The Hustler (1961)

Eddie Felson is a successful, if small-time, pool hustler who sets his sights on Minnesota Fats, known to be the best there is. After he gets a crash course in humility, he's determined to get enough scratch together to try it again. There's so much desperation, cruelty and hopelessness woven through the story, but it's balanced with moments of hope.

Everything here -- the acting, the script, the direction, the gorgeous shots -- comes together to create a work of art. This is my second time seeing it (the first was at least 25 years ago) and it's still as powerful as I remember. We lost Piper Laurie this week, which is why we were rewatching, and she really earned her nomination here. Just a perfect performance in a truly perceptive film.

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