MAN OF STEEL Review

MAN OF STEEL

 This should have been so good. The writing team behind the critically acclaimed Dark Knight trilogy and the director who managed to make the "unfilmable" graphic novel Watchmen into a pretty good film team up to reboot the Superman franchise - all but killed off by Bryan Singer's 2006 megaflop Superman Returns. Movie fans everywhere have been salivating since this was announced. Sadly who turned up was the writing team behind Blade: Trinity and the director of Sucker Punch.

 It starts well, pretty much jumping straight in with the death of the planet Krypton and a failed rebellion by General Zod (Michael Shannon) which sees him imprisoned for his inevitable return later, although sadly for fans of the seventies films not in a giant piece of glass. The planet duly collapses and Superbaby is sent to Earth - where we cut straight to him as a young adult drifting around, taking part-time jobs in restaurants and on oil rigs whilst trying to keep his powers under wraps. The childhood years are glimpsed in brief flashbacks - which is a shame as these are some of the best sequences in the film as we see the young Kal-El confused and upset by his emerging superpowers.

Sadly the film - having built this emotional momentum - all but loses it completely from the moment that Zod returns, threatening to destroy the planet unless Kal-El is handed over. This leads to a series of all-Kryptonian punch ups as the superpowered tourists smack each other about for what seems like an eternity. Whilst full credit has to be given to the effects team, for these scenes are technically very impressive, after a while the fights get repetitive. The first time we see Superman throw a punch, smashing his opponent through layers of buildings before they crater on the ground, it's exciting. When it happens for the 100th time in the same fight, it's become a bit dull. When we eventually arrive at the Supes-Zod climax, it's just more of the same and as the buildings collapse to Hans Zimmer's pounding percussion (no John Williams thematic development here) it starts to resemble to soulless destruction of a Transformers sequel.

However the most crippling flaw in Man of Steel is that it lacks a basic second act.
Something is needed to establish exactly why Superman would go to such great lengths to defend a race whose reaction to his appearance is throw him in chains and interrogate him in an army base. A few sub-inspirational flashback moments with Kevin Costner's adoptive dad don't quite do it I missed the scenes of him doing simple rescues/ bank robbery foiling and seeing the look of wonderment on the faces of the ordinary folk. It just feels like the necessary transition between the guy struggling to come to terms with his identity and the guy saving the planet is missing. The lack of humour here is also a major problem. One guesses that the Nolan-Goyer writing team decided that the nerdy japes of Clark Kent wouldn't fit with their darker Batman-esque take on the character. But even the Batman films provided some humour, either from Alfred or Bruce Wayne's obnoxious millionaire playboy routine.

Here Superman has no-one to play off. Lois Lane (Amy Adams) is introduced early as if she could be such a foil but then turns out to be as soul-searchingly serious as the rest of them whilst the script struggles to give her something to do. Ultimately the one attempt at a funny line is given to a minor character near the end and it bombs. It's a shame as there is some good stuff here, namely the aforementioned effects and the key performance is good too. Henry Cavill is a strong Superman - there's a terrific scene where he debates putting the jerk who just threw beer in his face in the hospital - combining the human and alien sides of the character well. Michael Shannon take on Zod as less of an authorative god-figure and more as a soldier doing what's in his nature is intriguing but he's hampered by his dialogue (mostly consisting of variations on "I'm going to destroy Earth/Kal-El/everything). Adams, Costner, Laurence Fishburne etc. are fine in underwritten roles.

 Given that this is the first film in history to turn a profit before it opened (due to product placement and marketing tie-ins) then a sequel is inevitable. Let's hope that they can come up with something on both character and emotional levels to match the special effects. Oh, and some chemistry between Clark and Lois wouldn't go amiss. Well he needs something to stick around for.  2/5

T. Baynton

Gatsby Review

THE GREAT GATSBY

Ah 3D. Geniune cinematic tool or pointless excuse for cinemas and studios to charge extra for tickets and glasses-hire? The debate will go on. But, if like me, you find yourself leaning towards the latter, you opinions may well be changed by the opening shot of Baz Luhrmann's latest. A flat 2D title card suddenly morphs into 3D and gives way to a shot of a green light blinking through mist across a body of water. Sounds simple enough? Words cannot describe how realistic this one shot looks - it feels like you could dive in and swim across. Arguably the opening shot of the year so far.

