Todd Haynes is a talented director with a knack for gorgeous visuals and complex drama, usually involving themes of sexuality, gender roles, and social pressure. He first gained attention with his cult short film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (which used Barbie dolls as actors), before receiving widespread acclaim for 2002's Far from Heaven with Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid. His most recent film is May December with Moore and Natalie Portman, which hit Netflix in December.

Haynes has a singular vision. He frequently deploys unconventional techniques and nonlinear narrative structures alongside a highly stylized aesthetic. He also delights in re-appropriating or subverting cinematic styles, whether it's 1960s horror or 1950s melodrama. In this regard, his work is thoroughly postmodern, reflecting his immersion in critical theory while studying at Brown University. At their best, Haynes's films delve into multifaceted characters and, through them, critique society as a whole.

10 'Wonderstruck' (2017)

IMDb Score: 6.2/10

Wonderstruck recounts two narratives, one set in 1927 and the other in 1977. The first follows Rose (Millicent Simmonds), a deaf girl who runs away from her stifling home in New Jersey to New York City, where she hopes to find her favorite actress (Julianne Moore). In the second story, Ben (Oakes Fegley), a deaf boy living in Minnesota, leaves home in search of his father. At first, it's unclear how these two narratives are connected, but soon their lives begin to intersect.

Wonderstruck makes for one of Haynes's most feel-good and accessible projects, a great entry point for those new to his filmography. It's an interesting double period piece, and Haynes recreates both the '20s and '70s with skill. In particular, he uses black-and-white cinematography for Rose's story and vibrant color for Ben's. The former pays homage to silent filmmakers like F.W. Murnau, while the second is inspired by the look of '70s classics like The French Connection.

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9 'Poison' (1991)

IMDb Score: 6.3/10

Haynes hit the ground running with his feature debut, serving up a bold sci-fi horror that is now considered a cornerstone of the New Queer Cinema movement. Poison comprises three intercut stories, entitled Hero, Horror, and Homo. The first is about a seven-year-old who shoots his father; Horror concerns a scientist who suffers terrible consequences after drinking the 'elixir of human sexuality'; and the final story centers on a prisoner (Scott Renderer) who becomes attracted to a fellow inmate whom he humiliated years earlier in juvie.

Once again, Haynes plays with various styles, like '60s horror and '40s noir. The film is boldly experimental and rich in social commentary, dissecting issues of sexuality, self-expression, and homophobia. It's obviously not as polished or as ambitious as his masterworks, but it's bursting with creativity and passion for the medium. Poison established Haynes as a sui generis talent, paving the way for all that would follow.

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8 'I'm Not There' (2007)

IMDb Score: 6.8/10

I'm Not There is an experimental Bob Dylan biopic, featuring six actors as the folk legend (or at least aspects of him) at different times in his life: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, and Ben Whishaw. The movie is more impressionistic than realistic, drawing on Dylan's music and public personas rather than the dry facts of his life. In particular, it focuses on six different 'faces' of Dylan: the poet, the prophet, the outlaw, the fake, the "rock and roll martyr", and the "star of electricity".

Dylan was famously a shape-shifter, morphing from sound to sound, evolving from folk upstart to '60s visionary, before eventually repudiating his own status as a generational voice and notoriously going electric. Thus, Haynes's kaleidoscopic film is a fitting way of capturing his life and impact. It works because the performances are so good. Blanchett, in particular, received an Oscar nomination for her efforts.

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7 'Velvet Goldmine' (1998)

IMDb Score: 6.9/10

This musical drama tells the story of Brian Slade (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a Bowie-esque glam rock icon who fakes his own death. Christian Bale plays Arthur Stuart, a journalist investigating Slade's sudden vanishing act. Stuart is gay, and he is devoted to the glam rock stars as they give him the confidence to come out. Through Stuart's interviews, the film paints a vivid picture of the '70s music scene.

Velvet Goldmine radiates Haynes's obvious affection for glam rock and that whole musical era. Narratively, the film stumbles at times and the character of Slade is not as interesting as Haynes seems to think he is. Nevertheless, solid performances win the day, especially Ewan McGregor as Curt Wild, a fiery musician inspired by Iggy Pop. He's utterly convincing as an oversexed rocker prone to outbursts of rage; the complete inverse of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

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6 'Safe' (1995)

IMDb Score: 7.1/10

Julianne Moore delivers a powerhouse performance here as Carol White, a bored housewife who begins suffering from a bizarre ailment: she seems to be allergic to many ordinary household chemicals. She sees doctors and therapists, to no avail. Eventually, Carol takes the drastic decision to leave home and move into the Wrenwood Center, a New Age facility led by a charismatic leader (Peter Friedman) with a dark side.

