CAST
ROY SCHEIDER, RICHARD DREYFUSS, ROBERT SHAW, LORRAINE GREY, MURRAY HAMILTON

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

From the opening bars of John Williams’ chilling, thudding score, Jaws situated itself as a one of a kind movie experience: part chilling horror, part thrilling adventure, part exploration into the male psyche and all around exceptional feat of movie making.

It was also Spielberg’s big breakout movie which cemented his reputation as a filmmaker able to mix visual spectacle with primal human emotion.

Based on the novel by Peter Benchley, Jaws starred Roy Scheider as Martin Brody, the new police chief on a popular beach town who enlists the help of a marine biologist (Richard Dreyfuss) and a shark hunter (Robert Shaw) to kill a monstrous great white shark that has been munching on tourists.

While the animatronic shark itself has not aged gracefully, Jaws remains a timeless classic thanks to Spielberg’s superb and innovative filmmaking.

CAST
EDWARD NORTON, FAIRUZA BALK, AVERY BROOKS, BEVERLY D’ANGELO, EDWARD FURLONG, ELLIOT GOULD, STACY KEACH, JENNIFER LIEN, ETHAN SUPLEE

DIRECTED BY
TONY KAYE

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 in its own right.

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.  

CAST
JOHN TRAVOLTA, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, UMA THURMAN, BRUCE WILLIS, HARVEY KEITEL, CHRISTOPHER WALKEN

DIRECTED BY
QUENTIN TARANTINO

An ultra-violent, darkly comical 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 film making.

Revolving around four intertwining storylines, the dialogue between these less then savoury characters is excellent, as are the performances from John Travolta, Uma Thurman, and especially Samuel L. Jackson.

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.

CAST
RAY LIOTTA, LORRAINE BRACCO, ROBERT DE NIRO, JOE PESCI, PAUL SORVINO

DIRECTED BY 
MARTIN SCORSESE

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 up 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.

CAST
CHRISTOPHER GUEST, MICHAEL McKEAN, JUNE CHADWICK, TONY HENDRA, BRUNO KIRBY, ROB REINER, HARRY SHEARER

DIRECTED BY
ROB REINER

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, …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 that bring the funny, This is Spinal Tap is simply comedy gold that’s “none more black.”

CAST
KEVIN COSTNER, KEVIN BACON, GARY OLDMAN, TOMMY LEE JONES, JOE PESCI, MICHAEL ROURKE, JAY O. SANDERS, SISSY SPACEK

DIRECTED BY
OLIVER STONE

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.

CAST
SYLVESTER STALLONE, BURGESS MEREDITH, TALIA SHIRE, JOE SPINNEL, CARL WEATHERS, BURT YOUNG

DIRECTED BY
JOHN G. AVILDSEN

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

Written by and starring an exceptional Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is the story about small time heavy weight boxer and loan shark 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 3 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 successfully captures the grit and power of this most uplifting of underdog stories, while Bill Conti’s driving, rousing score has become an icon in its own right.

CAST
ELLEN BURSTYN, JASON MILLER, LINDA BLAIR, LEE J. COBB, JACK MACGOWAN, MAX VON SYDOW, KITTY WINN

DIRECTED BY
WILLIAM FRIEDKIN

The key to a great horror movie is to successfully unearth and confront evil in its many varied forms. While some films opt to exploit evil as entertainment, others approach the subject in a much more serious way. The Exorcist is one of those films.

Based upon the novel by William Peter Blatty (which in turn 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 Exorcist is a film filled with heavy themes based around faith of the Catholic variety. It also chronicles the repulsive transformation of a child into a monster of unspeakable evil, doing 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 its horror. Yet so too are they moved by its conclusions, where sacrifice and heroism by those representing good overcome the scourge of evil.

CAST
MARLON BRADNO, AL PACINO, JAMES CAAN, ROBERT DUVALL, DIANE KEATON, RICHARD S. CASTELLANO

DIRECTED BY
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

A defining film in the history of cinema, The Godfather introduced legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola 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 son’s 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.

CAST
AL PACINO, JOHN CAZALE, ROBERT DE NIRO, ROBERT DUVALL, MICHAEL V. GAZZO, DIANE KEATON, LEE STRASBERG

DIRECTED BY
FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA

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. Yet famously a reluctant Francis Ford Coppola (still reeling from the treatment received on the first movie) nearly didn’t directed what would be his magnum opus, with one Martin Scorsese (hot off his work on Mean Streets) almost taking on directing duties.

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), this sprawling crime epic saw 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.