Unsociable Cinema’s 100 Greatest Films of All Time #100 – 91

Renton on the run

100. Trainspotting (1996, Danny Boyle, UK)

In Boyle’s most exuberant work to date, he showcases the abilities he has as a filmmaker. The strength in making something stylised yet disturbing, yet this is a film about strong relationships between characters played brilliantly by the main leads. It is also the most convincing cinematic argument against drugs, yet not depressing nor does it make you feel as if the filmmaker is giving you a lecture, a la Requiem for a Dream.

99. Ran (1985, Akira Kurosawa, Jap/Fr)

Lavish is the only way to describe this remarkable epic, still a stand as one of the finest Shakespeare adaptations. King Lear as set against a Japanese landscape, the film looks remarkable, considering Kurosawa was black and white for years the use of colour here is astonishing, the strong reds and blues and yellows set against a awe dropping landscape is eye candy. The central conflict is also beautifully played.

Grant on the run. Iconic cinema

98. North by Northwest (1959, Alfred Hitchcock, US)

The great mistaken identity film is a wonderfully enjoyable suspense film. Cary Grant is at his very finest playing the man who is wrongly accused of being an American secret agent. Featuring numerous set pieces which became copied and classic within a matter of years, the crop spraying plane being one of the finest film moments of all time.

97. Toy Story (1995, John Lasseter, US)

Still the crowning point of the Pixar Production movies. It was the film which changed the face of animation for bad but fundamentally good reasons. The voice over casting is superbly inventive, Tom Hanks never bettered his bitter and charming performance as Woody in the flesh and the story is both kid and adult friendly. A quite brilliant movie which many people of my generation say is the pinnacle of films from their time.

'I am your father'

96. Star Wars Episode V The Empire Strikes Back (1980, Irvin Kershner, US)

The best and darkest of the Star Wars saga sees a big step up from the camp goings on of Lucas’ original. On every level the quality is turned up, the Lucas off the script (he only wrote the story) the dialogue is much snappier and less exposition heavy. The performances now appear to be directed rather than just there and the already impressive special effects are bumped up a notch. A more impressive film overall and one of the finest.

95. All the President’s Men (1976, Alan J Pakula, US)

Coming hot off the press from Woodward and Bernstein’s profile of the Watergate affair, this is a great movie that is clearly about trials and tribulations of journalism as much as it is about 70′s America. Devoid of any action, it plays more like a paranoid thriller the most intense scenes coming from Hal Holbrook’s chilling performance as the insider Deep Throat. Containing great performances from both Hoffman and Redford, this is one of the 70′s cinema classics.

Brilliant expressionist southern gothic

94. The Night of the Hunter (1955, Charles Laughton, US)

A complete flop on release, critically derided and reviled by audiences, Laughton’s creeping and disturbing horror masterpiece should have made him a directing legend. However it practically sank that and he never returned to the director’s chair again. A shame really. Robert Mitchum is perfectly cast as the genuinely evil Harry Powell, cast against type as the villainous role embodies everything hateful about characters. A great slice of southern gothic.

93. Wings of Desire [Der Himmel uber Berlin] (1987, Wim Wenders, Ger)

A truly bizarre story about an angel who wishes to become a human when he falls in love with a mortal being. The film is beautiful to look at, Wenders partial black and white photography is pretty awe inspiring. Bruno Ganz excels in the central role pulling out his best performance outside of Downfall. The terrible remake starring Nicolas Cage is testament as to how brilliant Wenders film is, a political portrait of divided Berlin that also has a warm heart and emotional core.

Allen subverts the romantic drink on the balcony

92. Annie Hall (1977, Woody Allen, US)

I have a confession to make. I used to hate Woody Allen. I thought he was unfunny, quite perverted and very overrated. However I was turned around. Of course this is one of the finest comedies ever to come out of America. Testament to Allen’s comedic genius that his dates consist of taking Annie to see Ingmar Bergman films and Holocaust documentaries. The wise cracks about masturbation are genius and his social commentary unmatched. Lucas was not done over.

91. Ed Wood (1994, Tim Burton, US)

Great biopics rely on so many factors, great performances, good dissection of the person at the centre and a script which can do a legend justice. Burton’s masterpiece is one of the great films about filmmaking, but also subversive. We are looking at the career of a complete talentless buffoon, who had no sympathy for anyone except himself. But yet through Johnny Depp’s superb performance and Burton’s eye we find him oddly sympathetic. Deserving of so many accolades it didn’t receive.