10. (Tie) Rolling Thunder (John Flynn 1977)
Dredd (Pete Travis 2012)
9.Broadway Danny Rose (Woody Allen 1984)
This is Woody's best film in my opinion (though most people prefer
Manhattan). Allen plays Danny Rose, a down on his luck showbiz promoter with the worst acts imaginable (including a blind xylophone player). Nevertheless Danny is an enthusiastic, kind hearted soul, who goes out of his way to help his clients, and closest friends. Things seem to be looking up for Danny, when he takes washed up alcoholic lounge singer Lou Canova (Nick Apollo Forte giving a great performance) under his wing. Danny helps clean him up, and slowly Lou starts to make a successful comeback on the back of a nostalgia revival. The only problem is Lou can only perform with his mistress Tina Vitale (Mia Farrow) present. As Lou is married, it's left to Danny to chaperone Tina to the gigs, passing her off as his own girlfriend. This proves dangerous as Tina is also the girlfriend of a mafia hood, who devastated by her infidelity, vows to have Danny killed. Things become even more complicated when Danny inevitably falls for Tina.
Broadway Danny Rose is an absolute delight, brilliantly written and performed (particularly by Allen), and featuring an absolute knockout opening scene (I wont spoil it). There's the usual great one liners, and some wonderful photography, but it's the story and characterization that shines here. Excellent.
8. Belle De Jour (Louis Bunuel 1967)
Super sexy, arty, stylish film from Bunuel, the like of which, only the French seem able to get away with. Catherine Deneuve plays Severine Serizy, the wife of a handsome and wealthy surgeon, Pierre (Jean Sorel). Seemingly happily married, Severine can't bring herself to be intimate with her husband, and harbors fantasies of sexual humiliation and degradation (one of which we witness in the films opening scene). Henri (Michel Piccoli) a friend of her husband's (who clearly lusts after her) tells Severine about a female friend who works as a prostitute for money. Severine becomes curious, and visits the brothel (a high class Parisian apartment) and it's madame, Anais (Genevieve Page). At first nervous, she nevertheless becomes a prostitute there, working only in the daytime, so as to keep it a secret from Pierre. Anais subsequently names her
Belle De Jour (The Beauty of the Day). As a prostitute Severine is able to live out her sexual fantasies, but when a local gangster becomes infatuated with her, so begins a chain of events that threaten to expose her secret. I fell in love with this film (and Deneuve) instantly, it's sexy without ever being graphic, and the acting is wonderful. Bunuel's film serves as a perfect exploration of female and male desire, lust, deceit, and fantasy. A little old fashioned maybe, but undeniably classy and elegant,
Belle De Jour is
the erotic sex film for connoisseurs. Masterpiece.
7. Near Dark (Kathryn Bigelow 1987)
6. Manhunter (Michael Mann 1986)
Before
Silence of the Lambs, and (the crap)
Red Dragon, there was
Manhunter, and boy is it a good film. Loosely adapted from the Thomas Harris novel
Red Dragon,
Manhunter is a highly atmospheric, moody, almost dreamlike film. William Petersen (in his best role) plays Will Graham, an ex police detective recovering from mental (and physical) trauma after catching Dr. Hannibal Lecktor (played here definitively by Brian Cox). Graham is asked to take up one last case by ex colleague Jack Crawford (Dennis Farina), following a string of murders by a killer known as 'The Tooth Fairy' (Tom Noonan). Reluctantly Graham accepts, and so begins his own decent into hell, as he revisits Lecktor for help with the case.
Manhunter is so underrated it's criminal, it's one of the best films of the 80's, but all I ever hear is Anthony Hopkins this, and
Silence of the Lambs that. For me Cox as Lecktor was a very believable psychopath, whereas Hopkins was just way over the top, almost muggingly so. Tom Noonan (pictured) is also brilliant in
Manhunter, he's so calm and detached, almost alien, as to be extremely disturbing. Mann wisely used celebrated Italian cinematographer Dante Spinotti for the visuals, and as a result the film looks amazing. His choice of soundtrack is also inspired, with great avant-garde tracks such as Shriekback's
This Big Hush, helping to give the film it's unique feel. Masterpiece (oops there I go again).
5. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone 1966)
The critics may prefer
Once Upon a Time in the West, but this is a lot more fun if you ask me. Clint Eastwood is Blondie (The Good), and Eli Wallach (who steals the movie) is Tuco (The Ugly). Together they make a living off Tuco's (a wanted bandit) reward money. When Blondie double crosses him however, Tuco tracks him down seeking revenge. An act that has them stumble upon information leading to the whereabouts of a hidden cache of gold. Also looking for the gold is Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef as 'The Bad') a ruthless assassin, who when paid, always sees the job through. So begins a thrilling adventure that sets the trio on an inevitable collision course, and the rest as they say
'is history'. Iconic film is thoroughly entertaining, with great performances, and a legendary score from Ennio Morriconi. Leone's sense of visual style is masterful, the films climax is breathtaking, and yes I do think it's a m-
4. Blade Runner: Director's Cut (Ridley Scott orig. 1982, re-cut 1993)
Adapted from Philip K. Dick's novel
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,
Blade Runner is arguably the most visually stunning film of all time. Notoriously butchered by the studio, it wasn't until 1993 that we got to see Scott's film as it was intended to be shown. A visceral feast it may be, but
Blade Runner has great substance as well as style. The story has Harrison Ford's future cop Rick Deckard on the trail of a rogue group of androids (called replicants or 'skin jobs') in the Los Angeles of 2019. The androids are led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer giving a career defining performance), and as advanced models they are superhuman. The only problem is they have a built in fail safe, a four year life span. Batty's obsession is in finding their creator to demand more life before they shut down. Deckard's task is to hunt and kill them, but things become complicated when he falls in love with a similarly advanced model, Rachael (Sean Young), and comes to question his own origins. Blade Runner's story has biblical undertones that elevate it above most other sci-fi. It's brilliance is that we are allowed to empathize with Roy Batty and his friends, we feel for them, they are the tragedy. We also care for Deckard, his love for Rachael in such a bleak future is the hope we cling to. Blade Runner almost questions who we all are as human beings, our origins, our nature, the insignificance of the individual in the grand scheme of life. Much of this is suggested in Batty's final, iconic speech, but dialogue throughout the film is littered with deeply profound double meanings. When you add in the stunning Vangelis soundtrack, incredible production design, and beautiful photography, you have, dare I say it? another masterpiece.
3. (Tie) Alien (Ridley Scott 1979)
Impossible to choose between this and Cameron's sequel, they're both excellent in their own right.
Alien has the crew of the Nostromo respond to what they think is a distress beacon on a remote moon. Once there however, they discover a strange alien vessel filled with eggs. One of their crew is then rendered immobile by a spider like parasite, and much to Ripley's (Sigourney Weaver) dismay, they take him back on board the Nostromo. If you don't know what happens next, then please go and hurl yourself off the nearest tall building.
Alien is a marvel of production design and cinematography. The cast are all great, especially Weaver and Ian Holm as Ash. It's all done so well as to be completely believable, and the sub theme's of psycho sexual horror are what puts
Alien on the same playing field as
Jaws. Masterpiece.
Aliens (James Cameron 1986)
Aliens is one of the best sequels ever made, fact. James Cameron, came up with a movie that had no right to look this good in 1986.
Aliens still looks better than most sci-fi movies made today. Picking up fifty seven years after the first film, Ripley is awakened from hypersleep, and asked to return to LV426 as an advisor to a rag tag group of space marines. Once again, if you don't know what happens next, please wire electrodes to your genitals, and turn the voltage up to maximum. Not only is
Aliens more exciting than the original, but the ensemble cast are an absolute knockout. Weaver is excellent once again, but deserving of special mention has to be Bill Paxton as private Hudson, the hilarious whining voice of the audience. Legendary, often imitated, eminently quotable stuff.
'let's roocckk!!!'
