12. Snowpiercer (2013)
Radius-TWCBong Joon-ho made his English-language debut with an adaptation of French graphic novel Le Transperceneige, which was available to international audiences last year but only recently landed a domestic release. In the director's hands, a seemingly on-the-nose parable of social divides instead becomes a gritty, thrilling post-apocalyptic sci-fi. Snowpiercer's plot is refreshingly no-frills; with the last of humanity surviving on a train, the poor that dwell at the rear of the train mount an effort to overthrow the elite that occupy the front. Chris Evans gives the best performance of his career as reluctant revolutionary Curtis, backed by an impressive supporting cast that includes Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer and Ed Harris. As the rebellion moves through the train, the stunning production design makes each carriage uniquely different, while the underlying themes never become too preachy. Stylish, violent and intelligent, the ending may be a little flat but Snowpiercer is an assured piece of filmmaking that will no doubt lead to the director fielding plenty of offers from Hollywood.