Safe unfolds at a languid place; it's The Boy in the Plastic Bubble meets Jeanne Dielman. The movie is also subtle rather than didactic, leaving much up to the viewer's interpretation. On the one hand, it's a study of domestic disharmony; on the other, a critique of Carol herself. Haynes also takes shots at suffocating societal expectations and the hollowness of self-help culture. Some viewers have even interpreted Carol's illness as an allegory for the AIDS epidemic. Not everyone will appreciate Safe, but many Haynes die-hards consider it one of his best.

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5 'Carol' (2015)

IMDb Score: 7.2/10

Set in the 1950s, Carol focuses on the forbidden affair between Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), a young photographer working in a department store, and Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett), a sophisticated woman in the midst of a divorce. After a chance encounter, they form an immediate connection, but social attitudes pose a major obstacle to the relationship. The result is a bittersweet romance, with much to say about the loneliness of not being able to be oneself.

This material could easily have come off a little heavy-handed, but Haynes handles the story with style and sensitivity. As with many of Haynes's movies, Carol is also visually gorgeous. Production designer Judy Becker and art director Jesse Rosenthal recreate that decade in exquisite detail, making even dark bars and cheap motel rooms look beautiful. All this is complemented by Edward Lachman's evocative cinematography.

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4 'The Velvet Underground' (2021)

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

The Velvet Underground is a documentary about the legendary rock band comprising Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale, Doug Yule, and Maureen Tucker. They rose from obscurity to cult status to eventually becoming full-fledged legends, leaving a lasting legacy on rock. Their debut album may have only sold 30,000 copies in its first five years but, as producer Brian Eno famously quipped, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."

Haynes tracks the band from formation to breakup, delving into their influences and the artistic scene of the late '60s and early '70s. While he uses traditional documentary elements like interviews and archival footage, he arranges them in unconventional and nonlinear ways. The result is less like a history lesson and more like a musical experience. It may not be all that fascinating to those who aren't already fans of the band, but for those who are it should be a real treat.

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3 'Far from Heaven' (2002)

IMDb Score: 7.3/10

Considered by many to be Haynes's masterpiece, Far from Heaven centers on Cathy Whitaker (Julianne Moore), a seemingly perfect suburban housewife. Cathy's world shatters when she discovers that her husband Frank (Dennis Quaid) is struggling with his sexuality. Seeking solace, Cathy befriends Raymond Deagan (Dennis Haysbert), her Black gardener. As the characters grapple with personal crises, the film artfully explores themes of identity, societal expectations, and the facade of suburban perfection.

Far from Heaven pays homage to the melodramas of 1950s director Douglas Sirk while also subverting their conventions. The film essentially takes the story elements of a Sirk film but places them in a more realistic (not to mention bleaker) take on 1950s America. It makes for a poignant commentary on the restrictive societal norms of that time. As with Carol, Edward Lachman captures the story with bright and painterly cinematography, making Far from Heaven Haynes's most beautiful project.

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2 'May December' (2023)

IMDb Score: 7.5/10

May December is Haynes's most recent project, which received a limited release in select theaters on November 17 before hitting on Netflix on December 1. Natalie Portman is Elizabeth Berry, an actress researching a role as Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore), a woman who made headlines 23 years earlier for having sex with her son's 13-year-old friend Joe Yoo (Charles Melton). Gracie and Joe are now married with kids, and Elizabeth interviews them to gain insight into their lives. The boundaries between reality and performance begin to blur as Elizabeth learns more about them.

This is certainly explosive material, all the more so since May December is loosely based on a true story. Nevertheless, it appears that Haynes more than rose to the occasion. The film received rave reviews for its sharp drama, campy humor, and the intense performances from its superstar lead actresses. Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt also received praise, particularly for the way he makes Savannah, Georgia look plastic-y and unreal.

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1 'Dark Waters' (2019)

IMDb Score: 7.6/10

Mark Ruffalo stars in this real-life legal thriller as Robert Bilott, a corporate defense attorney who takes on the gargantuan DuPont Corporation after locals claim their water has been poisoned by toxic chemicals. Cows in the area start dying. Soon, people also report cancer and other health problems. Bilott believes DuPont is responsible and sets out to make them pay. It's a classic David versus Goliath story, but Haynes tells it with such style and confidence that it feels fresh once again. Ruffalo is also charming and sympathetic as a good guy up against a broken system.

In contrast to Carol or Far from Heaven, Dark Waters has a more wintry aesthetic, matching the subject matter and factual basis. It may look different from most of his movies, but it features the same anger at injustice. Haynes pulls no punches in skewering DuPont and its malfeasance. This is an urgent and relevant story, and Haynes deserves props for turning what could have been a dry news piece into a tense thriller.

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