Dir. Ivan Reitman
The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as eccentric paranormal investigators who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. Successfully showcasing Murray’s hilarious brand of deadpan humour, Ghostbusters is a hugely likeable supernatural comedy enhanced by great special effects.
760. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933) Dir. Fritz Lang, 122 mins.
Rudolf Klein-Rogge returns as Dr. Mabuse who, while imprisoned in an insane asylum, continues on with his plots to destroy the world. Beautiful, powerful and with a great deal of suspense the film is Lang at his most inventive. Watch
759. Bambi (1942) Dir. David Hand, 70 mins.
With splendid animation the film tells the touching story of male deer Bambi from his birth, through to his early childhood experiences and particularly his memorable friendship with Thumper the rabbit. The tale takes a tragic turn with the traumatic loss of his mother at the hands of hunters and moves on to him falling in love and battling to save his friends from a forest fire. Was placed 3rd in the animation category of the AFI’s 10 Top 10 in 2008. Watch
758. We All Loved Each Other So Much (1974) Dir. Ettore Scola, 124 mins.
Stefania Sandrelli plays the longtime object of three friends’ affections. The film traces the interrelationships of those friends, Vittorio Gassman, Nino Manfredi and Satta Flores, over a period of thirty years, beginning with their involvement in the wartime Resistance. Buy
757. The Birds (1963) Dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 119 mins.
Loosely based on the 1952 story of the same name by Daphne du Maurier, the film focuses on a series of sudden, unexplained violent bird attacks on the people of Bodega Bay, California over the course of a few days. Perhaps dented by comparisons to the brilliance of Hitchcock’s previous three films (Vertigo, North by Northwest and Psycho), The Birds was uneasily received at the time of release, but is now lauded for its masterful suspense.
756. Porco Rosso (1992) Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 94 mins.
The plot revolves around an Italian World War I ex-fighter ace, who thanks to an unusual curse, has been transformed into a pig, and is now living as a freelance bounty hunter chasing “air pirates” in the Adriatic Sea. More beautiful animation and irresistible, vibrant story telling from the masterful Miyazaki.
755. Branded to Kill (1967) Dir. Seijun Suzuki, 98 mins.
Having been promoted from making low budget action B films, Suzuki was gradually decreasing the importance of rational and logical story when he made the gangster film, Branded to Kill. The plot, which generic conventions dictate should be clear, was transformed into a labyrinth. The story follows Goro Hanada in his life as a contract killer. He falls in love with a woman named Misako, who recruits him for a seemingly impossible mission. When the mission fails, he becomes hunted by the phantom Number One Killer, whose methods threaten his sanity as much as his life.
754. The Rise of Louis XIV (1966) Dir. Roberto Rossellini, 100 mins.
Made for French television, the film revolves around the French king Louis XIV’s rise to power after the death of his powerful adviser, Cardinal Mazarin. To achieve this political autonomy, Louis must deal with his mother and the court nobles, all of whom make the assumption that Mazarin’s death will give them more power. The film shows off Rossellini’s remarkable eye for historical detail and Jean-Marie Patte’s performance, as the larger than life Louis, may change the way you think about acting.
753. The Thin Blue Line (1988) Dir. Errol Morris, 103 mins.
An investigation of the 1976 murder of a Dallas cop.
752. Barton Fink (1991) Dir. Joel & Ethan Coen, 116 mins.
The Coen brothers happily deliver a scathing attack on their own industry with this Kafkaesque drama, set in 1941, that follows a young New York realist playwright (John Turturro) who is hired by a Hollywood film studio to script a Wallace Beery wrestling picture. He’s quickly struggling and isn’t helped by having to deal with a hellishly nasty movie mogul (an Oscar nominated turn by Michael Lerner) and his next door neighbour, insurance salesman (John Goodman), who has murder on his mind. Despite all this our hero refuses to throw away his artistic ideals in the face of the industry’s commercialism. There’s plenty to enjoy here, from the beautifully designed sets, to the dark humour and superbly crafted narrative.
751. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Dir. Steven Spielberg, 127 mins.
