JayDee's 100 Favourite Films

Just a lovely wee film. Really sweet and charming. A film that was sadly very over-looked.

Telling the story of the moon landing from a unique perspective it's a cracking little film. Warm, quirky and with a really nice nature to it, it just puts a smile on my face whenever I watch it. Similar to something Scotland might produce (Local Hero for example). Sam Neill has always been an actor I've liked and he's very good here as are much of the cast who portray the likeable small town characters.

While much of its humour is of a fairly gentle nature there are some really good laughs to be found. The main one that comes to mind being the band being asked to play the American national anthem, but instead coming up with the theme song from Hawaii Five-O.

If you haven't seen it I'd recommend you give it a go some day.





This is a very curious film, like no Western I've ever seen before (not that I've seen that many).

It reminds me of films like Forrest Gump and North in that it tells the tale of one man's incredible and fantastical life, a film where you feel it may be revealed at any time to be a fantasy or fable. It's a very sad and touching movie at times but is also wildly funny

The film's great strength without doubt is Dustin Hoffman's wonderful performance, charting the character's life from a teen through to old age. He is also given great support from Chief Dan George as Old Lodge Skins and Richard Mulligan as a fantastically nuts General Custer.

A very engrossing and moving film.





I think this has to be one of the best, and certainly most underrated, films of the noughties. It is good breezy fun, looks great, has snappy dialogue, two very engaging central performances and an excellent opening credits sequence.

It's a very interesting story, telling of the incredible true life exploits of Frank Abagnale, Jr. Set in the 60s it has a lovely warm, nostalgic tone to it, full of vibrant colours and a jazz inspired score. Immediately after watching the film I went out and bought the book it was based on, a definite sign of how much sheer enjoyment I found this to be






An Adam Sandler/Drew Barrymore double bill here. Two really great, funny romantic comedies. And as HoneyKid does I love Drew Barrymore, which makes me love these films more than I would if it was just about anyone else. I just find her so adorable. So she outweighs the sometimes annoying tendencies of Adam Sandler.

The Wedding Singer is perhaps the 'better' film; and has a fantastic soundtrack, but I think I just prefer 50 First Dates. Just find it to be a nicer, sweeter little film.

Special mention too for another couple of Drew's films - Never Been Kissed and Our House (aka Duplex). Mostly for Drew!

71. Austin Powers – The Spy Who Shagged Me / The Mask

“I can't believe Vanessa, my bride, my one true love, the woman who taught me the beauty of monogamy...was a fembot!”

I had to put one of the Austin Powers films in here and decided to go with this one. I find the whole series to be just ridiculously funny, not very big or clever but damn funny!

Mike Myers is of course the star, the man that makes this all work. His performances in multiple roles are hilarious, particularly Dr Evil. He doesn't hog all the laughs however as each character is given their moments to shine – Scott Evil, Frau Farbissina, Number Two, Basil Exposition, Mini Me etc. And finally Heather Graham as Felicity Shagwell, perhaps the main reason I prefer this over the first. As well as being very funny she is sexy as hell!

“It's party time! P-A-R-T-whY? Because I gotta!”

You get films that seem to exist for no other reason than to act as a showcase for a comedian. A lot of the time they don't really work but this one certainly does. Well for me at least.

I am a massive Jim Carrey fan and this is the film that introduced me to him. I just couldn't get enough of his craziness as this character. In fact for a while I was a little bit obsessed with it, with my mum renting it every few months for us to watch together while we sat through on her bed stuffing our faces. I'm not even sure she particularly liked the film that much but would go with it just for me.

Outside of Carrey's rubber-faced antics there is also a lot more to like here. It is one of those films that doesn't seem to exist in a particular era, mixing elements from different periods. Along with the glamour of Cameron Diaz there are also fun turns by Peter Green and Peter Riegret. And then of course there is Milo, the adorable little dog who threatens to steal the scene any time he appears. The film also features some excellent special effects, coupled with some impressive song and dance routines

Love Little Big Man and Catch Me If You Can.

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One of the oddest little films I've ever seen. Certainly of films that have become fairly mainstream. It has a bizarre central concept surrounded by weird touches at every turn. It is a bewildering, mesmerizing experience. You could argue it doesn't add up too much in the end but for me that doesn't really matter too much when you've had such a fun journey getting there.

