Few filmmakers have risen to prominence within the last decade quite like Luca Guadagnino. While Gudagnino’s work has always been appreciated by international audiences, it’s often challenging for foreign directors to gain a strong foothold with mainstream American viewers. Thankfully, Guadagnino has formed successful working relationships with acclaimed stars like Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg, Dakota Johnson, and Tilda Swinton, which has only allowed him to work on more ambitious projects.
Guadagnino’s aptitude for raw emotions, stylized locations, creative needle drops, and unashamed sexuality has made him one of the bravest living filmmakers and one of the rare artists who can generate interest in an upcoming project based solely on his involvement. For example, anticipation is high for his next film romantic drama Queer, which is set to star Daniel Craig and Jason Schwartzman. Gyadagnino’s projects are often quiet and introspective, and fans enjoy revisiting them, discovering something new with each rewatch.
8 ‘Melissa P.’ (2005)
Starring Maria Valverde, Primo Reggiani and Geraldine Chaplin
Image via Columbia Pictures
Guadagino’s second film as a director isn’t unwatchable by any stretch of the imagination but lacks the clarity of vision that would dominate his later work. While it certainly features impressive performances from young stars Maria Valverde and Primo Reggiani, there’s not much that distinguishes Melissa P. from other coming-of-age dramas. It looks just as beautiful as any of Guadagnino’s other films but lacks the sharpness of dialogue that would emerge once he began to mature as both a director and co-writer.
Although its narrative may not offer many surprises, Melissa P. was incredibly brave in how it tackled adolescent sexuality and expression of identity, two subjects that other filmmakers may be fearful of depicting. There are several instances of true originality and flashes of the stylistic genius Guadagnino’s later efforts would have in abundance, but Melissa P. is really only worth revisiting for those already familiar with Guadagnino and his erotic, pensive body of work.
Melissa P. (2005)
Release Date November 18, 2005
Cast Maria Valverde , Letizia Ciampa , Primo Reggiani , Fabrizia Sacchi , Geraldine Chaplin , Nilo Zimmerman , Claudio Santamaria , Carlo Antonelli
Runtime 100 Minutes
Melissa P. is not available on streaming in the US and Canada.
7 ‘The Protagonists’ (1999)
Starring Tilda Swinton, Andrew Tiernan and Fabrizia Sacchi
Image via Medusa Films
1999 is one of the best years in movie history and for a good reason. It was a unique twelve-month stretch when many of the best filmmakers of the generation were implored to work on ambitious projects that stretched their artistic capabilities. Although it didn’t rank among the year’s best, The Protagonists was a positive step forward for Guadagnino that helped kick off his recurring partnership with the mighty Tilda Swinton.
Swinton’s performance is the most compelling aspect of The Protagonists, as she completely immerses herself in the role of an enigmatic, unnamed actress. Casting a performer of Swinton’s fame within such an artistic project could have been a distraction, but she completely fit within Guadganino’s vision and adapted to his sensibilities. While there may be little else to recommend about The Projectionists, this peculiar film is worth watching at least once to see where one of the greatest modern cinematic partnerships began.
The Protagonists (1999)
Release Date September 10, 1999
Cast Tilda Swinton , Fabrizia Sacchi , Andrew Tiernan , Claudio Gloe , Paolo Briguglia , Michelle Hunziker , Jhelisa
Runtime 92 Minutes
Buy on Amazon
6 ‘I Am Love’ (2009)
Starring: Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, and Edoardo Gabbriellini
Image via Mikado Film
Wealth, status, and class are often themes in Guadagino’s work, as he tends to use beautiful backdrops and locations to underscore more probing critiques of capitalism. It may not be a film that audiences can relate to on an emotional level, but I Am Love is simply one of the most beautiful films that Guadganino has ever shot. The elaborate melodrama focuses on the affairs of a rich Italian family as they travel throughout London.
I Am Love is the rare family drama that dedicates an equal amount of time to each cast member, even if Swinton’s work is unsurprisingly the standout. It’s unabashedly erotic, surprisingly funny, and doesn’t conform to the typical narrative structure. I Am Love is a little slowly paced and thinly plotted to rewatch multiple times, but anyone who appreciates Guadagnino’s idiosyncratic visual decisions will certainly find something to enjoy about the film.
I Am Love
Release Date July 23, 2010
Cast Tilda Swinton , Flavio Parenti , Edoardo Gabbriellini , Alba Rohrwacher , Pippo Delbono , Maria Paiato , Diane Fleri , Waris Ahluwalia
Runtime 120 Minutes
Writers Barbara Alberti , Ivan Cotroneo , Walter Fasano
Watch on Tubi
5 ‘Suspiria’ (2018)
Starring: Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, and Mia Goth
Image Via Amazon Studios
Suspiria undeniably remains the most ambitious film of Guadagnino’s career. The 1977 Giallo film by Dario Argento is considered to be one of the greatest entries into the horror genre, so there was serious doubt as to what Guadagnino could do to improve it. Thankfully, Guadagnino managed to invert expectations by completely changing the aesthetics and tonal direction. While the original film was bright, colorful, and less than 90 minutes long, Guadagino’s version is drab, dour, and almost 150 minutes long.
