Rian Johnson's 10 Best Movies & TV Shows, Ranked According to IMDb (2024)

Rian Johnson has been directing movies since 2005. But it has just been in the past few years that his stock has risen in Hollywood. Johnson’s name has been seen attached to popular movies and TV shows of late. He’s credited often with not only directing and producing but also writing some of the biggest hits and/or most talked about movies in recent years, like Knives Out and Poker Face.

What’s more, Johnson has also directed episodes for iconic shows that fans might not even realize he was behind. Looking at his best movies and TV shows on IMDb, some of the entries might be surprising.

10 ‘The Brothers Bloom’ (2008)

Writer, Director

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IMDb Rating: 6.7/10

Johnson wrote and directed this caper comedy-drama about a young man named Stephen and his younger brother Bloom who perform confidence tricks in their orphanage. They hone the skills to become con men when they get older. But when Bloom decides he wants more out of life, he quits. But his brother pulls him back in for one last con.

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The Brothers Bloom has a star-studded cast that includes Rachel Weisz, Mark Ruffalo, and Adrien Brody in one of his most underrated roles. While The Brothers Bloom doesn’t rank in Johnson’s top five projects, some critics suggest it’s better when watching the second time around.

9 ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ (2017)

Writer, Director

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IMDb Rating: 6.9/10

Some fans might not realize that Johnson is indeed a member of the Star Wars family, having written and directed Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi. The second movie in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, the film continues the story with Rey, Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron, and Finn. It’s the episode that includes the epic battle scene between Rey and Kylo Ren.

The movie, which boasts much better ratings on other review aggregator websites, is one of the most successful in the franchise. It’s also one of five Star Wars movies to have crossed the $1 billion mark, according to Insider. Lauded for the emotional scenes, fabulous acting, exciting twists, and visual spectacle, the movie firmly cemented Johnson as a director and writer who could take on even big franchise projects.

8 ‘Brick’ (2005)

Writer, Director

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IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

Johnson’s directorial debut was with the neo-noir mystery thriller Brick, which he also wrote. The underrated 2005 crime movie starred his frequent collaborator Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Brendan Frye, a high school student who gets a harrowing call from his ex-girlfriend Emily suggesting she is in trouble.

Together, Brendan and his friend try to track down Emily. When she winds up dead, the story takes many twists and turns. The movie, described as a hard-boiled detective story, received a decent response when it was released and has since become a cult classic.

7 ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2022)

Producer, Writer, Director

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IMDb Rating: 7.2/10

The second movie in the Knives Out franchise, Johnson returned for Glass Onion with another ensemble cast and a new mystery about a group of wealthy friends trying to solve a fake murder. But when one of them actually winds up dead, the real sleuthing begins. Daniel Craig is the only returning cast member from the first movie, reprising his role as the quirky yet incredibly talented detective Benoit Blanc.

RELATED: Great Rian Johnson Films and Shows to Watch After ‘Glass Onion’

Johnson has noted that he wrote Knives Out during the COVID-19 lockdown and cleverly chose the setting as Greece for an excuse to travel there once the lockdowns ended, according to The Atlantic. The idea of a whodunit vacation mystery came at a perfect time, and the plot, cast, and setting all made it an enjoyable watch.

6 ‘Fair Play’ (2023)

Executive Producer

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IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Johnson’s latest project also ranks among his best based on early reviews. Johnson didn’t write this erotic thriller nor direct, but he does serve as an executive producer. Written and directed by Chloe Domont, Fair Play is about a young couple that finds their love tested when one of them is unexpectedly promoted to work at a cut-throat hedge fund firm.

Starring Bridgerton’s Phoebe Dynavor and Alden Ehrenreich in one of his best roles, Fair Play was acquired for distribution by Netflix. Fans have responded positively to its handling of topics like relationships, greed, and gender politics.

5 ‘Looper’ (2012)

Writer, Director

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IMDb Rating: 7.4/10

Another project that sees Johnson collaborate with Gordon-Levitt, the actor stars in Looper as a 25-year-old assassin, known as loopers, working for a crime syndicate. Set in the future, in the years 2044 and 2074, the loopers are sent back in time to murder enemies before the invention of trackers that make it impossible to dispose of a body without getting caught.

What makes the movie truly mind-bending, and demonstrates Johnson’s capabilities at delivering complex storylines, is that once the loopers who survive have fulfilled their contracts, they are sent back in time to kill their younger selves.

4 ‘Knives Out’ (2019)

Producer, Writer, Director

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IMDb Rating: 7.9/10

The first movie in the Knives Out franchise which now includes two films, the 2019 whodunit introduces fans to the character of Benoit Blanc, a master detective. He’s on the case of the murder of the family patriarch, running his investigation by interrogating the family members to determine who did the deed.

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Featuring an impressive ensemble cast that includes Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Shannon, Ana de Armas, and others, the movie was a massive hit. Knives Out earned a Best Original Screenplay Academy Award for the creative story.

3 ‘Poker Face’ (2023 - )

Executive Producer, Writer, Creator, Director

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IMDb Rating: 8.0/10

Already renewed for a second season, Johnson is behind every facet of Poker Face, which stars Natasha Lyonne as Charlie, a young woman with an incredible gift: she can instinctively tell when someone is lying. It’s a gift and a curse, however, as the talent lands Charlie in trouble and on the run where she ends up solving crimes.

Inspired by Columbo, the inverted mystery whodunit series continues the familiar murder mystery theme in Johnson’s writing, but with an interesting twist.

2 ‘Terriers’ (2010)

Director (1 Episode)

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IMDb Rating: 8.4/10

Johnson directed the fifth episode of the first season of Terriers, titled “Manifest Destiny.” Terriers is a crime comedy-drama noir series about Hank, an ex-police officer and recovering alcoholic who runs a private investigation business alongside his best friend Britt, who also happens to be a former criminal.

The show, which many believe deserves a comeback after just one season, was praised for breathing new life into the tired detective show genre, a genre that Johnson has since reinvented again and again. The episode he directed was about the pair disposing of a body and covering it up as a drunk driving accident. It also touched on their dealings with a high-powered attorney who might have been involved in a murder.

1 ‘Breaking Bad’ (2008 - 2013)

Director (3 Episodes)

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IMDb Rating: 9.5/10

One of the most surprising credits on Johnson’s resume, and one that many fans likely didn’t realize he possessed, is directing three different episodes of Breaking Bad. He directed season 3, episode 10 “Fly,” and two episodes from season 5: episode 4 “Fifty-One” and episode 14 “Ozymandias.”

Interestingly, “Fly” is often ranked as one of the worst, if not the worst, episodes of the show. The slow-paced, strange episode centered around Walt and Jesse trying to capture and kill a fly that was taunting them in the lab. The episode was later praised, however, for providing a deeper exploration into the mentality of the two main characters. Conversely, “Ozymandias” is ranked among the show’s best episodes. It’s the episode when and important main character is killed and Walt reveals a stunning secret to Jesse that changes their bond. These rank among some of the most gut-wrenching, emotional scenes of the series.

NEXT: The Best 'Breaking Bad' Episodes, Ranked According to IMDb

Rian Johnson's 10 Best Movies & TV Shows, Ranked According to IMDb (2024)
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