Forbidden Planet review

 Number 565 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 1956 science-fiction film 'Forbidden Planet.'

Commander John Adams (Leslie Nielsen) is leading a mission to the distant world of Altair IV to investigate the missing Bellerophon which disappeared 20 years before. There, he finds Doctor Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter Alta (Anne Francis) who were the only survivors of the ill-fated mission.

As you know well by now, I'm not a big science-fiction fan. Too often, I find it's a vehicle for writers to show off how clever they are by writing an over-complicated and convoluted plot. However, Forbidden Planet didn't suffer from that. Instead, it fell into another pitfall which is common in science-fiction: excessive world-building. It prioritised world-building over plot. Any film that does this is likely to be a plodding, boring affair and Forbidden Planet was no exception.

It starts slowly and never really gets going. It doesn't leave second gear. Instead of anything interesting, we're treated to lengthy info-dumps about the Krell - the extinct alien race who once inhabited Altair IV. These ultimately do prove to be relevant to the plot, but they are much longer than they need to be. The more interesting part was seeing the crew-members fight off some invisible, malevolent force, but even this comes to a disappointing and anti-climatic conclusion.

Alta's character was also incredibly annoying. I say "character," but she had no character outside of the men she meets. It was hardly the most progressive portrayal of a woman on-screen. I get this was the 1950's, but Alta was a far-cry away from the feminist women that Katherine Hepburn was well-known for portraying. Instead she was a vapid, insipid irritant devoid of personality. 

She was badly-written. Alta, having never seen a man before, has to be coached on the best ways to be coached on the best ways to act and dress around them. This is even more ironic considering how Anne Francis went onto challenge female stereotypes in the TV series Honey West. She played the lead role in that show - one of the first actresses to do so. She was very much a pioneer of her craft. It's just a shame that she was lumped with such bad characters in the earlier parts of her career.

Yes, Robby the Robot was very cute, but he wasn't enough to save an ultimately boring film that focussed too much on world-building and poorly-written female characters instead of an interesting film.

Control review

 Number 523 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2007 biopic 'Control.'

Control focusses on the true-life story of Ian Curtis (Sam Riley) the troubled lead singer of the English post-punk band Joy Division. Control explores his relationship with his bandmates, his record label and his wife Debbie (Samantha Morton.)

As you will be very familiar with by now, I am not a fan of biopics. Nor am I familiar with Joy Division or Ian Curtis. But as somebody who couldn't even name a Joy Division song, I found Control entertaining and watchable. It was accessible even for a non-existent fan like me.

Filmed in colour and then rendered to black-and-white, Control hearkened back to a 1970's Cheshire. Everything was stark and bare, which gave the film great atmosphere. There was some great use of shadows and lighting especially the shots where we see the silhouetted Ian Curtis.

 Sam Riley brought Ian Curtis to life in his debut role. I did enjoy his performance. It was nuanced with plenty of gravitas. Anybody else thinks he really looked like Rami Malek? I had to keep doing double-takes, because the resemblance was so striking. I wasn't as keen on Riley's singing voice, but he was doing an imitation of Curtis, and I guess I'm not keen on post-punk music.

But Samantha Morton was every bit his equal. Dare I say she was better than Riley. She certainly proved why she has no less than two Oscar nominations. Their marriage was every bit as disturbed as Curtis, but Morton was a powerhouse. She spends much of the film with tears in her eyes. It is difficult not to feel sorry for her, after everything Curtis puts her through.

While Riley and Morton were good separately, they weren't so good together, but that was more down to the writing. It was obvious from the start that their marriage would not be a happy one, least of all to whose who know the story. When the two started arguing, it was no surprise to me.

But they seemed to spend most of the film arguing. So much so, you wonder why they were so attracted to her in the first place. We definitely needed to see more of the good before we saw the bad. Their relationship was rushed.

In fact most of the more tender moments seemed to be reserved for Ian and his Belgian mistress Annik (Alexandra Maria Lara.) They got on much more than he and Debbie ever did. This tenderness was missing from their marriage.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy Control. I'm not sure I'm going to become a Joy Division acolyte, but even to a non-existent fan like me, it was an entertaining and accessible watch. 

50/50 review

 Number 511 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 2011 comedy-drama 50/50.

Adam Lerner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is a radio journalist whose world is turned upside down after he is diagnosed with spinal caner. Seth Rogen plays his best friend Kyle, Bryce Dallas Howard is his girlfriend Rachael, Anna Kendrick is his trainee therapist Elizabeth and Angelica Huston plays his over-bearing mother.

When I first started reviewing films all those years ago, I used a silly arbitrary rating scale that ranged from superlative to shit. Films like 50/50 would land decidedly in the 'meh' category. It wasn't amazing, but it also wasn't terrible.

It wasn't hilarious like how Heat Magazine described it, but it had its funny moments. The scenes where dam is receiving his chaemotherapy and bonds with a couple of old-timers were charming to watch. There were a few other funny moments, here and there, but nothing that had me rolling in the aisle, wetting my pants.

It didn't help that the characters were quite annoying. I get that a cancer diagnosis is unlikely to turn anybody into a ray of sunshine, but Adam does spend much of the film being an unlikeable, whiny jerk, especially to his best friend Kyle. And while Kyle is lacking in the social graces, he does have his friend's best interests at heart. But he was also loud and obnoxious. Rogen played the role with his trademark crude humour that wore thin after a while.

Bryce Dallas Howard's character was little better. She plays Adam's girlfriend who soon cheats on him when the pressures of being his carer became too much. Finally, you had Angelica Huston who played the standard over-bearing mother. All in all, not the most likeable lot. In fact, I probably liked Elizabeth the most - Adam's inexperienced therapist who is trying her best to help him.

As the two grow closer, Adam thankfully does become more likeable. I admit that it was predictable from the start that the two would end up together, but it was still nicely done. Their relationship was understated and quiet, as it should have been. The studio wanted the pair to be more physical, but thankfully this idea was rejected.

50/50 wasn't an entirely offensive film. Did I like it? Did I hate it? 50/50. 

The Name of the Rose review

 Number 506 on the top 1000 films of all time is the mystery historical drama 'The Name of the Rose.'

Set in a 14th century Benedictine Abbey in Northern Italy, Franciscan friar William of Baskeville (Sean Connery) arrives with his novice Adso (Christian Slater) to discover a gruesome murder has taken place. When William begins investigating, more murders start happening. F. Murray Abraham and Ron Perlman co-star.

At its heart, this was a who-dunnit in a historical setting. William and Adso were stand-ins for Sherlock and Dr Watson with William even saying "it's elementary." Who-dunnits should be gripping thrillers brimming with tension, but I was bored for most of the film.

