Top 100 Films of all time
Spoiler-free mini-reviews under each title. If there isn't one it means I haven't seen it in over a decade so is due a rewatch.
List is quite english-biased, many from a man's point of view, some obvious choices, maybe a few you haven't seen yet, much 'fantastic' fiction, plenty dark tones but rarely grim, sporadic lightness also about.
How-to-watch Recommendations:
Shout out to these pictures which just missed out:
Paranormal Activity 3
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Village of the Damned (1960)
The Thing (1982)
From Russia with Love
Deliverance
Airplane!
Avengers: Infinity War 3D
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
The Untouchables (1987)
Wild Tales (2014) anthology and the 1998 X-Files flick being a connected part of the series-mythology don't really count as movies but are both excellent 9/10's.
List is quite english-biased, many from a man's point of view, some obvious choices, maybe a few you haven't seen yet, much 'fantastic' fiction, plenty dark tones but rarely grim, sporadic lightness also about.
How-to-watch Recommendations:
- foreign-language entries in their original language so you get to appreciate the full range of the acting, the intent of the creators and the original audio mix (essential for immersion). As most of you know, subtitles are easy to digest once you get used to it.
- Home Projector with decent speakers makes movie-watching a really special joy. Most of my watches are DVDs, their dated resolution is often no issue. However, 3D films are recommended in uncompressed 1080p Bluray.
Shout out to these pictures which just missed out:
Paranormal Activity 3
The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Village of the Damned (1960)
The Thing (1982)
From Russia with Love
Deliverance
Airplane!
Avengers: Infinity War 3D
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
The Untouchables (1987)
Wild Tales (2014) anthology and the 1998 X-Files flick being a connected part of the series-mythology don't really count as movies but are both excellent 9/10's.
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- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsKeir DulleaGary LockwoodWilliam SylvesterAfter uncovering a mysterious artifact buried beneath the Lunar surface, a spacecraft is sent to Jupiter to find its origins: a spacecraft manned by two men and the supercomputer HAL 9000.2001 is still widely-regarded as the greatest sci-fi film ever, why then do so few attempt to follow it? The formula is no secret: intelligent & epic with realistic characters playing professional non-emo roles. Interstellar, Gravity, Arrival etc all failed as they put too much weight on emotional main characters, thinking that's the most effective way to pull the audience in. 2001 proved 50 years ago that's not what we want from our sci-fi: we want grand ideas which tickle the intellect, we don't want to be distracted by one sole character's emotional issues, issues that better suit being handled via a family-drama film. Deep sci-fi as a genre isn't about human emotion: it's about our imagination. 2001 will be lauded in another 50 years time while the afore-mentioned films will be forgotten.
Let's make sci-fi deep again! - DirectorJohn BoormanStarsNigel TerryHelen MirrenNicholas ClayMerlin the magician helps Arthur Pendragon unite the Britons around the Round Table of Camelot, even as dark forces conspire to tear it apart.Where 2001 is for the mind, Excalibur is for the heart. Almost overwhelmingly-stirring, nicely balanced by striking eccentricities of dialogue & direction. A dream movie.
- DirectorPark Chan-wookStarsChoi Min-sikYoo Ji-taeKang Hye-jeongAfter being kidnapped and imprisoned for fifteen years, Oh Dae-Su is released, only to find that he must track down his captor in five days.Perfect execution all round. Choi Min-Sik ties with Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) in offering us the greatest of acting performances.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsDaniel Day-LewisPaul DanoCiarán HindsA story of family, religion, hatred, oil and madness, focusing on a turn-of-the-century prospector in the early days of the business.Proper cinema. As with all 10/10's TWBB has a gorgeously-effective soundtrack which elevates the hypnotic drama to another level.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsMartin SheenMarlon BrandoRobert DuvallA U.S. Army officer serving in Vietnam is tasked with assassinating a renegade Special Forces Colonel who sees himself as a god.Poetic horror. Spellbinding.
Watch the original cut if you haven't seen it before. The Redux is good but the film loses its perfect pacing so better save it for the rewatch. - DirectorAlan ParkerStarsBob GeldofChristine HargreavesJames LaurensonA confined but troubled rock star descends into madness in the midst of his physical and social isolation from everyone.The greatest album of all time gets a film outing, and it couldn't be better.
