100 Finest Films - Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead – 2004, Edgar Wright
The best thing about ‘Shaun of the Dead’ is funnily enough the thing I didn’t really notice until watching it for this review. It’s very British. It seems obvious, but I’m so used to living in Britain, all those little “British” things don’t seem unusual. Things like Cornettos, football and the local pub all feel very natural, not shoved in to make the film ‘feel’ British like a lot of films meant for abroad, but unavoidably are unique to this country. ‘Shaun of the Dead’ works so well because of this familiarity, this is a story of a guy I could easily know, and what most people would do if one day, for some reason, the dead walked the earth. The majority of British films to get noticed in mainstream cinema are romantic comedies and such, and that’s exactly what ‘Shaun’ is. It’s a sweet, well written and acted rom-com. It’s funny but quirky; it feels a lot like ‘Spaced’, which is natural considering all the talent involved. Its very much part of the new comedy culture we’ve seen on Channel 4 for the last few years. The script is inspired: What if, in the middle of a good rom-com, there were zombies? The zombies are legitimately gory, scary and threatening. The characters are ignorant of what’s going on for a long time, and its this juxtaposition that makes it funny, not the creatures themselves. Once things get a little worse for the group, we see the zombies as genuine horror. The film is directed with a distinct, snappy flavour that keeps a pace going throughout. Some shots are very impressive, the repeated following of Shaun to the shop and back in one take, before and after Z-Day, or the shot of Shaun’s feet going up a kiddie slide to look over a fence, coming back down, announcing the news, then panning up and moving back to show us what he saw, all in one, look fantastic. The well chosen costume of Shaun’s red tie and white shirt will probably be iconic when the film gets older, just one example of the good costumes and set design. The cast is fantastic, and there are many cameos from major British comedians. Music plays a major part; it’s so great to hear ‘Zombie Nation’ again after a few years, and in such a memorable way. The film also has the best use of any Queen song ever. There really aren’t any problems with the film, only missed opportunities with the characters and concept that leave the film feeling like its not all it could be, which I guess is up to the viewers imagination as to what they’d like to see, but overall the best zombie jokes are here, without stuffing the film so full it becomes a spoof. It’s not a spoof, its just a Zom-Rom-Com, and the film will date far better for it.

Best Moment: While holding up in the pub, the landlord returns, looking for a tasty bit of brain. The music choice and the method of attack are hysterical, and the best line in the film comes right here.

100 Finest Films - The Naked Gun

The Naked Gun – 1988, David Zucker
‘The Naked Gun’ has sometimes fallen out of my favour; it’s the kind of insane, absurd comedy that you have to be in the mood for. In its favour, and what merits its place on this list, is the fact it is the undisputed best cop-show comedy ever made. It usually has two kinds of jokes. The most memorable are the visuals. These usually work on the stereotypes of cop drama, so a chalk outline floating at sea, kicking a door in rather than open, the iconic rooftop shot of a police car driving through streets, showers, roller coasters… If you’ve seen another Zucker and Abrahams film, you know the drill. The other usual jokes are puns, usually connected to visual gags or just plain awesome on their own. It’s hard to say why the film is so funny without just repeating it’s amazing dialogue, and ruin it. All you need to know is it’s not subtle in any way, but it’s this brashness and absurdity that works very well in the cop genre. Personally, I love cop shows, and I love everything ‘The Naked Gun’ does with their conventions. The first hour is excellent, it captures the look, the narrative and the characters perfectly. It’s Leslie Nielsen’s best performance, his Lt. Frank Drebin is completely in tune with every hard nosed cop protagonist you’ve ever seen. Unfortunately, the film doesn’t end as strongly as it starts, its still funny, but moves too far away from its source material it had such a handle on. It’s not the ending the movie desired, maybe it would have worked on an episode of ‘Police Squad!’, the show on which it originated, but on the big screen its too uninspired. Aside from this disappointment though, the film is one of the funniest ever made, an extremely dense mixture of sight gags and great lines, very much in the ‘Airplane!’ style. At under an hour and a half the film moves at pace, never letting up until its forgettable climax. This is the best in the trilogy, though all three films are of a pretty consistent quality. If you like insane comedy or cop-dramas, this is the best of both.

Best Moment: Frank pursues an attempted murderer, first on foot, then with some help from a driving instructor and his teenage pupil, who has to learn how to chase another car, and quick!

