trials

• American Gangster directed by Ridley Scott (2007)

  [6/10]

  "From the trailers, I expected to see scene after scene of gore and violence, but I was pleasantly surprised at the intellectual comparison of these 'real life' characters from our recent past."

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (1961)

  [9/10]

  "Clearly, the Pulitzer committee thought enough of Harper Lee's book to give it top honors in 1961, but I think some of the social issues from the 1960s that pushed Mockingbird to the top of the list don't have as much relevance today."

  Average score: 7.50