- DirectorIrvin KershnerStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter the Rebel Alliance are overpowered by the Empire, Luke Skywalker begins his Jedi training with Yoda, while his friends are pursued across the galaxy by Darth Vader and bounty hunter Boba Fett.It's true what they say: Empire is the best Star Wars, and thus one of the greatest films of all time.
As with all original trilogy, watch the 'original' Originals, available on certain older DVD releases, or online as unofficial "despecialized" editions: original theatrical cuts but with the recent HD remastering. - DirectorTerry GilliamStarsJohnny DeppBenicio Del ToroTobey MaguireAn oddball journalist and his psychopathic lawyer travel to Las Vegas for a series of psychedelic escapades.The funniest and most accurate portrayal of total psychedelic hedonism.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJames StewartDonna ReedLionel BarrymoreAn angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.Saw this for the first time at age 42...felt actual tears in my eyes (very rare for me). Powerful life-affirming stuff!
- DirectorRobert WiseStarsWilliam ShatnerLeonard NimoyDeForest KelleyWhen an alien spacecraft of enormous power is spotted approaching Earth, Admiral James T. Kirk resumes command of the overhauled USS Enterprise in order to intercept it.Hard sci-fi is more of a book genre than one we see in film, here is its best cinema example after Kubrick's 2001: epic science fiction space story of the kind we rarely see anymore. No previous Trek experience required. Recommend first original cut, thereafter then the Director's Edition as a rewatch.
- DirectorNelson ShinStarsOrson WellesRobert StackLeonard NimoyThe Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who goes after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership. At the same time, they must defend themselves against an all-out attack from the Decepticons.I'm still bemused by the success of the irritating modern CGI movies. I'm still amazed by how good the 1986 animated effort is. Chock full of memorable scenes, and an incredible Big Bad.
- DirectorJaume BalagueróPaco PlazaStarsJonathan D. MellorManuela VelascoÓscar ZafraIn order to ascertain the current situation inside, a supposed medical officer and a GEO team step into the quarantined and ill-fated apartment building.Adds enticing mythology and a memorable support cast to the hectic visceral REC.
REC 3/4 are sadly not worth watching. - DirectorJaume BalagueróPaco PlazaStarsManuela VelascoFerran TerrazaJorge-Yamam SerranoA television reporter and cameraman follow emergency workers into a dark apartment building and are quickly locked inside with something terrifying.Powerful zombie horror. Intense as hell!
- DirectorMartin RosenJohn HubleyStarsJohn HurtRichard BriersRalph RichardsonHoping to escape destruction by human developers and save their community, a colony of rabbits, led by Hazel and Fiver, seek out a safe place to set up a new warren.Beauty is in the eye of the rabbit. So much soul here.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsGregory PeckRichard BasehartLeo GennThe sole survivor of a lost whaling ship relates the tale of his captain's self-destructive obsession to hunt the white whale, Moby Dick.That the giant whale still looks more spectacularly tangible than any modern CGI efforts just shows what a masterclass this production is. Add the great build-up, memorable characters and realistic whaling to the mix.
- DirectorKen RussellStarsWilliam HurtBlair BrownBob BalabanA psycho-physiologist experiments with drugs and a sensory-deprivation tank and has visions he believes are genetic memories.Impressive on first watch, many years later a rewatch confirmed it as one of the greatest of all time. Mixes hard sci-fi with trippy dream logic & artful direction.
- DirectorFrancis Ford CoppolaStarsGary OldmanWinona RyderAnthony HopkinsThe centuries old vampire Count Dracula comes to England to seduce his barrister Jonathan Harker's fiancée Mina Murray and inflict havoc in the foreign land.Darkly-horrific yet sympathetic romance, and by far the best filmic telling of the great tale of Dracula.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsSigourney WeaverTom SkerrittJohn HurtThe crew of a commercial spacecraft encounters a deadly lifeform after investigating a mysterious transmission of unknown origin.The original and best. In music as in film, it's the quiet moments in between the loud which accentuate the thrills (if done expertly, which this is). More realistic characters also improve the immersion.
