Top 10 Denis Villeneuve movies and shows you need to watch

The best way to describe Denis Villeneuve is as if Christopher Nolan and David Lynch had a child who grew up listening to The Radioheads. He isn't your regular filmmaker; he is an artist who transforms movie-going into spiritual awakening. His movies are a beautiful mix of stunning visuals and unforgettable storylines that stay with you for a lifetime.

Not to forget, the existential dread that comes with those stories is powerful enough to keep all the therapist offices running forever. Denis Villeneuve ensures that his stories are not just seen; instead, he sees to it that they whisper and scream their message into the minds of the viewers.

From mysterious aliens to morally complex detectives and exiled royal warriors, Denis Villeneuve has dipped his fingers in many genres and created magic that draws the audience back for more. If you don't believe that it's true, then here is a list of ten of his best works that will turn you into a true Denis Villeneuve fan.

Top 10 Denis Villeneuve movies and shows you need to watch

For those who think that Denis Villeneuve has one great movie, the Dune series, under his belt, here is a list of nine more movies that are here to change your perception. This list is proof that Villeneuve is a master of versatility, and he is building a cinematic museum for fans to marvel at.

10) Maelstrom (2000)

If this film needs a one-sentence introduction, then Maelstrom is when Finding Nemo meets Black Swan. It is about a woman, Bibiane Champagne, and the consequences she faces after she accidentally kills a man during a hit-and-run. If you think this is interesting, then you are wrong. The unique aspect of this film is that a talking fish narrates it.

The turning point of the film comes when Bibiane falls in love with Evian, the son of the man she killed. It complicates things and keeps the audience on their toes, thinking, Will Evian ever learn the truth, and What will happen when he does?

9) Polytechnique (2009)

Before Denis Villeneuve was helping Timothée Chalamet conquer planets, he created a masterpiece, Polytechnique, based on the 1989 Montreal Massacre. On December 6, 1989, 25-year-old Marc Lepine entered the Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal with a Ruger Mini-14 and a hunting knife and massacred 14 women and injured 10 more and 4 men.

The incident was an anti-feminist attack where the perpetrator moved through corridors for 20 minutes, targeting women throughout campus. The film is a brutal adaptation of a horrific tragedy, but it is heartbreakingly respectful. Villeneuve chose the topic boldly, but skillfully portrays a haunting reflection of the grief.

8) Enemy (2013)

If you are a fan of films like Us and Mulholland Drive, then here is another film that you can add to that list. Enemy stars Jake Gyllenhaal in a dual role, as an actor and a college professor. The college professor, Adam, becomes obsessed with the actor, Anthony, and secretly starts to live his life.

It is one film that will make you spend 90 minutes holding your head and three hours reading every article and Reddit piece on it, trying to make sense of the ending. But in the end, you will understand that the best thing to do is to accept it and move on.

7) Sicario (2015)

Sicario is something that will interest you if you like high-octane action films with thick plots. It follows FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt), who gets caught up in a war against drugs and has to face ruthless cartels that run operations to run drugs across the border.

Denis Villeneuve's direction, Roger Deakins' cinematography, and Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro's acting create a perfect entertainer for fans to remember. If not for anything, watch the film for the border scene; the anxiety attack will be worth it.

6) Prisoners (2013)

2013 was the year of the Denis Villeneuve - Jake Gyllenhaal collaboration. They gave fans two films, and both of them were thrillers and, of course, bangers. The film follows the efforts of the police and Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman), who are fighting hard to find Dover's daughter and her friend, who were abducted after playing on a parked RV.

Gyllenhaal plays Detective Loki, who twitches a lot but is determined to find the girls at any cost. It is a dark but brilliant film that keeps you on your toes right till the end.

5) Dune: Part One (2021)

Finally, here is the film most of you were waiting for, Denis Villeneuve's magnum opus, The Dune series. Maybe you guys expected it to be higher on the list, but just give the ones higher a chance. Villeneuve took Frank Herbert's complex piece of art and turned it into a cinematic marvel.

It is a futuristic film about Paul Atreides, a prince who loses his father and his home after his father is backstabbed and murdered by his peers. He joins a group of rebels while in exile, only to find out about a prophecy that says he is the savior of the world.

The film became Gen Z's Star Wars and propelled Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya into new heights of stardom. And who can forget Hans Zimmer's legendary background score? It was a chef's kiss.

4) Arrival (2016)

Arrival is a sci-fi film that involves aliens, but if you think it is anything like Independence Day or E.T., then this might not be the film for you. The aliens in these films aren't here to kill or play with kids; they are here to test your linguistic skills.

The government then brings out its secret weapon, Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), a linguist, who is tasked with communicating with the aliens. Watching her work, it looks like she regretted writing 'open to new challenges' in her resume. Denis Villeneuve combines sci-fi and drama and gives a great message that language helps shape grief and reality in life.

3) Dune: Part Two (2024)

Once people saw what a great film Dune: Part One was, Denis Villeneuve pulled up his sleeves and decided to up the scales. He created one of the greatest sequels and a grand spectacle for everyone to watch. Part Two was highly anticipated, and it did not disappoint.

The film had bigger battles, bigger worms, deeper characters, more sand, and more spice than Indian food. Paul Arteides (Chalamet) accepts the prophecy and goes full revenge mode on the Emperor with Chani (Zendaya) by his side. He wins the prophecy battle but loses a personal war.

2) Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

If there is one thing Denis Villeneuve is great at, it is creating banger sequels. If someday there is a task to remake the Mona Lisa, the person tasked to do that will be Villeneuve. Blade Runner (1982) is already a cult classic, and its sequel was equally entertaining and thrilling. Denis tried his best to redefine Ridley Scott's legacy.

Harrison Ford reprises his role as the ever-grumpy detective Rick Deckard, and Ryan Gosling joins the cast as K, a blade runner who uncovers a dark secret that threatens to destabilize society and the entire civilization. The film is dark, deep, and insanely human, which is ironic because most of the cast isn't even human.

1) Incendies (2010)

Denis Villeneuve's masterpiece is one of his most emotionally devastating works. It starts as a normal mystery thriller where a pair of twins tries to uncover their mother's past, but it slowly explodes like a grenade, spreading debris of your sanity scattered everywhere.

There are no explosions, gunfire, or grand murder mysteries, but the raw final reveal is so unexpected and devastating that it will leave you in one place, staring into the screen in utter shock and disbelief.

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These Denis Villeneuve movies prove that he doesn't need spaceships or military tanks to bend your mind. All he needs is a story, a camera, and a chance to change your life forever. He is here to entertain you, maybe make you panic a little, too, but overall, the experience will be unforgettable.