Friday 26 October 2012

NEW REVIEW- THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER


The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)



Director: Stephen Chbosky






Ah, the 'Teen high school drama-comedy coming of age issues' type movie. Yes, I know. Not normally a genre known for its classics. Or is it? 

In the golden eras of such films (the 50's, then the 80's), you could expect new and exciting things from your angst-ridden 'yoovs' movies, whether it was James Dean being angry and rebellious, a film-acting-game-changing Marlon Brando squinting and mumbling at the lens in a leather jacket, or the brat pack striking poses, slumping back and taking everything way too seriously, there was much to enjoy where 'teen' flicks were concerned. There have been some wonderful offerings over the years, the best of the more recent examples being Almost Famous, released 12 years ago. But none have I enjoyed more-since these 'golden era' examples-than The Perks Of Being A Wallflower. 


Helped massively by being a completely single artistic vision, (how many page-to-screen examples can you think of where the author of the novel is also the screenwriter AND director of the film) this is an uncompromising adaptation from Stephen Chbosky from his novel of the same name.



The story focusses on Charlie (Logan Lerman), a quiet, intelligent boy who begins the film about to start his first day at high school, and whose already troubled past is hinted at from the outset, mostly via his own voiceover, in which he is writing letters to an unknown acquaintance(essentially, us, the audience). When his fears of 5 more years of not fitting in seem to be coming true, Charlie suddenly finds hope in the form of two new friends, class clown Patrick (Ezra Miller) and his 'sort of' sister, Sam (Emma Watson). What follows is a delicate exploration of how fragile, adaptive, susceptible, single-minded, irrational and often in need of the right support and guidance we are as teenagers. In terms of character arcs, Charlie is one which sort of goes full circle, revealing all the expected frailties and discovering brand new emotions, but with some unexpected revelations along the way.


In the role, Logan Lerman pulls off something a bit special. To play a shy, introverted, mono-syllabic character for much of the film, yet still carry the film on his leading man back and keep us thoroughly engrossed, wanting to follow him all the way is no mean feat, for sure. We delight when he does, we find hope, and re-live familiar awkward, embarrassing moments through him, and remember our first kiss and the pains of being in love for the first time. 

Equally impressive is Ezra Miller. A true rising star, with a sprinkling of lesser known films to his name, he was simply stunning as the title role in last years fantastic 'We Need To Talk About Kevin,' his every glare and flicker of the eye every bit as disturbing as his evil smirk and terrifying stillness. Patrick is a far nicer character, a quick witted, genuine, thoughtful guy with a passion for Rocky Horror and mischief. A much easier ride than 'Kevin' perhaps? Well, maybe not. Certainly not reaching anything like such darkened depths as serial murder, Patrick is also not without his own complexities. The only openly gay kid at high school undoubtedly brings with itself a need for a thick skin and uncompromising self-belief( which Miller expresses perfectly) yet here we are again with the 'teenage emotions are fragile' chant, and at one stage in the film his outgoing sense of humour and huge amount of 'wise beyond his years' charm and control are quickly and ruthlessly undone, in a matter of hours, and the ensuing scenes showcase-just as much as the flashier stuff-what Miller is capable of.

Much has been made of Emma Watsons first proper grown-up post-Potter leading role. Keen to see if she had anything more to offer, it is her performance in this film which has been scrutinized closest. I'm happy to report she has chops. As Sam, the free spirited, independent one with an eye on good grades and a more mature taste in music (count how many times Morrissey appears in this film in one way or another) Watson is superb, proving she should be able-given the right roles-to shake off Hermione Granger without too much hassle. She is given the best 'trailer' shots too, to further assist in this, be it shaking herself about at a high school dance, or with arms outstretched, standing tall through the roof of a speeding car, wind rushing trough her hair to the sound of David Bowie at full blast. It's pretty cool. While some may take a short amount of time to adjust to hearing that familiar voice speaking with an American accent, most will surely just delight in a great performance, never hammed up even when the more serious scenes come along.

