480 The Asphalt Jungle (1950 / John Huston)

I’m a sucker for a heist movie, and others will appear higher in this list, but this is one of the best. It follows a typical story a man recruiting a gang for the job, and when that job, a burglary, is carried out, a series of small incidents cause the scheme to fall apart. Huston ratchets up the tension and the black and white photography give this a real noir feel. This is also notable for an early performance by Marilyn Monroe.
The Asphalt Jungle [1950] [DVD]

479 Hamlet (1996 / Kenneth Branagh)

Twice Kenneth Branagh has directed and starred in filmed version of Shakespeare plays that Laurence Olivier had previously made as well. In both case, I think, he was more successful. This is a tremendously ambitious film, the first and only attempt to use the entire text of Shakespeare’s most famous play. As a result, this clocks in at just over 4 hours so may not be for everyone. As you would expect, seasoned Shakespearian actors Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Richard Briers, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud and John Mills all deliver the text perfectly. Less successful was Branagh’s use of Robin Williams, Charlton Heston and, in probably his only bad performance of his career, Jack Lemmon, all of whom seem uncomfortable with the language.
Hamlet (2 Disc Special Edition)

478 Under Fire (1983 / Roger Spottiswoode)

Set in war torn Nicaragua in the 1970s this is both a political thriller and a romantic drama. Joanna Cassidy gives a career best performance as reporter caught in a love triangle with fellow reporter Gene Hackman and photographer Nick Nolte.
Under Fire [DVD]

477 Life is Sweet (1991 / Mike Leigh)

Along with Ken Loach, Mike Leigh is probably the pre-eminent British director. This is one of his more mainstream and popular efforts, a comic drama centring on the trials and tribulations of one family. The cast mainly consists of Leigh regulars and is impeccable: Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, Claire Skinner, Jane Horrocks, Stephen Rea, Timothy Spall and David Thewlis, all doing some of their best work.
Life Is Sweet [DVD]

476 Diva (1982 / Jean-Jacques Beiniex)

Twisty French thriller that’s arguably more about style than substance, but is a hugely enjoyable ride. It also features a fabulous supporting performance from Thuy Ann Lu, an actress that has done very little since this.
Diva [DVD]

475 Monkey Business (1952 / Howard Hawks)

Whilst other directors are better known or more highly praised, few mastered so many different genres as Hawks, from gangster movies to westerns, costume dramas to film noir he truly was a jack of all trades. He also made a number of terrific comedies, of which this is one. The plot involving a chimpanzee and a fountain of youth pill is pure nonsense but Hawks’ lightness of touch and Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Charles Coburn and Marilyn Monroe’s performances make this a true comedy classic.
Monkey Business [DVD]

474 Amour (2012 / Michael Haneke)

Rightly awarded the best foreign film at the Oscars, Haneke’s gruelling but beautifully acted drama of an ageing couple, played by Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva, coping with impending death, is a film you may only want to watch once but is one that you won’t forget.
Amour [DVD]

473 Slap Shot (1977 / George Roy Hill)

Admittedly, this does follow a typical sports movie plot – a team of struggling misfits bond together in adversity and end up triumphant. The quality of the script by Nancy Dowd which is both funny and believable, the lead performance by Paul Newman and some great on ice violence raise this way above the norm.
Slap Shot [DVD]

472 Barton Fink (1991 / Joel Coen)

As you would expect, the Coens will pop up a number of times on this list, and this is a typical effort mixing some great dialogue with good performances from a talented cast headed by John Goodman and John Turturro, who is an actor who appeared in a lot of great movies in the 90s. The plot concerns a playwright moving from New York to Hollywood to write for the movies but suffers writers block. Events take an increasingly bizarre turn and his life spirals out of control.
Barton Fink [DVD]

471 The Good Shepherd (2006 / Robert De Niro)

Robert De Niro has surprisingly only directed 2 films, and this is by far the best. An ambitious and largely successful telling of the story of the early days of the CIA, seen largely through the eyes of one operative, played by Matt Damon. De Niro was able to use his contacts well, assembling a starry cast including Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, Michael Gambon, William Hurt and Joe Pesci. This wasn’t a big box office hit when released, so it is both surprising and pleasing that there are plans for a sequel, again with De Niro in the director’s chair.
The Good Shepherd [DVD]

