Saturday, October 17, 2009

TOP 10 - MOVIE MUSIC TITLES

TOP 10 - MOVIE MUSIC TITLES
In a recent survey on IMDB.com, the following were listed at the Top 10 Movies that included music in some way in the titles. When you have read, let me know what you think.
10. Walk the Line (2005)
A woman's love, given reluctantly, saves a man from addiction and self-destruction. Traces the life of Johnny Cash from his boyhood, with the loss of a brother and the loss of his father's affection, to 1968 when his outlaw side and his unhappiness give way to the twin triumphs of his concert at Folsom Prison and June Carter's acceptance of his marriage proposal. Along the way there's his first composition, first recording, first marriage, daughters, being smitten with June, divorce, pills and booze, an empty life, and the Carter family's nursing him back to health. June eases Johnny out of a ring of fire. CAST: Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick, Shelby Lynne, Dan Beene, Larry Bagby; DIRECTED BY: James Mangold; PRODUCER: James Keach, Cathy Konrad;
9. Parting Glances (1986)
As Michael and Robert, a gay couple in New York, prepare for Robert's departure for a two-year work assignment in Africa, Michael must face Robert's true motives for leaving while dealing with their circle of eccentric friends, including Nick, who is living with AIDS. CAST: Richard Ganoung, John Bolger, Steve Buscemi, Adam Nathan, Kathy Kinney; DIRECTED BY: Bill Sherwood;
8. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Marti DeBergi is a film-maker who decides to make a documentary, a rockumentary actually, about the world's loudest band, the British heavy metal group Spinal Tap. The movie is in fact a biting satire and spoof of the whole rock and roll scene that passes itself off as a real documentary of a real band. Hilarious behind-the-scenes footage is combined with faux-concert clips to breath life into the imaginary group CAST: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer, Tony Hendra, Bruno Kirby, Rob Reiner, June Chadwick, Howard Hesseman, Billy Crystal, Dana Carvey, Ed Begley Jr., Patrick Macnee, Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer, Anjelica Huston, Fred Willard, Paul Benedict, Archie Hahn; DIRECTED BY: Rob Reiner; PRODUCER: Karen Murphy;
7. Almost Famous (2000)
William Miller is a 15 year old kid, hired by Rolling Stone magazine to tour with, and write about Stillwater, an up and coming rock band. This wonderfully witty coming of age film follows William as he falls face first to confront life, love, and lingo. CAST: Patrick Fugit, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Frances McDormand, Jason Lee, Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, John Fedevich, Mark Kozelek, Fairuza Balk, Bijou Phillips, Anna Paquin, Noah Taylor, Jimmy Fallon, Zooey Deschanel, Liz Stauber, Eion Bailey, Mark Pellington, Terry Chen, Peter Frampton, Zack (Zach) Ward; DIRECTED BY: Cameron Crowe; PRODUCER: Ian Bryce, Cameron Crowe;
6. Fitzcarraldo (1982)
Fitzcarradlo is an obsessed opera lover who wants to build an opera in the jungle. To accomplish this he first has to make a fortune in the rubber business, and his cunning plan involves hauling an enormous river boat across a small mountain with aid from the local Indians. CAST: Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, Jose Lewgoy, Miguel Angel Fuentes, Paul Hittscher; DIRECTED BY: Werner Herzog; PRODUCER: New World Pictures;
5. Once (2006)
An (unnamed) Guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer-songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. An (unnamed) Girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day and takes care of her mom and her daughter by night. Guy meets Girl, and they get to know each other as the Girl helps the Guy to put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. During the same several day period, the Guy and the Girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs. CAST: Alaistair Foley, Catherine Hansard, Glen Hansard, Kate Haugh, Senan Haugh, Darren Healy, Gerard Hendrick; DIRECTED BY: John Carney; PRODUCER: David Collins, Martina Niland;
4. Rock On!! (2008)
In 1998, rock music had a shot in the arm with the emergence of Grunge. The voice of teenage angst found an audience across the globe and rock music seemed like it was on the threshold of becoming the leader in mainstream music. Magik was one such band that wished to ride this wave. This story about the 4 young friends who put together the greatest band this country had ever seen but never made it. CAST: Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal,Luke Kenny, Purab Kohli,Prachi Desai, Shahana Goswami, Koel Purie, Nicolette Bird, Sai Gundewar; DIRECTED BY: Abhishek Kapoor; PRODUCER: Farhan Akhtar, Miriam Joseph, Ritesh Sidhwani;
3. The Red Shoes (1948)
Under the authoritarian rule of charismatic ballet impressario Boris Lermontov, his proteges realize the full promise of their talents, but at a price: utter devotion to their art and complete loyalty to Lermontov himself. Under his near-obsessive guidance, young ballerina Victoria Page is poised for superstardom, but earns Lermontov's scorn when she falls in love with Julian Craster, composer of "The Red Shoes," the ballet Lermontov is staging to showcase her talents. Vicky leaves the company and marries Craster, but still finds herself torn between Lermontov's demands and those of her heart. CAST: Anton Walbrook, Moira Shearer, Marius Goring, Leonide Massine, Robert Helpmann, Albert Bassermann, Ludmila Tcherina, Esmond Knight; DIRECTED BY: Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger; PRODUCER: Emeric Pressburger Michael Powell;
2. Amadeus (1984)
Antonio Salieri believes that Mozart's music is divine. He wishes he was himself as good a musician as Mozart so that he can praise the Lord through composing. But he can't understand why God favored Mozart, such a vulgar creature, to be his instrument. Salieri's envy has made him an enemy of God whose greatness was evident in Mozart. He is set to take revenge. CAST: F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow, Roy Dotrice, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones, Kenny Baker, Cynthia Nixon, Vincent Schiavelli; DIRECTED BY: Milos Forman;
PRODUCER: Orion Pictures Saul Zaentz;
1. Some Like It Hot (1959)
Two struggling musicians witness the St. Valentine's Day Massacre and try to find a way out of the city before they are found and killed by the mob. The only job that will pay their way is an all girl band so the two dress up as women. In addition to hiding, each has his own problems; One falls for another band member but can't tell her his gender, and the other has a rich suitor who will not take "No," for an answer. CAST: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, George Raft, Pat O'Brien, Nehemiah Persoff, Joe E. Brown, Joan Shawlee, Mike Mazurki; DIRECTED BY: Billy Wilder; PRODUCER: Doane Harrison I.A.L. Diamond;
  • How many of these have you seen?
  • Do you agree with the Top 10?
  • Use the comment box or send me an email to let me know
  • If not, let me know and I will post your Top 10 lists.

