I find myself both surprised and disappointed that I feel I have to ask if Kaitlyn Dever is considered a household name yet? If not, I think that is a sign of a major fracture in the Hollywood hierarchy because her stunningly talented and versatile actor – who has been cast in The Last of Us Season 2 as Abby – deserves all the recognition she can get. You will surely understand what I mean after taking a look at these picks for the best Kaitlyn Dever movies and TV shows (with a tip on how to watch them) now — starting with one of more recent leading roles.

No One Will Save You (2023)

Director: Brian Duffield

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever

What it's about: A young woman’s safe, isolated existence is interrupted by otherworldly creatures encroaching on her property and her life.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: For the first time, Dever shows she has what it takes to be an action star in No One Will Save You — a uniquely crafted, thoroughly terrifying take on the alien invasion genre from writer and director Brian Duffield.

How to watch No One Will Save You

• Stream No One Will Save You on Hulu

Last Man Standing (2011-2021)

Starring: Tim Allen, Nancy Travis

What it's about: A married sporting goods store marketing director (former Home Improvement cast lead Tim Allen) with three daughters struggles to maintain his manhood at home.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Dever made a breakthrough when she was cast on Last Man Standing as the tomboyish Eve Baxter, which became a recurring part after the first six seasons of the long-running sitcom.

How to watch Last Man Standing

• Stream Last Man Standing on Hulu
• Buy Last Man Standing on Amazon

Justified (2011-2015)

Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins

What it's about: A no-nonsense U.S. Marshall is relocated from Miami to his hometown in Kentucky, where he cleans things up with his old-fashioned approach to crimefighting.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Another one of Dever’s first and most acclaimed TV roles was a recurring part in the Justified cast as Loretta McReady — a troubled youth who finds a father figure in Olyphant’s Raylan Givens after her real dad’s murder on the hit Neo-Western TV show from FX.

How to watch Justified

• Stream Justified on Hulu
• Buy Justified on Amazon
• Buy Justified on DVD on Amazon

Bad Teacher (2011)

Director: Jake Kasdan

Starring: Cameron Diaz, Justin Timberlake

What it's about: A sleazy middle school teacher (Cameron Diaz) begins to step up her game in hopes of winning the heart of a committed, handsome new staff member (Justin Timberlake).

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: At the same time she was making waves on the small screen, Dever made her big screen debut in Bad Teacher — a raunchy take on the school movie genre from the point of view of a reluctant educator.

How to watch Bad Teacher

• Rent or buy Bad Teacher on Amazon
• Buy Bad Teacher on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Spectacular Now (2013)

Director: James Ponsoldt

Starring: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley

What it's about: A debaucherous, aimless high school senior is inspired to clean up his act when he meets and falls for an astute young woman.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Dever has a small role as Krystal — whom she described as “annoying… pushy… [and] bossy” to Shine On Media — in director James Ponsoldt’s acclaimed, romantic coming-of-age drama, The Spectacular Now.

How to watch The Spectacular Now

• Stream The Spectacular Now on Tubi
• Rent or buy The Spectacular Now on Amazon
• Buy The Spectacular Now on Blu-ray on Amazon

Short Term 12 (2013)

Director: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr.

A young woman struggles to balance her career as a residential facility employee with her relationship with her co-worker and longtime boyfriend.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: For her second collaboration with Larson after The Spectacular Now, Dever gave a stunning performance in the powerful drama Short Term 12 as a girl with a troubling past named Jayden.

How to watch Short Term 12

• Stream Short Term 12 on Amazon Prime
• Stream Short Term 12 on Tubi
• Stream Short Term 12 on Peacock
• Stream Short Term 12 on Pluto TV
• Buy Short Term 12 on Blu-ray on Amazon

Detroit (2017)

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: John Boyega, Anthony Mackie

What it's about: In 1967, a deadly police raid on innocent Black people at the Algiers Motel became the inciting incident leading to a historical race riot.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: In director Kathryn Bigelow’s historical drama, Detroit, Dever is terrific as a young woman named Karen Malloy -- a first-hand witness of the killings alongside Julie Delaney, who was involved with the production and recalled her side of the film’s shocking true events to the Detroit Free Press in 2017.

How to watch Detroit

• Stream Detroit on Peacock
• Stream Detroit on Tubi
• Buy Detroit on Blu-ray on Amazon

The Front Runner (2018)

Director: Jason Reitman

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga

What it's about: A married family man and U.S. Senator from Colorado leads a very promising presidential campaign that descends into a downward spiral after the media catches wind of his affair with a young woman.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Just a year after starring in Detroit, Dever played yet another real-life person named Andrea Hart — the daughter of U.S. Senator, Gary Hart — in director Jason Reitman’s scandalous political docudrama, The Front Runner.

How to watch The Front Runner

• Stream The Front Runner on Starz
• Rent or buy The Front Runner on Amazon
• Buy The Front Runner on Blu-ray on Amazon

Beautiful Boy (2018)

Director: Felix van Groeningen

Starring: Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet

What it's about: A newly separated father tries to help his teenage son overcome his drug addiction.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Dever is mesmerizing in her otherwise brief but pivotal role as Lauren — a fellow young addict with a romantic connection to Chalamet’s character — in Beautiful Boy, Amazon’s heartbreaking adaptation of the memoirs by Nic Sheff and his son, David.

How to watch Beautiful Boy

• Stream Beautiful Boy on Amazon Prime

Booksmart (2019)

Director: Olivia Wilde

Starring: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein

What it's about: A pair of introverted best friends take one last chance to make an impression on their high school social scene before graduating.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: For her first cinematic leading role, Dever absolutely kills it in the instant party movie classic, Booksmart, with pitch-perfect comedic timing and impeccable chemistry with Feldstein.

How to watch Booksmart

• Rent or buy Booksmart on Amazon
• Buy Booksmart on Blu-ray on Amazon

Unbelievable (2020)

Starring: Toni Collette, Merritt Wever, Kaitlyn Dever

What it's about: After a teenage girl is accused of falsifying an attack against her, two FBI agents search for an elusive rapist to find evidence that uncovers the truth.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Dever gives one of the most acclaimed performances of her career so far (and her first to earn a Golden Globe nomination) as real-life sexual assault victim, Marie Adler, in Unbelievable — a shocking, Netflix original true crime miniseries from showrunner Susannah Grant.

How to watch Unbelievable

• Stream Unbelievable on Netflix

Monsterland (2020)

Starring: Various

What it's about: A socially challenged teen experiences a strange unwelcome encounter, a restaurant server at a dire crossroads, a grief-stricken married couple desperate for some form of solace, and more bizarre, thought-provoking tales of redemption make up this anthology series based on Nathan Ballingrud's book of short stories, North American Lake Monsters.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: In the same year she earned raves for Netflix’s Unbelievable, Dever switched streaming platforms to star in Monsterland — a Hulu-exclusive horror TV show in which she appears in three episodes (more than any other cast member) as a server named Toni.

How to watch Monsterland

• Stream Monsterland on Hulu

Dopesick (2021)

Starring: Michael Keaton, Rosario Dawson

The lives of a trusted medical doctor, a pharmaceutical rep, two U.S. attorneys, a committed DEA agent, and others intersect over the distribution of a powerful narcotic called Oxycontin.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: Dever earned her first Emmy nomination for her astonishingly authentic performance in the Dopesick cast as a fictionalized victim of America’s real-life opioid crisis in this eye-opening miniseries.

How to watch Dopesick

• Stream Dopesick on Hulu

Ticket To Paradise (2022)

Director: Ol Parker

Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts

What it's about: After learning their daughter is suddenly engaged in Bali, a divorced couple agrees to work together to prevent her from repeating their own mistake.

Why it is one of Kaitlyn Dever’s best: In addition to reuniting with her Booksmart co-star and friend, Billie Lourd, the fun rom-com Ticket to Paradise sees Dever holding her own alongside two Hollywood legends in the role of their onscreen daughter.

How to watch Ticket to Paradise

• Rent or buy Ticket To Paradise on Amazon
• Buy Ticket to Paradise on Blu-ray on Amazon

To be honest, we have barely scratched the surface of all that Kaitlyn Dever is known for or what she is capable of as an actor. It’s great to know that there is more where these came from as she could also be heard in the 2023 movie, Next Goal Wins, and has joined the cast of The Last of Us Season 2 as Abby.

There are so many recognizable actresses who have graced movie and TV screens, but one who's been a consistent force for years now is Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Starting her time in Hollywood in the early 2000s, the actress has only continued to show just how gifted she is on a yearly basis. 

From some of her best films to her latest hits, here are the best Mary Elizabeth Winstead movies and TV shows, and where you can watch them right now. 

Sky High (2005)

First up on this list is Sky High, a film that is, honestly, vastly underrated. It's all about a group of teenagers who happen to have superpowers, so what do they do to deal with them and learn how to be heroes or sidekicks? They go to Sky High, of course, a superhero high school. 

Mary Elizabeth Winstead plays Gwen, a senior at the school who starts to hang out with the main character, a freshman named Will, a lot. I won’t reveal much about her character because there’s so that unfolds as the movie goes on, but just know that Winstead killed it in this role – and this was one of her first movie appearances ever. The whole Sky High cast is incredibly talented, so it’s worth a watch just for them. 

Stream Sky High on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Sky High on Amazon.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

When people think of Winstead, I'd say that it’s arguably her role in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World that they remember. The film is based on the graphic novel of the same name, and follows Scott, a musician who finds out he has to fight the deadly exes of Ramona Flowers in order to date her. 

Winstead plays Ramona, and man, I genuinely can’t think of someone better to play this character. The entire Scott Pilgrim vs. The World cast has done so much since, but I can’t help but love them in this movie, and her as Ramona. 

She perfectly captures that mysterious, beautiful girl with a hint of comedic flair, and I, for one, can’t wait for when she reprises the role in Scott Pilgrim The Anime on Netflix. There'll be nothing quite like it. 

Stream Scott Pilgrim vs. The World on Amazon Prime.
Rent/Buy Scott Pilgrim vs. The World on Apple TV+.

Final Destination 3 (2006)

What if you knew the time, place and how you were going to die? That’s what this movie explores. Final Destination 3, part of the Final Destination movies franchise, takes place many years after the first film, and this time follows a young woman who foresees that she and her classmates will be derailed on a rollercoaster and die. When she is able to warn them and survive, Death slowly comes for each and every one of them. 

Honestly, I think Winstead should be in more horror films, because she was great here. I just watched it for the first time recently and I loved her – even as an amusement park junkie who loves roller coasters. The whole entire franchise can tend to get a bit graphic with its kills, so be wary of that, but otherwise, it’s a good time for a scary night. 

Stream Final Destination 3 on Pluto TV.
Rent/Buy Final Destination 3 on Amazon.

Smashed (2012)

For a time, Winstead spent a good amount of time appearing in smaller independent films that earned her a lot of critical acclaim, and Smashed was one of them. She stars alongside Aaron Paul, and the film follows a married couple who happen to both be alcoholics, but the young woman, portrayed by Winstead, decides that she wants to change her life and get sober. 

I would describe it as a tragic romantic comedy that leads with an excellent performance from her, as well as a great one from Paul. The two of them have a great amount of chemistry and provide some funny moments, but also show just how much addiction can ruin your life, and the changes you have to make in order to heal yourself. It’s a great sit-down-and-talk-about-it-afterwards movie.

Rent/Buy Smashed on Amazon.

The Returned (2015)

The talent started her career in television, and returned to the small screen with The Returned in 2015. This supernatural drama series follows an interesting premise – an American town is suddenly disrupted when people who have been dead for many years start to reappear, with everyone questioning how they're alive again. 

The series only ran for one season, but received good reviews and plenty of praise from critics. Some of that was due to the story itself, and some was for the actors, such as Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She’s great in horror, so this was the perfect pick to get back into the world of television. 

Buy The Returned on Amazon.

The Spectacular Now (2013)

The Spectacular Now is a coming of age film that mainly stars Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley as two high school students who end up falling for each other and sharing a beautiful love story. 

Winstead portrays Holly Keely, the sister of Miles’ character, Sutter, and while she doesn’t have many scenes, her presence is still very much felt, and when we do see her they are some of the best moments of the film. This is a perfect summer movie, so I would suggest checking it out when the weather is nice and warm. 

Stream The Spectacular Now on Max.
Rent/Buy The Spectacular Now on Amazon.

Mercy Street (2016 - 2017)

If you’re looking for a historical medical drama, then Mercy Street is the one for you, where Winstead actually played a real person, Mary Phinney. The television show is set during the Civil War and follows nurses who work for a local hospital and aid soldiers and visitors, but also support Union and Confederate troops. 

If I’m being truthful, Winstead is part of a large ensemble cast here, so sometimes it can be hard to single her out amongst the many great performances that are delivered throughout the drama. But, when she is on screen, you can’t look away. She portrays Phinney expertly and really shows just how skilled of an actress she is. I would gladly watch her in another TV such as this one. 

Stream Mercy Street on PBS.

Fargo (2017)

There are several great anthology series nowadays, and Fargo is one of the best. There are four seasons, each following a different cast of characters as they are involved in a local crime that turns their worlds upside down, from murders to gang activity. 

Winstead stars in the third season alongside Ewan McGregor, and God, I want to see more of them together. I freaking loved them as the main stars; their chemistry is so good and they really made Season 3 such a great one. These episodes followed a probation officer and his girlfriend (McGregor and Winstead), who stole a valuable vintage stamp in order to live a better life, but eventually, they get tangled up in a murder case. 

Stream Fargo on Hulu.

Swiss Army Man (2016)

Ever wonder what it would be like to travel with a corpse that seems to have some strange powers? That’s what Swiss Army Man is all about, where a young man who is stranded on an island is suddenly saved when a corpse washes up on his beach – and seems to have the ability to fart itself in a specific direction. 

That’s just the beginning of how weird this movie gets, but in a good way. Daniel Radcliffe stars as the corpse, Paul Dano is Hank, the main character, and Winstead is Sarah, a young woman that the corpse later falls in love with and – you know what, I can’t say anything else. This movie is so strange but so good and please, check it out if you need a good laugh. Winstead is great, and so is the whole cast.

Stream Swiss Army Man on Max.
Rent/Buy Swiss Army Man on Amazon.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

When Cloverfield originally came out, no one ever expected a prequel film, but then 10 Cloverfield Lane released in 2016, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead. The main story follows Winstead’s character, Michelle, who wakes up in a bunker after a car crash, but instead of being released, the men who found her insist that something has changed the world forever – and that she can’t leave. 

I said it before, and I’ll say it again – Winstead is killer in horror movies and this proves it. Granted, 10 Cloverfield Lane is more of a sci-fi horror but she is able to show fear so well I am almost jealous of it. She and John Goodman play well off of each other and create a pretty compelling story. I would watch again. 

Stream 10 Cloverfield Lane on Pluto TV.
Rent/Buy 10 Cloverfield Lane on Amazon.

Faults (2014)

Another independent film that Winstead did was Faults, where she starred alongside Leland Orser. The film primarily follows a couple who decide to hire a cult expert to help with their daughter – who seems to have joined a cult called “Faults.”

The movie was well-received by critics and scored a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and critics said that it teaches bold themes about the realities of cults and how they come to be, while also keeping a comedic tone throughout, and that Winstead’s performance was one of the highlights of the film. 

Stream Faults on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Faults on Amazon.

Birds Of Prey (2020)

Last but not least, we need to talk about Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn). The film follows Harley after she ends things with the Joker, and decides to make her own squad of badass killer ladies in order save Cassandra Cain, when they're threatened by a local crime lord. 

Man, I wish Birds of Prey came out at any other time besides 2020, because I have a feeling this movie would have done so much better if given more time in theaters. It was only out for a month before the world basically shut down, but I still love it. It's great, the cast is awesome, and Winstead kills it as the Huntress and I would let her hunt me down any day, please and thank you. 

Stream Birds of Prey on Max.
Rent/Buy Birds of Prey on Amazon.

There are many awesome films/shows from Winstead, but these are her best. We can wait to see what she does next – but I think I need to watch Scott Pilgrim vs. The World again. 

Over the years, A24 has produced and released some of the most ambitious movies of the modern era with a slew of impressive horror films, mind-bending multiversal martial arts spectacles, and so much more. And even though the studio and distributor’s output often appeals to a specific audience, it’s hard to argue against a large part of A24’s theatrical releases since it was founded back in 2012. Films like Ex Machina, Room and The Spectacular Now have left memorable impressions on audiences since their release.

And as part of our ongoing partnership with Plex, where more than a dozen A24 movies will be streaming for free throughout the month of July (with many, many more to follow), we’re highlighting some of the best options that are perfect for longtime fans of the studio as well as those who are new to the game. But these movies won’t be on Plex forever, so you probably want to act fast before you miss out on these exciting titles.

These are just some of the A24 movies set to be streaming on Plex. The full list has even more titles. 

Lean On Pete (Streaming: July 5)

Not long after taking a job at a Portland, Oregon race track, Charley Thompson (Charlie Plummer) forms a strong bond with an aging horse named Lean on Pete. When the once-successful racehorse is about to be retired and sold off to be slaughtered, the teenage boy steals his new friend in hopes of starting a new life in Wyoming. 