In the film, set largely in 1938, Indiana searches for his father, a Holy Grail scholar, who has been kidnapped by Nazis. Works best during the riotous moments when Jones (Harrison Ford) and his father (Sean Connery) are escaping the enemy.
750. Delicatessen (1991) Dir. Marc Caro, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 99 mins.
Set in a post apocalyptic country, the action takes place within a single apartment complex, which is owned by the same man, Clapet, who operates the downstairs butcher shop. A former circus clown is attracted to the complex which is a particularly popular place to live, thanks to the butcher’s uncanny ability to find excellent cuts of meat despite the horrible living conditions outside.
749. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989) Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 103 mins.
The film tells the story of a young witch, Kiki, who moves to a new town and uses her flying ability to earn a living delivering for a bakery. A charming, warm coming of age tale that’s beautifully animated.
748. The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) Dir. Martin Scorsese, 164 mins.
Having tried for many years to make an adaptation of Nikos Kazantzakis’s book of the same name, funding finally arrived for Scorsese off the back of the commercial success of The Color of Money. Like the novel, the film depicts the conflict between the human and divine sides of Jesus Christ, showing his struggles with various forms of temptation including fear, doubt, depression, reluctance and lust. The film suffered from protests by religious groups which prevented many exhibitors from showing it and whilst the American accents will put some off, it has some arresting imagery.
747. Ghostbusters (1984) Dir. Ivan Reitman, 105 mins.
The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as eccentric paranormal investigators who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. Successfully showcasing Murray’s hilarious brand of deadpan humour Ghostbusters is a hugely likeable supernatural comedy enhanced by great special effects.
746. Juliet of the Spirits (1965) Dir. Federico Fellini, 137 mins.
The film is about the visions, memories, and mysticism of a middle-aged woman that help her find the strength to leave her philandering husband.
745. Stolen Kisses (1968) Dir. Francois Truffaut, 90 mins.
It continues the story of the character Antoine Doinel, whom Truffaut had previously depicted in The 400 Blows and the short film Antoine and Colette. In this film, Antoine begins his relationship with Christine Darbon.
744. I Am Cuba (1964) Dir. Mikhail Kalatozov, 141 mins.
Hidden away in the Soviet archives for three decades, “I Am Cuba” is a wildly schizophrenic celebration of Communist kitsch, mixing Slavic solemnity with Latin sensuality to create a whirling, feverish dance through both the sensuous decadence of Batista’s Havana and the grinding poverty and oppression of the Cuban people. In four stories of the revolution, Mikhail Kalatov’s astonishingly acrobatic camera takes the viewer on a rapturous roller-coaster ride of bathing beauties, landless peasants, fascist police, and student revolutionaries.
743. Limelight (1952) Dir. Charles Chaplin, 141 mins.
Something of personal indulgence from Chaplin, the film is set in the theatrical London of his childhood and deals with the difficulties of making comedy and the fickle nature of the audience. Chaplin plays a washed-up drunken comedian who saves a suicidal dancer (Claire Bloom) from killing herself and nurses her to success. The film appears to be both a reflection on Chaplin’s damaged reputation (thanks to an FBI smear campaign) and a retreat into the past. Its nostalgia is never more evident than when Buster Keaton appears in a brilliant cameo. (He’d been largely forgotten by the public at that time).
742. Faces (1968) Dir. John Cassavetes, 130 mins.
Having vowed never to direct another studio film Cassavetes returned to independent cinema to tell the story of a dissolving marriage and the lovers to whom the couple turn to for solace. With the director at his most ambitious, Faces was shot on a small budget in black and white on 16 mm and, due to his painstaking methods, took a staggering 4 years to edit. Despite being entirely scripted, unlike his earlier improvised Shadows, the film is known for its powerful expressive acting and realistic dialogue.
741. American Graffiti (1973) Dir. George Lucas, 110 mins.
Making Universal a ton of money, Lucas’s American Graffiti spawned an ever growing number of Hollywood movies portraying teens trying to convince a sceptical adult world to take them seriously. Set in Modesto, California in 1962, the film is a study of the cruising and rock and roll cultures popular among the post–World War II baby boom generation. The narrative is a series of vignettes, telling the story of a group of teenagers and their adventures over a single night. Produced by Coppola the film was an early boost to the careers of Harrison Ford, Ron Howard and Richard Dreyfuss.