But then what else would you have expected from Baz Luhrmann? This is the man who had Romeo meet Juliet in an Ecstasy - induced haze and turn-of-the-century Paris bourgeoisie belting out Nirvana. Subtlety was never going to be on the cards. Which makes him at first glance an odd choice to adapt F. Scott Fitzgerald's complex class satire (personally I always thought Woody Allen to be a good choice, Fitzgerald references are rife in his films and he even appears as a character in both Zelig and Midnight in Paris). Or does it? Doomed romance and extravagant parties have been hallmarks of Luhrmann's output to date so it's safe to assume that it was these that appealed to him.

We meet our protagonist, Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) in a sanatorium being treated for alcoholism as Fitzgerald himself was to be, flashing back to the time he met Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio) and became involved in his attempts to woo the love of his life (Carey Mulligan) now unhappily married to the rich, racist, affair-having Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton). Aside from the flashy visuals (more on them later) the film's main strength is DiCaprio's performance as Gatsby, perfectly nailing a difficult character. You can practically see the flood of emotions continually threatening to tear away the flashy outward façade. The fantastic moment leading up to Gatsby and Daisy's reunion when Gatsby's excitement and nervousness overwhelm him should have landed him some sort of nomination alone.

The rest of the performances are less complex but still good, Mulligan managing to make Daisy sweet and vacuous at the same time, Edgerton a brilliant bastard as Tom and there's a superb cameo from Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan as Gatsby's shady associate Meyer Wolfsheim. Only Tobey Maguire's bland Nick doesn't make an impact, but given that he's called upon to do little but look wondrously around him that may not entirely be his fault. However for all the performances the real stars of any Baz Luhrmann film are always going to be the visuals and soundtrack and Gatsby doesn't disappoint. Cinematographer Simon Duggan and production designer Catherine Martin (Baz's wife!) both deserve credit for their outstanding work here. The film simply looks amazing, from the wild party leading up to Gatsby's entrance to the industrial smoketown outside of the city. Also the controversial soundtrack - mixing jazz standards with Jay-Z - does actually work, bringing the film vividly to life. A gorgeous original score from Luhrmann regular Craig Armstrong is worth a mention too, really lending the romantic scenes impact.

Put simply, if you're a Baz fan you'll probably love it. If however you're a Fitzgerald fan you may be left wanting. The film adapts the most basic version of the story, relegating most subplots to a passing mention or dropping them altogether. I particularly missed the scene from the end of the book where Nick meets Gatsby's father. Also some key characters (Wolfsheim, Jordan Baker and Gatsby's butler) are more or less completely sidelined. Whilst some sacrifice was necessary to get the film down to a manageable running time, when the central plot does emerge from under the fireworks and dancing it does seem a little thin on the ground. And yet for all this I still consider the film a success. It's an adaptation that Gatsby himself would have approved of. It's loud, flashy, romantic and emotional, pure cinema as spectacle. And all the better for it. Old sport.   4/5

Review by T. Baynton.

The new guy in town...

GregglesOnFilm has been busy the last few months with other ventures, but as ever is still committed to bringing you the best in all things film.

With that in mind, we welcome the font of film knowledge that is Tom Baynton to the Reviews team here at GOF, and the first of his reviews 'The Great Gatsby' will be posted shortly, with another following later on tonight.

Here's to more reviews, more often from us here at GOF, and you can expect some fantastic guest posts and reviews very soon, so do keep checking back in the next few weeks.

So, get down to your local cinema, and catch a movie.

Much love, GregglesOnFilm.

Les Miserables- REVIEW

Les Misérables (2012)

 157 min      Director- Tom Hooper

If you are even a smidgen theatrically bent(oo-er), it is hard not to have at least a basic knowledge of Les Miserables. 

RSC musical...yeah yeah yeah....critically mauled when it opened...yada yada yada...gone on to be the most successful musical in history etc etc etc... 

I had heard extremely mixed opinions on Les Miz, THE MOVIE-CAL(I'm copyrighting that), ranging from the 'life-changing' to the 'woeful misjudgement'. I was nervous before it started, as I out and out admit it- I LOVE Les Miserables the stage musical. I am a fan. I know every word of it. It is almost perfect. Seriously, almost PERFECT. It stirs up the kind of irrational, overwhelming emotions in me like few other stage productions have managed to do.

'Look down, look down, don't look 'em in the eye...', sings Hugh Jackmans' Jean Valjean at the top of the movie. 