Neither Connery or Slater were great in the lead roles. Connery was playing himself and Slater was playing a wet blanket of a character. This was only Slater's second film role. He wasn't great, giving a lifeless and dull performance. It didn't help that his character was an audience proxy, providing exposition where necessary, and where it wasn't necessary too, except for the weird moment where the village girl sleeps with him, because of... reasons. This love story was a big subplot, but it wasn't convincing at all. As William rightly points out, Adso is confusing lust with love.

The Name of the Rose was also excruciatingly slow. Much of the film focussed on singing monks and church politics. I get this is set in an abbey, but it didn't make for the most entertaining of cinema. By the time, we had meandered to the film's conclusion, I had all but lost interest.

The Name of the Rose was a plodding affair, devoid of dramatic tension or interesting characters. A while ago I wrote an article about films that could put you to sleep. If I were to write another one, the Name of the Rose would surely take the top place.

Blue Velvet Review

Number 471 on the top 1000 films of all time is David Lynch's neo-noir mystery thriller 'Blue Velvet.'

Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) is a recent college graduate who is returning home. When he discovers a severed ear in his garden, he is thrown into a dark world involving the night-club singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rosselini) and psychotic drug dealer Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper.)

When you think of David Lynch, you think of dark, abstract and surreal. When you think of noir films, you think of over-complicated, convoluted films. Thankfully Blue Velvet was relatively straightforward lacking any of the backwards-speaking and red rooms that made Twin Peaks such an enigmatic watch. If anything, David Lynch was just warming up here for his seminal TV show. Don't get me wrong, Blue Velvet was still weird, but it was nowhere near as weird as it could have been.

It helped that you had the excellent Dennis Hopper playing Frank Booth. Some might argue that he was so over-the-top, but this is what made him so scary. You never knew what he was going to do next. And this unpredictability made him such a terrifying villain. Yet Hopper kept the character incredibly grounded. He brought an electric energy to the role.

Praise should also be given to Isabella Rosselini. She was playing the tragic character of Dorothy Vallens helping her to revitalise her flagging career. But with good reason. She was great as the emotionally damaged cabaret singer who had fallen victim to Frank Booth's violent tendencies.

While Lynch was warming up for Twin Peaks, Kyle MacLachlan was doing the same for detective Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks. Kyle was good as well. But I think Lynch was the true star here, crafting a memorable, if weird thriller that was an intense and gripping watch, with a great performance by Dennis Hopper.  

Mississippi Burning review

 Number 470 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 1988 crime-thriller 'Mississippi Burning.'

Mississippi Burning is based on the true story of three civil rights activists going missing in a small Mississippi town. When FBI agents Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) and Alan Ward (Wilhelm Dafoe) start investigating, they are met with hostility from the town's racist locals. Soon they suspect the three activists were killed by the KKK. Frances Mcdormand, Brad Dourif, Michael Rooker, R. Lee Erney and Stephen Tobolowsky co-star.

I recently wrote a listicle about films too traumatic to watch again. If I were to write another list, surely Mississippi Burning would be at the top of the list. This is a film that does not shy away from the United States' racist past. Rather, it tackles it head-on. And there's no other way you can depict such horrible subject matter.

Mississippi Burning is a harrowing and brutal portrayal of the ugly discrimination that the black community was forced to endure. Yes, it does show it through the perspective of white men, and it would be have been more interesting if the black men were put more front-and-centre, but it was still a powerful watch all the same.

The relationship between Anderson and Ward underpinned the film. Anderson, the older and more maverick of the two, has to follow the orders of the younger, but more senior in rank, Ward, who is a stickler for the rules. Despite their differences, they learn to work together.  Dafoe and Hackman had great chemistry, which shone through.

As Dafoe is a character actor, he usually plays larger-than-life oddballs, usually leading, to over-the-top, exaggerated performances *cough cough* the the Boondock Saints, but he was incredibly measured and controlled in this.

Hackman was also great. Anderson has a romantic subplot with the wife of one of the Mississippi police officers played by Frances Mcdormand. she showed why she is one of the few actors to have won three Best Acting Oscars. Their relationship was wonderfully understated. Originally, the pair were supposed to have a sex-scene, but this was dropped in favour of the two characters standing in the shadows. And that's all we needed to see. Props to the lighting department.

And all the supporting cast were good too: Brad Dourif, Michael Rooker, and, especially, Stephen Tobolowsky were chilling ass the abhorrent KKK members.

Sure there might be some who criticise Mississippi Burning for distorting history, but the key message is clear enough: the black community was subject to terrible, racist abuse. And that's a true we should never forget.

Another Ten films that should not be on the top 1000 films of all time

 There are many films that should not be on the top 1000 films of all time. Ten of them appear on my first list. Here are ten more. I'm sure I will get some heat for this list, but that doesn't change the fact tat these films are overrated and plain bad. This list is in no particular order except chronology.

Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972)

Defenders of Aguirre may argue that director Werner Herzog was making this film on a shoestring budget, but there are plenty of low-budget films which are so good. Once comes to mind. Aguirre: the Wrath of God was tedious from the start. The characters were stupid and annoying, there was too much philosophy and too many shots of characters standing around doing nothing. Klaus Klinski also gave of the most boring lead-role performances ever.

The Goonies (1985)

I can just hear all the Gen Xers and early millennials sharpening their pitchforks in protest. For many, the Goonies was a stalwart of their childhoods.

But I found this coming-of-age drama incredibly irritating. it didn't help that I couldn't understand much of the dialogue due to the pre-pubescent child actors screaming over one another.

The adult actors weren't much better. The usually charismatic Joey Pantoliano was reduced to a cartoon villain. At least Key Huy Quan redeemed himself in Everything Everywhere All at Once.

Dances with Wolves (1990)

How on God's Green Earth did this film win the Best Picture Oscar? How did Kevin Costner win Best Director? How did it beat Goodfellas and Awakenings?

I'm sure Costner would explain it to me in the verbal exposition that made Dances with Wolves such a tedious watch. This three-hour slog could be number one on the top ten films to put you to sleep. It has been accused of white saviourism, but I don't know how anybody stayed awake long enough to make that judgement.

The Thin Red Line (1998)

If you like your war films interesting, dramatic and explosive, you best look elsewhere than Terrence Malik's World War two film.

This boring affair spent too much time philosophising and too little time actually showing the characters fighting in the war...which is the subject matter of the film.

It also wasted its great cast. From Sean Penn to Adrian Brody to Woody Harrelson to John Travolta and George Clooney, I would challenge you to name the protagonist of this confused, pretentious mess.

The Boondock Saints (1999)

Where do we start with this disaster of a film that polarised audiences and critics? Audiences loved it. Critics hated it. Guess what side I came down on?

From the over-the-top performances to the cheesy dialogue, gratuitous violence and confusing direction, this film had the feel of being shot, written and directed by a twelve-year-old boy picking up a camera for the first time. Definitely not worthy of a place on the top 1000 films of all time.