John Malkovich is an absolute sensation here, just having glorious fun with the role. And the scene where he enters his own brain is amongst the most entertaining and memorable scenes I've seen in quite a while. Cameron Diaz too deserves a mention for giving what I find to be her most interesting and intriguing performance.

The reason it isn't higher on the list is that I felt it lacked a bit of heart, especially when compared with other offbeat comedies. But it is a beautifully crafted film. A true original.





Visually stunning, this was like nothing I had ever seen before. It is a brutal, breathtaking and visually stunning film. It really is like the graphic novels have been brought to life, each shot being an almost clone of the comic panels they are based on. The black and white effect with just the odd dash of vibrant colour works spectacularly well for the film.

Of the three stories, which interweave in a Pulp Fiction style, my personal favourite is actually that featuring Bruce Willis (That Yellow B*****d). While the story of Marv steals the show for most people it was Bruce Willis' turn that for me added a little heart and character into the film.

While it is undeniably a dark and violent tale there is also something rather beautiful about it.





The usual brand of quirkiness from the Coen brothers here. So we have some madcap situations, some deliriously odd dialogue, memorable characters and some wonderful humour. Throw in some beautiful cinematography and one of most offbeat but engaging soundtracks I've ever heard.

I think this is also my favourite George Clooney performance. I'm not a huge fan of his really but his charming ways and willingness to send up his slick, dapper ways make this a very entertaining performance. All added up it gives the film a somewhat mythical and lyrical feel.





A majestically beautiful film, this really is an epic fantasy. Detailing the struggle between man and nature it is full of mythical creatures, gods, demons and spirits. The animation is gorgeous, especially when it comes to realising the beauty of nature.

Not as whimsical as many of the other Ghibli films this is certainly more of an adult film, with some rather strong violence. It is still however able to prove itself to be magical and touching stuff. For me this is Miyazaki's masterpiece.





And yet another Jim Carrey film. This is a very fascinating film, well for me at least. It covers a number of subjects that I find interesting including Andy Kaufman, the sitcom Taxi and his wrestling feud with Jerry Lawler. Indeed for me it's a real, if slightly bizarre, treat to see the actual Jerry Lawler and the actual members of Taxi playing themselves; and in the case of Danny DeVito, someone else

Carrey is magnificent in this, recreating Kaufman down to an absolute tee. He is able to nail the character that most people know from stage and screen, but keeps it from being a mere impersonation by also delving deeper into this flawed, enigmatic man. A man who finds no great pleasure in fame and suffers frustration when he feels he is being typecast. It is one of my favourite performances by any actor, how he wasn't nominated for an Oscar still surprises me.

I believe this is a beautiful film which is in equal parts funny and moving

Much better, JD.

Catch Me If You Can, 50 First Dates and The Dish from the first and all but Princess Mononoke from the second.

Also, Drew is the only reason to watch Our House (Duplex). A really unfunny film, which isn't a surprise seeing as it's Ben Stiller.

Ooh ouch. I've been loving the list until 50 First Sh!tes. Vile film!

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Pleased to see I've made you happy again. Although I'm a little surprised you liked The Dish. For some reason I thought that would be the kind of quaint, whimsical film you weren't too daft on.

Not a fan of Princess Mononoke then? What about anime in general?

I'll admit to having only watched Our House from start to finish once and it was a few years ago now but I really enjoyed it. Maybe it was just the mood I was in but I found it very funny. I actually feel I should perhaps have given Never Been Kissed the nod over Wedding Singer.

What? Of all the things you could call it, I wouldn't even put "vile" on the list.

As I said, there are exceptions. Really love The Dish, one of those gentle little films.

It also stars this lady.


And I'm usually pleased to see ex-Neighbours stars.

I've not seen it, which is why I didn't include it, but I don't like anime. I've tried a few times with some, apparently, quality films, but I just can't get into the films.

This is as close as I get to anime.

Maybe not vile but it was a soulless film, with a borrowed concept and all I remember was cringing through it.

