My Favorite Movies

Peter Sellers' Clouseau takes center stage in this superior sequel to the original Pink Panther film. Blake Edwards' stylish direction and Agatha Christie pastiche make for a hilarious slapstick comedy with Sellers bumbling to perfection. Arguably the best Panther film.

Frank Oz's underrated musical gem not only boasts a hilarious all-star cast and some brilliant songs but it's also a visual treat and I think it's fair to say this was Oz's finest hour. Fantastic.

Perhaps John Carpenter's most touching film, Starman is a true sci-fi tearjerker. With a beautifully affecting score, "star" performances from Jeff Bridges and KAen Allen, Starman is my personal favourite Carpenter film.

One of John Carpenter's best, Christine is also one of the finest Stephen King adaptations. As silly as the initial idea is, Carpenter makes it so entertaining and stylish that you forget it instantly. The film never takes itself too seriously and its just as funny as it is cool. Great soundtrack and brilliant performance from Keith Gordon as the nerd turned maniac. God I love rock and roll.

An impressive all-star cast leads this underrated Woody Allen masterpiece in which Woody's darkest character yet is confronted by the very demons he created in his short stories and the people he's let down throughout his life. Hilarious, clever and inspiring, Deconstructing Harry is a unique experience that's not to be missed.

Jim Carrey stretched his acting muscles in this Peter Weir sci-fi masterpiece not-so-loosely based on Philip K Dick's Time Out of Joint. Truman Show is one of those unforgettable cult movies which manages to be original, entertaining, compelling and ultimately heartbreaking. Beautifully and cleverly shot, Peter Weir's masterful direction makes Truman Show a true visual treat. But Carrey's Truman character is also very attaching and it's easy to feel for him and his cruel situation. Ed Harris offers fine support as the megalomaniac ruler of Truman's made-up world. A unique film.

Hitchock's genius is made very clear in this chilling and unforgettable masterpiece. Anthony Perkins' haunting performance as Norman Bates steals the show in what is still one of the best horror films ever. Oh, and I love that creepy skeleton subliminal image at the very end, cheer genius, took me like 5 watchings to actually notice it!

Hitchcock's strange masterpiece is arguably his finest achievement. Dark, unpredictable, stylish, poetic, odd, Vertigo ticks all the Hitch boxes and more. As James Stewart's naive detective slowly descends into madness, we are left hypnotized by his obsession with Kim Novak. A haunting, unique classic.

Probably HItchcock's weirdest and most impenetrable film, The Birds can be one of the most infuriating film you'll ever see if you even try to figure it out in terms of symbolism and hidden meanings etc. The film may sound simple enough, with the story basically revolving around mean birds who seem to have it in for Tippi Hedren's bird-like creature. But why are those birds so pissed anyway? Who are they after? Why? Arrrgh! All analysis aside, The Birds is an excellent film, with a perfect cast and some brilliant little tricks from the Master hiding around every corner. The script is also delightfully cryptic and cold and the effects, though occasionally dated, can still inspire suspense and are still a visual treat. Overall, this is one of my personal faves, very strange and very dark.

Overlooked by the Oscars, underrated by the critics, this hilarious musical masterpiece was by far one of the best things to come out of 2005. Everyone is perfectly cast and on top form, the songs are catchy and the musical numbers glorious. Hail Brooks!

David Lynch's surreal masterpiece is essentially a gorgeously grainy-looking silent movie with a heart and a sense of humour as dark as night. Amazing.

Arguably Tim Burton's funniest and most imaginative film, Beetlejuice is definitely one of the best black comedies ever made. With a brilliant cast, lots of weird and wonderful effects and costumes and a hilarious script, Beetlejuice is genius from start to finish. Extra credit goes to Michael Keaton for making the most of his brief Beetlejuice appearances and stealing the show. Devilishly brilliant.

Absolutely brilliant reimagining of the first Evil Dead as a slapstick comedy. Consistently stylish and hilarious, Sam Raimi clearly has the time of his life here as Bruce Campbell gets drenched in every bodily fluid known to man whilst giving cinema some of the best and least subtle one liners ever. "Groovy!"

A true classic from Stan and Laurel including some classic songs and a constant dose of slapstick genius.