HOW TO PRETEND YOU HAVE SEEN A CLASSIC MOVIE

HOW TO PRETEND YOU HAVE SEEN A CLASSIC MOVIE
A survey suggests 58% of men and 38% of women lie about having seen classic films. So how might you go about bluffing that you have? Here are six of the top 10 most fibbed about films with all of the necessary bluffage provided for you to able to get away with not having seen any of them.
The Godfather - 1972
In a line: Super-slick gangster flick. Plot summary: Ageing crime boss finds himself caught up in a cycle of violence that takes its toll on his whole family. People are killed, then the people who killed them are killed. Eventually a new boss is found from an unlikely source. Buzzword bingo: Consigliere, button men. Key lines: "Make him an offer he couldn't refuse." "Luca Brasi sleeps with the fishes." Key scene: A movie studio boss refuses to put Don Corleone's godson in a lead role. He wakes up with his prized horse's severed head in his bed. He changes his mind.
Taxi Driver - 1976
In a line: Vietnam-veteran cabbie goes a bit wonky. Plot summary: Insomniac Travis Bickle spends his nights driving taxis in New York and not exactly feeling at peace with the world. A date gone wrong starts to upset him, and an encounter with an underage prostitute and her pimp send him right over the edge. He gets an alarming haircut and turns into the have-a-go hero to end all have-a-go heroes. Buzzword bingo: Alienation, isolation. Key lines: "You talkin' to me?" "Someday a real rain will come and wash all this scum off the streets." Key scene: Bickle, played by Robert de Niro, takes Betsy to see a "sex education" film on their first date. She is not pleased.
Gone With the Wind - 1939
In a line: Passionate love story set in America's "Deep South" through the Civil War and beyond. Plot summary: The lavish film follows the fortunes of beautiful, ambitious and unscrupulous Southern belle Scarlett as she fights for her and her family's survival. The greatest battles are not between the North and the South, but between Scarlett and anyone who stands between her and what she wants. Buzzword bingo: Tara, mamie and fiddle-de-dee. Key line: "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn." Key scene: Lying weak from hunger in the ruins of rural Georgia, Scarlett claws at the scorched earth and declares: "As God is my witness, I will never be hungry again." At that moment she decides that not only is she going to survive, but she is going to prosper.
It's A Wonderful Life - 1946
In a line: Heartwarming reminder that good guys can prosper. Plot summary: George Bailey has had some bad luck and on Christmas Eve is thinking of killing himself. An angel is sent to intervene and show what a vital role he has played in people's lives. Topically, the baddie is a banker, and the whole story works as a paean to community over personal ambition. Buzzword bingo: Evil bankers, getting your wings. Key lines: "You're worth more dead than alive." "Harry wasn't there to save them, because you weren't there to save Harry." Key scene: There is a run on the savings and loan and George stands behind the counter trying to persuade the crowd that they can't take their money out because it is invested in each other's houses.
The Great Escape- 1963
In a line: Ingenious escape from German PoW camp, based on a true story. Plot summary: PoW escape mastermind Big X arrives in the high security Stalag Luft III and conceives a plan for the biggest breakout of Allied airmen yet. They dig three tunnels, Tom, Dick and Harry, and have to devise cunning tricks to keep their activities from the prying eyes of the camp guards. Buzzword bingo: Ferrets, penguins. Key line: "Oh my God, they found Tom." Key scene: Virgil Hilts tries to jump over barbed wire at the border on a stolen motorbike. Nothing like it ever happened in reality. But Steve McQueen really liked motorbikes
Citizen Kane - 1941
In a line: Newspaper mogul attempts to bestride the world but ends up alone. Plot summary: With close parallels with the life of real newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, the movie follows a journalist's quest to uncover the meaning of Charles Foster Kane's final words, while also telling the story of his life. Buzzword bingo: Rosebud, auteur, deep focus, pioneering. Key line: "You provide the prose poems. I'll provide the war." Key scene: Kane dies and the snow globe he is holding rolls out of his hand.

