Did you like Baby Driver?

Edgar Wright always delivers. When I went to see his latest movie I was reluctant and perhaps maybe a bit skeptical of how good it really could be. I was mesmerized within the first 5 minutes of the movie though. A movie with a killer sound track, heists, and amazing car chase scenes always makes my list for movies that I can almost always enjoy. Here are some other movies featuring those elements that you may not have heard of, or perhaps you haven't gotten around to watching yet.

I almost added Death Proof to this list, but decided this might be the only time I could shine a light on one of Tarantino's least mentioned movies. Jackie Brown is a crime drama and a nod to exploitation films of the 1970s. The film is laced with an eclectic soundtrack, mild and sometimes dark humor, as well as a complicated plot to steal money. I put this at the top as I think it has all the ingredients that made Baby Driver so enjoyable. Tarratino pulls in a lot of talent for this movie, but Robert DeNiro, Robert Forster, and Pam Grier steal the show. People that like the movie Get Shorty (even as a guilty pleasure) and the T.V. series Justified would get a lot from watching this as the are all adapted from stories written by Elmore Leonard.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics: 87%
Audience: 85%

You can't mention car chase scenes without uttering this classics name. In 1967 Bullitt was ahead of its time. It features famed stunt driver turned actor, Steve McQueen, as a no non-sense police detective with deadly case he has to solve. The streets of San Francisco offer a great terrain for an amazing chase sequence, but I won't spoil it.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics: 97%
Audience: 85%

Fair warning, Deniro makes this list a lot and I don't really have a problem with that. Michael Mann teams the two greatest actors to step in front of a camera, Deniro and Pacino, in this powerful movie. Pacino is a police detective on the trail of something big that is sure to go down, what it is and when it will happen, he is not sure. Deniro is an expert thief of advancing age looking to take his final score. This movie has my favorite heist and police shoot out scene of all time.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics 86%
Audience 94%

Dog Day Afternoon is counted as one of the greatest hostage movies ever. Based on a partially true account of Sonny Wortzik's bank robbery. Pacino Returns to my list as a man that is driven to crime to fund his girlfriend's (played by Chris Sarandon) sexual reassignment surgery. Tense and powerful, if you've never watched it then you will surely be at the edge of your seat following the story.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics 95%
Audience 90%

For fans of Danny Boyle this movie is sure to be entertaining. Don't expect the best writing though. I enjoyed the cinematography and editing as well as the ambient tension of the movie. The concept plot is solid, involving an art heist, but the actors and actresses with Danny Boyle's unique vision make this movie worth a lazy Saturday viewing.

Rotten TomatoesCritics 68%
Audience 62%

Who doesn't love Willem Dafoe? This gritty crime drama, set in L.A. if you can believe it, is written by a former secret service agent (Gerald Petievich). Petievich in true writing form sticks to material he is familiar with as he tells the story of an agent in pursuit of a sly counterfeiter. On this list because I really like it, it is very sparing on the comic relief and it lays on the thriller genre aspect pretty thick. Fans of gritty crime dramas like Manhunt will find this a solid viewing experience.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics: 94%
Audience: 78%

DeNiro really dominates this list? Ronin is one of those movies no one really talks about. I find that an disgrace. While I don't think this is the greatest movie of all time, I do find myself rewatching it on occasion. The movie features great performances from Jean Reno and Robert DeNiro. Stellan Skarsgård is almost unrecognizable to me as he plays a cold, and menacing villain that shows no remorse. Oh, did I mention that this movie showcases an amazing chase scene through the streets of old Paris? Setting is everything in this movie.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics: 68%
Audience: 80%

Frances (Greta Gerwig) is an immature, quirky, dancer who wants to do nothing more than live in New York City, smoke cigarettes, and be a more active member of a dance company. The humor of this movie is watching her try her best to remain independent when a riff grows between her and her more competent roommate and best friend. The movie is very comparable to Girls, and showcases an amazing sound track. No action, no car chases. Just a silly comedy that I think fans of Edgar Wright would enjoy.

Rotten Tomatoes
Critics: 93%
Audience: 77%