1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
2. A Matter of Life and Death
3. The Red Shoes
4. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
5. Double Life of Veronique
6. Blade Runner
7. My Neighbour Totoro
8. The Graduate
9. Badlands
10. Le Samourai
11. In the Mood for Love
12. 12 Angry Men
13. Annie Hall
14. Harvey
15. Vampyr
16. La Belle et la Bete
17. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
18. Night of the Hunter
19. Punch Drunk Love
20. Raiders of the Lost Ark

For the sake of completion I'm just pasting what I said about each film in their dedicated decade threads.

1. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - No other movie makes me :wacko: :Hug: :OMG: :sherlock: ^_^ and that practically happens in every scene.

2. A Matter of Life and Death
3. The Red Shoes
4. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

It is hard for me to separate the Powell and Pressburger films of the '40s and I have left out The Black Narcissus for no other reason than I didn't want a quarter of my list to be made up of one directors work. To put their films in order is incredibly difficult so think of Black Narcissus as 3a.

Few film-makers have created a body of work as individualistic and brilliant as Powell and Pressburger. Whilst Britain has seen many great directors come and go from Hitchcock to Lean none, for my money, compare to The Archers.

There are lots of reasons why I love the films of P&P above any other British made movies. Perhaps the main reason is their contradictions. Whilst British cinema has a history of gritty realism and cinéma vérité Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were pumping out brightly coloured fantasy films yet the characters that populated these worlds were still staunchly British. The characters and the worlds they lived in continually felt at odds with one another which created an uneasy yet magical union. In many ways they made pure cinema: the spectacle of which this country had never seen, before or since. Particularly their five Technicolor triumphs; The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, A Matter of Life and Death, Black Narcissus, The Red Shoes and The Tales of Hoffmann (although the latter is not a film from the '40s). No film-maker had ever used Technicolor in the way Powell or, more accurately, cinematographer Jack Cardiff, did. The films were vivid, occasionally bordering on vulgar (The Tales of Hoffmann is like a bukkake party of Technicolor jizz) but always spellbinding. Just look at the ballet section in The Red Shoes for proof of this. When British cinema was looking drab they were making bright spectacles that had more energy and heart than all the so called serious movies of the time. But they didn’t just splash colour across the screen instead they used it subtly such as to signal the end of the war in The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. Instead of having a clichéd and sentimental homecoming they just showed khaki wool being replaced with reds, blues and greens in the big factory machines. It is such a simple, economical and elegant way of conveying all the feelings necessary. Or the way that heaven was shot in monochrome whilst our world was bursting with colour and vibrancy. Their films were always multi-layered and full of passion (often the passion of the individual pitted against social conformity) and questions. Like most movie-makers of the time they were enlisted to make propaganda pictures yet even these are masterpieces. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp doesn’t really have the usual jingoistic overtones you’d expect to see from a war time movie. It has a civilised and friendly German in a key role and it is more anti than pro-war. Perhaps because of Pressburger’s origins (he was a Hungarian refugee) there films had a balance that was missing from most other movies of the time: Whilst Germany might have been the enemy not all Germans were.

Between ’43-’51 they did not put a foot wrong and made seven masterpieces (and four other great filsm). You’d be hard pressed to find any director that could match such consistent quality with a diverse array of subject matter in such a short space of time.

5. Double Life of Veronique - This is Krzysztof Kieslowski's greatest film (some may try and convince you that one of the Three Colours films is his best but they would be sadly mistaken) and therefore one of the greatest movies of all time. It is an odd film to describe because despite it raising lots of interesting questions and areas for discussion as soon as you do try and analyse it some of the magic is lost. This is not because there are faults in the film or plot holes that are uncovered during analysis, but because it is such a magical experience that the very thought of critically analysing the content misses the entire point of the film. So I apologise for being vague when I describe the film and why it is my number one pick of the decade. I can discuss the breathtaking cinematography, the revelatory dual performance by Irène Jacob (you really can't see any other actress being in this film) or the stunning score by Zbigniew Preisner but I'd only be scratching the surface. The film is a clear reference point for Juenet's Amelié but whereas some people may have found that films forced whimsy unbearable I'd be surprised if anybody would same the same about Veronique. It is profound and beautiful movie and my affection for it only grows with each viewing.

