1. Django Unchained (2012)

One of the most distinct voices and polarizing figures in American cinema, Quentin Tarantino is still a filmmaker like any other, and part of that is his unparalleled skill as a writer. Call him a thief if you want, but to read a Tarantino script is less like reading an outline for a movie that might one day be and more like reading a novel.

2. Her (2013)

It would be hard to fault someone if this was their reaction upon hearing the premise for Spike Jonze’s 2013 work of genius. Because although it is a comedy, it’s not the absurdist, satirical take on technology it could’ve been. Instead, it’s a melancholic romantic comedy about searching for connection and navigating the perils of a new and different relationship.

3. The Social Nerwork (2010)

In David Fincher’s hands, 'The Social Network' transcended the idea of “people talking in rooms.” But while Fincher may be responsible for the end product, Aaron Sorkin’s Oscar-winning screenplay is a titanic feat on its own. There is so much pathos, and humor, and drama in this story, it plays as much like a Greek tragedy as it does a modern story of a tech billionaire.

4. Midnight in Paris (2011)

Like Tarantino, Woody Allen’s voice as a filmmaker and writer is completely unique, and not for everyone. But unlike Tarantino, Allen has become so prolific it’s rare to get a movie from him which still feels like it can teach us something new.

5. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

'Inside Llewyn Davis' is no more devilishly puzzling, no more darkly humorous, no more meticulously executed than any of the Coen Brothers other movies. But there’s at least one thing that sets its screenplay apart, and that is the protagonist at its center.