Arguably Charlie's best film. Stylish, clever, hilarious, touching...a masterpiece and a personal favourite.

Ridley Scott's Alien is the first (and best) of the series. Hiding the monster for as long as possible, it's all about the mood and the unsettling atmosphere...oh! And that alien coming out of the stomach scene. Brilliant.

Terry Gilliam's trippy masterpiece adaptation of hunter S. Thompson's classic book is a delight from start to finish. With Johnny Depp unrecognizable as Roul Duke and Benecio Del Toro at his craziest. The dynamic duo is convincingly off-their-faces during the whole film and it makes for wonderfullly funny moments. The film itself is incredibly stylish and Gilliam's storytelling is masterful. Depp and Del Toro are absolutely hilarious throughout and there's loads of fun cameos to look out for. Brilliant.

Film noir masterpiece with Bogart at his suave best and Peter Lorre in one of his best performances.

Why the King didn't appreciate this will always mistify me. Kubrick's haunting classic horror flick remains one of the best to this day, with Nicholson constantly brilliant throughout. Classic.

Good comedy duos are a rarity. But the Steve Martin and John Candy team is certainly one of the best there is. John Hughes directs this hilarious buddy-comedy about an uptight guy's struggle to get home for Thanksgiving. Hughes' direction is as snappy as ever and the leads bounce off each other with perfect comic timing. John Candy's annoying blabbermouth is ultimately one of the most loveable characters in any comedy and the whole thing is a delight. Great fun.

Arguably Tim Burton's finest film, Ed Wood is a wonderful portrait of determination, the charm of 60s Hollywood and B movies as well as a touching portrait of Bela Lugosi, brilliantly played by Martin Landau who rightfully won an Oscar for the role. Burton's style fits Ed Wood's perfectly and the whole thing is pretty flawless. Masterpiece.

Somewhat underrated upon its release, this film adaptation of Anne Rice's classic Vampire Chronicles may not be perfect but it is still a very good film by any standards. And the excellent cinematography, costume design and make up are far from being the only achievements here. With Tom Cruise on top (camp) form as Lestat (one of his most entertaining roles by far) and Kirsten Dunst extremely impressive as Claudia, good old Brad only has to sleepwalk through the film without anyone even noticing. Louis was never the most joyful character anyway. Delicioous performances, a strong script and a story told delicately, Interview may not be quite a masterpiece but with a few tweaks here and there it could easily have been. How cool is Cruise's deterioration honestly? And Banderas as Armand? Who would have thunk it? Great stuff!

Wong Kar Wai's eclectic style is at its sharpest here in this beautifully crafted, quirky, hypnotic, heartbreaking little story of loneliness in Hong Kong. Acted to perfection by a great cast, with a cute Faye Wong stealing the show. Excellent.

Takeshi Kitano adapts his style to the classic Zatoichi story and the result is a terrific samurai film which includes Kitano's trademark slapstick, unexpected violence and off-beat characters. Zatoichi is a must-see.

A true comedy classic with Matthau and Lemmon on superb form. With a hilarious, razor-sharp script and great chemistry between every character, The Odd Couple is a must-see. Neil Simon at his very best.

Tim Burton's modern gothic fairy tale is arguably his best film because it's clearly a project close to his heart. Danny Elfman's beautiful score and Burton's delicate storytelling makes Edward Scissorhands a truly touching film with some unforgettably magical sequences. To this day, every time I see snow, it's impossible for me not to think of Edward and his razor-sharp hands. A masterpiece.

Arguably Allen's finest film, smart, funny, touching, it set the path for most romantic comedies that followed. Allen is as comfortably neurotic as ever and Diane Keaton is excellent as Annie Hall. A masterpiece.

