Dir: Richard Linklater
Cast: Jason London, Matthew McConaughey, Parker Posey, Rory Cochrane, Milla Jovovich.
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Fantastic coming-of-age comedy-drama set in the 1970s.
349. Yojimbo (1961)
Dir: Akira Kurosawa
Cast: Toshiro Mifune, Tatsuya Nakadi, Yoko Tsukasa, Isuzu Yamada.
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama
Brilliantly crafted tale from the master of foreign-language cinema.
348. Jackie Brown (1997)
Dir: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, Robert Forster.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Intensely fun adaptation of a great novel; the performances vastly dominate the proceedings.
347. Sexy Beast (2000)
Dir: Jonathan Glazer
Cast: Ray Winstone, Ben Kingsley, Amanda Redman, Ian McShane.
Genre: Crime/Drama
Brilliantly wicked look at the world of crime, from a more raised point of view.
346. Nowhere Boy (2009)
Dir: Sam Taylor-Wood
Cast: Aaron Johnson, Thomas Brodie Sangster, Anne-Marie Duff, Kristin Scott Thomas, David Morrissey.
Genre: Biography/Drama/Music
Engaging examination of the early years in the career of John Lennon and the Beatles, as well as the relationship between the troubled musician and his mother.
345. The Proposition (2005)
Dir: John Hillcoat
Cast: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Watson, Danny Huston, David Wenham, John Hurt.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Western
Horrifically violent look at the bloody side of justice featured in the early days of Australia.
344. Falling Down (1993)
Dir: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Frederic Forrest, Rachel Ticotin.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
The ultimate indulgence film, about a man who just snaps.
343. Barton Fink (1991)
Dir: Joel Coen
Cast: John Turturro, John Goodman, Michael Lerner, Judy Davis, John Mahoney.
Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller
A powerful look into the troubled mind of a creative writer.
342. Dumbo (1942)
Dir: Ben Sharpsteen
Cast: Edward Brophy, Herman Bing, Sterling Holloway, Cliff Edwards, Margaret Wright.
Genre: Animation/Family/Musical
Astounding animated feature that combines unique visuals with an engaging story.
341. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Dir: Richard Lester
Cast: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Wilfred Brambell, Norman Rossington.
Genre: Comedy/Music
Brilliant comedy examining the world of the Beatles, from their own perspective.
340. Anger Management (2003)
Dir: Peter Segal
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Adam Sandler, Marisa Tomei, Luis Guzman, January Jones.
Genre: Comedy
Insane comedy looking at the limits of anger and acceptance.
339. Monster's Ball (2001)
Dir: Marc Forster
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Halle Berry, Heath Ledger, Peter Boyle, Mos Def.
Genre: Drama/Romance
Harsh look at the foundations of a relationship, and the price of history and loyalty.
338. Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit (2005)
Dir: Nick Park and Steve Box
Cast: Peter Sallis, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter, Peter Kay, Liz Smith.
Genre: Adventure/Animation/Comedy
Amazingly good stop-motion feature that expands on the original shorts and establishes an engaging premise along with some wonderful comic interludes.
337. The Pianist (2002)
Dir: Roman Polanski
Cast: Adrian Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay, Maureen Lipman, Emilia Fox.
Genre: Biography/Drama/War
Insanely emotional piece of filmmaking.
336. Zombieland (2009)
Dir: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Bill Murray.
Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Horror
Fun, action-packed shlock-horror movie set within a video game-esque world.
335. Control (2007)
Dir: Anton Corbijn
Cast: Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Toby Kebbell, Alexandra Maria Lara, Craig Parkinson.
Genre: Biography/Drama/Music
Fascinating look at the self-destruction of one of the most underrated musicians of all time.
334. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Dir: Peter Jackson
Cast: Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey, Diana Kent, Sarah Peirse, Clive Merrison.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Fantasy
Disturbing look at the friendship between two girls and the sinister lengths they will go to in order to maintain it.
