Michael Clayton

We apologize to everyone we told to screw off when they told us to see this in the theaters. We're just naturally biased against a movie title featuring the main character's unfamiliar name. (Same reason we'll never watch Michael Collins or Sommersby.) Now that we're out of excuses, we can get on with telling you that Michael Clayton may not be perfect, but it is fucking genius. It's as unconventional as a legal drama can be—mainly because it never gets near a courtroom and finishes strong, but still leaves you with a ton to think about. (A lot like another 2007 low-key sleeper Gone Baby Gone.) George Clooney gives a career performance as a "fixer" for one of the biggest law firms in the world. When a multi-billion dollar class action suit is in jeopardy because the firms' top lawyer has a breakdown, it's Clooney's job to clean up the mess. It's no where near as simple as it sounds, and we were skeptical and confused for 90 percent of it, but the last 10 minutes deliver a verbal gut-punch that'll make you want to re-watch the entire movie immediately. Writer/director Tony Gilroy proves penning the Bourne trilogy wasn't a fluke as he has a knack for taking tired genres and making them fresh again.