12 Years a Slave
Based on a haunting true story, 12 Years a Slave tells the tale of a free black man, Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Northup is subjected to the cruelty of his malevolent owner, Epps (Michael Fassbender), as he struggles to survive with dignity. The film, which grossed $188 million in the box office, launched Lupita N'yongo's career.
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane has been described by Roger Ebert as "more than a great movie," which continues to ring true eighty years after its initial release. Directed, written by, and starring Orson Welles, the film follows a reporter who seeks to decipher Charles Foster Kane's (Welles) dying words. Citizen Kane is the most critically-acclaimed motion picture in cinema history.