Andrew Haigh’s 2017 coming-of-age drama Lean on Pete follows Charley and the aging horse as they cross the American West, facing hunger, danger, and the pure beauty of the natural world. And even though the movie is one of the lesser known A24 movies, it’s definitely one you don’t want to miss..

Stream Lean on Pete on Plex.

Enemy (Streaming: July 12)

After randomly catching a glimpse of an actor who appears to be his identical twin, college professor Adam Bell (Jake Gyllenhaal) falls down a dark path where no one is to be left unscathed. Upon meeting Anthony Claire (also played by Gyllenhaal), Adam becomes obsessed with his doppelgänger in every way possible, but as time goes on, the actor with a troubled mental state turns the tide.

Denis Villeneuve’s 2013 psychological thriller Enemy is as unnerving as it is visually striking, and continues to be not only one of the director’s best movies, but also one of the premier A24 movies released to date.

Stream Enemy on Plex.

Locke (Streaming: July 12)

Just as he’s about to complete one of the biggest jobs of his career, construction foreman Ivan Locke (Tom Hardy) is forced to drive from Birmingham to London to be with a coworker (Olivia Colman) with whom he had a one-night stand and is now delivering a child prematurely. During the drive, Ivan has a series of phone calls with his wife (Ruth Wilson), his son (Tom Holland), and several other people, all of which further expose the cracks in his personal and professional lives.

One of the most fascinating things about Steven Knight’s 2013 drama Locke is the fact that Tom Hardy is the only actor the audience sees throughout the 85-minute film, as the other members of the cast appear in voice-only. This creates a brilliant exploration of Hardy’s talents as a performer.

Stream Locke on Plex.

The Spectacular Now (Streaming: July 12)

With his high school graduation looming, popular party boy Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) is forced to think long and hard about his future. That becomes all the more complicated when he meets Aimee Finicky (Shailene Woodley), an introverted classmate who dreams of escaping her overbearing mother and attending college in Philadelphia. As the final months of their senior year play out, the couple learns more about each other, and themselves, than they could imagine.

James Ponsoldt’s 2013 coming-of-age romantic drama The Spectacular Now features what could be considered Miles Teller’s breakout role as it helped launch him to superstardom with his portrayal of the lovable (and hateable) high school senior.

Stream The Spectacular Now on Plex.

Room (Streaming: July 19)

Seven years after being kidnapped as a teenager and forced to live in a small shack, Joy Newsome (Brie Larson) attempts to escape the confined makeshift prison with her young son, Jack (Jacob Tremblay), who was fathered by her captor. 

Lenny Abrahamson’s drama Room could be considered one of the best movies of 2015 with its harrowing and empowering story about one woman’s drive to save herself and allow her young son to see what life is like outside of a cramped, confined space. Nominated for five Academy Awards, Room earned Larson an Oscar for Best Actress.

Available on Plex beginning July 19. 

Obvious Child (Streaming: July 19)

After being dumped by her boyfriend, comedian Donna Stern (Jenny Slate) does what anyone would do in her position: she gets wasted, performs a blunt and honest standup routine, and has a one-night stand with a charming young business major named Max (Jake Lacy). But after discovering the fling resulted in an unplanned pregnancy, Donna is forced to make a decision on what to do with the baby and her future.

Gillian Robespierre’s charming, hilarious, and extremely timely 2014 romantic comedy Obvious Child is one of the best romantic comedies to come out in the past decade and only gets better as time goes on. By taking a difficult decision and making it into a comedy, Robespierre, and Slate, find a way to bring levity to the subject-matter.

Available on Plex beginning July 19.

The Rover (Streaming: July 19)

Robbed, beaten, and left for dead in the middle of the Australian outback, Eric (Guy Pearce) musters up the strength to find the gang of bandits who stole from him and make them pay for their crimes. But he’s not alone, as Reynolds (Robert Pattinson), one of the outlaws left behind, is forced to work with his former target if he wishes to survive the day.

David Michôd’s 2014 dystopian Western drama The Rover could be compared to George Miller’s Mad Max movies with its themes of revenge, redemption, and societal collapse. The movie, however, takes a more nuanced approach to a world in which the normal order of things has been turned upside down, creating a slow and methodical experience.

Available on Plex beginning July 19. 

A Most Violent Year (Streaming: July 19)

Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac), the owner of a New York fueling company, is forced to come up with a way to stop a series of fuel-truck robberies and obtain enough cash to buy a new terminal while also staying off the radar of an ambitious prosecutor looking to make a name for himself. But with each attempt to make things better for himself, Morales’ situation just keeps getting more and more complicated.

J.C. Chandor’s 2014 drama A Most Violent Year offers up a crime story about a man who will do anything he can to not follow the same path that has led so many others to ruin. One of Isaac’s most determined characters, Morales finds himself at a crossroads where he is forced to make difficult, potentially deadly, decisions.

Available on Plex beginning July 19.

Ex Machina (Streaming: July 26)

After winning a company-wide contest to spend a weekend with tech CEO Nathan Bateman (Oscar Isaac) at his remote mansion, lowly programmer Caleb Smith (Domhnall Gleeson) is rushed off for an experience he won’t soon forget. While at the high-tech estate, Caleb learns he is actually part of an experiment to test out his boss’ latest creation: Ava (Alicia Vikander), a frighteningly life-like android.

Before he was making movies like Annihilation and Men, Alex Garland gave the world the 2015 A24 psychological techno-thriller Ex Machina. Thrilling, enchanting, and utterly terrifying, this movie will leave you on the edge of your seat throughout and lost in thought after the credits roll.

Available on Plex beginning July 26.

Slow West (Streaming: July 26)

When the love of his life runs off to America in the early 19th Century, Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) travels from Scotland in hopes of finding her. Joining him is bounty hunter Silas Selleck (Michael Fassbender), who fails to tell the young man that he is serving as his bodyguard so he can collect a large bounty on the woman’s head.

Released in 2015, John Maclean’s Slow West is an incredible Western with twists, turns, shootouts, and revelations as its story unfolds. And with a cast that also includes Ben Mendelsohn, Caren Pistorius, Roy McCann, it’s hard not to find some enjoyment in this tense drama.

Available on Plex beginning July 26. 

The End Of The Tour (Streaming: July 26)

Following the publication of David Foster Wallace’s (Jason Segel) landmark novel Infinite Jest, Rolling Stone writer David Lipsky (Jesse Eisenberg) spends a few days with the author to conduct a series of interviews for an upcoming piece. Over the course of their days-long interview the two struggling men go from being an interviewer and interviewee to close friends with an incredible (and incredibly complicated) bond.

James Podsoldt’s 2015 biographical drama is based on the actual interviews Lipsky conducted with the late author 12 years before his 2008 death, and offers an intimate look into the lives of one of the best writers of the past 25 years.

Available on Plex beginning July 26. 

Mississippi Grind (Streaming: July 26)

A struggling gambling addict Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) and his new friend and good luck charm Curtis (Ryan Reynolds) go on an epic quest for fortune down the Mississippi River. With their sights set on a high-stakes poker game in New Orleans, the two broken men make one last shot at redemption before their pasts catch up with them.

Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who went on to direct Captain Marvel, Mississippi Grind is a charming, albeit anxiety-inducing 2015 movie that dives into the psyche of chronic gamblers and their complicated lives, creating an extraordinary drama.

Available on Plex beginning July 26. 

Review the full list of A24 movies that will be streaming on Plex. 

But these aren’t the only A24 movies streaming for free on Plex in July, as titles like The Adderall Diaries (July 12), A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III (July 12), Ginger and Rosa (July 12), Under the Skin (July 12), Son of a Gun (July 19), Tusk (July 19), Amy (July 26), and several others are all playing on the streaming service throughout the month.

Some actors go under the Hollywood radar even though they’ve worked on some really great productions, and I think Miles Teller is one of those stars. Teller has impressed fans time and time again with his performances and now that he has starred opposite Tom Cruise in the 2022 new release film Top Gun: Maverick, I expect his star to continue to rise in the years to come. In fact, he’s already completed Spiderhead opposite Marvel star Chris Hemsworth. In anticipation of a career of continued bangers, here’s what you can watch if you like Teller and how you can watch them.

Top Gun: Maverick

Miles Teller may be slept on by a lot of people, but hopefully that changhes now that he has portrayed OG character Goose’s son in Top Gun: Maverick, over 35 years after the original Top Gun’s release. The recently released revival centers on Tom Cruise's character Maverick returning to the Top Gun training program to train young recruits, including Teller’s character.

Tom Cruise put Miles Teller through the wringer with training for Top Gun: Maverick, and it certainly shows in one particular shirtless scene. Abs aside, Teller’s performance in the highly anticipated film is pretty spectacular, as well as the rest of the cast. It stands up next to the original, iconic film and puts Teller in a great position in his career. While it’s exclusively in theaters right now, those with a Paramount Plus subscription will presumably be able to catch the film at home once it goes to streaming.

The Spectacular Now (Showtime)

A film that will totally hit you in the feels, The Spectacular Now centers around Miles Teller’s character Sutter, who is an outgoing guy who likes to party, and a quiet and down to Earth girl played by Shailene Woodley. The two opposites are drawn to one another, and the relationship slowly changes Sutter’s philosophy on life, which was previously to live in the “spectacular now”. The two stars are joined by an all star cast of Kyle Chandler, Marvel’s Brie Larson, and Bob Odenkirk.

The Spectacular Now was near the beginning of Miles Teller’s movie career and the great A24 film earned him some serious recognition. He has come a long way since then, but fans will still enjoy looking back at the coming-of-age romance from the actor because both he and Shailene Woodley put on an honest, touching performance together that is full of chemistry.

Stream The Spectacular Now on Showtime.
Buy/Rent The Spectacular Now on Amazon.

Whiplash (Showtime)

Brilliantly and appropriately named, Whiplash will give you just that. It’s an intense film, much more so than you would expect a film about a student drummer to be. Miles Teller plays a young aspiring drummer who attends a cut-throat music school and falls under the guidance of a mentor, played by J.K. Simmons, who will do practically anything to see Teller’s character fulfill the potential he sees in him.

Whiplash was the first film that I ever saw Miles Teller in that made me think of him as a very serious, incredibly intense actor. I thought I was going to burst a blood vessel just watching him pour his soul into the film, and I feel like it opened the door for him to appear in more intense movies over the years. Whiplash won three Oscars, one of which was taken home by J.K. Simmons.

Stream Whiplash on Showtime.
Buy/Rent Whiplash on Amazon.

Project X (Netflix)

Project X is a typical High School movie in that it centers around three outcast friends who try to make a name for themselves, but it separates itself in creating one of the biggest blow out parties that was pretty much hero-worshipped by millennials and became somewhat of a mythical golden standard. This film is massively underrated, but to the kids who were seniors going into college at the same time of the movie releasing, it is legendary and nostalgic.

Miles Teller plays a small supporting role in the film, but his presence is felt throughout. Fans of the star will love seeing his influence on the film in a time before he was getting big roles. This is one of those films that you can’t trust the Rotten Tomatoes rating, as it received a sad score of 28% from critics, which was less than half the rating given to the film by the audience. It’s a niche film, but those who were becoming adults around 2012 know the film to be absolutely legendary.

Stream Project X on Netflix.
Buy/Rent Project X on Amazon.

Footloose (Amazon Rental) 

A direct remake of Kevin Bacon’s 1984 film of the same name, Footloose is about a city boy who goes to a small town where rock music and dancing have been outlawed. He falls for a preacher’s daughter and works to make dancing and music legal again. The remake features Dennis Quad as well as professional dancer Julianne Hough. 

Footloose was Miles Teller’s very first big role in a wide film, and he plays a supporting role. The musical is something different from Teller, and worth checking out to see him awkwardly dance along to a bunch of 8 year olds singing on a Barbie karaoke machine.

Buy/Rent Footloose on Amazon.

The Divergent Franchise (Amazon Purchase) 

Based on the best selling series, the Divergent franchise puts Miles Teller back opposite Shailene Woodley, along with Theo James, Kate Winslet, and Zoë Kravitz in this dystopian action film. Woodley’s character is what is referred to as “divergent”, as she doesn’t fit in with the world’s plan. Once she uncovers a plot to kill off all divergent people, she sets off on a journey to stop the people in charge. 

Fans of Miles Teller would find something a little different in his role in Divergent, as he plays a straight-up bad guy. He is the antagonist of Shailene Woodley’s main character in all three of the franchise’s films, and he does a great job in the role, starting out as downright cruel in the first film and seeing some character growth later on.

Buy the Divergent franchise on Amazon.

War Dogs (Netflix)

Starring Jonah Hill alongside Miles Teller, War Dogs is about two friends who score a multi-hundred-million dollar weapons contract to arm U.S. troops in Afghanistan. The contract requires them to hustle their way through the deal in a twisted web of lies. Loosely based on a true story, it’s a tale of greed and opportunity. 

Both Miles Teller and Jonah Hill are pretty amazing in War Dogs, and it is the film that begins a number of other war and/or military centric films for Teller. 

Stream War Dogs on Netflix.
Buy/Rent War Dogs on Amazon.

Thank You For Your Service (Amazon Rental) 

An important one of these military-centric films featuring Miles Teller is Thank You For Your Service. The film is about a group of soldiers who come home from the war and struggle to acclimate back to civilian life. The film is a sobering reflection of what real life war vets go through.

Miles Teller’s performance in Thank You For Your Service is powerful and helps bring attention to a very real problem that veterans have when returning home after their service. It is definitely worth a watch, however make sure you’re ready for a heavy story before diving into it.

Buy/Rent Thank You For Your Service on Amazon.

Bleed For This (Amazon Rental) 

Bleed For This is based on the true story of boxer Vinny Pazienza who, after a horrific car crash, makes an incredible recovery and comeback in the boxing world. Miles Teller plays the inspiring boxer and acts opposite Aaron Eckhart and Katey Sagal.

Miles Teller’s portrayal of Vinny Pazienza in Bleed For This is phenomenal, and really honors the icon that he is portraying. It is an emotional watch and Teller puts on a gripping performance.

Buy/Rent Bleed For This on Amazon.

The Offer (Paramount Plus)

The Offer is a biographical drama series about how the iconic Godfather film got made by producer Al Ruddy. Miles Teller plays a young Ruddy during the development and production of the famous gangster film. Matthew Goode, Dan Fogler, and Giovanni Ribisi also make up some of The Offer cast. 

While not all 10 episodes of Season 1 are yet available, The Offer seems to be another example of audiences appreciating something more than the critics apparently did, based on the Rotten Tomato scores. With a whopping 96% from the audience so far, people seem to adore Miles Teller as the Oscar winning producer.

Stream The Offer on Paramount Plus.

Rabbit Hole (HBO Max)

Rabbit Hole was Miles Teller’s first feature film, and it was a whopper of one. He acts opposite Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, and Dianne Weist in the film about a couple’s life after the tragic death of their son.

Miles Teller has one hell of a film debut in Rabbit Hole, a movie that handles the tough topic of loss and grief. He plays a teenage boy that Nicole Kidman’s character takes comfort in, even though he was the one who was accidentally responsible for the death of her 4-year-old son. It’s a complicated and emotional role that Teller knocks out of the park.

Stream Rabbit Hole on HBO Max.
Buy/Rent Rabbit Hole on Amazon.

Miles Teller has pretty much proven he is a serious actor, as he has shown range while also bringing an intensity to his roles that pretty much forces your attention to him. With Top Gun: Maverick absolutely killing it in theaters, I can’t wait for what the next few years hold for Teller.

Whether you know the actress best as the pregnant high schooler in ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, the grieving, self-dependent young woman in The Descendants, the traumatized single mother in HBO's Big Little Lies, the smitten cancer-stricken 16-year-old in The Fault in Our Stars, or the freedom fighter in Divergent, there's a good chance that you've seen Shailene Woodley throughout the past decade.

On screens both big and small, the versatile performer has proven her talents many times over, and that will hopefully remain true in the years moving forward. If you love the Emmy-nominated actress and activist and you want to see some of her best work, you're in luck. Here are Shailene Woodley's best or most notable movies and TV shows.

Big Little Lies (HBO Max)

The well-to-do lives of affluent upper-class mothers start to unravel when a single mother (Shailene Woodley) moves to their quaint Californian suburban beach town.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: In what's easily the young actress' most acclaimed performance to date, Shailene Woodley deservedly got an Emmy nomination for her mesmerizing portrayal of Jane Chapman, a single mother living with the lasting trauma of her sexual assault, in Big Little Lies. Gently showcasing the deep-seated sadness and loneliness of her pain, Woodley gives one of her most empathetic and engaging performances, one that is given ample time to breathe and live through the expanded narrative. Even when she must act opposite Oscar-winning heavyweights like Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, Woodley holds her own quite spectacularly, demonstrating her quietly powerful ability to play tender characters trying to make peace with their torment and terror. While we've seen Woodley performances that are equally as soulful, HBO's prestigious drama really allows the actress to flourish.

Stream Big Little Lies on HBO Max.

Rent Big Little Lies on Amazon.

