20 of the Best Focus Features Films in Honor of the 20th Anniversary
Beginners and Belfast
Beginners (2011) – In Mike Mills' Beginners, Ewan McGregor stars as Oliver, who meets Anna (Melanie Laurent), just months after his father Hal (Christopher Plummer) died after a battle with cancer. While Oliver tries to establish a life with Anna, he also looks back on what he learned from his father's last months, when Hal lived a full life as a gay man following the death of his wife.
Belfast (2021) – Belfast is Kenneth Branagh's love letter to his childhood in Northern Ireland, during The Troubles in the late 1960s. The film earned seven Oscar nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director. Ciaran Hinds and Judi Dench earned Oscar nods for their performances.
The Big Lebowski and BlacKkKlansman
Big Lebowski, The (1998) – The Coen Brothers' classic The Big Lebowski was produced long before Focus was born, but the studio holds home video distribution. The film is a hilarious, absurd trip through the mind of The Dude, played perfectly by Jeff Bridges.
BlacKkKlansman (2018) – Spike Lee joined Focus Features' roster of filmmakers with BlacKkKlansman, which won Lee his first competitive Oscar thanks to the adapted screenplay. The movie is loosely based on the true story of Ron Stallworth (John David Washington), a Black Colorado police officer who works undercover to expose the KKK with his Jewish colleague, Flip Zimmerman (Adam Driver).
Brokeback Mountain and Dallas Buyers Club
Brokeback Mountain (2005) – One of the most iconic movies in Focus' roster, Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain quickly obtained classic status after its release. Despite being less than 20 years old, the Library of Congress added it to the National Film Registry in 2018.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) – Jean-Marc Vallee's Dallas Buyers Club stars Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodruff, who was diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-1980s and smuggled in drugs to Texas to help others with AIDS. McConaughey won the Best Actor Oscar, while Jared Leto won Best Supporting Actor, making it only the fifth movie ever to win both. The movie won a third Oscar for Best Makeup and Hairstyling.
prevnextDark Waters and Dazed and Confused
Dark Waters (2019) – One of the most criminally underrated films of the last decade, Todd Haynes' Dark Waters is discretely a horror movie. Mark Ruffalo stars as lawyer Robert Bilott, who helped expose DuPont's contamination of a small town's entire water supply.
Dazed and Confused (1993) – Richard Linklater's Dazed and Confused is another iconic comedy Focus handles distribution of today. Almost everyone in the film went on to have huge careers, including McConaughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Milla Jovovich, and Cole Hauser. The movie wasn't a big hit when it was released, but it has since become a cult classic.
Emma. and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Emma. (2020) – Emma, like many Jane Austen novels, has been filmed multiple times over the decades. In 2020, Autumn de Wilde took another stab at the story with Anya Taylor-Joy giving a delightful performance in the title role. The film earned Oscar nods for its costume design and makeup and hairstyling.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) – Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind remains one of the crown jewels in Focus' library. The movie, with an Oscar-winning script from Charlie Kaufman, is already considered one of the best movies of the 21st Century. Jim Carrey gave one of the best performances in his career in the film, and Kate Winslet earned an Oscar nod.
prevnextFar From Heaven and In Bruges
Far From Heaven (2002) – Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven is an incredible homage to the 1950s melodramas by Douglas Sirk and serves as a complex portrait of 1950s America. Julianne Moore earned a Best Actress Oscar nomination but lost to The Hours' Nicole Kidman.
In Bruges (2008) – Colin Farrell gives one of his most fun performances in In Bruges, a black comedy written and directed by Martin McDonagh. Brendan Gleeson and Ralph Fiennes also star in this Oscar-nominated movie.
prevnextLost in Translation and Moonrise Kingdom
Lost in Translation (2003) – No list of Focus' best releases could be complete without Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation. Coppola won an Oscar for her screenplay and she became only the third woman ever nominated for Best Director. It's one of the great films by an American filmmaker.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) – Moonrise Kingdom is surprisingly the only Wes Anderson movie Focus has released. The film tells the story of a relationship between an orphan boy (Jared Gilman) who escapes from his camp and his pen pal (Kara Hayward).
prevnextPhantom Thread and Promising Young Woman
Phantom Thread (2017) – While Paul Thomas Anderson's latest film Licorice Pizza competes for Oscars, his previous film, Phantom Thread, is one of the best movies Focus has ever released. It was also nominated for Best Picture and won for Best Costume Design. It's a sumptuous, beautiful film that features astonishing performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, and Lesley Manville.
Promising Young Woman (2020) – Emerald Fennell's Promising Young Woman is one of the more controversial films on Focus' roster. However, it's hard to ignore that Carey Mulligan's performance is fantastic. The movie earned Gennell the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.
prevnextRaw and A Serious Man
Raw (2017) – Focus handled distribution of Julia Ducournau's breakout film Raw, a shocking horror film starring Garance Marillier as a vegetarian who develops a craving for flesh after she eats meat during her first year at veterinary school. It's a shocking movie that has to be seen to be believed. Ducournau's latest film, Titane, also earned acclaim.
Serious Man, A (2009) – The Coen Brothers appear on this list again with one of their most underrated films, A Serious Man. Michael Stuhlbarg should've been nominated for an Oscar for his performance as a Minnesota Jewish man whose life falls apart.
prevnextShaun of the Dead and Won't You Be My Neighbor?
Shaun of the Dead (2004) – British filmmaker Edgar Wright has released most of his films through Focus in the U.S., including his latest, Last Night in Soho. All three films in his Cornetto trilogy were released by the label, beginning with Shaun of the Dead, one of the best zombie comedies ever made.
Won't You Be My Neighbor? (2018) – Morgan Neville's Won't You Be My Neighbor? was one of the surprise box office hits of 2018. The movie tracked the life of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood star Fred Rogers. Neville later worked with Focus again on Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain.
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