Would these be the very words going through my head when I bumped into friends of mine who'd appeared in the film? 

I hoped not...

From the moment the film started, with a fantastically impressive CG assisted sweeping opening shot taking us into a living hell of a prison work camp in torrential rain, set to the (still thrilling after 27 years) opening bars of the 'prologue', my hopes were high. Jackman is reassuringly rough and ready, a man beaten down by his 19 years hard labour for the tragi-comically sentenced crime of stealing a loaf of bread. Right off the bat the relationship between Valjean and Javert (Russel Crowe) is clearly established, and, importantly, is strongly maintained throughout.

A trained singer and seasoned musical theatre star, Jackman excels in the part. This won't be the role that defines his career- a certain metal clawed mutant has claimed that accolade- but it is his best screen performance yet. Expect awards season to be a 2 horse race between him and Daniel Day-Lewis. His 'Soliloquay', a mere 10 minutes in, is a highlight, devastatingly acted, at times it is to hell with singing, and quite rightly, that's not what it's all about, it is pure emotion. A cathartic release, ending with another truly epic shot sweeping us off a cliff, across the ocean, and forward in time to a grimy street full of desperate, dirty unfortunates. 

Anne Hathaway as Fantine

It is here we meet Fantine, played by Anne Hathaway, giving the film its standout performance. Forced into a life on the streets, having sold her hair, her teeth, and her body, she is a broken woman as she all but whispers the words 'I dreamed a dream in time gone by...'. What follows these words is overwhelming. A virtuosic piece of acting through song, elevating the potential of the movie musical to heights it has seldom achieved in many many a year. Director Tom Hooper knows how to capture a good thing too. He doesn't cut away even once, even- bravely- sticking on Hathaway in brutal close-up for the whole song. A young woman, head shaven, screaming her woes through tears in extreme close-up, it was hard not to see the comparison with Renee Jeanne Falconetti in the 1927 film 'The Passion of Joan of Ark', and I wonder very much whether this was the directors' inspiration for the handling of this key scene. Sob inducing stuff. 

Renée Jeanne Falconetti in The Passion Of Joan Of Ark

So good is Hathaway that her brief screen time is enough to leave its mark for the rest of the film, and as the story moves on, we see her daughter rescued from the hands of the vile Thenardiers, played almost entirely for laughs, (but maybe a tad safe?) by triple barrelled duo Sasha Baron-Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter. 'Master of the House' is a joy, and pleasingly for fans of the show, the raucous, heightened theatricality is maintained from stage to the big screen, and it really works. Tick. 

At this point the new song 'Suddenly' arrives. It is decent, and I can see its benefits-not least making the writers eligible for a 'Best original song' Oscar- it does strengthen the 'adoptive Father-Daughter' relationship nicely, but it does feel shoehorned slightly. The daughter of which I speak is Amanda Seyfrieds' Cosette. If this were not a musical, you'd have to say that she was the perfect choice for the role. But it is, and therefore, casting someone with a voice that sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks' dog whistle is not the best idea. I know it is harsh, but this was one of the only things that actually grated on me, so whilst her performance was great, sadly her voice was, for me, jarring.

Her love interest is played with shaky-headed-when-he-sings earnestness by Eddie Redmayne. And he is a fine choice for the role. A grown up, but not quite a man, his Marius is a vulnerable, passionate ball of emotion, and whether it is wooing Cosette through the garden gates or torch song-ing it up with audition pianists favourite 'Empty Chairs At Empty Tables', he hits all the right notes vocally and tonally, and we really care about his journey, which can't always be said in relation to the character in the stage show.

Gazing longingly at him is Eponine. Samantha Barks is well versed by now in the role of cute girl in beret, but the big screen is a whole different ball game. In another single shot, 'no cutaway' number, the camera leads her through the rain drenched streets of Paris as the agony of unrequited love seeps, then positively bursts out of her, as she delivers another standout moment full of beautiful heartache, gut-wrenching honesty, and kick-ass vocals. Indeed, her final screen moment, the duet, 'A Little Fall of Rain', brought a tear to my eye. A star is born.

There is fine support from the rest of the revolting french students (no offence), with Aaron Tveit as Enjolras, and Daniel Huttlestone as Gavroche turning in particularly strong efforts. The latter in particular, proving just what 'Little People' can do, especially when putting a certain Inspector Javert in his place. Ah yes, Russell Crowe....

