CAST
JACK NICHOLSON, DANNY DEVITO, BRAD DOURIF, LOUISE FLETCHER, SYDNEY LASSICK, CHRISTOPHER LLOYD, WILL SAMPSON

DIRECTED BY
MILOS FORMAN

A moving, at times funny. and immensely tragic film, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest demonstrates how the human spirit can be broken under, and rise over, an oppressive and rigid system.

The film focuses on Randle Patrick McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), a repeat violent offender who is transferred to a mental institution where his mental health is to be evaluated. A rebel who has a disdain for authority, McMurphy raises hell within the once stable environment drawing the wrath of the cold Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher.)

Milos Forman provides strong direction in his Hollywood film debut. His emphasis on reality can be seen in every shot and every performance, especially from Nicholson perhaps delivers his best and most memorable performance win Randal McMurphy.

CAST
RICHARD ATTENBOROUGH, CHARLES BRONSON, JAMES GARNER, RICHARD HARRIS, STEVE McQUEEN

DIRECTED BY
JOHN STURGESS

In the annals of iconic movie imagery, a motorbike riding Steve McQueen jumping over a barbed wire fence ranks high. Memorable moments like this and many for feature in The Great Escape.

Featuring an ensemble all-star cast of American (Steve McQueen, James Garner) and UK (Richard Attenborough, Richard Harris) talent, The Great Escape works as both war film and escape from prison thriller, reveling in the infectious camaraderie of its spirited performances and John Sturgess' fluid direction.

Based on true life events, The Great Escape displays the honour and horror to be found in war, while also establishing itself as one of the truly great entertainers filled with many iconic moments, which can be watched again and again.

CAST
PAUL NEWMAN, ROBERT REDFORD, HENRY JONES, STROTHER MARTIN, KATHERINE ROSS

DIRECTED BY
GEORGE ROY HILL

Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid stands as a monumental piece of cinema, in part due to it being the film Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

Loosely based on true events, the film follows successful train robbers Butch and Sundance as they travel to Bolivia in order to evade a posse set on shooting first and asking questions later.

Superbly directed by George Roy Hill and featuring a cracking script by William Goldman, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is made even better by the excellent chemistry between Newman and Redford, perhaps the best dynamic duo to appear on screen.

CAST
TOM HANKS, TIM ALLEN, DON RICKLES, JIM VARNEY, WALLACE SHAWN

DIRECTED BY
JOHN LASSETER

The Empire Strikes Back of animated films, Toy Story 2 took the successful template of the groundbreaking original and heightened it with more adventure and more emotion.

Where the first film focused on the competition between Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), its sequel looks at toys as an asset to be collected, evaluated, and bought for the highest bidder. When Woody is stolen by a greedy toy collector (Wayne knight), Buzz and co. give chase and in the process Pixar reach creative highs in animated family adventure.

Comedy brilliantly meshes with thrilling action sequences, with special mention to one such scene involving a group of toys, witches’ hats, and a busy city street that will have viewers chomping on their nails while laughing hysterically.

CAST
HARRISON FORD, KAREN ALLEN, PAUL FREEMAN, JOHN RHYS-DAVIES, DENHOLM ELLIOTT

DIRECTED BY
STEVEN SPIELBERG

When it comes to the many attributes that makes Steven Spielberg such a lauded and popular filmmaker, his ability to create top grade action adventure movies ranks high. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a case in point.

Introducing everyone’s favourite whip towing, fedora wearing archaeologist Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), the film saw Spielberg hit another level in his filmmaking prowess in this George Lucas conceived, Lawrence Kasdan penned, adventure where Dr. Jones must find the legendary Ark of the Covenant before it falls into the hands of occult obsessed Nazi’s.

Beginning with an iconic opening sequence and filled with many more memorable moments, Raiders of the Lost Ark also features what many believe to be the ultimate Harrison Ford performance, where his movie star charm, sly humour, no nonsense demeanour, and one hell of an over hand right make for an iconic character. 