The Spectacular Now (Showtime/Kanopy)

A hard-drinking, hard-partying high schooler (Miles Teller) gets a new lease on life when he falls for a girl (Shailene Woodley).

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: Most high school dramas crumple under their own artifice, their innate inability to connect with the emotional reality of their young protagonists. That's not the case for The Spectacular Now, an immensely perceptive, wistfully sensitive character piece that finds even more honesty through its extraordinary lead performances from Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. Though it's easy to celebrate Teller's bravado and charisma, it's ultimately Woodley's complex performance that takes the cake here. She provides so much raw, invigorated intimacy and integrity to this young role, bringing a wealth of depth and clarity to this teenager trying to find her own sense of self within a surely ill-fated and appropriately intoxicating relationship. Thanks to her compassion and conviction, this punch-drunk and hazy-eyed romance is given some clear and devastating bits of sobering realism.

Stream The Spectacular Now on Showtime.

Stream The Spectacular Now on Kanopy. 

Rent The Spectacular Now on Amazon.

The Fault in Our Stars

Two teenage cancer patients (Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort) travel to Amsterdam to visit a reclusive author.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: Based on the best-selling weeper by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars provided Shailene Woodley with a moving and emotional character to embody with Hazel Lancaster, a 16-year-old cancer patient who finds unexpected love from a similarly affected teen boy (Ansel Elgort) in a love story that's, at once, traditional and unconventional. While the novel was quick to fall into some predictable tropes, Woodley's wise-beyond-her-years performance brings a lot of humane pathos to her ailing character, thus providing the actress with another great opportunity to shine at playing hard-pressed characters who shine through their struggles with their wit, dignity, and unsuspecting moments of bleeding tenderness. Her chemistry with her leading man is natural and reflexive, further showcasing the actress' naturalism and emotional intensity. It's a stunning performance, arguably among her best, and it's certainly one of her most celebrated to date as well.

Rent The Fault in Our Stars on Amazon.

The Mauritanian (Showtime)

A man (Tahar Rahim) fights for his freedom and sanity when he's detained and imprisoned without charge in Guantanamo Bay.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: Though hindered by its conventional storytelling approach, one that sometimes robbed the movie of its affecting rawness that's core to the movie's devastating emotional core, The Mauritanian remains impactful through its strong central performances, especially from Tahar Rahim and Jodie Foster. Additionally, Shailene Woodley holds her own as Teri Duncan, a young, eager lawyer who wants to do what's right, even when she's left in doubt about the man she's been hired to protect. The weighted conscious that she brings to this mentally tormented character is well-suited for the actress, as she conveys the layers of insecurity and determination well to provide a complex look at this young law-abiding woman who wants to push back against oppression, even when she's not certain of who she's representing or what she needs to do in order to protect an incarcerated man's lost freedoms.

Stream The Mauritanian on Showtime.

Buy The Mauritanian on Amazon.

White Bird In A Blizzard (Tubi, Crackle And More)

The life of a teenage girl (Shailene Woodley) spirals when her mother (Eva Green) disappears.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: Though it doesn't always gel with Eva Green's broader, campier performance, Shailene Woodley gives another acclaimed performance at the center of White Bird in a Blizzard, writer-director Gregg Araki's adaptation of Laura Kasischke's 1999 novel. Certainly, the actress and the arthouse director were a natural fit. The provocative, soul-searching filmmaker and the emotionally vulnerable and physically open actress are well-suited for each other's tastes, and its most well-liked moments come when their sensibilities are harmonious. Alas, while the narrative storytelling wasn't widely praised, White Bird in a Blizzard continued to showcase the depths of this dedicated actress.

White Bird In a Blizzard is streaming on several platforms: Stream it on Tubi, Crackle, PlutoTV, Kanopy, Plex, Vudu and Amazon Prime.

Adrift (Netflix)

A young, adventurous couple (Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin) face uncertain waters during one of the most catastrophic hurricanes in recorded history.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: As a movie, Adrift sinks more than it swims. Its melodramatic approach doesn't play well to the inherent humanity of its story, and it can be lost at sea when it comes to navigating its true-life story into blockbuster mode. Nevertheless, the dramatic movie is often kept afloat through the undying commitment of its lead actress and producer, Shailene Woodley. In the role of Tami Oldman, Woodley gives yet another visceral, versatile lead performance, one that demonstrates her natural talents at commanding the screen — even when she must act opposite herself. It's an incredibly challenging role that Woodley tackles without fear or reservations, yet the tenderness that she brings to her character remains vibrantly on display. Though Adrift battles rocky waves and soggy sentimentalism, it's anchored by the shining empathy and invigoration that Woodley provides on both sides of the lens.

Stream Adrift on Netflix.

Rent Adrift on Amazon.

The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (Hulu)

Following a one-night stand at band camp, 15-year-old Amy (Shailene Woodley) winds up pregnant, throwing her life upside down.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: Though it was hardly a critical sensation, The Secret Life of the American Teenager was a major hit for ABC Family (now Freeform), resulting in one of the station's most well-watched shows and paving the way for Shailene Woodley's career ascension. While the show was often derided for its corny sensibilities and its less-than-accurate writing, audiences were quick to notice Shailene Woodley's growing talent as a lead actress, and how she would fine-tune her skills in the seasons to follow. Certainly, as her profile grew and Woodley got even more opportunities to prove herself, this hit TV series developed with its star, becoming more challenging over time. It's not her finest hour, but it was an important one for Woodley.

Stream The Secret Life of the American Teenager on Hulu.

Rent The Secret Life of the American Teenager on Amazon.

The Last Letter From Your Lover (Netflix)

An ambitious modern-day journalist (Felicity Jones) attempts to discover the truth behind a trove of love letters dated back to 1965.

Why You Should Stream If You Love Shailene Woodley: Given a quiet Netflix release earlier this year, The Last Letter From Your Lover didn't make a big impression upon its release, but select critics and audiences were quick to praise the central performances, including another exceptional turn from Shailene Woodley as a young woman lost in her time and yearning for the affections of another man. The sentimental movie didn't appeal to everyone, but Woodley's performance had its fans.

Stream The Last Letter From Your Lover On Netflix.

The Descendants

A dysfunctional dad (George Clooney) struggles to reconnect with his daughters (Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller) after his wife is injured in a grave boating accident.

Why You Should Rent If You Loved Shailene Woodley: While ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager was the lead performance that made Shailene Woodley something of a household name, her emotional, exquisitely aching turn in Alexander Payne's The Descendants is the one that turned her into a critical darling. While some critics were quick to dismiss her work in the aforementioned show due to its hackneyed premise and hokey sensibilities, the assured balance of humor and heart in this darkly comedic dramedy demonstrated a bright young performer with range, depth, wit and cutting precision. It's not easy to stand toe-to-toe with George Clooney, but Woodley held her own, even from a young age, to be arguably the scene-stealing star of this Oscar-winning movie. While she's strictly in supporting character mode here, this is arguably the performance that turned the actress into the movie star that she is today.

Rent The Descendants On Amazon.

Divergent

In a futuristic world in which society is divided into five factions, a young woman chooses to be Dauntless — pursuing bravery above all else.

Why It's Worth Renting If You Love Shailene Woodley: Compared to other YA movie franchises like Harry Potter or The Hunger Games, Divergent doesn't stand out — especially with the less-than-stellar sequels to follow. Yet, despite its middling reviews and lackluster follow-ups, the first film isn't without its high points. Most notably, Shailene Woodley's headstrong performance as Tris Prior. Through her grounded performance, the up-and-coming actress demonstrated herself to be a dependable screen presence; she breathes some gravitas into this outlandish, teen-centric sci-fi world and brings more life to the screen than its rote screenplay might otherwise provide. She can only do so much, of course, but it's easy to see why this adaptation found an audience. Woodley has a wry assurance that's earthbound, providing a fine mix of assurance and vulnerability that makes it easy to see why she became a star.

Rent Divergent on Amazon.

Also, check out SXSW's award-winning favorite, The Fallout, whenever it premieres!

Whether it's Oscar-winning dramas, entertaining studio comedies, small-budget indies, or big-budget Marvel blockbusters, Brie Larson has proven herself to a dynamic screen presence who only continues to impress with her rich, varied performances. If you're a fan of the A-list actress, a number of her movies are available to stream on various streaming services. Here's what you should watch if you're a big fan of Brie Larson.

Short Term 12 (Amazon Prime/Sundance Now/Peacock/Tubi/Vudu)

At a residential treatment facility, a supervising staff member (Brie Larson) navigates the unsteady circumstances between her professional and personal lives.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Even in a growing career where she continues to impress with her versatility and vulnerability, Short Term 12 might very well remain Brie Larson's finest hour. Featuring pre-fame performances from Lakeith Stanfield, Kaitlyn Dever, Stephanie Beatriz, and Rami Malek in addition to Larson, this personal, affecting independent drama is vibrant in its honesty and compelling in its emotional investment. And the key to the movie's outstanding success is Larson's rich lead performance. Through the warmth, intelligence, authenticity, and heart that she conveys, she produces a stunning showcase for her early and developing talents.

Stream It On Amazon Prime here, SundanceNow here, Peacock here, Tubi here, Vudu here, Hoopla here, PopcornFlix here, Plex here, and PlutoTV here.

Avengers: Endgame (Disney+)

Suffering from loss and grief after a devastating defeat, the remaining Avengers must reverse the universal life-altering damage caused by Thanos (Josh Brolin) at the end of Avengers: Infinity War.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Avengers: Endgame is a movie that doesn't belong to one person. It's an ensemble piece thoroughly, particularly as we follow this remaining superhero group during one of their darkest and most challenging chapters. It's the culmination of a decade's worth of world-building and cinematic chess pieces, resulting in a three-hour enterprise unlike many other blockbusters in this era (or any other eras). It's a movie event comprised of many talented people's hard-working efforts, though it did prove to be a stronger showcase for Brie Larson's newfound role within the ever-expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her supporting turn ultimately became a promising standout in this massive mega-movie.

Stream It On Disney+ here.

Room (Showtime/Hoopla/Kanopy)

A mother (Brie Larson) and her son (Jacob Tremblay) are held captive for seven years, only to gain their freedom, thus allowing the boy to experience the open world for the first time.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Room is the movie that transformed Brie Larson from an exceptional up-and-coming talent to an Oscar-winning star. Based on the book of the same name by Emma Donoghue, who also wrote the screenplay, this compelling drama isn't an easy watch, but through the harrowing performances of our two central leads, Larson and Jacob Tremblay (also Oscar-nominated), we're given an intense and heart-wrenching tale of survival, one that only continues to demonstrate what a fine talent Larson is and how far she'll go in her bright future ahead.

Stream It On Showtime here, Hoopla here, and Kanopy here.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (Netflix)

To win the heart of Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Scott Pilgrim (Micheal Cera) must defeat all seven of his girlfriend's evil exes.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Filled with exuberant energy, hyper-stylized action-comedy, and a boatload of video game references, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is one of the most deliriously entertaining romantic comedies of the past decade. Though we primarily follow the viewpoints of Michael Cera's title character and his newfound love interest, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, writer/director Edgar Wright's rambunctious movie is accelerated by its top-notch supporting cast, which includes Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza, Brandon Routh, Chris Evans, Kieran Culkin, Johnny Simmons, Alison Pill, Mae Whitman, Ellen Wong, and Brie Larson, to only name a few. As Natalie V. "Envy" Adams, Larson gives a rocking performance in this cult favorite.

Stream It On Netflix here.

21 Jump Street (Starz)

A mismatched pair of undercover cops go back to high school to take down a synthetic drug ring.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: While Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum take the center stage in the buddy cop action-comedy 21 Jump Street, Phil Lord and Chris Miller's rambunctious movie adaptation of the popular '80s series is bolstered by its supporting players, including Dave Franco, Rob Riggle, Ice Cube, and Brie Larson in one of her first major studio roles. While she isn't given as many chances to be as funny as some of her fellow cast members, Larson's character adds an emotional sincerity to this meta, often knowingly hilarious studio comedy, providing a sweet tenderness that's possibly overlooked by some comedy lovers but helps enrich the movie's unsuspecting sentimental side, particularly between its slew of raunchy jokes and over-the-top action.

Stream It On Starz here.

Just Mercy (HBO Max)

Based on the memoir by Bryan Stevenson, a civil rights attorney (Michael B. Jordan) fights to free a man (Jamie Foxx) who was wrongly condemned to death row.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Stirring and urgent, Just Mercy is a tale of justice and civil rights action. It's a dramatically impacting true story in its own right, but it's also benefitted enormously by its impressive cast, which includes Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Tim Blake Nelson, and Brie Larson.

Stream It On HBO Max here.

The Gambler (Tubi)

A literary professor (Mark Wahlberg) with heavy gambling debts enters an elaborate entanglement of risk and deception. It's made more complicated when he forms a correspondence with his student (Brie Larson). Based on the 1974 film of the same name.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: While this Mark Wahlberg vehicle has generally been forgotten, particularly as more time passes, The Gambler (2014) is an altogether decent remake with strong performances from John Goodman, Jessica Lange, Michel Kenneth Williams, and Brie Larson. As an inquisitive student intrigued by her professor's nightlife gambling habit, Larson takes what even the director considered an "underwritten character" and turns her into a sharp, intriguing character with keen insight and uncovered layers. It's a credit to Larson's talents that she finds ways to make this character fleshed out and more informed through her radiant performance.

Stream It On Tubi here.

Digging For Fire (Amazon Prime/Tubi/Hoopla/Vudu/Kanopy/Plex)

Over the course of a weekend, a husband (Jake Johnson) and a wife (Rosemarie DeWitt) find themselves on separate adventures when they discover a bone and a gun.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Throughout the years, writer/director Joe Swanberg has gotten even more comfortable with his loose, improv-heavy filmmaking style. Continuing to gain the trust of his actors, the Drinking Buddies filmmaker has assembled some strong acting talents in his recent projects, and that includes his 2015 film, Digging For Fire. Starring Jake Johnson, Rosemarie DeWitt, Sam Rockwell, Orlando Bloom, Anna Kendrick, and Brie Larson, this enjoyable, appealingly honest dramedy trusts its familiar and up-and-coming actors to create an affable, enjoyable atmosphere that's approachable and creatively nimble, thus allowing Larson to shine in her respective role.

Stream It On Amazon Prime here, Tubi here, Hoopla here, Vudu here, Kanopy here, and Plex here.

Captain Marvel (Disney+)

The origin story of Carol Danvers (Brie Larson), better known as Captain Marvel, as she lands on Earth in the midst of galactic conflict in 1995.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: In her formal introduction into the always-inflating Marvel Cinematic Universe, Brie Larson is given an origin story that doesn't quite match the talents of its Oscar-winning performer. Nevertheless, she provides an intriguingly introspective addition to the superhero film franchise, one that's willing to explore the uncertain humanity of its superhuman protagonist. Aided by the warm buddy chemistry she shares with her Kong: Skull Island co-star Samuel L. Jackson, Larson's first official Marvel movie takes us to wide galaxies and worlds both known and unknown, but it's through Larson's searching performance that we stay rooted in the character's unexpectedly grounded characterization. The results aren't perfect, but they promise an exciting tomorrow.

Stream It On Disney+ here.

Don Jon (Starz)

A young New Jersey bachelor (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) with unrealistic expectations resulting from a porn addiction discovers love and intimacy when he forms a serious relationship with a gorgeous woman (Scarlett Johansson).

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: In Don Jon, writer/director/star Joseph Gordon-Levitt's spirited feature directorial debut, we're given an energetic, exhilarating, and undeniably passionate look at modern romance and the impossible standards we put upon ourselves and others in our digital age. While the movie isn't without its shortcomings, it's an entertaining, engaging first feature with lively performances from its impressive cast, which also includes Scarlett Johannson, Julianne Moore, Tony Danza, and Brie Larson. While Larson's performance is largely silent, playing an indifferent sister who often spends her time glued to her phone while giving her family condescending looks, it still showcases the actress' sparkling wit and very expressive talents.

Stream It On Starz here.

Free Fire (Netflix/Hoopla/Kanopy)

In 1978 Boston, a deserted warehouse hosts an extensive shootout between two gangs. Everyone involved must use their wits and ace marksmanship to survive the night.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: Director Ben Wheatley's free-wielding, no-holds-prisoners black action-comedy doesn't hit every one of its targets, but through the undying commitment of his assured cast and their short-lived characters, Free Fire becomes a loudly profane, cheekily violent, but still consistently amusing bottle movie with a rough-and-tumble story, a murder's row of insults, and a whole lot of bullets. In an ensemble that includes (but doesn't limit to) Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Cillian Murphy, Jack Reynor, Sam Riley, and Brie Larson, the actress (appearing in this film shortly after her Oscar win) makes a hell of an impression and proves herself as an encouraging new action star.

Stream It On Netflix here, Hoopla here, and Kanopy here.

Rampart (Tubi/Peacock/Vudu/PlutoTV/Kanopy/Crackle)

In 1999, a veteran police officer (Woody Harrelson), who is considered the last of the renegade cops, tries to fight his hardships and care for his family.