100 Finest Films - Ghostbusters

Ghostbusters – 1984, Ivan Reitman
I’m afraid I won’t have much to say in this review. ‘Ghostbusters’ has been so influential on who I am, it’s impossible to criticise, without criticising part of myself. My introduction to Bill Murray, who is today my favourite actor. My introduction to New York City, which is my favourite city. My introduction to a type of comedy, the comedy of science and scientists, from which everything done in my writing now, has roots. It’s the best film of the 80’s as well. The fact is, if you haven’t seen ‘Ghostbusters’, where the hell have you been? The film is a perfect mix of the deadpan humour of Murray and Ramis with the more character driven comedy of Aykroyd and Moranis. The script is amazing, original and iconic. The ad-lib is also of note, such as much of Moranis’ Lewis Tully, who is said to have made up his hilarious introduction to Ted and Annette Fleming on the spot. If you don’t know and cant defer from titles, the plot concerns three unemployed scientists developing technology to scan, trap and incarcerate ghosts. They open their own business from a former fire station and soon are minor celebrities, bustin’ ghosts all over New York while working on the case of Dana Barrett (Weaver), who hears voices from her fridge and soon finds herself the pawn of a prehistoric demi-god. The three main characters are all scientist archetypes. Ray Stantz is eager, and curious, but also a bit scared of the real world. Egon Spengler is the ultimate stiff, completely deadpan, engrossed his work though a bit odd socially. (“I collect spore, moulds and fungus.”) Peter Venkman is described as a “Game show host”, he considers science a “hustle”, and is more interested in the women and celebrity the job brings than the work itself. We all know someone like each of these characters, because they’re all flawed people, but never does this make the film fall into examining these character flaws, they’re just there to make the guys human and therefore to make us feel for them. Every actor was at their peak in 1984, they were fresh and full of comedy energy and this all flows into the finished film, encapsulated forever. It’s the ultimate movie about the time in a mans life between education and real work, and as someone yet to reach that point, I can only see the film increasing in relevance in these next few years. It’s simply put the best comedy film ever made, and one of the most important films in my life. If you like me, you should like ‘Ghostbusters’. If you love ‘Ghostbusters’, well…

Best Moment: “Choose and perish.” An evil demi-god challenges the team to choose their destructor. They try to empty their heads, but something just pops in there. Their choice is iconic and the best reveal in any film.

100 Finest Films - The Iron Giant

The Iron Giant – 1999, Brad Bird
Since the mid-nineties or so, traditional motion picture animation in the west has been dead. It found a peak with ‘The Lion King’, then simply stopped producing quality. Disney even outright quit making traditional films a few years ago, and while Pixar gets the blame for this, they are not at fault. So many believe any story put through a computer will be as great as Pixar’s classics, but that’s simply not true. Just take filmmaker Brad Bird. The force behind ‘The Incredibles’, one of Pixar’s best, is also the origin of this often forgotten masterpiece. Unfortunately, in 1999 ‘The Iron Giant’ didn’t make much of an impact, I don’t remember it being advertised much and didn’t see it on release. This was the last great western animated film. It uses computers a lot, but in subtle, quality enhancing ways. Loosely based on Ted Hughes’ book ‘The Iron Man’, ‘The Iron Giant’ pretty much abandons the eco-friendly drive of the book for a story of friendship, paranoia and redemption. Hogarth Hughes is a lonely but otherwise happy child who stumbles upon the alien machine and tries to hide it from government agents, the army and his mother. Hogarth is one of the best child characters in any film, the story is told from his perspective so it isn’t condescending, but at the same time the world of the film and adult characters aren’t twisted into some childish fantasy. There are things an adult will pick up watching this film, especially one who knows a bit about the era it is set in (The 50’s), that Hogarth and a child audience don’t, but this isn’t winking at the adults like some crazed drunk coming onto you, its just an example of what we filter out as a child. The innuendo, the politics, its there, its just ignored when not understood. The character of government agent Kent Mansley is best at this, his beliefs on foreign powers look insane, but its not far from the truth of the times. He is funny for the most part, but as the plot escalates he gains an edge, threatening and eventually dangerous. He is just one of a fully rounded cast of characters, everyone seems like a real person, mostly the work of a great script and good performances from a surprising cast. Jennifer Aniston and Vin Diesel are the two biggest stars in the film, but unlike a lot of celebrity voices in animation, attention isn’t draw to them. Bird isn’t shouting “Look! Look who it is!”, and its very refreshing. Aniston actually gives a great performance, we feel like we know her, and most of us do, but we don’t recognise her. The familiarity is such a boost for her part as the mom, creating a depth of relationship between mother and son that wouldn’t have worked if not for some inspired casting. This is one of the few movies that consistently makes me cry at the end, and there’s maybe about five I’ve ever seen I can say that for. The soundtrack plays a big role in this, a lot of string instruments make it very tear inducing, but also the team who did all the matt paintings for the backgrounds, which are gorgeous, digitally manipulated and layered to give depth, and well chosen tones and colours to make the mood darker and colder as the film nears its end. Ultimately, this is one of the best animated films of all time, the period setting and excellent story means it stays fresh again and again.

