A continuation of the 75 honourable mentions in alphabetical order. Seriously the more you think of these lists, the more you think of films you’ve missed off. I guess that’s the idea of this. Here we go:
The classic noir of the 40's
- Double Indemnity (1944, Billy Wilder, US)
Wilder’s classic film noir comes in the middle of a defining Hollywood era, it still holds up now, devilish in tone and sexy to the core.
- The Elephant Man (1980, David Lynch, US/UK)
From the dark surreal disturbance of Eraserhead to this a melancholic and infinitely moving tale, with two great lead performances.
- The Evil Dead (1981, Sam Raimi, US)
The original video nasty, Raimi’s satirical flesh ripping demonic thrill ride is a genre busting adventure, pushing the boundaries of on screen acceptability.
- The French Connection (1971, William Friedkin, US)
Brutally real and gritty cop drama, 70′s cinema was kicked into the gutter in this groundbreaking Oscar winner, remembered for location shooting.
- From Russia With Love (1963, Terence Young, UK)
Arguably the most influential of the Bond films, from the knife in the shoe to the scene on the train. The kind of James Bond film Hitchcock would have made
- Full Metal Jacket (1987, Stanley Kubrick, UK/US)
Kubrick’s Vietnam War drama powerful first half is let down by an action filled second where morality is soon abandoned.
Long, but frankly I don't give a damn
- Gone With the Wind (1939, Victor Fleming, US)
Not out of personal preference, here because it is so seminal, so important and so much the defining film of the first 50 years of cinema.
- Gosford Park (2001, Robert Altman, UK/US)
This upstairs-downstairs drama is a superb examination of the distinction between the classes, where his mix of cross dialogue and floating camera is perfectly suited.
- The Great Dictator (1940, Charles Chaplin, US)
Chaplin’s first talkie is an acerbic attack upon the facism of the 30′s and 40′s. Both highly intelligent and highly hilarious.
- The Green Mile (1999, Frank Darabont, US)
OH how you will weep, long: yes, melodramatic: yes, overwrought: yes. But it is inspiring, deeply moving and brilliantly written and played.
- Halloween (1978, John Carpenter, US)
So influential that now seen responsible for all the slasher movies out of the 80′s, still haunting and Carpenter crafts the tension perfectly.
- The Incredibles (2004, Brad Bird, US)
A wonderful take on the superhero movie, again the length is an issue however this is some very funny stuff indeed here.
- Jackie Brown (1997, Quentin Tarantino, US)
While I think it’s Tarantino’s best and most mature movie, however you couldn’t make a case for it being influential or groundbreaking
- Kes (1969, Ken Loach, UK)
A tragic tale which is reveared by it’s generation who saw it originally, now it’s dated but still has it’s social realism charm as well as Yorkshire wit. Lad.
Harsh reality of Vietnam exposed on screen
- The Killing Fields (1984, Roland Joffe, UK)
A further incarnation of the American intervention in Vietnam, going for a more humanist story which is more potent than the Deer Hunter.
- La Haine (1995, Mathieu Kassovitz, Fr)
An angry and relevant picture for our times, placing it right at the heart of the action of a gang feud. Subtitled, but accessible.
- Leaving Las Vegas (1995, Mike Figgis, US)
Once upon a time Nicolas Cage was a very talented actor, here he plays a degenerate, useless drunk. Hey, who’d've thought, ‘great movie’?
- Life of Brian (1979, Terry Jones, UK)
The Python’s finest work turned out to be their most controversial. Graham Chapman brilliantly stepping up as peasant come messiah
- M (1931, Fritz Lang, Ger)
Peter Lorre chills in Fritz Lang’s even more chilling portrait of child murder, groundbreaking and incredibly brave.
- The Maltese Falcon (1941, John Huston, US)
The classic film noir, Bogart is superb form as sleuth Sam Spade from the complex Hammett tale. A quite brilliant noir of the forties.
- The Matrix (1999, Andy & Larry Wachowski, US)
The stylish and lavishly entertaining, not the masterpiece as heralded to be and Keanu is a plank, but Fishburne and Weaving are on fire.
- McCabe and Mrs Miller (1970, Robert Altman, US)
A fine, revisionist western which has inspired numerous movies since, it’s photography of snow bound shoot outs is beauty to behold and cherish.
- Memento (2000, Christopher Nolan, US)
A complex but accessible neo-noir about a man reconstructing his memory in order to solve his wife’s murder. Nolan’s prowess with narrative is clear and assured here.
- Modern Times (1936, Charles Chaplin, US)
Described by many as his most angry work, if a tad sentimental it is one of the earliest attacks on capitalism. And damned hilarious it is too.
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, Henry Selick, US)
The groundbreaking stop motion animation, is a wonderfully gothic tale featuring fantastic songs by Danny Elfman and stylised animation.
Halloween and Christmas collide
[...] Honourable Mentions 2nd 25 [...]