My 101 favourite films

The top 101 favourite films of Adam Russell, listed in reverse order

101. The Hustler (1961)
Dir: Robert Rossen
Starring: Paul Newman, Piper Laurie, George C. Scott
“You know, I got a hunch, fat man. I got a hunch it's me from here on in. One ball, corner pocket. I mean, that ever happen to you? You know, all of a sudden you feel like you can't miss? 'Cause I dreamed about this game, fat man. I dreamed about this game every night on the road. Five ball. You know, this is my table, man. I own it.”
What is it?: Eddie Felson is a talented, but self-destructive, pool player who is obsessed with taking down the legendary Minnesota Fats. Rossen’s bleak drama charts Eddie’s relationship with an alcoholic, and his partnership with a conniving manager.
Why is it on the list?: I’m quite partial to a game of pool myself, so this immediately had a hook for me. I love Newman, and dark character studies too.

100. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Dir: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Errol Flynn, Olivia De Havilland, Claude Rains
“Ho, varlets, bring Sir Robin food! Such insolence must support a healthy appetite!”
What is it?: Swashbuckling adventure, telling the famous the story of Robin Hood, who, from his Sherwood Forest base, led his merry men against the despicable Prince John and his cronies.
Why is it on the list?: I have a surprisingly high tolerance for this kind of campy adventure yarn, and this brings the one-liners, robust performances, dashing heroes and buckling swashes.

99. Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993)
Dir: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Alan Alda
“Jesus, save a little craziness for menopause!”
What is it?: The Liptons are a normal married couple, who find themselves embroiled in a murder mystery when the wife of an elderly neighbour suddenly dies.
Why is it on the list?: The first Woody to show up on the list (it won’t be the last!). This is mid-range Woody, but I like it a lot because it reunites the director with Diane Keaton, and the mystery plot appeals to me.

98. Breathless (1960)
Dir: Jean-Luc Godard
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg
“I don't know if I'm unhappy because I'm not free, or if I'm not free because I'm unhappy.”
What is it?: Godard’s feature debut tells the story of a small-time hood, who fancies himself as Humphrey Bogart, who romances an American girl while on the run from the law. Godard sets out his stall as a director of great invention and creativity.
Why is it on the list?: The first Godard film I saw, and still my favourite. It’s a lot more accessible than many of his films, and I love the playful nature of it. It kinda feels when I watch this that I’m watching something important, a landmark in film, and that’s a very inspiring feeling.

97. Last Exit To Brooklyn (1989)
Dir: Uli Edel
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Stephen Lang, Burt Young
What is it?: Unapologetically grim film which focuses on a trio of stories set against a backdrop of union strikes. A dock-worker struggles by with no income, a prostitute falls in love with a customer, and a union head struggles with his homosexuality.
Why is it on the list?: In all likelihood, this wouldn’t be on the list if not for the starring role of Leigh, my favourite performer. She’s typically fearless here. This is a really good film regardless, dark and gritty, with some great art direction.

96. Georgia (1995)
Dir: Ulu Grosbard
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mare Winningham
“In the dark we're all scared. We're all scared, and there's more of us out there all the time.”
What is it?: A tale of two sisters; Georgia is a successful country singer with a happy marriage, whereas Sadie is an alcoholic with resentment issues, who sings for dive bar punk bands. Excellent performances elevate the more movie-of-the-week elements.
Why is it on the list?: Another one you can chalk up to Leigh. She is amazing in this – one of my all-time favourite performances – including an excruciating scene in which she drunkenly sings at a tribute concert for her sister.

95. Sweet and Lowdown (1999)
Dir: Woody Allen
Starring: Sean Penn, Samantha Morton, Uma Thurman
“First time I had sex, 7 years old.”
What is it?: Comic biopic of fictional jazz guitarist, Emmet Ray, the second best guitarist in the world. Ray is an obnoxious egotist who takes up with the sweet, and mute, Hattie.
Why is it on the list?: My favourite Sean Penn performance, really funny. I like the anecdotal nature of the film, similar to ‘Radio Days’, and it has some great music and a very witty script. Maybe Woody’s last great comedy actually.

94. L’eclisse (1962)
Dir: Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring: Monica Vitti, Alain Delon, Francisco Rabal
“Why do we ask so many questions? Two people shouldn't know each other too well if they want to fall in love. But, then, maybe they shouldn't fall in love at all.”
What is it?: The third installment of Antonioni’s ‘alienation trilogy’ follows Vittoria, a young woman who breaks off her engagement to an aloof writer and falls into a relationship with a materialistic stock-broker.
Why is it on the list?: I love Antonioni’s films- they’re so beautiful to look at, and few directors have conveyed loneliness and alienation better. This was my second favourite of this trilogy.

93. La Grande Illusion (1937)
Dir: Jean Renoir
Starring: Jean Gabin, Erich von Stroheim, Pierre Fresnay
“The theater's too deep for me. I prefer bicycling.”
What is it?: Two French soldiers are sent to a German POW camp. One of them, an aristocrat, forms a bond with the man who commands the camp, who is from a similar social standing. He must then choose between his class, and his loyalty to his working class fellow prisoners.
Why is it on the list?: This might be the best film ever made. It’s intelligent, funny, inspiring, and makes a genuine statement about the human condition. I find Renoir’s characters really appealing, his stories gripping.

92. City of God (2002)
Dir: Fernando Meirelles, Katia Lund
Starring: Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen
“What should have been swift revenge turned into an all out war. The City of God was divided. You couldn't go from one section to the other, not even to visit a relative. The cops considered anyone living in the slum a hoodlum. People got used to living in Vietnam, and more and more volunteers signed up to die.”
What is it?: Stunning crime thriller documenting the lives of two young men in a Brazilian favela. Rocket dreams of becoming a photographer and escape the slum, whereas Lil Dice rules as a feared drug lord.
Why is it on the list?: This had a big impact on me, due to its stylistic brilliance and memorable characters. I find the impact lessening over time, but I still love the characters, and the vignette-style presentation.

91. Psycho (1960)
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles
“Uh-uh, Mother-m-mother, uh, what is the phrase? She isn't quite herself today.”
What is it?: In Hitchcock’s masterful thriller, Marion Crane disappears after absconding with some stolen cash. Her last known location was the Bates Motel, run by the genteel Norman under the watchful eye of his mother. But things aren’t what they seem.
Why is it on the list?: Obviously, this is great. I really love the way Hitchcock plays against convention by killing off the main character early doors. From there it’s essentially a well-done mystery, which is something I like a lot.

90. Woman in the Dunes (1964)
Dir: Hiroshi Teshigahara
Starring: Eiji Okada, Kyoko Kishida
“Do you shovel to survive, or survive to shovel?”
What is it?: A young entomologist is offered residence for the night in a poor village after spending the day collecting specimens on the sand dunes. The house he is staying in is at the bottom of a cavern made of sand, and is inhabited by a young widow. This act of simple kindness soon transforms into something much more sinister in this gripping thriller.
Why is it on the list?: Firstly, the cinematography in this is about as good as anything I’ve ever seen. The premise is great, there are some really great suspenseful moments, and I admire the way the film finds beauty and humanism in what is a fairly dark story.

89. Monkey Business (1931)
Dir: Norman Z. McLeod
Starring: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx
“If this is the Captain, I'm gonna have a few words with him. My hot water's been cold for three days. And I haven't got room enough in here to swing a cat. In fact, I haven't even got a cat.”
What is it?: The brothers stowaway on a liner, get mixed up with some gangsters, and end up having to rescue a damsel in distress, all while causing general chaos and cracking jokes.
Why is it on the list?: I’m a big Marx brothers fan, and this is one of the best. It features Harpo’s puppet show routine, which is a classic, as well as other great bits like the brothers ordering dinner to their cabin, and trying to get through customs into the USA.

88. Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (1999)
Dir: Jim Jarmusch
Starring: Forest Whitaker
“There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed, though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything.”
What is it?: Ghost Dog is an enigmatic assassin- he lives by the way of the samurai, and can only be reached via messenger pigeon. He soon finds that he has become expendable to the mobsters that hire him, so decides to go on the offensive.
Why is it on the list?: I love off-beat films like this (which Jarmusch has made a career on). A black samurai hitman whose best friend is an ice cream man who doesn’t even speak the same language as him, a cartoon-watching gangster- these are the kind of enigmatic characters/situations that will come up a lot on this list.

87. Taxi Driver (1976)
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd
“Hey, I'm not square, you're the one that's square. You're full of shit, man. What are you talking about? You walk out with those fuckin' creeps and low-lifes and degenerates out on the streets and you sell your little pussy for peanuts? For some low-life pimp who stands in the hall? And I'm square? You're the one that's square, man. I don't go screwing fuck with a bunch of killers and junkies like you do. You call that bein' hip? What world are you from?”
What is it?: Travis Bickle returns from Vietnam and becomes a New York City taxi driver, who will work ‘anytime, any place’. But, while trawling through the streets of the city, he becomes disgusted and disturbed by the degradation and depravity he witnesses.
Why is it on the list?: More and more I think this is Scorsese’s masterpiece, not ‘Raging Bull’. I find the idea of this lone avenger, ‘God’s lonely man’, as he says, intriguing, and I love this grimy look at the New York underbelly.

