Sam Mendes brings Bond surging back with a smart, sexy, riveting action thriller that qualifies as one of the best 007 films to date.

Director:

Sam Mendes

Starring:

Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem

A 3D adaptation of a supposedly "unfilmable" book, Ang Lee's Life of Pi achieves the near impossible -- it's an astonishing technical achievement that's also emotionally rewarding.

Director:

Ang Lee

Starring:

Suraj Sharma, Irfan Khan, Ayush Tandon

Bold, bloody, and stylistically daring, Django Unchained is another incendiary masterpiece from Quentin Tarantino.

Director:

Quentin Tarantino

Starring:

Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christoph Waltz

MMA star and first-time actress Gina Carano displays ample action-movie chops in Haywire, a fast-paced thriller with a top-notch cast and outstanding direction from Steven Soderbergh.

Director:

Steven Soderbergh

Starring:

Gina Carano, Michael Douglas, Michael Fassbender

It's built out of familiar parts, but no matter how formulaic Premium Rush's storyline might seem, it's elevated by high-octane action and enjoyable performances.

Director:

David Koepp

Starring:

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon, Dania Ramirez