A History of Violence (2005)

With Crimes of the Future (1970), The Brood (1979),  Scanners (1981), Videodrome (1983), The Fly (1986) and Dead Ringers (1988) under his directorial belt, David Cronenberg has a history of making memorable movies. Of course, this also applies to A History of Violence (2005). While not as overtly bizarre as some of the auteur’s previous pics, this thriller is thrilling thanks to its leading man’s assets. Yes, the critically-acclaimed crime movie marks the first collaboration between the famed filmmaker and sexy star Viggo Mortensen, who would go on to appear in Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises (2007) and A Dangerous Method (2011). For now, he plays an Indiana family man who goes by the name of Tom Stall. The upstanding guy owns a diner but is thrust into the limelight after he offs two killers threatening his livelihood. Alas, complications arise when gangster Carl Fogarty (Ed Harris) and hitman Richie Cusack (Academy Award nominee William Hurt) arrive in town. Like sharks on the trail of blood, they’re bound to make waves when revealing Tom’s less than innocent past. But before they do, we encounter Leland (Stephen McHattie), Bobby (Kyle Schmid), and Mr. Mortensen’s skin! Loosely based on a graphic novel, the movie gets graphic when showing Viggo’s bare bum as his character bangs Edie Stall (Chicago Film Critics Association Awards winner Maria Bello) on the stairs. The shot is brief, but it will have you polishing your banister and baluster. In other words, this scene gives new meaning to the phrase “stairway to heaven!”