86. Betty Blue (1986)
Dir: Jean-Jacques Beineix
Starring: Beatrice Dalle, Jean-Hugues Anglade
What is it?: The story of the tempestuous love affair between a mild-mannered aspiring writer, and the wild title character is told in this cult favourite, an ode to passion and the power of love.
Why is it on the list?: This was the first foreign language film I ever saw, and it wasn’t just Beatrice Dalle’s tits that left an impression. I found myself very attracted to the more character-based style of filmmaking, and its artistic tendencies, and, while I’ve seen many better art films since, this will always hold a special place in my heart.

85. The Usual Suspects (1995)
Dir: Bryan Singer
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri
“Who is Keyser Soze? He is supposed to be Turkish. Some say his father was German. Nobody believed he was real. Nobody ever saw him or knew anybody that ever worked directly for him, but to hear Kobayashi tell it, anybody could have worked for Soze. You never knew. That was his power. The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist. And like that, poof. He's gone.”
What is it?: This crime thriller, which plays out in flashback, sees a group of criminals, who meet at a police line-up, join forces to pull off a big-money heist. Things are going well, until the mythical crime-lord, Keyser Soze, becomes involved.
Why is it on the list?: A perennial favourite of mine, that has lost a bit of lustre over the years. Still, it’s one I can watch at any time, and I think it holds up as a great modern noir. I love Benicio Del Toro as Fenster too. One of my favourite supporting characters in film.

84. Blackmail Is My Life (1968)
Dir: Kinji Fukasaku
Starring: Hiroki Matsukata, Tomomi Sato, Yoko Mihara
What is it?: A quirky crime caper which focuses on a group of small-time blackmailers, who try to take on the Yakuza. This is fun, stylish, and silly, while maintaining an aura of cool.
Why is it on the list?: This is a bit of a trifle, but it’s just really fun. There are lots of cool stylistic touches (including tonnes of freeze-frames, which I love), and I really loved the playfulness of tone. Also, I’m a mark for films which feature a group of people clubbing together to perform some task, or quest (and bonus points for a scene which introduces the gang, which this has).

83. The Tenant (1976)
Dir: Roman Polanski
Starring: Roman Polanski, Isabelle Adjani, Melvyn Douglas
“If you cut off my head, what would I say... Me and my head, or me and my body? What right has my head to call itself me?”
What is it?: The shy Trelkovsky moves into an old Parisian apartment building, where the previous tenant committed suicide. He begins to feel threatened by his neighbours, and becomes obsessed with the idea that they are trying to force him to commit suicide like his predecessor.
Why is it on the list?: God, this creeped me out so much. Things I find scary that feature in this film: someone seeing a double of themselves, someone ‘transforming’ into another person, someone in a situation where it seems everyone is plotting against them. Polanski is great at conveying a sense of claustrophobia. It’s fun to be scared now and then.

82. Persona (1966)
Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Starring: Liv Ullman, Bibi Andersson
“If she won't speak or move because she decides not to, which it must be if she isn't ill, then it shows that she is mentally very strong. I might not be equal to it.”
What is it?: Elisabet is an actress who can’t, or won’t, talk. Alma is the nurse who is charged with caring for her. The two retreat to a remote beachside house, and form a close bond based on the secrets which Alma discloses to the silent Elisabet. Bergman’s masterpiece examines the human psyche, as the lines between Elisabet and Alma’s personalities become blurred.
Why is it on the list?: A first showing on the list from by favourite director not named Woody Allen. This is a profoundly deep film, which fascinates me every time I watch it. Great performances and incredible cinematography and editing.

81. Mean Streets (1973)
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, Richard Romanus
“You too good for this ten dollars? It's a good ten dollars. You know Michael, you make me laugh. You see, I borrow money all over this neighborhood, left and right from everybody, I never pay them back. So, I can't borrow no money from nobody no more, right? So who would that leave me to borrow money from but you? I borrow money from you, because you're the only jerk-off around here who I can borrow money from without payin' back, right? You know, 'cause that's what you are, that's what I think of you: a jerk-off. You're a fucking jerk-off! You're laughing 'cause you're a jerk-off. I'll tell 'ya something else, I fuck you right where you breath, because I don't give two shits about you or nobody else.”
What is it?: Scorsese’s break-out film tells the story of two friends living in Little Italy. Charlie, plagued by Catholic guilt, is responsible, and has the opportunity to rise up in his uncle’s crime family. The only thing standing in his way is his friendship with the wild and irresponsible Johnny Boy.
Why is it on the list?: This was an important film for me, because it was the first time I really took notice of the role of the director in film. I was dazzled by Scorsese’s stylish approach and, while the film seems a lot less impressive to me now, it’s still one I’m very fond of.

80. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
Dir: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Al Pacino, John Cazale, Chris Sarandon
“Tell them to put their guns down! Put the fucking guns down! Put 'em down! Put 'em down! Put the fucking guns down! Put those guns down! Attica! Attica! You got it, man! You got it, man! You got it, man! You got it! You got it!”
What is it?: Sonny, and his dim-witted partner, Sal, attempt to rob a bank so that Sonny can pay for his lover’s sex-change operation. The police are tipped off and a siege ensues, with the robbers becoming instant celebrities.
Why is it on the list?: Pacino’s performance is amazing, and one of my favourites in film. I love how this film feels like a powder-keg that could explode at any second. Lumet is a great director. I also love how the film comments on America’s fascination with crime and criminals. It’s a film with layers, which makes it all the more satisfying.

79. Play It Again, Sam (1972)
Dir: Herbert Ross
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Roberts
“I wonder if she actually had an orgasm in the two years we were married, or did she fake it that night?”
What is it?: Based on Allen’s play, this romantic comedy shows the neurotic Allan, who has just been dumped by his wife, trying to find a date with the help of his married friends, Dick and Linda. It isn’t long before he realises that Linda is the one he really wants.
Why is it on the list?: Any film with Woody, Keaton AND Tony Roberts has a good chance of being loved by me, and I actually think this is one of Woody’s funniest scripts. Not one that instantly comes to mind when I think of my favourite Woody films, but it’s definitely up there.

78. It’s Winter (2006)
Dir: Rafi Pitts
Starring: Mitra Hajjar, Ali Nicksaulat
What is it?: Bleak drama about a man who moves to a small town in northern Iran looking for work. He falls in love with a local woman, and finds work as a mechanic, but hates the economic difficulties of the country, and wants more out of life.
Why is it on the list?: I might be the world’s biggest fan of this unheralded film. It’s very much like an Antonioni film, thoughtful, and lacking any real narrative drive. It’s fascinating to me to get a window into a different culture, and I find the hardships of humanity, when treated in a realistic manner, to be a most interesting subject.

77. The Virgin Suicides (1999)
Dir: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, James Woods
“So much has been said about the girls over the years. But we have never found an answer. It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls... but only that we had loved them... and that they hadn't heard us calling... still do not hear us calling them from out of those rooms... where they went to be alone for all time... and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.”
What is it?: The Lisbon sisters live under the scrutiny of their over-protective religious parents, a situation which worsens when the youngest sister commits suicide. They are worshipped from afar by the boys in the neighbourhood, and this film tells their story in flashback form.
Why is it on the list?: I love the dreamlike quality of this, as well as the 1970s setting. It’s a tragic story, which also appeals to me, and I like Coppola’s filmmaking a lot.

76. Night Moves (1975)
Dir: Arthur Penn
Starring: Gene Hackman, Jennifer Warren, Susan Clark
“He'd fuck a woodpile on the chance there was a snake in it.”
What is it?: Harry Moseby is a private eye who takes on a missing person case, which turns into a murder investigation. Meanwhile, he begins to suspect that his wife is cheating on him.
Why is it on the list?: This is essentially a great character study, dressed up as a noir, and has all the qualities of 70s American cinema that I find so appealing. Hackman is great, and I’m really beginning to see him as one of the legit greatest actors of all-time. I need to give ‘Chinatown’ another watch, because this gives it a run for best American noir of the 70s.

75. A Christmas Tale (2008)
Dir: Arnaud Desplechin
Starring: Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, Anne Consigny
“It's not the same. You really love me. Henri wanted sex, and got it. For 10 years, you've had no life. You're pathetic in your studio. You don't talk. You're sad. You spend Sundays doing the dishes, stealing glances, avoiding my kids. You're a failure, clinging to the Vuillards. You never got over me.”
What is it?: The matriarch of the Vuillard family needs a bone marrow transplant, so she gathers together all of her dysfunctional offspring together to celebrate Christmas in this stylish, funny and moving comedy-drama.
Why is it on the list?: This dazzled me, and it’s a film of real flair. The director uses loads of little stylistic devices, and they all work without it ever seeming gimmicky. Great characters and great dynamics, it’s a little like a French ‘Royal Tenenbaums’. One of the very best films of the last decade.

74. On The Waterfront (1954)
Dir: Elia Kazan
Starring: Marlon Brando, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb
“You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it. It was you, Charley.”
What is it?: Kazan’s crooked union drama stars Brando as Terry Malloy, a gopher for the union boss who witnesses a murder and must decide whether to speak up or let the corruption continue. His situation is complicated when he meets, and falls for, the dead man’s younger sister.
Why is it on the list?: One of the all-time great performances from Brando. I love a film with a bit of sleaze in it, a bit of corruption, and this sets up the moral dilemma perfectly. You’ve just gotta sit back and admire the acting though.

