14) Uncut Gems
A white knuckle thriller that holds the audience at the edge of their seat, The Safdie Brothers continue to demonstrate how they are one of the grittiest directors working today. Uncut Gems gives us Adam Sandlers’ best performance in his entire career, as his portrayal of an adrenalin junkie diamond cutter professes his seediest, most sleazy character to date. The audience is thrust into the mind of a delusional addict, as Adam Sandler’s desperation is perfectly captured in the film’s production. It’s almost horrifying, as if the character is battling the universe itself to feed his addiction, and the film does such an excellent job getting me into his head, I almost started rooting for him. This is a film that never lets up, never slows down, and holds the audience’s heart with a vice.