In 2016 Time Out New York compiled a list of the 101 best New York movies of all time. Directors such as Martin Scorsese and Woody Allen are unsurprisingly well represented. The list covers Academy Award winners, silents, documentaries and some of the most controversial movies ever made. Presumably the order of films has more to do with how well they represent the city rather than which are considered the best movies.
Following on from the October 2008 release of Empire Magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Movies of All Time, they released their list of the 100 Greatest Movie Characters of All Time. Tyler Durden from David Fincher’s Fight Club topped the list while Indiana Jones, so often number 1 in these sorts of polls, is placed 6th. A new list by Empire was released in 2015.
1. Tyler Durden (Fight Club
2. Darth Vader (Star Wars Trilogy
3. The Joker (The Dark Knight)
4. Han Solo (Star Wars Trilogy
5. Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs)
6. Indiana Jones
7. The Dude (The Big Lebowski)
8. Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribbean Trilogy)
9. Ellen Ripley (Alien Quadrology)
10. Vito Corleone (The Godfather)
11. James Bond
12. John McClane (Die Hard)
13. Gollum (The Lord of the Rings)
14. The Terminator
15. Ferris Bueller (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)
16. Neo (The Matrix trilogy)
17. Hans Gruber (Die Hard)
18. Travis Bickle (Taxi Driver)
19. Jules Winnfield (Pulp Fiction)
20. Forrest Gump (Forrest Gump)
21. Michael Corleone (The Godfather)
22. Ellis “Red” Redding (The Shawshank Redemption)
23. Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry)
24. Ash (Evil Dead)
25. Yoda (The Empire Strikes Back)
26. Ron Burgundy – Anchorman
27. Tony Montana – Scarface
28. Gandalf – the Lord of the Rings trilogy
29. Daniel Plainview – There Will Be Blood
30. Jigsaw – the Saw series
31. Aragorn – the Lord of the Rings trilogy
32. Jason Bourne – the Bourne trilogy
33. Tequila – Hardboiled
34. Rocky Balboa
35. Maximus Decimus Meridius – Gladiator
36. Harry Potter
37. Edward Scissorhands
38. Donnie Darko
39. Marty McFly – Back To The Future
40. Patrick Bateman – American Psycho
41. Mary Poppins
42. Alex DeLarge – A Clockwork Orange
43. The Man With No Name – spaghetti western trilogy
44. Peter Venkman – Ghostbusters
45. Amelie Poulain – Amelie
46. Anton Chigurh – No Country For Old Men
47. Blade
48. Tony Stark – Iron Man
49. Walter Sobchak – The Big Lebowski
50. Quint – Jaws
51. Serenity – Mal Reynolds
52. It’s a Wonderful Life – George Bailey
53. Cool Hand Luke – Luke
54. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)… – Luke Skywalker
55. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988)… – Lt. Frank Drebin
56. Juno (2007) – Juno MacGuff
57. Wake-Up Ron Burgundy – Brick Tamland
58. Casablanca (1942) – Rick Blaine
59. GoodFellas (1990) – Tommy DeVito
60. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective – Ace Ventura
61. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – R.P. McMurphy
62. Léon: The Professional – Mathilda
63. WALL·E – Wall-E
64. Withnail & I – Withnail
65. Dodgeball – White Goodman
66. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 – The Bride
67. Blue Velvet (1986)… – Frank Booth
68. Napoleon Dynamite – Napolean Dynamite
69. The Usual Suspects – Keyser Soze
70. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) – Atticus Finch
71. Escape from New York (1981) – Snake Plisskin
72. V for Vendetta (2005) – V
73. The Shining (1980) – Jack Torrance
74. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial – E.T.
