Month: April 2015
My Top 100 Films – #30-#1 (Or: The Rushed Final Installment in the Franchise)
Being that it’s the holiday season (Easter, close enough), and being that I have a lot of ‘crucial’, ‘difficult, ‘more important’ University assignments coming up, I figured it best to get the rest of my countdown out of the way as soon as possible.
Thankfully, seeing as so few of my already tiny audience care all that much, it means I can get away with rushing through the rest without much thought. Gone are the rambling, wittery, nonsensically long wannabe reviews that I’ve dont seventy of so far: for the last few, I’m limiting myself to a sentence or two (which may well have been a better idea to start with. C’est la vie.)
Thanks for reading.
PS: If any of you really do care about my extended thought for each of my favourite films, please do shoot me a message and I’d love to have a chat.
#30 – Boyhood (2014)
A very real and very beautiful presentation of what it means to grow up, showing us what life is made of: wonderful ordinariness and the occasional splash of extraordinary.
#29 – West Side Story (1961)
The highest innovation for the musical film genre, and a film of a quality which is rarely reached in that genre, tied together with amazing dancecraft, the stage musical’s brilliant songs, and a wonderful interpretation of a famously tragic story.
#28 – Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
A sublimely pitched, expertly written, tightly directed benchmark for our age of superhero films, its tone and execution thrilling and delighting casual audiences, cinephiles and comic book nuts alike.
#27 – Memento (2000)
A disorienting, punchy, complex shot in the arm for the thriller genre: one of the best ‘audience is a detective too’ films out there.
#26 – Shaun of the Dead (2004)
Proof that making a fun, silly homage film doesn’t mean one can’t present it in a new and exciting manner: from the script to the editing, from the practical effects to the savvy performances, one of the finest examples of British cinema.
#25 – Forrest Gump (1994)
More people I know cite this as their all-time favourite film than any other, and rightly so. Forrest Gump is a well-made story filled with fun as well as some deeply moving stuff, disguised as a pop culture behemoth.
#24 – A Bug’s Life (1998)
Ah, one of my favourite childhood films. The same care and attention as was given to Toy Story, both technically and artistically, makes (in my opinion) a better film in Pixar’s second project.
#23 – Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
The world’s first experience of that galaxy far, far away is a milestone in film history, and arguably the first blockbuster, but it is also an epic tale that is simultaneously classic in feel yet rammed with exciting new characters and stories.
#22 – The Dark Knight (2008)
While its initial acclaim may have been blighted by both the poor sequel and the cultural circlejerk, The Dark Knight is still held up by its dramatic reinvention of the titular character, Heath Ledger’s gobsmackingly impressive performance as The Joker, its social commentary, and, above all, its impeccable tone.
#21 – Donnie Darko (2001)
Even though its intense noirish vibe, surreal imagery and complicated story were a turnoff for some, the divisive Donnie Darko is a cult favourite, and a film I love. For all those reasons so many are put off it, actually.
#20 – Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
The conclusion to one of the grandest stories ever told, while not as good a film as the Episode previous, is filled with more of the gleefully epic moments, battles and settings that we’d come to love.
#19 – The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
A suitable tribute to the vast and diverse horror genre is a hard thing to do, but Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon just about manage it with this jubilant and tongue-in-cheek yet oft-misunderstood pastiche.
#18 – Aliens (1986)
There isn’t much between the first two Alien films, but what is for sure is that James Cameron’s scary and ass-kicking followup is one of the best sequels to anything ever.
#17 – Alien (1979)
Well, I did say there wasn’t much between them. Ridley Scott’s terrifying, genre-bending, gothic masterpiece is a deserved favourite of many, not just in its genres or in its period, but of all time, and deservedly so.
#16 – The LEGO Movie (2014)
Is it an earnest, loveable film, or is it a pristinely packaged commercial for a product? In this case, I don’t care, because anyone who knows me knows that LEGO was my childhood, and the things that this film represents (fun, adventure, creativity, individuality, quirkiness) are what LEGO itself means to me.
#15 – Oldboy (2003)
A dark, disturbing psychological thriller with heart-stopping drama, astounding technical skill, an incredible central performance, an incredibly well-written screenplay and a certain scene with a hammer, Oldboy is a beacon for world cinema in our western culture.