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: In their first acting collaboration together, as they would later go on to star in 2017's The Glass Castle, Woody Harrelson and Brie Larson give exceptional performances in Rampart, director Oren Moverman's tense, nihilistic character study with a moody, unsettling demeanor. While this movie doesn't make for the most comfortable or relaxing watch if you're looking for something more casual, soothing, and/or enjoyable for a Saturday night movie watch, Harrelson's unwavering central performance is complemented and benefitted by Larson's supporting turn as Helen, a rebellious teenage daughter who might not be on the best terms with her father.

Stream It On Tubi here, Peacock here, Vudu here, PlutoTV here, Kanopy here, and Crackle here.

The Spectacular Now (Showtime)

A hard-drinking high schooler (Miles Teller) finds his outlook on life changed when he forms a relationship with a caring classmate (Shailene Woodley).

Why It's A Great Option For Brie Larson Fans: In director James Ponsoldt's sensitive, soulful coming-of-age teen romance drama, The Spectacular Now, we're often taken by the almost effortless authenticity provided by the actors. Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley are remarkably natural and ever-present with their performances. So much so that they hardly ever feel like performances. It's the type of respectfully low-key and reflective teen movie that feels both at home with another era and a reflection of new sensibilities. It's a wonderful film that's only benefitted by its strong cast of supporting actors, which includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elisabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler, Kaitlyn Dever, Bob Odenkirk, and Brie Larson, each in key roles.

Stream It On Showtime here and Kanopy here.

What's your favorite Brie Larson movie? Be sure to let us know in the comment section!

In June 2020, 13 Reasons Why ends with a shorter fourth season. The controversial series has seen a major evolution since its initial run. When it premiered on Netflix in 2017, it started as a series about Hannah Baker (Katherine Langford ) and the choices and circumstances that led to her suicide. Season 2 continued Hannah’s story, and explored more of her secret life. Season 3 took a major shift with a mystery involving all the characters that we had come to love. It also involved a whole new perspective with the introduction of the character Ani (Grace Saif).

Based on the 13 Reasons Why Season 4 trailer, it seems like the final season will have all the secrets, lies, and murder catch up with the teens. Clay (Dylan Minnette) seems especially near his breaking point. 13 Reasons Why was an up and down roller coaster from start to finish. It’s definitely not a show for everyone, and parents should be cautious when allowing their teens to watch it.

However, for fans of 13 Reasons Why, it was a series that addressed the loneliness, consequences, and depression that sometimes haunts teens as they try to find themselves. If you’re going to miss the drama and intrigue of 13 Reasons Why, here are a few other series and movies on Netflix to check out.

Skins (2007)

Skins is a UK series about teens. It’s full of first loves, deceptive characters, drugs, partying, and the gritty side of growing up. Skins aired for six seasons (with a seventh season consisting of mini-series movies), and had three sets of cast members, including future stars Dev Patel, Kaya Scodelario, Joe Dempsie, Hannah Murray, and Nicholas Hoult.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: Skins and 13 Reasons Why are both very dark teen dramas. They deal with serious issues, including death. Both series also don’t shy away from finding some humor in the darkness. 13 Reasons Why and Skins include an array of complex characters who are both the villains and heroes at times throughout the shows. For viewers not afraid of dark teen material, Skins is an excellent substitute for 13 Reasons Why.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower focuses on shy teen Charlie (Logan Lerman) as he is thrusted into the jungle that is high school. Luckily, he befriends two senior step-siblings Sam (Emma Watson) and Patrick (Ezra Miller). Through their guidance, Charlie gets through one of the toughest years of his life as he deals with past trauma, relationships, family issues, and growing pains.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: Charlie goes through a lot during his first year of high school, while also dealing with his own sense of sadness and depression. Like 13 Reasons Why, it discusses depression and how it affects teens. Unlike Hannah, Charlie finds a way to deal with it that doesn’t result in his death. It’s another look at teen depression, and the steps to manage it.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Gossip Girl (2012)

The rich and beautiful teens of the upper west-side have their secrets and scandals exposed when a mysterious figure named Gossip Girl starts to post them on her blog. Gossip Girl’s cast includes Blake Lively, Leighton Meester, Penn Badgley, Ed Westwick, and Chace Crawford.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: If teen scandals are your thing, then it doesn’t get much more scandalous than Gossip Girl and his loose lips. 13 Reasons Why is a lot more depressing than Gossip Girl, but they both involve teen secrets and bad behavior being publicized, and all the ways that you can hurt someone emotionally by your actions.

Stream it on Netflix here.

All The Bright Places (2020)

All the Bright Place is a love story between Finch (Justice Smith) and Violet (Elle Fanning), two emotionally damaged teens who find a sense of hope within each other. Sadly, hope only gets you so far without the proper treatment.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: All the Bright Places is another book to film/TV adaptation that addresses the issue of mental health in teens. With this story, we kind of get two sides of the coin. We get one character who goes to drastic measures because of their mental and emotional illnesses, and one who decides to live and work on recovery. Like 13 Reasons Why, It’s a heartbreaking story that’s bound to cause controversy.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Degrassi: Next Class (2016)

Degrassi is a Canadian drama that originally began in the 80s. It then spun-off into Degrassi: The Next Generation, which aired from 2001 to 2015. Degrassi: The Next Generation’s most famous alumni includes Aubrey Graham (aka Drake) and Nina Dobrev. After Degrassi: TNG ended, Netflix stepped in and revived the series as Degrassi: Next Class.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: The Degrassi kids over the years go through so many struggles and issues. The Next Class Degrassi students deal with major issues like teen pregnancy, coming to terms with their sexuality, mental issues, and more. Both series go through some of the scariest, and most damaging issues, facing teens.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Before I Fall (2017)

Zoe Deutch plays Sam, a popular girl who gets into a fatal car crash. She wakes up the next morning, and must relive the day over. Sam continues to relive the day trying to prevent her death. Each do-over allows her to grow, and actually change into a better version of herself.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: Like 13 Reasons Why, Before I Fall deals a lot with how everyone’s actions (big or small) impact each other, and how it’s vital to take responsibility for one's actions. Also like 13 Reasons Why, the movie revolves around a mystery. Before I Fall’s major mystery is how to prevent her death, while 13 Reasons Why has several.

Stream it on Netflix here (*_Before I Fall_ *will be available on Netflix on June 8)

The End Of The F---ing World (2017)

The End of the F***ing World is a British dark comedy about two teens, James (Alex Lawther) and Alyssa (Jessica Barden) who embark on an adventure together. He has the agenda to kill her on their trip, and she just wants to escape her home-life.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: The End of the F*ing World is a teen drama-comedy that tackles serious issues, but remains clever and funny about them. If you’re a 13 Reasons Why fan and want your teen drama with a side of comedy, then The End of the F*ing World is just the show to watch. It’s still a dark series but approaches it with charm and wit.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Then Came You (2019)

Maisie Williams, Asa Butterfield, and Nina Dobrev star in Then Came You, a romantic dark comedy. Skye (Maisie Williams) is dying from a terminal illness and Calvin (Asa Butterfield) is a hypochondriac. The two quickly bond, and she helps him learn to live, while he helps her live out the rest of her days.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: 13 Reasons Why and Then Came You both deal with the loss of a friend. Clay loses Hannah before they really get to build a deep strong bond, and with Calvin and Skye, you watch them form it in Then Came You, all while knowing that ultimately she will die. Both the movie and the series show the heartbreak of losing someone that you care about, especially at such a young age.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Control Z (2020)

This Spanish language series (English dub possible) focuses on Sofia (Ana Valeria Becerril) as she tries to investigate the hacker who released a bunch of secrets about the popular kids. Sofia is an outcast because she’s a little weird, and spent some time in a psych ward. She has keen observational skills that make it easy for her to read people and their secrets. Along with the new boy Javier (Michael Ronda) and one of the hackers targets Raul (Yankel Stevan), she does whatever it takes to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: As the series goes on, more and more secrets come to light through this hacker. Control Z follows in 13 Reasons Why’s footsteps in having a dangerous mystery, an outsider leading the charge, and major twists and turns at every corner. It also deals with some of the same serious issues as 13 Reasons Why, like body harm, bullying, sexual identity, and physical abuse.

Stream it on Netflix here.

The Spectacular Now (2013)

Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley star in The Spectacular Now, a coming of age story about a popular boy falling for the introverted girl-next-door. This may sound like a lot of teen romantic dramas and comedies from the 80s and 90s, but it’s a bit more complex, as it deals with issues like alcoholism and low self-esteem.

Why It’s a Good Option for 13 Reasons Why Fans: The Spectacular Now addresses the emotional toil that many young people face while growing up. It also shows that damage the selfishness of youth can have on others. These are themes that it shares with 13 Reasons Why.

Stream it on Netflix here.

Find out how it all ends for Clay and the gang when the final season of 13 Reasons Why premieres on Netflix on June 5, 2020.

When the occasional date night rolls around, sometimes, instead of playing dress up for a night of wining and dining out on the town, all you and your significant other would like to do is get into some comfy clothes and curl up on the couch with some good movies. Thank God for Netflix and its infinite number of choices for romantic entertainment!

Of course, maybe you are not the couple that always wants to watch the kind of flick in which the romantic leads have a perfect happy ending. Maybe you both love the intensity of an action movie, or sharing laughs over a raunchy comedy, or perhaps even a dark thriller about an ill-fated couple put to the test by desperate circumstances just to make you feel proud about the stability of your own relationship.

Whichever the cinematic preferences of you and your partner may be, we have a wonderful variety of good Netflix movies to choose from that are perfect for any date night. Come share the love and take a look at our recommendations.

Chasing Amy (1997)

Before Kevin Smith became a renowned podcaster and Arrowverse contributor and turned Justin Long into a walrus, he was the king of the indie slacker comedy thanks to his 1994 surprise hit debut Clerks and 1995’s now cult favorite Mallrats. He switched gears with something more grounded and personal for his third feature, Chasing Amy.

Comic book artist Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) finds his casual romantic philosophies and friendship with illustrating partner Banky Edwards (Jason Lee) uprooted when he falls for Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams in a Golden Globe-nominated performance), only to discover she is a lesbian. Kevin Smith won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Screenplay for this comedic drama with a keen eye for the harsh complexities of love. Stream it here.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

When it comes to date night movie choices, you can never go wrong with an old fashioned, feel-good romantic comedy with traditional “will they, won’t they?” themes. A recent and well-received example of this is the story of Sasha Tran and Marcus Kim in Always Be My Maybe.

Celebrity chef Sasha (Ali Wong) and aspiring musician Marcus (Randall Park) are childhood friends with a brief, awkward romantic history (losing their virginities to each other) who begin to question their feelings for each other after an unexpected reunion 15 years later. Of Netflix’s many original rom-coms, Always Be My Maybe is one of most talked about as of late, not just for its satisfying humor, but mostly for Keanu Reeves’ epic cameo as Sasha’s boyfriend, Keanu Reeves. Stream it here.

50/50 (2011)

Let’s say you want to watch an off-beat comedy, but your partner is in the mood for something a little more dramatic. This semi-autobiographical film from writer Will Reiser, also starring his friend Seth Rogen, might help establish a compromise.

The title of 50/50 refers to the odds of survival given to 27-year-old writer, Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), after being diagnosed with spinal cancer. The film chronicles his struggles to deal with his illness with the help of his family, best friend (Seth Rogen), and a cancer center therapist (Anna Kendrick) in a story that is just as heartbreaking as it is funny and even inspiring at times. Stream it here.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Sometimes date night is a great opportunity to introduce your significant other to a genre they are previously unfamiliar with, such as, perhaps, superhero movies. Of course, with most comic book epics these days requiring you to watch 15-20 movies in advance to stay up to speed, it might be best to start with one that literally does all the explaining you might need for you, like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Sony’s animated superhero movie, produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller goes against tradition by not focusing on original iteration Peter Parker, but teenage amateur webslinger Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), joined by a handful of other Spider-People from alternate realities. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one of the most inventive and visually striking superhero films in recent memory, which the Academy agreed on, giving it the Oscar for Best Animated Feature in 2019. Stream it here.

Her (2013)

Excluding those who watch the Hallmark Channel religiously, many modern audiences have grown tired of the same old typical “boy meets girl” plot that is still prevalent in many films of the romantic persuasion. Writer and director Spike Jonze offered a huge diversion from that trope in 2013 with Her, whose main plotline has become a little too realistic to be appropriately considered satire any longer.

Set in the near future, divorced love letter writer Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) finds an unexpected new romance with Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), the sentient virtual assistant feature of his computer operating system. What sounds like a mocking exaggeration of society’s growing reliance on Alexa, Spike Jonze’s Academy Award-winning screenplay actually paints a portrait of romance between man and machine captivating and believable enough to tug at your heart strings. Stream it here.

I Am Not An Easy Man (2018)

The key to a healthy relationship is communication which, primarily in heterosexual couples, can be hindered by stereotypical gender roles that cause a lack of understanding of the opposite sex. One way to explore this topic might be this French import exclusive to Netflix in the States that flips gender normalities on its head.

In I Am Not An Easy Man, a chauvinistic womanizer (Vincent Elbaz) hits his head and wakes up in an alternate reality in which women wear business suits and hold much of the power in most walks of life, while males carry purses, are generally more emotionally sensitive, and are forcibly submissive to the affections of the female agenda. This romantic comedy is a thought-provoking exploration of how society has historically defined the differences between men and women through an inventive lens. Stream it here.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

John Hughes was a master of exposing the daily struggles of the average American high school student through a humorous, yet never disingenuous, lens, such as in Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. Yet, every once in a while, he would veer into blissfully absurd teenage escapism, like Weird Science and this timeless classic made everyone want to be like Matthew Broderick’s charming troublemaker.

Fourth-wall-breaking high school senior Ferris Bueller (Matthew Broderick) decides to skip school to cruise Chicago with his uptight best friend Cameron Fry (Alan Ruck) and girlfriend Sloane Peterson (Mia Sara) in a borrowed Ferrari, with his obsessive principal Edward Rooney (Jeffrey Jones) hot on their trail. Whether you and your partner see this for the first, fifth, or two-thousandth time, the rebellious whimsy of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off never grows tired. Stream it here.

The Invitation (2015)

I mentioned earlier that some couples may indulge in a movie that makes their romantic situation appear especially favorable when compared to the relationship depicted in said film. Even if the failed romance at the centerpiece of Karen Kusama’s The Invitation does not bring you and your partner closer together, the ferocity of this pressure cooker of a thriller will surely have you holding each other close, at least.

Will (Logan Marshall Green) and his girlfriend Kira (Emayatzy Corinealdi) are invited by his ex-wife (Tammy Blanchard) and her new husband David (Michiel Huisman) to a dinner party to reunite with old friends and introduce new ones. However, Will cannot shake the feeling that something is terribly wrong with this get-together, causing tensions to rise, old wounds to rip open, and the viewer to wonder, Is this guy crazy or is everyone in danger? The truth will shock you. Stream it here.

The Spectacular Now (2012)

Teen romance, as depicted on film, often sees the lovable social outcast vying for the affection of the popular girl who does not initially seem to love him back. Instead, in The Spectacular Now, we have an unlikable social wizard convinced he is not worthy of being loved by the unpopular girl who only wants him to love her back.

(500) Days of Summer scribes Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber adapt Tim Tharp’s novel about hard-partying senior Sutter (Miles Teller), whose post-breakup drinking binge leads him to an awkward introduction to Aimee (Shailene Woodley), sparking a romance that begins to challenge Sutter’s delusional philosophy to always live in the present without ever looking to the future. A heart-breakingly romantic and often funny, The Spectacular Now is a unique Peter Pan-esque coming-of-age story about a boy who refuses to grow up until the reality that he has no choice in the matter hits too close to home. Stream it here.

Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)

I cannot think of anything more pleasant to share with your significant other than a film or series that gave you some of your most joyous childhood memories in front of a screen. It is even better when you can bond over a property you both grew up with. Considering the enduring popularity of Roald Dahl’s work, there is a chance you and your partner will both enjoy the first theatrical adaptation of his novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The late Gene Wilder stars as the famed titular chocolateer, who allows five lucky children into his bizarre, sometimes creepy, but overall wondrous candy factory, including the poor, yet precocious, Charlie Bucket (Peter Ostrum). Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a timeless classic fit for all ages for its exquisitely fantastic production design, irresistibly catchy tunes, and Wilder’s brilliantly eccentric performance that remains the most beloved portrayal of Roald Dahl’s most recognizable character. Stream it here.

Well, it looks like you all set for date night with these good Netflix movies perfect for sharing with the love of your life. You can find more streaming recommendations for a variety of occasions here at CinemaBlend.

Real talent is hard to come by, but Brie Larson has it in spades. If you weren’t looking you might think that her career came out of nowhere; somehow she's practically everywhere these days. Over the course of just a few years she has gone from a moderately familiar silver screen face to pure Hollywood royalty. Beyond that, she's currently poised to potentially win her first Oscar for her amazing performance in Room. If you’ve seen the movie, you already know that – even up against her strong competition – Larson has a fighting chance to take home the gold this year.