It is in the mixture of scenes-the funny and quirky with the weighty and heartbreaking-that we see 'Perks' truly triumph as more than the usual independent teen fare. The sucker punches to the emotional gut come thicker and faster as revelations start to unfold as the story progresses. Satisfyingly, it doesn't flinch from its dedication to exploring the darkest elements each character has to live with, even though it may whizz past some at too fast a pace to really explore. What we find so endearing about these characters is that we are all at that age kindred spirits, making life up as it goes along, on the 'island of misfit toys' says Sam. Who can't relate to feeling that way from time to time?

For a quirky 'teen high school drama-comedy coming of age issues' type movie' is this a film that takes itself too seriously? I think BECAUSE it really dares to bare, in terms of its darkest elements, and still manages to remain funny, classy and very cool, it elevates itself above the crowd, onto the shoulders of brilliance. SEE IT.


Rating:   
    5 Fassbenders out of 5












Tuesday 23 October 2012

ED KEATES' TOP 101 FILMS OF ALL TIME


*Guest post* ED KEATES' TOP 101 FILMS OF ALL TIME


The latest to accept the challenge is Ed Keates, a keen movie aficionado and friend of GregglesOnFilm.
His list reminds me alot of mine. So obviously it is fantastic in every way. Except maybe Solaris. And Bridesmaids is definitely an eyebrow raiser... But some great stuff here. Enjoy.

Ed’s 101 Favourite Films

The below list is 101 of my favourite films so far. I’m an avid film watcher and have been obsessed with Cinema since I was a boy. The earliest cinema experience is very hazy but it’s one out of E.T, Bambi & Transformers: The Movie. 

I love the art of Cinema and the below list represents films I have much love for in different ways. The moving image is a great way to escape, providing a wonderful medium to tell stories, whether they be a work of fiction or true stories; completely improvised; shot in 3D, IMAX, Black & White – the options are endless!

All these films have moved me, either to tears, wetting myself with laughter or provoking thought to a life changing extent. Some have sentimental value, others are just absolute fun. Art’s about connection & it lasts forever. 

There’s probably 50 films missing from this list that you would prefer – well, that’s 'cause it’s my list. So, have a look, agree, disagree, applaud & boo, 

Ed.



101-50

101. Transformers: The Movie 1986 Dir. Nelson Shin
100. The Muppet Christmas Carol 1992 Dir. Brian Henson
99. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory 1971 Dir. Mel Stuart
98. The Ten Commandments 1956 Dir. Cecil B. Demille
97. The Breakfast Club 1985 Dir. John Hughes
96. Rocky IV 1985 Dir. Sylvester Stallone 
95. Bobby 2006 Dir. Emilio Estevez 
94. True Lies 1994 Dir. James Cameron
93. X-Men: First Class 2011 Dir. Matthew Vaughn
92. An American Werewolf In London 1981 Dir. John Landis 
91. E.T. 1982 Dir. Steven Spielberg
90. The Blues Brothers 1980 Dir. John Landis 
89. Zodiac 2007 Dir. David Fincher
88. Ghostbusters 1984 Dir. Ivan Reitman 
87. Vicky Christina Barcelona 2008 Dir. Woody Allen 
86. Rear Window 1958 Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
85. Chasing Amy 1997 Dir. Kevin Smith
84. Full Metal Jacket 1987 Dir. Stanley Kubrick
83. Pieces Of April 2003 Dir. Peter Hedges
82. Empire Records 1995 Dir. Allan Moyle 
81. Donnie Darko 2001 Dir. Richard Kelly
80. Layer Cake 2004 Dir. Matthew Vaughn
79. X2 (X-Men 2) 2003 Dir. Bryan Singer
78. Glengarry Glenn Ross 1992 Dir. James Foley
77. Do The Right Thing 1989 Dir. Spike Lee
76. In America 2002 Dir. Jim Sheridan 
75. Ocean’s Eleven 2001 Dir. Steven Soderbergh
74. Snatch 2000 Dir. Guy Ritchie
73. Despicable Me 2010 Dir. Pierre Coffin
& Chris Renaud
72. Bridesmaids 2011 Dir. Paul Feig 
71. Sexy Beast 2000 Dir. Jonathan Glazer
70. Braveheart 1995 Dir. Mel Gibson
69. Jurassic Park 1993 Dir. Steven Spielberg
68. Romeo + Juliet 1996 Dir. Baz Luhrmann
67. The Omen 1976 Dir. Richard Donner
66. Adaptation 2002 Dir. Spike Jonze
65. The Crossing Guard 1995 Dir. Sean Penn
64. Rocky Balboa 2006 Dir. Sylvester Stallone
63. Little Miss Sunshine 2006 Dir. Jonathan Dayton
& Valerie Faris
62. West Side Story 1961 Dir. Robert Wise
61. Eyes Wide Shut 1999 Dir. Stanley Kubrick
60. Curse of the Golden Flower 2006 Dir. Zhang Yimou
59. A Clockwork Orange 1971 Dir. Stanley Kubrick
58. Malcom X 1992 Dir. Spike Lee 
57. The Others 2001 Dir. Alejandro AmenĂ¡bar 
56. Traffic 2000 Dir. Steven Soderbergh 
55. Juno 2007 Dir. Jason Reitman
54. A Few Good Men 1992 Dir. Rob Reiner
53. Solaris 2002 Dir. Steven Soderbergh
52. The Colour Purple 1985 Dir. Steven Spielberg 
51. Scarface 1983 Dir. Brian De Palma