Aliens is still a very good sequel, and Prometheus is entertaining (but messy). Alien 3 & Resurrection aren't worth a watch, unfortunately. Covenant is awful. - DirectorOren PeliStarsKatie FeatherstonMicah SloatMark FredrichsAfter moving into a suburban home, a couple becomes increasingly disturbed by a nightly demonic presence.The only horror film to make me feel genuinely uneasy after watching. Needs to be watched alone...after midnight...no lights. Surprisingly holds up well on a rewatch years later.
Parts 2 & 3 as well as The Marked Ones are very good. Part 4 is a bore. Ghost Dimension is a disappointing lightweight copout.
As with all PA films, watch the original cuts rather than extended editions so you get decent pacing. - DirectorOrson WellesStarsOrson WellesJoseph CottenDorothy ComingoreFollowing the death of publishing tycoon Charles Foster Kane, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning of his final utterance: 'Rosebud.'Famous for often topping Greatest Movie Of All Time lists. Turns out it's not far off! Addictive story-telling, worth rewatches every few years.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsMalcolm McDowellPatrick MageeMichael BatesIn the future, a sadistic gang leader is imprisoned and volunteers for a conduct-aversion experiment, but it doesn't go as planned.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineMichael MadsenThe Bride continues her quest of vengeance against her former boss and lover Bill, the reclusive bouncer Budd, and the treacherous, one-eyed Elle.Alongside Kubrick, Tarantino technically also bags 3 films in the top 50 but Kill Bill 1 & 2 is clearly one production. And what a production! It more than pays tribute to the classic martial art flicks, it surpasses them. 2 is slightly preferred over 1 due to the disarming change of pace with the 'grave scene'.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsUma ThurmanDavid CarradineDaryl HannahAfter awakening from a four-year coma, a former assassin wreaks vengeance on the team of assassins who betrayed her.1 is just as immense as 2, tho'...one of the greatest final battles in film too.
- DirectorRichard MarquandStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherAfter rescuing Han Solo from Jabba the Hutt, the Rebel Alliance attempt to destroy the second Death Star, while Luke struggles to help Darth Vader back from the dark side.Used to be my favourite as a kid, but now these old critic's eyes see the Ewoks for what they are: cute teddybears who defeat the most powerful troops The Emperor can muster!
Apart from that, there's still so much magic here. Features one of cinema's most powerful scenes: namely Luke, Vader and the Big Bad.
As with all original trilogy, watch the 'original' Originals, available on certain older DVD releases, or online as unofficial "despecialized" editions: original theatrical cuts but with the recent HD remastering. - DirectorGeorge LucasStarsMark HamillHarrison FordCarrie FisherLuke Skywalker joins forces with a Jedi Knight, a cocky pilot, a Wookiee and two droids to save the galaxy from the Empire's world-destroying battle station, while also attempting to rescue Princess Leia from the mysterious Darth Vader.One of the most talked-about films in history, and the first in an almost-perfect trilogy. The trench run at the end remains spinetingly epic!
As with all original trilogy, watch the 'original' Originals, available on certain older DVD releases, or online as unofficial "despecialized" editions: original theatrical cuts but with the recent HD remastering. - DirectorMartin CampbellStarsDaniel CraigEva GreenJudi DenchAfter earning 00 status and a licence to kill, secret agent James Bond sets out on his first mission as 007. Bond must defeat a private banker funding terrorists in a high-stakes game of poker at Casino Royale, Montenegro.The best Bond film: high-quality cast all round, fantastic stunt work. A lesson in direction and pacing which subsequent Bond films didn't quite follow.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsJulianne MooreClive OwenChiwetel EjioforIn 2027, in a chaotic world in which women have somehow become infertile, a former activist agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman to a sanctuary at sea.Theo is a great hero in this dynamically-directed futuristic thriller. Some scenes feel almost like found-footage. Exciting pace to it.
- DirectorNeill BlomkampStarsSharlto CopleyDavid JamesJason CopeViolence ensues after an extraterrestrial race forced to live in slum-like conditions on Earth finds a kindred spirit in a government agent exposed to their biotechnology.Even without the obvious societal parallels this is masterful science fiction with an excellent main actor and strong message. CGI still looks excellent.
- DirectorEmir KusturicaStarsPredrag 'Miki' ManojlovicLazar RistovskiMirjana JokovicTwo underground black marketeers, Marko and Blacky, sell weapons to the Communist resistance in wartime Belgrade, living the good life along the way.'Epic' & 'underground' don't normally mix...they do here. The film gets better as it goes along, by the end you feel like you've had a high-quality 3-course meal. Fulfilling!
