastical fairy tale with moral overtones, this is a movie that plays by all the rules and none of them, going its own way. with fierce abandon.

2 Revolutionary Route

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Titanic co-stars and Hollywood royalty Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet reunited for the 2008 romantic drama Revolutionary Road, a big-screen adaptation of Justin Haythe’s novel of the same name about the American Dream illusion. The film follows married 1950s couple Frank and April Wheeler dealing with the breakdown of their marriage as they attempt to raise a family in suburban Connecticut. Featuring the added talent of Michael Shannon, David Harbor and Kathryn Hahn, the emotional image delves into the couple’s complicated relationship with each other as well as close friends and family.

Shannon won universal acclaim for his role as the “clinically insane” (by 1950s standards, but also hugely insightful) John Givings Jr., whom April tries to help and forms an endearing bond with. The actor picked up the Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor for Revolutionary Road and was nominated for an Academy Award for his stunning performance.

1 Knives out

Lions Gate

Rian Johnson’s star-studded 2019 mystery extravaganza Knives Out centers on brilliant private eye Benoit Blanc as he’s called in to investigate the mysterious death of acclaimed novelist Harlan Thrombey, the eccentric IP suspecting every member of the dysfunctional clan and secrecy. Johnson wanted to craft an Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery, drawing on the talents of dynamic performers like Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas and Michael Shannon for the riveting film. It may not be Shannon’s greatest performance, but he’s excellent in a small role in a big masterpiece.

Knives Out became a smash hit with moviegoers and critics, earning over $300 million at the box office and numerous accolades including Saturn Awards and Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Slate praised the pic, writing, “Knives Out knows exactly what kind of film this is: a twisty send-off of murder mysteries with star ensemble actors who also love and respect this silly tradition. . »