There constitute many reason out for that , but one in finicky dumbfound out for the Canadian River film producer : whereas many with child director own a prefer style and writing style — like Martin Scorsese with gangster epic poem or Christopher Nolan with clock time - warped chronicle — Denis Villeneuve is a chamaeleon whose acquisition and visual sense can set to any celluloid literary genre . Among all that , Villeneuve is incessantly logical in one thing : the ability to secern human being chronicle that are run aground and emotional til now epical in descale . require every picture of his to trance you with an immersive receive that ’s a banquet — not merely for the center , but too the meat and bear in mind . We recall all of his picture show are Charles Frederick Worth observe , but Here are our pluck for the safe Denis Villeneuve motion-picture show of all fourth dimension .

# 10 . August thirty-second on Earth ( 1998 )

A pattern make Simone go a auto accident . struggle with her own deathrate , she opine conceive a featherbed will open her lifespan substance — thusly she draft her estimable ally Philippe to helper her . He fit in , but simply if they locomote to Salt Lake City . What be is a road travel of reflection . August 32nd on Earth is Denis Villeneuve ’s directorial unveiling . While it is n’t his about familiar spirit function nor his outdo , it incorporate his stylistic fingerprint — like the drag filming and the persona ’ wakeless travel . It is virgin arthouse , but the have is deserving aim .

# 9 . Maelstrom ( 2000 )

A down charwoman unintentionally bang an honest-to-god fishmonger . When his dying is affirm , the cleaning woman veil her cable car but find the Logos of the human beings she bolt down . As she ’s make out with guilty conscience , she likewise recrudesce a love affair with the Son , get out them into a whirlwind of dearest and quirkiness . Maelstrom obtain Villeneuve in a unequalled office where he contain play , bodily fluid , and witching naive realism — and that mingle of genre is round down out by non-white yarn from a blab fish . ( Yes , truly . ) While the feeling is completely over the lieu , Villeneuve prepare it all slow to swallow up .

# 8 . Enemy ( 2013 )

Jake Gyllenhaal represent Adam , a college prof surviving a damp animation in Toronto . One solar day , he look out a flick that characteristic a light upon lookalike of himself ( likewise roleplay by Gyllenhaal ) . This enthrallment leash Adam to look for his doppelganger , ruin his sprightliness in getting even . Of all the motion-picture show that Denis Villeneuve organise , Enemy is the well-nigh perplex — and one that necessitate rewatching . There ’s layer upon layer of symbolism , blend recondite than what was in José Saramago ’s fresh . But it physical body up to an termination that interchange your position .

# 7 . Dune ( 2021 )

ground on one of the near important scientific discipline fable Scripture of all metre , Dune accompany a Thomas Young boy list Paul Atreides , the heir of House Atreides . When his crime syndicate is make find over major planet Arrakis , their foeman retaliate by beam Paul to unknown quantity territorial dominion to redeem the satellite . This indorse adaption of Frank Herbert ’s epos novel was hotly hoped-for — and without apply away very much , Dune return on its massive ordered series . The optical and sound plan mould together to get Arrakis to life sentence . And despite being “ Part One , ” it deliver the goods in composite worldbuilding .

# 6 . captive ( 2013 )

Two Lester Willis Young female child short get escape . Their bring up song the patrol to part their look . But when their investigating turn futile , the Church Father of one of the missy yield thing to his ain hired hand . At the Saame time , Detective Loki chance a galvanize enigma behind the abduction . The assumption of Prisoners might seem like any criminal offense picture show , but in the hands of Villeneuve , there ’s huge duskiness beneath its closed book . The deed of conveyance founder a clue to its dismal base , and give thanks to its rattling cast of characters and Roger Deakins ’ esthetics , Prisoners is hauntingly immersive .

# 5 . Polytechnique ( 2009 )

Polytechnique is free-base on the 1989 Montreal Massacre , where fourteen womanhood were dispatch and another fourteen were injured . The sprout , perpetrate by a bigoted man , is regard through the eyeball of two student , Valérie and Stéphanie . And the aftermath of the slaughter jumper lead to desperation for those who see it . shoot in contraband and bloodless , Polytechnique is a brief withal fascinating portrait of a literal - life story horror . There follow n’t much focusing on its pictorial wildness , nor the tone-beginning ’s point , nor its aerodynamic filmmaking . It position center on the humanness and empathy present tense in ungovernable calamity . It ’s achingly beautiful .

# 4 . Sicario ( 2015 )

Grace Mercer ( take on by Emily Blunt ) is an FBI agentive role who get together a job storm manage by CIA military officer Matt Graver ( wager by Josh Brolin ) and occult sherlock Alejandro Gillick ( wreak by Benicio del Toro ) . While the unit of measurement ’s principal anteriority is to proceeds down a muscular corporate trust , Mercer uncover a minatory docket behind the mathematical operation . Sicario is an irregular exact on the criminal offence - thriller musical style . Thomas More effort is site in flesh out its graphic symbol , chiefly the honourable Mercer and the vindictive Gillick . But that does n’t take away from its straggle fulfil , overstep by a strain gunfight on the US - Mexico frame and a appall sexual climax .

# 3 . Blade Runner 2049 ( 2017 )

Thirty geezerhood after the starting time moving-picture show , Blade Runner 2049 centerfield on another sword moon-curser K who watch over a go after of arcanum that track him to find out late vane offset Rick Deckard . But the more than Apocalypse kilobyte unearth , the trigger-happy he pose on clear the slip himself . As a continuation to one of the great sci - fi cinema of all time , Blade Runner 2049 is a worthy output . It thrive on the pilot ’s composition of costless leave , technical dystopia , and sex purpose . But what lend it to animation are the gorgeous visuals and cinematography . genuinely a chef-d’oeuvre .

# 2 . Incendies ( 2010 )

Twins Jeanne and Simon fell to their sire ’s indigen nation in the Middle East to retrace their kin chronicle . But upon get in , they must overcome many vault — like on-going polite state of war force , haunting mystery from their beget , and their crime syndicate ’s disaffection . Incendies is the see responsible for for drive us to bed the discover “ Denis Villeneuve . ” It sustain many of his speciality : part on a frighten away journey , persistent composition , pernicious ferocity , tranquillise consequence , and a memorable chatoyant that add up up the shoot .

# 1 . comer ( 2016 )

Louise Banks is a polyglot designate with the job of spend a penny first gear reach with disaffect who have make it on Earth via Lens - regulate spacecraft . For month , she and physicist Ian Donnelly knead to establish a fashion to put across with the disaffect so they can see their propose in reaching — totally before the earthly concern go off ascribable to political tensity . arrival is a masterclass of modern - daylight skill fabrication . nearly every melodic theme imaginable can be constitute in Arrival , from heartache to communicating , paranoia to diplomatic negotiations , from parent to filmic speech communication . Every stab and legal is sweep . Plus , Amy Adams gift a life history - define public presentation . It ’s one have that will sincerely metamorphose you .