Best Moment: Hogarth and The Giant look up at the night sky and discuss death, and what it means to kill. It’s one of the most tender and heartfelt moments of any film, and best epitomises why the film works.

100 Finest Films - House of Flying Daggers

House of Flying Daggers – 2004, Zhang Yimou
Imagine this scenario. You’re a happily married man, sat at a bar, when the most beautiful woman you’ve ever laid eyes on starts coming on to you. You learn a bit about her, she’s very nice, yet you don’t think she’s an especially great person. But she looks like an angel. What do you do? ‘House of Flying Daggers’ is the filmic equivalent of this problem. It has the best cinematography ever. Hands down, it wins. Its costumes are also probably the best in any film. Its music is haunting. It’s lead actors, gripping. But its script fails it, there are so many crippling twists in the last act, twists that corrupt moments of pure amazement from earlier, they cannot be ignored. This isn’t a problem with the lines spoken or the concept; it’s simply a number of twists that, like ‘Fight Club’, change the nature of what you saw, and therefore, how good they are. I want to say this is one of my all time favourite movies. I want to dump my wife and have this goddess. But, in the end, I remember my wife, I remember what a great script should look like, and I have to say no. I kick myself forever, but it has to be no. The film has a great premise, Jin, a police captain poses as a warrior, saving Mei, a captive member of the rebel group, the ‘Flying Daggers’, and leads her back to her home, while his team and partner Leo are not far behind, looking to find the ‘Daggers’ new leader. But as they make their way through the beautiful countryside, a passion grows between them, and Jin has a moral crisis. Damn! Every time I think about this film my heart aches, it is so amazing. It is so near flawless, I hate that its one flaw is so important to what makes a great film for me. I can’t even discuss the flaw, as I don’t want any of my reviews to have spoilers, and these plot points are major. The problem in reviewing this film is; if I don’t discuss the one flaw, what can I say about the rest? It’s almost perfect, how can I elaborate? ‘House of Flying Daggers’ is a filmic feast, a piece of art, but not a classic. For everything it achieves, it deserves a place on my top 100 list. The crew involved in putting these images on screen are among the best in the world, and Yimou is as far as I’ve experienced one of the great modern directors in Asian cinema today. That’s it, that’s as much as I can say. Words cannot describe the beauty, the tragedy that is this film. In a way, I have to recommend you never see this film. It depends what you believe, is it better to look upon perfection, only to have it rip away from you, and with it, leave a hole that can never be filled again, or never know it at all. In the end, it is grief I have for this film, and that conflict of “I wish I never met them” with “I’m so blessed to have met them.” Go with your heart, follow the wind, and if it takes you to this film, try not to regret it.

Best moment: Jin and Mei come across a meadow, but their joy turns to fear when they are surrounded by a dozen soldiers, and have to fight their way out.