In the Mood for Love (2000)

We are going all the way to Hong Kong for this romantic drama that was lacking in suspense, tension and anything that would have made it remotely interesting. It was dull with a capital D.

There were too many characters making stupid decisions, plus too many shots of characters sitting in empty rooms not doing anything. In the Mood for Love? In the mood for an interesting film to watch.

How to Train your Dragon (March 2010)

Another film that started a franchise. But I am baffled as to how. Yes, the animation was cute enough, but that did little to make up for the predictable, tepid plot.

The supporting cast all blended into one another. And Hiccup and Astrid were two cliched, poorly-drawn characters.

Megamind (November 2010)

As I am writing this article, I am struggling to remember why I didn't like it, but that is its most damning criticism. It was not a memorable film. It wasn't even entertaining, as I could barely keep my eyes open. 

Maybe if I were a kid I would have appreciated the silly humour and Brad Pitt and Will Ferrell's lacklustre performances, but I didn't. I didn't appreciate this film either.

Despicable Me 2 (July 2013)

How the first Despicable Me got a sequel is a mystery to me. How the sequel ranked 733rd on the top 1000 films of all time is the bigger mystery.

It is as bad as its predecessor with its infantile humour and Steve Carrell's incredibly irritating voice performance. Yes, the animation was eye-popping, but, beyond that, there was nothing to appeal to anybody over the age of ten.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (November 2013)

Just like the Goonies defined the adolescence of early millennials, the Hunger Games did the same for late millennials. Except this late millennial.

Like Despicable Me 2, I'm puzzled as to how the Hunger Games got a sequel. Catching Fire is slightly better than its predecessor, but that isn't saying much.

It was mired by the same plot holes, the same tepid love-story and the same confusing action scenes. Yes, J-Law, PSH, Donald Sutherland and, especially, Woody Harrelson, gave good performances, but they were not enough to save this film. Catching Fire? Dumpster fire more like.

If I haven't given you enough reason to light your torches and sharpen your pitchforks, I wouldn't worry. There'll be another of these lists coming soon enough.

The Boondock Saints review

 Number 397 on the top 1000 films of all time is the vigilante crime-drama 'The Boondock Saints.'

Connor (Sean Patrick Flannery) and Murphy McManus (Norman Reedus) are Irish twin brothers living in Boston. After a call from God, they become vigilantes determined to rid the city of its dark, sleazy underworld. They are later joined by their friend Rocco. Meanwhile, FBI agent Paul Smecker (Wilhelm Dafoe) is tasked with tracking them down.

I hated the 2006 film Running Scared, because it had the appearance of being written, shot and edited by a twelve-year-old boy. Whoever this twelve-year-old boy was, he was evidently warming up on the Boondock Saints.

The Boondock Saints  was released at an unfortunate time; the Columbine High School Massacre had only happened two weeks before. Due to its violent nature, the Boondock Saints was given an extremely limited release where critics absolutely crucified it. However, it also gained a cult following, hence its inclusion on this list.

I'm with the critics though. I thought the Boondock Saints was so over-the-top that it was just plain ridiculous. It was just scene after scene of over-exaggerated gun fights tied together by the flimsiest of narratives. Vigilante justice is a great idea to explore. If done right, it can be brilliant e.g Dexter Morgan or Batman. But there needs to be a good reason for why the vigilantes are doing what they're doing.

The twin brothers decide to become vigilantes because of ... reasons. No, sorry, it's because they had a call from God and they're good Catholic boys. That's it. Unlike Dexter or Bruce Wayne, they don't witness their parents being murdered in front of them as children. It didn't help that the dialogue was cheesiness personified down to the weird Catholic prayer the brother recited, before they killed their victims. 

Plus, the brothers are two rough-around-the edges rogues. Why then was there a scene of them speaking fluent Russian, French, Spanish and Italian and German? As Smecker states, they're two un-educated rogues working in a meat factory. I don't buy they would speak any other language than English and Gaelic.

I mentioned Dexter earlier. Sean Patrick Flannery went onto have a supporting role in that. Norman Reedus later starred in the Walking Dead. Both are good actors, but they were hampered with a lousy script. Plus, their Irish accents were incredibly inconsistent.

Wilhelm Dafoe was also very over-the-top as Paul Smecker. It was like he was given the brief of odd-ball, maverick detective and allowed to run away with it. From the finger guns to examining crime scenes while listening to Italian opera to the closeted homosexuality to the river-dancing and appearing in drag, it was way too much. Part of this was down to Dafoe and part of it was down to writer/director Troy Duffy.

We've come to the twelve-year-old boy in question. Troy Duffy was a complete novice to screen-writing and directing. He had previously worked as a night-club bouncer. The Boondock Saints was his first script. And you can see he was still wet behind the ears. From the cheesy script to the two-dimensional characters to the gratuitous violence to the weird dropping of the n-word, it was a poor directorial debut. Obviously, I wouldn't do any better, but Duffy still had a lot to learn.

He also employed this weird device of explaining something that happened and then showing it in a flashback. This was plain confusing. A linear, straightforward narrative would have been far more cohesive.

Finally, we've come to Billy Connolly who played Il Duce - a legendary hit man. Believing Rocco to be behind the murders, the Italian mob scheme to have Il Duce released from prison. He's the only one strong enough to beat Rocco...apparently.

Billy Connolly was very much playing against type - he was also delighted to do so. But as a comedian, I had trouble believing him as a badass, unstoppable hitman. His faux Hannibal Lecter introduction did nothing to help things either.

I did not enjoy the Boondock Saints. It was an excessively violent, over-the-top affair that had no business being on the top 1000 films of all time.

The Man who would be King review

 Number 385 on the top 1000 films of all time is John Huston's 1975 adventure film: 'The Man who would be King.'

Based on Rudyard Kipling's novella of the same name, the Man who would be King follows two former soldiers in 19th century Afghanistan. Peachy Carnehan (Michael Caine) and Daniel Dravot (Sean Connery) are two rogues seeking their fortune in Kafirstan. Telling their story is Kipling himself played by Christopher Plummer. Saeed Jaffrey and Shakira Caine co-star.

At its heart, the Man who Would be King is a cautionary tale about the dangers of greed. Carnehan and Dravot go seeking fame and fortune. They find it in Kafirstan by exploiting the fears of the locals. Instead of getting out while the going is good, they stick around as everything crumbles around them.

It's also difficult not to read this as a post-colonial narrative. The original story was acknowledged as an allegory of the British Raj. Kipling himself was born there. Carnehan and Dravot effectively colonise and take over Kafirstan by tricking, exploiting and manipulating the locals. They then both receive their just desserts.

Although they are both roguish characters, Caine and Connery played Carnehan and Dravot with enough charisma to make them likeable and entertaining to watch. Both of them have some of the most iconic voices and accents in the history of cinema.

We also can't forget Saeed Jaffrey who plays their translator Billy Fish. He received horrific racist abuse on set, but he brought a great life and energy to his role. Although he did come to an unlikely end.