The epic scope and amazing dance choreography make Suspiria unique among modern horror movies, as it combines the beauty of ballet with the grotesque visuals of body horror. Gudagino crafts a heavily stylized horror movie, but strong performances from Dakota Johnson and Mia Goth help retain the film’s emotional value. There’s even a debate to be had that Guadagnino’s Suspiria is superior to Argento’s, a claim sure to sharply divide horror lovers everywhere.
Suspiria
Release Date October 11, 2018
Runtime 145
Writers Dario Argento , Daria Nicolodi , David Kajganich
Watch on Amazon
4 ‘A Bigger Splash’ (2016)
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Dakota Johnson, and Tilda Swinton
Image via Searchlight Pictures
A Bigger Splash is a heartbreaking, hilarious, and utterly unpredictable erotic drama that shows how fluidly Guadagnino can navigate between genres. The film features one of Swinton’s best performances as the aging rock star Marianne Lane, whose vacation with her lover Paul De Smed (Matthias Schoenaerts) takes an unexpected turn when her ex-boyfriend Harry (Ralph Fiennes) arrives to start a rift in their relationship. Fiennes and Swinton effortlessly chew the scenery, but A Bigger Splash’s real scene stealer is Dakota Johnson as Harry’s peculiar daughter, Penelope.
Twisting and alluring, A Bigger Splash constantly changes the audience’s perception of the characters as each of the protagonists makes morally dubious decisions. Guadagnino smartly treats the film as a melodrama, resulting in a heightened sense of emotion that makes the story even more thrilling, compelling, and outright addictive. It also boasts one of the best soundtracks in recent memory, including a particularly great use of The Rolling Stones’ “Emotional Rescue.”
A Bigger Splash (2015)
Release Date 2016-00-00
Runtime 124 minutes
Writers David Kajganich , Jacques Deray , Alain Page
Rent on Amazon
3 ‘Challengers’ (2023)
Starring: Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor
Image via Amazon MGM Studios
Challengers is the best type of sports movie because it’s about more than just a competition. Guadagnino’s erotic drama explores how an intense drive to win can drive obsessive people to make shocking decisions that they live to regret. Guadagnino does a great job using visual tricks to make the match sequences feel immersive and easy to follow, even for those who don’t know the specifics of how tennis works. Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist all arguably do the best work of their respective careers.
Guadagnino’s use of non-linear storytelling serves Challengers well, allowing some of the twists and turns to be more surprising and effective. With its penchant for dark humor, an amazing soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and one of the most exhilarating final set pieces in recent years, Challengers just may be the most purely entertaining film of Gudagnino’s career thus far.
Challengers
Release Date April 26, 2024
Cast Zendaya , Josh O’Connor , Mike Faist
Writers Justin Kuritzkes
Buy on Amazon
2 ‘Bones and All’ (2021)
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell, and Mark Rylance
Image via MGM
Bones and All proves that Guadagnino can make beautiful, heartbreaking films about controversial subjects, somehow merging coming-of-age, horror, and romantic themes into a story that satisfies all genres. Chalamet and breakout star Taylor Russell star as two young cannibals who go on a road trip across the United States as they attempt to escape persecution. While some instances of violence are truly disturbing, the best moments in Bones and All are the intimate conversations between the two stars.
It’s not always an easy film to watch, but Bones and All ends on such a satisfying note that it is immediately worthy of respect. It’s also a very impressive work of adaptation, as Guadagnino makes tactful changes to the source material that make the story well-suited for the cinematic medium. It’s frankly a bummer that Bones and All was overlooked for awards consideration, but its quality isn’t diminished by its lack of accolades. Bones and All is an enthralling love story that invites multiple watches, and not just for Guadagnino’s devotees.
Bones and All
Release Date November 18, 2022
Runtime 131 minutes
Writers David Kajganich
1 ‘Call Me by Your Name’ (2017)
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Armie Hammer, and Michael Stuhlbarg
Image via Sony Pictures Classics
Intimacy and honesty are among Guadagnino’s most defining attributes as a filmmaker, and Call Me by Your Name is easily one of the greatest romantic films ever made. The summer romance drama focuses on the teenage boy Elio (Chalamet) as he falls in love with the research assistant Oliver (Armie Hammer) studying with his father (Michael Stuhlbarg).
Guadagnino gives time for the viewer to learn about Elio and Oliver’s bond as it becomes much more passionate throughout the life-changing summer. Call Me by Your Name follows its characters’ relationship to its natural conclusion, leading to a heartbreaking yet cathartic final sequence that features the best acting of Chalamet’s career so far. Call Me by Your Name remains the most accoladed film of Gudagnino’s career, earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture and a win in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. Beyond its prestige, Call Me by Your Name is a classic story of love and longing that many will inevitably be drawn to more than once.
Call Me By Your Name
Release Date January 19, 2018
Runtime 132 minutes
Writers Luca Guadagnino , James Ivory , Walter Fasano , André Aciman
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