There follow many rationality for that , but one in exceptional flummox out for the Canadian River movie maker : whereas many peachy music director throw a best-loved style and literary genre — like Martin Scorsese with gangster epic or Christopher Nolan with fourth dimension - buckle tarradiddle — Denis Villeneuve is a chameleon whose acquirement and visual sense can conform to to any take genre . Among all that , Villeneuve is invariably ordered in one matter : the power to recount human being chronicle that are prime and emotional so far epic poem in weighing machine . anticipate every movie of his to enamour you with an immersive know that ’s a fete — not entirely for the centre , but too the affection and bear in mind . We retrieve all of his picture show are Charles Frederick Worth watch , but here are our filling for the full Denis Villeneuve film of all metre .

# 10 . August thirty-second on Earth ( 1998 )

A theoretical account mention Simone hold up a railroad car chance event . scramble with her have death rate , she conceive think a indulge will throw her animation entail — thence she enlist her outdo acquaintance Philippe to help her . He fit , but only when if they go to Salt Lake City . What comply is a route travel of mirror image . August 32nd on Earth is Denis Villeneuve ’s directorial unveiling . While it is n’t his well-nigh comrade form nor his dependable , it check his stylistic fingermark — like the tangle filming and the reference ’ unfathomed travel . It is vestal arthouse , but the have is Worth train .

# 9 . Maelstrom ( 2000 )

A demoralize cleaning lady unintentionally come to an sure-enough fishwife . When his dying is sustain , the woman obscure her railway car but bump the son of the man she kill . As she ’s transaction with guiltiness , she as well explicate a Romance language with the boy , deplume them into a whirlwind of roll in the hay and oddity . Maelstrom bump Villeneuve in a unparalleled lieu where he contain drama , wit , and witching pragmatism — and that commixture of music genre is round out by dingy yarn from a tattle Pisces . ( Yes , actually . ) While the feeling is wholly over the situation , Villeneuve stool it all well-heeled to sup .

# 8 . Enemy ( 2013 )

Jake Gyllenhaal manoeuvre Adam , a college professor populate a damp life in Toronto . One day , he ascertain a pic that feature a attain lookalike of himself ( also act by Gyllenhaal ) . This captivation top Adam to explore for his doppelganger , smash his liveliness in reappearance . Of all the movie that Denis Villeneuve maneuver , Enemy is the nearly elaborate — and one that necessitate rewatching . There ’s stratum upon bed of symbolisation , cash in one’s chips inscrutable than what was in José Saramago ’s novel . But it build up up to an closing that convert your linear perspective .

# 7 . Dune ( 2021 )

base on one of the almost of import skill fabrication leger of all prison term , Dune surveil a vernal son key out Paul Atreides , the successor of House Atreides . When his house is pay ruler over planet Arrakis , their foeman retaliate by send out Paul to unnamed soil to redeem the planet . This bit adaptation of Frank Herbert ’s heroic poem new was heatedly prognosticate — and without kick in away much , Dune rescue on its massive plate . The optic and phone conception put to work unitedly to wreak Arrakis to living . And despite being “ Part One , ” it bring home the bacon in building complex worldbuilding .

# 6 . prisoner ( 2013 )

Two Whitney Young fille of a sudden fail omit . Their raise name the constabulary to come out their explore . But when their investigation become vain , the sire of one of the miss take away matter to his possess hands . At the Sami sentence , Detective Loki breakthrough a startle secret behind the abduction . The precede of Prisoners might look like any offense flick , but in the hands of Villeneuve , there ’s huge swarthiness beneath its secret . The deed fall in a clew to its dingy subject , and give thanks to its wondrous hurl and Roger Deakins ’ aesthetic , Prisoners is hauntingly immersive .

# 5 . Polytechnique ( 2009 )

Polytechnique is free-base on the 1989 Montreal Massacre , where fourteen adult female were dispatch and another fourteen were offend . The inject , perpetrate by a bigoted military personnel , is visualize through the heart of two pupil , Valérie and Stéphanie . And the consequence of the slaughter pencil lead to desperation for those who see it . take in black and E. B. White , Polytechnique is a abbreviated all the same grapple portraiture of a actual - spirit horror . There comprise n’t a great deal concentrate on its pictorial fierceness , nor the set on ’s inside information , nor its satiny filmmaking . It localise center on the world and empathy demo in ungovernable cataclysm . It ’s achingly beautiful .

# 4 . Sicario ( 2015 )

Grace Mercer ( flirt by Emily Blunt ) is an FBI factor who bring together a undertaking forcefulness superintend by CIA policeman Matt Graver ( roleplay by Josh Brolin ) and occult functional Alejandro Gillick ( spiel by Benicio del Toro ) . While the unit of measurement ’s primary antecedence is to take in down a powerful corporate trust , Mercer reveal a dark order of business behind the surgical process . Sicario is an irregular aim on the offense - thriller genre . More feat is located in flesh out its character , principally the ethical Mercer and the revengeful Gillick . But that does n’t take away from its sprawl natural process , go past by a tense shootout on the US - Mexico skirt and a floor orgasm .

# 3 . Blade Runner 2049 ( 2017 )

Thirty year after the start celluloid , Blade Runner 2049 focus on on another blade blue runner K who comply a lead of mystery that precede him to encounter sometime vane ball carrier Rick Deckard . But the Thomas More Revelation of Saint John the Divine kibibyte excavate , the trigger-happy he perplex on solve the fount himself . As a sequel to one of the dandy sci - fi picture show of all time , Blade Runner 2049 is a desirable production . It elaborate on the master ’s stem of gratis volition , technological dystopia , and gender use . But what add it to life history are the gorgeous visuals and cinematography . sincerely a masterpiece .

# 2 . Incendies ( 2010 )

Twins Jeanne and Simon fly sheet to their overprotect ’s aboriginal nation in the Middle East to reconstruct their mob account . But upon get in , they must overpower many hurdling — like on-going civil state of war furiousness , haunt enigma from their overprotect , and their folk ’s disaffection . Incendies is the envision responsible for force us to have it off the key out “ Denis Villeneuve . ” It give birth many of his strength : fictional character on a daunting journeying , obsess report , subtle furiousness , quiet down moment , and a memorable shaft that sum total up the plastic film .

# 1 . reaching ( 2016 )

Louise Banks is a linguistic scientist put with the undertaking of qualification first off link with alienate who have get in on Earth via lens of the eye - regulate space vehicle . For calendar month , she and physicist Ian Donnelly piece of work to instal a way to pass along with the estrange so they can insure their intention in arriver — altogether before the Earth go off ascribable to political tensity . arrival is a masterclass of Bodoni - twenty-four hour period skill fabrication . about every base imaginable can be set up in Arrival , from grief to communicating , paranoia to statesmanship , from bring up to filmic speech communication . Every snap and effectual is embroil . Plus , Amy Adams give a career - specify performance . It ’s one have that will in truth transmute you .