6. Blade Runner - Probably my favourite sci-fi film of all time (if you discount Eternal Sunshine as sci-fi) and a movie that has aged brilliantly. It was only in 2007, when the film received a limited theatrical release, that I finally got to experience Blade Runner on the big screen and it was worth the wait. From the opening shot over the city with the beautiful Vangelis score beckoning you in, to the closing image it is a truly wonderful experience that transports you to a convincing and foreign land. A lot of films have tried to imagine what Earth would look like in the future but few have managed to create such a rich and atmospheric future world. In many ways it is this atmosphere and setting (brilliantly accompanied by the score) that is the sole reason for the films success. The performances and characters are great too but the abiding memory is always of the universe it creates rather than the story. I'm sad to say that this is the last film by Ridley Scott that I genuinely loved.

7. My Neighbour Totoro - You will see three Studio Ghibli films make the '80s list and trying to order them has been a real nightmare. Totoro 'won' largely because of its universal appeal and enduring character. There are very few films that I'd recommend to anyone from the age of 2 to 92 but My Neighbour Totoro is one such movie. It is such a simple movie that is surprisingly uneventful be traditional standards but the way Miyazaki slowly teases the magical elements is a real joy to behold. The mannerisms of the sisters is spot on and the film is still a treat when Totoro or Cat Bus aren't on screen. Amazingly there is very little peril, there is one scene (that I shall not spoil for those that have not seen it) that has an element of danger but it is resolved with very little fuss. Instead the film is more interested in just spending time with these characters and the bonds between them. I could watch this film every day for an entire year and I doubt I'd get bored of it.

8. The Graduate - Despite many citing Easy Rider as the film that kick started the New Hollywood in many ways it is this Mike Nichols classic from two years earlier that set the wheels in motion. It has all the hallmarks of what we would come to see as American films in the '70s but in many ways they perfected it first time with this wonderful romantic comedy. Although to call it a romantic comedy conjures images like Love Actually or Mama Mia whereas this is far more intelligent than the dross we have to contend with today. Hoffman is wonderful as Ben Braddock, a recent graduate who has no idea what he wants to do with his life. Despite being only a few years younger than Anne Bancroft at the time the age gap on screen looks believable and the awkward scenes they share together are fantastic both in comedy and in their naked honesty. The mirroring and contrasting between Ben's scenes with the mother and then the daughter play out brilliantly, especially the way the power in the relationships ebbs and flows between all three. The film is beautifully shot with a fitting Simon and Garfunkel soundtrack. I must have seen the film twenty times or more and I have yet to tire of it.

9. Badlands - One of the finest movies by a first time director and still my favourite Malick film. It is such a beautifully shot film with career best performances and possibly the finest voice over narration in cinema. The naive childlike narration works brilliantly in stark contrast to what is occurring on screen. The way Malick builds this almost fantasy-like relationship is just wonderful. In another director's hands this contrast of how the two feel and what they are doing could come across as tasteless or clumsy but it works so well here as it walks the fine line between fascination and revulsion.

10. Le Samourai - Some probably would have thought this would appear as my number one but it has to settle for a very respectable number two spot. It is a fairly standard hitman story that has been seen countless times before. However, the big difference between this film and every other hitman movie is that the execution here is flawless. Jean-Pierre Melville has made many classics throughout his career and trying to pick a favourite does a disservice to the others, yet every element of this film is so perfect that it is hard to really look beyond it. Alain Delon is one cool Mummy Strawberry Floater and this is arguably his coolest role. He is more than just a clothes horse though as he is also a great actor and you totally buy into the spiralling desperation he feels as the world comes crashing in on his carefully constructed life. Visually the film is a joy to behold from the slow lingering cigarette smoke that wafts through the sparse bedroom at the start of the film to the icy cool nightclub interior, it is the sort of film you could pause at any moment and admire its beauty. Whilst the story isn't all that original it is still expertly told as Melville ratchets up the tension. Possibly the finest French film ever made.