- DirectorFranklin J. SchaffnerStarsCharlton HestonRoddy McDowallKim HunterAn astronaut crew crash-lands on a planet where highly intelligent non-human ape species are dominant and humans are enslaved.The original, and best. Thoughtful sci-fi and deep characters. What this has over the modern series is intellect, whereas the modern movies tend to put more weight on the emotion factor.
- DirectorNeil JordanStarsBrad PittTom CruiseAntonio BanderasA vampire tells his epic life story: love, betrayal, loneliness, and hunger.Emo vampires done well, before it all went south. These are deliciously-dark beings with this film being a brilliant portrayal of them. I also recommend the main trilogy of novels from Anne Rice, the epic mythology and oddly-beguiling eroticism are tenfold.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerLinda HamiltonMichael BiehnA human soldier is sent from 2029 to 1984 to stop an almost indestructible cyborg killing machine, sent from the same year, which has been programmed to execute a young woman whose unborn son is the key to humanity's future salvation.Relentless pace, with top work by all 3 of the main cast. The evocative music adds that little bit of magic to push this into top 50 territory. T2 is entertaining tho' adds a little cheese which was then dumped liberally on the later sequels.
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossWhen a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.One of the most fantastic and inspiring ideas in science fiction. It's an old idea but this interpretation really sells it. The sequels are sadly inferior.
- DirectorKatsuhiro ÔtomoStarsMitsuo IwataNozomu SasakiMami KoyamaA secret military project endangers Neo-Tokyo when it turns a biker gang member into a rampaging psychic psychopath who can only be stopped by a teenager, his gang of biker friends and a group of psychics.The third animated flick on this list: it's definitely the best-drawn. What a vision! The filmic pinnacle of that uniquely over-the-top manga sci-fi punk genre.
- DirectorRidley ScottStarsHarrison FordRutger HauerSean YoungA blade runner must pursue and terminate four replicants who stole a ship in space and have returned to Earth to find their creator.Full of iconic scenes. Believable Future City.
The Final Cut is recommended as even tho' it has a couple of clumsy edits it loses the hammy voice-over and adds more beautiful Vangelis. - DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJohn TravoltaUma ThurmanSamuel L. JacksonThe lives of two mob hitmen, a boxer, a gangster and his wife, and a pair of diner bandits intertwine in four tales of violence and redemption.Still as exciting and witty as you remember it.
- DirectorDavid FincherStarsBrad PittEdward NortonMeat LoafAn insomniac office worker and a devil-may-care soap maker form an underground fight club that evolves into much more.Deserves its cult status. Many bewilderingly-brilliant directorial tricks, and great performances from all the cast.
- DirectorGuy RitchieStarsJason StathamBrad PittStephen GrahamUnscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, incompetent amateur robbers and supposedly Jewish jewelers fight to track down a priceless stolen diamond.
- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsEwan McGregorEwen BremnerJonny Lee MillerRenton, deeply immersed in the Edinburgh drug scene, tries to clean up and get out despite the allure of drugs and the influence of friends.
- DirectorFernando MeirellesKátia LundStarsAlexandre RodriguesLeandro FirminoMatheus NachtergaeleIn the slums of Rio, two kids' paths diverge as one struggles to become a photographer and the other a kingpin.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobert De NiroRay LiottaJoe PesciThe story of Henry Hill and his life in the mafia, covering his relationship with his wife Karen and his mob partners Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito.
- DirectorJoe DanteStarsZach GalliganPhoebe CatesHoyt AxtonA young man inadvertently breaks three important rules concerning his new pet and unleashes a horde of malevolently mischievous monsters on a small town.Monster fun for all the family! My other half was shocked when I told her this was a family staple back in childhood. Gremlins is sometimes brutal and even dark but also slapstick funny, wonderful & charming: a very difficult mix to get right.
- DirectorJames CameronStarsEd HarrisMary Elizabeth MastrantonioMichael BiehnA civilian diving team is enlisted to search for a lost nuclear submarine and faces danger while encountering an alien aquatic species.Recommend Theatrical Edition first, then on a rewatch the Extended Director's Cut.