#14 – The Godfather: Part II (1974)
The story of Michael Corleone continues with the same masterful storytelling ability from Ford Coppola, Pacino, De Niro and the rest of the cast and crew, perhaps reaching more epic and emotional heights than Part I.
#13 – The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King (2003)
A suitably grand conclusion to the story of Middle Earth, and a chance to reflect on all three film adaptations of The Lord of The Rings, which together are quite simply the single most impressive achievement in the history of modern cinema.
#12 – 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Stanley Kubrick’s finest work is a steady and pointed look at the human condition and our development as a species. Among the innovative technical wizardry, you’ll find complex metaphor and surreal imagery which
#11 – Good Will Hunting (1997)
This story about an intelligent but conflicted working class boy is heartwrenching and philosophical. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon’s outstanding screenplay is emotional and honest, with arguably the late Robin Williams finest dramatic performance.
#10 – The Silence of The Lambs (1990)
Featuring the greatest movie villain of all time played by the greatest character actor of his generation, and with its uncomfortable and heart-pounding editing, this chilling adaptation of the 1988 Thomas Harris novel is easily one of the greatest of all time.
#9 – Psycho (1960)
Psycho is my favourite work from the master of film. The most iconic horror film of all time lives up to the hype, delivering suspense and cathartic scares in precisely the right quantities.
#8 – Filth (2013)
An unforgiving, hilarious, arresting, harrowing, shocking, violent and visceral story that many see as offensive. But with Jon S. Baird’s inventive direction and James McAvoys career-best performance as the vile Bruce Robertson, it becomes a darkly comic and revelatory film that forces us all to think about human morality in a way I’ve not seen on film before.
#7 – Fight Club (1999)
David Fincher brings his visceral style to Chuck Palahnuik’s novel, building on its uncompromising look at the late twentieth century’s sense of masculinity. This nihilistic, cynical film is arguably one of the most misunderstood films in recent memory, but will be hailed for decades to come for its technical prowess, darkly funny tone and cult status.
#6 – The Lion King (1994)
In my opinion Disney’s best of all time, The Lion King has just about everything you could ask for in a Disney film. Loveable characters, beautiful animation, great songs and inspiring story. Not just the best Disney animated film, but surely in contention as the best animated film full stop.
#5 – The Godfather (1972)
Probably the best film ever made. Near-enough perfect in its acting calibre, storytelling power, screenplay and cinematography. Simple as that really.
#4 – Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Almost unanimously heralded as the best Star Wars, Empire’s darker tone, wider galaxy, new characters and more human story help to expand the universe even more, capitalising on the success of the original and reaching higher into critical acclaim as well as film and pop culture history.
#3 – The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
I know everyone who knows anything about film goes on and on about Shawshank being one of the best ever, and this repetitive praise can get annoying – but that doesn’t change the fact that it is a sublime film. Taking the inimitable Stephen King’s soaring novella (in turn based on a Tolstoy work) and through casting exceptional actors, a world-class score and powerful images, Frank Darabont perfectly captures this generational tale of pain, suffering and humanity in a heartbreaking and ultimately immensely uplifting way.
#2 – Hot Fuzz (2007)
Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg’s second major collaboration is without a doubt the most fun I have ever had watching a film. Wright’s quirky structural style is perfectly suited to this witty and smart screenplay, which seems to be a constant stream of gags or tongue-in-cheek badassery. Technically, the film excels, managing to create comedy in aspects as specific as cuts or pans. In my opinion one of the best British films ever made, Hot Fuzz overflows with joy and cinematic excellence from start to finish.
#1 – Requiem for a Dream (2000)
Simply put, I have never seen a film that has affected me more profoundly than Requiem for a Dream. The way Darren Aronofsky and his cast construct a dreamlike state in the ‘Summer’ only to have it torn down is one of the most emotive and soul-destroying film experiences I have ever had. 
Requiem for a Dream transcends the traditional ‘drugs movie’, and through astonishing performances, physical/practical transformations, visceral and terrifying editing and cinematography the likes of which I have never seen and a haunting score (certainly one of the best ever), it leaves one speechless even after having watched the film numerous times before. It is a film which haunts me like no other, and forces everyone who watches it reflect on their own life, their own place in the world, and their own dreams.
So there we have it. Sorry to end on such a dark film, but bless you if you’ve been even mildly interested in something as banal and unimportant as learning what films I like and why.
Cheers folks.
Something from Anything 