CAST
GENE HACKMAN, MARCEL BOZZUFFI, TONY LO BIANCO, BILL HICKMAN, FERNANDO REY, ROY SCHREIDER

DIRECTED BY
WILLIAM FRIEDKIN

An intense cop thriller that dives into some dark places, The French Connection was the calling card for director William Friedkin, who supercharged the industry with his ultra-realistic genre grittiness.

Gene Hackman won a deserved Oscar as police detective Popeye Doyle, who in the pursuit of French drug kingpin Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey), goes above and beyond to the point of sheer brutal criminality, with a shot to the back of an unarmed yet guilty suspect all but confirming the lengths he will go in the quest for “justice”.

Hackman’s performance coupled with Friedkin’s innovative filmmaking results in a cop thriller that break the mould.

CAST
PETER LORRE, ELLEN WIDMANN, INGE LANDGUT, OTTO WERNICKE, THEODOR LOOS

DIRECTED BY
FRITZ LANG

Fritz Lang’s classic noir M is a film made iconic for many reasons, not the least that it gave us a chilling monster in the form of Peter Lorre’s whistling child murderer Hans Beckert.

Not many scary movie moments have been able to top the chilling scene where Hans studies his reflection in the mirror, nor have many movies tackled with the emotions of the families of his victims, as seen in the final confrontation between Hans and those he hurt.

Despite it being 85 years old, M is a film which still packs quite a punch. An American remake was released in 1951. Justifiably, it bombed both commercially and critically.

CAST
FRED MACMURRAY, EDWARD G. ROBINSON, BARABRA STANWYCK

DIRECTED BY
BILLY WILDER

Billy Wilder’s Double Indemnity is an engrossing and thrilling staple of the film-noir genre. 

Fred MacMurray stars as an insurance salesman who is coerced to murder by the wife of a client (Barbara Stanwyck, expertly portraying the femme fatale). When a top notch claims investigator gets too close to revealing their crime (an excellent Edward G. Robinson), the tension reaches fever pitch.

As a result, Double Indemnity is a sterling film-noir that does not contain a false step in story or pacing. On top of being a stylish and well-acted film, it is also quite a clever one filled with finely tuned twists and fleshed out characters. 

CAST
MATT DAMON, JESSIC CHASTAIN, JEFF DANIELS, CHIWETEL EJIOFOR, KATE AMRA, MICHAEL PENA, SEBASTIAN STAN, KRISTEN WIIG

DIRECTED BY
RIDLEY SCOTT

The Martian is a highly engrossing and moving tribute to scientific ingenuity, the tenacity of the human spirit, and the trust in faith to see dark times through.

Based on the bestselling novel by Alex Weir, The Martian stars Damon as Mark Watney, an astronaut and botanist who is stranded on Mars after a manned mission goes pear shaped when a fierce storm separates him from his crew. Meanwhile on Earth news of Watney’s survival sparks a frantic rescue plan.

With a great script by Drew Goddard, excellent direction from Ridley Scott (in what may be his best film), and a rousing charismatic performance from Matt Damon, The Martian succeeds as an edge of your seat sci-fi thriller where hope is portrayed with genuine feeling.

CAST
RICARDO DARIN, GUILLERMO FRANCELLA, JAVIER GODINO, SOLEDAD VILLAMIL

DIRECTED BY
JUAN JOSE CAMPANELLA

Although winning the Best Foreign Language award at the 2011 Oscars, there are still those oblivious to the existence of the near Argentine masterpiece The Secret in Their Eyes. 

Based on the book “The Question in Their Eyes” by Eduardo Sacheri, and adapted to the screen by writer/director Juan José Campanella, this haunting crime mystery focuses on a retired criminal investigator (Ricardo Darín) who decides to write a novel based on a 25-year-old murder case.

Transitioning between past and present, The Secret in Their Eyes works as a police procedural, political thriller and redemptive drama, filled with hypnotic performances by Darín, Soledad Villamil, and a scene stealing turn by comedian Guillermo Francella. But most impressive of is Campanella’s visual prowess, invoking the likes of an in form Brian De Palma with his sweeping camera and voyeuristic sensibilities. 

