Nosferatu(1922)
The first and still the most effective and scariest adaptation of the Dracula story.Completely unofficial hence the name change but Max Shreck is chillingly grotesque as the blood lusting Count Orlok.
9/10
Platoon (1986)
Oliver Stone's brutal Vietnam War movie leaves a lasting impression. This is excellent film making - the horrors and harsh realities of the conflict are brought to life through the eyes of one platoon. Rookie Charlie Sheen is caught in a power struggle between two sergeants - the caring and noble Elias (Willem Dafoe) and the battle-hardened psychotic Barnes (Tom Berenger). There's been many films of this genre - I have long been fascinated by war movies and Vietnam is a particular favourite topic of mine in film. This for me is my favourite of the lot and one of my favourite top five films of all time. An Oscar winning powerhouse in cinema. John C McGinley, Keith David, Kevin Dillon, Mark Moses, Forest Whitaker and Reggie Johnson also star. 5/5
Kind Hearts and Coronets(1949)
A suave serial killer,Dennis Price plans to eliminate an aristocratic clan all played expertly by Alec Guinness.One of Ealing Studios best and blackest comedies.
9/10
Wonder Woman 7.5/10 pretty good
Point Blank(1967)
A great film from British director John Boorman who adds nouvelle inspired jump cuts and existential angst to this simple crime and revenge story.With an iconic lead turn from Lee Marvin.
8/10
Point Blank, sublime neo noir classic
Another classic...
Reservoir Dogs(1992)
No synopsis needed.
Tarantino's first and maybe his best, though I haven't seen the Kill Bills and Hateful Eight.
Sublime, witty, quotable, script.
Skillful use of flashbacks, building up some of the character's back stories.
Excellent soundtrack.
Non PC at times, cos that's how the characters would behave.
Won't put in any spoilers, but a couple of emotional moments in the mayhem and bloodshed.
Best roles for Michael Madsen and Chris Penn, maybe?
9/10
All The President's Men(1976)
Paranoid thriller specialist Alan J.Pakula directed this masterpiece,a recreation of the Washington Post's uncovering of the Watergate Scandal that lead to President Nixon's resignation.With terrific performances all round but especially from Dustin Hoffman,Robert Redford and Hal Holbrook.
8.5/10
The Night Is Young(1986) A gangster(Michel Piccoli) employs a young card shark(Denis Lavant), who is the son of a murdered colleague, to steal a virus from a laboratory, but complications ensue.... A strikingly, unpredictably shot film, but with a deliberately obscure plot, a case of style over substance. This also makes it feel like the film is padded out and overlong. Decent performances though, especially from leads Lavant and Juliette Binoche. Also starring Hans Meyer, Carroll Brooks & Julie Delpy. 5.5/10
M(1931)
Peter Lorre is repulsive in his first major lead as a child killer being hunted down by members of the underworld in Berlin.
7/10
Southpaw(2015) The fall and rise of a boxer played by Jake Gyllenhaal . There was some talk when this film came out, of the cliched nature of it, but many boxing films have the protagonist facing a fall from grace, then often redemption, as does this film, but this movie has strong acting, including the scenes between Gyllenhaal and his wife(Rachel McAdams),but particularly his daughter (a very talented actress called Oona Laurence), and his trainer, the ever reliable Forest Whitaker. The fight scenes are exciting, and the use of mostly quiet music on the soundtrack is effective. Also starring 50 Cent,Naomie Harris,Beau Knapp,Miguel Gomez and Rita Ora. 7.5/10