100 Finest Films - Insomnia

Insomnia – 2002, Christopher Nolan

‘Insomnia’ is yet another masterpiece from one of my favourite modern directors, Christopher Nolan. His third film, a remake of a Swedish thriller, is by a fraction his best. It is the finest murder mystery film ever made, and probably my favourite performance from two great actors, Al Pacino and Robin Williams. The film’s main original feature that sets it apart from the thousands of other crime thrillers is the setting. While Nolan traded Norway for Alaska, both places share the fact they are above the Arctic Circle. Above a certain point, at the height of summer, the sun doesn’t set for months. When I first found this out as a child, it fascinated me, and ‘Insomnia’ is the first film I’ve seen to use the concept, and even better it does so with a lot of skill. The events of the film happen without the sun ever setting; meaning when it’s late at night, the world is deserted, but looks just like a normal afternoon. Pacino plays Detective Dormer, a hero cop from L.A. facing an impending inquiry that threatens to put every case he’s ever solved into dispute. His partner is looking to cut a deal, much to Dormer’s protest. They both come to Alaska as a favour to an old friend, to lead the investigation into a young girl’s death. To divulge anymore would spoil the tightly written mystery, one that never slows down, but consistently simmers all the way to its climax. Dormer simply cannot sleep, and his insomnia takes hold over him as days go by, and the ways we see it affect him are most times subtle and don’t encroach on the mystery, but do add to Dormer’s character. Alaska is beautifully shot, Nolan captures the epic scale of the place, but also it’s isolation and desolateness. The lighting is kept bright, and this is used to great effect in a nice moment in Dormer’s hotel room. The music is brooding and moving, managing to capture Dormer’s increasing disconnection with the world and the pieces of the mystery falling into place. The supporting cast, lead by Hillary Swank, are all great, and Swank’s character is an interesting one, both learning from and competing with Dormer. I don’t like to spoil the who-done-it in who-done-its, so stop reading if you don’t want to know, but I cant review ‘Insomnia’ and not mention one of its best performances. Without knowing any killers myself, Robin Williams somehow seems to capture the essence of a real murderer. He is not insane, he is not pure evil. He is so hospitable we even like him. But the layers he has, as seen in a fantastic scene where, over the phone, he describes the murder, and we slowly hear just in the voice of Williams, that he really is a cold blooded killer despite his claims. Williams is at his most sinister, more so than ‘One Hour Photo’, because here he is disturbing through how real he seems. ‘Insomnia’ is the perfect detective story, it’s characters, setting, twists, and direction make it one of the best films ever made, one which stands up to repeated viewings unlike so many other mysteries, where when the story is solved, its done. There is so much more than twists on offer here, because the characters that drive the narrative are deep, interesting and real.

Best Moment: Detective Dormer looks up a suspect, but finds his apartment empty. On his return, the killer is one step ahead, and the resulting chase over floating logs is expertly handled. But the best moment of the film is our first shot of the killer, in the distance and vague, looking back across the water.

100 Finest Films - This is Spinal Tap

This is Spinal Tap – 1984, Rob Reiner

“It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.”
There are certain films that epitomise their genre so much, anything made like it in its wake seems derivative. ‘This is Spinal Tap’ is one of those movies, which for 25 years now has made every spoof documentary compete to reach its level. So far, none have surpassed it. It’s a classic, completely original and one of the funniest films ever made. It works best when the absurdity is at a level where it’s funny, but almost believable. Fortunately for us, almost the whole film fits into this mould, the songs, the malfunctioning equipment, the history, it’s all so close to real, but just too far. You could say it was cranked up to 11, taking what is already funny about rock music at the time, and just pushing it that one step further. The premise is very normal, the loudest band ever from the UK, touring the states, releasing their album, and going through what may be their last big dispute, but its just another factor that makes it a classic. A lot the film was adlibbed, so huge props have to go to the main cast, who’s interview segments are amazing. Christopher Guest has the best lines in the film, his timid performance as Nigel only makes his absurd beliefs funnier. The quirks of the characters are what makes them all so endearing. The film sometimes deviates from its strict docu-style, but you rarely notice, like a good documentary you’re more concerned with who’s on screen than who’s working the camera. The songs also make up a huge part of the film, the music is actually pretty rocking and the lyrics are quite subtle sometimes, but amazing. Inspired lyrics like “below the haunted moon” obviously influenced comedy rock ever since. They share a lot with one of my favourite bands, ‘Electric Six’, who share similar great music/absurd lyrics/rotational membership. In a nod to real music documentaries, we hear about the disputes over their original name (The originals), and we see the band progress through the sixties on semi-top of the pop’s style shows. It’s these typical touches that make the comedy all the more subtle (Such as the names of these shows, ‘Pop, Look and Listen’ for example) So much of the great comedy lines, moments and ideas have been stolen or done again on shows like ‘The Simpsons’, and when you watch the film and think about what came after it does destroy its purity, but the film should just be enjoyed in the spirit it was obviously made, fun over sense, rocking over thinking, comedy over criticism. In the end, this is not a film that can really be reviewed, it is what it is. Due to the nature of a film trying to look like a cheap documentary, so much can only be summed up as “It was good because it was convincingly bad.”, and aside from the humour and music there is nothing else that can be used as a hook. If you like original, hilarious, rocking movies, this is the best one.