Genuinely-hard sci-fi of the kind we normally know from books. The FX still hold up and the story even more so...who really knows what's down there? I also recommend The Swarm by Frank Schätzing which is inspired by this film.
How to watch as of Jan 2023: incredibly, this still has no decent DVD release (they have very low resolution) and no Bluray. So frankly you're gonna have to put your pirate hat on and look for a HD-upload of a TV-showing. Maybe some streaming services have it. - DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.The sense of camaraderie, and loss, is so involving. You feel like you're there. Expert writing and performing. The stage versions haven't had the same effect.
No Jack, no party. - DirectorStanley KubrickStarsTom CruiseNicole KidmanTodd FieldA Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.Mesmerising, dreamy, immersive. The message it conveys stays with you after watching. Fuck!
- DirectorAdam RobitelStarsJill LarsonAnne RamsayMichelle AngAn elderly woman battling Alzheimer's disease agrees to let a film crew document her condition, but what they discover is something far more sinister going on.One of the great horror acting performances from the lead. Stunning. The film also offers a few uniquely-intense quiet moments. Found-footage horror is much maligned but I have 5 of them in my top 50 (with REC 1/2, the original Paranormal Activity & Open Water). The style, when done well, can be utterly immersive.
- DirectorRichard SchenkmanStarsDavid Lee SmithTony ToddJohn BillingsleyAn impromptu goodbye party for Professor John Oldman becomes a mysterious interrogation after the retiring scholar reveals to his colleagues he has a longer and stranger past than they can imagine.The whole film is just a bunch of normal looking middle-aged folk talking. That's it. But what they say totally fires the imagination. This is masterful stuff from Bixby. He first attempted this story in a 60's Trek but it didn't quite land. Just shows that some stories deserve a second go.
- DirectorChris KentisStarsBlanchard RyanDaniel TravisSaul SteinBased on the true story of two scuba divers accidentally stranded in shark infested waters after their tour boat has left.As good as Jaws is, this is more terrifying. Much helped by the believable performances from the two leads.
- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsSean GulletteMark MargolisBen ShenkmanA paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature.Profoundly-superior to Aronofsky's later efforts: Pi is hypnotic film-making, and rewards rewatches.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRoy ScheiderRobert ShawRichard DreyfussWhen a killer shark unleashes chaos on a beach community off Cape Cod, it's up to a local sheriff, a marine biologist, and an old seafarer to hunt the beast down.As with 1956's Moby Dick: the work of the master craftsmen with their big fish models hasn't aged. Still impressively-visceral...and tangible. CGI just can't compare, at least not yet. And as with the Moby Dick flick, if the film also has expert direction, pacing, great writing & performances then we've got one of the greatest films of all time.
Incidentally Spielberg has the most entries in my top 100 but all five of them are outside the top 50. - DirectorJordan PeeleStarsLupita Nyong'oWinston DukeElisabeth MossAdelaide Wilson and her family are attacked by mysterious figures dressed in red. Upon closer inspection, the Wilsons realize that the intruders are exact lookalikes of them.Thrilling all the way, with just the right balance of horror & humour. Outstanding double-performance by Lupita.
- DirectorJohn HustonStarsMichael ParksUlla BergrydRichard HarrisExtravagant production of the first part of the book of Genesis. Its main highlights are the Garden of Eden, the first brothers, Noah and his family obeying God to build an ark for the Flood and Abraham's attempted sacrifice of Isaac.The greatest of those 50's/60's historical epics (i've seen so far, still a few to go!). This has a literally-faithful Genesis-rendition yet with its dynamic direction and striking central performances manages to imbibe an agnostic's neutral curiosity to it all. The character of God becomes something more interesting than we might expect...
- DirectorSteven SoderberghStarsMatt DamonKate WinsletJude LawHealthcare professionals, government officials and everyday people find themselves in the midst of a pandemic as the CDC works to find a cure.Taken at its own merit, made years before the Covid-19 pandemic, this is an excellent film: well-made in all areas, intelligent, dramatic & realistic. But only realistic in the sense of how the world would react should such a terribly-destructive virus - as depicted in the movie - be unleashed to the world.