Just when you thought Charlie Kaufman couldn't possibly have anymore mind-melting tricks up his sleeve, out comes Synecdoche New York to blow everything out of the water. Like David Lynch's epic Inland Empire, Charlie Kaufman goes all out to create an incredibly dense, complex and unique work of art like there's never been before. His decision to direct turns out to be not only daring but a blessing as it makes Synecdoche as bleak and real visually as it is in its philosophy and tone. Philip Seymour Hoffman proves once again why he's one of the best actors around with a subtle, touching and heartbreaking performance which should receive an Oscar gong come next year, if there's any justice. The rest of the cast is unexpected but absolutely spot on with everyone giving it their best shot. Charlie Kaufman's fascination with the human mind reaches its peak here and this is by far his deepest and most fascinating work to date. Synecdoche New York is by no means an easy watch however as even though it is peppered with sharp humour and delightful surrealism, its structure is so disjointed it's inevitable you'll be lost at one point or another. This is a film which demands repeat viewings and it's very likely that everytime, something new and interesting will pop up, leaving you pondering about its various meanings for days on end. Synecdoche New York is not only Charlie Kaufman's tour de force, it's a surreal masterpiece and the best film of 2009 so far, bar none. More impatient viewers will be quickly alienated but those who stick with it and take the time to explore its countless facets, will be left in awe of its dark, depressing beauty. Genius.

Succesful blockbusters are always tough to follow but with this superior sequel, Tim Burton effortlessly makes Returns a work of pure style. Danny De Vito is impressive as The Penguin, arguably his best performance to date, and Michelle Pfeiffer is blood boilingly sexy as Catwoman. Christopher Walker also provides some smooth support. A witty and clever script joins some expert direction, stylish visuals, a beautiful score to create an underrated masterpiece. The best comic book movie ever.

That The Cable guy flopped at the box-office is not surprising, it's doubtful the world was ready for a darker Jim Carrey film. In retrospect though, the fact that this Ben Stiller-directed cult comedy didn't receive that much praise is a crime! The Cable Guy is one of Jim Carrey's finest hours and the film reaches levels of genius which you wouldn't expect in such a low-key film. Fine support is provided by Matthew Broderick, Leslie Mann and Owen Wilson. Ben Stiller really should direct more films.

Truly a love it or hate it film, Vanilla Sky, like many cult classics before it, was not fully appreciated upon its release. Those unsatisfied with it were either frustrated by the film's complex structure, its out-of-joint narrative and therefore dismissed it as "too confusing" or "nonsensical". Either that or they just didn't like Tom Cruise. Both reasons not valid in my opinion when judging a film objectively. Yes Vanilla Sky demands the viewer to open his mind as well as his eyes and of course, not everyone is willing to do that. My personal opinion about it goes as follows: Vanilla Sky is a modern masterpiece, slightly superior to Abre Los Ojos it manages to be not only visually unique but truly touching and incredidibly intelligent. Cruise's performance is fantastic and he's far more convincing as a rich, arrogant, selfish playboy than the original actor. The supporting cast is spot on and Cameron Crowe will probably never make anything remotely as brilliant as this. Vanilla Sky is like a dream , it demands constant thought and endless analyses. The Oscar-winning soundtrack is also a real treat. Bittersweet, dark, heartbreaking and purely haunting Vanilla Sky is an underrated masterpiece and one of the best science-fiction films of the past 10 years.

Why on Earth Woody found this disappointing in any way will always be mystifying to me. New York has never looked so beautiful as in this touching and nostalgic black and white romantic-comedy. Manhattan is clever, funny, stylish and moving in equal amounts and the cast is spot-on throughout. Despite what the genius filmmaker thinks about it, I for one am a huge fan and along with Annie Hall and Deconstructing Harry, this is one of my favourites. A true masterpiece by any standards.

My personal Spielberg favourite, Minority Report is a flawless K. Dick adaptation. With Tom Cruise on top form, brilliantly stylish direction, stunning special effects, exciting action sequences, a strong and clever script and good performances all around, this is cult sci-fi at its wisest. Not to be missed.

The Dude abides.

One of my personal favourites and probably Billy Wilder's best film, The Apartment is a true rom-com masterpiece. Sweet, funny, smart as a whip, dark, touching. Must see.

Nightmare Before Christmas is a masterpiece. And even though the credit usually goes to Tim Burton (who did not direct it) I think half of the honours should go to Danny Elfman, whose music, songs and voice acting are all absolutely amazing. This is Elfman's finest hour, Burton's baby. The beautiful animation and terrific story along with its weird and creepy characters makes this a true classic. One which should be watched at Christmas AND Halloween. As for the 3D version, it's like yoiu're actually there and gets you to notice more and more details you might have missed out the first time round. An enchanting, purely magical film. Fantastic.

Genius. One of Martin's most underrated films.