MOVIE REVIEW - WINGED CREATURES


MOVIE REVIEW WINGED CREATURES

Perhaps it's indicative of culture today where a shooting spree registers a fleeting moment on TV news. Within that 3 minute sound-bite, tales of survival and tragedy are wrapped in an easily digestible package. Winged Creatures looks at the aftermath of such events, where survivors attempt to cope with the fall-out. Courageously doing so, Winged Creatures paints a disturbing portrait of people refusing to confront their fears. Sitting in a cafe, teenage best friends Anne (Dakota Fanning) and Jimmy (Josh Hutcherson) await their meal. Also present are Charlie (Forest Whitaker), Bruce (Guy Pearce) and waitress Carla (Kate Beckinsale). As they go about their routine, their lives become shattered by a gunman who enters the cafe and begins randomly shooting. Surviving the ensuing carnage, the five endeavour to resume normal lives. Unfortunately death's traumatic shadow immerses them as their reaction to this violent crime threatens to destroy their lives as cleanly as the gunman's bullet. Rarely does a recent film tackle the subject of post traumatic stress disorder. It's odd why this is the case, but a reason maybe cinema's determination to present more escapist fare to offset some of the darker times of this decade. In its exploration of feelings of rage, isolation and guilt, Winged Creatures runs the gamut of emotions in ways other genres have failed. Strongly portrayed by a fine ensemble cast, each character's thoughts are set in a holding pattern until their senses are able to accept the horror they witnessed. Until such a moment of realisation occurs, their actions speak of people living a skewered version of their regular lives. As with any multi-cast piece, some characters fare better than others. The plight of Anne and Jimmy are moving as their young minds appear unable to cope with the savage act of an unbalanced adult. What's interesting about their strand is how their parents are also traumatised by their children's behaviour, with the ripple effect of crime well articulated. Regrettably this isn't carried through to other sections where the relationships between some characters are murky at best. Despite being excellent actors, Pearce and Whitaker fare the worst in their segments, where more exposition was needed to convey their deeper deliberations. Director Rowan Woods should be commended for undertaking a topic so often ignored. Where the effects of any trauma can last days or years, it's useful having a film like Winged Creatures to remind there are always lasting consequences to any deeds.  

Movie Review Rating 7 / 10  
Movie Review by Patrick Moore
Winged Creatures released in Australia on Thursday 9th July 2009.
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 Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.

