15. Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai

Jim Jarmusch, perhaps more than any other modern director, makes films that are about the silent moments in between the dialog. Each of his wildly different films has offered unique, lonely characters with seemingly little going on in their lives. But the depth of quiet in a Jarmusch film speaks volumes over the hipster pop-culture references of many of his peers. 1999’s Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai is in many ways the ultimate Jarmusch picture: The outsider protagonist (Forest Whitaker’s stoic hit-man), the mix of comedy and drama (usually in the same moments), the sense that the characters hold in more than they reveal, the mesmerizingly repetitive music, and, yes, those silences. In scene after scene Jarmusch allows Whitaker’s unnamed character to practice his sword form or cruise the streets of New York and New Jersey in a stolen Lexus, forcing viewers to project their own feelings onto his blank face.

Beautifully subtle work from Whitaker (who seems to “get” Jarmusch better than any actor since John Lurie), as well as strange, compelling performances from actors like Cliff Gorman, Victor Argo and John Tormey, Robby Muller’s careful, patient cinematography and the dissonant, jangly score from Wu Tang’s RZA help Jarmusch fill out one of his most complex and complete films. Thematically weaving eastern philosophy, mob codes, cartoon violence and hip-hop rhythms, Jarmusch's film is a real original. (Gil Jawetz)