73. Salvador (1986)
Dir: Oliver Stone
Starring: James Woods, James Belushi
“Left-wing, Colonel? Eh, maybe. But I'm not a Communist. And you guys never seem to be able to tell the difference!”
What is it?: Photojournalist, Richard Boyle, travels to El Salvador to document the civil war. He is arrogant and selfish, but when he sees the situation in the country, he begins to become personally involved.
Why is it on the list?: I’m not typically a Stone fan, but this is pretty much the perfect version of his in-your-face style. I think it’s a film which bristles with energy, and really presents its difficult themes well.

72. The Color of Money (1986)
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Tom Cruise, Paul Newman, Mary-Elizabeth Mastrantonio
“Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.”
What is it?: In this sort-of-sequel to ‘The Hustler’, ‘Fast’ Eddie takes a cocky young pool player under his wing and tries to teach him the tricks of the trade. He soon begins to get the itch to start playing again himself.
Why is it on the list?: I think this is so much fun- some great lines, great cameos (Whitaker, Turturro), it’s stylish, and it has Paul Newman. You won’t find a film on this list with a character as detestable as Vincent Lauria though.

71. The Ice Storm (1997)
Dir: Ang Lee
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire, Kevin Kline
“Well, that's the whole point of the holidays, Paul. So you and your sister can mope around the house, and your mother and I can wait on your hand and foot, while the two of you occasionally grunt for more food from behind the hair in your faces. Believe it or not, we actually enjoy it.”
What is it?: Smart adult drama exploring the various sexual tensions and relationships within (and between) two households in a 1970s Connecticut town. It all builds to the titular storm.
Why is it on the list?: It’s hard to say why I like this film so much, beyond the fact that it’s a really good, well-written and performed drama. It was something that struck a chord in me during my infancy as a film fan, so that no doubt plays a part.

70. Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
Dir: Preston Sturges
Starring: Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Robert Warwick
“There's a lot to be said for making people laugh. Did you know that that's all some people have? It isn't much, but it's better than nothing in this cockeyed caravan.”
What is it?: A movie director decides he’s had enough of making comedies, and wants to make meaningful films about America’s downtrodden masses. So, he disguises himself as a hobo, and sets off on an adventure to learn what it means to be poor. He learns an important lesson instead.
Why is it on the list?: It’s one of America’s best comedies, and the performances are charming. I like the setting a lot, this version of America where the homeless travel by rail-car, and tell each other folk tales. It’s quaint, but this is also a film of great pathos.

69. Dear Wendy (2005)
Dir: Tomas Vinterberg
Starring: Jamie Bell, Alison Pill, Chris Owen
“The reason why our partners could only be fired in the darkness of the old mine and could never be exposed to full light and thereby be woken up. Because once awoken nothing could stop them from following their true nature and killing. And it was so forbidden to say that word, that we called it "loving" instead. And "loving" could never ever happen because that would be the end of it all.”
What is it?: In a small American town, a group of outcasts form a club based on their mutual love of guns. ‘The Dandies’ are pacifists, and only carry their guns for moral support, but when a troubled young man enters the gang, things threaten to get out of control.
Why is it on the list?: This might be a bit of a reactionary one, as I’m not sure how this film will hold up for me over time. I loved it on first watch- the music, set design, story and themes (exploring gun culture, the idea of rebellion), as well as the stylistic touches, all really appealed to me.

68. Ikiru (1952)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Takashi Shimura, Shin’ichi Himori
“How tragic that man can never realize how beautiful life is until he is face to face with death.”
What is it?: Watanabe is a drab bureaucrat, living a drab life, who suddenly discovers that he is dying of cancer. He resolves to make the most of his final days, but finds little fulfillment until he dedicates himself to getting a new park contructed.
Why is it on the list?: I’ve seen just about all of Kurosawa’s major films, thanks to a certain friend, and this is by far the one that appeals to me most; a simple, yet elegant, tale of a man looking for meaning in his life.

67. Rear Window (1954)
Dir: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly
“Jeff, you know if someone came in here, they wouldn't believe what they'd see? You and me with long faces plunged into despair because we find out a man didn't kill his wife. We're two of the most frightening ghouls I've ever known.”
What is it?: Set almost entirely in one apartment, Hitchcock’s classic suspense tells the story of a noted photographer, confined to his home because of a broken leg, who passes the long hours spying on his neighbours. While doing so, he begins to suspect one of them of murder.
Why is it on the list?: This is a story-type that appeals to me a lot- regular people turning amateur sleuth to solve a mystery. I love the way it’s shot- quite masterful, seeing everything from that one point-of-view, and it has the bonus of Grace Kelly.

66. Café Lumiere (2003)
Dir: Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Starring: Yo Hitoto, Tadanobu Asano
What is it?: This sparsely-plotted film follows an independent young woman, Yoko, as she talks about her dreams with a friend, researches the nightclub where an old jazz singer used to play, and announces to her parents that she is pregnant. It’s a slice-of-life based around likeable characters and beautiful scenery.
Why is it on the list?: I fell in love with this when I watched it. It has such a gentle, laid-back quality to it, and the main character is incredibly likeable. I often love films with no real plot like this, and this comes off as so natural, while also being detailed.

65. In The Mood For Love (2000)
Dir: Wong Kar-Wai
Starring: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung
“Feelings can creep up just like that. I thought I was in control.”
What is it?: Chan and Chow live in the same apartment building, but their relationship does not exceed general politeness. That is until they suspect their respective spouses of having an affair.
Why is it on the list?: My film of the 2000s, this is a dazzlingly beautiful account of a love tempered by restraint, and a sense of morality. I love Wong’s films, both in style and theme- no director conveys heartache quite like he does, and this is just a work of art.

64. The Son’s Room (2001)
Dir: Nanni Moretti
Starring: Nanni Moretti, Laura Morante, Jasmine Trinca
What is it?: In this touching drama, the family of a teenaged boy struggle to come to terms with his death; the father blames himself for what happened, while the sister becomes angry and violent.
Why is it on the list?: Watched this twice, cried both times. It’s a beautiful film about dealing with grief, and I love how understated it is. Every emotion feels genuine, and that allows you to feel it with the characters.

63. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
Dir: Bob Rafelson
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Karen Black
“I move around a lot, not because I'm looking for anything really, but 'cause I'm getting away from things that get bad if I stay.”
What is it?: A man has given up a career as a concert pianist, and turned his back on his wealthy family, to work on an oil field. When he finds out that his father is sick, he must return home to confront his past.
Why is it on the list?: I love 70s American cinema, and this is pretty much the film which defines the movement. It’s strongly based around character, rather than plot, and addresses themes of masculinity, and the search for meaning. This felt a lot like an Antonioni film, and really struck a chord in me.

62. The Lady From Shanghai (1947)
Dir: Orson Welles
Starring: Orson Welles, Rita Hayworth, Everett Sloane
“When I start out to make a fool of myself, there's very little can stop me. If I'd known where it would end, I'd never let anything start... if I'd been in my right mind, that is. But once I'd seen her, I was not in my right mind for some time.”
What is it?: This has pretty much the standard noir plot- poor sap meets and falls for rich seductress, who manipulates him into a plot to murder her husband. Welles brings inventive visuals, and a top-notch script.
Why is it on the list?: I still remember watching this in college, and laughing at such things as ‘are you aiming at me, lover’, and ‘when I woke up, I was in the crazy house’. It’s just a brilliantly enjoyable noir, and the house of mirrors sequence is perfect.

61. Touch of Evil (1958)
Dir: Orson Welles
Starring: Charlton Heston, Orson Welles, Janet Leigh
“That wasn't no miss, Vargas. That was just to turn you 'round, so I don't have to shoot you in the back. Unless you'd rather run for it.”
What is it?: Grimy noir which sees a Mexican cop, on Honeymoon with his American wife, drawn into a murder case on the US/Mexico border. The deeper he digs, the more it appears that the local police chief is knee-deep in corruption.
Why is it on the list?: Welles was a genius, and I love most of his stuff, and this most of all. I tend to like my old Hollywood stuff a little bit nasty, with a black heart, and this is about as nasty as it gets, right in line with something like ‘The Big Heat’. Welles is great in this, and there are lots of great visuals.

60. When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960)
Dir: Mikio Naruse
Starring: Hideko Takamine
What is it?: Keiko, a geisha approaching middle-age, must make a choice between settling down and getting married to one of the patrons at the bar she works at, or buying a bar of her own. Taking the form of a character study, the film explores the role of the female in Japanese society.
Why is it on the list?: This is one that took me by surprise, because I was almost expecting it to be quite staid, and old-fashioned, but it’s actually very cool. There’s a nice jazz score, the black and white photography is sublime, and it’s fairly raunchy by standards of the time. It definitely has a timeless quality, that I appreciated, and it just looks so good.

59. Late Spring (1949)
Dir: Yasujiro Ozu
Starring: Chishu Ryu, Setsuko Hara
What is it?: In this gentle family drama, a woman in her late twenties resists the urgings of her friends and relatives to get married, instead wishing to continue living with her widowed father.
Why is it on the list?: I was never particularly a fan of Japanese cinema, much preferring European cinema, but over the years I have really come to appreciate Japanese film. This is probably the film that started that turnaround. This is so elegant, and sweet, and I love the way that it manages to say so much, while saying so little.