However, anyone who knows Brie Larson’s career knows that she did not necessarily pop up overnight. She has paid her dues by portraying a wide variety of characters in a wide variety of films, big and small, over the years. Some of these roles have been funny, while others have been powerfully moving. All of them, however, managed to showcase her incredible talent as an actress. We've taken it upon ourselves to assemble a list of eight roles you have seen Brie Larson in (prior to Room) whether you realized it or not. Now let's get the ball rolling with the first entry on our list...

Trainwreck

The most recent of the roles on this list, and easily one of the most memorable, Brie Larson starred opposite Amy Schumer in this summer’s hit comedy, Trainwreck, as the standup comedians sister. Larson’s character represented a distinct foil to Schumer’s, as she chose a quiet, boring family life away from the potentially negative influence of her father. While she was a wholly different type of person than her sister, there existed an immense sense of history between Larson and Schumer that helped anchor the film. It’s the sort of role that required a delicate balance between comedic timing and overwhelming pathos, and we have to say that we think Brie Larson performed those duties admirably. Aside from that, all we have to say is that her motherhood duties in Trainwreck were a hell of a lot easier than what she went through in Room.

21 Jump Street

Although Brie Larson has a long Hollywood resume chronicling her journey to this year’s Oscar nomination, the role that arguably put her on the map came only a few years ago: Molly in 21 Jump Street. Most actors who try to portray "hip" high school students often come across as phony or exaggerated, but Larson managed to imbue Molly with just the right balance of charisma and believability. Somehow in between all of the zany antics and racy humor, she held her ground against the army of male comedy titans in the film while maintaining a girl-next-door persona that any high school aged guy would have totally had a crush on.

Don Jon

A stellar performer knows how to command a scene without demanding the spotlight or a lengthy monologue. That’s exactly the sort of trait that Brie Larson exemplified in her role as cell phone-obsessed Monica in 2013’s Don Jon. In many ways her performance is something akin to Kevin Smith’s iconic portrayal of Silent Bob in the View Askew films. She barely has any lines in the entire film, but her facial expressions and overall demeanor inform the entirety of her character. Her silence builds to a boiling point, and then she when she finally speaks towards the end of the film it acts as a catharsis for the entire experience – helping the titular character realize how he should proceed with his life.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Of all the Brie Larson roles on this list, her portrayal of Envy Adams in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World has got to be one of the most outlandish and exotic. As the titular character’s former flame, Envy is a world famous musician and has a certain villainous charm that sets her apart from many of the other girl-next-door roles that Brie Larson has become known for over the course of her career. Oh, and she also gets to showcase her amazing vocal talents on stage, so it turns out she’s not just an impeccable actress. Seriously, if acting had not worked out she probably would be currently topping the music charts. (She did release an album in 2005, but it only sold 4000 copies.)

The Gambler

The 2014 Mark Wahlberg vehicle The Gambler didn't necessarily hit theaters to much fanfare (in fact it garnered mostly negative reviews), but we still continue to sing the praises of Brie Larson’s role as Amy. As the student of a down on his luck literature professor, Amy represents the one good thing in the life of a man who seems doomed to lose it all. The Gambler is a sometime overbearing downer of a movie, but at the end of the day Larson’s strong rapport with Mark Wahlberg anchors the film and allows it to end on an oddly heartwarming note.

Greenberg

Another one of Brie Larson’s earlier roles, you may or may not have noticed her brief but meaningful role as Ben Stiller’s college-aged niece Sara in Noah Baumbach’s (criminally underrated) 2010 indie darling Greenberg. While Stiller’s titular character represented a sort of neurotic mess of a human being, Larson's character existed as more of a free spirit who offered him some degree of escape from the potential trappings of his world. By the end of the movie he chooses those trappings over a globetrotting adventure with his badass niece, but thanks to Brie Larson’s awesome performance, we’ve always sort of wondered what would have happened if Roger Greenberg had chosen differently.

13 Going on 30

Brie Larson may have become a fixture of the movie industry in recent years, but her resume extends as far back as 2004. Although she may be a bit difficult to recognize – puberty has that effect – she actually appeared in the 2004 Jennifer Garner comedy 13 Going on 30. Her role in the film is small, but she portrays one of the Six Chicks who bullies protagonist Jenna toward the beginning of the film – literally, her role is credited as "Six Chick" on IMDB. We’ve all got to start somewhere, and we have to say Brie Larson has most certainly come a long way in the twelve years since 13 Going on 30 hit theaters.

The Spectacular Now

James Ponsoldt’s 2013 drama The Spectacular Now easily represents one of the most emotionally wrenching films to grace this list, which is no easy feat. Like so many of the other roles listed here, Brie Larson portrays a foil. Her character, Cassidy, represents a contrasting figure to Shailene Woodley’s Aimee. As Cassidy, Larson does an amazing job of portraying a girl doing her best to overcome the negative influence of a longtime boyfriend without coming across as a wholly antagonistic figure. In a story centered upon the romantic ideals of teen love, that’s an incredibly difficult type of performance to pull off.

2013 has been a great year for movies, so narrowing down our list of favorites was no easy task. As Cinema Blend has numerous writers with varying tastes in film, we decided to go solo this year in sharing our Top 10 lists of the best movies of 2013. You've read both Sean and Kristy's lists, but now it's Eric's turn to rank the best blockbusters, indies and prestige films that came to us this past year.

10. The Spectacular Now

There are some - both those who write about movies and read about them - that believe that film festival reviews should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, the big titles that premiere at places like Sundance or Toronto are usually at the center of a good deal of fanfare, and it’s not hard to get sucked up in all of the excitement of the event and let it have an effect. The true test of a festival film is the second viewing, where the volume is turned down on the presentation element and a high degree of expectation is introduced. I knew I loved James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now when I first saw it at SXSW in March, but I found out just how much when I saw it again in August.

Enough can’t be said about the performances of leads Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley, who truly get the chance to shine after fantastic turns in movies like Rabbit Hole and The Descendants. And following up on last year’s Smashed, Ponsoldt once again proves a deft ability with tone and emotional storytelling. In a few years I hope that The Spectacular Now is looked back upon not just as an amazing film, but also for launching three great careers. (Read my full SXSW review here).

9. Mud

Matthew McConaughey’s career has always been a bit perplexing to me. While not everything he did at the start was gold, he put on excellent, memorable performances in films like Dazed and Confused and A Time To Kill… and then spent most of the first decade of the millennium making dud after dud. Things suddenly took a surprising turn in 2011 when the actor returned to the courtroom for The Lincoln Lawyer, and he’s been on a roll ever since. There are still two more movies featuring McConaughey still to be named in this article (albeit one of them is in the honorable mentions), but before we get to that we have to talk about the amazingness that is Mud.

I first became aware of writer/director Jeff Nichols in 2011 when my senses were rocked by the intense thriller Take Shelter (a film that wound up at #7 on my Top 10 that year), but with Mud the filmmaker tackles a completely different kind of tone and a completely different kind of story, and it’s impressive as hell to see how well he handles it. It’s a beautiful coming of age story with a wonderful blend of comedy, drama, and a taste of the fantastical. (Read my full SXSW review here).

8. Iron Man 3

As I’ve written about before, I have what I believe is a unique holiday tradition. Every year I sit down on Christmas day for a marathon of Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. All four titles are linked simply by being action movies set during the Christmas season, but the more important connection is the guy who wrote the screenplays: Shane Black. The filmmaker’s neo-noir stylings, quick witty dialogue and fun characters have made me a fan of his work for a long time, and this year I got a Christmas present in May when I watched Black’s talent come together with another one of my film passions: comic book movies.

Once again demonstrating a keen skill for matching up filmmakers and projects, Marvel Studios knocked it out of the park hiring Shane Black to both direct and co-write Iron Man 3, and the result was the best blockbuster of the summer season. The film features better action than we’ve seen from any of the other Marvel solo films so far, and Black and Downey Jr. once again prove to be a perfect director/actor pair, the star speaking the filmmaker’s language fluently. It’s a more than welcomed addition to the Shane Black Christmas tradition. (Read my full review here.)

7. Prisoners

When cinematographer Roger Deakins is paired with the right director and material, there are few – if any – who can match him in his craft. The man has the ability to light and frame a scene that will make your jaw drop, be it capturing spikes of light coming in through a lone window in a dark basement or out in the woods watching snowfall collect on the ground. Deakins’ work on the child-abduction thriller Prisoners this year is among the best we’ve ever seen from him… and yet it’s only a part of what makes the film great.

Trapped in a mystery with a terrific number of horrific and exciting surprises, stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Hugh Jackman are at the top of their game butting heads as a detective and a grieving father, respectively. Their performances are filled with raw energy and amazing nuance. On more than a few occasions, director Denis Villeneuve ratchets up the intensity level to uncomfortable levels, but its extremes only make the emotions more powerful and real. There is a palpable level of fear, pain and rage that comes with the mere idea of child abduction, and Prisoners brings it all to the screen in an intense, striking way. (Read my full review here.)

6. The Wolf of Wall Street

When a vocal minority publicly decries a film for its sex, violence, drugs and language content, I usually either roll my eyes or shrug my shoulders. But in the case of Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, I actually kind of get it. Featuring an all-star cast headed up by Scorsese regular Leonardo DiCaprio, the film is about as salacious, extreme, debauched, and fucked up as they come with an R-rating. The lives of the main characters are filled with more decadence and depravity than you could ever possibly imagine. And I loved watching just about every minute of it.

Echoing the sentiments from my review, the film is the best collaboration we’ve seen from Scorsese and DiCaprio, and the whole thing is so damn ballsy that it begs to be appreciated. Reviving the essence of the brilliant Goodfellas, The Wolf of Wall Street is the classic tale of the path towards the American dream and all of its hardships and corruptions, but is told from a new, captivating and outrageous point of view. Because of its content, it will likely always be a divisive title in Scorsese’s filmography, but it’s easily one of my favorite movies of the year. (Read my full review here.)

5. The World’s End

As much as I want to see director Edgar Wright and stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost go on to do some brilliant work with their individual careers (knowing that they certainly have the talent to do so) the truth is that I want to see them work together forever. From their television show Spaced to Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, the three have worked to produce some of the smartest, most hilarious comedy of the last 15 years, and The World’s End - the capper of the trio’s Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy - is just further proof of their undeniable genius.

The film shows off the same great visual panache that Wright has brought to all of the titles we’ve seen thus far in his career, featuring plenty of fun quick edits and once again making an art out of casual foreshadowing, but what makes The World’s End really impressive is its surprising maturity. Hidden within the plot of childhood friends who go out for a pub crawl and get attacked by robots is a meaningful story about maturity and never really being able to go home again. The Cornetto trilogy – which was never actually meant to be a trilogy – is over, but if there is a movie god out there, he will bring Wright, Pegg and Frost together again.

4. Her

Love is a beautiful abstraction. It’s impossible to define, but we all know what it’s like. There are few things more powerful in the world, both in its ability to uplift and create and decimate and destroy. Filmmakers have spent decades upon decades trying to understand it and recreate its impact in their works, but the truth is that very few actually succeed. Thanks to his work on Her, writer/director Spike Jonze can be counted among those who have.

Belying its oddball sci-fi premise, following the story of a lonely writer (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls head-over-heels in love with a newly invented conscious operating system named Samantha (Scarlet Johansson), the film digs into some deep, honestly emotional places that evoke a pure empathetic reaction from the audience. The two incredible lead performances come together to create a relationship that just about each and every one of us can relate to, and as they experience the peaks and valleys of passion, your heart is right there with them, touched and stung by every feeling that the characters have. Love will forever remain an abstraction, but art like Her helps us understand it better. (Read my full review here.)

3. Gravity

As completely entranced as I was by the narrative, stunning performances and stunning visual style of Alfonso Cuaron’s Gravity, while watching the film for the first time there were moments where I couldn’t help but look past the action in front of the camera and just stare into the stars in the background. Aided by some of the greatest use of 3D I’ve ever seen, the stars were so far away that I could suddenly feel myself becoming completely encased in the void that is deep space. It was such a thrilling experience that I just about kissed the ground walking out of the theater, and I immediately began to think about what high ranking Gravity would land when I ran my Top 10 list at the end of the year.

From the very first shot of the film – which happened to be the beginning of an absolutely epic 13-minute tracking shot – I found myself completely pulled into the world of Gravity and I couldn’t shake the sense of its immenseness until long after I had returned home from the screening. While I have never been a big Sandra Bullock fan, she pulls off what is easily the best performance of her career, and it’s incredibly exciting to watch her character experience a full rebirth while fighting for her life in the darkness of space. Gravity is a film that’s meant to make you feel in every way possible, and in that mission it is a tremendous triumph.

2. Stoker

Studios typically wait until the fall season to unveil what they believe is the best work in their catalogue, but the reality is that one of the best films of the year was actually released into theaters all the way back on March 1st. Based on a screenplay by Wentworth Miller, Stoker is the first English-language film from Korean director Chan-wook Park and is one of the most finely crafted, beautiful horror movies that I have ever had the privilege to watch.

Yes, this is the third coming-of-age movie on my list, but Stoker is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, weaving a complex story of evil and bad blood. Matthew Goode is brilliant in the role of the mysterious Uncle Charlie, evoking memories of Anthony Perkins’ Norman Bates, but it’s Mia Wasikowska as the dark, changing India Stoker who emerges as a truly shocking talent. Every shot of the film feels like a strand of silk that has been put in place with a pair of tweezers in the hand of a master surgeon, and as a fan of the art of film, it’s a spectacle to behold. Thanks to its limited theatrical run, which saw the title never get released in more than 275 theaters at a time, it may take a while for audiences to find Stoker, but if they do it could become a horror classic. (Read my full review here.)

1. Inside Llewyn Davis

Joel and Ethan Coen don’t make a habit of making the same film twice. Watching through all of their films you get a certain consistency in texture, attitude and dialogue, but the stories they tell couldn’t be more varied from picture to picture. Following in that vein is the Coens’ somber folk music ballad Inside Llewyn Davis, and much like the rest of the filmmakers’ catalog, it is an absolutely astonishing piece of work and, in my opinion, the best movie of the year.

The film tells a tale of cyclical failure and defeat over the course of one week in a Greenwich Village winter, and does so with a perfect blend of tragedy and comedy that few can achieve quite like the Coens. Bringing some astonishing acting and musical skills to the table, Oscar Isaac ranks as one of the best leading men that the filmmakers have had a chance to work with, and he’s blissfully surrounded by a classic cast of screwball characters played by greats like John Goodman and Carey Mulligan. It’s a perfect film all around and its surprising, fun ending makes it so that the movie is endlessly re-watchable, always with a new meaning. This is an element that I plan on taking advantage of for many years to come. (Read my full review here.)

Honorable Mention (In Alphabetical Order): 12 Years A Slave, Ain’t Them Bodies Saints, Dallas Buyers Club, The Kings of Summer, Nebraska, Short Term 12, This Is The End, and Warm Bodies.

Last year was a pretty fantastic one for movie music. Directors like David O. Russell, Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino and Ben Affleck made not only fantastic films, but also beautifully crafted soundtracks that blended perfectly with the story and visuals on screen. The mix created some stunning, haunting, exciting, uplifting and thrilling movie music moments that we will remember for years to come. As a result, 2013 had a lot to live up to, but looking back on the last twelve months reveals that this year’s crop of filmmakers were more than up for the task.

As I’ve done for the last four years, I’ve taken a detailed look back at all of the films that have hit theaters this past year searching for the best movie music moments I could find. While there was a large crop to choose from, I’ve narrowed it down to my 10 favorites of the year. Will yours make the list? Read on to find out!

Stoker

"Duet" by Phillip Glass

Uncle Charlie, the character played by Matthew Goode in Chan Wook-park’s dark horror Stoker, is a man that Winston Churchill may have described as a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. His niece, India (Mia Wasikowska) never even heard of him before her father’s death, and any story about where he’s been the last few years ends quickly and with few answers. Even small claims about not being able to play the piano turn out to be lies, as seen in the incredibly powerful sequence where India and Charlie team up on a piano bench to play the hypnotizing "Duet" by Phillip Glass.

As the plot of Stoker unfolds we learn that there is a deep natural bond that exists between India and Charlie, but it’s their paired performance tickling the ivories that first really informs their strange, important connection. As Glass wrote the music directly for the film, the audience is meant to believe that the two are composing the piece together on the spot (building on the piano work that India is seen practicing earlier in the movie), and it’s a perfect blend of the fantastical, phenomenal and disturbing that the two characters are able to perform so beautifully in sync. The aesthetic of Stoker is all about swirling together the horrific and the beautiful, and no scene in the movie does that better than Charlie and India’s duet.

Inside Llewyn Davis

"Please Mr. Kennedy" by Oscar Isaac, Justin Timberlake and Adam Driver

It would be impossible to have a conversation about the best movie music moments of 2013 without mention of Joel and Ethan Coen’s extraordinary Inside Llewyn Davis. The tale of a Greenwich Village folk singer trying to get back in the early 1960s, the film shows a deep appreciation for the genre at the heart of the story and takes great pride in the real performances by the actors. From Oscar Isaac’s heartbreaking rendition of "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me," to a troupe of Irish singers in nice sweaters singing an a cappella version of "The Auld Triangle," this entire list could entirely consist of songs from the Coens’ latest bit of genius, but if I’m going to pick one it has to be the in-studio performance of "Please Mr. Kennedy."