75. Fargo (1996)… – Marge Gunderson
76. Back to the Future Part III (1990) – Dr. Emmett Brown
77. Shaun of the Dead (2004)… – Ed
78. Beverly Hills Cop – Axel Foley
79. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)… – Boba Fett
80. Psycho – Norman Bates
81. X-Men (2000) – Wolverine
82. Sin City – Marv
83. Reservoir Dogs – Mr. Blonde
84. The Matrix – Agent Smith
85. True Romance (1993) – Vincenzo Coccotti
86. Blade Runner (1982)… – Roy Batty
87. Dracula (1931)… – Dracula
88. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988) – Jessica Rabbit
89. Star Wars – Princess Leia Organa
90. The Wizard of Oz – The Wicked Witch of the West
91. Gone with the Wind – Scarlett O’Hara
92. Clerks – Randall Graves
93. Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)… – Martin Q. Blank
94. Toy Story – Buzz Lightyear
95. A Nightmare on Elm Street – Freddy Krueger
96. The Searchers (1956)… – Ethan Edwards
97. The Silence of the Lambs – Clarice Starling
98. Citizen Kane (1941) – Charles Foster Kane
99. 2001: A Space Odyssey – Hal-9000
100. Lethal Weapon (1987) – Martin Riggs
Empire – England (subscription)
Empire Magazine (March 2019) Captain Marvel Cover
Empire Australasia (subscription)
Empire Magazine (December 2018) Review of the Year 2018 Featuring Infinity War
In 2008 Entertainment Weekly compiled a list of the best 100 films of the previous 25 years. It considered which films of the period could be favourably compared with cinema’s all time greats. Perhaps no surprises to see Pulp Fiction and Lord of the Rings at the top but crowd pleasing films such as Titanic and Moulin Rouge look out of place in the top 10. Good to see Lynch’s Blue Velvet 4th but foreign language films are not well represented with Wings of Desire, placed 28th, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon the only two placed in the top 50.
1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler’s List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)
61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)
71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)
81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)
In June 2015 Empire Magazine published a list of the 100 Greatest movie characters as voted for by their readers. Interesting to see Walker from John Boorman’s hugely underrated Point Blank making such a list while Norman Bates of Psycho fame is only placed 97th.
Empire Magazine (June, 2019) John Wick Chapter 3 Keanu Reeves Cover
Empire Australasia (kindle edition)
Empire Magazine (Summer, 2019) Spider-Man Far From Home Cover
Empire Magazine (December 2018) Review of the Year 2018 Featuring Infinity War
Empire Magazine (April, 2016) Iron Man vs. Captain America Cover
In February 2009 staff of the conservative National Review magazine came up with a list of the best 25 conservative films of the last 25 years or at least films “that resonates with conservatives in a particular way.” According to National Reviews JOHN J. MILLER “conservatives love movies — and especially debates about movies.” Don’t you just love these sorts of generalised statements! Staff writers were assisted by readers of National Review Online, who were asked to submit nominations and a number of film buffs and professional movie-makers were apparently consulted. Miller goes on to make the point “We do not claim that the writers, directors, producers, gaffers, and key grips involved with these films are conservative. We certainly make no such assertion about the actors.” Below the top 25 are another 25 so-called great conservative films.
(1990)
(1994)
(2007)
(1993)
(2006)
(2007)
(1999)
(1984)
(2001, 2002, 2003)
(1995)
(1998)
(1984)
(2003)
(2005)
(1997)
(2002)
(1997)
(1986)
(1985)
(2006)
(2004)
(2008)25 more great conservative movies
Air Force One, Amazing Grace, An American Carol, Barcelona, Bella, Cinderella Man, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Hamburger Hill, The Hanoi Hilton, The Hunt for Red October, The Island, Knocked Up, The Last Days of Disco, The Lost City, Miracle, The Patriot, Rocky Balboa, Serenity, Stand and Deliver, Tears of the Sun, Thank You for Smoking, Three Kings, Tin Men, The Truman Show, Witness
In 2002, 115 members of the international association of the leading Internet-based cinema journalists were polled to produce the top 100 Sci-Fi Films of the Past 100 Years list. A terrific list on the whole but it’s interesting to see films like Highlander, the disappointing Until the End of the World and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension and yet no place for David Lynch’s Dune which despite its obvious flaws is still a visually interesting piece.