58. Out of Sight (1998)
Dir: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle
“Tuffi was a good bitch, and I gave her what every good bitch wants, a bone.”
What is it?: Sexy crime thriller which pits a bank robber, played by Clooney, against a US Marshall, played by Lopez.
Why is it on the list?: This is the type of film that I generally don’t enjoy as much as I used to. This holds up though because it’s just so much fun. If you don’t like the Clooney/Lopez chemistry, there are lots of good supporting players to get into, and the script is strong.

57. In A Lonely Place (1950)
Dir: Nicholas Ray
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Grahame, Frank Lovejoy
“I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.”
What is it?: Dixon Steele is a Hollywood scriptwriter who becomes a murder suspect when he is the last one to see the victim alive. He is given an alibi by his beautiful neighbour, and the two start a relationship, but when Steele shows a violent side, the girl begins to doubt his innocence.
Why is it on the list?: This is just terrifically grimy and nasty, the kind of film that could only come from the Hollywood golden age. It’s just such fun to see Bogie play this bastard character, and the story is really good.

56. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
Dir: Gus van Sant
Starring: Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch
“Most people don't know how they're gonna feel from one moment to the next. But a dope fiend has a pretty good idea. All you gotta do is look at the labels on the little bottles.”
What is it?: A group of addicts get their fix by robbing drugstores, until one of their number decides to get clean.
Why is it on the list?: I like that this seems very realistic in its portrayal of drug use, but at the same time it remains hopeful. It has believable characters, which means you actually care about what happens to them, and it’s just a good-looking film.

55. Le Doulos (1962)
Dir: Jean-Pierre Melville
Starring: Jean-Paul Belmondo, Serge Reggiani, Jean Desailly
What is it?: Film noir done the French New Wave way. Faugel has just got out of prison, and is ready to get back into the crime game with the burglary of a mansion. He is the only one who trusts his friend, Silien, who it turns out is a police informant. The burglary goes bad, and Faugel searches for Silien to settle the score.
Why is it on the list?: I watched this after the list had been finalised, but had to fit it in, hence this being a top 101. Brilliant film, full of duplicitous characters, cool dialogue and great twists. Pretty much the best of film noir mixed with the best of the French new wave, and Belmondo might just be the coolest fucker in cinema.

54. Chungking Express (1994)
Dir: Wong Kar-Wai
Starring: Brigitte Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung
“Somehow I've become very cautious. When I put on a raincoat, I put on sunglasses too. Who knows when it will rain, or when it will turn out sunny?”
What is it?: Two Hong-Kong cops struggle to come to terms with the end of their respective relationships. The first ponders whether love has an expiration date, while the second becomes interested in a quirky diner-worker.
Why is it on the list?: This was the first Wong film I saw, and I immediately fell in love with his bright visuals, melancholy tone, and stylistic flourishes. This is achingly beautiful, and unforgettable.

53. Broken Flowers (2005)
Dir: Jim Jarmusch
Starring: Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright, Sharon Stone
“That was quite an outfit you weren't wearing earlier.”
What is it?: An aging Don Juan receives an anonymous letter telling him that he fathered a child many years ago, so he sets off across America visiting the homes of former lovers to find out if he really does have a son.
Why is it on the list?: Jarmusch is a director I like a lot. His films are typically more off-beat than this, but this is probably his best. It’s a road movie, which I like, and is broken up into a series of little vignettes, which really works well.

52. All The Real Girls (2003)
Dir: David Gordon Green
Starring: Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson
“You're the first person that I've wanted to tell that to, 'cause your the first person that I've wanted to talk to for more than five minutes... ever.”
What is it?: Love in a small town is examined, as a notorious womaniser begins a relationship with the younger sister of his best friend.
Why is it on the list?: Just a beautiful film, that really surprised me, because I didn’t know what to expect going in. It’s so original, and funny and sweet, and has a great natural quality, whilst also being quirky and stylised.

51. The Wild Bunch (1969)
Dir: Sam Peckinpah
Starring: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan
“We all dream of being a child again, even the worst of us. Perhaps the worst most of all.”
What is it?: A gang of aging outlaws pull off a bank job, but when they make their escape, they find that an old gang member, now on the other side of the law, is tracking them.
Why is it on the list?: I generally dislike Westerns, but love the way that this focuses on the changing landscape, and a group of men who can’t accept that their old values no longer have meaning. Plus, that bloody finale is pretty cool.

50. Nashville (1975)
Dir: Robert Altman
Starring: Keith Carradine, Ned Beatty, Karen Black
“You look like a guy I was in the navy with. He wouldn't bathe, so we had to pee in his bed to get him discharged.”
What is it?: The Nashville music industry convenes for a large political rally and, over the course of a few days, an array of characters are put under the microscope.
Why is it on the list?: Altman is a master of these films which throw a bunch of different stories together, and have them interweave to make a statement about society as a whole, and it is a style that I like a lot. This is probably the greatest ever film to take this approach, and it has some good country music too.

49. Double Indemnity (1944)
Dir: Billy Wilder
Starring: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson
“That was all there was to it. Nothing had slipped, nothing had been overlooked. There was nothing to give us away. And yet, Keyes, as I was walking down the street to the drugstore, suddenly, it came over me that everything would go wrong. It sounds crazy Keyes, but it's true, so help me, I couldn't hear my own footsteps. It was the walk of a dead man.”
What is it?: Masterful film noir, in which a life insurance salesman is seduced by the wife of a wealthy man, and between them they hatch a plot to kill him for the insurance money. Unfortunately for them, a detective at the insurance firm smells a rat and begins to investigate.
Why is it on the list?: I love film noir, especially the kind with a poor sap of a man getting manipulated by a beautiful woman. This is pretty much the finest example of that. Stanwyck might be the best femme fatale ever, but what really puts this on a level above all others is the amazing dialogue.

48. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
Dir: Peter Jackson
Starring: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan
“Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of woes and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you stand, Men of the West!”
What is it?: Hobbits, Frodo and Sam, led by Gollum, enter Mordor, where Frodi is charged with the task of destroying the one ring. Meanwhile, Aragorn must lead the men of Gondor and Rohan into a final battle against Sauron’s army, and take his rightful place on the throne as king of Gondor.
Why is it on the list?: My least favourite of the trilogy, this is still a film I obviously love a great deal. I think Peter Jackson did a great job bringing this epic story to the screen and, barring the twenty or so too many endings, this is a pretty flawless finale.

47. The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
Dir: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Cate Blanchett
“Don't point that gun at him, he's an unpaid intern.”
What is it?: This oddball comedy follows ocean explorer, Steve Zissou, and his motley crew of followers (now including a heavily-pregnant documentary-maker, and the man who may or may not be his son) set off to find and kill the illusive Jaguar Shark which years ago killed Zissou’s partner.
Why is it on the list?: I’m pretty much pre-conditioned to like Anderson’s stuff, and as this is sort of ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ take to the seas, it shouldn’t be a surprise to see it make the top 50. Bonus points for Henry Selick’s animation, and Seu Jorge’s soundtrack of Portuguese Bowie songs.

46. High Fidelity (2000)
Dir: Stephen Frears
Starring: John Cusack, Jack Black, Iben Hjejle
“Top 5 songs about death. A Laura's Dad tribute list, okay?”
What is it?: Rob’s relationship with Laura ends, so he decides to look back at the other failed romances of his life to find out where he’s been going wrong. But this is a film as much about music as it is about love, with much of the action taking place inside Rob’s record store, where he chews the fat with his two music geek employees.
Why is it on the list?: It has to be said first that if Jack Black were an annoying prick in every other film he was in (he isn’t), he’d still have plenty of good faith with me based off this performance alone. Probably the funniest performance I’ve ever seen. Everyone else contributes, I love the playful quality with the talking to the camera and fantasy sequences, and it’s just a great script.

45. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
Dir: George A. Romero
Starring: Duane Jones, Judith O’Dea, Karl Hardman
“In the cold room at the University, we had a cadaver, a cadaver from which all limbs had been amputated. Some time early this morning, it opened its eyes and began to move its trunk. It was dead, but it opened its eyes and tried to move!”
What is it?: The first installment of Romero’s trilogy of the dead opens with a young brother and sister visiting their mother’s grave. They see a figure stumbling towards them, who they assume to be a drunk, but as he gets closer the truth becomes apparent- the dead have risen, and a small group of people in an abandoned house band together in a desperate attempt to survive.
Why is it on the list?: I didn’t expect to like this film at all, with my general thought process being ‘zombies? That’s stupid’. I was wrong. This is a film that is not only creepy, but is constantly surprising in the way it plays with expectations. Every time you think you have the film sussed out, it changes direction on you, and I really like that.