- DirectorTakashi ShimizuStarsMegumi OkinaMisaki ItôMisa UeharaA mysterious and vengeful spirit marks and pursues anybody who dares enter the house in which it resides.You know those 'scare-chills' you get on your shoulders and back? That feeling of unease when walking around your home at night? This has that good stuff in spades!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsTye SheridanOlivia CookeBen MendelsohnWhen the creator of a virtual reality called the OASIS dies, he makes a posthumous challenge to all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune and control of his world.I had a ton of fun watching this on Bluray-3D...all very nicely done. After two years of solid VR-interest myself, watching Ready Player One felt like a love letter!
- DirectorNimród AntalStarsSándor CsányiEszter BallaZoltán MucsiA tale about a strange young man, Bulcsú, the fellow inspectors on his team, all without exception likable characters, a rival ticket inspection team and racing along the tracks - and a tale about love.Beguiling & hypnotic Hungarian picture. And skillfully-filmed.
- DirectorAlfonso CuarónStarsDaniel RadcliffeEmma WatsonRupert GrintHarry Potter, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study, where they delve into the mystery surrounding an escaped prisoner who poses a dangerous threat to the young wizard.The first Potter film I saw, it was so brilliant & likeable I had to then check them all out. Turns out Azkaban was the strongest entry.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsDennis QuaidLouis Gossett Jr.Brion JamesDuring a long space war, the lives of two wounded enemies become dependent on their ability to forgive and to trust.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRichard DreyfussFrançois TruffautTeri GarrRoy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsHarrison FordKate CapshawKe Huy QuanIn 1935, Indiana Jones is tasked by Indian villagers with reclaiming a rock stolen from them by a secret cult beneath the catacombs of an ancient palace.The best Indy film: dramatic as hell, even gets quite dark with hypnotic baddy rituals which may have inspired Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Plus top-draw Harrison Ford performance, welcome goofy humour from the support, and tons of great dynamic camera shots.
- DirectorDean ParisotStarsTim AllenSigourney WeaverAlan RickmanThe alumni cast of a space opera television series have to play their roles as the real thing when an alien race needs their help. However, they also have to defend both Earth and the alien race from a reptilian warlord.I watched Galaxy Quest after recently doing all the Star Trek TOS eps & movies...all the jokes landed! You can tell it's made with affection for Star Trek rather than ridicule. It's more of a love-letter than a parody.
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsGregory PeckLee RemickHarvey StephensMysterious deaths surround an American ambassador. Could the child that he is raising actually be the Antichrist? The Devil's own son?Full of sinister dark menace, and what an ending!
- DirectorWilliam FriedkinStarsEllen BurstynMax von SydowLinda BlairWhen a young girl is possessed by a mysterious entity, her mother seeks the help of two Catholic priests to save her life.The evil here is less sinister than The Omen, it's more like dark trolling. And no less thrilling!
- DirectorTony RandelStarsDoug BradleyAshley LaurenceClare HigginsKirsty is brought to an institution after the horrible events of Hellraiser (1987), where the occult-obsessive head doctor resurrects Julia and unleashes the Cenobites and their demonic underworld.Builds an epic mythology, so many fantastic ideas. Hugely quotable.
- DirectorDavid CronenbergStarsJeff GoldblumGeena DavisJohn GetzA brilliant but eccentric scientist begins to transform into a giant man/fly hybrid after one of his experiments goes horribly wrong.Poetic dark gothic horror love story...has a very classic 19th-century feel to it. Amazing make-up FX and performance of a lifetime from Jeff Goldblum.
- DirectorJules BassArthur Rankin Jr.StarsVictor BuonoJames GregoryJames Earl JonesA young Boston writer goes back in time into an era where wizards and dragon reign and science is just barely known.
- DirectorRichard DonnerStarsChristopher ReeveMargot KidderGene HackmanAn alien orphan is sent from his dying planet to Earth, where he grows up to become his adoptive home's first and greatest superhero.Still the greatest superhero movie for me, has it all: likeable hero, witty dame, memorable baddie, effective humour, wow-moments and real emotional drama.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsNoah HathawayBarret OliverTami StronachA troubled boy dives into a wondrous fantasy world through the pages of a mysterious book.Beautiful film....so full of fantastic fantasy. What an ending!
- DirectorDamien ChazelleStarsMiles TellerJ.K. SimmonsMelissa BenoistA promising young drummer enrolls at a cut-throat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.Wow...intensely well-made, and the very final frame elevates this to top-100 status.