Best moment: The band reminisces about their history, and describes the unfortunate history of their various drummers through the years.

"There's too much fucking perspective now."

100 Finest Films - Taxi Driver

Taxi Driver – 1976, Martin Scorsese

To me, no film represents the 1970’s better than Scorsese’s ‘Taxi Driver’. For anyone who was an adult in 1960’s America, the 70’s were a pretty bad time. The war in Vietnam was ending, and the soldiers who weren’t scared for life were left directionless in a country where they were the enemy. For the hippies and protesters, there was nothing to fight against, and were feeling the hangover from a decade of physical and chemical abuse. The fact is, no matter where you sided politically, by 1975 a country was without purpose, without a cause, and simply tiered of the fight, but unable to break out of the war mindset. Travis Bickle, a war veteran himself, sums up a whole generation at the time. This is a man looking for a cause. An insomniac, a loner, someone at the very bottom of the rotting pile of sin that was New York City. He detests the scum of the streets, but like so many others is so jaded, he simply watches it happen, numb to all the bad he sees in his work as a taxi driver. The film is about someone looking for a cause, and with that cause the promise of getting out of the mundane reality and finding that purpose that was so recently clear. To many, Robert DeNiro’s performance here is one of the greatest screen psychopath villains of all time. While great, to me he is no villain. In fact, I don’t find the character to be mentally ill at all. Yes, he is lost. Yes, his methods are wrong and his goals confused and absurd. But his intentions and his desires are good. Is it his fault he acts this way, or is he simply a product of a place and a time? This is what the film asks, and a subject I’ll leave you to debate yourself. This is a very centred film, DeNiro is entirely at the forefront and completely carries the film. He gives a shaded, genuine performance, to the point where we can debate where he sits on a morality scale, where a lesser actor may have only given enough to leave little doubt as to where the character is. Jodie Foster is amazing at such a young age, its very hard to believe she was just 13 at the time. She is confident and capable in the role, bring a maturity demanded of such a character. No review would be complete without mentioning the films climax. I wont spoil it, but only say it is one of the most shocking and brutal scene of all time, one that hits all who see it right in the gut. It is the ultimate result of “God’s lonely men” in a part of society where they have no power. An unflinching example of how violence, twisted morality and misdirection can eventually consume anyone in a bad situation.

Best moment: Travis prepares for a one man war, and in a prolonged sequence arms himself to the teeth while practicing his moves and his talk at home in the mirror. The most remembered scene of the film, and deservedly too.

100 Finest Films - Sin City

Sin City – 2005, Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez

The art form of the graphic novel is in many ways the antecedent of the medium of film. They share a heavy use of pictures as a way of story telling, a way of communicating that mankind has used since cave drawings and hieroglyphics. For almost as long as there have been movies, there have been storyboards, still images used to plan a film in advance, to get an idea of the composition of a shot and set a visual tone for a scene. It’s surprising that, while there have been comic book adaptations before, no one has ever truly translated a piece from the page to the screen. Sure, Burton’s ‘Batman’ was inspired heavily by Frank Miller, sure we’ve had decades of comics in the cinema, but no one has taken a book and been so dedicated in running with it, to put the images as drawn onto film as close as possible. ‘Sin City’ does this, and it does it so well Rodriguez gave Frank Miller co-director credit. It pays off too, the film is amazing to look at. Almost every shot has had so much more time put into it than an average film, because Miller spent years doing what is normally done in months, storyboarding. The composition of every shot is stunning, the high contrast between black and white adding its share in the film’s delicious visuals. But Rodriguez knows you can’t just take a graphic novel and translate it directly, you can’t just have a series of still images. The movement and pace he adds cannot be overlooked, this is as much his work as Millers. Visuals aside, ‘Sin City’ has as much to offer everywhere else. The sound and music choices are spot on for a universe of eternal night, of a dingy, corrupt city of violence and sleaze. The dialogue is amazing; every line is a bit of Noir-poetry, as drenched in smoke and whiskey as the throats choking them out. Roark, Willis and Owen each handle this Uber-noir like it’s second nature, not once are the OTT remarks anything but awesome, even though in less capable hands they could just come out awful. Since there are three stories, there is a large ensemble cast, and each one takes what the three main guys are doing and match it, with Del Toro the highlight of the supporting characters. While all three tales are fantastic, Mickey Roark’s tour-de-force as Marv, a hulking ugly insane looser out for revenge in the first segment, Miller’s original ‘The Hard Goodbye’ is the real triumph, including the best visuals, performances and dialogue of the film. If you think Elijah Wood is just a cute little hobbit man, you’re very wrong. Kevin is perhaps the creepiest, most chilling film menace ever, hateable in every way but still a formidable foe. In fact the universe of ‘Sin City’ is so full of great characters; it’s hard to pull any out as superior. If there is anything wrong with the film, it is only that it drags inevitably when ‘Hard Goodbye’ is over, since only a handful of moments match it’s excellence through the other two yarns. But that is certainly no reason to mark the film down or declare it anything less than what it is, a triumph in film making and the true child of my favourite two mediums.