An intentionally bad song that is partially based on a track from a folk outfit called The Goldcoast Singers back in 1961, "Please Mr. Kennedy" represents the exact level of phony that the eponymous Llewyn (played by the excellent Oscar Isaac) can’t stand, which makes the sequence in the film where he performs it all the funnier. Amazing as that is, however, it’s actually the supporting cast that makes the scene so perfect. Between Justin Timberlake’s ridiculously cheery disposition and terrible lyrics and Adam Driver’s bizarre baritone vocal stylings both before and during the song’s performance, you’re laughing from the moment the sequence starts until it ends. And then, of course, there’s the way that the song comes back to bite Llewyn in the ass at the end of the story…

The Lone Ranger

"The William Tell Overture" by Hans Zimmer

Like many critics, I can’t say that I was a big fan of Gore Verbinski’s The Lone Ranger. It’s far too long, Johnny Depp’s shtick wears thin, the framing device is incomprehensible, and a good number of talented actors in the supporting cast are totally wasted. Most of the movie is a slog to get through, but that all changes at one very specific moment: when the film begins to play the titular character’s famous "William Tell Overture" theme.

The song is used to dramatically announce the beginning of the third act and the action sequence that concludes the plot, and like a bolt of lightning it sends the film’s energy level through the roof and actually turns the movie into what the audience actually paid to see. What we get to watch on the big screen is great all by itself, as the Lone Ranger (Armie Hammer) and Tonto (Depp) ride alongside and on top of a train in order to stop the bad guys and their plan, and the score – which was adapted by Hans Zimmer – helps generate tons of excitement. In the long run, the film’s use of the William Tell Overture" is an example of too little, too late, as it was incorporated way past the movie’s point of no return, but the sequence still goes down as one of my favorite movie music moments of 2013.

This Is The End

"When The Shit Goes Down" by Cypress Hill

Given the size of the ensemble and the fact that the film was helmed by two first time directors, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s This Is The End is an amazingly even comedy that gives all of its stars – including James Franco, Craig Robinson, Jonah Hill and Jay Baruchel – ample individual time in the spotlight. But if a standout from the cast has to be selected, it’s Danny McBride. The movie makes the actor seem like he is absolutely the last person on the planet who you want to be stuck in the apocalypse with - as his selfishness and petulance seemingly knows no bounds – and the performance created some of the best scenes in an overall hysterical feature. And it all kicks off with an amazing movie music moment.

Knowing how much trouble and chaos the character winds up creating in the film, I can imagine that Rogen and Goldberg spent a good amount of time picking out the perfect introduction song for Danny McBride, and they totally nailed it with a track by Cypress Hill. Featuring a chorus that repeats the line "When tha shit goes down ya better be ready," there is a great foreshadowing element to all of the terribleness that McBride is about to unleash on all of his "friends," and the beat gives him something perfect to dance to as we watch his feet cross through Franco’s house down to the kitchen (where he will do his part to waste the group’s food supply). Thanks to the song selection we know everything we need to know about McBride within 30 seconds of his arrival on screen, and that’s what a great movie music moment does.

Frozen

"Let It Go" by Idina Menzel

Disney’s Frozen offered a number of memorable musical moments, among which was Josh Gad’s snowman character Olaf hilariously and obliviously daydreaming about how great it’ll be to do "whatever snow does in summer," and a group of trolls enthusiastically singing about accepting people’s flaws with "Fixer Upper," but no song was quite as powerful and moving as Elsa’s "Let it Go," the song she sings as she abandons the castle and her newly acquired crown in favor of being free to use her frosty super powers whenever and however she wants.

In addition to sufficiently making up for the Idina Menzel sung song we were so unfortunately denied in Disney's Enchanted, "Let it Go" is also an outstanding demonstration the Broadway star’s powerful vocals in a tune that emphasizes her character’s frustration, which set a course for her to become an unintentional almost-villain — or at the very least, a misunderstood woman with powers not entirely within her control. The "Let it Go" sequence is thrilling and moving, and both audibly and visually stunning all at once. Watching Elsa belt out her song while shedding her gloves and building herself a beautiful ice castle in the mountains, we’re torn between feeling happy for her, for being free to finally be herself and embrace the things that make her special, and sad for her for having no place else to do that but near the top of a mountain, all by herself. (by Kelly West)

The Spectacular Now

"Live Fast Live Hard Die Young" by Faron Young

It’s not hard to see why the Sutter, the free-wheeling protagonist of James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now would be attracted to the song "Live Fast Live Hard Die Young" by Faron Young. First released in 1955, the song’s message about living life to the fullest and leaving behind a good looking corpse fits perfectly with his personal philosophy regarding living in the moment and never bothering to think too far into the future. Unfortunately, it’s this personal connection that also leads to one of the most devastating moments in the film.

Sutter plays the song on a jukebox for his estranged father, Tommy (Kyle Chandler) at a bar hoping that it will bring them together, Sutter not only believing his dad to have the same philosophy as himself, but also a memory of hearing it when he was a kid and his parents were still together. This reach leads to nothing but rejection, however, as Tommy not only dismisses the song but also his son’s memory. The reunion only deteriorates further from there, but even after the song has ended you can still practically hear it echoing as Sutter learns who his father really is and who he may be destined to become. It’s one of the most crucial scenes in the film, and the song choice is perfect.

The World’s End

"I’m Free" by The Soup Dragons

In Edgar Wright’s The World’s End, Simon Pegg stars as a man who knows exactly who he is. During his teenage years, the black trench coat-wearing Gary King decided that he just wanted to live life to have fun, and that’s exactly what he did (of course, that also meant starting up some terrible drug and alcohol habits). He prides himself on his freedom, so naturally when he first heard the song "I’m Free" by The Soup Dragons he connected with it to the point that it can practically be called his anthem.

The song first appears in the movie shortly after Gary’s childhood friends have all arrived back in their hometown of Newton Haven and get picked up by their "leader" in his hunk of shit car to go on their drinking marathon. Watching Gary sing along to the track you can see that he’s filled with glee, but also notice his intense desperation to get his friends in on the fun (which just about works until Gary creepily admits that the song is being played off a cassette mixtape). Beyond just being a song he listens to, however, the lyrics have practically become mantra. What does Gary tell the Network at the end when asked what the human race wants? "We want to be free to do what we want."

The Kings of Summer

"Pipe Drumming" by Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso and Moises Arias

Suburban life does not fit Joe (Nick Robinson) and Patrick (Gabriel Basso), the two leads of Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ coming-of-age dramedy The Kings of Summer. Both of them have parents and homes that they can’t stand, and in an act of rebellion against the system they team up with their odd friend Biaggio (Moises Arias) to leave civilization behind and make a fresh start for themselves deep in the woods. They build their shelter by hand and make plans to live off the land. It’s a return to nature, and one that’s ushered forward by a loud drumbeat created by hitting sticks against a giant metal pipe.

I will admit that a big reason for this entry’s inclusion into the list is because the beat the drummers create is just so catchy, but it’s also just impressive how it evokes memories of childhood and elegantly fits with the movie’s themes. Most men – and probably more than a few women - can think back on their childhood walking through the woods and hitting trees, rocks and pipes with sticks – be it to create rhythm or just with the intention of destroy stuff. With his film Vogt-Roberts gives us a meaningful and reflective look at a very specific age and the pipe scene definitely hits on that (if you’ll pardon the pun).

Her

"The Moon Song" by Scarlet Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix

Following a successful collaboration on a re-recording of "Wake Up" for Where The Wild Things Are, director Spike Jonze and the band Arcade Fire reteamed to create the score for the sci-fi romance Her, and the result is spectacular. The band’s almost haunting guitar and drum work beautifully accentuate the sense of loneliness in the film’s atmosphere and it has a lasting effect even after you’ve left the theater. Great as their work in the movie is, though, it’s actually Scarlet Johansson and Joaquin Phoenix’s duet performance of Karen O’s "The Moon Song" that creates not only the film’s best movie music moment, but one of the best of the year.

Over the course of Her the relationship between the emotionally fragile Theodore (Phoenix) and the conscious operating system Samantha (Johansson) undergoes a number of wonderful ups and heart-shredding downs, but the performance of "The Moon Song" comes pleasantly during an upswing. Theodore and Samantha decide to take a vacation together, and while resting together in bed he picks up a ukulele and the two of them sing while looking up at a giant full moon in the sky. It’s the kind of moment that’s photographed in your memory forever when thinking about a relationship with someone and it’s stunning to watch in the context of the story.

Spring Breakers

"Everytime" by James Franco

While he may have a few duds on his filmography, James Franco really is an incredibly talented perform, and he has never demonstrated that more clearly than with his performance in Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers. The actor fully disappears into his role as the corn-rowed gangster/rapper/drug dealer Alien and elevates the film’s crazy level to 11 as the character leads a group of college girls on a crime spree around St. Petersburg, Florida. The real insanity of the performance and the story, though, comes towards the middle of the film when Alien and his girls sit by a piano and sing a rendition of the Britney Spears song "Everytime."

Alien sings the song to express his love to his "soulmates" – which seems to work quite well – but it’s the way that the tune operates against the tone that makes it such a great movie music moment. Most of the film’s soundtrack is comprised of dubstep and hard beat techno, so when Alien starts belting out a pop ballad you can’t help but raise an eyebrow and laugh. Let’s also not forget that this is a movie starring a group of former Disney princesses and that Britney Spears used to be a Mickey Mouse Club member, so the whole thing works on multiple levels.

The Spectacular Now has been in theaters for a month now and has slowly emerged as a quiet late summer hit. The heartfelt, low-key romance stars Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley-- both of them huge up-and-comers with giant franchises in their future-- as a pair of teenagers, Sutter and Aimee, who start a relationship. He's a popular guy with a major drinking problem, she's a wallflower brainiac who hasn't attended a party in her life. In most movies their relationship would be a boundary-crossing scandal and it would all come to a head at prom. But The Spectacular Now, while funnier and tenderer than most real high school experiences, is leagues more realistic than most teen romances-- and leagues more affecting as a result.

After premiering at Sundance-- where a special prize was created for Woodley and Teller-- and traveling to SXSW, The Spectacular Now is winning over audiences across the country, and arrives at a time of great change for its stars as well as its director, James Ponsoldt. Ponsoldt was at Sundance just last year with Smashed, and six years before that with Off the Black, but his career has accelerated significantly since January of this year. He's adapting the Broadway musical Pippin for the Weinstein Company, working to cast the Hillary Clinton biopic Rodham, and at some point dipping his own toe into the broad world of dystopian young adult fiction with an adaptation of Pure. It's a big change for a guy who started off solely as a writer-director, and since I had already chatted with Ponsoldt and Teller about the movie at Sundance, I took the time to talk a little more broadly about Ponsoldt's influences, his goals as he moves on to directing movies based on other peoples' scripts, and his commitments to making movies that feel like they're set where they actually are-- which includes revisiting his hometown of Athens, Georgia and making strip malls look beautiful.

Check out the trailer for Spectacular Now and our conversation below it, and see the movie now in theaters.

I was looking at your Tumblr this morning and you posted something about Say Anything and about Lloyd Dobler. It seems like that movie influenced the way you think about relationships, but is there anything else similar to that?

I mean, like Say Anything really crushed me and I fell in love with Ione Skye and…

How old were you when that came out?

I mean, that came out in ’89, I would have been 11. I didn’t see it until a few years later though. I saw it on video. I mean, this isn’t romantic, but Dumbo and Bambi really fucked me up and stuck with me. Woody Allen stuff, I mean Annie Hall and Manhattan really did a number on me. My mom loves, still, silent movies, so there were a lot of Charlie Chaplin, like City Lights was one that I watched with my mom. City Lights is one that I just remember just crushed me, and then Nights of Cabiria was another one, Fellini and it stars his wife. She plays this prostitute who’s this kind of sad clown and she’s amazing. It’s devastating, this tragic comic and the world shits upon her but she refuses to feel sorry for herself. I mean the end, if you go back and watch City Lights and Nights of Cabiria, they have the best ending ever and there’s like Charlie Chaplin as this sad tramp and there’s this blind girl. At the end of it, it just kind of, the world can be so mean, how do people stay alive and not blow their fucking brains out? How do they keep trying? That feeling of like, God, but people will still get up, and people will still keep trying. Don’t they know to stay down?

Or a book like The Moviegoer or a book like Catcher in the Rye or whatever, where it’s like, but yet people keep trying. It’s like they catch you when you’re at your most low and shitty and alone and like feeling like nobody gets me, like no one has ever dealt with what I’m dealing with. I can think of some albums as well, like Blood on the Tracks or Blonde on Blonde, albums where they catch you at the right moment, it’s like, “Oh no, other people have dealt with it.” They process it. There’s been trauma, recovery. There’s scar tissue. They’re able to articulate it now in like a work of art and it’s worth, life can be really painful, but it can also be lovely and it’s worth moving forward.

I was just going to say, your movies haven’t been quite that painful, like nothing is as bad as Dumbo being ripped away from his mom.

There’s still time.

But, here’s the thing. I just rewatched Smashed this morning and the look on Aaron Paul’s face, like the last shot you see of him, just kills you and it feels like you’re digging at that.

There’s time. I mean, it’s interesting. I’m not a sadist. I mean, there’s films sometimes where I’m like, “That’s so emotionally manipulative.” Film is inevitably kind of, it can be emotionally manipulative. I guess that’s name of the game in some way, but I just feel like such a fierce advocate for the characters and I love them so much, that I like being gentle with them, you know. When I watch a Hal Ashby movie or a Paul Mazursky movie, there’s such love and there’s pain, but like, it never feels like they want to punish these characters.

But you do have to punish, I mean you do punish the characters in this movie.

You have to make life really hard for them, yeah. You have to make life hard for them, but I don’t ever want to feel like they’re a prop or a marionette, and sometimes I see that and I’m like, “Oh, I don’t think he really identified…”

The Lars Von Trier method, not that he’s not a genius, but…

Yeah, I respect it. It’s beyond melodrama. Like when I watch old Nicholas Ray movies, really melodramatic things or even Douglas Sirk is like a really great example of melodrama where it’s like these are types, but he knows he’s dealing in types. That’s kind of what I feel like Lars Von Trier is doing, where it’s almost expressionist. I mean, I love some Lars Von Trier movies.

But you’re making people more than…

I mean, I just think, I want to make characters who you can actually see yourself in and who you’re not feeling like, there’s a sense of distance where it’s like, that’s the other and where I’m like watching someone go through a morality play, you know, almost medieval or dark ages morality play where someone’s, there’s going to be some social injustice, they’re going to get punished and die for all of our sins. For me, there’s like a schism and a disconnect from characters at some point when I see that and I’m like, I get it. You’re making people cry, but people are able to see that movie as something other than something their dealing with in their own life. I like movies that are a little more tricky, that gets their hooks in you. My perverted masturbatory fantasy is that weeks later, months later, someone might be having an experience in a relationship that may be unhealthy, after a night of partying and go, “Oh, fuck.” It’s literally like that moment when that character did that really embarrassing thing. They can find themselves in it and when they can totally find agency and surrogacy in a character.

That's how Fruitvale Station is working for people too, because you have to take the extra step of getting all these upper class white people into this black guy’s head. I don’t know. There are so many different ways to do that.

Yeah, Fruitvale is one too, where I think it will be 20 years from now, it will be one of the movies of 2013, that people are still talking about and some of the reviews have said, you know, something to the extent of, “What did his death have to do with anything that came before it?” You know what I mean? It could have been any kind of death, but I do feel like you’re exactly right. The truth is, it was a senseless and stupid death, but I feel like the real beauty of it isn’t just how Ryan dramatized that last sequence of the death, which is stunning, everything from the subway going out before midnight with the dance sequence. It’s just so alive and so much joy and it’s just devastating. It’s really, I think I heard, it was Coppola I read once said, a great movie, it’s second best scene should be at the beginning, it’s very best scene should be at the end and everything in between should make sense, like the ending of that movie really just bops you over the head. But that’s not the genius of it. I think I read Ray Bradbury once say something like a good story is creating a complicated character and following them throughout a day in their life. He’s a regular guy and he’s dealing with shit and he’s trying to get his life together and it’s a very normal life. I think that’s the beauty of it actually, is that it’s not a sensationalist story, because he’s not a spy. He’s not really, yeah, he slings drugs a bit, but he’s not really about that. It’s a very average life, but like honest and textured and worthy of depicting. That was the humanism of Ryan Coogler. It’s very easy afterward for someone to make a critique of that film and say they should have done X,Y, or Z. He was the guy that became aware of a life, because of a death, but his interest was in depicting the life. He had the interest and he spent the real hard sweat and time in creating that 90 minute story and other people didn’t. You know what I mean? Other people didn’t and he did.

You're transitioning into directing scripts by other people, like with Pure and Rodham? Is it inevitability because just when you want to make a lot of movies, you’re going to have to make other people’s stuff or is it something you really want to move into?