The Man who would be King reminded me of John Huston's earlier 1948 effort: the Treasure of the Sierra Madre. Again, it has characters seeking fame and fortune, but are ultimately corrupted by their own greed. Originally, Huston wanted Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable in the lead roles. If they had not died years earlier, we would have had a very different Carnehan and Dravot. Thankfully, it went to two British actors which made more sense, considering the historical context.

Like the Treasure of the Sierra Madre, the Man who would be King has some brilliant cinematography and morally-grey characters. It also showcased the dangers of greed.

The Man who would be King was another John Huston success. It was a thumping-good adventure film.

Freaks review

 Number 377 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 1932 pre-code horror film Freaks.

Freaks takes place in a travelling circus show where trapeze artist Cleopatra (Olga Baclanova) and strongman Hercules (Henry Victor) plot to murder dwarf Hans (Harry Earles) and steal his money.

I do think that this film could have been a lot better than what we saw on screen. That was because it was slow. It took too long to get to the point. Test screenings went horrifically badly with many of the audience disgusted what they saw, so MGM executives edited the 90-minute film into the 64-minute cut we know today.

The executive did this without the director's knowledge, so perhaps the fault of the film should be put down to studio interference. Freaks was only 64 minutes long. It didn't have time to waste extensively setting up the plot or introducing us to the many romantic subplots- most which were irrelevant to the main plot, but that's what happened.

Things only really got going near the film's climax, where things were at their most horrific and frightening, but also rushed. Freaks definitely earned its stripes as a horror film.

Freaks also received much attention for casting real-life sideshow performers with disabilities like dwarfism, sacral agenesis and microcephaly. Most importantly, none of the eponymous freaks were reduced to jokes or sideshow attractions or villains. Instead, the villains were the able-bodied performers. In fact, the supposed "Freaks" were treated with humanity and respect.

Freaks should have been a better film, but it was mired by unnecessary studio interference.

Midnight Cowboy review

 Number 350 on top 1000 films of all time is John Schlesinger's 1969 drama 'Midnight Cowboy.'

Jon Buck (John Voight) is a Texan cowboy who goes to New York to seek his fortune. As part of his hustle, he starts prostituting himself. He also strikes up an unlikely friendship with con man Enrico "Ratzo" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman.)

This film surprised me in many ways. At times, it was bold, and stylistically flashy, but at others, it was understated, subtle and quietly powerful. At its heart was the relationship between Buck and Ratso. Both are hustlers with Ratso very much being a mentor to the naive, starry-eyed Buck. When Ratso becomes sick, Buck starts to take care off him. As Hoffman is a method actor, I wouldn't be surprised if he went out and caught pneumonia for real.

But Dustin Hoffman and John Voight's relationship under-pinned the whole film. They had great chemistry. I enjoyed seeing them share the screen together. And it was great seeing them become closer and closer, as their fortunes worsened. That all built toward a suitably tragic ending. I won't go into spoilers, but I did like its under-stated nature. It was quiet and simple, which was all it needed to be.

All the louder, more dramatic moments were saved for the flashbacks that showcased the dark past Buck was running from. These were also shown in black-and-white making them all the more sombre. They were hard to watch, but well-shot all the same. This shouldn't be a surprise really. Midnight Cowboy went onto win three Oscars: Best Director, Picture and Adapted Screenplay.

Midnight Cowboy definitely surprised me. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but an unlikely friendship between a cowboy sex worker and a sick con-man was definitely not it. 

Ghost in the Shell review

Number 344 on the top 1000 films of all time is the Japanese neo-noir, cyber punk anime 'Ghost in the Shell.'

Set in a dystopic 2029, we see a contingent of cyber-netically enhanced police officers hunting down a mysterious hacker called the 'Puppet-Master.'

I've never meshed well with anime. Other than Studio Ghibli, and Pokemon, which is hardly the apex of the genre, I've never been a fan. I've not properly watched anime or had any desire to; that's not going to change with Ghost in the Shell. I found this film unengaging, not interesting and downright boring at times.

Perhaps there's another reason I thought this. I don't get on with science-fiction either. Too many times it's a vehicle for writers to show off how clever they are. That's what Ghost in the Shell felt like. There's nothing wrong with having a simple narrative, if it works. Ghost in the Shell didn't work for me especially the extended sequences where nothing really happened.

Although the music and animation were gorgeous, I'm not going to become an anime afficionado anytime soon. But that's just me. Obviously, I'm in the minority with this opinion.

Top Ten War films on the top 1000 films of all time

 "When the rich wage war, it's the poor who die" - 

Jean-Paul Sarte said those immortal words that are as relevant now as they ever were. War has been a fixture of cinema stretching from All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) to the 2022 remake. No doubt it will continue to feature heavily.

This is my arbitrary list of war films that also feature on the top 1000 films of all time. For a film to qualify, it just needs to have war as its central subject. This list is in no order but chronology.

Stalag-17 (1953)

This is the oldest film on this list. William Holden plays J.J Sefton - a roguish Sergeant in a POW camp on the Danube. After a failed escape that sees many of his compatriots killed, he is suspected of being a mole.

Holden won the Best Acting Oscar for this role. It is certainly well-earned. He is definitely one reason why this film succeeds. He gave a multi-layered performance that covered both emotional and humourous notes. Plus, it is a great story of paranoia and subterfuge. There is a reason it is 202nd on the top 1000 films of all time.

Paths of Glory (1957)

I put Paths of Glory as one of my top ten Golden Oldies. It is also one of my top ten best war films, plus one of the best films by Stanley Kubrick - second only to another film that I will mention later on this list.

Coming in at number 56 on the top 1000 films of all time, Paths of Glory stars Kirk Douglas as WW1 Colonel Dax. After an assault goes wrong, three of his men are sentenced to be shot for cowardice. He fights tooth and nail to save their lives.

Kirk Douglas is absolutely terrific in this devastating morality tale. In many ways, it can be considered an anti-war film due to its damning condemnation of the poorly-misunderstood PTSD and shellshock. Explosive at times, quietly powerful at others, this was a great watch.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

If you're going to watch this film, I would recommend only watching it once. It's too heart-breaking to watch again. The Deer Hunter put Michael Cimino on the map as one of Hollywood's freshest talents. Having earned the 165th spot on the top 1000 films of all time, it is easy to see why. We witness Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage changed by the horrors they have witnessed in the Vietnam war.

Christopher Walken won an Oscar for his most human performance ever. And before you think this film is all doom and glory, the scene where the group of friends are singing Can't Take my Eyes off you is one of the most heart-warming in cinema history.

Das Boot (1981)

Das Boot is a terrific German film about a submarine crew under attack in WW2. Intensely claustrophobic, it displays the suffocating pressure of war.