44. Sherlock, Jr (1924)
Dir: Buster Keaton
Starring: Buster Keaton, Joe Keaton, Kathryn McGuire
{{{There is an old proverb which says: Don't try to do two things at once and expect to do justice to both. This is the story of a boy who tried it. While employed as a moving picture operator in a small town theater he was also studying to be a detective.}}}
What is it?: Buster Keaton plays a movie theatre projectionist who wants to be a detective. When he is framed by a love-rival for stealing a watch that belongs to the father of his sweetheart, he has the perfect chance to put his detective skills to the test. What he doesn’t count on is finding himself a character in the film he is showing.
Why is it on the list?: This is absolutely magical, and one of the sweetest films you’ll ever see. I love the Buster Keaton persona- an undying romantic who meets every situation with that deadpan expression. This has got some of the best stunts of all the Keaton films I’ve seen, and it’s just a lovely ode to the power of cinema, love and the imagination.

43. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Dir: Stuart Rosenberg
Starring: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin
“He was smiling... That's right. You know, that, that Luke smile of his. He had it on his face right to the very end. Hell, if they didn't know it 'fore, they could tell right then that they weren't a-gonna beat him. That old Luke smile. Oh, Luke. He was some boy. Cool Hand Luke. Hell, he's a natural-born world-shaker.”
What is it?: Luke Jackson is arrested for drunkenly destroying parking metres, and sent to serve his time on a chain gang. He soon buts heads with the prison’s menacing governor, and earns a reputation amongst the other convicts as someone who will not conform to the rules, and will not be broken.
Why is it on the list?: This is my favourite Paul Newman performance, and the perfect role for him. I love the story of the man who won’t back down, and refuses to be downtrodden. I think we all wish we had a bit of that in us. And I also really like the interplay between all the convicts.

42. The Fallen Idol (1948)
Dir: Carol Reed
Starring: Ralph Richardson, Bobby Henrey, Michele Morgan
“Death is like a business. It has to be attended to.”
What is it?: Philippe is the young son of a French diplomat living in London, and idolises Baines, the family butler. When he sees Baines with a young woman who isn’t his nagging wife, the butler must convince the boy to keep what he knows a secret.
Why is it on the list?: The highest praise I can give this is to say that when I saw it, I was no longer sure that ‘The Third Man’ was Reed’s best film. This is that good. Great story, which takes many twists, the camera work is amazing, and I love the view of the world from a child’s point-of-view that the film shows.

41. Rumble Fish (1983)
Dir: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane
“If you're going to lead people, you have to have somewhere to go.”
What is it?: Rusty James is the leader of a gang of youths who pass their time getting into pointless ‘rumbles’ with other gangs. He lives in the shadow of his legendary older brother, The Motorcycle Boy, who returns to town with a new attitude and regrets about his fighting days.
Why is it on the list?: This is a strange and beautiful film which took me two watches to really get. I can see why people don’t get the appeal- it’s impressionistic, and kinda slow-moving and aimless. That’s really the point though. It has a very peculiar style (the almost out-of-focus black and white photography, the percussion soundtrack), which makes it very unique, and almost gives it the quality of some drunkard recounting memories of his youth. I like that.

40. Days of Heaven (1978)
Dir: Terrence Malick
Starring: Richard Gere, Brooke Adams, Sam Shepherd
“Nobody's perfect. There was never a perfect person around. You just have half-angel and half-devil in you.”
What is it?: Bill, an impoverished young man, his little sister, Linda, and his lover, Abby, escape the city to work in the Texas Panhandle at the start of the 20th century. The young landowner whom they work for takes an interest in Abby, and Bill convinces her to marry him for his money, with the knowledge that he has a terminal illness. The plot is there merely as a device for what is a dreamlike exploration of America, and the youth who will shape its future.
Why is it on the list?: A Gere film in my top forty? Maybe he isn’t the cancer he was once pegged as. Honestly, this is just a beautiful film, absolutely beguiling, poetic and touching. It’s hard to say what is so appealing about it. It just has an ethereal quality, and all the elements, from the music, to the shots of nature, come together to produce a special experience.

39. Fargo (1996)
Dir: Joel Coen
Starring: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi
“Oh, fuck it, I don't have to talk, either, man! See how you like it. Just total fuckin' silence. Two can play at that game, smart guy. We'll just see how you like it. Total silence.”
What is it?: In snowy Minnesota, a used-car dealer tries to make some quick money by faking the kidnapping of his wife. Things go awry though, when the two kidnappers kill a cop, and the very pregnant local sheriff begins an investigation. With a great script, and some excellent performances, this black comedy was one of the best American films of the 90s.
Why is it on the list?: This has traditionally been a top 5 film for me, and drops a long way for no particular reason. Still love it. The brand of humour is right up my alley and, like most Coen brothers films, there are so many little things they throw in, that aren’t really important to the plot, but just add great flavour to the film. Great score too, it should be said.

38. Lost in Translation (2003)
Dir: Sofia Coppola
Starring: Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson
“For relaxing times, make it Suntory time.”
What is it?: Bob is a middle-aged actor in Japan to film a commercial. Charlotte is the young wife of a photographer who is staying in the same hotel. The two of them meet, drawn to each other by their mutual loneliness, and spend time getting to know one another, and experiencing the Tokyo nightlife. The film is an exploration of two lonely people, lost in an unfamiliar land.
Why is it on the list?: I love this type of film, studies of characters who feel lost in the world, or trapped in circumstances they have no power over. Coppola has quickly become very good at telling these stories, and this is her best; an impeccable ode to finding meaning in unlikely places.

37. The Seventh Seal (1957)
Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Starring: Max von Sydow, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Bibi Andersson
“Love is the blackest of all plagues... if one could die of it, there would be some pleasure in love, but you don't die of it.”
What is it?: A knight returns from the Crusades to find Sweden ravaged by the Plague. As he observes the effects of the disease, he himself is visited by Death, and plays a game of chess with his life at stake.
Why is it on the list?: I instantly fell in love with Bergman films after seeing this. Superficially, his films look beautiful, with wonderful imagery and composition. But Bergman films are far from superficial, and recurring themes of the search for meaning in the world, and explorations of theological issues interest me greatly. This is really the key film in that respect. It also has a wry sense of humour, and a really powerful story.

36. Casablanca (1942)
Dir: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains
“Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”
What is it?: One of the great American films, this World War 2-era romance tells the story of Rick, a saloon-owner in Casablanca, whose world is turned upside-down when a former-lover, whom once dumped him, walks into his bar with her husband, an important member of the Czech underground who is wanted by the Nazis. Rick has the means to felicitate the safe passage of the two out of Casablanca, but is being leaned on by the local police chief to ensure they remain where they are.
Why is it on the list?: Why wouldn’t it be, really? The film just has everything- humour, romance, action. The script is so great, with so many memorable quotes, the characters just transcend film, and the performances are legendary. This was kind of my initiation into classic cinema, so it will always have that special place in my heart, and it’s just something that I don’t think I’ll ever tire of.

35. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
Dir: George A. Romero
Starring: David Emge, Craig Foree, Scott H. Reiniger
“Every dead body that is not exterminated becomes one of them. It gets up and kills! The people it kills get up and kill!”
What is it?: Zombies are taking over the world, but inside one American mall, four survivors band together to try to survive. Romero’s zombie movie combines horror with comedy and satire to great effect in this deceptively intelligent film.
Why is it on the list?: The best of Romero’s trilogy of the dead, by consensus, and certainly my favourite. It’s just a film packed full of ideas; ideas about the American family, ideas about consumerism, and just good old plain zombie-killing. It’s fun, exciting and really well-designed.

34. Singles (1992)
Dir: Cameron Crowe
Starring: Campbell Scott, Kyra Sedgwick, Briget Fonda
“I just happened to be nowhere near your neighborhood.”
What is it?: The complexities of dating and love are explored in this Seattle-set rom-com, which focuses primarily on four twenty-somethings who share hook-ups and break-ups against a grunge soundtrack.
Why is it on the list?: I think this is such a sweet, funny and realistic film, and it just feels mature, unlike a lot of rom-coms where the characters just seem to be idiots. I love Matt Dillon acting like a pretentious dick, and the music and setting just make it seem very cool.

33. Horse Feathers (1932)
Dir: Norman Z. McLeod
Starring: Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx
“Why don't you go home to your wife? I'll tell you what, I'll go home to your wife, and outside of the improvement she'll never know the difference.”
What is it?: The fifth Marx Brothers outing sees Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo take their zany antics to a respected college, with Groucho as the president, Zeppo as his son, and Harpo and Chico as a couple of local swindlers who get mistaken for the two ringers the college is bringing in for their big football game. A woman gets involved, and much craziness ensues.
Why is it on the list?: The first Marx brothers film I saw remains my favourite, and to me at least, is the best. The brothers allow me to indulge my silly side, my childish side, and it’s easy to take joy in their antics. This has got some classic scenes, like the swordfish routine, and the climactic football game, and it also has the magnificent ‘Everyone Says I Love You’ number, performed by each of the brothers in their own unique way.

32. Aliens (1986)
Dir: James Cameron
Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henricksen
“We'd better get back, 'cause it'll be dark soon, and they mostly come at night... mostly.”
What is it?: After her encounter with the xenomorph in ‘Alien’, Ellen Ripley is sent to lead a team of marines to a colonised planet on which evidence of the aliens has been found. When they get there, the colony has been wiped out, with the exception of one little girl, and the team finds themselves in a fight for their life. Dark, frightening and action-packed, this is a tremendous continuation of the Alien saga.
Why is it on the list?: Action is probably my least favourite genre, and Cameron is a director I generally have little time for, but I just love this film so much. Part of it is that Ripley is such a great character, but beyond that I just think that it all comes off so perfectly, the way it builds up to the action, and then the pay-off itself. Brilliantly realised, and when Bishop shows up to save them at the end it’s a genuine fist-pumping moment.