I think I want to do all of it. I want to tell really great stories. It’s funny, my buddy Craig Zobel, did an interview with me for Filmmaker, for the new issue. We were talking about that as well, like if you get someone else’s script, that someone else wrote, that’s great, do you feel a compulsion that you have to rewrite it just to put your name on it or something? It’s like, why would I? As long as they’re willing to put in the time when things need to change, why would I rewrite it? It’s just my ego wanting to put my name there. I’m a slow writer, is the thing. I hope that directing or kind of overseeing a rewrite or whatever, on someone else’s script, that it doesn’t impede me from doing my own writing. I haven’t crossed that bridge yet.

So, are you writing anything new of your own while you’re doing all of these other projects

I am slowly working on an original thing now, although most of my writing has been…

You’re doing Pippin and that’s writing. That’s writing only, right?

Pippin is writing only.

And then Rodham is writing and directing.

No, no. It’s just overseeing kind of Young’s rewrite of it.

Oh, that’s right. It was a Black List script. So that’s the same situation then.

Yeah, and then Pure is writing and then yeah, there’s this original thing set in the early ‘90s that I’ve been working on very ploddingly.

It’s like your thing that you have in the drawer.

Kind of. But it’s something that’s kind of a passion project. It's sort of almost like, not Ice Storm in terms of tone, but as far as a constellation of characters in relation to a very specific place and time.

In the early 90s?

Early 90s. 1991, yeah.

What’s the place?

Athens, Georgia.

Oh, ok. That makes sense.

Yeah, yeah, yeah and kind of a family.

But you don’t know what’s going first?

I have no idea...thats the thing, it’s like I made a feature Off the Black and then went to Sundance lab with another thing and tried to get it made for four years and it was really hard. It was a tough drama about kids and violence and unless you have a trust fund, which I don’t, I can’t pull the trigger and say this is what I’m going to do next. Know what I mean? And you never know what’s going to, sometimes it’s just an actor saying, “I want to do it,” and that’s what makes it go.

But now you’ve got, like the Weinsteins, they have Pippin. They can always be like, “No, next week, you’re going to go make this thing happen.” That’s so different.

It’s so different and after that, and maybe even before that, I had already been in conversations for this other thing I’m doing with them, which is called Forgive Me Leonard Peacock, which is this awesome book. It’s Matthew Quick, who did Silver Linings Playbook and it just is coming out now, which again is a kid in high school, a kid who is going to school with a gun to kill his ex best friend, is how it starts, but it’s really emotional. It reminds me of those Lindsay Anderson movies, like If and I don’t know, like angry young man, and that I’ll be writing and directing.

I thought of Smashed and Spectacular Now as being really different than watching them again back to back just now, I kind of realized that the style is not that dissimilar. They’re both really beautiful, really like small scale. Is the thing that you want to do next, whatever it winds up being, is it a style expansion? Is it a story expansions? Is there some specific kind of, what’s the next challenge thing in your mind?

I think the idea of working within genre and just making things. It’s interesting how I just think of things, I mean, I love genre filmmaking but it’s crazy how when I think of specific genres, like musical, sci-fi, like the ones within those genres that actually make me feel something are very few and far between.

In any genre, really.

Yeah, and that’s a bummer. I think of late, when we talk about sci-fi, we talk about Children of Men, because it’s like actually kind of makes you feel something, and why’s that so hard? When we talk about musicals, everyone is like Umbrellas of Cherbourg, The Singing Detective or Singin' in the Rain, because you feel something, or Wizard of Oz, where you feel something. My goal would always be to ground it in characters like with performance that just knock you on your ass. I love the idea of creating, of world-building, I guess, and that’s the fun thing.

To build, like not make it in the real world and build a fake world.

Yeah, or just a distorted version of our world. It’s like you can’t do that a lot.

Because you haven’t really done that yet.

No, you can’t really. I mean, the little kid in me that watched Wizard of Oz and was like, how amazing would it be to create that fucking world or just to like do New York in 1905. You know what I mean? Or whatever, like when I see, when I watch movies like Age of Innocence or something, it’s like man!

Or Washington in the Watergate era for Rodham.

Yeah, well, exactly. It’s a world we know, but we’ve kind of seen it even in films in like All the President’s Men. The movies that I’ve rewatched have been, I have rewatched Milk and Good Night, and Good Luck, but then movies like Patton and Goodfellas and The Fighter. Those are biopics, but they’re so cinematic and visceral that you don’t really think of them as like TV films.

Your movies are really beautiful, but there are a lot of spaces that are not that impressive. And you seem to really put in the effort to make them all look beautiful or to do something interesting with the spaces that aren’t that striking. Why?

Picking your locations is like casting your lead actor, like I put a ton of thought into casting, say, Miles Teller. I do the exact thing in every location. It’s what you’re going to see. The movies that I love the most, locations are one of the main characters, if not the defining character. When people do regional filmmaking, like the Midwest or the South, or depict like a socioeconomic thing, of like lower middle class or white poverty, or things like that, it’s something I’m very acutely sensitive to, because it’s a world that I guess, I know. Nine times out of ten, certainly big Hollywood gets it so wrong in a patently offensive and reductive way. Not everyone wants to see aspirational stories of like bourgie white people in Santa Barbara, you know what I mean, or Manhattan and I don’t know. For the exact same reason I would want to cast actors who look and feel real and not cover up the blemishes, lines in their face with makeup, but actually show, if that’s the map of their life on their face, I really want to underline it and allow them to be them.

Of course, that’s what I want with the locations as well. I bemoan the idea that like, everything is just gonna look generic and, there’s beauty in a strip mall, but if you’re gonna, you should really embrace that’s it’s a really surreal space. It’s a product of where I grew up. I I find I love every city that I’ve ever been to and I just love understanding the soul of a city or a town or a place, and that’s as much as I would want to understand like Aimee Finicky or Sutter, I really want to understand the place and just have a very specific idea of the way the characters relate to that place and the way that it defines them. I grew up with crickets. I grew up in the woods. It would take a car ten minutes to get to school. It was space and sound and it’s like it’s what the internal monologue of my childhood is very different than someone who would grow up here. You either embrace that or you think that movies are story and character, but I think they are story, character, and place.

Following in the footsteps of The World's End cast, and Before Midnight's Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, among others, the latest actors to take an amusing stand against texting and cell phone chatting during movies for an Alamo Drafthouse PSA are The Spectacular Now's Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller. The adorable duo urge movie fans to consider what they're doing before they make the choice to text, and threaten those who commit this heinous theater-going infraction.

"Don't do it," Teller urges theater goers. "Answering a text is a very serious choice, and when you do that, when you look down at that, you need to ask yourself, 'Am I being a dick'?"

"Do you want your ass kicked out?" Woodley asks

"Because we will kick it out!" the two state.

Texting during the movie ruins lives. And Miles Teller's going to ruin your life. Kevin.

What's great about the video - beyond how well Woodley and Teller sell it - is the song that plays in the background, which is likely a nod to The Spectacular Now but also gives the PSA a bizarre John Hughes vibe, which I suppose is fitting, as there have been comparisons referenced between the great John Hughes and TSN.

Not having seen the film yet, I can't comment on the Hughes comparisons, but watching the PSA, it has occurred to me that Woodley would've made a pretty excellent star of a John Hughes movie. She's just the right amount of honest, pretty and real to work for something like that, which may benefit her in James Ponsoldt's adaptation of Tim Tharp's novel.

And speaking of Woodley, you may have noticed her long hair in the above video. Or maybe you haven't, as her hair's always long, but it won't be for long. The actor announced that this weekend, she's cutting it all off and donating it to charity. The haircut is likely in preparation for her next lead role in a feature adaptation of a popular book, The Fault In Our Stars, which is expected to go into production later this month. We also have Divergent to look forward to early next year.

If you need help differentiating between The Fault in our Stars, The Spectacular Now and Divergent, click the thumbnail below for a helpful infographic.

At this point Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley don’t really have to prove anything to anybody. In 2010 he broke out with a great turn starring alongside Nicole Kidman in the deep drama Rabbit Hole, and was the best part of Craig Brewer’s Footloose; while she caught many movie-goers’ attention with her stand-out part playing George Clooney’s daughter in Alexander Payne’s The Descendants and has already parlayed that success into landing the role as Mary-Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2. But just because we’re not surprised by the blisteringly incredible performances they give in James Ponsoldt’s The Spectacular Now doesn’t diminish who truly great they are.

Based on the novel by Tim Tharp and adapted by (500) Days of Summer writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the film centers on Sutter Keely (Teller), a senior in high school and fun-loving alcoholic who strictly lives by his philosophy of living in the now. After being dumped by his girlfriend (Brie Larson), he meets fellow classmate Aimee (Woodley), an innocent girl who has never had a boyfriend before. Sutter expects her to be done with him by the end of the year as she matures and moves past him, but as their relationship and emotional bond gets stronger they both begin to grow together.

It’s hard to describe just how incredible the two stars are just because of how deeply they fall into their characters. Teller brings a fun, irrepressible charm that connects you to Sutter in both the light times and the dark, and Woodley is able to do the same by giving Aimee the perfect blend of innocence and strength. Both are thrown some deeply emotional scenes, but their performers are completely invisible, and you can’t help but just feel sucked in and invested in them. It would also be a horrific mistake not to mention the brief-but-terrific supporting turns by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead, but there’s no denying who the standouts really are.

The Spectacular Now is a powerful film and a big reason it’s able to maintain its emotional punch is by never being preachy or over-dramatic. In the hands of lesser filmmakers the story would focus on how the wayward youths find their way back to the straight and narrow, but instead Ponsoldt respects his mature, mixed-up, problem troubled characters and doesn’t use them to talk down to the viewer. Sutter is clearly an alcoholic, but the film never forces judgment on him – instead it’s authentic about the psychological and physical consequences and lets the audience assess him themselves. The movie is also just as much a comedy as it is a drama, with multiple laugh-out-loud moments and charming scenes. It’s an emotionally honest film that earns its weight.

The Spectacular Now is a movie you’re going to be hearing about for the entire year. It got its start at the Sundance Film Festival in January – where it got an explosive response after its world premiere – and that buzz is going to continue all the way through its eventual theatrical release and on to award season. It’s simply to phenomenal to ignore.

For more of our SXSW 2013 coverage, click HERE.

The last film to win both the Audience Award and U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival was Precious in 2009, almost exactly a year before it went on to become a Best Picture Oscar nominee. Now history may be ready to repeat itself, with the intense drama Fruitvale taking both of those top prizes at last night's Sundance awards ceremony. As former Fox chairman Tom Rothman said when presenting the prize, "This will not be the last time you guys walk to a podium."

There were plenty of other winners last night, though-- there were jokes going around that Sundance is basically like the awards handed out at the end of a Little League team's season, giving everyone a chance to be recognized. With Fruitvale taking up the top two prizes for the U.S. Dramatic category, the jury came up with ways to award a few other contenders, handing the Directing prize in the category to Afternoon Delight helmer Jill Soloway, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award to In A World writer-director Lake Bell, and creating two special jury prizes for The Spectacular Now (for lead actors Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley) and Upstream Color (for sound design, which sounds more like a "sorry we couldn't give you more" apology than any festival prize I've ever seen). There was also a Cinematography Award given to Bradford Young, who shot two of the festival's most gorgeous entries, Ain't Them Bodies Saints and Mother of George

All of those films are likely to make their way in front of audiences, with Fruitvale picked up by the Weinstein Company, The Spectacular Now at A24, Ain't Them Bodies Saints at IFC, Mother of George at Oscilloscope, and Afternoon Delight and In A World… definitely heading for distribution shortly. The other winners might prove trickier to find, and even the winner of two U.S. Documentary prizes Blood Brother has yet to find distribution-- though the buzz around its two wins last night will probably help change that.

You can see a full list of the Sundance award winners below, and for our full lineup of Sundance coverage-- which isn't over yet!-- click here.

U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary: Blood Brother / U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.

U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic: Fruitvale / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.

World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary: A River Changes Course / Cambodia, U.S.A. (Director: Kalyanee Mam) — Three young Cambodians struggle to overcome the crushing effects of deforestation, overfishing, and overwhelming debt in this devastatingly beautiful story of a country reeling from the tragedies of war and rushing to keep pace with a rapidly expanding world.

World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic: Jiseul / South Korea (Director and screenwriter: Muel O) — In 1948, as the Korean government ordered the Communists’ eviction to Jeju Island, the military invaded a calm and peaceful village. Townsfolk took sanctuary in a cave and debated moving to a higher mountain. Cast: Min-chul SUNG, Jung-won YANG, Young-soon OH, Soon-dong PARK, Suk-bum MOON, Kyung-sub JANG.

Audience Award: U.S. Documentary: Blood Brother / U.S.A. (Director: Steve Hoover) — Rocky went to India as a disillusioned tourist. When he met a group of children with HIV, he decided to stay. He never could have imagined the obstacles he would face, or the love he would find.

Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic: Fruitvale / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ryan Coogler) — The true story of Oscar, a 22-year-old Bay Area resident who crosses paths with friends, enemies, family and strangers on the last day of 2008. Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Melonie Diaz, Ahna O'Reilly, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray.

Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary: The Square (Al Midan) / Egypt, U.S.A. (Director: Jehane Noujaim) — What does it mean to risk your life for your ideals? How far will five revolutionaries go in defending their beliefs in the fight for their nation?

Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic: Metro Manila / United Kingdom, Philippines (Director: Sean Ellis, Screenwriters: Sean Ellis, Frank E. Flowers) — Seeking a better life, Oscar and his family move from the poverty-stricken rice fields to the big city of Manila, where they fall victim to various inhabitants whose manipulative ways are a daily part of city survival. Cast: Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega.

Audience Award: Best of NEXT <=> : This is Martin Bonner / U.S.A.(Director and screenwriter: Chad Hartigan) — Martin Bonner has just moved to Reno for a new job in prison rehabilitation. Starting over at age 58, he struggles to adapt until an unlikely friendship with an ex-con blossoms, helping him confront the problems he left behind. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Richmond Arquette, Sam Buchanan, Robert Longstreet, Demetrius Grosse.

Directing Award: U.S. Documentary: Cutie and the Boxer / U.S.A. (Director: Zachary Heinzerling) — This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. Anxious to shed her role of assistant to her overbearing husband, Noriko seeks an identity of her own.

Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic :Afternoon Delight / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jill Soloway) — In this sexy, dark comedy, a lost L.A. housewife puts her idyllic life in jeopardy when she tries to rescue a stripper by taking her in as a live-in nanny. Cast: Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor, Jane Lynch.

Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary: The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear / Georgia, Germany (Director: Tinatin Gurchiani) — A film director casting a 15-23-year-old protagonist visits villages and cities to meet people who answer her call. She follows those who prove to be interesting enough through various dramatic and funny situations

Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic: Crystal Fairy / Chile (Director and screenwriter: Sebastián Silva) — Jamie invites a stranger to join a road trip to Chile. The woman’s free and esoteric nature clashes with Jamie’s acidic, self-absorbed personality as they head into the desert for a Mescaline-fueled psychedelic trip. Cast: Michael Cera, Gaby Hoffmann, Juan Andrés Silva, José Miguel Silva, Agustín Silva.

Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic:In a World… / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Lake Bell) — An underachieving vocal coach is motivated by her father, the king of movie-trailer voice-overs, to pursue her aspirations of becoming a voiceover star. Amidst pride, sexism and family dysfunction, she sets out to change the voice of a generation. Cast: Lake Bell, Demetri Martin, Rob Corddry, Michaela Watkins, Ken Marino, Fred Melamed.

Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic: Wajma (An Afghan Love Story) / Afghanistan (Director and screenwriter: Barmak Akram) — A young man in Kabul seduces a girl. When she tells him she’s pregnant, he questions having taken her virginity. Then her father arrives, and a timeless, archaic violence erupts – possibly leading to a crime, and even a sacrifice. Cast: Wajma Bahar, Mustafa Habibi, Haji Gul, Breshna Bahar.

Editing Award: U.S. Documentary: Gideon's Army / U.S.A. (Director: Dawn Porter) — Gideon’s Army follows three young, committed Public Defenders who are dedicated to working for the people society would rather forget. Long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads are so common that even the most committed often give up.

Editing Award: World Cinema Documentary: The Summit / Ireland, United Kingdom (Director: Nick Ryan) — Twenty-four climbers converged at the last stop before summiting the most dangerous mountain on Earth. Forty-eight hours later, 11 had been killed or simply vanished. Had one, Ger McDonnell, stuck to the climbers' code, he might still be alive.

Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary:Dirty Wars / U.S.A. (Director: Richard Rowley) — Investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill chases down the truth behind America’s covert wars.

Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic: Bradford Young for Ain’t Them Bodies Saints and Mother of George.

• Ain't Them Bodies Saints / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: David Lowery) — The tale of an outlaw who escapes from prison and sets out across the Texas hills to reunite with his wife and the daughter he has never met. Cast: Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster, Nate Parker, Keith Carradine.

