HK's 100 Favourites... Kinda

80. Pump Up The Volume



One of only two films that I rented and then bought my own copy of the same week. Hard Boiled being the other one, for the record. Anyway, I knew nothing about this when I first saw it, but as a Christian Slater fan, I was more than happy to take a chance on it and it's been a part of my life ever since. My favourite Christian Slater film (who I'm still a fan of) the first film I saw Samantha Matthis in (still love her) and, as with The Breakfast Club and The Doors, I saw it at the right time in my life, my late teens. If you're in your teens and you've not seen this, rectify that asap. It also has a great soundtrack.

79. An American Werewolf In London



I think I was 10 when I first saw this and, tbh, I didn't think of it as a comedy/horror. It was a horror film to me. Certainly one that had some funny bits, but not a comedy. It was years later that it occurred to me that it was 'supposed' to be funny as a comedy, rather than a horror film with some funny bits. The film quickly became a favourite among my group of friends and I'd probably seen it about 10 times before I recorded my own copy a few years later. I've always found the scene in the underground the most unnerving and that's true to this day. For me, this is the best werewolf film ever made and the transformation scene still beats any CGI versions I've seen in todays films. Oh, and Jenny Agutter too.

78. Foxy Brown



Very similar to Coffy, though I think Coffy is the better film, I prefer this and I don't seem to be alone in this. Foxy Brown is 'the' Pam Grier film. 'The' powerful, strong and independent woman. 'The' black female icon. I was 8 when I first saw Foxy Brown. The older brother of a friend had a copy and we watched it with him (as we did Shaft and a couple of other blaxploitation films.) Obviously, back then it was just boobs and violence. I saw it again in my mid teens, but it wasn't until I started to get into blaxploitation films that I really started to love the film. I think Coffy is the better film because of the script, Grier's acting and the supporting cast, but Grier's arse kicking, super sexy, star performance totally dominates Foxy Brown and wrapped up in a genre that I love, for me, that's why I love it more.

77. Amelie


One of the few films I've ever seen which I saw before its release and then saw at the cinema because I thought it had to be seen on the big screen. If you've only ever seen this at home and you get the chance, please watch it at the cinema. It's a whole other film. One filled with magic. A bit like another film I have higher in the list, I think you should be wary of someone who doesn't like this film.

76. The Killer
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I can't remember if I saw this or A Better Tomorrow first, but one of those two was the first John Woo film I saw. I fell instantly in love. Even if ABT was the first Woo film I saw, I'd still not seen anything like this before. I still think of The Killer as Woo's masterpiece.

75. Three Colours: Blue



My favourite of the Three Colours trilogy, so you won't be seeing any of the other films on this list. Also, this is my 100 favourite films, so sagas, trilogies and the like aren't counted as one choice. I adore the cinematography and editing of this film. I find the blue and shades of blue that permeate the film captivating and, as important as the music is to this film, I could watch it with the sound turned off and still be spellbound. It hard to talk about anything else, as the film's all about emotion. You feel this film as much as you watch it. For all its technical excellence, maybe it's Binnoche's performance that stops this from being akin to a Kubrick film for me. To me, Kieslowski's Kubrick with emotion.

74. Monster's Inc.



What's there to say? I know this one will surprise a few of you (at least) but what's not to love? How anyone can consider Up as the greatest Pixar film, if they've seen this is beyond me. You've got Sulley and Mike as a great double act. Randall, not just a slimeball villain but one who carries real menace, IMO, and Boo's just adorable. I also love the concept of the whole thing. The doors which leads to our bedrooms, where it's the job of monsters from another world to scare us into giving them energy. Sounds familiar.