2. Used Cars (Robert Zemeckis 1980)
Hilarious madcap comedy, sadly forgotten due to its untimely release on the same weekend as
Airplane!. Kurt Russell (at his very best here) plays Rudy Russo, a fast talking car salesman in the employ of Luke Fuchs (Jack Warden) on his run down car lot. Across the road is Luke's brother, Roy L. Fuchs (Jack Warden again) running a rival car lot, and paying off the mayor to ensure that a planned freeway is built on his brother's lot. When his lawyer informs him that the freeway is being built on
his lot instead, Roy L. hatches a plan to inherit Luke's (who has weak heart) business. With Luke out of the way however, Rudy and his colleague Jeff (Gerrit Graham) ensure that Roy L. doesn't find out he's dead. So begins a side splitting elaborate deception, and war for business between the rival lots. This is Belly laugh inducing stuff, with Rudy and co doing everything from putting disco dancing strippers on top of the cars, to jamming the presidential speech with a pirate advert. The ensemble cast are all great, we even get Al Lewis (Grandpa from
The Munsters) as a harsh judge, complete with miniature guillotine. If you like bad taste comedy, this is a forgotten gem, with a great script from Zemeckis and Bob Gale (Speilberg was an executive producer). Go and buy it now.
1. Cinema Paradiso aka Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (Giuseppe Tornatore 1988)
Cinema Paradiso is far and away my favourite film, not even
Amelie comes close to the magic on offer here, it's simply spellbinding. The film is the story of Salvatore (played as an adult by Jacques Perrin), a famous film director who receives news from his mother that one of his closest friends has died. Salvatore contemplates his inevitable return to the Sicilian village where he grew up, and in doing so is reminded of his friendship with Alfredo (Philippe Noiret), the local cinema projectionist. The film is Salvatore's memories, and begins with him as a young boy (wonderfully played by Salvatore Cascio) who becomes fascinated with film and befriends Alfredo. The two become like father and son, as Alfredo teaches Salvetore his trade, an act that eventually leads to his career in film making. We then see Salvatore as a young man (played by Marco Leonardi), who falls in love with Elena Mendola (Agnese Nano), vowing to stand outside her window every night to prove his love. Finally he wins her heart, but ultimately has to decide between her and his future. This film transports me away to that village every time I watch it. The acting is phenomenal, and the cinematography beautiful. My favourite scene is when the young Salvatore cheekily blackmails Alfredo into teaching him his craft. It's during an exam where Alfredo asks for Salvatore's help with the answers, the look on their faces and general body language is just magical, heart warming stuff. Cinema Paradiso is full of scenes like this, and at three hours in length, I'd be here all night listing them all. It also has a brilliant score from the best in the business, Ennio Morricone, who else. If you haven't already, go out and get this now, oh and make sure you get the director's cut, previous cuts only run at two hours, and aren't as good. Yup you guessed it, this film is a masterpiece, and in my opinion the best ever made. That is until I see something better, and I seriously doubt I ever will.
So if you've been reading this thread, thank you, and I hope you enjoyed my choices
.
Reply to Topic
Hilarious film adapted from Woody Allen's play of the same title. Allen plays Allen Felix a neurotic film critic, who on being dumped by his wife Nancy (Susan Anspach), goes through an embarrassing personality crisis. His ego severely dented, Allen (who hero worships Humphrey Bogart) begins dating again with the help of his best friends, Linda and Dick Christie (Diane Keaton and Tony Roberts). The result is a funny series of vignettes following Allen's tragic attempts to find a new partner. All whilst he receives advice from Bogart (brilliantly played by Jerry Lacey) the physical manifestation of his subconscious. Allen becomes increasingly attracted to Linda, sparking off a series of events that lead to the films climactic homage to Casablanca. This is the film that turned me onto Woody Allen, it's very funny stuff, and the dialogue is masterful. If you don't like Woody and haven't seen this, I dare you to give it a try, you won't be disappointed. 
12. Heat (Michael Mann 1995)
at my list perhaps being overshadowed when people think i'm copying you lol 
so I am going to try and track them down so I can watch them