You never need to watch another (Top 10 Films in general)

Name: grahamt

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Product:	Top 10 Films in general
Date:	30/12/04 (168 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Pure entertainment

Disadvantages: Glued to the screen

This has been the hardest of all my “Top Tens” to compile. How do you choose just ten films from the hundreds of thousands that have been made?

OK, many eliminate themselves. Clearly there can be no room for “Red Sonia”, surely the worst film ever made. However, just being an awful film is not, on its own, sufficient cause to exclude. After all, “Plan 9 from Outer Space” has achieved a cult status BECAUSE it is simply so dreadful that it has become compulsive viewing.

There are also film series, such as “Star Wars”, “Alien”, “Crocodile Dundee”, “Matrix” and, The Daddy of them all “Lord of the Rings”, which, in themselves could merit a chart all of their own. Where I have included any that form a part of a series I have resisted the temptation to simply list the entire set.

My test for inclusion is quite simple. It has to be a film that I could happily watch time and time again without ever tiring of it. It has to be a film where there isn't a moments thought or doubt before playing it again [Sam]. It has to be a film that leaves me uplifted, whether that be because of a happy ending or not.

In only one case have I cheated and nominated two films in one position and when you see what they are (you may already have guessed) you'll realise why.

So, this is the list:

10. The Reckoning (1969, Dir: Jack Gold, Starring: Nicol Williamson, Ann Bell)

The likelihood that you've ever heard of this film, let alone seen it, is remote. It is not to be confused with the 2003 film of the same name. This is a classic British “film noir”, and as such, suitably also made in black and white.

I have written a full review of the film if you want more detail. Suffice to say that Nicol Williamson, as the son of a Liverpool Irish family, “made good”, has to avenge a murder in true “Get Carter” style, whilst also fending off back-stabbing business associates. The ending is one of the best ever committed to film.

As far as I know this has never been released on DVD or video.


9. Kelly's Heroes (1970, Dir: Brian Hutton, Starring: Clint Eastwood, Donald Sutherland, Telly Salvalas)

I hate war films. So, you may be surprised about this one being in the list. It's there because it's brilliant. The story line is nothing to do with the war. The war just happens to be going on at the time, a bit like another film later in the list.

It's a bank robbery film. It's exciting. It's funny, very funny. The performances are perfect. Not a fan of Clint Eastwood, I have to say that this is probably his best film ever. But, it's Donald Sutherland who steals the show as the tank captain, Oddball.

The “High Noon” scene at the end, where they confront the commander of the remaining German Tiger tank is sheer magic. Woof, woof. I wrote a full review of this one as well.


8. Jean de Florette/Manon des Sources (1986/1987, Dir: Claude Berri, Starring: Gerard Depardieu[JdF], Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, Emmanuelle Beart[MdS])

OK, this is where I cheat. However, you cannot include one film without including the other. They are inseparable. In my opinion they are the finest foreign language films ever made. If you watch them you'll have to do so with subtitles, unless you speak French.

The first film stars the incomparable Gerard Depardieu, who is so much better in his natural language than in rubbish like “Green Card”. If you ever get a chance, also watch “Le Retour de Martin Guerre”, upon which the watered-down version “Sommersby” was based. It is to French drama what Arthur Miller's “The Crucible” is to American drama.

The second stars one of the World's most beautiful women, the simply stunning Emmanuelle Beart. You probably saw her on Mission Impossible. This was one of her first starring roles. It's easy to understand the effect she had on those around her.

The story is of greed, betrayal and revenge but for the revenge you have to watch the second film. The revenge comes in an unexpected way and is all the more sweet as the villain finally discovers that he has brought the misfortune on himself.

Oh, and it has absolutely nothing to do with Stella Artois!


7. Erin Brockovitch (2000, Dir: Steven Soderbergh, Starring: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney)

I am a huge fan of Julia Roberts. She is one of the finest actresses in the World. I have yet to watch a film in which she performs, that I haven't enjoyed immensely.

Erin Brockovitch is based on a real story although it's clear that it has had a Hollywood make-over. However, Roberts makes the character of Brockovitch totally believable and even sympathetic despite the dysfunctional family environment in which she lives.

Finney is superb as lawyer Ed Masry, who finds Brockovitch a bit of a handful but comes around to understanding and supporting her crusade against big business and their unethical practices, which have all but destroyed an entire community.

As a tale of the triumph of the little man over corporate machine, it's a masterpiece.