73. Duck Soup



The only Marx Brothers film on my list. I love the great and the good Marx Brothers films and I even enjoy the not so good ones, but it's Groucho who makes all of them. That's probably why there's only one and, as many would agree, the best one at that. This is Groucho at his best, with a good few classic Groucho lines littering the film. There really are too many to list here, so I'll just go with my favourite. "Rememeber, you're fighting for this lady's honour, which is probably more than she ever did." 15-20 years ago, Horse Feathers would've been on this list and it was my favourite Marx Brothers film, but Duck Soup just seems to get better and better with every viewing.

72. Convoy



The first film I saw on video. The first family in the street with a video and they've rented Convoy. So there's about 12 of us piled into their front room, plus their parents. I honestly don't know how many times I've seen this since. Dozens? Certainly. A hundred? Possible, but probably not. But I really don't know. As this is often the Sam Peckinpah film his fans dislike the most, it shouldn't come as any surprise that this is the only film of his I love. It's also the only one that'll you see on this list.

71. When Harry Met Sally



One of the best rom-com's of all-time and I think of it like that because, unlike most rom-com's, it's actually funny. Not just a giggle or a smuckle, but proper laughing. It does suffer from not being not too high on the romantic stakes, not for me anyway, but romantic enough to qualify for the rom-com genre.

When Harry Met Sally is the best rom-com ever, and I can still remember going to see Monster's, Inc. with my grandfather when I was just 4 years old. Two great Billy Crystal movies

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It's odd but, as an animation, I don't think of any of the voices. I'd never think of Monster's Inc as a Billy Crystal film, even though Mike is Billy Crystal. I'm stunned that stars get big cheques for voice work.

Glad you like them, though, they are both great films.

At least there are a few I've now seen. When Harry Met Sally is great, so is American Werewolf. After seeing you mention it a few times I was actually surprised that Amelie wasn't higher, but great to see it anyway.

The big surprise however is definitely Monsters Inc. While I love it and it made my list as well I was stunned to see it on your list. You liking a 'kids film'? Have you seen Wall-e yet by the way?

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70. Jumpin' Jack Flash



Honeykid just can't get enough of this Whoopi romp featuring hit music from The Rolling Stones. Carol Kane is positively wacky as her friend and co-worker and there's also amusing roles played by Annie Potts, Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman. Whoopi has never been better than when she was in Jumpin' Jack Flash. It really ought to be Honeykid's #1 favorite, but Honeykid decided to restrain himself.

Nice list some interesting choices Logans run too, Jean de Florette too

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I still like Horse Feathers over Duck Soup, but to each his own....

I feel that Amelie may be a film that could move up as the years pass.

lol... Well, there's nothing wrong with kids films. My problem is that they're now the films that adults (en masse) are looking forward to seeing.

And, no, I've not yet seen Wall-E. I did have it on in the background once, but I didn't engage with it.

70. All The President's Men



Remember when Redford and Hoffman actually acted? Well, this is probably the best example of that for both of them, IMO. It's also quite a rarity in Hollywood, IMO, a great film about a great real life story. I've never been a fan of Redford, but he's really good in this. Hoffman is off the scale good, my favourite performance of his. Another film I fell in love with in my early 20's, I'd caught some of it a few times on tv before, but not really gotten into it. These days it's one of those film which, if I come across it on tv, I'm there till it finishes.

69. Double Indemnity



I was introduced to this when I was studying film (I know! Me!) and, while the rest of the class seemed to giggle every time they said "Doll" or "Baby", I was totally captivated. One of those films that, considering when it was made, I was baffled as to how I hadn't really heard of it before? I knew it existed, but wasn't aware it was a classic or anything. Maybe it was because, as you may see from this list, I'm not much of a fan of Film Noir. Maybe because it didn't seem to be on tv very much and certainly not at a time when I'd have seen it. Whatever the case, much like poor old Walter Neff, I surrendered to this from the moment I saw it.

