150 It Happened One Night (1934 / Frank Capra)
The first film to win Oscars for best film, director, actor, actress and screenplay, it may be a bit dated these days but it is still a warm and witty comedy.

149 Two Way Stretch (1960 / Robert Day)
A sublime comedy from the British golden age, with most of the usual suspects present, in a cast headed by the great Peter Sellers.

148 The Insider (1999 / Michael Mann)
What could have been a dull story of how big tobacco tried to cover up the health effects of cigarettes, is as gripping as any thriller thanks to a combination of Mann’s direction and script (with Eric Roth), a restrained Al Pacino and a career best performance by Russell Crowe.

147 Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949 / Robert Hamer)
Ealing’s most celebrated comedy; this is a deliciously wicked tale. Alec Guinness has a great time playing all 8 members of the same family.

146 Oliver Twist (1948 / David Lean)
Another Dickens’ classic and this again is the definitive version from David Lean in the years before he concentrated on more epic work.

145 Mrs Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994 / Alan Rudolph)
A biopic of Dorothy Parker is interesting stuff, but it is massively elevated by a stunning performance by Jennifer Jason Leigh in the title role. She captures her vocal cadence perfectly, though this is so much more than an impression. One of the finest performances of the decade.

144 Vertigo (1958 / Alfred Hitchcock)
Vertigo is critically adored by most critics and I can admire its technical brilliance. However, this rates lower than many other Hitchcock’s in my book as I don’t find it as gripping as most other people do.

143 The Ides of March (2011 / George Clooney)
Maybe it’s because I’m a sucker for films about politics, but I enjoyed this Clooney effort much more than most other people. Clooney also wrote the clever script, along with George Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, and that marvellously delivered by a stellar cast, including Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti and Clooney.

142 Hannah and Her Sisters (1986 / Woody Allen)
Allen was on a great roll in the mid 80’s, and this exemplifies his ability to mix comedy and drama that he seemed to do with ease at that time. Michael Caine stands out amongst a typically impressive cast.

141 Hidden (2005 / Michael Haneke)
One of the most terrifying films of recent times – even though it is not a horror movie – as a couple start to have surveillance tapes of themselves left on their doorstep. Puzzling stuff with the great pairing of Daniel Auteuil and Juliette Binoche really bringing a level of believability. Keep watching through the end credits…

140 The African Queen (1951 / John Huston)
I have fond childhood memories of this film as it was my Dad’s favourite. Hugely enjoyable stuff as a chalk and cheese couple Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn bicker their way through an African adventure during the first world war.

139 The Cruel Sea (1953 / Charles Frend)
Amongst the best of all the war movies produced in Britain in the 40s and 50s, thanks to both a commanding performance from Jack Hawkins and a marvellous Eric Ambler script. Totally convincing from start to finish.

138 Unforgiven (1992 / Clint Eastwood)
Eastwood has always been a solid director, but he reached new heights with his best ever western. He is perfect too as the aging gunman on one last mission, and Gene Hackman excels in a supporting role.

137   Secret Agent (1936 / Alfred Hitchcock)
The mid to late 30s was a particularly productive time for Hitchcock, and this typical suspense yarn is not as celebrated as it should be. John Gielgud and Madeleine Carroll are particularly appealing in the lead roles in this tale of spying and assassination in post World War One Europe.

136 Winter Sleepers (1997 / Tom Tykwer)
Criminally overlooked at the time of its release, it is time that Tykwer’s follow up to the more celebrated but inferior Run Lola Run deserves re-appraisal. A slow burning, complex multi layered drama that rewards a patient viewing.

135 The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938 / Michael Curtiz)
A flamboyant and colourful telling of the familiar story with Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Basil Rathbone all at the top of their game. Great swashbuckling stuff.

134 Mr Smith Goes to Washington (1939 / Frank Capra)
One of Capra’s most celebrated films dominated by the wonderful James Stewart as the idealistic US Senator.

133 A Tale of Two Cities (1935 / Jack Conway)
The first talkie version of the Dicken’s yarn and it remains the best. That is largely thanks to a great performance from Ronald Colman as Sydney Carton, and realistic depiction of revolutionary France by Conway and cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh

132 The Guns of Navarone (1961 / J. Lee Thompson)
Probably higher up my list than most other people’s. I love the old-fashioned epic, big budget action/war movies that came out mostly in the 60’s and this is one of the best. Perfect Saturday night entertainment.

131 Stagecoach (1939 / John Ford)
Another classic western. The formula was used countless times in later years – a group of disparate people on a stagecoach are in peril – but this effort from the master of the genre was never topped.

130 The Mummy (1932 / Karl Freund)
My favourite of all the classic monsters, and this version is the best. May seem a bit creaky by modern standards, but it is very atmospheric, and Boris Karloff is perfect in the title role.

129 The Thin Man (1934 / W.S Van Dyke)
Sublime comedy mystery starring the brilliant pairing of William Powell and Myrna Loy. Stylish and endlessly re-watchable. All of the 5 sequels are worth watching too

128 The Hurt Locker (2008 / Kathryn Bigelow)
One of the tensest experiences that I have ever had in the cinema. Unpredictable, gut wrenching stuff that deservedly cleaned up at the Oscars

127 High Noon (1952 / Fred Zinnemann)
In the ranks of the all time best westerns, with an interesting pacifist message, unusually for that genre. This is a career highpoint for Gary Cooper, and Zinnemann gradually ratchets up the tension.

126 The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956 / Alfred Hitchcock)
There are other instances in film history where the remake is better than the original (Oceans 11 or True Grit), but this is the only time that bother version have the same director. Beautifully shot, with James Stewart on top form.