My Favorite Movies

Sober but well made adventure movie, a little too talkative and gadget-filled, but good performances from the leads. This reflected NASA's concerns about infections from space during the Apollo missions.

Not having read Peter Benchley's book, I still think this is a good movie, with a superb John Barry (ZULU, Space:1999) score. It was criticised for having 'too much' underwater scenes, but seeing the lovely Jacqueline Bisset underwater in that tee-shirt - oo-er missus. All the leads give strong performances, and Robert Shaw's tale of the USS Indianapolis is quite true.

Top film. Peter Sellers at his comic best. Fave line: 'I submit to you Monsiour Ballon that you killed Miguel in a rit of felous jage.'

Quite good suspense/horror flick, with good special effects and a few well-placed moments of humour, although to be honest I prefer the sequel. The third film was poor by comparison, but was dedicated to the memory of gorgeous little Heather O'Rourke who displayed acting ability well beyond her years and who tragically died of a rare brain disease at just 12 during production of the third film and a few scenes were shot with a body double.

What can I say? Just mindblowingly awesome. The sets were superb, the special effects techniques, many of which were created during the making of this movie, set the standards for just about everything since. I consider it Kubrick's best movie, Arthur Clarke at his visionary best and quite simply the best film ever made. The Ultimate Trip.

One of the best war movies of all time, with a stellar cast. Operation Market Garden was a bold idea that failed largely due to the weather and poor intelligence. This movie was one of the largest productions ever undertaken, and brilliantly recreates the operation, some of it even being filmed at the real Nijmegen bridge in Holland. My only criticism is that at nearly three hours, it is perhaps half an hour too far.

Very dark and bloody version of the legend, brilliantly done by John Boorman and I consider this his best work. Trevor Jones' music is spot on, and Nicol Williamson's almost comic portrayal of Merlin adds the odd touch of humour. And you get to see a young Cherie Lunghi in the buff.

Don't be decieved by the title, this is a superior high-speed thriiler. John Voight brilliantly plays the unbalanced convict, while Eric Roberts' acting was somewhat poor, but Rebecca De Mornay showed acting promise in an early appearance. Trevor Jones' music was spot on and it's a rare treat to see early American vintage motive power up close, although you can't beat a British 37, 52 or 56 for sheer good looks and superb thrash.

The true story of how just 121 Welsh Guards fought off an attack by over 4000 Zulus at Rorke's Drift in January 1879. 11 Victoria Crosses were awarded for this action, more than for any other, before or since, and it remains one of the finest actions the British Army has ever undertaken. A superb film.

Superb remake of the classic 1954 Who Goes There, with excellent special effects

George Romero's excellent sequel to his 1979 Dawn of the Dead, in which a group of scientists try to understand what causes the dead to rise as zombies.

Ridley Scott's first mainstream movie, and it is a peach. Superb sets, good acting, a horrific Alien beast and quite literally stomach-churning special effects.

James Cameron's rather good sequel to Alien sees a squad of space troopers return to the planet and encounter more than they bargained for.

'Bombed out in space, with a spaced-out bomb'. This great 1974 movie has become a cult flick, with a hippy crew in deep space destroying unstable planets. All goes (reasonably) well until bomb no.20 developes a mind of its own...

Superb sci-fi flick, with a great preformance from Bruce Dern, but let down by a poor music score. The interior sets were excellent but the exterior shots were obvious models. The three drones were operated by dwarf actors and they almost steal the show. All in all, a good effort from the master of special effects; Douglas Trumbull.

Quite good, if a little long on talk, Hollywood version of the end of the mighty Roman Empire in the 5th Century AD.

Superb movie. Costner is at his best here. The Indian spoken in the movie is genuine Lakota, and many real Indians had parts and were advisors. My only criticism is so much was cut.

One of the best Vietnam movies ever from one of the greatest Directors ever. Great performances, excellent story and effects, and much of it was shot in London's Docklands during redevelopment. Spot the electricity pylon in one shot.

Excellent photography, generally good performances, and you've never seen fire filmed like this before. Ron (Richie Cunningham) Howard shows his mettle here.

Superb underwater thriller with good performances from Hackman & Washington. The only criticism would be the tit-for-tat changes of command at the end.

Sam Peckinpah's graphic blood-pumping tale about the end of Cowboy times in the US of A. Set during the Mexican Revolution, a group of renegade 'outlaws' have various adventures before dying trying to rescue one of their number.

Moving and bloody tale of a group of Marines sent on a mission to rescue a soldier whose brothers have all been killed in battle. Two graphic and very realistic battle sequences top & tail this film. My only criticism would be the amount of pre-release cutting.

One of the best films I've ever seen, excellent performances from the leads and a great music score. There is some evidence that at least some of this may be true, and just imagine if it was...

One of the best of the big-budget '70's disaster movies. Convincing performances from the host of major stars, and a realistic build-up of tension and action. One or two poor effects shots, but as this was before CGI, I think you can safely forgive them.

Highly original idea, with good performances from James Spader and the gorgeous Mili Avital, but a poor one by Kurt Russell. Good effects and music and Jaye Davidson was superb as the androgynous Ra. Shame they had to spoil it by making the crap TV series.

Excellent creepy sci-fi horror. Sam Neill & Laurence Fishburne give good performances, the Event Horizon sets are superbly gothic and the effects are good apart from one or two scenes and a wobbly Lewis & Clark shot. How many people know who Lewis & Clark were, or what an Event Horizon is? A cream bun for anyone who gets it right.

Not something you see every day, friendly aliens for a change, who want to help us instead of killing or eating us. While the majority of the cast give sound performances, Micheal Beihn offers a poor effort, but this is more than made up for with the stunning sets and visual effects. I consider it one of James Cameron's best films.

Martin Scorcese's masterful telling of the true story ofHenry Hill and his rise with, and eventual fall from, the Mob.

Probably the best of the Pink Panther movies. Peter Sellars is on top form again, and Catherine Schell was laughing so much in one scene she almost choked on a drink. Brilliant. Fave line: 'Good Sharkey Colonel God...'

Very well crafted movie, with an excellent story, superb sets and a clever script. The jellyfish scene is not one for the squeemish.

well made low-budget sci-fi/horror movie, and like with the original Alien, shows what you can do if you have the right people. Radha Mitchell is gorgeous.

One of Ridley Scott's best. Adapted from Philip Dick's novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep, the movie is superbly crafted, with superb set design, and good performances from the leads. I prefer the narrated version without the meanigless Unicorn dream sequence. Harrison Ford said he didnt want to do a narration and so did it as badly as he could, but Scott thought it just right and kept it.

Superb sci-fi flick from the height of Hollywood's best years. Intriguing plot with monsters from the Id, allegedly derived from Shakespeare's The Tempest, though frankly I can't see the connection. Superb sets and special effects for 1956, brill early electronic music, which you can never tell if it is just part of the soundtrack or was supposed to be from the planet itself. Slightly let down by some poor acting from the younger players, but interesting to see Leslie Neilsen in a serious role. One of my all-time fave movies.