- DirectorWilliam WylerStarsCharlton HestonJack HawkinsStephen BoydAfter a Jewish prince is betrayed and sent into slavery by a Roman friend in 1st-century Jerusalem, he regains his freedom and comes back for revenge.Watching one of these classic Epics really feels like studying a lost glorious age from two different angles: from the historical viewpoint as well as movie-history. They don't make 'em like that anymore! And Ben Hur is one of the best.
- DirectorNorman FergusonT. HeeWilfred JacksonStarsDickie JonesChristian RubMel BlancA living puppet, with the help of a cricket as his conscience, must prove himself worthy to become a real boy.The best Disney animation for me: hugely-epic story with tons of imaginative ideas & memorable moments (some quite heavy-going!).
- DirectorHarry HookStarsBalthazar GettyChris FurrhDanuel PipolyStranded on an island, a group of schoolboys degenerate into savagery.uff...this is hard-hitting boys' own stuff. So well-made, big props to all the young cast.
- DirectorRoman PolanskiStarsJohnny DeppFrank LangellaLena OlinA book broker discovers his latest find may summon Satan.Addictive dark epic, one of Depp's finest roles. You feel like chugging a whiskey with him!
- DirectorRobin HardyStarsEdward WoodwardChristopher LeeDiane CilentoA puritan police sergeant arrives in a Scottish island village in search of a missing girl, who the pagan locals claim never existed.
- DirectorPeter HyamsStarsElliott GouldJames BrolinBrenda VaccaroWhen the first manned flight to Mars is deemed unsafe and scrubbed on the launch pad, anxious authorities must scramble to save face and retain their funding - and so an unthinkable plot to fake the mission is hatched.
- DirectorRobert ZemeckisStarsJodie FosterMatthew McConaugheyTom SkerrittDr. Ellie Arroway, after years of searching, finds conclusive radio proof of extraterrestrial intelligence, sending plans for a mysterious machine.Admirable & intelligent attempt at hard sci-fi.
- DirectorJohn GuillerminStarsPaul NewmanSteve McQueenWilliam HoldenAt the opening party of a colossal, but poorly constructed, office building, a massive fire breaks out that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it.Realistic catastrophe so well-made makes for thrilling viewing.
- DirectorWolfgang PetersenStarsJürgen ProchnowHerbert GrönemeyerKlaus WennemannA German U-boat stalks the frigid waters of the North Atlantic as its young crew experience the sheer terror and claustrophobic life of a submariner in World War II.
- DirectorOliver HirschbiegelStarsBruno GanzAlexandra Maria LaraUlrich MatthesTraudl Junge, the final secretary for Adolf Hitler, tells of the Nazi dictator's final days in his Berlin bunker at the end of WWII.
- DirectorMatt ReevesStarsAndy SerkisWoody HarrelsonSteve ZahnAfter the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.Easily the best in the trilogy...incredible visuals on 3D-Bluray.
- DirectorMimi LederStarsRobert DuvallTéa LeoniElijah WoodA comet is discovered to be on a collision course with Earth. As doomsday nears, the human race prepares for the worst.Highest-ranked mega-disaster movie: the intelligent script, effective build-up and still-impressive FX make it so.
- DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsWill SmithBill PullmanJeff GoldblumThe aliens are coming and their goal is to invade and destroy Earth. Fighting superior technology, mankind's best weapon is the will to survive.When those ships come down through the clouds we're treated to one of sci-fi's most iconic scenes. Still a massively epic moment in 2023 and will likely be so forever. The rest of the movie is pretty good too...rip-roaring fun!
- DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsSam NeillLaura DernJeff GoldblumA pragmatic paleontologist touring an almost complete theme park on an island in Central America is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park's cloned dinosaurs to run loose.The FX hold up impressively well, but the more profound strength here is the cast and script: they really sell the drama.
- DirectorDoug LimanStarsTom CruiseEmily BluntBill PaxtonA soldier fighting aliens gets to relive the same day over and over again, the day restarting every time he dies.So exciting! This is what we want from sci-fi action movies: excitement with dashes of mystery & humour.
- DirectorRoland EmmerichStarsJohn CusackThandiwe NewtonChiwetel EjioforA frustrated writer struggles to keep his family alive when a series of global catastrophes threatens to annihilate mankind.Yes, it's dumb. And yes it is hugely entertaining! Very impressive FX too.
