#8: 99 Homes

"Don't get emotional about real estate," says Rick Carver. And yet, we, like Dennis Nash are invested anyway. That's what drives 99 Homes to such dramatic and powerful heights.

Ramin Bahrani's film is a story of the dark side of the American Dream. Alongside all of the pleasures and happiness of living large, there is the other side of the coin. This side is where 99 Homes thrives, pulling the viewer into the chaos that Dennis Nash experiences. It all starts when Nash, played by Andrew Garfield is evicted from his home by Michael Shannon's Carver. Nash eventually begins to work alongside Carver as he caves to the struggles of life and has to sacrifice his moral code. From there, things only get more intense.

Bahrani's directing is absolutely superb. Despite its apparent drama characteristics, 99 Homes predominately has the feel of a thriller. The film carries a building feeling of tension throughout, culminating in one final sequence that brings it to a head. Starting from the very first shot, a single take traveling through an eviction carried out by Carver, the film sets the viewer in the passenger's seat, unable to control the struggling, but still witness to all of the suffering.

Finally, there is the best quality about 99 Homes, which are the marvelous performances. Michael Shannon convincingly carries the film in the role of a villain, yet still manages to be relatable, allowing the audience to still connect with his motivations. Lastly, there's Andrew Garfield. Long gone are the days of Spider-Man. Instead, he plays a man conflicted between right and wrong - righteousness and survival.

99 Homes tells the story of people on the worst days of their lives. Following the economic struggles of the recession, it's a powerful reminder of the effects of life in excess, and the downfall of the American culture of greed.

What to know: Ramin Bahrani's 99 Homes is a commentary on the American Dream constructed as an expertly acted thriller, making for a tense and gripping film experience.