It ranks as number 70 on the top 1000 films of all time. I've watched a few German films on this list, including a couple by Fritz Lang, but Das Boot blows them all out the water. Pun very much intended. There is a reason it features on my top ten list of World Cinema films.

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

We're going back to the Vietnam war for Stanley Kubrick's best film. You heard it here first. Full Metal jacket is not only the best film about the Vietnam War, but it is also Stanley Kubrick's best film ever. It is better than A Clockwork Orange, Barry Lyndon and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

It features on my top ten films of all time. It is also number 106 on the top 1000 films of all time. There are some who would argue it is disjointed, but I think it is a darkly-comical look of how men are brainwashed into being killers. At times it is funny, at others, it is tragic, but it is always powerful. Great performances by Matthew Modine, Vincent D'onorio and the incredible R. Lee Ermey, only helped to solidify its success.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

This is a film I've only been brave enough to watch once. I've not been strong enough to rewatch it, so I can write a review. It is a Japanese film made by the brilliant Studio Ghibli.

What do you think when I say Studio Ghibli? Racoons? Radish spirits? Dragons? Shape-shifting racoons? Family-fun entertainment? You probably wouldn't think of this harrowing tale of a brother and sister in the twilights years of World War Two Japan.

Featuring at number 68 on the top 1000 films of all time, it contains a gorgeous original score and beautiful animation. Not only it is one of the best war films, but one of the best films ever made.

Glory (1989)

Glory is an outlier on this list, as it is one of the few that doesn't engage with neither the Vietnam War or WW1/WW2. Instead it takes place during the American Civil War, following the first black regiment in the United States Army.

Edward Zwick crafts a good film that honours a group of people who have been horrifically discriminated against. Not without its flaws, it features a talented cast including the likes of Morgan Freeman, Matthew Broderick and Denzel Washington. Washington won his first acting Oscar for his role - I would argue he was even better here than Training Day.

Where Glory shines the most is its quieter moments, such as when the black soldiers are singing together on the eve of battle. It features at number 353 on the top 1000 films of all time, but I think it should be even higher.

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

This is a film that needs no introduction. It ranks at number 42 on the top 1000 films of all time - the highest of all the films mentioned on this list. It won Stephen Spielberg his Best Directing Oscar, although there are some who should say it should have won best film too.

Known best for its opening sequence depicting the storming of the beach of Normandy, so realistic it made veterans leave the cinema in shock, it also has its list of quieter, but no less powerful moments. Featuring a top cast including Tom Hanks, Matt Damon and Vin Diesel, I would argue this is one of Spielberg's best films.

Tae Guk Gi - The Brotherhood of War (2004)

Featuring at number 185 on the top 1000 films of all time, the Korean film, Tae Guk Gi does not shy away from the horrors of war. It follows two brothers during the Korean war. When the older brother goes missing, the younger one swears to bring him back home.

This is a powerful story about family. But it also shows you how much war can change a person. I would say it's one of the best Korean films I have ever watched.

Letters from Iwo Jima (2006)

Letters from Iwo Jima tells the story of a group of Japanese soldiers desperately trying to defend the island of Iwo Jima from the invading American forces during the twilight years of WW2.

Almost entirely in Japanese with a Japanese cast led by the magnificent Ken Watanabe, would it surprise you to learn that this film was directed by no less than Clint Eastwood.

You best believe it, because it's true. He's a terrific director. letters from Iwo Jima is just another feather to add to his cap. He brought great humanity to a group of soldiers who were painfully aware of the hopelessness of their situation.

Plus he also highlights an area of the Second World War that doesn't get as nearly as much attention as the war in Europe.

What's interesting is that while the critically acclaimed Letters from Iwo Jima featured at 362 on the top 1000 films of all time, its sister film, Flags of our Fathers, which tells the same story from the American perspective, received none of the same success.

This list is really just a damning condemnation of the inherently violent nature of humanity. We are a species intent on our self-destruction. Looking at all the conflict currently happening the world, I don't think that's changing any time soon.

Ten films that should not be on the top 1000 films of all time

 Since 2015, I have been watching and reviewing the top 1000 films of all time. In these nine years, I have watched many films that did not deserve a place on that coveted list. These are just ten examples. And yes, I'm going to get some heat for this, but such is life. This list is in no particular order but chronologically.

Sabrina (1954)

This rom-com from the Golden Age of Hollywood is living proof of how badly the Hollywood machine can backfire.

On paper, the film should have worked. It's directed by Billy Wilder. It stars Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, but it was so dull and predictable. There was next to no dramatic tension. it didn't help that Bogart lacked any chemistry with Holden or Hepburn. That was due to how they didn't get on behind the scenes.

Either way this was not a good film at all.

Manhattan (1979)

I've watched a few Woody Allen films in my time, but Manhattan is my least favourite. For one, it was not funny at all. For two, Woody Allen plays the same character that he always does - a neurotic Jewish man going through a middle-aged crisis. For three, the characters spend most of the film name-dropping philosophers like they're wannabe intellectuals. Finally, the central love-story was deeply uncomfortable.

It followed Woody Allen - playing a forty-two year old man in a relationship with the seventeen-year-old Tracey (Muriel Hemingway.) She was only sixteen at the time of filming.

Field of Dreams (1989)

Build it and he will come. Who? An insomniac looking to watch a film so boring it will put you to sleep? You'll be in luck with 'Field of Dreams.'

This dull film was severely lacking in tension or anything that made it remotely interesting to watch. It was so lacking in conflict that I could summarise the plot in a simple sentence: a man going through a mid-life crisis builds a baseball ring to solve his daddy issues.

The Bourne Identity (2002)

This film kicked off a whole franchise. How is a mystery to me. And its successors aren't much better either.

It follows Jason Bourne (Matt Damon,) a man with amnesia trying to rediscover his identity. It's funny that the Bourne Identity struggled to find its identity too. Is it an action-thriller? Not with its clear lack of memorable villains. Is it a romance? Not if the tepid love story was anything to go by.

The Bourne Identity? More like the Bourne Identiless to me.

Crash (2004)

Crash won the Best Picture Oscar for 2005. I have no idea how. It should have been nowhere near the Best Picture Oscar category. And it definitely should not have won. That honour should have gone to Brokeback Mountain. I said what I said.

Paul Haggis' clumsy and direction resulted in a contrived film that drastically over-simplified the race debate in the US. Thandie Newton and Terrence Rhodes' great performances were not enough to solve this car-crash of a film.

Running Scared (2006)

I'm still confused as to who thought this was one of the best thousand films of all time. A twelve-year-old boy? As it seemed to be written, filmed and edited by a twelve-year-old boy. You had filters from a 2000's Youtube video, Vera Farmilgia reduced to a sex object and ridiculously gratuitious violence. Not even the charismatic Paul Walker could save this disastrous film.