- DirectorTerry GilliamStarsBruce WillisMadeleine StoweBrad PittIn a future world devastated by disease, a convict is sent back in time to gather information about the man-made virus that wiped out most of the human population on the planet.A neat partner-flick to the dry realism of Contagion, this pandemic movie has that special Gilliam weirdness which makes it feel like a pulpy comic...in a good way.
- DirectorRobert AltmanStarsRobin WilliamsShelley DuvallRay WalstonThe adventures of the famous sailor man and his friends in the seaside town of Sweethaven.
- DirectorIvan ReitmanStarsBill MurrayDan AykroydSigourney WeaverThree parapsychologists forced out of their university funding set up shop as a unique ghost removal service in New York City, attracting frightened yet skeptical customers.Charming & totally fun. FX still look great.
- DirectorJohn CarpenterStarsKurt RussellKim CattrallDennis DunA rough-and-tumble trucker and his side kick face off with an ancient sorcerer in a supernatural battle beneath Chinatown.Fun & entertaining romp with arresting visuals and a fine balance between action, drama & comedy.
- DirectorRobert StevensonWard KimballStarsAngela LansburyDavid TomlinsonRoddy McDowallAn apprentice witch, three kids and a cynical magician conman search for the missing component to a magic spell to be used in the defense of Britain in World War II.So imaginative, lovely use of combining cartoon with real actors, and an absolute classic scene with the football match.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsEwan McGregorAlbert FinneyBilly CrudupA frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.Charming, disarming, imaginative and clever. And gorgeous colours everywhere!
- DirectorJoel CoenEthan CoenStarsTim RobbinsPaul NewmanJennifer Jason LeighA naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.This just about beats Fargo as my favourite Coen as here they effectively turn up the charm, which Tim Robbins sells perfectly.
- DirectorMary HarronStarsChristian BaleJustin TherouxJosh LucasA wealthy New York City investment banking executive, Patrick Bateman, hides his alternate psychopathic ego from his co-workers and friends as he delves deeper into his violent, hedonistic fantasies.Intense yet detached. Arty yet on-the-nose. These clashes work because Christian Bale absolutely sells it with a performance for the ages.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsMichael KeatonDanny DeVitoMichelle PfeifferWhile Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.Just behind 1978's Superman as highest-ranked superhero flick: this has a generous three memorable villains, a brilliantly-realised Gotham and a very watchable Batman (not the case in later Batmans).
- DirectorJohn McTiernanStarsArnold SchwarzeneggerCarl WeathersKevin Peter HallA team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.Some movies benefit when stripped down to the basics, Predator may be the ultimate example: military squad vs alien. That's it. But so efficiently done. This beats Aliens for me.
- DirectorLuc BessonStarsBruce WillisMilla JovovichGary OldmanIn the colorful future, a cab driver unwittingly becomes the central figure in the search for a legendary cosmic weapon to keep Evil and Mr. Zorg at bay.The ridiculously-loveable Milla Jojovich carries this over the line into the Top 100. But also great work from everyone else, and what a fantastically-realised futureworld.
- DirectorSatoshi KonStarsJunko IwaoRica MatsumotoShinpachi TsujiA pop singer gives up her career to become an actress, but she slowly goes insane when she starts being stalked by an obsessed fan and what seems to be a ghost of her past.
- DirectorJack ClaytonStarsDeborah KerrPeter WyngardeMegs JenkinsA young governess for two children becomes convinced that the house and grounds are haunted.Very atmospheric, great acting. Highly-recommended for slow-burn psychological chills. Even those normally allergic to old movies might enjoy this.
- DirectorOliver StoneStarsVal KilmerMeg RyanKyle MacLachlanThe story of the famous and influential 1960s rock band The Doors and its lead singer and composer, Jim Morrison, from his days as a UCLA film student in Los Angeles, to his untimely death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971.
- DirectorJean-Jacques AnnaudStarsSean ConneryChristian SlaterHelmut QualtingerAn intellectually nonconformist friar investigates a series of mysterious deaths in an isolated abbey.Arguably Sean Connery's finest film: thanks to the book it's based from we get a unique mystery-tale in a fascinating historical setting.