The Hills Have Eyes
Finally a brutal horror film without any of the Hollywood pussyfooting, has excellent direction, gore and suspense. Awesome horror film that works and in some aspects beats the original hands down. Aja is looking like the man who people should be w...(read more)atching, not Eli-shitting-Roth.
Oldboy
Bold and brilliant, excellent in every respect from the twisting and twisted story, direction of poetic slow motion violence and visceral single shot fight scenes to Escherial flashbacks, characters that are developed and flutter between empowered and flawed yet all illicit a degree of sympathy and disturbing but epic climax. Even with a little knowledge of Korea's history, the metaphors are powerful and equal the rest of the production. Even though the twist is one of the more memorable moments, it's great to have a film that doesn't center upon this meaning repeat viewing aren't lessened, it holds itself up. The only minor is the initial shock isn't there a second time but it just allows the rest to shine. Few films can be equally effecting in visual, narrative, editing, music thus the best. Film. Ever.
Jackie Brown
On par with 'Kill Bill 2' as his best film. Writing and homage interwoven into a reworked blaxploitation with a narrative unhampered by Tarantino's attempts to wow, through confusion, instead an actual plot with a variety of interesting characters w...(read more)riten as such, not just vessels to deliver his dialogue. Wonder how similar it is to source 'Rum Punch'.
Inland Empire
Almost avant-garde, almost a piece of pure art. Yes, it's self indulgent but when you're a mad genius like Lynch it doesn't matter. Thoroughly involving that's as much about manipulating the audience as entertaining. Epic master work and the culmin...(read more)ation of Lynch's work, American's best Auteur?
Hot Fuzz
Awesome performances and some awesome showcasing of Britain, more so than any other film. Pegg and Wright know their stuff and make the 'Shaun of the Dead' of cop films, albiet more 'Johnathon Creek' than 'Bad Boys'.
Izo
A profound waking and completely metaphorical and philosophical outlook on life. Some startling images and kinetic violence and savage bloodshed to enjoy even if the existentialism washes over you. The greatest accomplishment of a maverick auteur and ...(read more)a rich film to unravel as each sees fit.
Grindhouse
Planet Terror was brilliant zombie fun and all round good with quality gore and OTT action, yet perhaps lets down Death Proof which can't live up to the fun of PT, mainly because Tarantino has (yet again) got his head up his ass. While DP may tick ge...(read more)neric markers of Grindhouse it needn't have, replace arrogant conversations between uninteresting characters with Kurt Russel being badass and either be a hack and slasher or women's revenge movie.
Kill Bill, Volume 2
My fav Tarantino film, his writing abilities are used with his ego out the mix, mostly. Sporadic outbursts of more relevant and intense violence rival the firsts all out and preposterous scenes in a character driven piece that pays more homage than ...(read more)it does steal. His choice of music is perfectly fitting yet again.
The Devil's Rejects
A wild excessive exploitational ride that, bar Hills Have Eyes remake, hasn't been done since 80s. A whole lot of fun for genre fans, maybe not so much for others. Unfortunately, some set pieces tend to stand out as such but worth sticking with for...(read more) ending alone.
Sunshine
Best sci-fi film of years; the dark tones of isolation echo Alien and a sense of awe and mystery of the unknown ala 2001. If the plot is somewhat generic, it's subtleties work well in revising the armeggedon flicks expectations.
Dawn of the Dead
A worthy remake that takes '28 Days Later' running zombie and cements it as the new version. Some good gore and some good action, definitely one of the few remakes in the recent slew to reccomend.
Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del fauno)
Sublime blend of War and dark fairytale that's not afraid to pull punches. Moving story, splendid visual design. Sure to make Top 10 of decade.
The Fountain
A stunning piece of art, magnificent trilogy of love, that suprisingly Jackman and Weisz handle well. Aronofsky proves his talent as one of the milleniums greatest talents with some striking shots and imagination.
Blade Runner
A classic, beautifully designed and shot sci-fi masterpiece with an intriguing philosophical look on human nature.
Evil Dead 2
More a vehicle for Bruce Campbell than anything else, with his insane amounts of charisma and talent for physical comedy. Combine the best screen character and actor with Raimi's intuitive direction add some zombies and you've got perfection.
Chinatown
A brilliant revionist noir, ingeniously crafted by Polanski to defy convention yet make a the perfect genre film, that's not to mention the performances of tragic Dunaway and cool yet clueless Nicholson.
Mulholland Drive
Lynch's multi-layered masterpiece, every viewing yields different answers, meaning multiple viewings are essential for the multiple readings. Also, the lesbian scene is HOT.
The Thing
One of the greatest horrors of all time, the SFX are better than the CGI junk of today, done how they should always be done. Carpenter ratchets up tension in every corner, masterclass in horror direction led by strong characters and supported by tight scripting. Not a fan? Yeah, well **** you too.
Blue Velvet
A film with so much depth, one 3000 word essay regarding one aspect can't do it justice. Superb post-modernism and surrealism with none too subtle Freudian undertones. A film all about surfaces open to just as much reading as Mulholland Dr whilst retaining a coherent narrative. Dennis Hopper creates one of the greatest character to grace the silver screen (especially given that he's MacLachlan's subconscious) in a movie watchable countless times.
The Crow
Can't think of many movies where the hero and villian are equally as entertaining or as morally reprehensible giving two fascinating characters and no counterpoints allowing unadultered and merciless vengeance. Combine that with the visuals and violence which are restrained yet striking, plus far more atmosphere than Burton's Batman. Proyas should get more recognition cuz he makes some awesome films and this is the best.
Videodrome
A visceral and scathing critique on culture but also a cult horror with a disturbing premise and accompanying prosthetics, which although are very 80s, Cronenbergs realisation and layered narrative delving between reality creates plenty to keep you glued into the you TV.
Dead Man
Depp's best role and an amazing reworking of the Western genre, full of allegory and readings. I'm sure some of it is lost on me but the characters and whole direction, imagery, music et al are beyond splendid and create a unique and enriching film.
Army of Darkness: Evil Dead 3
Although drifted away from it's horror origins to a Jason and the Argonauts pastiche, it lets Bruce polish Ash into THE greatest hero of all time. Humour and horror take even billing but it's a great progression opposed to re-iterating previous instalments, wisely not taking itself to seriously with great one liners and, well, he's get a frickin chainsaw for a hand. Despite the budget not holding the production up, it gives it the low budget charm that keep this cult. If you think this movie ain't groovy, suck my boomstick.
The Evil Dead
Although Campbell's character is a cowardly hero opposed to legend of later, this one's strength is in the horror, not comedy. The low budget allows room for great creativity, to the extent the low budget improves on the gory horror potrayed admirably by Raimi, even if it includes a girl being raped by a tree (=awesome). Masterclass for young filmmakers in how to make a horror film.
Gozu
The bastard film of Cronenberg body-horror and Lynchian surrealism directed by madman Miike. Certainly combines these aspects for a unique film, not as artistic, philosophical or over the top as his others but it's his happiest medium and has some of the most twisted sick moments committed to celluloid. It's not a particularly fluid movie (pun not intended) but after the finale it will stick with you like a ladle up the bum.