470 Fistful of Dollars (1964 / Sergio Leone)

The first of the ‘Man with No Name’ spaghetti westerns stars Clint Eastwood who arrives in a town that has been torn apart by rival gangs and sees an opportunity to make money of the situation. Introducing a trademark visual style.and one of the most famous movie themes, this was very influential on future film makers, though it was also a remake of the Japanese film Yojimbo, which also appears on this list.
A Fistful Of Dollars [1964] [DVD] [1967]

469 Belles of St Trinians (1954 / Frank Launder)

Far superior to any of the 6 St Trinians films that have followed so far, though the 3 immediate sequels are all very watch able. The daughter of a sultan who has a horse running in the Gold Cup joins the rowdy school, whilst the police investigating the activities at the school plant an undercover police woman posing as teacher and a ministry of education inspector arrives after 2 previous inspectors disappear mysteriously… Some of our finest comic talent, Alistair Sim, Joyce Grenfell and George Cole are playing some of their most memorable characters in a film that has admittedly dated a little, but is still hilarious and anarchic.
The Belles of St Trinian’s [DVD]

468 Uzak (2002 / Nuri Bilge Ceylan)

A man in Istanbul trying to cope with his separation from his wife is visited by his unemployed cousin from the country who struggles to cope with life in the big city. The title means Distant in English and that refers to the emotional space between the men. A subtle and powerful drama.
Uzak (Distant) [DVD] [2002]

467 The Dam Busters (1954 / Michael Anderson)

I enjoy British war movies of the 50s and 60s and this famous story of the bouncing bomb is one of the best. A typically restrained telling, despite the odds at stake, it feels more like a documentary, though brace yourself for the name of the dog!
The Dam Busters (Special Edition) [DVD] [1955]

466 An Inspector Calls (1954 / Guy Hamilton)

Possibly these days better known as a stage play, his version has the advantage of the great Alastair Sim in the title role as the policeman who interrupts a wealthy family’s dinner with some bad news involving a girl they all know… Director Hamilton went onto have a solid career making war movies, some of the better Bond films and star studded Agatha Christie adaptations.
An Inspector Calls [DVD]

465 Rendezvous in Paris (1985 / Eric Rohmer)

Split into 4 chapters telling 4 different stories of couples meeting and parting in Paris. Rohmer employs his usual light touch, and each story is as interesting as the last one, which is unusual for this style of film. Very French, but don’t let that put you off!
Rendez-Vous In Paris [DVD] [1995]

464 The Constant Gardener (2005 / Fernando Meirelles)

A number of John Le Carre’s books have been made into films, with mixed results. One such film will feature much higher in this list, and another (The Spy Who Came in From the Cold), just missed out. This effort by City of God director Meirelles, concerns the story of a man investigating his wife’s death uncovering a major conspiracy. A gripping thriller, with a top notch cast including Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, the great Danny Huston and Bill Nighy.
The Constant Gardener [DVD] [2005]

463 Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975 / Peter Weir)

An eerie and haunting tale of girls disappearing on a school trip in Australia. Don’t expect all the loose ends to be tied up, as Weir is more interested in atmosphere than plot, but do expect the film to linger long in your memory.
Picnic At Hanging Rock – Deluxe 3 Disc Edition [1975] [DVD]

462 The Palm Beach Story (1942 / Preston Sturges)

Sturges is not as well remembered now as he ought to be, as he directed a number of classic comedies of the 1930s and 1940s, and he will feature again on this list. The plot is typically convoluted in this screwball farce. The wife of a struggling inventor decides she needs to divorce her husband, marry a rich man and that way get the cash to finance her ex’s latest idea. Unfortunately, she doesn’t let him in on the plan… Slapstick and fast dialogue abound. It’s best to forget the plot contrivances and go along for the ride!
The Palm Beach Story [DVD]

461 Star of Midnight (1935 / Stephen Roberts)

In the previous year, William Powell starred in the film that he is probably best remembered for, the Thin Man. Here, once again, he is involved in a murder mystery, as amateur detective searching for a missing girl and then a killer of a reporter who knew the girl. Powell shines alongside his excellent co-star Ginger Rogers, and this is a fast, funny, satisfying whodunit.
Star Of Midnight (Region 2)