Best Moment: Hartigan lies in his hospital bed, riddled with tubes, hooked up to machines, and Senator Roark pays him a visit. It’s Powers Boothe’s only scene, but it best sums up what Sin City is and how it works in just a short monologue.

100 Finest Films - Collateral

Collateral – 2004, Michael Mann

The best film I’ve ever seen that takes place over a short period of time with just a handful of characters, ‘Collateral’ is the kind of film you underestimate at first. It’s greatness is not comprehended in one viewing, and its not because its especially complex or non-literal. It just takes a bit of time to appreciate how well made it all is. The most striking thing about the film initially is how gorgeous it is. Shot in high-def, ‘Collateral’ is the best L.A. has ever looked on film; the best any city has looked on film; the best NIGHT has looked on film. The light, the reflections in glass, the dark blacks, the dirty concrete. The film is dripping with what a city really looks like at night, the colours, the depth, its all there. From the perspective of one cab in one night we get a better tour of the city than you could ever get in person. Mann’s camera is close in when it needs to be and is hanging out on skyscrapers when it needs to be. We see every side to L.A., the polished downtown, the classy nightlife, the sprawl induced poorer slum areas. It all looks its best, it’s most real. The city is as big a star as either lead actor, and all three do their jobs in a stunning fashion. Foxx is amazing here, we only know him for a night, but thanks to a series of events we really get to know who he is and how far he’s willing to go. To anyone who bashes Tom Cruise, I present this in the defence. A very professional contract killer, Cruise’s Vincent is sadistic and scary, almost inhuman when on the job, yet has a strange sense of humour and honour, to the point where he is a layered character, not the mindless killer he could have been. What makes the film is a great script, the way we quickly get to know Max the cab driver, warm to him, then watch as his world is shattered. The building tension in the cab as Max takes Vincent on his rounds, and the explosive climax, is very methodicaly played out. Max is hostile, docile, then numb, and through Foxx’s performance the shades of his emotion subtly change from the first stop to the last. As well as the main players, the supporting cast is great too, Mark Ruffalo’s detective Fanning is a character we don’t get to know too well, but one who we instantly like. He loves his job and he intends to stop what’s happening, even if his intuition is ahead of the rest of the police. Last but not least, as is the expected in a Michael Mann film, the music is amazing. We hear as many sides to L.A. as we see, and the use of Audioslave’s ‘Shadow on the Sun’ enhances the two best moments in the film. This is a tense, beautiful film, a masterpiece of pacing and character in such a restricted setting, both in the 3rd and 4th dimensions.

Best Moment: After a night at gunpoint, Max puts his life in perspective; and in a fantastic monologue from Jamie Foxx, improvises in a way even Vincent couldn’t have predicted…

