Racing cars for a living may be a noble pursuit or absolute folly but it sure as hell is exciting. In this follow-up to his superb Marvel reinvention, Logan, director James Mangold tells the tale of real-life superheroes Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles. Mavericks of the first order, Shelby and Miles commandeered the resources of the mighty Ford Motor Company in the 1960s to go head-to-head with the gods of Italian auto racing. With standout performances from Matt Damon and Christian Bale, this story makes for one of the most electrifying films of the year.

Shelby (Damon) wins France's prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race in 1959, a rare feat for an American. But a weak heart valve stops his career cold, pushing him out of the driver's seat. Miles (Bale) is terrible at running an auto shop but he's a brilliant driver. When Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) comes looking to burnish Ford's family brand with some fast-car sizzle, Shelby and Miles stand as the perfect team to build and race a true competitor to Enzo Ferrari (Remo Girone), who seems to win as easily as he downs an espresso. But can two hot-headed startup guys work with a corporate titan to grab road racing's ultimate prize?

Mangold marshalls the combined talents of his cast and craftspeople to deliver a dazzling rush of entertainment. Director of photography Phedon Papamichael finds new ways to shoot the race scenes to convey their speed and lethal danger. The surround sound puts you right in the driver's seat. But as the film rockets to its nail-biting conclusion, it's the pure drama of people trying to be the very best that wins the day.