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Not sure I'll have time to post any later or not so will post my next batch just now






A dizzying mix of film noir, sci-fi conspiracies, satire and the LA punk scene make this a real cult treat. It's a weird, jet-black comedy. Like a precursor to Pulp Fiction it has a bunch of characters whose lives intersect as they play pass-the-parcel with a car which contains alien bodies in the boot.

The two leads – Emilio Estevez and Harry Dean Stanton – are both excellent. Combine those with a fantastic script full of memorable lines, and a rather brilliant soundtrack and this movie becomes something rather awesome.





The 80s and early 90s were a golden time for great, testosterone-filled action films, with the likes of Stallone, Willis and Schwarzenegger blasting away bad guys while delivering a cheesy line and a grin. This is up there as one of my favourites

With great action, a real sense of tension, classic one-liners and a wonderfully imagined Stan Winston creature this takes a very simple premise and makes it into a real treat. Another highlight is all of these big, gruff, snarling soldiers brought together, trying to one up each other.





I had never really imagined what a sci-fi film made by fashion designers would look like, and with this film already about I don't have to.

Amazon's review sums the movie's appeal up pretty much perfectly – 'Ancient curses, all-powerful monsters, shape-changing assasins, scantily-clad stewardesses, laser battles, huge explosions, a perfect woman, a malcontent hero--what more can you ask of a big-budget science fiction movie?' I'll admit the film could perhaps be the poster child for 'style over substance' films but I don't really care.

Just about every scene gives you something to admire – stunning sets and locations, excellent special effects, wonderfully over the top characters etc. And Milla Jovovich with her flame orange hair is sexy as hell in this! All in all it's just damn good entertainment.






If you are prone to bouts of paranoia you may want to avoid this film. This isn't an alien invasion film. The aliens are already here. And they're everywhere!

This is my favourite John Carpenter film. It's just a really fun film. It has an original little story, makes excellent use of its special effects, has some great action (including a famous/infamous fight scene), memorable one-liners and has an excellent ending.

And one of my wrestling heroes as a kid, Roddy Piper, really is rather awesome in this. By far the best acting performance by a wrestler, at least until the arrival of The Rock.

Special mention too for another Carpenter film, Escape from New York, which I now feel should perhaps just have sneaked onto this list.





Just an awesome movie. It works as a great action film but also as something more. It works as a character study of this man who has been pushed to his limit as he realises he's in a world that doesn't want him anymore. Some people probably dismiss this film because of the dumb, over the top sequels that followed and forget that this film is a lot more, a real mix of action and heart.

Stallone is excellent here, almost on a par with Rocky as his most touching and heartfelt performance. With some excellent action scenes and stunts it's a truly riveting film.

sigh. your list makes me wish i had spent more time writing a little something about each of the films on my list. but alas, i'm really not very good at that sort of thing.

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Predator, First Blood and They Live? More rep. I adore First Blood. Another comfort film, for me.

Repo Man is (always) intense.

Rowdy Roddy Piper is awesome. They Live is one of those that just missed my list. (Three Amigos ended up just missing out also - oh well.)

Jaydee, I applaud you for putting a great deal of effort into your Top 100, writing up these little reviews and composing a superlative lay-out (very visually pleasant to look at). It's 10 times more enjoyable than people just posting images. That being said, I do of course understand that some don't feel like doing write-ups for their top 100.

Most of your selections so far I don't hold in that high a regard as you clearly do. My favourites on this list are:

• In The Line of Fire
• Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring
• Ed Wood
• The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
• Groundhog Day
• Local Hero
• Vertigo
• Remember The Titans
• Stand By Me
• Being John Malovich
• Oh Brother, Where Art Thou
• Predator

The others I find to be mediocre or I don't care for them. Still, the upcoming ones might be more to my liking. One thing I noticed as well is that there aren't many "old" films on your list. Is that a coincidence or haven't you seen a lot of them?

man. it takes me an hour just to do 10 films with a title and a picture and a quote.

Takes me more than an hour to write a review for my Best of the Year thread.

Looks like I've won you back round.

Never mind Ash. Maybe for volume 3 of your list in a year or two eh?

