Unsociable Cinema’s 100 Greatest Films of All Time #30 – 21

30. Mulholland Drive (2001, David Lynch, US/Fr)

Originally intended to be a TV show, the pilot was refused by ABC and Lynch took it, re shot it and transformed what could have been a lost TV treasure into a new cinema classic. As with all great Lynch films it can’t be summarised easily, but this is his most accessible and multi-layered. I could offer my own interpretation but the another could come along and disagree with me. Featuring fearless performances and well controlled direction, Lynch invokes fear, makes us laugh and most importantly, makes us cry.

"I'm co-operating here!"

29. Fargo (1996, Joel & Ethan Coen, US/UK)

American critic Roger Ebert said of Fargo that it is ‘an American classic’, the Coen bros truly great crime caper is a film which is embedded in what Ebert describes but in a way is more subversive than the ‘classic’ tag gives us. Featuring the usual Coen dialogue beats and off colour humour and outrageous violence, it isn’t an easy ride. At the centre there is the monumental Frances McDormand who plays small town cop, Marge Gunderson who gets embroiled in the complicated kidnapping affair of local used car salesman which goes wildly out of hand.

28. No Country for Old Men (2007, Joel & Ethan Coen, US)

Arguably their finest effort, adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s pulpy, violent novel, this is a revisionist Western which has everything: thematic substance, knuckle gnawing tension and superbly constructed shoot outs. It is not for the faint hearted, the Coens crank up the level of gore but do so in a cold and implacable manner. Unlike many of the other Coen films it does have a point to raise about society, essentially a nihilistic view on the state of the world and the level of evil and development which generations cannot keep up with.

The ultimate face off

27. Heat (1995, Michael Mann, US)

The pinnacle of the action genre, Mann’s stylish masterpiece manages to keep a nice slow build to fantastic action set pieces. It also features the ultimate good guy, bad guy face off in the infamous coffee shop conversation between De Niro and Pacino, which also features there best performances in years. Also a very good example of how Pacino can go over the top and not be annoying.

26. The Insider (1999, Michael Mann, US)

An extremely intelligent factual film which remains the best cinematic argument for not smoking. Russell Crowe delivers a monumental performance as Jeffrey Wigand, a doctor who is the whistleblower on a cover up by a major tobacco company to the CBS show 60 Minutes. Unlike many factual films, Mann knows how to create something dramatically engaging and stylishly shot. Dante Spinotti’s photography is cool and detracted, a perfect match for the stern material.

The self loathing narrator in Fincher's dark masterpiece

25. Fight Club (1999, David Fincher, US)

Arguably his smartest and most cynical film, Fincher finds a connection with Palahniuk’s dark material and matches it with his unfathomable technical ability. A twisty narrative that keeps its very final revelation under wraps and turns into a whole new film in the last reel. It is a demand for the audience to deal with something so grim and complex. But a superb turn from Pitt and Bonham Carter make this wholly worthwhile for any audience, who can also cope with head banging violence.

24. Seven Samurai (1954, Akira Kurosawa, Jap)

The definitive action movie opened up caused a stir across the American movie brat wave of the 70s and is Kurosawa’s most interesting film. A samurai film spanning over 3 hours, it consistently maintains our interest with spectacular battles and intriguing character development. The final set piece shot in the iconic Kurosawa rain is among the finest sequence committed to celluloid.

Ofelia confronts the mysterious Faun

23. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006, Guillermo del Toro, Mex)

The pinnacle of fantasy filmmaking of the past decade, a more contained type of fantasy, it is smaller and more personal in scale. Telling the tale of a small girl who escapes from the harsh backdrop of Civil War Spain into these striking visual worlds filled with a menagerie of fascinating creatures. This is Del Toro’s great film, a labour of complete love and the mark of a vision completely undiluted. A disturbing but thoroughly rewarding ride.

22. Dr. Strangelove (1964, Stanley Kubrick, UK)

Originally starting out as a dark, dramatic work, Strangelove would have been Kubrick’s most bitter movie. But the writing process showed him that the situation depicted is just too ludicrous and people would laugh. Out of this came the finest satire in modern filmmaking, mixing both silly humour and very dark satirical allegory and a fascinating dissection of American politics and attitude at the time of the Cold War. A film way ahead of its time.

Soldiers plot their attack upon the Japanese

21. The Thin Red Line (1998, Terrence Malick, US)

Often criticised for being unwieldy and narratively unclear, people argue that when things aren’t cutting together Malick will cut to a shot of nature. These arguments I would not deny but it is an intensely powerful work of art, a shamelessly long film which is essentially one battle on a hill but it keeps out attention. Malick understands human interaction and while the sweeping and frankly stunning battles could detract from that, it is the profound human moments which will stay with you after viewing.