• Mother of George / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Dosunmu, Screenwriter: Darci Picoult) — A story about a woman willing to do anything and risk everything for her marriage.Cast: Isaach De Bankolé, Danai Gurira, Tony Okungbowa, Yaya Alafia, Bukky Ajayi.

Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary: Who is Dayani Cristal? / United Kingdom (Director: Marc Silver) — An anonymous body in the Arizona desert sparks the beginning of a real-life human drama. The search for its identity leads us across a continent to seek out the people left behind and the meaning of a mysterious tattoo.

Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic: Lasting / Poland, Spain (Director and screenwriter: Jacek Borcuch) — An emotional love story about two Polish students who fall in love with each other while working summer jobs in Spain. An unexpected nightmare interrupts their carefree time in the heavenly landscape and throws their lives into chaos. Cast: Jakub Gierszal, Magdalena Berus, Angela Molina.

U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Achievement in Filmmaking: Inequality for All / U.S.A. (Director: Jacob Kornbluth) — In this timely and entertaining documentary, noted economic-policy expert Robert Reich distills the topic of widening income inequality, and addresses the question of what effects this increasing gap has on our economy and our democracy.

U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Achievement in Filmmaking: American Promise / U.S.A. (Directors: Joe Brewster, Michèle Stephenson) — This intimate documentary follows the 12-year journey of two African-American families pursuing the promise of opportunity through the education of their sons.

U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting: Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley in The Spectacular Now / U.S.A. (Director: James Ponsoldt, Screenwriters: Scott Neustadter, Michael H. Weber) — Sutter is a high school senior who lives for the moment; Aimee is the introvert he attempts to "save." As their relationship deepens, the lines between right and wrong, friendship and love, and "saving" and corrupting become inextricably blurred. Cast: Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kyle Chandler.

U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Sound Design: Shane Carruth and Johnny Marshall for Upstream Color / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Shane Carruth) — A man and woman are drawn together, entangled in the life cycle of an ageless organism. Identity becomes an illusion as they struggle to assemble the loose fragments of wrecked lives. Cast: Amy Seimetz, Shane Carruth, Andrew Sensenig, Thiago Martins.

World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award: Circles / Serbia, Germany, France, Croatia, Slovenia (Director: Srdan Golubovic, Screenwriters: Srdjan Koljevic, Melina Pota Koljevic) — Five people are affected by a tragic heroic act. Twenty years later, all of them will confront the past through their own crises. Will they overcome guilt, frustration and their urge for revenge? Will they do the right thing, at all costs? Cast: Aleksandar Bercek, Leon Lucev, Nebojsa Glogovac, Hristina Popovic, Nikola Rakocevic, Vuk Kostic.

World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Punk Spirit: Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer / Russian Federation, United Kingdom (Directors: Mike Lerner, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Three young women face seven years in a Russian prison for a satirical performance in a Moscow cathedral. But who is really on trial: the three young artists or the society they live in?

Short Film Audience Award: Catnip: Egress to Oblivion? / U.S.A.(Director: Jason Willis) — Catnip is all the rage with today's modern feline, but do we really understand it? This film frankly discusses the facts about this controversial substance.

One of the earliest and most universally well-loved hits at this year's Sundance FIlm Festival was The Spectacular Now, which honestly, we all should have been coming. It's directed by James Ponsoldt, who made last year's very well-liked Smashed, and stars Shailene Woodley and Miles Teller, two of the best young actors working right now. It had all the potential in the world, and it delivered, telling a touching but unconventional story of teenage romance with more than enough darkness stirred in to the mix; the audience was laughing uproariously at the beginning of the film, and most of them were in tears by the end.

The movie has been picked up by upstart distributor A24 films, with a release planned for this July, and it's a strong contender to be one of the prizewinners at tomorrow's festival awards ceremony. You can read much more about the movie in my lengthy review or in this video blog, or you could just hear from the people behind the movie themselves. Below is a selection from my conversation with Teller and Ponsoldt, just two days after the film's sold-out premiere and right before news broke that the film had been acquired. They tell stories about their own wild high school days--Teller's lead character Sutter is the life of all the parties-- and how Teller and Woodley established their sibling-like relationship with "some weird sexual tension." Read all about it below.

James, you said at the Q&A that this movie is a lot like your high school experience. Miles, was yours similar too?

Teller: Yeah, I grew up in a pretty small town in Florida. 7,000 people. By middle school, most kids were drinking. Me and my buddy, when I was in 8th grade, we used to go across the street and steal his grandpa's case of Old Milwaukee on Tuesday, hide it in the woods next to my house, then on Friday go into the woods and drink it, and then ride our bikes over to these girls' house and hang out there. People were drinking by 14. You probably had tolerance by 8th and 9th grade. Its great, when you get to college, you're like "I know myself in these situations."

Ponsoldt: That was my experience too. My freshman year in college, there were all these kids going to the hospital, for me I was like "I've been doing this since I was 13."

Were you in northern or southern Florida?

Teller LIke an hour north of Tampa. Central, Gulf of Mexico, Manatee capital of the world, floating down rivers, park cars in the woods.

Manatee capital of the world?

Teller: Yeah, my county doesn't know I'm in movies. It's just like "The manatees are up this year."

What does that mean?

Teller: Like the numbers, Because they're endangered.

And James, you said you were the life of the party guy?

Teller: [Imitating a high school kid] "Oh, Ponsy's comin'! Yeah!"

Ponsoldt: I was the guy who would do anything. "Oh you won't drink that. You won't steal that." "Yeah I will!" I think I desperately wanted to be liked, and for people to think I was cool. I would be crazier than other people, and I was really bad at it, because I would just keep getting arrested. I was really kind of destroying my life.

Teller: But always getting good grades and all that stuff…

Ponsodlt: Kinda. There were kids who, in 6th and 7th grade-when we were learning how to roll joints and stuff together-- I had gotten arrested a bunch in middle school and early high school, while I was still a juvenile. There was sort of a scared straight moment when I met this girl, who was the daughter of two professors at the University of Georgia. She was a lot like Aimee, and it was like our relationship. But i realized I am never leaving Georgia if I keep doing this. By the time I was a senior and getting into college, the kids I was partying with when I was 12 and 13 were getting into heroin and meth and stuff. It totally could have been me. I don't relate-- I guess I was life of the party in doe way, but it came out of some desperate need to be liked.

Teller: My second grade teacher told me I would never graduate high school. That I was going to be a juvenile delinquent.

What were you doing in second grade?

Teller: Nothing! I don't know, interrupting story time? When I was in middle school, I always did well in school, but teachers either loved me or absolutely hated me.

Were you the class cut-up?

Teller: A little bit, probably. I don't know, I just always thought I was funny, so whenever i had a joke, I would say it. I couldn't just sit on it, I had to get it out there.

Did you ever have the same fear that you wouldn't get out of town? When did you start acting?

Teller: I got into acting my junior year of high school. We got a new hot drama teacher and I was like "Alright, I'll try drama." And yeah, I don't know. I did throw all the parties. My buddy had a fake ID and we were the only ones who could get kegs. But I was also president of the drama club, I was in the National Honor Society, and jazz band. And I played sports and I was homecoming king. I had all these different groups of friends. I played drums in a band that was freaking terrible.

Ponsoldt: What were they called?

Teller: The Mutes. We were playing at the homecoming parade and the power went out on our amps. We were like "The Mutes!" Which is actually a real band name. It was taken, we got a letter. I always and ambition. I always knew I was going to go to college. I could party and do that stuff, but I always got straight As and a 4.0 and all that.

You're not supposed to admit that you were homecoming king. The narrative is that everyone who's an actor was a loser in high school.

Teller: No. I really wasn't. I loved high school, it was awesome.

James you clearly have a thing for romances, and Miles you have a lot that you're filming. Obviously you choose things differently, but is there something for each of you that especially appeals for you about romances?

Ponsoldt: I have this weird theory that every single movie is a love story, and it's just finding what that love story is. It's not as literal as "boy meets girl." What is your greatest human need and what does your soul love more than anything else? In movies, the good ones-- it's home, more than anything else. If you can find that love, that's what people connect to. I like fully dimensionalized characters and I like really flawed people failing and then getting back up and then failing. As long as there's some effort to find human connection, whether or not they're together at the end of the movie. The hope is in the trying.

Teller: For me, I had a taste for comedies, I had a taste for drama. The last few things I've done have been comedy oriented. Especially after watching this, that's why I like to do drama. You can affect people. For me it's always honesty. If it's an honest story, comedy or drama, I can attach to it and do it. Everyone likes to fall in love if it's written in a nice way. If you and the co-star have a good chemistry. Me and Shailene have awesome chemistry. It's so relaxing when you have someone you know you can trust, and that no one is trying to steal the scene and you can just play off each other. That's a credit to Shailene's talent.

Did you have to test opposite each other to get that part, since Shailene was already attached?

Ponsoldt: I didn't have him audition. This project had a life long before me. Literally, every young actor in Hollywood, New York, Australia, London-- everybody read for this. Pretty much every actor from 16 to 25 read for this at some point. I got to see that. People auditioned tons, but we went out and got a beer, and talked about partying. I just got a sense of who he was. I had already watched a bunch of interviews of you on Youtube. That was more interesting to me. I knew he could act, but I was more interested in seeing him spontaneously react to peoples' questions. Especially for these parts, I'm interested in finding out who the actors really are as people, and mining that and having it work in the film itself. Giving the actors the freedom to be themselves and taking all the credit for it.

Teller: I think, [Shailene] had like a final yes or no. And I guess she had liked me.

I didn't realize she had that power.

Teller: Oh yeah, she was attached early.

Ponsoldt: I wanted to make the movie, and a lot of it was because of her. I didn't want to be like "Hey, this is your co-star have fun." She was a collaborator, Miles was a collaborator, and she's brilliant. I think great actors, it's not just that they're emotionally available. They're really smart dramaturgs. They understand the DNA of the script and how to do something exciting. But also over the course of a filmography, they make exciting choices. They know what challenges those films present to them, and they know they can hit it out of the park. And if it terrifies them, they know they should stick with it.

Teller: W'ere so different, but we get along pretty well. We have an interesting relationship. I describe it as a sibling relationship with moments of weird sexual tension.

Well, you have an important sex scene so you kind of need that. Teller: Our sex scene, we both took each others' first onscreen virginity, so that will be always in our careers. We were very comfortable and casual in our sex scene. It wasn't awkward or weird or anything.

There's a myth about Sundance glamour, mostly based on red carpet photos of celebrities in fur hats, or maybe press releases about how much fun everyone had sipping complimentary cocktails at a party. And yes, there's plenty of that happening around here right now, but I'm seeing almost none of it. Instead I'm spending a whole lot of time with fellow press colleagues in tents, or more specifically in metal corrals inside tents, where we are wound up and forced to wait for whichever movie we've rushed across town to see. When you do this jig for press screenings it can be particularly dicey, since you're not guaranteed a spot. This afternoon I jumped in line half a hour before the press screening of Daniel Radcliffe's Beat-era Killing Your Darlings, and was forced out of the tent with my other dejected colleagues once the theater filled up without us.

This morning I waited in a tent-- successfully, as it turns out, to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut Don Jon's Addiction. While waiting I wrangled my pal and Operation Kino co-host Matt Patches to record another video blog about the movies we've seen in the last few days, including The Spectacular Now (which I reviewed here), Mud, Kill Your Darlings and The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete. Patches also recounts the terrifying experience of being inside that very Eccles tent when a fire extinguisher exploded yesterday.

Apologies for the odd cuts-- we were without a tripod or a pal to hold the camera, so we did our best passing it back and forth between us.

Click here for all of my Sundance coverage, and for the most up-to-the-minute updates, follow me on Twitter.

The most common of all Sundance Film Festival tropes, or at least the most exhausted, is the quirky romance between two attractive, young, mildly famous white people. It's easy to read that kind of plot description in the guide and roll your eyes, but then once in a while comes a movie like The Spectacular Now, a moving reminder that the genre just works, dammit. An adaptation of Tim Tharp's novel, stuffed with memorable characters and turns of phrase and authentic evocations of high school mania, The Spectacular Now is an instant MVP of the first half of the festival, with potential breakout hit written all over it.

Director James Ponsoldt was here at the festival just last year with the comedy-tinged alcoholism drama Smashed, but The Spectacular Now represents a major step up; Ponsoldt isn't just telling the story of another couple and the colliding forces that threaten to break them, but he's stepping up to rescue the entire genre of the high school romance. He's aided unbelievably well by Miles Teller in the lead role of Sutter Keely, a popular kid fresh off a breakup who pursues an unlikely romance with quiet, sci-fi-obssessed Aimee (Shailene Woodley). Teller turned in two fierce scenes opposite Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole, and was easily the best part of the Footloose movie, but he turns in a star-making performance here as a boy constantly putting himself in the social spotlight to avoid feeling much of anything else. Teller pops with charisma in nearly every scene, but as the film turns darker near the end, Teller's courage in baring Sutter's soul brings the movie to a new level, and himself toward what ought to be a huge career.

The story of The Spectacular Now starts simply, an unlikely romance between a popular boy and an unpopular girl, but it shows its young adult novel roots as it expands much broader, to Sutter's troubled relationship with his absent father, to Aimee's thwarted dreams of going to college, and to a series of adults in Sutter's life-- played by the wonderful likes of Bob Odenkirk, Andre Royo, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Jennifer Jason Leigh-- who just want to see him do something that matters. That much plot can make The Spectacular Now feel a good bit longer than its 90 minutes, but it's also never rushed or overstuffed, and manages a remarkably smooth turn toward drama in the second act. It's a little surprising to see the story start as a romance and become largely about Sutter's coming of age, but this is that rare, rare Sundance movie about a young man's personal struggles that also feels like it matters.

Films like this one are especially susceptible to the Sundance fever, where audiences go nuts for something here in Park City and completely ignore it at ground level. But The Spectacular Now has all the makings of a huge hit (it's not written by 500 Days of Summer's Michael H. Weber and Scott Neustadter by accident). At the very least, it proves that Woodley's vulnerable performance in The Descendants was no fluke, and sets up Teller as easily one of the best actors of his age-- though at 25, it's probably now time for him to step out of playing high-schoolers. The Spectacular Now is probably in the middle of a heated bidding war as we speak, and director Ponsoldt is already on board to direct another huge project; you'll be hearing a lot about this one down the road, and it's got the goods to live up to the hype.

The absolute weirdest celebrity cameo of the cinematic year so far-- and yes, I include Liam Neeson's presence in Battleship-- has to be the moment in Project X when our three heroes run into Miles Teller at the grocery store. They refer to him as Miles, which suggests that he's playing himself, but they also go on and on about his baseball career, when Teller is in fact an actor. He then shows up at the party and gets involved in the shenanigans that follow, but there's never really any explanation of why he's in it-- or why Teller, an up and coming actor with a lot of promise but not a lot of fame, is treated as a celebrity in the weird insular world of Project X.

But hey, maybe it was just a prediction of the future. There's no doubt Teller is on the rise, with his breakthrough role opposite Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole and his endearing work in Footloose last fall. Now he's snagged another high-profile part, with Deadline reporting that he'll join The Descendants star Shailene Woodley in The Spectacular Now, a high school drama based on Tim Tharp's novel. Teller will play the popular high school kid who dates a social outcast as "a project," then realizes just how much power he holds. It sounds like some kind of She's All That knockoff, but reviews of the book seem to suggest it's much smarter and more believable than that, and Teller's previous performances suggest he could bring a lot of depth to even the stereotypical popular-high-school-dude role.

James Ponsoldt, who directed the Sundance success Smashed, is directing The Spectacular Now, with plans to start production in Georgia this summer. With its teen focus it probably won't draw the same kind of Oscar buzz that Teller and Woodley heard from Rabbit Hole and The Descendants, respectively, but as a showcase for up-and-coming talent it seems hard to beat.

You should prepare to hear a lot more about Shailene Woodley in the next few years. While she has been the star of The Secret Life of the American Teenager for years now, last year she was given the chance to show her skills in more adult-oriented fare, starring as George Clooney's daughter in Alexander Payne's The Descendants, and she truly knocked it out of the park (and was totally robbed of an Academy Award nomination). At only 20 years old, Woodley will have many years to only improve and that will start with The Spectacular Now, according to Variety.

The trade reports that the actress has been signed on to star in the adaptation of Tim Tharp's award-winning novel, which will be directed by James Ponsoldt. Written by Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber, the story follows a young girl (Woodley) who teaches an alcoholic high school senior that "living only for the moment may not be all it's cracked up to be." The movie is described as a dramedy.

While Ponsoldt has been directing features since 2006, starting with the drama Off the Black, his most recent film, Smashed, played to rave reviews at this year's Sundance Film Festival and is set to be distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. That film stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul as an alcoholic married couple that is tested when the wife decides to turn her life around and get sober (it would seem that Ponsoldt has an affinity for characters that like the bottle). Lee Toland Krieger, whose film Celeste and Jesse Forever also played at this year's Sundance, was originally attached to direct, but had to depart due to scheduling issues.

The project is the first that Shailene Woodley has signed on for since the release of The Descendants. Hopefully it will keep her career trajectory to continue on its upward path.