TOP 150 MOVIES

Jaws established the career of Steven Spielberg, spawned the summer blockbuster, and inspired a legion of filmmakers.

Most of all, Jaws inspired fear of the monster lurking beneath. In this case it is a giant man-eating shark that chomps through the populace of a seaside town until a trio comprised of a police chief (Roy Scheider), a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter (Robert Shaw) set off to face and destroy the great white death.

The infectious chemistry between the three actors proves that the human characters are just as vital as the monster itself: a creature of violently chilling intent made even more frightening since humankind is a part of a food chain, especially in the vast. When that John Williams score hits and that giant sized fin emerges from the icy blue water, horror at its most pure is achieved.  

Controversial, dangerous, and powerful, American History X stands as one of the great films of our modern times, an unflinching look at race in America headlined by a performance that is legendary.

Indeed, Edward Norton’s performance as a charismatic white supremacist turned remorseful ex-con (piling on 30 pounds of muscle and adorning a swastika tattoo) is an uncompromising turn which ranks above the upper echelons of great film acting.  

Directed by Tony Kaye with a jolting clarity in its subject and impressive approach to its craft, American History X contains a power that hits its mark with a resounding wallop that will floor you. 

An ultra-violent, darkly comedic crime ensemble, Pulp Fiction saw writer/director Quentin Tarantino establish himself as a force to be reckoned with, creating a style that has been duplicated so many times that the term ‘Tarantino-esque’ had to be invented to keep up with the never-ending stream of pictures that have copied his formula of filmmaking.

Revolving around four intertwining storylines, the dialogue between these less than savoury characters are excellent, as are the performances from John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and especially Samuel L. Jackson. Travolta’s hitman and Jackson’s philosophical partner give the film its sharpest edge, while Thurman’s brief but memorable turn adds a dangerous charge to the middle section.

Through it all Tarantino proves to be a filmmaker able to write and deliver compelling stories, with which his actors respond with career-best work. His direction keeps the non-linear structure clear and the violence both shocking and strangely comic, turning a set of low-level criminals into one of the most influential films of the 1990s.

Martin Scorsese’s gangster masterpiece, Goodfellas features the lauded filmmaker at the peak of his craft, displaying a visual prowess rarely seen, and an authenticity in the portrayal of his subjects and their environment that is nothing short of palpable.

Based on the book by Nicholas Pileggi, Goodfellas is the story of work-a-day gangster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his mob friends (Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci) as they rise within the mafia hierarchy through armed robbery, drug dealing and murder.

An excellent cast all deliver terrific performances, especially Pesci whose portrayal of fiery tempered, trigger-happy gangster Tommy DeVito one that entertains and frightens with equal measure. Yet its success all comes down to Scorsese’s master storytelling and craftsmanship, blending an immensely engrossing story and a visual prowess rarely seen or bettered.

Amps that go up to 11. Dancing dwarves. Exploding drummers. They are all part and parcel of the excellent, undeniably funny This is Spinal Tap.

A mockumentary that follows a fictional heavy metal band on their comeback tour of America, This is Spinal Tap hits its mark with a wit and intelligence that is unrivalled, resulting in a comedy filled with iconic moments and forever quotable dialogue that has now become a part of popular culture.

With excellent performances from an undeniably talented cast, and musical numbers sure to bring the funny, This is Spinal Tap is comedy gold that’s “none more black.”

One doesn’t have to be a slave to conspiracy theories to appreciate the mastery that is JFK, director Oliver Stone’s controversial and enthralling look into the varied conspiracies which still surround the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

Kevin Costner delivers his best performance as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison, the only man to bring about conspiracy and murder chargers towards Kennedy’s death, unearthing a vast and wide conspiracy which seemingly featured everyone from the mafia to anti-Castro groups, to Communists and the United States government itself.

Of course, the majority of Garrison’s assertions have since been disproven, yet that does not stop JFK from being an engrossing, thrilling and moving piece of faux historical fact checking, with Stone on top of his game and the likes of Tommy Lee Jones, Joe Pesci, and especially Gary Oldman as Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, delivering stellar performances.

1976 was the year in American cinema where the decadence and corruption of its times reigned supreme on the big screen. Yet with Rocky emerged a film that touched the hearts of a nation and brought forward a fighter who came out swinging against a world that had abandoned him.

Written by and starring an exceptional Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is the story about small time heavy weight boxer Rocky Balboa. When the heavyweight champion of the world Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) offers Rocky a shot at the title, he accepts the immense challenge with the guidance of cankerous trainer Mickey (Burgess Meredith) and the love of his life Adrian (Talia Shire) by his side.

Written in three days and shot in 28 days on a budget of $1.1 million, Rocky is filled with exceptionally well written characters full of depth and emotion, resulting in a moving, inspirational film that stirs the soul and touches the heart. Director John G. Avildsen (The Karate Kid) successfully captures the grit and power of this most uplifting of underdog stories, while Bill Conti’s driving, rousing score has become iconic.

A defining film in the history of cinema, The Godfather introduced legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola (The Conversation) and several acting greats in its telling of an Italian American dynasty undone by the tragic circumstances of their criminal exploits.

Based upon the novel by Mario Puzo (who co-wrote the screenplay), The Godfather tells the story of the Corleone family led by Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). When an attempt is made on the Don’s life by a rival crime family, it is up to his sons to run the Corleone clan: hot tempered Sonny (James Caan), meek mild Fredo (John Cazale), adopted son of Irish ancestry Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall), and the fiercely independent Michael (Al Pacino.)

Performances from all are exceptional, especially from Brando who used his brilliant thespian prowess to create a character that is iconic in look and speech, and from Pacino with the role of Michael launching his film career.

The only film that can better The Godfather is of course The Godfather Part II, a sequel/prequel that continues the tragic saga of the Corleone family.

Simultaneously using a parallel story structure to chronicle the rise of Vito Corleone (Robert De Niro) and the descent into darkness of his son Michael (Al Pacino), The Godfather Part II saw director Francis Ford Coppola at his most ambitious, focusing on two storylines, several different locations ranging from Havana to Sicily, an unknown playing a younger version of one of the most memorable characters of all time, and the bleakest of conclusions.

Yet Coppola made it all work, creating not only the greatest sequels but one of the greatest films of all time, which featured a career best turn by Al Pacino (playing the role with an astonishing and eerie restraint) and the introduction of Robert De Niro (effectively conveying the wisdom, clarity, and ruthlessness which embodied the titular mafia figure) to mainstream audiences.  

Based upon the novel by William Peter Blatty (that was loosely based on true events), The Exorcist tells the story of a 12-year-old girl (Linda Blair) possessed by a demonic entity. Parallel to that is the story of a Jesuit priest (Jason Miller) who is asked to confront this evil while dealing with demons of his own.

Directed by William Friedkin (The French Connection), The Exorcist delves into heavy themes of faith and the eternal battle of good versus evil. The Exorcist also chronicles the repulsive transformation of a child into a monster of unspeakable evil and does so in a stark, realistic manner where the supernatural invades the real world and no one can hide behind the veil of “logic” while doing so.

Its effect was instant. Film lovers were – and still are – repulsed by the horror of The Exorcist. Yet so too are they moved by its conclusions, where sacrifice and heroism were made by men representing good in their battle against evil.