CAST
ROBERT DE NIRO, AL PACINO, AMY BRENNEMAN, ASHLEY JUDD, VAL KILMER, TOM SIZEMORE, DIANE VERONA, JON VOIGHT

DIRECTED BY
MICHAEL MANN

In the 1995 crime epic Heat, writer/director Michael Mann brought together two of cinemas most influential, versatile and celebrated actors: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.

De Niro stars as Neil McCauley, an ice cold, disciplined master thief, who grabs the attention of dogged and bombastic police detective Lt. Vincent Hanna (Pacino), after a carefully planned armoured car robbery turns into an un-necessary blood bath.    

A somewhat remake of his 1989 TV movie L.A. Takedown, Mann reached his creative peak turning in a superbly written, exceptionally directed, and unconventional crime saga about the relationship between cop and criminal and the people who shape their lives.

A stellar supporting cast -with special mention to Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Diane Venora and Jon Voight- all give great performances.  But the real highlights (and drawcard) belong to the excellent turns by master thespians De Niro and Pacino.

CAST
JAMES WOODS, JIM BELUSHI, ELPIDIA CARRILLO, TONY PLANA, JOHN SAVAGE

DIRECTED BY
OLIVER STONE

1986 was a good year for director Oliver Stone. While Platoon (released the same year) won all the pundits, the little seen Salvador still stands as the better film that still packs a powerful punch 20 years later.

Based on the true accounts of freelance war photographer and radical Richard Boyle (James Woods), this hard hitting film follows Boyle as he covers the madness which was the Salvadoran civil war, and the fragile political mechanism behind it.  

Woods has never been better as a weasel trying to find sense and salvation in an horrendous war, while Stone made his mark as an important filmmaker with Salvador his first true breakthrough film.

CAST
VERONICA CARTWRIGHT, SCOTT GLENN, ED HARRIS, BARARA HERSHEY, DENNIS QUAID, PAMELA REED, SAM SHEPARD, FRED WARD

DIRECTED BY
PHILIP KAUFMAN

Philip Kaufman’s informative, absorbing and immensely entertaining biopic about the original Mercury 7 astronauts is the quintessential film dealing with space travel.

Starring an excellent ensemble cast who brilliantly portray these courageous men (and their long suffering women), The Right Stuff spares no detail in presenting the facts of a major scientific endeavour during a time when innovation and exploration was championed by government and the public.

Grand yet colourful, important yet never pompous, Kaufman delivers a compelling look at the men who made space travel possible.

CAST
TOM CRUISE, WILLEM DAFOE, KYRA SEDGWICK, FRANK WHALLEY, RAYMOND J. BARRY

DIRECTED BY
OLIVER STONE

Oliver Stone already had two outstanding war films to his name (Salvador, Platoon) before directing this stirring late 1980s classic to a much deserved best director Oscar win.

Born of the Fourth of July tells the true story of Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic, documenting his journey from eager volunteer, to bitter handicapped war veteran, to anti-war patriot, all done with a stunning clarity via Stone's always unwavering eye.

Tom Cruise delivers a career best performance as Kovic, shedding image and ego in proving there is indeed a fine actor behind the movie star exterior. Cruise’s performance, coupled with Stone’s masterful filmmaking gives justice to Kovic’s story and remains a film unlike any other.

CAST
KEVIN COSTNER, TIMOTHY BUSFIELD, GABY HOFFMAN, JAMES EARL JONES, BURT LANCASTER, RAY LIOTTA, AMY MADIGAN

DIRECTED BY
PHIL ALDEN ROBINSON

If you wrote a list of movies that make men weep like babies, Field of Dreams would surely be up there.

A perfectly cast Kevin Costner stars as Iowa corn farmer Ray Kinsella. When a strange voice haunts him daily, he interprets this ghostly message as a command to build a baseball field on his land, leading to a strange yet beautiful journey of redeeming past regrets.

Director Phil Alden Robinson perfectly blends themes baseball, the supernatural and family to make for an incredibly touching movie, where the fathers love for his son knows no boundaries.