11. In the Mood for Love - ITMFL is a stunningly shot film with magnetic performances by Maggie Cheung (she has never looked more beautiful) and Tony Leung (the finest Chinese actor of his generation). It is slow and uneventful by traditional standards but it is positively dripping in chemistry and atmosphere. It is a film you could just watch for hours as you try and soak in its beauty.

12. 12 Angry Men - Sidney Lumet has been a constant companion throughout most of the decade lists so far (I think only Kubrick has bettered him by being in more) and there is a very simple reason for that - he is a chuffing brilliant film-maker. 12 Angry Men is arguably his most famous film and also his best. Anybody with even a passing interest in cinema will have probably seen it and if not what the hell are you doing in this folder? The film, about one man trying to sway the rest of the jurors that the defendant is innocent, is a tightly written and tense experience where character is king. In fact there is nothing but character in the film as the whole thing takes place inside one small room. But this story doesn't need flashy visuals or action when it has sparkling dialogue and a cast to die for. It is probably my most watched film on the list and thoroughly deserves its place at the top.

13. Annie Hall - It is hard to even think the same director that made Scoop and Cassandra's Dream was responsible for one of the finest romantic comedies ever made. To see how far Allen has fallen is sad but his influential films of the period can still be felt today. A film like (500) Days of Summer owes a lot to Annie Hall. It completely misses the mark unfortunately but the influence is there for all to see. Woody Allen throws so much at this film it really shouldn't work as well as it does. He continually plays with convention and different ideas that it should fall down under its own ambition, but miraculously it doesn't. It helps that all those inventive flourishes are very funny and stand up to many repeat viewings, but the key is the central relationship played brilliantly by Allen and Keaton. It is a clumsy relationship but very natural and despite neither being wholly likeable you do care for the pair of them.

14. Harvey - Thank God Spielberg's proposed remake never got off the ground as I fail to see how anyone, even Spielberg, could improve on this masterpiece. Like everyone else I love James Stewart as an actor and it is hard to think of too many actors from any decade that could have so convinced in this role. For a film that deals with alcoholism and mental illness it is an amazingly light, warm and funny film that keeps moralising to a minimum. Stewart's performance is so good that you believe wholeheartedly in the presence of Harvey or, at the very least, that Stewart sees it. He is also brilliant at playing a drunk. Seeing as we are now in the Holiday moods it is a perfect time to revisit this classic.

15. Vampyr - The actual story of Vampyr is weak - man travels to village, has strange visit at night, witnesses a murder and what appears to be vampiric activity, vampire and accomplice die, man gets girl - but what the film lacks in interesting plot it sure makes up for in atmosphere and imagery. Whilst relying on traditional vampire motifs (coffins, stake through the heart etc) it never feels like a traditional horror film. Instead it is more surreal and dreamlike. In fact it is a contentious point if anything you see in the film actually happens at all. Dreyer is a master at manipulating the camera and audience, so much so the eye of the camera becomes a character in itself. Where once it seemed forever linked to our 'hero', Allan, and his gaze soon it takes on its own life and becomes an omniscient presence within the film. It is quite a startling trick as it keeps the audience off kilter and never knowing what to trust.

Another unusual aspect of the film is how passive Allan is as the films protagonist. In many ways he is just another audience member who happens upon these events. Ultimately he does nothing in the film - he saves nobody, he doesn't even vanquish the evil from the town. It is this passivity that further helps underline the sense that much of what you see is unreliable and may not be occurring.