50-1

50. Superbad 2007 Dir. Greg Mottola
Key Scene: Michael Cera being forced to sing at a party due to mistaken identity!

49. Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981 Dir. Steven Spielberg 
Key Scene: God going postal on the Nazi’s at the end.

48. Psycho 1960 Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
Key Scene: The stare to camera letting you know who’s hanging around in there.

47. Gone Baby Gone 2007 Dir. Ben Affleck
Key Scene: Watch Casey Affleck threaten gangster ‘Cheese’ at gunpoint in a tense battle of status.

46. Life Is Beautiful 1997 Dir. Roberto Benigni
Key Scene: Benigni’s character sneaks into a tannoy cabin whilst in a concentration camp to make contact with his wife. 

45. Punch Drunk Love 2002 Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Key Scene: Sandler’s Barry Egan confiding in his Brother-In-Law about his depression – heart breaking.

44. Dog Day Afternoon 1975 Dir. Sidney Lumet
Key Scene: Attica Attica Attica!!!

43. The Shining 1980 Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Key Scene: “You’ve always been the caretaker.” Oh the chills!

42. The Usual Suspects 1995 Dir. Bryan Singer 
Key Scene: Benecio Del Toro mumbles through the line up. 

41 The Sixth Sense 1999 Dir. M. Night Shyamalan
Key Scene: Young Cole Sear sits to have breakfast when in one camera shot we follow his Mum in and out of the Kitchen resulting in the quietest scare.

40. Unbreakable 2000 Dir. M. Night Shyamalan 
Key Scene: David Dunn shows his son the newspaper over breakfast, a whole conversation occurs without words – beautifully acted. 

39. Garden State 2004 Dir. Zach Braff
Key Scene: “You have balls on your face!”

38. Vanilla Sky 2001 Dir. Cameron Crowe
Key Scene: Cameron Diaz’s psycho driving!

37. Planes, Trains & Automobiles 1987 Dir. John Hughes
Key Scene: “Those aren’t pillows!”

36. Trading Places 1983 Dir. John Landis
Key Scene: Murphy’s Billie gets arrested. 

35. Borat 2006 Dir. Larry Charles
Key Scene: The naked fight!

34. Taxi Driver 1976 Dir. Martin Scorsese
Key scene: Even people that haven’t seen this film know the scene!

33. Amelie 2001 Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Key Scene: The travels of a gnome.

32. Goodfellas 1990 Dir. Martin Scorsese 
Key Scene: One shot – no cutting – steadycam at it’s best!

31. American Beauty 1999 Dir. Sam Mendes
Key Scene: Petals – Nuff said!

30. Lost In Translation 2003 Dir. Sofia Coppola
Key Scene: The whisper.

29. Mulholland Drive 2001 Dir. David Lynch
Key Scene: The blue box…

28. Batman Begins 2005 Dir. Christopher Nolan
Key Scene: Every one with Michael Caine, he’s mesmerising!

27. The Graduate 1967 Dir. Mike Nichols 
Key Scene: Hoffman’s Benjamin suffering the embarrassment of wearing a deep sea diving suit.