68. Natural Born Killers



The first time I saw this was at a midnight showing on the day it opened. Myself and a friend had been hanging out to see this for ages. My friend fell asleep after about an hour, but I was captivated. As we left it became apparent that I was in a very small minority. The level of grumbling and moaning as about 300 people left the cinema at 3am was something I've only experienced one other time (The Descent) but I came out wondering which film these other people had seen. I know the film they hadn't seen, they hadn't seen the film they expected to. Neither had I, but I'd seen something so much better than a run of the mill, uber-violent, Tarantinoesque, Hollywood mash-up. I'd seen a spectacle. Someone on the site once said this is a student film with a Hollywood budget. I said it then and I'll say it again now, if this is what students will do with a Hollywood budget, someone give them a cheque. This is a thrill-ride I'm always willing to take.

67. Slacker



1990. America discovers Punk and gives birth to, what we now look upon as the American Independent movie scene. Sadly, I didn't see it until a couple of years later (by which time the buzz was all about some new film hitting the festival circuit called Reservoir Dogs) but, when I did, as with much of this early scene (in all the arts) it instantly made sense. This was what I wanted to see. These were my people. A year or two later, people were praising Pulp Fiction for having characters that "talked about things we talk about. Like we do." Firstly, no they didn't. Tarantino writes in a highly stylized way and, secondly, he'd already 'done that' with Reservoir Dogs. This film, however, really did have people who talked about some of the things me and my friends did and in the way we did.

66. Everyone Says I Love You
I could only find a German trailer for this, so for those who can, here it is.


For those of us who can't speak German, here's Drew.



Drew Barrymore in a Woody Allen film? How much eager was I to see this when it was released? Very. Naturally. TBH, when I first saw it, while I liked it, it wasn't the loved film it is for me now. This is the very definition of a sweet, whimsical film and harks back to the musicals of the 30's and 40's. I've yet to see Midnight In Paris, but if it's half as charming as this, I look forward to being very entertained.

Nice to see someone give some love to Natural Born Killers. Gave you rep for Monsters Inc. too. I adore that movie.

what's wrong with looking forward to a children's film?

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I forgot about Amelie! That is a great movie

65. Das Boot



I first saw the mini-series version of this. So even the directors cut is an abridged version for me. Despite this, Das Boot is one of the best war films ever made (not the best though, IMO. That comes later.) In fact, it's not even my favourite submarine film, well it might be on another day but not the day I made this list. It is the most claustrophobic film I've ever seen though. For me, only that scene in the tunnel in The Descent tops it. However, that's a few minutes, whereas this is just over 3 hours!

64. Picnic At Hanging Rock



If this was made today, it'd have 'lost footage'. But it doesn't and this is one of the most spellbinding, beautiful, intriging, dream-like films you'll ever see. I don't know if it's possible for this film to grow on you or not, but I feel as if it's one of those if you love it, you'll love it forever. If you don't, then you'll never like it. I saw this when I was 17 and knew absolutely nothing about it. Nothing. It just appeared on my tv screen, took me away and put me back in the same place. However, like some alien abductee, I'd changed. If, like I was back then, you know nothing about this film and want to see it, I'd suggest not even watching the trailer. Just go and see it.

63. All About Eve

I've picked this 'modern' trailer over the original Hollywood trailer.

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My favourite Bette Davis film. Her best performance? Maybe not. But certainly my favourite and the perfect role for her. It takes something to outshine Bette, but this script does it. If this was a list of my favourite scripts/dialogue, it'd be top 5, not 63.

62. The Cruel Sea



This is one of those war films which has probably been shown once every 12-18 months for the last 30 years over here. I do like a film that's set at sea. I don't know why. On the sea or in the air. Anyway, I just get a feeling of comfort when I watch this. I can't remember ever not having see this film.

61. The Empire Strikes Back



This was the first of the Star Wars saga that I saw. I don't rememeber much of that day, other than being in very dark cinema and the contrast between the brilliant white light of the battle on Hoth and the black, dark blue and blinking lights when Luke fight Vader. To this day I think this is the best looking of the trilogy and I love looking at it as much as I do watching it. There's no doubt that this is the pinnicle of the Star Wars trilogy, I won't even sully it with the prequels. I've not seen Empire as many times as Star Wars, but I'd rather never see any of the other Star Wars films ever again than not see Empire again.

