#9: The Machinist

The Machinist is a strange film. Christian Bale, a big name in movies with big guns and big budgets, takes on a different role here. After losing what looks like more than 50 pounds for the part, Bale is barely recognizable. But this movie shows that he doesn't need a Batsuit to hold an audience. The Machinist is slow and subtle, but not half bad in its execution. It's very neat to go back through this movie (this was my second time seeing it) and pick up on the little pieces that the director (Brad Anderson) slipped in to make it all more real.

It didn't blow my mind like Inception or The Matrix when I saw them, but The Machinist is a solid, makes-you-think thriller that I'd definitely recommend to anyone who likes dark movies with good acting.

Overall Rating: 7.8 / 10


-Taylor Dobbs

Christian Bale is so completely different from any role he has ever played. He does not look like himself whatsoever. If you saw The Dark Knight, Bale is a totally new character. The Machinist was a mind game. I'm all about the psychological thrillers. I loved Inception, Shutter Island, Fight Club and other insane and complex films. This was a little less complex but it still had a great premise, and it's not going to be so easy to understand. The Machinist in general was very riveting and a solid film. It was actually a fun film to watch once it got underway. I'm glad to have watched this movie because it was on my "to see" list. I thought Christian Bale was exceptional for playing such a different role, which - compared against American Psycho - really showed how complete his acting ability is. Good performance overall.

Overall Rating: 8.0 / 10

- Josh Berg