Top 10 Films Of All Time
As an author, I am often asked about the books and writers that have inspired my fictional stories. There are dozens of authors that have impacted my works, but often I find myself answering the question with films. Dialogue, characterisation and plot is not confined to the book, and I would argue that cinema has played an equally important role in my storytelling. To demonstrate this, I have listed my top 10 films of all time. This list took quite a while, and could easily have been a top 50. But the challenge was accepted, and here they are. Please feel free to comment with your own top 10, or to discuss the choices I’ve made. Enjoy!
10. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
Anthony Hopkins has such presence as Hannibal Lector in a mere 15 minutes of screen time, teaching me that less can be more when creating an intimidating central character. Of all the movies on this list, The Silence of the Lambs had the biggestimpact on my debut novel Dortmund Hibernate. When we see a fresh-faced Jodie Foster enter that corridor of depraved, unhinged and violent men, the cages do little to calm our nerves. The fact that they can toss bodily secretions at her and cause such fear, without restraint, makes the corridor unsafe for anyone deemed healthy and sane. Despite Hannibal’s past, we can’t hate him. He eats people, yet we want to see more of his story. This is brilliant filmmaking and characterisation that continues to spawn sequels, prequels and television shows. The perfect Saturday night movie.
9. The Beach (2000)
Perhaps the most controversial addition to this list, The Beach is the film that ignited mythirst for independent adventure. Both book and film provide a sense of rawexploration that transcends the page and screen. When Moby’s Porcelain kicks in and the pure blue water off Thailand’s coast hits your eyes, you’re no longer on your couch. Leonardo DiCaprio wanted to move away from the spotlight after Titanic, and the key themes in the story almost mirror his life. We feel that sense of delving into the unknown, because our lives are so far removed from finding a hidden civilisation without technology. In Thailand, the people either worship or despise the film; those working in tourism utilise it as a marketing tool, while locals believe it draws in Hollywood and sends all the wrong messages. But the film itself is genuine, filled with hope and despair, as we watch the world’s biggest star seek something unique in untouched paradise.
8. Gladiator (2000)
I was twelve when Gladiator was released, and all I knew about the film was that someone’s head was chopped off at some stage. I put off watching the movie for a few years, but when I finally sat down and pressed play I was blown away by its grandeur. The heart of the film is so simple, yet so powerful: General becomes slave, slave becomes gladiator, gladiator defies empire. Russell Crowe announced himself to the world as more than just a brute. His underlying anger pulsates from beginning to end, and it all feels so personal. The scale of the battles, complete with a roaring crowd and litres of spilled blood, are like watching your football team on a Sunday afternoon. You’re rooting for this man as he shows up the young emperor, and with his death we see the complete arc of redemption.
7. Inception (2010)
Like most people, I wasn’t completely sure what happened when I first saw Inception. Maybe I’m still not completely sure. But the complexity, soundtrack, performances and original idea combine to create something we’ve never seen before. Complete originality is rare these days. At the core of the film is love and family and its importance above everything else. When you put Christopher Nolan, Hans Zimmer, Leonardo DiCaprio and a slew of underrated stars into a blender, the result is quality. Levels and levels of quality. The final three minutes may be one of the great film scenes. You’ve been on a journey that in truth has spanned over lifetimes, and now you’re returning home. And as that top spins on the table and you’re hugging your children, whether it is all real or a dream is irrelevant. The deepest film on this list.
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
While the middle movie in a trilogy can often be filler (not including Empire Strikes Back, of course, which only just missed out on a placing here) the second entry into Peter Jackson’s adaptation of Tolkien’s world showed us the impact on everyday people in a mystical battle between good and evil. Hobbits, orcs, elves and dwarves captivated our imagination in The Fellowship of the Ring, but The Two Towers demonstrates the impact on the people of Rohan as Sauron seeks to wipe out the world of men. The entire film builds up to one of the biggest battles I’ve seen on screen, and in the background you have the humanisation of Gollum into Smeagol as Frodo struggles with his burden. To talk about the soundtrack, landscapes, acting or dialogue would be to praise the entire series. The Two Towers is the strongest entry into the series because it has this certain World War II flavour to its story arc, as evil descends on an honest population too defiant and proud to surrender.