26. Old Boy 2003 Dir. Chan-Wook Park
Key Scene: Live squid gobbled up!

25. Dancer In The Dark 2000 Dir. Lars Von Trier 
Key scene: Musical homage to industrial sounds.

24. As Good As It Gets 1997 Dir. James L. Brooks 
Key Scene: A beautiful compliment paid to Helen Hunt by Jack Nicholson.

23. Seven 1995 Dir. David Fincher
Key Scene: “What’s in the box?” One of the most tense endings in cinema history.

22. Moulin Rouge 2001 Dir. Baz Luhrmann 
Key Scene: A beautiful arrangement of ‘Roxanne.’

21. Heat 1995 Dir. Michael Mann 
Key Scene: The one the world had been waiting years to see, Pacino vs De Niro.

20. Rope 1948 Dir. Alfred Hitchcock 
Key Scene: All of them, seeing as the camera only cuts approximately 4 times in this masterclass of acting.

19. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest 1975 Dir. Milos Forman 
Key Scene: Banned from watching a baseball game, Nicholson’s McMurphy plays out the rest of the game using his imagination.

18. Trainspotting 1996 Dir. Danny Boyle 
Key Scene: Ewan McGregor’s Renton walking into the worst toilet in Edinburgh, “Fuckin’ dancer!”

17. The Hours 2002 Dir. Stephen Daldry 
Key Scene: Opening scene setting up the 3 connected varied timelines.

16. Volver 2006 Dir. Pedro Almodovar 
Key Scene: Is that a ghost in the boot of the car?

15. The Dark Knight 2008 Dir. Christopher Nolan 
Key Scene: Cracking bank robbery opening the film & introducing the Joker.

14. Hero 2002 Dir. Zhang Yimou
Key Scene: Every fight scene is like a dance with a poetic use of colour.

13. Crash 2004 Dir. Paul Haggis 
Key Scene: A bullet proof daughter.


12. Reservoir Dogs 1992 Dir. Quentin Tarantino 
Key Scene: Mr Blonde makes it hard for the captured policeman to listen.

11. Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind 2004 Dir. Michel Gondry 
Key Scene: Jim Carrey transported to time as a child.

10. Dead Man’s Shoes 2004 Dir. Shane Meadows 
Key Scene: Reasons for revenge.

9. The Green Mile 1999 Dir. Frank Darabont 
Key Scene: The revelation of the innocence of John Coffey.

8. The Exorcist 1973 Dir. William Friedkin
Key Scene: Poor Regan showing us the benefits of Yoga & Pilates on her bed.

7. The Godfather Part II 1974 Dir. Francis Ford Coppola 
Key Scene: The kiss of death, betrayal revealed.

6. Requiem For A Dream 2000 Dir. Darren Aronofsky 
Key Scene: Watch Ellen Burstyn clean a house in one shot!

5. Memento 2000 Dir. Christopher Nolan
Key Scene: Finding out who Sammy Jankis is…

4. Fight Club 1999 Dir. David Fincher 
Key Scene: “If it’s your first time at Fight Club, you have to fight!”

3. Pulp Fiction 1994 Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Key Scene: The tense & philosophical finale.

2. Magnolia 1999 Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Key Scene: The introduction of Frank TJ Mackay “Respect the cock...”

1. The Godfather 1972 Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Key Scene: One of the most powerful and symbolic endings in storytelling and done with such simplicity
.

Thursday 18 October 2012

*Guest post* Marc's Top 101 Films of All Time


Marc Ivamy- Top 101 Films Of All Time


The latest flix-pert to rise to the '101 list challenge' is top blogger (check out the AMAZING film blog http://the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.co.uk/) and film reviewer-and, to boot, my cousin- Marc Ivamy.

This is certainly the most varied Top 101 so far, ranging from 'Flash Gordon' to 'Night and Fog'  (A very powerful film, and a favorite documentary-if it's possible to describe such a film as a favorite- of mine) via 'Robocop' and movie 'marmite' selections such as 'Eraserhead' and Argentos'  'Suspiria'. 