6. Ronin (1997, Dir: John Frankenheimer, Starring: Robert de Niro, Jean Reno, Natascha McElhone)

Still universally considered to contain the best car chase of all time, this brilliant film is so much more than that.

It stars my all-time favourite foreign actor, Jean Reno. He alone could probably have contributed all of his films to the Top Ten; “Leon”, “Nikita”... need I say more? But we mustn't be greedy.

The story is superb and the whole cast contribute to making this totally engrossing. Almost but not quite the best ever action movie.


5. The Name of the Rose (1986, Dir: Jean-Jacques Annaud, Starring: Sean Connery, Christian Slater, F Murray Abraham)

Umberto Eco is always a difficult read. As a film adaptation this was always going to be a challenge but it's a challenge that has been taken on and works superbly.

Featuring a collection of probably the ugliest characters ever to grace the screen, this mediaeval murder mystery shows Cadfael how it should be done. Connery's portrayal of the arrogant William of Baskerville, whose conviction of his own intellectual superiority eventually leads him to the murderer but also into trouble with the Inquisition.

F Murray Abraham's Bernardo Gui, the Pope's Inquisitor is pure evil whilst the very young Christian Slater's Adso, William's novice, gives exactly the right degree of awe and bewilderment.

This is now at last out on DVD. I got it for Christmas and watched it again last night. Superb.


4. Notting Hill (1999, Dir: Roger Michell, Starring: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans)

Everyone says Grant is one-dimensional. I feel that's a bit harsh. It's a bit like saying Roger Moore, Keanu Reeves or Paul Hogan are one-dimensional! OK, I see what you mean!

However, what he does he does very well, so long as he has the right script. And if there's one thing that Richard Curtis knows how to do it's write a script that brings the best out of Grant.

This one brings the best out of the entire cast. Roberts is, as usual, superb. But the revelation is Ifans.

This is the ultimate feel-good movie. Other than...


3. Casablanca (1942, Dir: Michael Curtiz, Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains)

It's dated. It's sentimental. It's hammy. It's brilliant.

Casablanca I must have watched 30 or 40 times, and I never ever get tired of it. I have it on video. I'm thinking of buying it on DVD.

It's very “black and white” and I don't mean the colour of the film. All the baddies are really bad; all the goodies are really good (as befits a wartime movie, made to “encourage” the US to join in).

Except for Bogart and Rains. Are they moral, immoral or amoral? You keep wondering right to the end. And the ending was still being written as the film was being made so no one knew how it would end until the final scenes were shot.

How they decided to end it was shear perfection.


2. Die Hard (1988, Dir: John McTiernan, Starring: Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman)

The greatest action movie ever and so much better than the others in the series. Not perfect, I accept; what movie is?

This was a young Willis, at the height of his popularity but it is Rickman who steals the show. If Jean Reno is my favourite foreign actor than at the moment, Rickman is my favourite Brit actor. Simply magnificent. In him ,you really can believe someone can be that totally ruthless.

OK, there's the sentimental moments but you really can't have a film that's all non-stop unrelenting action. Die Hard manages to get just the right balance.

Nearly number one, but not quite because number one is...


1. A Clockwork Orange (1971, Dir: Stanley Kubrick, Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Warren Clarke, Patrick Magee)

I first saw this brilliant film (twice) when it was originally released. I then didn't see it again for another 30 years. But I always remembered it and it remained my all-time best film ever.

If you remember, Kubrick withdrew it after a couple of incidents suggested “copycat” violence. A huge over-reaction and one that only served to raise the movie to cult status.

When it was re-released, after Kubrick's death, I snapped up a DVD copy to see if my memories of the film had betrayed me. But no, I stand by my opinion.

This is a deep film and the treatment of Anthony Burgess' book has been perhaps not entirely faithful but as a portrayal of political moral corruption there surely has not been anything finer.

McDowell has rarely done anything better. His Alex is absolutely right and, as the political pawn he still dominates the film.


So, there you are. Ten of the very best. You are probably surprised at some of the inclusions. Maybe you're even more surprised about some that didn't make the list. So, here are some of those that nearly made it. If it had been a Top 20, they would have done.

Leon

Dogma

The Matrix (the series? I still really only watch the first)

Lord of the Rings (Actually, this deserves a category all to itself)

Life of Brian

Time Bandits

Alien (any of them, though “Resurrection” is my favourite)

Crocodile Dundee (II is the best by far. “...in Los Angeles” challenges Red Sonia as the worst film of all time)

The Great Race (Have there ever been better screen “villains” then Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk?)

Star Wars

Chicken Run

Summary: So many more that could have been included!!!!!!!