MOVE REVIEW - DRAG ME TO HELL


MOVE REVIEW DRAG ME TO HELL
Opening with an 80's era Universal logo, there's a sense that director Sam Raimi wants to re-set the clock. Using old studio monikers seems to be a recent trend applied by others in creating a nostalgic mood. You can't really blame them as horror films in the last decade have descended into a well of remakes and gore-fests. Whilst Drag Me To Hell has its share of grisly frights, its playfulness with genre convention enables it to stand out with its own devilishly macabre imprint. Desperate to obtain a promotion within her bank, loans officer Christine (Alison Lohman) faces a crucial test. When customer Mrs Ganush (Lorna Raver) pleas for an extension on her mortgage, Christine ignores her personal pity and refuses. Angered at this slight, the old woman places a gypsy curse on Christine whereby a demon will come to take her to hellish depths. Wanting to escape this seemingly inevitable fate, she turns to boyfriend Clint (Justin Long) and fortune teller Rham Jas (Dileep Rao) for help in banishing this evil from her once rosy existence. Strange as this may sound, Drag Me To Hell's noticeable feature is its pure joyfulness. This is derived from Raimi's obvious pleasure in echoing his early Evil Dead days by delivering a thumping spook-fest. Although this doesn't mean blood and guts galore or does he feel any need to take this easy route. From its lurid title to tongue in cheek acting, there's a real feeling for the care gone into making a coherent and fiendishly ghoulish time. It's this effort in providing an imaginative movie which makes it appealing. Raimi's creativity in providing the right scary ingredients proves he hasn't forgotten the genre that established his career. With a lot of good horror films, there's always an element of warning fable attached. Paying the price for ignoring her own beliefs, Christine's undoing comes from an older woman using her own to wreak revenge. This theme is successfully expressed by a good cast bravely confronting the pyrotechnics placed in their way. Interestingly the majority of scares occur in daylight which perhaps reflects a desire to prove sunshine hours are no deterrent from terror. Assisted by a fantastically booming soundtrack, the scares are more than equalled by the stylish humour Raimi knows his audience want to experience. One should be grateful that good horror films can still be made that are actually scary. It's also pleasing knowing that Raimi can still mix genres with ease, something to which upcoming film-makers should aspire.  

Move Review Rating 8 / 10
 Movie Review by Patrick Moore Drag Me To Hell released in Australia on Thursday 23rd July 2009.
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Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.
 

MOVIE REVIEW - BRUNO

MOVIE REVIEW BRUNO
There are comedians happy in playing it safe with inoffensive humour everyone can enjoy. Then there are those like Sacha Baron Cohen who like to rattle the cage of political correctness with unrelenting glee. This stifling enclosure is well and truly shaken in his latest effort Bruno, documenting the adventures of a gay TV host desperate to find fame in America. Fans of his previous work Borat may feel familiar territory is taken, with Cohen continuing to expose the sometimes weird outlook of our delightful Yankee cousins. This isn't to suggest that Cohen is charting a course of 'America bashing', but rather he seems interested in confronting the strict morality the country has consumed. In conducting various interviews with gun shooting rednecks, homophobic preachers and individuals of a 'certain intelligence', it almost feels as if he's daring the viewer to actually relate to these people. By showing their reactions to Bruno's saucy antics, the film becomes confronting in how we respond to our own standards with some scenes pushing the envelope in outrageous taste. Placed in context with Borat, Bruno falters somewhat in its style. Where the previous effort succeeded due to its generally improvisational approach, Bruno suffers from its reliance on a more formal structure. Ironic given how its theme is one of tackling conformity, sadly the overall result isn't half as funny as it could have been. The more potent scenes are the apparently unscripted moments that are genuinely hilarious versus the obviously set up routines that quickly fade. It's a pity that the latter is mostly used, as this battle between the looser comedic tone against strident format threatens to occasionally sink proceedings. Despite this, credit goes to Baron Cohen for being brave enough to give his all in the name of laughs. What's interesting about his skills is how he manages to draw out the comedy out of some very uncomfortable situations. It's uncommon to see a message successfully expressed in a humorous way, but his dealings with some narrow minded people highlight his themes. As a character, Bruno mirrors the more eager star wanting to feel worthy in the world by doing 'good deeds', but ends up being the wrong sort of famous samaritan. Definitely not for everyone and like Borat, Bruno can be a very acquired taste. Cohen's eagerness at provoking a response may offend some, but that's perhaps the whole point in stretching our comedic boundaries. Generally a mixed bag due to its format, in a modern world where people apparently loved being shocked, Bruno should do the trick for the more prudish of our society. Movie Review Rating 5 / 10 Movie Review by Patrick Moore Bruno released in Australia on Thursday 8th July 2009. If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Bruno Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia. BRUNO Official Homepage click HERE