It is clearly the list of a seasoned and knowledgable filmgoer, with world cinema well represented, and some bold personal choices. Impressive selection here then, with Marc proving he can walk the walk as well as talking the 'all-things-film' talk.


Here's the list.


101. The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980)
100. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Amy Heckerling, 1982)
99. The Dark Knight Rises (Christopher Nolan, 2012)
98. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
97. American Psycho (Mary Harron, 2000)
96. Little Children (Todd Field, 2006)
95. An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, 1981)
94. The Masque of the Red Death (Roger Corman, 1964)
93. The Brood (David Cronenberg, 1979)
92. Hour of the Wolf (Ingmar Bergman, 1968)
91. Natural Born Killers (Oliver Stone, 1994)
90. Flash Gordon (Mike Hodges, 1980)
89. Robocop (Paul Verhoven, 1987)
88. Sullivan's Travels (Preston Sturges, 1941)
87. Secrets and Lies (Mike Leigh, 1996)
86. The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982)
85. Cannibal Holocaust (Ruggero Deodato, 1980)
84. The Crucible (Nicholas Hynter, 1996)
83. Blow-Up (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1966)
82. Bad Timing (Nicolas Roeg, 1980)
81. Q: The Winged Serpent (Larry Cohen, 1982)
80. Carnival of Souls (Herk Harvey, 1962)
79. The 400 Blows (Francois Truffaut, 1959)
78. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
77. Au Hasard Balthazar (Robert Bresson, 1966)
76. Back to the Future (Robert Zemekis, 1985)
75. Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2002)
74. Alien (Ridley Scott, 1979)
73. Martin (George A. Romero, 1977)
72. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman, 1975)
71. Performance (Donald Cammell/Nicolsa Roeg, 1970)
70. If... (Lindsay Anderson, 1968)
69. Wall-E (Andrew Stanton, 2008)
68. Black Sabbath (Mario Bava, 1963)
67. Dr Stranglove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
66. The Ladykillers (Alexander Mackendrick, 1955)
65. Kuroneko (Kaneto Shindo, 1968)
64. The Day the Earth Stood Still (Robert Wise, 1951)
63. Singin' in the Rain (Stanley Donen/Gene Kelly, 1952)
62. Susperia (Dario Argento, 1977)
61. Haxon (Benjamin Christensen, 1922)
60. Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson (2008)
59. Repulsion (Roman Polanski, 1965)
58. Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, 1948)
57. Fargo (Joel/Ethan Coen, 1996)
56. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
55. Brazil (Terry Gilliam, 1984)
54. El Topo (Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970)
53. Alphaville (Jean-Luc Godard, 1965)
52. The Devils (Ken Russell, 1971)
51. Daisies (Vera Chytilova, 1966)
50. Zodiac (David Fincher, 2007)
49. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)
48. Knife in the Water (Roman Polanski, 1962)
47. Yojimbo (Akira Kurasawa, 1961)
46. Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
45. Crumb (Terry Zwigoff, 1994)
44. The Double Life of Veronique (Krzystof Kieslowski, 1991)
43. Veronika Voss (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1982)
42. Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (Russ Meyer, 1970)
41. The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke, 2009)
40. Night and Fog (Alain Resnais, 1955)
39. Memories of Murder (Joon-ho Bong, 2003)
38. All the President's Men (Alan J. Pakula, 1976)
37. The Elephant Man (David Lynch, 1980)
36. Mirror (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1975)
35. The Grapes of Wrath (John Ford, 1940)
34. The Texas Chain-Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974)
33. Peeping Tom (Michael Powell, 1960)
32. The Third Man (Carol Reed, 1949)
31. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
30. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)
29. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)
28. Strike (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925)
27. Freaks (Todd Browning, 1932)
26. La Belle et la bete (Jean Cocteau, 1946)
25. The Exorcist (William Friedkin, 1974)
24. Modern Times (Charles Chaplin, 1936)
23. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
22. Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968)
21. The Innocents (Jack Clayton, 1961)
20. The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
19. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Bunuel, 1972)
18. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
17. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
16. Come and See (Elem Klimov, 1985)
15. Rashomon (Akira Kurasawa, 1950)
14. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
13. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (Don Seigel, 1956)
12. Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976)
11. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)
10. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)
09. Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
08. Weekend (Jean-Luc Godard, 1968)
07. A Matter of Life and Death (Michael Powell, 1946)
06. Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)
05. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
04. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse (Fritz Lang, 1933)
03. The Exterminating Angel (Luis Bunuel, 1962)
02. Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977)
01. Stalker (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979)

Wednesday 17 October 2012

*Guest post* Kiras Top 101 Favorite Films of All Time...