100 Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
99 Slaughterhouse Five (1973)
98 Escape from New York (1981)
97 Time After Time (1979)
96 Andromeda Strain, The (1971)
95 Highlander (1986)
94 Rocky Horror Picture Show, The (1975)
93 Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The (1984)
92 Men In Black (1997)
91 Fantastic Planet (Planète sauvage, La) (1973)
90 Until the End of the World (1991)
89 Village of the Damned (1960)
88 Starman (1984)
87 Seconds (1966)
86 THX 1138 (1970)
85 Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
84 Open Your Eyes (Abre los Ojos) (1997)
83 Total Recall (1990)
82 Silent Running (1971)
81 On the Beach (1959)
80 Invaders from Mars (1953)
79 eXistenZ (1999)
78 Time Bandits (1981)
77 Akira (1988)
76 Dawn of the Dead (1978)
75 Dead Zone, The (1983)
74 Star Trek: First Contact (1996)
73 Fantastic Voyage (1966)
72 Cell, The (2000)
71 Mad Max (1979)
70 Sleeper (1973)
69 Things to Come (1936)
68 They Live (1988)
67 Edward Scissorhands (1990)
66 Quatermass and the Pit (a.k.a. Five Million Years To Earth) (1967)
65 Strange Days (1995)
64 Superman: The Movie (1978)
63 Night of the Living Dead (1968)
62 Starship Troopers (1997)
61 Man Who Fell to Earth, The (1976)
60 Them! (1954)
59 Tron (1982)
58 Thing From Another World, The (1951)
57 Fifth Element, The (1997)
56 Stalker (1979)
55 Ghostbusters (1984)
54 Trip to the Moon, A (Le Voyage dans la Lune) (1902)
53 Altered States (1980)
52 Gattaca (1997)
51 Invisible Man, The (1933)
50 City of Lost Children, The (Cité des enfants perdus, La) (1995)
49 Independence Day (1996)
48 War of The Worlds, The (1953)
47 Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
46 Time Machine, The (1960)
45 Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
44 Fly, The (1986)
43 Pi (1998)
42 Videodrome (1983)
41 Truman Show, The (1998)
40 Incredible Shrinking Man, The (1957)
39 Frankenstein (1931)
38 Iron Giant, The (1999)
37 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
36 Donnie Darko (2001)
35 Dr. Strangelove (1964)
34 Alphaville (1965)
33 Abyss, The (1989)
32 Forbidden Planet (1956)
31 Robocop (1987)
30 Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)
29 Jurassic Park (1993)
28 Thing, The (1982)
27 Road Warrior, The (1981)
26 Solaris (1972)
25 A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
24 La Jetee (1962)
23 Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
22 King Kong (1933)
21 12 Monkeys (1995)
20 Contact (1997)
19 Dark City (1998)
18 Planet of the Apes (1968)
17 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
16 Terminator, The (1984)
15 Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
14 Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951)
13 Back to the Future (1985)
12 Matrix, The (1999)
11 Aliens (1986)
10 Alien (1979)
9 Clockwork Orange, A (1971)
8 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
7 Brazil (1985)
6 Metropolis (1927)
5 E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982)
4 Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
3 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
2 Blade Runner (1982)
1 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
840. Carlito’s Way (1993) Dir. Brian De Palma, 141 mins.
The film stars Al Pacino as Carlito Brigante, a fictional Puerto Rican drug dealer, who after spending five years in prison (released early due to a technicality), vows to go straight and to retire to the Caribbean with his girlfriend. However, his criminal past proves difficult to escape, and he unwittingly ends up being dragged into the same activities that got him imprisoned in the first place. Masterful direction by De Palma and a fine performance by Pacino that is matched by Sean Penn as Carlito’s sleazy lawyer. Watch
839. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) Dir. Mel Gibson, 131 mins.
