Prodrivel

A few words on some films I really like. Some I treasure, others touched me at the time of seeing them. Some are landmark motion pictures and are epic in their own right, others grew on me over time. Some you may know, some you may not.

28 Days Later Brits do post-apocalyptic zombie horror with a bit of action. Superb.
American Beauty Some say they hated the fact the ending was revealed at the beginning, but I loved watching the journey and waiting for the moment.
American History X Scary because you know that in some places on this planet, it is more fact than fiction. Even biting kerbs.
Being John Malkovich John Malkovich, in a dress, in a surreal-as-surreal-can-be film.
Big Fish A beautifully imaginative and wonderfully portrayed tale of a man’s journey into manhood, marriage, fatherhood and eventual death while dealing with his distant and distrusting son.
Boy’s Don’t Cry I cringed, I cried. A landmark film that in 1999, genuinely shocked me.
Crash Well-written, well-acted. A great sequence of plots that combine with an overriding message that stays in the head.
Equilibrium Awesome fight scenes and very stylish in set and costume.
Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind A beautiful film that surprised. I personally cannot stand Jim Carrey, but this is one exception in which he shone along with Kate Winslet.
Fight Club One of my all-time most favourite films, ever. It has everything and nothing will ever beat the first time I ever saw it in the cinema.
Hard Candy Dark, devious and although Ellen Page’s first big success, her best so far by a country mile.
Heat Pacino and De Niro on screen together with a great story that combines love, crime and shoot-outs. Epic.
Hero One of the greatest stories ever told through the medium of film.
Hot Fuzz Simon Pegg and Nick Frost portray the country copper. Like American History X, probably more fact than fiction. Unlike American History X though, it’s a laugh-a-minute pun-fest.
Into The Wild A film that conjures many emotions and does not have a happy ending. Also based on fact and relatively close to the truth, Sean Penn did a great job with the story.
Labyrinth, The The first film I ever saw at the cinema. It freaked me out for years. David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly enter your mind and give you 1980’s induced nightmares.
Lars & The Real Girl A sad, but ultimately hopeful film that inspires one to break out of the shell and live life. Even if it is a bit strange sometimes.
Leon The second of my all-time most favourite films ever. The relationship between hardened child and burdened hitman is extraordinary.
Mr And Mrs Smith It’s a fun film, okay.
Mr Brooks How to commit murder if you’re clever. I was surprised by Kevin Costner, and was as dubious as any other person would be until I hit play. The perfect role for the Prince of Thieves.
Mulholland Drive It doesn’t matter how many times you watch it and try and understand it, it’s gonna fuck with your mind. David Lynch has a lot to answer for.
O Brother, Where Art Thou One of George Clooney’s best, a great and fun story, full of scrapes and humour and so wonderfully filmed by Messrs Coen and Coen.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest Two or three of Jack Nicholson’s films really stand out among the others. This is top of the pile by far.
Requiem For A Dream If you ever want a child to be discouraged from drugs, make them watch this film. Gorgeous soundtrack that fits so perfectly.
Seven Brad Pitt at his finest. Morgan Freeman at his finest. Kevin Spacey at his finest. A great plot that spawned many poor imitations.
Shaun Of The Dead Hilarity from start to finish in a British take on zombies and how much a blooming nuisance they can be when you’re trying watch the telly and eat an ice cream.
Sideways Okay, possibly punching in as the third most favourite film of mine, ever. Great one-liners, great plot, great story, great characters, great setting. Dry, but hilariously wet all along.
Talented Mr Ripley, The I’m a sucker for a dark and evil presence in a film, and although I never would have thought Matt Damon would be able to deliver such a performance, he gets better as the film progresses.
Thing, The A classic hide-behind-the-sofa science fiction horror.
V For Vendetta What a story! What a great plot, set and costumes. Quite possibly edging into fourth of my most favourite of films.
Virgin Suicides, The There’s something about this film that I just sort of get. Sad, desperately sad almost throughout its entirety, but also strangely and hypnotically beautiful.
Withnail & I Just for the scene when Richard E. Grant rubs himself all over with Deep Heat and drinks lighter fluid.

Image: Emile Hirsch as Christopher McCandless in a scene from “Into the Wild”.