My Favorite Movies

Absolutely excellent! An intelligent and satirical comedy in glorious technicolour with beautiful songs and the dancing genius of Gene Kelly and Donald O' Connor.

The best Christmas movie ever. Must be watched every year. Anyone who thinks Capra is corny and sentimental isn't paying enough attention. This is Capra and James Stewart at their best in a superb and mostly downbeat story with an ending which only seems unbelievable because the human race has fallen so far in the last 60 years.

One of the best westerns ever. A long but never dull film with 3 central characters who are all morally ambiguous and constantly trying to outwit each other. There are also some wonderful moments of genuine pathos, such as Tuco's reunion with his brother and the dying Union army officer. Van Cleef is, in my opinion, the coldest and darkest villain in any film ever. Another triumphant combination of Leone's unique direction and Morricone's excelllent music.

A delightful entertainment, which I particularly enjoy because I am an English language teacher. The song lyrics are so good and so authentically English it's hard to believe that they were written by Americans. The script perfectly respects the style of George Bernard Shaw's original play and the whole film is wonderfully entertaining without being sentimental or predictable. Rex Harrison was born to play Higgins, Stanley Holloway is a superb Alfie, only Audrey Hepburn is a slight disappointment because she is less convinving in the early parts of the film when Eliza is uneducated. However, this can be overlooked in a musical which features some of the most memorable songs I've ever heard.

David Lean's most spectacular epic is a fascinating portrait of a heroic man who doesn;t really understand his own motivations. Peter O' Toole has rarely been better and most of the other actors (Alec Guinness, Claude Rains, Anthony Quinn, Jack Hawkins) play characters with shifting moral and ethical viewpoints. Who exactly is using who? The photography and music are stunning and widescreen is used for maximum visual impact. A first class film of the type Britain should be making today.

This must be one of Disney's darkest films. When Cruella De Vil was voted Disney's scariest villiain in a British poll I could not believe that the coachman in Pinocchio had never been considered. He is horrible to little boys, malicious and creepy and he never gets punished. Nor do the little boys (other than Pinocchio) escape his clutches or find redemption. This is a story about growing up and making moral choices, which can be difficult even for an innocent like Pinocchio. It even features some early examples of jokes for adults in a kid's film, such as "What does an actor need a conscience for anyway?". Above all it is probably Disney's most varied and colourful film from the early days when even the songs stayed in your head forever.

While making this film Coppolla went mad and over budget. WHen we see the result of his madness of indulgence we wish more directors were allowed to do so. This is a film which is as entertaining as any action movie, yet gives the viewer plenty to think about too. Along with Lawrence of Arabia, this is a film which demonstrates the mental and moral damage which war has on the individuals involved, but in this film no-one is innocent, no-one is left undamaged and no-one is saved. This is an example of the long-forgotten days when a film could be visually and musically epic, enjoyable and also thoroughly intelligent.

I like all the Indiana Jones films, but I can never understand why this film is frequently voted last in quality and entertainment. Besides being more fun than the earlier two and having some splendid humour, this film superbly portrays the relationship between Jones Sr and Jones Jr. It is this relationship which is at the heart of the film. The ultimate goal is not the Grail, but the reconciliation of a father and son. I have rarely seen a father/son relationship so beautifully portrayed as in this film. The fact that it is a specatcular adventure is the icing on the cake and a return to old-fashioned movie excellence.

This is the film where Cameron proved his point that "More is more." The first film was very good indeed but this is a sequel that tops the original. Not only is the action amazing, but the characters are well-developed. Ripley in particular gets a new dimension. In the first film she was trying to stay alive, but in Aliens she epitomises the ideal female action hero. Unlike cops out to solve a case or men looking for revenge, she is doing everything in her power to save the little girl she has become mother to. the extended version of the film makes this clearer. Also it's good to see the real villains being not the aliens, but the corporate monsters represented by Burke. I never tire of this film and more action/sci-fi films should be like this.