31. Do The Right Thing (1989)
Dir: Spike Lee
Starring: Spike Lee, Danny Aiello, John Turturro
“Hey, Sal, how come they ain't no brothas on the wall?”
What is it?: Playing out over one scorching hot day in Brooklyn, Lee’s film explores the racial tensions that bubble to the surface in a predominantly-black neighbourhood. Most of the action centres on the local pizzeria ran by Sal, an Italian-America. Mookie, a neighbourhood youth, is his delivery man, and tries to keep the peace when some of the regulars demand that Sal put some pictures of black personalities on his wall. The film poses a lot of difficult questions about race-relations, and is brave enough to offer no easy answers.
Why is it on the list?: The first thing that stood out to me about this film was how colourful it is. It looks a lot like a comic book, just with the vibrancy of the colours. There are a whole bunch of really great, memorable characters too, from Buggin’ Out to the legendary Da Mayor. It’s just a film that really jumps out the screen, and I love that about it.

30. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
Dir: Peter Jackson
Starring: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan
“The battle of Helm's Deep is over; the battle for Middle Earth is about to begin.”
What is it?: Part 2 of the trilogy is centred around the epic battle of Helm’s Deep, in which the men of Rohan must defend their stronghold against Saruman’s army. Meanwhile, Frodo and Sam continue their journey towards Mordor, led by Gollum.
Why is it on the list?: It’s all about Helm’s Deep for me. Fantastic scene, probably the best stuff of the whole trilogy. This one does have its weaknesses though, namely the journey from Rohan to Helm’s Deep (and Aragorn’s teased death), and those slow Treebeard scenes.

29. Paths of Glory (1957)
Dir: Stanley Kubrick
Starring: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker
“There are few things more fundamentally encouraging and stimulating than seeing someone else die.”
What is it?: Colonel Dax, an officer in the French army during World War 2, is ordered to send his men on an impossible mission that is certain to result in their deaths. When several of the men retreat back to the trench rather than be killed, Dax must defend them in a court martial. The charge is cowardice, and the punishment is death. Kubrick’s anti-war film is both harrowing and touching, and exposes the folly of war, all while showing the humanism that arises from it.
Why is it on the list?: I consider myself someone who isn’t a fan of the war film, but realized when drawing up my shortlist for this project that there were a lot of anti-war films showing up, and this is probably the best one ever made, and Kubrick’s best film to boot. Dax is one of the great heroes of film, a man who stands up to the army to defend men who are considered cowards. The acting is great, the battle scenes are great, and it’s a film that had a big impact on me, and really threw up some ideas which I found fascinating.

28. Dazed and Confused (1993)
Dir: Richard Linklater
Starring: Jason London, Wiley Wiggins, Matthew McConaughey
“All I'm saying is that if I ever start referring to these as the best years of my life - remind me to kill myself.”
What is it?: It’s the last day of school, and all anybody wants to do is party. Freshman, Mitch, is taken to a beer bash by a group of seniors, amongst whom is Pink, who must decide whether to sign an agreement given to him by the coach of the football team which will restrict him from smoking pot. The film plays out in a series of vignettes, showing the adventures of a whole cast of characters, from geeks to jocks to stoners.
Why is it on the list?: I love the episodic style of the film, and how it switches focus from one character to the next. It helps that most of the characters are so memorable, and the laughs just keep coming. The perfect film to watch with a group of friends, because there isn’t really a plot to follow, and you can just dip in and out.

27. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)
Dir: Amy Heckerling
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Robert Romanus, Sean Penn
“Look at you: member of the honor roll, assistant to the assistant manager of the movie theater. I'm tellin' ya, Rat, if this girl can't smell your qualifications, then who needs her, right?”
What is it?: The lives of a group of high school kids are put under the microscope, with the central focus being on Stacy and Rat, both of whom are looking for love. There is an easy charm to the proceedings, the script is very funny, and the young cast is marvelous.
Why is it on the list?: This is always jostling for position with ‘Dazed and Confused’, but ultimately I prefer this, probably because I find the characters more likeable, and more well-rounded. It has the bonus of starring a couple of my favourite performers in Leigh and Penn (and Spicoli is such an awesome character!), and I just think it paints the perfect picture of what you wish your high school life was like.

26. Ballad of a Soldier (1959)
Dir: Grigori Chukhrai
Starring: Vladimir Ivashov, Zhanna Prokorenko, Antonina Maksimova
What is it?: Alyosha is a 19-year-old Russian soldier in the second world war. While on the front, he inadvertently destroys three German tanks, and is granted six days leave to visit his mother as a reward. As Alyosha rushes home to his village, he encounters a series of problems in which he must decide whether to offer his help, or continue on his journey. One of the greatest films ever made, this is as fine a testament to the human spirit as you could hope to see.
Why is it on the list?: First off, Alyosha Skvortsov is one of my favourite ever film characters, an example of all that is right and good about humanity, he consistently puts the problems of other people, strangers in fact, before his own. There’s a great wave of sentimentality running through the film, but it’s never over-bearing, and basically if you watch this and don’t get choked up a little bit, you aren’t human.

25. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
Dir: Peter Jackson
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellan, Elijah Wood
“Let them come. There is one dwarf yet in Moria who still draws breath.”
What is it?: The first part of Jackson’s epic trilogy tells of how the one ring of power came to be in the possession of young hobbit, Frodo Baggins, and covers the forming of the Fellowship. Led by Gandalf, the Fellowship heads towards Mordor, but soon meets trouble along the way that results in their disbandment. The best part of the trilogy perfectly sets up the importance of the quest, and features stunning scenes such as the journey through Moria, and the death of Boromir.
Why is it on the list?: I was so excited for this film, and it didn’t disappoint at all. One of those films I can watch at pretty much any time, and still enjoy. Great characters, epic scenes, and pretty much flawless, whereas the other films have certain down periods in them.

24. The Last Picture Show (1971)
Dir: Peter Bogdanovic
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Cybill Shepherd
“One thing I know for sure. A person can't sneeze in this town without somebody offering them a handkerchief.”
What is it?: The changing landscape of America as seen through the eyes of a group of high-schoolers in a small Texan town. Sonny and Duane are best things torn between staying loyal to their dying town, and looking for a future elsewhere; Jacey is the local beauty and Duane’s girl who doesn’t want to end up like her unhappily married mother. Poignant and beautifully shot, this is one of the best films about the transition to adulthood ever made.
Why is it on the list?: To me, this is probably the quintessential film of the American New Wave, and considering all the classics that were being churned out in the 70s, that’s high praise. I think it just says something fundamental about southern American life, or what we understand that to be, and that is a subject that really appeals to me.

23. The Big Lebowski (1998)
Dir: Joel Coen
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore
“What's this day of rest shit? What's this bullshit? I don't fuckin' care! It don't matter to Jesus. But you're not foolin' me, man. You might fool the fucks in the league office, but you don't fool Jesus. This bush league psyche-out stuff. Laughable, man - ha ha! I would have fucked you in the ass Saturday. I fuck you in the ass next Wednesday instead. Wooo! You got a date Wednesday, baby!”
What is it?: The Coen brothers spoof the intricate plotting of and style of classic film noir, but instead of hardboiled private dicks, the centre of the action here is a bowling, White Russian-drinking hippie, known as The Dude. The story involves a case of mistaken identity, the kidnapping of a former porn-star, a gang of nihilists, and a pissed-on rug, but really the plot doesn’t matter, and this is all about enjoying the characters.
Why is it on the list?: I love the performances in this so much. John Turturro as Jesus might legit be the greatest cameo in cinema history, and the interplay between Bridges and Goodman (and Steve Buscemi) makes it list-worthy alone. What I love though is just how insane it truly is, without ever feeling unwieldy. You have a hippy annoyed that his rug got urinated on in the same film as a paedophile talking about fucking people up in a bowling match. And it all works.

22. M*A*S*H (1970)
Dir: Robert Altman
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould, Robert Duvall
“Someone get that dirty old man out of this operating theater.”
What is it?: The adventures of an army medical unit during the Korean War, specifically focusing on crack surgeons Hawkeye Pierce and Trapper John, who are as committed to helping the wounded as they are to creating anarchy.
Why is it on the list?: It’s hilarious. There are just so many great moments in this film, and it reminds me a lot of a Marx brothers film in the way that there’s all this crazy stuff going on. It also very clearly has a heart, which is something that I always look for in a film.

21. Badlands (1973)
Dir: Terrence Malick
Starring: Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek
“He needed me now more than ever, but something had come between us. I'd stopped even paying attention to him. Instead I sat in the car and read a map and spelled out entire sentences with my tongue on the roof of mouth where nobody could read them.”
What is it?: Sheen and Spacek are Kit and Holly, a couple of small-town kids who go on the lam after killing Holly’s dad. They travel through the American country committing several more murders before things inevitably unravel. This is a compelling piece of cinema in which Malick uses his poetic approach to tell a story which encompasses such themes as young love and the romanticisation of murder.
Why is it on the list?: Malick has become one of my favourite directors over the years. His films are very poetic, almost mythic in nature, always very beautiful to look at, and I love his use of voice-over. This is probably my favourite of his because it’s kinda the ultimate modern American folk-tale, and that really appeals to me.