CAST
JAMES FRECHEVILLE, BEN MENDELSOHN, GUY PEARCE, JOEL EDGERTON, SULLIVAN STAPLETON, JACKIE WEAVER, LAURA WHEELRIGHT

DIRECTED BY
DAVID MICHOD

As soon as Anthony Portos’ mournful score played over the opening credits, it was clear that Animal Kingdom would not be some Underbelly retread.

For too long, filmmakers have been stuck in a post Guy Ritchie haze of flash visuals, glamorous violence, and gangster caricature. Finally, a filmmaker arrived in David Michôd who refused to follow the well-worn road layered with crime genre conventions, and as a result came one of the best crime movies seen in some time.

Yet Animal Kingdom is more than cops and robbers. This is a film about family, loyalty, and how far people are willing sell their souls in order to survive. Jackie Weaver received well deserved kudos for her supporting role of the Ma Barker to a family of criminals, but let’s not forget the spectacular turns by Ben Mendelsohn, Guy Pearce, and young James Frecheville whose innocence anchors the film.

CAST
HARRISON FORD, MARK HAMILL, CARRIE FISHER, ANTHONY DANIELS, JAMES EARL JONES, PETER MAYEW, BILLY DEE WILLIAMS

DIRECTED BY
RICHARD MARQUAND

The third entry in the original Star Wars trilogy, Return of the Jedi continues the same rousing adventure spirit in its story of the continued fight against an intergalactic empire set on tyrannical rule.

Bouncing back with a lighter tone when compared to the previous Empire Strikes Back, this Richard Marquand directed film displays cinematic heroism at its finest, with young Luke Skywalker now a battle ready Jedi with some daddy issues to sort out.

Return of the Jedi doesn’t reach the same heights as its two ground breaking predecessors, yet it is still an epic adventure tale that many would kill to emulate and a fitting end to the intergalactic saga.

CAST 
BENJAMIN BRATT, DAMIAN CHAPA, JESSE BORREGO, ENRIQUE CASTILLO, DELROY LINDO, VING RHAMES

DIRECTED BY 
TAYLOR HACKFORD

Ambitious in size and passionate in delivery, Taylor Hackford’s epic tale of three related Chicano gangsters separated by tragic circumstance, skilfully juggles several sub-genres – prison movie; police investigator; urban drama – while providing memorable Latino gangster dialogue.    

Starring Benjamin Bratt, Damian Chappa, and Jesse Borrego, Blood In Blood Out is gangster soap opera at its best with all three leads delivering spirited performances that engross throughout its epic 3 hour runtime.

Filled to the brim with memorable characters and with much stakes at play with every character twist, Blood In Blood Out is the ultimate Latino gangster movie. Vatos Locos forever!

CAST
BILL MURRAY, ANDIE McDOWELL, CHRIS ELLIOTT, STEPHEN TOBOLOWSKY, BRIAN DOYLE-MURRAY

DIRECTED BY
HAROLD RAMIS

Imaginatively depicting the banality, adventure and enlightenment of living the same day again and again and again and…Groundhog Day broke new ground by blending the rom-com with a spiritually rich story about learning to love life one repeated day at a time.

Directed by Harold Ramis by way of Frank Capra, the film starred a brilliant Bill Murray as cynical weatherman Phil whose nightmare assignment of covering the Groundhog Day festivities is made worse when he’s trapped in a time loop and forced into reliving the same day repeatedly.

Thought provoking as well as entertainingly heartfelt, Groundhog Day leaves the sci-fi out of the time-travel movie, opting for character to sell this particular brand of fantasy.   

CAST
MARCELLO MASTROIANNI, ANOUK AIMEE, CLAUDIA CARDINALE, ROSSELLA FALK, SANDRA MILO, BARBARA STEELE

DIRECTED BY
FREDERICO FELLINI

8 ½ is a marvellous and immensely personal piece of self-analysis, that journeys into the heart, mind and soul of its illustrious director, Frederico Fellini.

This semi-biographical magnum opus stars Marcello Mastroianni as Guido Anselmi, a world famous Italian writer/director who has reached the crossroads in his artistic and personal lives, as crippling directors block threatens to tear down his world, leading to a retreat into the surreal.

Essentially a film about a director who is making a film about his personal life, (as directed by a man making a film about his personal life), 8 ½ pushes the boundaries of surrealistic cinema, constantly switching back and forth between reality and fantasy to enchanting and masterful results.