TOP 150 MOVIES

The final chapter in The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an action-packed epic of visual spectacle and emotional power.

Although featuring a mammoth running time, director Peter Jackson’s (King Kong) tale of hobbits, dwarves, elves and heroic humans doing battle against forces of darkness is one of size, scope and an undeniable emotional strength that does justice to its previous two chapters.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King balances large-scale battles with quieter moments of friendship and sacrifice. Jackson’s direction keeps the stakes clear even as the story reaches its biggest set pieces, and the performances from the central cast give the conclusion a genuine sense of weight and finality.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is an engrossing and hypnotic western that places a heavy emphasis on atmosphere, character and the culture of celebrity.

Set between the years of 1881-1882, the film stars Brad Pitt as the charismatic and dangerous Jesse James (Brad Pitt), and Casey Affleck as the cowardly Robert Ford, the youngest and weakest of the James gang who is constantly taunted and belittled by everyone including Jesse, who he considered his idol.

Both Pitt and Affleck deliver pitch perfect performances under the direction of Andrew Dominick, who created an extremely well-paced, absorbing film that transfixes and awes throughout its almost 3 hour long running time.

A coming-of-age story of immense emotional strength and unforgettable adventure, Stand By Me is a timeless classic that can be enjoyed by generations of movie lovers.

Based on the short story by Stephen King, its story of four best friends (River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell) who set out in search of a dead body is one that conjures strong feelings of joy, sadness and nostalgia.

Funny and memorable adventure filmmaking, Stand By Me is also a film about the inseparable bond of friends, and how those friendships stay with us forever.

That many will know this superb Oliver Hirschbiegel directed film Downfall through the popular series of YouTube parody videos is just unfair and unfortunate for such an astounding piece of cinema. 

Bruno Ganz portrayal of Adolf Hitler during the last days of WWII remains one of the most daring and powerful performances in recent memory, injecting humanity into a very real monster whose last grasp for power in a losing war saw him turn on his own men and label his people cowardly traitors.

Ganz failed to receive Oscar love, as did Downfall itself in the Best Foreign Picture category, marking one of the worst Oscar snubs to one of the best war films ever made.

A mighty filmmaking achievement and socially relevant reminder of where we were and where we still are, Selma is not only a masterful movie but a vitally important one.

Directed by Ava Duvernay, Selma successfully transports viewers back to a time when racial segregation was at its ugliest in the depiction of civil-rights activists fighting for the right to vote in the racial hotbed of Selma, Alabama. Yet from that darkness came a shining light in preacher and activist Martin Luther King Jr.  and his message that God created all men equal.

Portraying that righteous, commanding power is British actor David Oyelowo, who quite simply becomes Martin Luther King, delivering a stunning, complete performance that mesmerises with its grace and gravitas.

Who knew that during 12 prolific years when filmmaker Richard Linklater was creating films such as Before Sunrise, Me & Orson Welles and Bernie that he was also hard at work filming and piecing together the movie of his career? Yet that is exactly what he delivered with Boyhood, an ambitious and suitably epic chronicle of young Mason's (Ella Coltrone) journey from six-year-old boy to 18-year-old young man.

Linklater's presentation that life is but a series of moments is beautifully realised and structurally impressive, not to mention excellently portrayed with both Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette's performances as Mason's divorced parents especially strong.

Most impressive is that Linklater has not merely created a film but a once in a lifetime viewing experience, as we watch human life grow, interact, love and learn with incredibly natural feel and profound effect.

If cinema is pure escapism, then Avatar provides the ultimate journey to a world unlike anything seen before it, with a deep spiritual core giving substance to its most impressive use of style.    

Avatar stars Sam Worthington as Jake Sully, a paraplegic and former U.S. marine who is chosen to be a part of the Avatar program – in which a human mind can control a genetically developed alien body - funded by a large corporation so they can obtain a valuable resource found on the planet Pandora. Problem is that Pandora’s alien beings, the Na’vi, are not feeling inclined to have their planet mined by greedy humans, leaving it up to Sully to try and win the trust of the Na’vi people while falling in love with native Neytiri (Zoe Saldana.)

Avatar works due to the great James Cameron’s ability to immerse his audience into an alien world of never-ending wonder and beauty created by special effects powerhouse WETA. The result is a magnificent display of innovative filmmaking; a spiritually uplifting and imaginative cinematic experience not felt since a little film called Star Wars was released over 30 years prior.

Doing away with the eerie weirdness that is part and parcel of many a David Lynch (Blue Velvet) film, The Elephant Man instead focuses its gaze on the power of human dignity found on the inside of all men (and women) within a world of judgement.

John Hurt delivers a tender, sympathetic performance as John Merrick, a hideously deformed man rescued from a life of being a carnival freak show by Dr. Frederick Treves (Anthony Hopkins.)

As a friendship grows between these men, we the audience are shown the true value of a person’s beauty and the destructive power of judgement. 

The best combination of spooks and laughs that you will ever find, Ghostbusters successfully juggles supernatural thrills with witty comedy to make for always watchable movie that many have tried to emulate yet none can match.

Starring a career defining Bill Murray, Ghostbusters follows a group of unemployed parapsychologists (Murray, Dan Akroyd and Harold Rammis) in their new business venture as ghost removalists during a time of heavy supernatural activity in New York City.

Conceived by Akroyd (whose initial over the top first draft was taken down a few notches by co-writer Ramis and director Ivan Reitman), Ghostbusters features excellent special effects (the sight of a giant Marshmallow Man still does wonders), and brilliant performances from Harold Ramis, Dan Akroyd, Sigourney Weaver and especially Bill Murray whose dry, improvisational style, made his scientist turned ghostbuster Dr. Peter Venkman a joke cracking hero unlike no other.

The Insider is one of those rare beasts that combines intelligence, heavy drama and thrills to make for an absorbing watch.

Based on true story of corporate whistle blower Jeffrey Wigand (Russell Crowe), his battle against big tobacco, and the 60 Minutes producer (Al Pacino) who faces opposition trying to get Wigand’s story on air, The Insider displays director Michael Mann’s (Heat) knack for stark thrills in this example of the shady relationship between the business and news worlds.

Both Crowe and Pacino (the two best actors of their respective generations) are in top form, Pacino especially good at using his patented ferocious intensity used to devastating effect, delivering a performance reminiscent of his early work yet backed by a wisdom he could not muster during his formative years.