Here's my mate Kira pitching in with her list. NOTE- This list reads from her number 1 at the top, down to number 101, I took the liberty of numbering the top 25, but the rest are not numbered.

It's another great list, with pleasingly high placements for some often unsung greats. One question for my antipodean friend; No room for my favorite Aussie film, 'Shine'? Ah well. Enjoy.


Kira Morsley’s 101 Top Films


1-The Princess Bride
THE best adventure/fantasy/comedy ever made. Seriously, it’s got everything – including possibly the greatest sword fight ever committed to film.

2-The King’s Speech
Just a superbly made film with the right balance of pathos and light-heartedness. Geoffrey Rush is fabulous, and even Jennifer Ehle’s ‘Perth’ accent is semi-plausible. The subject matter really hit a nerve too.

3-Labyrinth
David Bowie in Purple tights. Need I say more?

4-Elizabeth
Cate Blanchett inhabits Elizabeth like no one else could. Also tickles my costume-drama fancy.

5-The Usual Suspects
The ensemble cast in this, along with the excellent writing, makes it one of my faves. Also the twist ending is just so freaking clever.

6-Romeo + Juliet
Love me some Shakespeare, love me some Luhrmann.

7-Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
My favourite Indy, pandering again to my love of all things historical, and this time with added bonus Sean Connery!

8-Amadeus
Yet another costume bonanza, this time with the most sublime music ever written.

9-The Hunt for Red October
This one made me kinda want to join the CIA. Or the Russian Navy.

10-Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Wouldn’t be a complete list without some Python, and this one is my first and favourite of their films.

11-Strictly Ballroom
So many hilarious one liners!

12-Schindler’s List
What could have been a schlocky disaster is affecting and brilliant thanks to some glorious performances and Spielberg’s careful handling.

13-West Side Story
The first musical on this list, and not the last. One of my earliest memories of a film musical, and the score, songs and dance numbers make this my favourite.

14-Silence of the Lambs
Scared to death by Hannibal Lecter, and I loved it.

15-Sin City
So stylish and sexy.

16-The Departed
Brilliant writing and a fantastic ensemble cast.

17-Good Will Hunting
Robin Williams in my favourite performance of his.

18-My Fair Lady
Another lavish, spectacular musical with tough but somehow vulnerable Audrey Hepburn as Eliza.

19-Closer
Some of my favourite actors in some truly meaty work. I was having scenegasms all the way through. ‘Fuck off and die, you fucked up slag’ remains one of my favourite movie lines ever.

20-The Prestige
A really big story, with big performances. I was creeped out but thrilled by it.

21-Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Worth it just for the ping-pong scene.

22-Sense and Sensibility
More costume drama!

23-The Hunger Games
I loved the book, and the film totally did it justice.

24-The Wizard of Oz
Is there anyone who doesn’t love this film? The seminal Movie Musical

25-Up
The first twenty minutes had me in tears, and I was hooked.

Fight Club
Black Swan
Zodiac
Moulin Rouge
Henry V
Forrest Gump
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
The Lion King
Seven
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Wall-E
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Braveheart
Gladiator
The Little Mermaid
Love, Actually
Snatch
Pulp Fiction
Inglorious Basterds
Star Trek
Star Wars: The Return of the Jedi
Shutter Island
Brokeback Mountain
Apollo 13
Iron Man
Mission: Impossible
Goldeneye
Funny Girl
American Beauty
Boogie Nights
Die Hard
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Professional (Leon)
Top Gun
Transformers: The Movie
Interview With the Vampire
Ghostbusters II
Back to the Future
Edward Scissorhands
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
La Vie en Rose
Dangerous Liaisons
Cabaret
The Truman Show
Stand By Me
Dirty Dancing
Serenity
300
The Graduate
The Fifth Element
Sherlock Holmes
Batman Begins
Catch Me If You Can
Hamlet
Chaplin
Grease
Valkyrie
Amelie
Wilde
The Breakfast Club
Tootsie
American Psycho
The Great Escape
All That Jazz
The Goonies
Enter the Dragon
Chopper
The Matrix
Doubt
Delovely
Ghandi
Thelma & Louise
True Lies
Three Kings
Carrie
Philadelphia