I'm amazed, it's actually a pretty good list so far. Now I'm just waiting for a few Kubrick films to make their appearance and it'll be a great list.

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Ha!

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i really like your list a lot, too. there's lots i haven't seen, but many that i'm intrigued about, either from the look of the trailer or the way you talk about it.

+1 for Picnic at Hanging Rock and All About Eve!

I expected this list to be way more 'out there', but it's more traditional than I thought it would be. That's not a bad thing by any means and the fact that Jean de Florette and Halloween are on here (too low, but I'll forgive you) is deserving of substantial rep.

60. Unforgiven



As you may've noticed, I'm not one for Westerns, so you could argue that those that do make my list are the best the genre has to offer. OK, so maybe not, but you have to go some to find a Western better than Unforgiven. I didn't see this film for quite a while and, even then, only because of the Oscars it won (back when things like that mattered to me) and it's a regret that I've not seen this on the big screen, as it must look fantastic.

59. The Big Lebowski



Ah, 1998. A time when a new Coen Brothers film excited me and The Big Lebowski was probably the pinnicle of that excitement, coming as it did off the back of Fargo. To be honest, depending on my mood, this film and the one above it could be switched as my favourite Coen Brothers film, but there's no doubt that I think this is the funniest. I'd argue that The Big Lebowski is the cult film of the last 20 years, even more so than Pulp Fiction.

58. Miller's Crossing



While this and Lebowski can switch for my favourite Coen's film, I think this one is the best. The first time I saw it I was dubious because it starred Albert Finney and I really didn't like him too much back then. I don't know why, maybe it was the crappy mortgage films he did in the 80's, but he wasn't someone I enjoyed watching. But so completely does he inhabit the role of Leo O'Bannon, that he ceased to be visable to me. There's plenty to recommend and notice here, but the one thing that stands out more than anything and this isn't something I normally concentrate on, is the sound mixing and editing. It's bloody phenomenal. Both Miller's Crossing and Goodfellas were released in 1990 and, while very different in tone and manner, both as about as good an example of the gangster genre as you're likely to see.

57. Seven Samurai



I happened upon this film simply because I was ill. It was a Sunday night and I was too ill to turn the tv over, so there I lay and whatever was on was on. Yet, slowly but surely, this b&w subtitled film drew me in and engaged me so that, by the end, I hardly felt ill anymore. Of course, as it's nearly 3 hours I may've felt better anyway, but I like to think that it was the film. I was 15 and this was the first subtitled film that I can remember watching. If it wasn't the first, then it's certainly the one that showed me that a foreign language wasn't a barrier, either to me nor to the film being good.

56. Psycho



I think I first saw this when I was 9, maybe 10 and I couldn't have been more excited. A group of us sat down to watch it and, even then, we all knew its reputation. The shower scene. So we sit down to watch it. It started. It was b&w? Maybe it was just a bad copy? No, it's b&w! About half the group left there and then. We were used to Zombie Flesheaters or Dawn Of The Dead, they weren't going to watch an old b&w film. However, I had faith. This was Psycho and this was good. So I sat there and waited... And waited... And waited. 40 bloody minutes I waited. When was this going to get good? Suddenly she's going into the shower. This is it. Then it was over. The rest of us looked at each other. Was that it? Was that 'the shower scene' we'd heard so much about? We stopped the tape there and then, went out, found the others and congratulated them for not wasting their time and then I slagged that film off for years to come every time someone brought it up. In my late teens, I watched it again... And it was ****ing brilliant. Not only that, but it seems to get better everytime I see it.

Thanks. I'll be interested to see if you think the same after the 100. I'm guessing "no".

lol... Y'know, even with an infinite number of parallel universes, I'm not convinced that'd happen.

A big thank you to everyone else who's commented, posted and repped so far.