100 Finest Films - Aliens

Aliens – 1986, James Cameron

‘Aliens’ is the kind of sequel that should be made more often. While I don’t believe it’s better than the 1979 original, ‘Aliens’ holds the title of most original, therefore most watchable film in the Alien series. Cameron does not simply go over old ground, he ups the ante, escalates both sides in what is, in this film, a war between man and monster. Weaver’s Ripley has to stand up, take charge and hold a big gun, but her enemy isn’t just one little Alien, it’s a nest, and worst of all, a queen… The special effects in the film are astonishing, the Alien Queen is completely real, it IS there, and it’s a vicious evil monster. The climactic fight is iconic, and has to be seen to be believed. But the film does more than impress with state of the art practical effects, it takes the Ripley character and expands it, and Sigourney Weaver is completely up for the more demanding role written for this film. A slow building, very genuine relationship grows between her and lone survivor ‘Newt’, a traumatised little girl. Her bond with her is deep yet subtle, and drives the final third of the film. The last major addition is the expanded cast of marines, gung-ho and totally unprepared for what awaits them. Despite little time exploring any of them, they all gain enough of our attention to root for certain members, and become accustomed to who they are. A lot has to be credited for all the actors in these roles, who do a fantastic job. The lighting keeps the mood, a disturbing, cold and isolated blue for the most part, with vibrant red when in peril. But it’s not all good news. While there is nothing wrong with the score, it is not memorable and used extremely sparingly. This adds to the unease for the most part, but in some key scenes a bit of music could have enhanced the drama. The film also fails to put over the single aliens as a major threat alone, which would have added tension and drama to the scenes with loads of the things. Regardless, today ‘Aliens’ is still one of the most influential and iconic action films ever made, and next to the original they make a complementary pair of horrific sci-fi, different in many ways, but both made with the same level of quality.

Best Moment: Running out of time, Ripley goes in alone to save Newt, only to run into a creature beyond her worst nightmares. The single greatest practical effect ever used in a film, and one of the scariest monsters ever put on film…

100 Finest Films - Spider-Man 2

Spider-Man 2 – 2004, Sam Raimi

There has probably been no film that I’ve anticipated more in my whole life; the summer of 2004 I read everything written about it, watched every trailer, thought about it all the time. The sequel to 2002’s ‘Spider-Man’, which was a good if not great movie, ‘Spider-Man 2’ totally lived up to the hype it earned from me. It is without a doubt the best comic book adaptation ever made. The first thing worth noting is how well it works as a sequel; this feels like the next chapter, not a re-tread, not a straight continuation, it’s removed in time but not in character. These people are not identical to who they were when we left them 2 years ago, but they’re the same characters, simply matured. I can’t think of any series that handles this transition so well, and it’s a bold move to set a sequel the same time removed as the film is itself. Like dropping in on an old friend, things aren’t exactly how we’d expect. Peter is living alone in an awful apartment, struggling to juggle his life as a student and a superhero, all the while feeling his desire for long time love Mary-Jane, but knowing he can never be with her. For a start, this makes us care about Peter, he is one of us, we empathise and are interested in who he is. Usually in a superhero film, we really don’t care about who’s under the mask, we came for action. In this case, that’s not true, the Peter Parker scenes take up the bulk of the film, and rightfully so. When Peter gives up being Spider-Man, we don’t really mind, we’re too caught up in how good this choice is for his life, not our adrenaline lust. But what makes the film so good, is it doesn’t slouch when it does come time for some action, every fight and set piece is dynamic, well paced and exciting. Raimi’s talents really lie in composition, almost every shot is so well put together, and he’s had huge help from a great design and lighting team. The earthy autumn tones are mixed with deep blues at night, but it never feels too garish. Danny Elfman’s score is a little less in your face than his usual work, but is integral to every moment of the film. There is real emotion in the main performances, Maguire and Molina both especially great, Molina an improvement in enemy to Dafoe in the previous picture. James Franco is the surprising weak link in the cast, not as capable at the more dramatic scenes as he is when he holds back. For example, he’s great early on when asking peter if he knows who Spider-Man is, but his scenes of anger and shock near the end lack the reality given by others in the film. And it’s that reality that makes this film a cut above the usual blockbuster. There’s action and super-heroism, enhanced with depth and heart, and made with true talent from all involved.

Best Moment: Spidey’s right on time for his meeting with Doc Ock at the top of a clock tower, and we’re right on time for one of the best, most dynamic fight scenes ever filmed, tumbling through New York and onto a runaway train.