Whilst Crowe seems to be perfect for the role, with a rare physical power and intimidating intensity befitting the to the letter of the law Inspector, and has even had some musical theatre experience in his younger years, you can't escape the fact that he, on many occasions, looks uncomfortable whilst singing. No doubting he is good here at times-and while not the best singer, he could be worse- he is without question miscast. Missed opportunities are rife, and key moments such as the beautifully constructed 'Stars', played out on a moonlit rooftop somehow fail to come alive. Clearly not through any compositional fault; the direction, shot selection, lighting, design, cinematography are all beautiful. It is the performance which falls flat, and given what the number clearly could have been with a different actor, you'd have to think that someone better suited to the full demands of the role could have- and should have- been found.

The film, like the stage show, does suffer a little from final act drag. From Javert ending up in the water, through to the final moments of Valjeans life, there is not a great deal of plot, but still a fair bit tying up to do, it all feels a bit sullen, so it is a shame the Thenardiers' final moments are edited a touch heavily, as they have a brilliant knack on stage of appearing at just the right time when a big laugh is needed, and are robbed of the chance to fully entertain here. Such sacrifices I'm sure had to be made purely for running time sake if nothing else, with the final cut clocking in at a whopping 157 minutes.

ALMOST perfect, as I said.

Minor grumbles though, and I personally approve of the running time. You couldn't cut down this story much more without losing something essential. What makes Les Miserables great are the many stories which make up the eventual sum of its parts. Good on them for not bowing down to potential studio snippings. 

I must round off this review by giving credit to the stars of the show. The music, lyrics, and orchestrations. It is the combination of these 3 elements which produce in me the most irrational, overwhelming emotions and feelings of awe. To me, they are one of the finest examples in history of how it is done. No matter how many times I hear this score, I still seem to be moved by it. And not just the sections which are intentionally emotive. To me, it is the quality of the work that grabs me so hard. Add to that the characters, the story, the performances and direction, and you have something very special.

The leap from stage to screen is often difficult to get right, but this is an example of how it can work beautifully. With the raw edge achieved by the cast singing live on set, this avoids the polished, safe feel of the film it could have easily been. The rousing final chorus of 'Do You Hear The People Sing' will ensure there's not a dry eye in the house.

It isn't perfect, but it very nearly is.

RATING:

4 FASSBENDERS (OUT OF 5)

Greggles Top Films Of 2012

GregglesOnFilm - The 20 +12 Best Films of 2012

First of all, let me say that due to rubbish scheduling, we in the UK don't get some sure fire 'crackers of 2012' until 2013, (Zero-Dark-Thirty, Lincoln, Les Miserables, This Is 40) so they cannot be-and some almost certainly would have appeared- on the following list. 

There were some which came along and sadly didn't quite meet my expectations, but are still well worth a mention, such as Looper, Prometheus, Magic Mike, Take This Waltz, Dark Shadows, Brave, Safe House, Rock of Ages, Lawless- to name just a few.

There was also the odd stinker- Wrath of the Titans, The Raven, Total Recall, Mirror Mirror, The Watch.

Some nice surprises which didn't quite make the list, but were extremely good include Killing Them Softly, Rise of the Guardians, Chronicle, Silent House, The Hunger Games, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Grass Roots. 

I have enjoyed many others this year too, and of course, there are some I cannot include because I simply haven't had a chance to see them yet, but I'm told Holy Motors, Liberal Arts, Once Upon A Time In Anatolia, To Rome With Love and The Kid With A Bike are all fantastic.

So, here is my 2012 Top 20(+12).

32- Cabin In The Woods

31- Titanic 3D

30- Young Adult

29- Starbuck

28- 21 Jump Street

27- Margin Call

26- Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World

25- Marley (FULL REVIEW)

24- Dredd 

23- Killer Joe

22- Your Sisters' Sister

21- Argo

20- Searching For Sugar Man (FULL REVIEW)

19- The Dark Knight Rises

18- Ruby Sparks

17- The Imposter

16- The Hunter

15- Frankenweenie

14- Headhunters 

13- Django Unchained 

12- Moonrise Kingdom

11- Beasts Of The Southern Wild

10- Skyfall

9- The Hobbit

8- The Raid

7- Rust And Bone

6- Amour

5- Avengers Assemble (FULL REVIEW)

4- Silver Linings Playbook

3- The Master

2- The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (FULL REVIEW)

1- Life Of Pi

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

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 Amenábar 
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.