20. The Graduate (1967)
Dir: Mike Nichols
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft, Katharine Ross
“It's like I was playing some kind of game, but the rules don't make any sense to me. They're being made up by all the wrong people. I mean no one makes them up. They seem to make themselves up.”
What is it?: Benjamin Braddock returns from college unsure of where his life is heading. He begins an affair with Mrs. Robinson, a married friend of his parents, but has doubts over the relationship which are compounded when he is urged to date the Robinsons’ daughter, Elaine. This comedy, a key film of 60s American cinema, finds its success in using its central plot to make a broader statement about the disenfranchisement of 60s youth.
Why is it on the list?: I was expecting something totally different when I first watched this, but really as soon as it started and you have Simon and Garfunkel playing, I knew I was going to love it. I think it’s genuinely hilarious first of all, but beyond that, I was really taken with the idea of this central character who feels like life is just happening to him, and he has no control over it.

19. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Dir: Wes Anderson
Starring: Gene Hackman, Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow
“I know what stomach cancer looks like. I've seen it, and you don't eat three cheeseburgers a day with french fries when you got it.”
What is it?: The Tenenbaums are an affluent New York family, who count amongst their number a trio of troubled former child prodigies. The disgraced patriarch, Royal, attempts to re-ingratiate himself back into the family by faking illness, but has a hard time convincing them that he’s changed. A film of wit, with an oddball quality, which treats its characters with genuine affection.
Why is it on the list?: I’ve said before that I think Anderson is a lot like Allen in that chances are you’ll either love his stuff or hate it; I love it. His sense of humour just jives with me, and I think he creates really interesting characters and situations. Continuing the Woody comparison, this would be his ‘Manhattan’, the film that best combines all of his key ideas and themes.

18. Don’t Look Now (1973)
Dir: Nicolas Roeg
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Julie Christie
“The skill of police artists is to make the living appear dead.”
What is it?: John and Laura Baxter move to Venice, grief-stricken over the death of their young daughter. Whilst there, Laura befriends two sisters, one of whom claims to have foreboding visions relating to the couple. Meanwhile, John begins to see what appears to be the spirit of his daughter running along the waterways. A truly chilling horror, which builds to a shocking climax.
Why is it on the list?: This is a film which really spooked me when I first saw it, and continued to stay with me for a long time afterwards. I really love the way the film builds up, using the setting and atmosphere to create suspense, and making the finale that much more surprising. A great piece of filmmaking.

17. Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Dir: Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly
Starring: Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds
“If we bring a little joy into your humdrum lives, it makes us feel as though our hard work ain't been in vain for nothin'.”
What is it?: In this magical account of the rise of the talkie, silent star Don Lockwood is forced to get with the times after the success of ‘The Jazz Singer’. He and his pal, Cosmo Brown, set about transforming Don’s latest project into a musical, with help from the actor’s love interest, Kathy. Taking some of the best musical numbers from the MGM vaults, this is a dazzling tribute to Hollywood’s golden age.
Why is it on the list?: It’s just a film that makes me feel happy. Certainly the best musical I’ve ever seen, it’s light and fluffy, but the humour is sharp, and the song-and-dance numbers are just a joy to behold. I could probably stick this on at any time and be entertained.

16. Apocalypse Now (1979)
Dir: Francis Ford Coppola
Starring: Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall
“I'd wake up and there'd be nothing. I hardly said a word to my wife, until I said "yes" to a divorce. When I was here, I wanted to be there; when I was there, all I could think of was getting back into the jungle. I'm here a week now... waiting for a mission... getting softer. Every minute I stay in this room, I get weaker, and every minute Charlie squats in the bush, he gets stronger. Each time I looked around the walls moved in a little tighter.”
What is it?: The ultimate Vietnam film, and a fully-fledged spectacle. Captain Willard is assigned to travel by boat into Cambodia and find and assassinate Colonel Kurtz, a renegade U.S soldier. As he gets deeper into the jungle, so do the depths of the madness of war become more apparent.
Why is it on the list?: How the mighty have fallen, you may say, regarding my long-time favourite film. I think it’s more a case of getting older, tastes developing, and getting more excited about different things. That said, this is still a film close to my heart- it blew me away from second viewing (it took two watches to ‘get it’), there are many memorable scenes and quotes, and I love the atmosphere (drug-addled, insane) that the film creates.

15. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
Dir: Ingmar Bergman
Starring: Ulla Jacobsson, Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet Andersson
“I can tolerate my wife's infidelity, but if anyone touches my mistress, I become a tiger.”
What is it?: In Bergman’s comedy a group of aristocrats convene for the weekend at a country manor. Whilst there, the various sexual tensions and romantic interests of the party play out.
Why is it on the list?: My favourite Bergman film, this is unlike a lot of his others in that it feels light, even inconsequential. This is a story type I like- the ‘group of people get together and swap partners’ sub-genre that we also see in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Sex Comedy’ (which parodies this), ‘The Rules of the Game’ and ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and that, combined with Bergman’s sense of humour and always impeccable cast and shooting, make this one fo my favourites.

14. Love and Death (1975)
Dir: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
“And so I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Actually, make that "I run through the valley of the shadow of death" - in order to get OUT of the valley of the shadow of death more quickly, you see.”
What is it?: In a small Russian village, weedy Boris is drafted to fight against Napoleon’s army. In doing so, he finally wins the love of his childhood sweetheart, Sonja and, upon returning home, the two of them hatch a plot to assassinate Napoleon. All that aside, it’s essentially the Woody rom-com transplanted to 19th Century Russia.
Why is it on the list?: This to me is probably Woody’s flat-out funniest film. There are so many different kinds of jokes in there, from parody to slapstick to farce. It’s just totally silly and totally wonderful. I think it helped having read some Russian literature that a lot of the character types that were being played up were familiar to me.

13. Swingers (1996)
Dir: Doug Liman
Starring: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston
“How about if I wait six weeks to call. I could tell her I found her number while I was cleaning out my wallet, I can't remember where we met. I'll ask her what she looks like and then I'll ask her if we fucked. How about that? Would that be money?”
What is it?: Mike is still hurting from the end of his long-term relationship, so his friends, led by the charismatic Trent, take him out on the Los Angeles bar scene where they drink, trawl for women, and talk about their failing acting careers.
Why is it on the list?: Loved it from the minute I saw it and, probably more than any other film on this list, this is a film that I can pop on at any time, no matter my mood, and be entertained. The music, the characters, the vocabulary, it’s just all so cool, even though when you really analyse it, it’s a pretty forlorn existence these characters are leading.

12. Fat City (1972)
Dir: John Huston
Starring: Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Susan Tyrrell
“The white race is in its decline. Started downhill in 1492 when Columbus discovered syphilis.”
What is it?: Stacy Keach plays Tully, a past-his-peak boxer who decides to get back into shape and give it another shot. At the gym he meets Ernie (Bridges), a kid just starting out. They become friends and we follow the two men’s progress as they strive for glory. What this really is though, is a film about two men at the opposite ends of their careers struggling to make it out of California’s Skid Row, fighting alcoholism, poverty and responsibility.
Why is it on the list?: I found out about this from reading an article about lost classics of American cinema of the 70s. As soon as the film begun, to the strains of Kris Kristofferson’s ‘Help Me Make It Through the Night’, I could tell I was going to love it. There is just a great poignancy to this, as you watch these guys who you really want to make something of themselves, but you know they’re fighting against the currant. Keach is really great in this, Bridges is good support, and it’s amazing to think that John Huston, 30 years after his career started, made this film which really tapped into many of the key themes of the American New Wave.

11. Annie Hall (1977)
Dir: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Curtis
“Don't you see the rest of the country looks upon New York like we're left-wing, communist, Jewish, homosexual pornographers? I think of us that way sometimes and I live here.”
What is it?: Woody Allen’s seminal romantic comedy focuses on the relationship between Jewish New Yorker, Alvy Singer (Allen), and Catholic Midwesterner, Annie (Keaton). We see them meet, date, fall in love and separate through a series of ingenious devices, such as flashbacks and animated sequences.
Why is it on the list?: Pretty much the greatest rom-com ever made, and fairly perfect. While it isn’t quite my favourite Allen movie, nor do I think it’s the best Allen movie, it’s something I’ll never tire of watching, just because there are so many good gags, and it fleshes out so many of the ideas that he toyed with in his earlier films.

10. The Third Man (1949)
Dir: Carol Reed
Starring: Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles
“Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock. So long Holly.”
What is it?: A masterful mystery thriller, in which an American pulp novelist travels to Vienna to visit his old friend, Harry Lime. When there he finds that Lime has died in an automobile accident, but when he digs a little deeper, he finds the official investigation leaves a lot to be desired- who, for example, is the mysterious third man at the scene of the accident?
Why is it on the list?: It’s only when I gave it some thought that I realised quite how much I love this film. From the moment it starts, with that famous music, you just know you’re witnessing greatness. Harry Lime’s first appearance is surely the greatest character introduction in cinema history, and I love the way it’s shot, with great expressionistic angles.