Michael Clayton (2007)

Michael Clayton isn't a bad film, but it certainly wasn't worthy of a place on this list. It was an underwhelming, under-developed affair severely lacking in heart. No wonder it was number 977 on the top 1000 films of all time. 

Tilda Swinton won an Oscar while George Clooney was nominated for one. But Michael Clayton was not worthy of Oscars, let alone a place on this list.

Despicable Me (June 2010)

How on God's green Earth did this film star a whole franchise? It has Steve Carell who does drama and comedy. But there was nothing funny or dramatic about his performance here. It was just annoying. And Hollywood writers take note: fart jokes are only funny once or twice, not a thousand bloody times.

The Town (September 2010)

Don't forget that Ben Affleck has won Oscars for both directing and writing. But he certainly did not win them for this generic, forgettable heist film.

The Town was an overly-simple boring affair that was not helped by Affleck's wooden performance in his lead role. Jeremy Renner in a supporting role was the only redeeming aspect of this tedious affair.

The Hunger Games (2012)

I'm going to get a lot of hate for this, but the Hunger Games made me so irrationally angry.

Firstly, the whole film is predicated on a gaping plot chasm, let alone hole. It makes no sense that Panem - a tyrannical government punishing their citizens for rebelling by forcibly entering twelve of their people into a fight to the death. But when Katniss Everdeen breaks the rules by volunteering as tribute, what do they do? They let her compete. She's broken the rules and they still let her compete.

That coupled with two-dimensional villains and underdeveloped side characters, who have meaningless death, make for an irritating film. Not even J-Law or Woody Harrelson were enough to save this damp squib.

Come at me in those comments. I don't care. These were over-rated films that are not some of the 1000 best films of all time. Did I miss any? Let me know.

No man's land review

 Number 331 on the top 1000 films of all time is the crime thriller 'No Man's Land.'

Ben Ayles (D.B Sweeney) is a rookie cop in San Diego looking to make a name for himself. When an undercover cop is killed, police Lieutenant Vincent Bracey (Randy Quaid) suspects billionaire playboy Ted Varrick (Charlie Sheen) of the murder. Unable to prove it, he sends Ayles deep undercover to gain evidence of Varrick's guilt.

What this thriller was missing was any form or heart or anything to distinguish itself from any other crime thriller. It was very generic and under-whelming. In fairness, director Peter Werner tried adding in some heart with a romantic subplot between Ayles and Varrick's sister Ann (Lara Harris) but the two of them lacked enough chemistry to make the romance convincing. It was closer to corny than cute.

Speaking of chemistry, I'm not convinced how much chemistry Sweeney and Sheen had together. Considering how much of the film is based around their friendship, this seemed like a fatal omission. The big conflict centered on whether Ayles would go native in his efforts to extract a confession from Varrick, but I didn't care either way.

Part of this was down to Charlie Sheen. He gave a one-note, two-dimensional performance as Ted Varrick. Varrick is supposed to be a smarmy, arrogant playboy billionaire, car thief and career criminal. Sheen played this part well, but he didn't bring much else to the role. D.B Sweeney was much better as Ayles. Ayles had far more depth to his character.

But this wasn't enough to rescue a generic, banal crime drama. Even the car chases were boring. And if your car chases are boring in an action film, then you're definitely doing something wrong.

Nosferatu review

 Number 330 on the top 1000 films of all time is the 1920 silent, German expressionist horror film 'Nosferatu.'

Count Orlock (Max Shreck) has just moved into the fictional German town of Wisborg. He purchases a house from estate agent Thomas Hutter (Gustav Von Wangeheim.) However, Thomas and his wife Ellen (Greta Schroder) start to expect something more sinister is at work.

Like how Night of the Living Dead pioneered the zombie-horror genre, Nosferatu laid the groundwork for not only the vampire film, but also the horror film in general. Except, it wasn't horrific. Obviously, I'm not expecting the torture porn or excessive jump-scares that dominate modern horror, but I was expecting at least an unsettling atmosphere like you get in the Cabinet of Dr Caligari.

I thought that the atmosphere was too happy to qualify for a horror film. Happiness is fine if you can feel there is some dramatic tension building toward something, but I felt little tension. It didn't help that you had the subtitles saying "happy German music is playing."

I'm also not an expert on German expressionism, but this didn't seem very expressionistic. Unlike the likes of Metropolis, it stayed grounded in the real, rather than the abstract. Okay, I know that vampires aren't real, but I thought Nosferatu would be more surreal.

Nosferatu was a strange one. Considering its mighty reputation, I was expecting something more, but I was left disappointed.

Night of the Living Dead review

 Number 327 on the top 1000 films of all time is George Romero's 1968 zombie-horror film 'Night of the Living Dead.'

Barbra (Judith O'Dea) and her brother are laying flowers on her father's grave when her brother is attacked by a zombie. Barbra runs in terror to a nearby house where she meets Ben (Duane Jones) and a group of other survivors. Together, they need to figure out how to survive the coming zombie hordes.

I am conflicted about this film. I am well-aware of its reputation. In many ways, it pioneered the zombie-horror genre popularising many of the tropes we now see in the likes of the Walking Dead Franchise or Z Nation. However, at its heart, 'Night of the Living Dead' is a siege film.

A group of characters are boarded up in a location and are besieged by an enemy force. Romero's unrelated sequel Dawn of the Dead follows a similar plot line. But I often find siege films lacking in tension and forward momentum. The characters are stuck in one place not going anywhere neither physically or emotionally. In many ways, Night of the Living Dead also fell into this trap until the characters decide to escape for a safer location.

That is until they start making stupid decisions which screws everything up. Stupid characters making stupid decisions for no other reason than to forward the plot is an annoying and tiresome cliche. Unfortunately it has become a mainstay of horror films. Is Night of the Living Dead to blame for this? I'm not sure.

What I am sure about is how I did not like how they reduced Barbra to little more than a damsel-in-distress. After she is rescued by Ben, she very much becomes an empty shell lacking in agency. While this would be a realistic reaction, it is difficult to believe that a character like that could survive in a world like this. Originally, Barbra was written with more grit, but upon casting Judith O'Dea, Romero rewrote her character.

But one thing Romero did right was the casting of Duane Jones as Ben. He very much carried the film on his back, as Ben was the leader of the survivors. Plus, it was a rare occurrence to have a black man star in a 1960's film. Originally, Ben was supposed to be a crude, un-educated truck  driver, but at the intellectual Jones' insistence, he was changed into a more well-rounded leader.

One cliche I was glad not to see was the one black character dying first in the horror film.

*spoilers*

In fact, Ben was the last one to die. And I did not like how he died. It wasn't in a glorious last stand with the zombies, but by a posse of white men who mistake him for one of the undead and promptly shoot him. But was it a mistake? There are some who have read into the racial undertones of a white man shooting a black man in the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement.