Thank you very much Brodinski. I was quite happy/proud with the way it came out after the time and effort I put into it. As a result certainly have no problem with people that don't. Working every day it still took me 2/3 weeks. Every time I was on the web for a while I had Photoshop and Microsoft Word in the background and would do 3-5 films at a time.

You mean you don't hold Austin Powers in high regard?! The Mask?! Over the Top?!!! I don't eithere with some of them. But as I said it's my favourite films list, not top 100 films I hold in high regard.

As I've said on here before I haven't seen a great deal of older films yet but I am working at it a lot more of late. And even some films I have seen and liked I don't have the same affection for yet. For example I would never argue that The Mask is a better comedy film than Some Like it Hot, but The Mask means a lot more to me because I grew up with it and have watched it countless times. Whereas Some Like it Hot I've only seen the one time so far. Perhaps when I make version 2 of my list in a year or two you'll like it better

I think there are a small number of films to come (4/5 maybe) that are pre-60s/70s to go along with Vertigo and Harvey so far

Not a big fan of the last bunch but hey I am to lazy to do a top 100 so I do appreciate all your effort

It's actually quite hard now to remember just how hot M. Night Shyamalan was back in the late 90s/early 00s. With The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs he had started his career off with three critical and commercial hits. Of the three this is my favourite

A surprisingly offbeat film it certainly isn't the big blockbuster that it seems it could be, given the story and its stars. It really is nice to see Bruce Willis and Samuel L Jackson given roles that are more interesting than many they get, and they both deliver the goods. With comic book elements hinted at throughout and quite a tense, suspenseful tone it is a gripping film.

While the promised sequel(s) never materialised I certainly hope M. Night can deliver a film of this quality again some day.






Ok I'm pretty sure this is without doubt the biggest cheat ever used in one of these lists! In just one pick I am choosing a large amount of Jackie Chan's back catalogue. I'm a huge fan of his films and his brand of physical comedy. It's really hard to choose between many of them and my memory is not the best so many of the stunts/fights (always the highlights) have blended together so it's hard to remember which moments came from which films,

So in particular this is covering Shanghai Noon, Rush Hour 1 and 2, Rumble in the Bronx, the Police Story films, the Armour of God series, Project A, Dragons Forever, Legend of Drunken Master, Wheels on Meals, Miracles, Who Am I etc





I'm sure a lot of people will be dismayed that this is the only Star Wars film on here and that it's so low. Unlike most people I didn't grow up with the films, I actually only watched the original trilogy properly last year. Somehow I had missed out on watching them and then the first one I saw was The Phantom Menace which kind of put me off.

Anyway onto the film. While all three of the original films are good, for me this is the one that is definitely the best, just on another level from the others. Darker than the other films but still with touches of humour, some great action, iconic moments and the introduction of Yoda. This was the highpoint of the Star Wars legacy. Just a shame how much it was hurt by the prequels.





By far the most underrated of Pixar's output this is a sumptuous looking treat. The central idea; that scaring kids is a business and that it's the monsters who are actually terrified of the kids is very clever and very funny.

John Goodman and Billy Crystal make for an excellent double act, making Mike and Sully two of the most memorable and entertaining characters in Pixar's history. And despite the film coming up on its 10th anniversary and with so many technological advancements, many elements of the animation still look spectacular, particularly Sully's fur.

The reason Pixar films are so adored is that they appeal to adults as much as children and this is no different. With enough adventure and cuteness for the kids and some sly, witty humour for those of us who are now only young at heart instead of years





One the most feel-good and joyous films I've seen. The 80s were a great time for one of my favourite types of film; the fantasy/sci-fi family comedy. I'm talking about films like Flight of the Navigator, The Goonies and a few more I won't mention as they may feature later on. This fits into that bill

A fantastical occurrence kicks off a funny, sweet, touching journey. While he has given more impressive and worthy performances Tom Hanks has perhaps never been better than he is here. He perfectly captures the excitement, joy, naivety, innocence and uncertainty of being a 12 year old kid. It just reminds you how wonderful it was to be 12.

This is a story that has been done many times before and will most likely continue to be done but I think this is definitely the best one out there, no other rival capturing such warmth, humour and tenderness. And who hasn't wanted to jump on a giant piano after seeing this film?