The film focuses on the extraordinary World War II experiences of Desmond Doss, an American pacifist combat medic and a Seventh-day Adventist Christian. During the Battle of Okinawa, the bloodiest of WWII, Doss saved 75 men without firing or carrying a gun. While occasionally veering into melodrama, Gibson’s return to film making shows he can still create technically brilliant battle sequences. Watch
838. Performance (1970) Dir. Donald Cammell, Nicolas Roeg, 105 mins.
Acclaimed for its influential cinematic techniques, Performance stars James Fox as a violent and ambitious London gangster who, after carrying out an unordered killing, goes into hiding at the home of a reclusive rock star (Mick Jagger). A Weird and memorable psychological crime thriller that’s full of ideas and good performances. Watch
837. Jackie Brown (1997) Dir. Quentin Tarantino, 154 mins.
The film follows flight attendant Jackie Brown (Pam Grier) who is busted for smuggling money for her arms dealer boss, Ordell Robbie (Samuel L. Jackson). Facing jail if she doesn’t cooperate with the cops or death if she does, Brown decides instead to double-cross both parties and make off with her boss’s money. While this adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s 1995 Rum Punch doesn’t reach the heights of Tarantino’s previous films it’s still enjoyable stuff and revitalised the careers of Grier and Robert Forster who plays her love interest. Watch
836. Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989) Steven Soderbergh, 100 mins.
Soderbergh’s feature debut tells the story of Ann (Andie MacDowell), the beautiful wife of an unpleasant lawyer, who has almost no interest in sex, while her husband is having an affair with her sister. The underlying problems of the couple’s relationship rise to the surface when the husband’s old college friend, Graham (James Spader), comes to stay. Graham, a troubled drifter, has decided that talking about sex is more fulfilling than actually having it and so videotapes Ann and her sister discussing their lives and sexuality. With a huge influence on independent cinema of the 1990s, Soderbergh, at just 26, delivers an intellectually mature and beautifully crafted film. Watch
835. Embrace of the Serpent (2015) Dir. Ciro Guerra, 125 mins.
Embrace of the Serpent features the encounter, apparent betrayal and finally life-affirming friendship between an Amazonian shaman (the last survivor of his people) and two foreign scientists. Strikingly original, Guerra’s gripping film is a brilliantly poetic fable that’s often breathtaking to behold. Watch
834. Forbidden Planet (1956) Dir. Fred M. Wilcox, 98 mins.
Seen as one of the great sci-fi’s of the 1950s, Forbidden Planet follows spacemen who travel to the distant planet of Altair IV to find out what happened to an earlier scientific expedition. On the planet they find only scientist (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter who live with obedient robot Robby. So what became of the rest of the scientists? An influential outer space adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest that is elevated by groundbreaking special effects and intelligent writing. Watch
833. Ghostbusters (1984) Dir. Ivan Reitman, 105 mins.
The film stars Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as eccentric paranormal investigators who start a ghost-catching business in New York City. Successfully showcasing Murray’s hilarious brand of deadpan humour Ghostbusters is a hugely likeable supernatural comedy enhanced by great special effects. Watch
832. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985) Dir. Woody Allen, 82 mins.
Woody Allen’s comic fantasy, set in a small town in the mid-1930s, follows waitress Cecelia (Mia Farrow) who is trapped in an abusive marriage and regularly seeks refuge in the local movie house. She becomes transfixed with a screwball comedy called The Purple Rose of Cairo and its lead character, archaeologist Tom Baxter (Jeff Daniels). After Cecelia goes to watch the film many times, the character Tom, notices her and climbs out of the movie, much to the shock of the rest of the audience and the other characters on screen. Allen is at his most inventive with this weird and whimsical movie that is often unfairly overlooked in discussions about his best work.
831. Bigger Than Life (1956) Dir. Nicholas Ray, 95 mins.
The film follows a seriously ill school teacher and family man whose life spins out of control after he develops a dependency on cortisone that begins to affect his sanity. With the subject matter deemed controversial and the melodramatic scenes much maligned at the time of release, Bigger Than Life needed the support of French critics at the influential film magazine Cahiers du Cinéma to have it re-evaluated and eventually lauded as a classic.
830. Pi (1998) Dir. Darren Aronofsky, 84 mins.
A psychological thriller about a tortured and unemployed computer genius who encounters a mysterious number and finds himself the target of Wall Street agents bent on beating the stock market. A disturbing and audacious indie offering from Aronofsky that was made on a shoestring budget.