5. Braveheart (1995)
The bagpipes alone are enough to conjure up the emotion in Braveheart. After we watched this in class, students were banging on their desks chanting “Wallace! Wallace! Wallace!”. For all Mel Gibson’s faults, the man knows how to make a movie. The violence, pain and brutality of the English is there for all to see, for Mel does not hold back. Full scale wars with chopped limbs and horses colliding are fantastic for scope, but the tragic beginning and heartbreaking finale make everything that happens in between even more enjoyable. We love cheering for an underdog, and William Wallace rises from a boy on a farm to the leader of a nation in the space of the movie. And that speech before riding into almost certain death, if not so overplayed, would remain Mel’s acting triumph.
4. American History X (1998)
Such an important film during my teenage years, the high school I attended decided not to use the film in our studies due to the violence and themes. But my cousin, the same age as me, couldn’t stop talking about the film she was watching in her English class, so I rented it and watched it alone. I attended a multicultural high school, and American History X delves into issues that remain in our society 20 years after release. Edward Norton, muscled and angry, is outstanding. He can portray both racist and a changed man with ease. The curb stomp, teeth chattering before being smashed into oblivion, stays with you. But it is the key messages that resonate, as a changed man can still be punished for his past. Easily the best film to delve into the repercussions of Nazi Germany 50 years later, American History X is a must watch for all teenagers despite the adult themes.
3. Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Shawshank has this interesting power over its viewers. Many don’t feel compelled to watch it, seeing it as simply another prison drama. But almost everyone who views this film will be a different person by the final credits. Freeman’s narration is perfect. He could narrate a dog emptying its bowels with precision and emotion. It can often be hard to describe why this film is so good. Essentially, it’s a prison break by an innocent man, detailing his life inside the walls with his fellow prisoners and a greedy warden. But something rises out of the cells and above those fortified walls. Every scene is memorable, every performance captivating. Whether it be Brooks and his fate, or the young prisoner shot by guards for wanting to help the protagonist, or even the great escape through shit; you can’t look away. This could easily have been number one, and would likely feature as number one on more lists than any other film.
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
This is the greatest example of good versus evil in the history of cinema, with perhaps the strongest acting display by a man no longer with us. I don’t like superhero movies. I believe the current film climate of cinematic universes is destroying the screen and the moviegoing experience. But The Dark Knight is not really a superhero film. No super powers, just chaos and anarchy in a city pushing further into the darkness. Heath Ledger’s performance, in my eyes, is the greatest of all time. A deeply troubled man that manages to stay one step ahead of everyone, he is fuelled by Batman’s capabilities. As he says to the masked crusader, “You complete me”. We had heard of The Joker well before this film, but Ledger took the key features and created something that has changed pop culture forever. But it isn’t just his character that makes this film so powerful. It’s an ongoing battle against a figure without a weakness. And we can all relate to that.
And Number #1 – The Departed (2006)
Scorsese finally won an Oscar for Best Director for his epic crime saga featuring heavyweights such as DiCaprio, Damon, Nicholson, Wahlberg, Sheenand Baldwin. After I watched The Departed for the first time, recently graduating out of high school, it became my favourite film. Thirteen years later it is still my favourite film. In my books, dialogue is so important. Much of my dialogue is inspired by this film. Whether it be Nicholson’s crime boss intimidating his crew or Leo’s five-minute speech about how he feels being undercover with a mass murderer, no word is wasted. “Fuck” is dropped 237 times, and not a single “Fuck” is out of place. Leo’s strained voice and constant state of panic draws us in as Damon’s arrogance draws our anger, and as rat tries to find rat we find ourselves laughing infits with the incredible one-liners delivered in serious situations. I don’t think any film will ever top The Departed, especially with the current state of cinema, but if it does I know I’m in for a treat.