Even if the Beatles had had no involvement in this film other than agreeing to their song s being used, this would still be a remarkable piece of animation. The fact that the Beatles are characters in the story only makes it better. OK, so they didn't provide their own voices, but if you've seen their other films or interviews you'll know that the humour and banter of the characters is 100% authentic Beatles. I almost think that the Beatles deserve their own place in a comedy hall of fame, with their working class, northern Goonish humour which is a sort of precursor to Python. I love this movie to bits and the varieties of animation styles are visually stunning.

This proves that a Shakespeare comedy, filmed the right way with great actors, photography, music and editing, can be a successful popular entertainment. Like most viewers, I think Keanu Reeves' performance is the weakest, but the other Americans in the cast probably give the strongest performances. Top marks to Denzel and Michael Keaton.

I had studied and enjoyed Shakespeare and his language at school, yet it was not until I saw this film that I realised Shakespeare could be acted in a natural, realistic way of speaking which made it easier to understand and did not spoil the dramatic effect. For example, notice how Branagh says "Here comes your father." and "Can any of your neighbours tell? We'll ask them!". Plus this film has the advantage of great action scenes in the battles of Harfleur and Agincourt. And if you're English, this is a film with an all-star cast recognisable from quality TV shows. I still almost cry when Fluellen reacts to the massacre of the boys.

The Producers is still one of the funniest comedies ever made and the fact that it has recently been turned into a successful stage musical proves it. We have a brilliantly absurd and anarchic story, possibly inspired by the Marx Brothers, and a number of perfect comedy performances headed by the genius of Zero Mostel. I wish Mostel had made more films.

An absolutely brilliant British comedy which should never have been remade, particularly as the film's plot and themes have such relevance to Britain. In case you missed the metaphors, the whole film is a satirical comment on Britain's entry into the EU, including the ending (The British have all the potential to succeed, only arrogance and over-confidence will be their undoing). Like all good comedies this is not only entertaining but extremely quotable. It's a perfect swinging 60s film too.

Excellent performances by two extremely talented actors. A brilliant comedy with the emphasis on character.

An absolutely excellent satire which makes its point far better than a drama or documentary would, because frankly the reality is as absurd as the film. Excellent performances from everybody, not just Peter Sellers in his triple roles.

I first saw this film when I was studying the book for English literature A level. Although it misses certain elements of the book (which is outstanding) this is a great movie version. I went to the kind of college where the average student wasn't really interested in getting into university; they were more eager to waste another 2 years before starting work in some low position. However, this film grabbed everybody's attention and even the male students were on the verge of tears. Top marks for acting and Quincy Jones' score.

This is an absolutely lovely film and James Stewart plays niceness (or should I say pleasantness) to perfection. Who could imagine such an enjoyable movie about such a nice guy? The moment where he almost accepts treatment to please his sister is as scary as the last few scenes of One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

A hilarious, dark British comedy in which Vincent Price plays on his hammy acting style for reasons connected to the plot. The idea of murdering people in the style of Shakesperean deaths is brilliantly done and the film contains wonderful cameos by great British comedy actors. One of the best moments has to be Eric Sykes in the boot of the car "I can hear a moving train. Yes it definitely sounds like a moving tr- [CRASH!]".

I have never heard such authentic English accents from American actors. This is a hilarious film, which one could almost believe is a real documentary. This is exactly how I imagine most heavy metal bands.

This is an underrated romantic comedy which always makes me feel happier. It features the first time Mike Myers decided to play multiple characters (even before Eddie Murphy did in The Nutty Professor) and the first time he uses his comedy Scottish accent. The soundtrack features 2 great happy songs - There She Goes by The La's and Two Princes by The Spin Doctors. There are hundreds of great little cameos, like Kramer from Seinfeld, Phil Hartman from The Simpsons, Richard Fish from Ally McBeal, Brenda Fricker, Alan Arkin, Charles Grodin and the brilliant Steven Wright. Nancy Travis was absolutely gorgeous and made a great romantic interest, while Anthony LaPaglia as the cop who wishes his job was like 1970s TV shows is very funny. He should have done more comedy. Above all, this film contains many great quotable lines, which is what all good comedies should have. Never a dull moment.