829. The Proposition (2005) Dir. John Hillcoat, 104 mins.
In 1880s rural Australia, a British lawman (Ray Winstone) offers criminal Charlie Burns (Guy Pearce) a difficult choice. In order to save his younger brother from the gallows, Charlie must hunt down and kill his older brother (Danny Huston), a dangerous sociopath who is on the run from the law for rape and murder. A revisionist western that’s both brutal and beautiful and features memorable performances particularly from Pearce.
828. The Lost Weekend (1945) Dir. Billy Wilder, 101 mins.
Ray Milland stars as Don Birnam, a troubled New York novelist and alcoholic. Escaping from the apartment his worried brother has confined him to for the weekend, Don makes his way to his favourite tavern, where he knocks back drink after drink. It may now seem less impressive than at the time of release but The Lost Weekend is cleverly shot, intelligently written and with a strong lead performance from Milland.
827. Spartacus (1960) Dir. Stanley Kubrick, 184 mins.
Kirk Douglas dominates Kubrick’s sword and sandal epic as the gladiator who defies an empire. Having worked with Kubrick on Paths of Glory, it was Douglas, also executive producer on Spartacus, who hired him to replace Anthony Mann after only the first week of shooting. The film was the most expensive made in the US up to that time, and the only one that Kubrick didn’t have complete artistic control over. However, despite some creative battles, he was still able to bring out his masterful cinematic techniques and intellectual ambitions within an industry framework.
826. Almost Famous (2000) Dir. Cameron Crowe, 162 mins.
Crowe’s semi-autobiographical film tells the fictional story of a teenage journalist writing for Rolling Stone magazine in the early 1970s (a former job of Crowe) who is touring with the fictitious rock band Stillwater, and trying to get his first cover story published. There’s some terrific off beat and charming moments, a wonderful soundtrack and a great ensemble cast, particularly Billy Crudup as the bands lead guitarist.
825. The Hateful Eight (2015) Dir. Quentin Tarantino, 176 mins.
Set some years after the American Civil War, the film follows eight travellers who seek refuge from a blizzard in a stagecoach stopover but are greeted by four strangers and realise that they may not reach their destination of Red Rock, Wyoming. Due to some uneven parts it’s perhaps a lesser work from Tarantino, but there is still much to admire about its aesthetic and narrative.
824. Goldfinger (1964) Dir. Guy Hamilton, 110 mins.
The quintessential Bond film follows Sean Connery’s 007 investigating gold smuggling by bullion dealer Auric Goldfinger and eventually uncovering his plans to contaminate the United States Bullion Depository at Fort Knox. The third entry in the series was a huge commercial success and features Shirley Bassey’s marvellous theme song and terrific action sequences.
823. The Great Beauty (2013) Dir. Paolo Sorrentino, 142 mins.
Journalist and ageing socialite Jep Gambardella (the marvellous Toni Servillo) has charmed and seduced his way through the lavish nightlife of Rome for decades. Since the legendary success of his one and only novel, he has been a permanent fixture in the city’s literary and social circles, but when his sixty-fifth birthday coincides with a shock from the past, Jep finds himself unexpectedly reflecting on his life. Sorrentino’s art film plays homage to the likes of Fellini and Antonioni and is poignant, sad and beautiful to behold. Was listed among the BBC’s 100 greatest films since 2000.
822. The Lobster (2015) Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos, 118 mins.
Lanthimos’s strange but ambitious black comedy stars Colin Farrell as David who, having been dumped by his wife, must find a new romantic partner in 45 days or face the rules of a bizarre society and be turned into an animal of his choice and released into the woods. It’s narratively original, visually stunning and becomes a surprisingly moving love story.
821. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) Dir. Hayao Miyazaki, 119 mins.
Loosely based on the novel of the same name by British author Diane Wynne Jones, the story follows Sophie Hatter who is a responsible and beautiful girl who runs her late fathers hat shop in a fictional kingdom where both magic and early 20th century technology are prevalent. On her way to the bakery to visit her sister she encounters, by chance, a mysterious wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king in a war with another kingdom. Influenced by Miyazaki’s opposition to the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003 the film is thematically different to the book and considers the destructiveness of war and the value of compassion. Although the narrative begins to lose focus by the second half this is still an imaginative fantasy that becomes more and more emotionally intense.
