Hacksaw Ridge

Mel Gibson returned to directing with a film that's essentially two movies in one — and both are excellent. The first half is a tender, almost old-fashioned love story and character study. Andrew Garfield plays Doss with an aw-shucks earnestness that could have been cloying but instead feels genuine. Teresa Palmer as his sweetheart Dorothy is luminous. Hugo Weaving, as Doss's alcoholic WWI-veteran father, delivers the film's most complex performance. Then the second half hits, and it's one of the most intense combat sequences ever filmed. The Battle of Okinawa is depicted with unflinching brutality — this is R-rated for very good reason. But here's what elevates it beyond war spectacle: the contrast between the violence surrounding Doss and his absolute refusal to participate in it. Watching him run through gunfire and explosions to save wounded soldiers — 'Lord, help me get one more' — is profoundly moving regardless of your faith background. Garfield earned his Oscar nomination. The film works simultaneously as a war epic, a love story, and a testament to the power of conviction.