100 Finest Films - Memento

Memento – 2000, Christopher Nolan

If you’re ever looking for an example of how important narrative is to a story, ‘Memento’ is it. ‘Memento’ is a film that runs on how it tells it’s story, and I don’t think any other narrative has given the audience such a window into the mind (or lack of) of a character, and more invested in their hero’s plight. It’s a simple story of a man out for revenge on the man who killed his wife and left him brain damaged, unable to create new memories. This means that while he knows his name and his past, since the trauma, he cannot remember things for more than a few minutes. He constantly takes photos to remember people, writes notes on everything to stay alive and keep on task, the task of vengeance. What makes this film more than a well made detective/revenge yarn is Nolan’s chosen narrative structure. The first thing we see, is the end. The film cuts between two narratives, one moving forwards chronologically, interspersed between later scenes, but in reverse order. So we see the end of the film first, then the start, then the scene just before the final scene, then the second. This isn’t any more confusing than it’s intended to be. We are purposefully placed in Leonard’s position, we too have no idea what just happened. This plot device means over and over again the movie starts, a little earlier each time. We get to see more of the events that have happened, and piece together the story and the full picture, while keeping the main character’s frustration at not knowing the immediate past. By the end, we see the horrifying truth, and see the full grim nature of Leonard’s life, and how the people around him use his ‘disability’. Mostly set in daylight, ‘Memento’ shares a lot with Nolan’s later film ‘Insomnia’, they are both film-noir in the day, film-blanc. The small cast is all excellent, especially Guy Pierce in his best role to date, as well as Carrie Anne Moss and Joe Pantoliano both playing ambiguous ‘friends’ of Lenny. The film deals with memory, grief, revenge, and purpose in one’s life in ways no other has with such quality. The film runs on it’s gimmick, yes, but this is more than that. It’s an intuitive natural way of telling this story, and its how the story is told that separates it and makes it one of the greatest experiences in cinema ever crafted.

Best Moment: The very last line. A perfect ending, and of course, a perfect lead in to the events we just witnessed. To say anymore would spoil it, I’ve gushed enough, watch the damn thing.

100 Finest Films - Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite – 2004, Jared Hess

‘Napoleon Dynamite’ is a memorable and unique movie. So much has gone into the production design, the costume and props are so well chosen. The film is one of ‘New Sincerity’, which is in itself a huge topic. ‘New Sincerity’, simply put, is storytelling that is sincere, that doesn’t mean realism or truth, it means it feels true. ‘Napoleon Dynamite’ does not in anyway look like the world ever has, but it feels like how the world felt in the past. It is a memory. The bright, simplified colours and the garish patterns, the clear blue skies, it all feels genuine, even if it’s so obviously false. It reminds me a lot of my childhood in Florida, the bright light and stark shadow, the school bus, the wide streets. The other major selling point for the film is characters so unique, yet so damn irritating. Most people know a Napoleon, a character you feel pity for, but can see he clearly brings his loner lifestyle on himself. He is best described as pathetic, but you see though the film there is a sweet side to him, and also a defensive one. He tends to exaggerate, or downright lie about himself, again a quality most people encounter in life. The plot is thin; Napoleon goes through a typical high school life of lessons, dances and class president elections, while he and his even more pathetic brother are looked after by Uncle Rico, a failed football player who dreams of travelling through time back to 1982. The election is the major story, but this doesn’t kick in until late on in the film, the vast majority of it is just life at that time for these characters. It is a testament to a life, maybe not yours but it comes across as real. Writer and director Jared Hess has gone on to make the more mainstream and less well received ‘Nacho Libre’, a film I’ve not seen, but if you have it may give some idea of the kind of style this film achieves. I can see easily why you could hate this film; its characters are quite un-likeable, it’s slow, it doesn’t say much, and if your life was in no way like Napoleon’s you may have real trouble connecting to the protagonist. But if you enjoy quirky, original film making, you should defiantly see this film, it might surprise you.

Best moment: Napoleon is running out of time to collect his “woman that he’s taking to the dance”. He runs into the middle of nowhere only to be picked up by best friend Pedro’s cousin in a pimped out low rider. The best music and line follow. (Also Napoleon is looking frickin’ sweet in an incredible suit)

Recent Review: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (Released: 3rd February 1993)

The 100 Finest Films

One of my big reasons for starting a blog is it gives an easy to edit, dedicated space for things such as the task i've taken up this last week. I intend to review my top 100 films that I have on DVD, eventually ending up with a full list of 100 reviews. I'll put them up in a random order, and rank them when i've finished. All you need to know is every film reviewed is in my top 100 list, so I obviously like it!