333. Cape Fear (1991)
Dir: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Joe Don Baker.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Thriller
Genuinely chilling look at the lengths of revenge, and the cost of betrayal.
332. The Italian Job (1969)
Dir: Peter Collinson
Cast: Michael Caine, Noel Coward, Benny Hill, Raf Vallone, Tony Beckley.
Genre: Action/Comedy/Crime
Classic heist film that features some of the most spectacular sequences ever filmed.
331. On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
Dir: Peter Hunt
Cast: George Lazenby, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Gabriele Ferzetti, Bernard Lee.
Genre: Action/Adventure/Romance
The most emotionally riveting James Bond film, which manages to touch more on the romantic angle, along with the mental anguish of being a spy, than on the spectacular action.
330. Scream (1996)
Dir: Wes Craven
Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan.
Genre: Crime/Horror/Mystery
Brilliant slasher movie that uses the mechanics of the horror genre to create a compelling narrative.
329. Across the Universe (2007)
Dir: Julie Taymor
Cast: Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther McCoy.
Genre: Adventure/Drama/Musical
Wonderfully powerful musical that uses the Beatles discography as it's soundtrack.
328. Insomnia (2002)
Dir: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank, Martin Donovan, Maura Tierney.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery
Disturbing psychological crime drama dealing with the idea of sleeplessness, and the threat of an enemy who knows your darkest secret.
327. Pinocchio (1940)
Dir: Ben Sharpsteen, Hamilton Luske, Norman Ferguson, T. Hee, Wilfred Jackson, Jack Kinney and Bill Roberts
Cast: Cliff Edwards, Dickie Jones, Christian Rub, Mel Blanc, Walter Catlett.
Genre: Adventure/Drama/Family
One of the all-time Disney classics; fantastic story, fantastic animation, fantastic film.
326. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
Dir: Blake Edwards
Cast: Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebsen.
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
An amazingly fun film that shows just how fantastic life was in the early 1960s.
325. American Gangster (2007)
Dir: Ridley Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Cuba Gooding Jr, Josh Brolin, John Ortiz.
Genre: Crime/Drama
Gritty look at the world of street crime, inspired by the tale of a real street kingpin.
324. Cinderella Man (2005)
Dir: Ron Howard
Cast: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti, Paddy Considine, Craig Bierko.
Genre: Biography/Drama/Sport
Compelling insight into the world of boxing, and the limitations of a desperate man in the Great Depression.
323. The Hurt Locker (2008)
Dir: Kathryn Bigelow
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Anthony Mackie, Evangeline Lilly, Ralph Fiennes, David Morse, Guy Pearce.
Genre: Drama/Thriller/War
Fantastically eerie war film that captures tension perfectly throughout.
322. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1929)
Dir: Sidney Lanfield
Cast: Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Richard Greene, Wendy Barrie.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Horror
Brilliantly stylised classic adaptation of the classic crime novel.
321. Pale Rider (1985)
Dir: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Michael Moriarty, Carrie Snodgress, Richard Dysart, Christopher Penn.
Genre: Action/Western
Intense Western filled with excellent action sequences and some of Eastwood's best directorial decisions.
320. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Dir: Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois
Cast: Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Jonah Hill, America Ferrera, Craig Ferguson.
Genre: Adventure/Animation/Comedy
Charming and inventive children's movie with a unique premise and some wonderful belly laughs.
319. Mona Lisa (1986)
Dir: Neil Jordan
Cast: Bob Hoskins, Cathy Tyson, Michael Caine, Robbie Coltrane, Clarke Peters.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Romance
Gritty crime film with an engaging romantic undertone.
318. Frost/Nixon (2008)
Dir: Ron Howard
Cast: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Sam Rockwell, Toby Jones.
Genre: Drama/History
Wonderful insight into one of the most controversial interviews in history.