9. Fallen Angels (1995)
Dir: Wong Kar-Wai
Starring: Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, Takeshi Kaneshiro
“They say that love can change a man. I start to find myself looking better and more charming, and suddenly I discover that I'm turning blonde.”
What is it?: Three characters come together whilst traversing the neon-lit and lonely Hong Kong nightlife. First, there is a contract killer, disillusioned with his profession, and in love with his partner. Then there is the childlike mute who makes a living by breaking into other people’s businesses during the night and forcing passers-by to become customers. Finally, a peroxide blonde wanders the streets looking for her ex-boyfriend. This is a typically Wong tale of lonely people with aching hearts doing what they can to keep going.
Why is it on the list?: It took me a while to warm to this one. It didn’t really click to the point that it was a top 10 film for me until Takeshi Kaneshiro as the mute enters the fray. That’s just the kind of story-strand that Wong will knock out of the park everytime. This is probably the most bittersweet of all his films, and it’s something that stayed with me for a long time after it had finished.

8. Sonatine (1993)
Dir: Takeshi Kitano
Starring: ‘Beat’ Takeshi
“Indecent exposure is fun.”
What is it?: Takeshi Kitano directs and stars as Murakawa, a mid-level Yakuza who, after being sent to assist another gang with a turf war, goes into hiding by the beach with some young henchmen. The guys frolic by the sea and a local girl shows some interest, but soon Murakawa realises that they are being set up.
Why is it on the list?: This is one that I liked the first time I saw it, and then really loved it the second time. The scenes at the beach, in which Takeshi’s odd sense of humour comes to the fore, are some of my favourite scenes in film, and all with a minimum of dialogue which makes you think he could easily have been a silent actor. As well as being funny, there’s something strangely touching about it all, as Murakawa is a man haunted by his violent lifestyle.

7. L’avventura (1960)
Dir: Michelangelo Antonioni
Starring: Monica Vitti, Gabriele Ferzetti
“Why should we be here talking, arguing? Believe me Anna, words are becoming less and less necessary; they create misunderstandings.”
What is it?: One of the best films of the 60s, Antonioni’s existential classic begins with a group of bourgeois Italians visiting a remote island, where Anna, one of their group, mysteriously vanishes. Her playboy lover, Sandro, begins the search, but as time passes he finds himself drawn to Anna’s sister, Claudia. The story then shifts from the search for Anna to the relationship between Sandro and Claudia.
Why is it on the list?: This is pretty much the textbook ‘Adam film’, a film about alienation and the search for meaning, the kind of film that Wong Kar-Wai and Sofia Coppola make, and that Antonioni perfected. I watched this at uni for an essay about time and space in cinema, and immediately fell in love with it- beautiful landscapes, beautiful characters, lots of longing and inner-torment, yes please!

6. 2046 (2004)
Dir: Wong Kar-Wai
Starring: Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Gong Li
“I once fell in love with someone. I couldn't stop wondering if she loved me back. I found an android which looked just like her. I hoped she would give me the answer.”
What is it?: An enigmatic film like only Wong Kar-Wai can make, 2046 follows on from In The Mood For Love, telling the story of Chow, the writer of a science fiction novel in which 2046 is the year people visit to recover lost loves. Chow has a series of relationships over the years, but never allows himself to get too close; he still yearns for his former love. Part-science fiction, part-aching romance, all beautiful.
Why is it on the list?: Wong makes the most beautiful films, and this is the one that resonated the most with me. It’s so moody, and sexy, the colours are amazing, the performances great. I really like films about heartache, and this has got heartache aplenty.

5. Sugar (2008)
Dir: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Algenis Perez Soto
“No drinking. No cervezas in the casa. No chicas in the bedroom.”
What is it?: Young Dominican baseball player, Miguel ‘Sugar’ Santos, is recruited to a training camp in the USA and assigned to a team in the Midwest. His dreams of making the Major League tantalizing close, Sugar must deal with the minefield of acclimatising himself to a new country and culture, as well as the increased level of competition. The films starts as a standard mix of sports drama and duck-out-of-water observation, but develops into a finely-crafted tale about hopes and dreams, about meeting life’s challenges, and finding happiness in unexpected places.
Why is it on the list?: I have very fond memories of watching this with one Alan Gillingham, and both of us marking out at how good it is beyond our expectations. Sugar Santos is maybe my favourite film character- he’s just very charming and likeable. I also really appreciate a film that goes against the grain, and this one is very clever in the way it defies your expectations of it. Sugar succeeded in making me interested in baseball, which is maybe the biggest compliment I can give it.

4. Manhattan (1979)
Dir: Woody Allen
Starring: Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Mariel Hemingway
“I think people should mate for life, like pigeons or Catholics.”
What is it?: Isaac Davis is a writer for a lowbrow television comedy who is currently in a relationship with Tracy, a girl 25 years younger than him. He meets Mary, the mistress of his best friend, and the two fall for each other and start a relationship. Shot in lush black and white, Allen’s tale of love and neuroses amongst a group of Manhattan intellectuals is as funny as it is beautiful.
Why is it on the list?: Still the first Woody film I ever saw remains my favourite. I think part of that love is because it depicts a world I’d like to be a part of. It just seems so romantic to me. I do think this is Woody’s best work, and really his signature film. It’s the perfect marriage between his funny stuff, and his more poignant, romantic stuff. Of course, the script is really funny, but it’s sweet and hopeful too, which you don’t often get in a Woody film.

3. Donnie Darko (2001)
Dir: Richard Kelly
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Patrick Swayze
“Do you want your sister to lose weight? Tell her to get off the couch, stop eating twinkies and maybe go out for field hockey. You know what? No one ever knows what they want to be when they grow up. You know it takes a little, little while to find that out, right, Jim? And you... yeah, you. Sick of some jerk shoving your head down the toilet? Well, you know what? Maybe... you should lift some weights, or uh, take a karate lesson and the next time he's tries to do it, you kick him in the balls.”
What is it?: Donnie is a troubled high schooler whose life is saved by a 6-foot bunny from another dimension, who warns him that the world will end in a month. So, Donnie sets out to find out exactly what is going on, whether the strange things he is seeing are real, or just side-effects from coming off his medication. Time travel, alternate dimensions, paedophilia, Halloween and first love combine in what is surely the strangest and most ambitious ‘troubled teen’ film ever made.
Why is it on the list?: This is a film that blew me away upon first watch, and continues to with each subsequent viewing. It combines two themes which I generally enjoy- young people with problems, and questions on the meaning of life/existence- in a completely unique way, and really paints a compelling picture of the frustrations of small town living. I also think the film features one of the best depictions of family life in modern cinema. It isn’t a focus of the film, but the way the Darko family interacts with one another seems totally believable to me. The music is also really good, and the whole film has this great creepy air to it, which I really love.

2. Smoke (1995)
Dir: Wayne Wang
Starring: Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Forest Whitaker
“If you can't share your secrets with your friends then what kind of friend are you?”
What is it?: A series of stories intertwine, with the common thread being the Brooklyn tobacco store run by Auggie Wren. Characters come and go through the store’s doors, all with a story to tell, such as Paul, a writer grieving the death of his wife, whose life is altered after a chance encounter with a young runaway named Thomas. Auggie observes these narratives from behind his counter in what is a warm ode to friendship, and the often strange twists in life’s road.
Why is it on the list?: This is written by Paul Auster, who would go on to become my favourite novelist, and features several of my favourite performers (named above), so it immediately has that going for it. I think I love it so much though, because the characters and locale have a sense of familiarity about them, like a well-worn paperback. You watch the film and feel like you know these people, like you’ve been to these places, and that makes for a very satisfying experience.

1. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
Dir: Alexander Mackendrick
Starring: Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis
“Mr. Falco, let it be said at once, is a man of 40 faces, not one - none too pretty, and all deceptive. You see that grin? That's the, eh, that's the Charming Street Urchin face. It's part of his helpless act: he throws himself upon your mercy. He's got a half-dozen faces for the ladies. But the one I like, the really cute one, is the quick, dependable chap. Nothing he won't do for you in a pinch - so he says. Mr. Falco, whom I did not invite to sit at this table tonight, is a hungry press agent, and fully up to all the tricks of his very slimy trade.”
What is it?: Burt Lancaster plays JJ Hunsecker, a powerful New York gossip columnist, who has press agent Sidney Falco (Tony Curtis) by the balls. Hunsecker has the power to make or break Sidney’s career, but everything comes with a price, and this time Falco must break up the relationship between Hunsecker’s little sister and a ‘lowly’ jazz musician. Playing out over the course of one night in and around Times Square, New York, this dark satire of the entertainment business is as sharp and acidic as they come.
Why is it on the list?: I loved this film the first time I saw it, for a number of reasons. First of all, the script is one of the best I’ve ever heard. The dialogue is so sharp, full of cutting insults, and many memorable quotes. Then you have the performances of the two leads. Both characters are two of the most despicable in the movies (bastards of this quality are hard to come by, and not to be ignored), but Lancaster plays Hunsecker with an air of superiority, as a man who is the king of his world, and rules with an iron fist. Curtis, meanwhile, gives Falco an air of desperation, and there are times when you almost feel sorry for him. The music and mood of the film are also top notch, and the on-location shooting really puts you within the go-go world of the New York star-makers.