MOVIE REVIEW - MY LIFE IN RUINS


MOVIE REVIEW MY LIFE IN RUINS
Having travelled on several interstate bus trips, I could relate to the pitfalls facing My Life In Ruins' Greece bound tourists. Trapped on a coach with certain individuals you'd normally cross the street to avoid, some journeys have been infinitely long. Whilst the delights of Dubbo may not match those of the Greek islands, upon viewing this film I can say I received the best deal. Desperate in its recycled gags and antiquated humour, My Life In Ruins' stereotypical passengers amble aboard a busload of clichés mirroring the worst memories of my fateful treks. Working for a low budget bus tour company, Greek history professor Georgia (Nia Vardalos) hates her job. This is made more insufferable due to the latest bunch of tourists demanding her time. Filled with dumb Americans, drunk Australians, randy Spaniards and thieving Brits, she needs all the help from the Greek gods to see her through. As her lowest point arrives, it's the passengers who unwittingly provide her salvation with one of them, Irv (Richard Dreyfuss), extolling wisdom that would make Athena proud. After finding success with My Big Fat Greek Wedding, writer/actress Vardalos' star was in ascendancy. With this new fame she followed this with drag queen comedy Connie & Carla, which failed to find an audience. She certainly won't find any with her latest effort which seems a curious retrograde step back into bawdy innuendo driven humour. Although this brand of comedy has its fans, it seems out of place here as the charm which endeared Vardalos to so many is missing. There is not one single likeable character to be found with the film's inclusiveness ensuring every nationality cops a pasting. Of the many angles in which one can criticise, its main one must surely be its laziness. With a concept ripe for some genuinely good laughs, the writers instead go for cheap shortcuts with some seriously awful material. This general fake sincerity also extends to the location shooting. Only a small portion shot in Greece with the rest bizarrely filmed in Spain. It's pretty sad seeing Dreyfuss in this, although he spits out his woeful lines with such venom you can't help but be amused. Perhaps he realised he was starring in the most vanilla film of his career - full of predictable and lewd situations aimed at audiences willing to laugh at anything. Unfortunately for Nia Vardalos' fans, about the only ruin in evidence is the state of her career. Playing with a script unsuitable to what made her initially appealing; her next outing needs to play to her strengths before the help of Aphrodite is needed to resurrect her once glowing talents.  

Move Review Rating 1 / 10  
Movie Review by Patrick Moore  
MY LIFE IN RUINS released in Australia on Thursday 16th July 2009.  
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THEATRE - EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL

THEATRE - EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL
Seems that the genre of Horror nowdays is in every performing arts area. Came across this from the Examiner - what a great lead in for Halloween! Anything "Evil Dead" rocks. Give Ash songs to sing and you know you're in for a bloody good time. "Evil Dead The Musical," the Off-Broadway camp-horror phenomenon, comes to Washington, DC for the first time, at the DCAC (District of Columbia Arts Center). Performances are Fridays through Sunday at 7:30 PM, from now through November 1 Based on Sam Raimi’s 80's cult classic films, "Evil Dead The Musical" tells the tale of 5 college kids who travel to a cabin in the woods and accidentally unleash an evil force. It’s a classic story: boy and friends take a weekend getaway at abandoned cabin, boy expects to get lucky, boy unleashes ancient evil spirit, friends turn into Candarian Demons, boy fights until dawn to survive. “The production will feature the theater's first-ever Splash Zone, said director Melissa Baughman. “Audience members should dress accordingly because at the intimate DC Arts Center, I don’t think there will be a blood-free seat in the house!” Baughman is no stranger to the zombie-horror genre, having last directed the original zombie rock musical "Diamond Dead" (Winner of the 2008 Best Musical Pick of the Capital Fringe and 2009 DCTheatreScene.com Audience Favorite Fringe Musical) which toured this summer at the New York International Fringe Festival and The Capital Fringe Festival. She also directed the 2006 production of "Night of the Living Dead." HISTORICAL NOTE: The Evil Dead is a series of three horror films created by Sam Raimi. The films focus on the protagonist, Ashley "Ash" J. Williams, who is played by Bruce Campbell. Ash deals with "deadites", which are demons created by the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis. The film series has since expanded into other formats such as video games and comic books. An off-Broadway musical opened in Toronto in 2003 based on the storyline of the first two films.
Film Poster The Evil Dead 1983