317. A Bug's Life (1998)
Dir: John Lasseter
Cast: Dave Foley, Kevin Spacey, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Hayden Panettiere, Denis Leary.
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Family
Fantastically original interpretation of "Seven Samurai," from the point of view of insects.
316. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
Dir: John Frankenheimer
Cast: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury, Henry Silva.
Genre: Drama/Mystery/Thriller
The ultimate psychological thriller.
315. Young Sherlock Holmes (1985)
Dir: Barry Levinson
Cast: Nicholas Rowe, Alan Cox, Anthony Higgins, Sophie Ward, Roger Ashton-Griffiths.
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
Brilliantly executed adventure flick that serves as a precursor for the Harry Potter films.
314. Shrek (2001)
Dir: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson
Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Conrad Vernon.
Genre: Adventure/Animation/Comedy
Inventive and original romp through fairy tale lore.
313. Enchanted (2007)
Dir: Kevin Lima
Cast: Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon.
Genre: Animation/Comedy/Family/Fantasy
Wonderful mixture of live-action and animation that creates a modern Disney classic.
312. Man on Fire (2004)
Dir: Tony Scott
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Christopher Walken, Giancarlo Giannini, Mickey Rourke.
Genre: Action/Crime/Drama
Brutal and bloodthirsty revenge thriller that takes violence to new heights.
311. The Iron Giant (1999)
Dir: Brad Bird
Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick Jr, Vin Diesel, Eli Marienthal, Christopher McDonald.
Genre: Adventure/Animation/Family
One of the most uniquely engaging and heartwarming animated features of all time.
310. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
Dir: George Seaton
Cast: Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood, Edmund Gwenn, Harry Antrim.
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Family
A Christmas movie disguised as a courtroom drama that features a fantastic plot and some wonderful performances.
309. Ray (2004)
Dir: Taylor Hackford
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Sharon Warren, Kerry Washington, Regina King, Larenz Tate.
Genre: Biography/Drama/Music
Haunting insight into the life of blind musician, Ray Charles.
308. Juno (2007)
Dir: Jason Reitman
Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, J. K. Simmons.
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Hilarious film dealing with the concept of teen pregnancy.
307. The Damned United (2009)
Dir: Tom Hooper
Cast: Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, Colm Meaney, Timothy Spall, Stephen Graham.
Genre: Biography/Comedy/Drama
An examination of the greatest football manager of all time, and his war against his own team.
306. This Is England (2006)
Dir: Shane Meadows
Cast: Thomas Turgoose, Joe Gilgun, Andrew Shim, Vicky McClure, Stephen Graham.
Genre: Crime/Drama
Disturbing insight into the world of skinheads and racism in the 1980s.
305. Gran Torino (2008)
Dir: Clint Eastwood
Cast: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her, Christopher Carley, John Carroll Lynch.
Genre: Drama
Evocative drama about an old soldier's final hurrah, and the emotional repercussions of his intentions, good and bad.
304. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Dir: Mike Newell
Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Robert Pattinson, Miranda Richardson.
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
The darkest Harry Potter novel is translated into one of the darkest films; featuring gruesome deaths, some frightening moments and the most epic scene in the series in a gothic graveyard.
303. Burn After Reading (2008)
Dir: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen
Cast: George Clooney, Frances McDormand, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton.
Genre: Comedy/Crime/Drama
Amusing analysis of the idiocy of regular people, and the government which dominates them.
302. A Few Good Men (1992)
Dir: Rob Reiner
Cast: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland.
Genre: Crime/Drama/Mystery
Engaging courtroom drama that has become all the more famous thanks to Jack Nicholson's career defining performance.
301. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
Dir: Eric Radomski and Bruce Timm
Cast: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Dana Delany, Stacy Keach, Hart Bochner.
Genre: Action/Animation/Crime
Often overlooked, this is arguably the greatest representation of the Batman character in any media.
Next Time: 300 to 251
No comments:
Post a Comment