Either way, I found it to be an anti-climatic death unworthy of a good character. Reportedly, Jones wanted it this way saying it would be too Hollywood for him to be the last-man standing. That, notwithstanding, I would have preferred if he had been killed by a paranoid or scared man panicking over whether Ben was a zombie or not. Then his death might have had more meaning.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy Night of the Living Dead. It wasn't without its flaws, but it was still entertaining.

Aguirre: The Wrath of God

 Number 326 on the top 1000 films of all time is Werner Herzog's epic historical drama 'Aguirre: The Wrath of God.'

Aguirre (Klaus Klinski) is a soldier who is marching through the Andes Mountains in the search for the legendary lost city of El Dorado.

While the soldiers were looking for El Dorado, I was looking for an interesting film to watch. As Aguirre was boring with a capital B. It is low on action and high on characters staring into space saying nothing.

I understand this was partly down to Herzog's tiny budget. He couldn't afford any big action scenes. Fair enough, but the constant monologue and philosophising became tedious after a while. It hardly made for the most exciting of cinema.

It was also difficult to empathise with Spanish conquistadors who not only massacred all and enslaved the indigenous populations, but were so stupid they took horses and cannons into the jungle.

Reportedly, Klaus Klinski was an ogre on set, constantly coming to verbal blows with cast and crew. But he brought none of that energy to the role of Aguirre. I expected him to have a larger-than-life persona, but instead he remains in the background, simply pulling the strings, like a puppet-master who hides behind the curtain, because he's afraid to see his audience. He did not make for an interesting protagonist.

Finally, the crew also had trouble recording the sound, so much of the dialogue had to be dubbed. While this couldn't have been helped, it was not a good dub, and it was distracting.

I really did not like this film. It was a tedious affair with stupid characters and a boring protagonist.

Top Ten Golden Oldies on the top 1000 films of all time

 There is no agreement as to when exactly the Golden Age of Hollywood started and ended. Some sources say it began in 1915 with the release of the horrifically racist In the Birth of a Nation and stretched well into the 1960's.

However, I will be sticking with the general consensus that the Golden Age of Hollywood occurred between 1930 and 1960 - dominated by the five big studios of MGM, Warner Bros, RKO, 20th Century Fox and Paramount, as well as the "little three" studios of Universal, Columbia and United Artists.

This is a list of what I think are the top ten films from the Golden Age of Hollywood that also features on the top 1000 films of all time. This list of Golden Oldies is in no particular order except for chronology.

It happened One Night (1934) Columbia Pictures

Coming in at 132 on the top 1000 films of all time is Frank Capra's romantic-comedy: 'It happened One Night.' Starring Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, it was the first only three films to win the five big Oscars: Best film, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay. Only One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Silence of the Lambs have only repeated this feat.

But it is easy to see why 'It Happened One Night' was so heavily awarded. Yes, it is cheesy and predictable in the way that many of the older films often were, but it still has an undeniable charm.

It was very much a sleeper hit with Gable and Colbert giving great performances which turned this film into a real classic.

The Great Dictator (1940) United Artists

How do you talk about the Golden Age of Hollywood and not mention the legendary Charlie Chaplin? Although he is best known for his silent films, Chaplin gives one of the best speeches in film history.

In many ways, this black comedy was Chaplin's first foray into the world of sound cinema. It was a great satire of the horrors that were occurring in World War Two Europe. Coming in at number 52 on the top 1000 films of all time, if there is a Charlie Chaplin film you're going to watch then it should be this one.

Casablanca (1942) Warner Brothers

Speaking of World-War-Two, let's talk about this brilliant romantic-drama. It focusses on the cynical Rick Spader (Humphrey Bogart) who is slowly drawn into helping the Czech resistance movement as they combat the Nazis.

Casablanca went onto win the Best film Oscar. It has a list of endlessly quotable lines, as well as the archetypal, reluctant hero played by Humphrey Bogart. Also starring Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains, it's no wonder that Casablanca ranks at number 29 on the top 1000 films of all time. Now, here's looking at you, kid.

It's a Wonderful Life (1946) RKO pictures

Elf? Muppet Christmas Carol? Home Alone? Die Hard? The best Christmas film is It's a Wonderful Life. You heard it here first. Frank Capra's supernatural drama focusses on George Bailey (James Stewart,) a suicidally-depressed man who's taken on a magical journey where he is shown how bad life would have been if he had never been born.

No other film since has really keyed into the power that Christmas has to bring people together. Although RKO released this film to a lukewarm reception, it's gone onto become the 23rd best film on the top 1000 films of all time. There are some who might dismiss it as cheesy, overly-sentimental rubbish, but that's Christmas for you.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) Warner Bros 

We've returned to Old Bogey with John Huston's Western. Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt and Walter Brennan star as three prospectors looking for a mythical lost treasure in Mexico. All three lead actors give terrific performances, and the cinematography is astounding.

This intense, gripping film foregoes the usual tropes of a Western, in favour of an in-depth precautionary tale about the dangers of greed. I'm not the only one who thinks so as it comes in at 94 on the top 1000 films of all time.

Strangers on a Train (1951) Warner Bros

Alfred Hitchcock had to feature on this list, but the question was which film? The Birds features too late to qualify. Psycho, North by Northwest and Vertigo are all too obvious while the 39 Steps and the Lady Vanishes are all a bit ridiculous. Instead, I opted for the under-rated Strangers on a Train.

This film noir clocks in at 210 on the top 1000 films of all time. While some film noir *cough cough* the Big Sleep, it doesn't stumble over itself trying to be as smart as possible. Instead it presents a tense story revolving around a chance encounter of two strangers on a train. One stranger, Bruno (Robert Walker) is a psychopath who suggests murdering Guy's (Farley Granger) estranged wife if Guy murders Bruno's father. Cue a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse.

Yes, it is unlikely, as is much of Hitchcock's films, but comparatively-speaking, it is one of his most straight-forward films.

On the Waterfront (1954) Columbia Pictures

I could have been a contender. I could have been somebody.

These lines won Marlon Brando his first Best Acting Oscar. And he won this by starring as Terry Malloy, a New Jersey dock-worker turned hero in Elia Kazan's crime-drama that comes in at 118 on the top 1000 films of all time.

On the Waterfront tells a powerful story about the importance of standing up for what's right. It won a further seven Oscars including Best Supporting Actress for Eva Marie Saint.

On the Waterfront is a film that will live long in your memory long after the curtain has been drawn.

Rebel without a Cause (1955) Warner Bros

Legendary James Dean only starred in three films before his untimely death - one of them was the amazing Rebel without a Cause, which features at 458 on the top 1000 films of all time.

Receiving a posthumous Oscar nomination, he stars as Jim Stark - a lost, young man living in 1950's LA. There are some who might dismiss this film as whiny and edgy, but it perfectly encapsulates the alienation of a post WW2 generation, as well as every other successive generation questioning their place in the world.

It also stars Natalie Wood, another actor who died far too young.

