CAST
ROBERT DENIRO, JOHN CAZALE, GEORGE DZUNDZA, JOHN SAVAGE, MERYL STREEP, CHRISTOPHER WALKEN

DIRECTED BY
MICHAEL CIMINO

Films depicting the Vietnam war came thick and fast after the fall of Saigon, but not many tapped into the horrors of war and the mourning that followed as effectively as Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter. 

Starring Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, and Meryl Streep whilst at the peak of their thespian powers, The Deer Hunter tells the story of a group of friends from a small blue collar town who return home changed from the conflict.

While the film courted controversy with its depictions of war, and tapped into the political divide in an America at war with itself, what should never be forgotten is the humanity that Cimino so articulately depicts here.

CAST
JURGEN PROCHNOW, HERBERT GRONEMEYER, KLAUS WENNERMANN, HUBERTUS BENGSCH, MARTIN SEMMELROGGE

DIRECTED BY
WOLFGANG PETERSON

It is indeed a special film which can convince its viewers of pining sympathy upon the fate of a crew of Nazi's submariners. Yet Wolfgang Peterson's 1982 war thriller Das Boot does just that, turning the tables of war film conventions by presenting the other side of the WWII conflict without resorting to goose stepping stereotype in the portrayal of its protagonists.

Based on historic events, Peterson's ultra-realistic depiction of life inside a German U-Boat both dazzles and draws his viewers into this claustrophobic world filled with chaos, banality, and bad hygiene, as a crew of raw recruits led by a cynical captain (Jurgen Prochnow) must contend with British naval superiority and the inept command of the Nazi brass.

CAST
ROBERT DOWNEY JR, CHRIS EVANS, CHRIS HEMSWORTH, SAMUEL L. JACKSON, SCRALETT JOHNSSON, JEREMY RENNER, MARK RUFFALO

DIRECTED BY
JOSS WHEDON

A dream movie for many a comic book fan, The Avengers caps Marvel Studios’ build-up of superhero movies (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger) to a one movie event that reaches its impossibly lofty ambition of becoming the superhero movie event of our time.

With Firefly creator Joss Whedon handling script and directing duties, every single 144 minutes of screen time delivers entertainment spectacle of the highest quality as Earth’s Mightiest Heroes take on the villainous Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and an army of extra-terrestrial invaders. 

Orchestrating a great balancing act, Whedon gives every character their chance to shine and perfectly blends action, sci-fi and wit. It is a term seldom used, but The Avengers could be the Star Wars of a new generation.

CAST
RICHARD DREYFUSS, MELINDA DILLON, TERRI GARR, BOB BALABAN, FRANCOIS TRUFFAUT

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

A film that is as awe inspiring in its imagery as it is touching in its themes, Close Encounters of the Third Kind saw Spielberg find that perfect balance between the visual and the emotional.

Richard Dreyfuss stars as a regular family man whose life is changed after an encounter with a UFO. What follows is an amazing journey into self-discovery as Spielberg channels personal familial demons into a sci-fi drama featuring great performances from Dreyfuss and the Oscar nominated Melinda Dillon.

The film also features one of John Williams’ most memorable compositions in the “five tone motif” shared between the alien visitors and the humans.

CAST
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, LINDA HAMILTON, EDWARD FURLONG, ROBERT PATRICK, JOE MORTON

DIRECTED BY
JAMES CAMERON

James Cameron’s sequel to his ground breaking Terminator is a slicker, more grandiose beast, building upon the story of its predecessor and laying the ground work for a sci-fi mythology where a war between man and machine takes place.

As always in the Terminator movies it is the machines that take centre stage. Arnold Schwarzenegger reunited with Cameron to once again play a time travelling cyborg killer, only this time the mission had changed from killing future resistance leader John Connor (Edward Furlong) to protecting him from an advanced synthetic assassin, the unsuspecting T-1000 (Robert Patrick).

To say the stakes are high in this story is an understatement, with the fate of mankind resting in the balance. Cameron’s excellent direction makes those stakes feel palpable, conjuring brilliant performances from his cast and coupling them with state of the art filmmaking technology that forever did away with the line between the real life and the digital life.   