Visually the film is a triumph. Whilst you have to excuse the quality of the print the imagery is as vivid as the day it was made. By 'flashing' the film before shooting the movie has a strange ethereal glow heightening the sense of a dream world. Where most, if not all, vampire films live within worlds of darkness Vampyr resides in a spooky twilight, especially in the stunning external shots. Inside playful shadows dance on walls, giant ghosts stalk their killers and Allan even witnesses his own burial - Vampyr is arguably the most beautiful vampire film ever made.

Words can't adequately describe the experience you have whilst watching Vampyr. It isn't traditionally scary, it has no heroes and characters are crudely drawn if realised at all but it is a film to be experienced rather than analysed and on those merits it is faultless.

16. La Belle et la Bete - Despite there being a few fine adaptations of the classic fairytale, Beauty and the Beast, none have come close to Jean Cocteau's 1946 masterpiece. Yes, the acting is ropey by modern standards (especially Belle's sisters) but Cocteau creates such a magical world that any niggling issues just float away. The dreamy atmosphere is spellbinding as is the clever in-camera visual effects and the surprisingly accomplished Beast make-up. It is arguably the finest fairytale adaptation ever made and transports its audience to a fantastical world. Stunning.

17. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly provided me with one of the most unique and powerful cinematic experiences of my life when I originally watched it in the theatre. I think much of its power is lost on the small screen (the sense of claustrophobia is really suffocating on a big screen but slightly diluted at home) but the emotional intensity remains. It is an inspiring story told with verve and beauty. Mathieu Amalric is sensational in a very demanding role as a man with 'locked-in' syndrome where he is unable to move bar the blinking of an eye. The director has taken a very static premise and created something truly cinematic that illustrates perfectly the strength of the human spirit.

18. Night of the Hunter - Laughton's one film as director received such a frosty reception upon release we never got to see if this was a fluke or the start of a great directorial career. As with Michael Powell's Peeping Tom from the last decade this is another example where the critics and the public got it spectacularly wrong first time around. Night of the Hunter is a twisted fairytale of a story and its macabre nursery rhyme rhythm has never been bettered. The story, a religious fanatic marries a gullible widow whose young children are reluctant to tell him where their real daddy hid $10,000 he'd stolen in a robbery, is a simple one and characters are rudimentary at best, but where this film excels is in crafting a beguiling and nightmarish atmosphere that still manages to tap into childhood fears. Robert Mitchum has never been better as the murderous criminal masquerading as a preacher. He is powerful, cunning and scary as hell. Whilst the 1980s saw the birth of many iconic horror villains none of them have the same creepy impact as Harry Powell. The black and white cinematography is utterly breathtaking especially in its use of foreboding shadows. A stunning one-of-a-kind experience.

19. Punch Drunk Love - Punch Drunk Love is Paul Thomas Anderson's forgotten film. It hasn't got that epic quality that characterises his most famous work but for me this is his true masterpiece, which is all the more remarkable when you consider I detest Adam Sandler. It's use of sound and cinematography seems to reflect perfectly the mental state of the character whilst still delivering a warm and touching central romance in a spiky and hostile shell. Plus any film that can deliver the line - "I'm lookin' at your face and I just wanna smash it. I just wanna strawberry floatin' smash it with a sledgehammer and squeeze it. You're so pretty." - and still come across as a romantic and sweet moment must be doing something right.

20. Raiders of the Lost Ark - This movie has it all. It has some truly great characters, not just Indy but pretty much every single character that utters a line, and even those that don't. The action is unrelenting, imaginative, full of danger and brilliantly judged tension but it never feel shoe-horned in like a lot of modern action scenes do. Whilst it has a very old fashioned sensibility it hasn't aged a day beyond some predictable effects ageing. I've liked all the Indiana Jones films (barring number four of course) but none of the others can really compete with the first film which is as perfect a family adventure film could be. Ford is wonderful as Indy but he works brilliantly with Karen Allen. They have tried to replicate that chemistry in the other films but it never really worked in the same way, not least in Crystal Skull where Allen appeared to be a lobotomised grinning fool throughout most of it.

Forum favourites