The Plot: Based on the 1971 psychological experiment of the same name, where a group of students are cast in the roles of either prisoner or prison guard in order for Professor Philip Zimbardo (Billy Crudup) to test the hypothesis that their personality traits are what will create abusive situations. Why It's Awesome: If you've ever taken a psychology class, you probably know the story already, but that'll do little to hamper this fascinatingly grim, incredibly well-acted dramatisation. The performances and direction are the chief reasons the movie works so well; Crudup is agreeably ambiguous as Zimbardo, while Ezra Miller is as excellent as usual as an outspoken "inmate", and Michael Angarano gives easily the best performance of his career as the hard-a** "warden". Kyle Patrick Alvarez's direction meanwhile boxes the ensemble cast in tight and doesn't let up, helping amplify the discomfort that the scenario inherently creates. As a window into an unsettling side of human nature, it's a must-see.
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
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