12 Angry Men (April 1957) United Artists

12 Angry Men is 8th on the top 1000 films of all time - that is the highest placed of any film from the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Courtroom dramas aren't for everyone. Some can find them dull and lacking in action, but Sydney Lumet struck gold with his poignant story of twelve jurors deciding if a young man is guilty of murder or not. It has a brilliant cast led by Henry Fonda.

12 Angry Men is a claustrophobic, suffocating affair that presents many moral quandaries which it leaves up to the viewer to solve.

Paths of Glory (December 1957) United Artists

Forget The Killing, Barry Lyndon or the Shining. This is one of Kubrick's best films, second to only Full Metal Jacket. It is even better than 2001: a Space Odyssey. I said what I said.

Kirk Douglass plays Colonel Dax fighting to save three of his men from being unfairly shot for cowardice. It is a brilliant moral-drama that explores the horrors of war. At times, it is explosive, at others it is understated, but it is always entertaining. It also highlights the devastating effects of PTSD - a condition that was poorly understood at the time.

Featuring at 56 on the top 1000 films of all time, I would argue that it should be a few places higher Not only is it one of the top ten Golden Oldies, but one of the best films I've seen.

As always, this was a hard list to put together and there were many films that did not make the cut. Did I miss out any? Let me know in the comments below.

Top ten World Cinema films from the top 1000 films of all time

 Since I started working through the top 1000 films of all time, I have seen the best that World Cinema has to offer. Here are my top ten best World Cinema films.

City of God

There is a reason that this film is number 21 on the top 1000 films of all time. And there is a reason that it is on my list for the ten best films of all time. It is a breath-taking piece of cinema.

Detailing the lives of two boys growing up in the slums of Rio De Janeiro, it is an absolute roller-coaster. I have seen this film multiple times and each time it has been more thrilling than the last.

Oldboy

This Korean film comes in on number 82 on the top 1000 films of all time. Plus it also features on my top ten films of all time and for good reason. It is a powerful tale of revenge based on a Japanese manga.

This thriller follows Oh Dae-Su - a man who has been mysteriously imprisoned for fifteen years. After his sudden release, he goes on a self-destructive journey to find his kidnappers. It is brimming with gorgeous Korean proverbs, stunning fight sequences and one of the biggest plot twists in film history.

Rang De Basanti (Paint it Saffron)

Yes, you've guessed it. Rang De Basanti also features on the top 1000 films of all time at 34th. It is an Indian film. Critics of Indian cinema dismiss them as overly-dramatic with shoe-horned musical numbers. Yes, that is partly true, but Rang De Basanti is far more than that.

It tells the story of Sue - an English film-maker making a documentary about some of the early leaders of the Indian independence movement. However, the lines between reality and fiction soon begin to blur. It is a magnificent story about finding your place in the world. An absolute must-see for lovers of Indian cinema.

The Hunt

Director Thomas Vinterberg creates a gripping psychological drama that shows the witch-hunt following teacher Lucas (Mads Mikklesen) after he is falsely accused of molesting one of his pupils. This Danish film show-cased Mikklesen at his best. There is a reason that he won the Best Actor award at Cannes. But the entire film is a triumph. The tension never lets up for a minute. It is Danish cinema at its best. I much preferred it to Vinterberg's earlier effort of the Celebration, which is probably why The Hunt places 124 on the top 1000 films of all time. Fifty-five places higher than Vinterberg's earlier film.

My Neighbour Totoro

I had to include Japanese cinema on this list. And while it might have made sense to include Akira Kurosawa, I instead wanted to pay respect to the genre of anime. And there is no greater producer of anime than Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli.

I was so tempted to put Grave of the Fireflies on this list, but that heart-breaking affair has featured on other lists of mine, so I want to pay homage to another Studio Ghibli great: My Neighbour Totoro, which features at 137 on the top 1000 films of all time.

It would be all too easy to dismiss as a kids' film, but it is great for all the family to watch. Sisters Sasuki and Mai have just moved into a country home with their father while their mother is sick in the hospital. The young Mai then befriends the adorable Totoro who helps her through the process. This coming-of-age story is surprisingly poignant. Plus, I just love Totoro. He is the cutest thing ever. There's a reason he has become the mascot for Studio Ghibli.

Les Intouchables (The Untouchables)

This French film is the last time I'm going to mention my list of the top ten films of all time.

Les Intouchables features at 31 on the top 1000 films of all time. It tells the story of Philippe (Francois Cluzet) a billionaire quadriplegic and his unqualified, unprofessional carer Driss (Omar Sy.) Their unlikely friendship contributes to one of the feel-good films of the century.

Les Intouchables will make you laugh. It will probably make you cry too. Plus it's what launched Omar Sy to international stardom. If you've seen him in Lupin, do yourself a favour and go back and watch. You won't regret it.

Y tu Mama Tambien

We've come to Alfonso Cuaron and Mexico. This film really surprised me. Some of its critics have dismissed it as a Mexican American Pie, due to its frank depiction of sex, but this touching coming-of-age drama is far deeper than that. It places at 641 on the top 1000 films of all time.

It follows three characters: best friends Julio (Gael Garcia Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna) and older Spanish woman Luisa (Maribel Verdu) as they try to find a mythical beach.

It's a story about growing up. It's a story about change. It is under-stated, but also really sexy. You just might not want to watch it with your parents.

IP Man

Although I'm generally not a fan of wuxia/kung-fu films, I would make an exception for IP man. It tells the true-life story of IP Man (Donnie Yen) a Kung-fu master who navigates the dangers of living in Hong Kong during the occupation of Japan. IP Man places at 215 on the top 1000 films of all time.

Unlike other Wuxia films, IP Man stays grounded in the real-life. Plus the kung-fu sequences are brilliantly choregraphed. Donnie Yen also gave a charismatic performance. I wasn't as keen on the sequel, but I still think IP man is the best that the Wuxia genre has to offer.

Zwartboek (Black Book)

We're returning to Europe with this excellent Dutch film that centres on the Dutch resistance movement during World War Two. Black Book is 435th on the top 1000 films of all time.

Where director Paul Verhoeven succeeded is by highlighting the different shades of grey that comes with warfare. No matter what Hollywood says, things are never black and white. This is a fast-paced affair with twist after twist. Its film-making at its best.

Das Boot 

We remain in World-War-Two for this excellent West German film that focusses on a German submarine crew who are under attack. And that film is Das Boot. It places 70th on the top 1000 films of all time.

Tight camera angles result in a claustrophobic, suffocating affair that highlights what it would be like to be on a submarine during battle. It also does great character work especially in how it explores how war can affect men. It certainly isn't perfect, but it is still an intense affair that doesn't let up for a minute.

It was difficult to nail this list down to just ten film. And there were many films and directors that did not make the cut: Fellini, Kurosawa, Bergman, Lang etc. Have I missed any other films? Let me know in the comments below.