Saturday 13 October 2012

Guest post- Emrys Matthews' Top 101 Films of All Time


Emrys Matthews Top 101 Films of All Time

The latest to step up to the challenge, top Doctor Who expert and blogger extroardinaire- my mate Emrys. Let's see what ya got...

101) The Quatermass Xperiment (1955)
100) Daleks’ Invasion Earth 2150 AD (1966)
99) Office Space (1999)
98) Superbad (2007)
97) Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002)
96) Army of Darkness (1993)
95) From Beyond The Grave (1974)
94) The Dark Crystal (1982)
93) Zombieland (2009)
92) The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse (2005)
91) South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999)
90) Flash Gordon (1980)
89) Kick Ass (2010)
88) Crazy, Stupid Love (2011)
87) Batman Returns (1992)
86) X-Men First Class (2011)
85) Edward Scissorhands (1990)
84) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
83) The Hurt Locker (2008)
82) Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
81) Labyrinth (1986)
80) Gremlins (1984)
79) The Never Ending Story (1984)
78) District 9 (2009)
77) 28 Days Later (2002)
76) Munich (2005)
75) Night of the Demon (1957)
74) Shaun of the Dead (2004)
73) Halloween (1978)
72) Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005)
71) Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom (1984)
70) One Hour Photo (2002)
69) Poltergeist (1982)
68) Avengers Assemble (2012)
67) Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
66) The Truman Show (1998)
65) The Princess Bride (1987)
64) Inception (2010)
63) The Matrix (1999)
62) Battle Royale (2000)
61) Psycho (1960)
60) The Last King of Scotland (2006)
59) Die Hard (1988)
58) The Usual Suspects (1995)
57) Vertigo (1958)
56) The Omen (1976)
55) Jurassic Park (1993)
54) Dead Poets Society (1989)
53) Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)
52) Dune (1984)
51) Dogma (1999)
50) Doctor Who and the Daleks (1965)
49) The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
48) From Dusk Til Dawn (1996)
47) Big Fish (2003)
46) Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
45) Serendipity (2001)
44) Moneyball (2011)
43) Watchmen (2009)
42) Evil Dead II (1987)
41) The Orphanage (2007)
40) Conquest of The Planet Of The Apes (1972)
39) The Shining (1980)
38) Blade Runner (1982)
37) Indiana Jones The Last Crusade (1989)
36) The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
35) Amelie (2001)
34) Moulin Rouge (2001)
33) Leon (1994)
32) Pulp Fiction (1994)
31) The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
30) Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
29) War Horse (2011)
28) The Prestige (2006)
27) American Beauty (1999)
26) Indiana Jones Raiders of The Lost Ark (1981)
25) Rear Window (1954)
24) The Dark Knight (2008)
23) A Few Good Men (1992)
22) Black Swan (2010)
21) Awakenings (1990)
20) Groundhog Day (1993)
19) Pleasantville (1998)
18) V for Vendetta (2005)
17) Inglorious Basterds (2009)
16) Star Trek (2009)
15) The Fifth Element (1997)
14) Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
13) Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)
12) 500 Days of Summer (2009)
11) Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977)
10) Shakespeare In Love (1998)
9) Hook (1991)
8) The Social Network (2010)
7) Dawn of Dead (1978)
6) Zodiac (2007)
5) What Dreams May Come (1998)
4) LA Confidential (1997)
3) De-Lovely (2004)
2) Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
1) Midnight In Paris (2011)

Great list, and full of underrated gems such as Peasantville (a personal favorite of mine), Big Fish and Zodiac.
WAY too much Star Wars for my taste, but a very different top 10 to any other you'll see. Excellent list Emrys.