James Mangold: a director who doesn’t restrict himself to just one genre!

With a vast body of work, James Mangold is one of the most renowned directors we know today and his version of the pop culture favorite, Indiana Jones will premiere at Cannes tonight but before that let’s take a look at some of his notable works!

James Mangold is a director who has explored his skill of filmmaking in many genres we love. Be it science fiction, romantic comedy, action, or fantasy, he has truly mastered them all. He has now taken over Steven Spielberg’s Indiana Jones and the film stars Harrison Ford, Mads Mikkelsen and Phoebe Waller Bridge which was screened at Cannes last night. The run time of the film is 2 hours and 22 minutes which makes it the longest one in the Indiana Jones franchise. The movie has been in the news ever since its announcement and rightfully so because James Mangold is an award winning director, screenplay writer and producer who has been in Hollywood for decades. 

The first film James Mangold ever made was Heavy but the one that gained him attention in his initial stages was Cop Land. His most popular work till date would be action/sci-fi film Logan and The Wolverine starring Hugh Jackman. Some of his popular romantic comedies include Kate and Leopold starring Hugh Jackman again and Meg Ryan. Knight and Day which is an action rom-com starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz. It clearly highlights the fact that he has mastered all the categories of filmmaking. 

Also Read: 10 quintessential Pedro Almodóvar films that you might wanna watch if you’re a movie buff!

Here are some of his all time classics!

Ford v Ferrari (2019)

One of his most popular works, the story revolves around car designer Carroll Shelby played by Matt Damon and professional race-car driver Ken Miles played by Christian Bale join hands to defeat the cars of Enzo Ferrari in the Le Mans of France. This was the beginning of the Ford Motor Company. Based on a real story, this movie is a treat for any motor sport fan. It took home Oscars for Best Editing and Best Sound.

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Girl, Interrupted deals with mental illness and how it was treated during the 60s era. The film stars Angelina Jolie, Winona Ryder and Whoopi Goldberg and is adapted from the memoir of Susanna Kaysen. It follows Sussana who is at a psychiatric hospital after her suicide attempt and there she meets Lisa who influences her in every way possible. 

Cop Land (1997)

Cop Land highlights the deeply corrupted world of the American police force. The movie stars Robert De Niro and Sylvester Stallone. The plot thickens when a boy who unexpectedly gets involved in a racial hate crime, and fakes his own death in order to escape the consequences. This is when Internal Affairs officer Moe Tilden (De Niro) and Deputy Sheriff Freddy Heflin (Stallone) begin investigating the case. 

Identity (2003)

Identity is a neo-noir murder mystery. The film has an ensemble cast including John Cusack and Ray Liotta. It follows ten people in an isolated Nevada motel due to a storm but everything turns scary when they start getting murdered one by one. 

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Telling the story of small-time rancher Dan who hunts down Ben Wade, the wanted outlaw, the film is the second adaptation of the short story Three-ten to Yuma after the 1957 film adaptation. 3:10 to Yuma received a number of nominations, including two nominations at the Academy Awards. The film stars Russelle Crowe and Christian Bale.

The Wolverine (2013)

This is the sixth addition to the X-Men franchise and is Wolverine's second spin-off, after X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Logan finds himself in Japan for the first time since WWII. Surrounded by rough Yakuza and samurai, Logan goes on the run with an industrialist's daughter, finding himself under threat of death for the first time ever. The movie was highly praised for its action sequences featuring Hugh Jackman.

Walk The Line (2005)

Walk the Line is a biopic on the life of country singer Johnny Cash. It portrays his days as a boy on a struggling farm to his successful career as a singer. The movie pays specific attention to his relationship with his wife Vivian and how his lifestyle starts to shake their marriage when he meets June, who he falls in love with. The movie stars Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, and also garnered them a lot of awards, including an Oscar.

Logan (2017)

Logan was the last chapter in the Wolverine trilogy. In the last installment, we see Logan caring for the ailing Professor X and his attempt to hide from the world doesn’t last long when he meets young mutant Laura. Under the orders of Professor X, Logan must protect Laura, no matter what.

Knight and Day (2010)

June Havens crosses paths with Roy Miller who is a lethal operative who is using her to get his work done. After becoming a part of his adventures, the two fall in love but it is up to her to figure out whether he can be trusted or not. Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz played the lead roles in the movie and Knight and Day grabs viewership even today.

Kate and Leopold (2001)

Career-oriented Kate’s life is turned upside down when she falls in love with a prince from the 18th century, Leopold who time traveled to the current era through a time portal made by her ex boyfriend. Hugh Jackman and Meg Ryan make the story look so magical with their screen presence.  

Which of these have you watched before? Tell us in the comments below!

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