CAST
MARLON BRANDO, LEE J. COBB, KARL MALDEN, EVA MARIE SAINT, ROD STEIGER

DIRECTED BY
ELIA KAZAN

A strong morality tale about corruption and redemption, On the Waterfront is a timeless classic that features both Marlon Brando and director Eliz Kazan at the top of their craft.

Marlon Brando stars as Terry Malloy, a former prize fighter who now plays muscleman for ruthless crime boss and labour leader Johnny Friendly (Lee J.Cobb). After a dock worker is murdered by Friendly's crew, Terry is urged to stand up and fight for justice.

A big reason for On the Waterfront’s acclaim is Marlon Brando's heartbreakingly powerful performance, as his natural charm and sensitivity is bestowed upon an (at first glance) brutish, blue collar man conflicted by his loyalty to his brother (Rod Steiger), the love for his girl (Eva Marie Saint), and his duty to tell the truth.

CAST
DEV PATEL, ANIL KAPOOR, IRRFAN KHAN, MANESH MANJREKAR, MADHUR MITTAL, FREIDA PINTO

DIRECTED BY
DANNY BOYLE

Slumdog Millionaire is a gritty, captivating and wonderfully uplifting watch, sure to move the most cynical of souls.

Set in India, the film uses a back and forth, timeline jumping structure as it follows Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) from his upbringing in the slums of Mumbai, to being a contestant on India’s version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".

Director Danny Boyle successfully blends nerve raking thrills, comedy driven sequences, and gritty depictions of violence to make for a unique and ever engrossing movie. Yet above all Slumdog Millionaire is a film that celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit.

CAST
MORGAN FREEMAN, TIM ROBBINS, GIL BELLOWS, CLANCY BROWN, BOB GUNTON, MARK ROLSTON, WILLIAM SADLER

DIRECTED BY
FRANK DARABONT

Beautifully performed and directed, The Shawshank Redemption takes the brutality of the prison movie and creates a film of friendship and hope that will touch the most cynical of souls.  

Based on the short story by Stephen King, Shawshank… tells the story of Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) a banker wrongly convicted of murder. Once on the inside he strikes up a friendship with Red (Morgan Freeman), a lifer who through Andy finds hope can bloom even when behind bars.

Directed with a graceful, sensitive touch by Frank Darabont, Shanwshank… is a film that is both majestic and intimate, with a conclusion that will bring a tear to the eye.

CAST
BILLY CRUDUP, MICHAEL KEATON, RACHEL McADAMS, MARK RUFFALO, LIVE SCHREIBER, JOHN SLATTERY, STANLEY TUCCI

DIRECTED BY
TOM McCARTHY

Chronicling the true story of how the Boston Globe exposed the sex abuse cover up within the Catholic Church, Spotlight is both a masterful investigative thriller and profound exploration into the power of culture upon a city.

Directed and co-written by Tom McCarthy with a keen eye for detail and deft touch on character, the film also displays the best ensemble cast of that year led by stellar performances from Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams and Mark Ruffalo.

A film of relevance and importance, Spotlight handles its subject with forthright clarity without resorting to sensationalism, letting the facts guide its drama.  

CAST
TOM HANKS, SALLY FIELD, GARY SINISE, MYKELTI WILLIAMSON, ROBIN WRIGHT

DIRECTED BY
ROBERT ZEMECKIS

Unfortunately derided over the years as sentimental palp, Forrest Gump never the less is a masterful feat of fantastical movie making, brilliantly directed by Robert Zemeckis and scripted by Eric Roth.

Tom Hanks stars as the title character, a simple man who achieved extraordinary things all the while holding a flame for the love of his life, the wayward Jenny (Robin Wright). Excellent use of visual effects and production design feature throughout this decades spanning epic, as those a choice cut of soundtrack selection.

Yet the biggest reason for its success is Tom Hanks. From the opening scene when that floating feather lands into his lap, it is clear that Hanks is about to deliver something special, and so he did fronting the screen for the majority of the films 142 min and delivering a performance that can be only described as iconic.