The Voice – brought to you by The Page & Epistle

By William Mulloy ’28

10. Sinners (2025) is a beautiful film with incredible blues music and some of the most stunning shots I’ve ever seen in a movie. The performances are top-notch, especially from first-time actor Miles Canton. No doubt about it—this is easily the best film of the year and probably the greatest vampire movie ever. Be sure to come to the KVD discussion for it!
    

9. Goodfellas (1990) is a classic for obvious reasons. Its cutthroat gangster feel in a mafia setting, while still having that sense of humor Scorsese does so well, makes the film both incredibly enjoyable and sad to watch. At its core, this is a tragic movie, as Henry Hill is slowly roped into this life. De Niro and Pesci deliver two of the greatest performances in American cinema, and Liotta brings an air of innocence that gradually unravels.
   

8. Night of the Hunter (1955) — This eerie thriller, featuring one of the most memorably creepy villains played by the great Robert Mitchum, focuses much of its time on equally strong performances by the two children. There are some incredibly haunting shots, especially for a 1950s film, and the unsafe atmosphere makes you truly feel the fear of the children fleeing their hunter.
   

7. Taxi Driver (1976) — Another Scorsese picture, this one is my personal favorite of his. A dark and psychological character study, the film follows Travis Bickle as he slowly unravels. It’s disturbing and fascinating, and it resonated with many people at the time—while most did not turn to vigilantism, many shared his feelings. Robert De Niro delivers a top-tier performance and absolutely propels this film into greatness.
   

6. Vertigo (1958) — My all-time favorite Hitchcock film, this one focuses on Jimmy Stewart’s slow unraveling as the suspenseful mystery unfolds. Watching a Hitchcock film is kind of like going to a play: you’re constantly reminded that everything is just pretend. Even if the experience is great, it doesn’t quite make you realize that the same things could happen to you or that people like this could plausibly exist in real life. But Vertigo feels startlingly true, almost confessional, because it’s clearly Hitchcock’s most personal film and, I believe, his greatest.
   

5. There Will Be Blood (2007) — Another character study, this time of an early-20th-century oil baron. A jaw-dropping work of originality and an immensely captivating vignette of greed and obsession, There Will Be Blood is a haunting portrait of family, religion, hatred, oil, and madness. It marks an artistic high for its writer-director, with one of the greatest closing scenes—although the single greatest is a film a little higher on the list.
   

4. Stop Making Sense (1984) — I’ve always been a massive Talking Heads fan, so in my opinion, this is one of the most joyous films ever made. The little moments where David Byrne tries to perform stone-faced but can’t help smiling could power me for weeks. Nothing makes me feel so exuberant, happy, nostalgic, and full of love as “This Must Be the Place.” The Talking Heads work so well as performers, and this film truly shows how it feels to go from playing guitar on tape to a gigantic dance party. When you watch this film, you can’t help but join in.
   

3. Paris, Texas (1984) — Starring one of the most underrated actors of all time, Harry Dean Stanton, this is a somber film with glimmers of hope. The scenes with Travis and his son are nothing short of heartwarming; however, Wim Wenders’s Paris, Texas is a melancholic portrait of a broken man yearning to reconnect with the family he left years ago. More than that, the film is a thoughtful reflection of America’s emotional fabric, seen through run-down motels and vast desert landscapes.
   

2. The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1966) — Easily the greatest Western of all time. Clint Eastwood and Eli Wallach have great buddy-cop energy on this trip through the American West during the Civil War. Money drives every character’s actions, and it all culminates in the best final scene ever. The score by Ennio Morricone is absolutely beautiful, especially during that closing act. A delicious spaghetti Western with all the ingredients of a masterpiece.
   

1. 12 Angry Men (1957) — An all-time classic. An incredibly gripping screenplay and some of the most amazing performances make this movie one of the greats. Twelve men arguing for an hour and a half is, on paper, a very boring concept, but the themes of racial inequality and morality come into play and elevate the film in ways ahead of its time. It starts with a single man arguing “not guilty” and explodes into thought-provoking arguments. 12 Angry Men is a masterpiece of character writing and filmmaking, and for that, it is not only my favorite film I saw this year but also one of my top ten favorite films of all time.