TOP 10 - TV SHOWS TO MOVIES

Top 10 TV Show to Movies
Sex And The City and Get Smart are the latest additions to the genre you can succinctly describe as "movies made by using TV shows as the source material". While it is easy to rattle off a list of failed attempts at bringing the small screen to the big, it's also quite painless to come up with 10 great examples of TV being translated to the movies. Sit back, switch on and enjoy.... 10.
Charlie's Angels 2000
Let’s be frank: it was never going to top awards lists. Still, for those chasing skillfully vapid action, shameless raiding of bullet-time and a boggling abundance of T and A, Charlie’s Angels never puts a foot wrong. It’s a shiny, sexy music video with little if any relation to the iconic 70s crime show. But with Bill Murray nailing Bosley, Drew Barrymore getting nude and Matt Le Blanc hamming it up in priceless self-parody, does faithfulness really count? 9.
The Brady Bunch 1995
At first it sounds like the kind of flick you’d watch with a bucket on hand: an adaptation of the 70s’ most insipidly wholesome sitcom. But by anchoring the symmetrical stepfamily in their world of bellbottoms and old-fashioned family values, while hauling the rest of the world into the 90s, The Brady Bunch strikes the perfect balance between parody and homage. Moments like Greg’s obliviousness to car theft and Jan’s schizophrenic middle child syndrome make the Bradys easy to giggle at, but, respectfully, the film-makers give them the last laugh. 8.
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut 1999
Not since Glengarry Glen Ross has the F-bomb been so gleefully ladled on. Trey Parker and Matt Stone didn’t squander the greater freedoms the movie format supplies, and they crafted two hours of South Park that were almost as over-the-top as they were funny. As you’d expect, nothing was sacred: parents copped it, Canadians copped it, Jews (of course) copped it and Bill Gates took a slug in the dome, all of it set to some of the most hysterically loopy musical numbers ever penned. And yes, the title is a dick joke. Live with it. 7.
Serenity 2005
George Lucas’s influence ensured the space western would be no original concept by the early noughties but, in the hands of Joss Whedon, it’s given snappy new life. Fish-eyed but weirdly hot Summer Glau’s the requisite traumatised psychic chick, Nathan Fillion’s the fast-quipping, gunslinging captain, and the rest of the ensemble (including Chiwetel Ejiofor as an often sympathetic uber-villain) are magnificent. The dialogue’s the other big draw card—the bastard child of Shakespeare and Buffy, and more fun than either. 6.
The Naked Gun Trilogy (1988 - 1994)
Leslie Nielsen’s funniest films were based on the short-lived Police Squad! TV series, which was axed after just six episodes. Never mind, they made some movies. And what movies. You wouldn’t realise it in the era of Meet the Spartans, but the parody genre was once funny, managing to be clever, stupid and irreverent at the same time. Case in point: in the second film, the villain is hurled from a high rise window only to have his fall broken by an awning—and then he gets munched by a lion. Priceless. 5.
The Wrath Of Khan 1982
Choosing from the ten Star Trek movies on offer might seem a daunting task if popular Trekkie opinion didn’t sway so strongly toward The Wrath of Khan. As the best Trek movie should, it balances camp popcorn entertainment against cerebral character drama and a villain you don’t quite know whether to love or hate. Spock’s heroic death cements this as top-tier Trek, and if there was ever a cooler rendition than Khan’s of Melville’s “From Hell’s heart I stab at thee…” we’d like to hear it. 4.
Maverick 1994
Maverick was another series from the Roy Huggins stable, the man responsible for The Fugitive, so he must be the most cinema-friendly TV man out there. Gibson’s turn as charismatic cardsharp Bret Maverick is a nice reminder of how sane Mad Mel used to be, and William Goldman’s witty screenplay of double, triple and quadruple crosses in the Old West is a delight. Having been the original "Maverick" on the small screen, James Garner adds Western street cred and in-joke cool, while Jodie Foster is beguiling as ever. 3.
The Quatermass Xperiment 1955
Made long enough ago to be drawn from a serial instead of a series, The Quartermass Xperiment was the film whose success turned Hammer Studios onto horror. It’s regarded as a landmark in British SF/horror film-making, and Stephen King and John Carpenter both name it among their favourite movies. The story—a rocket pilot begins mutating after contracting an alien disease—echoes down the years, in the Species trilogy, The Astronaut’s Wife, Slither, and a host of others that have never quite matched this 50s pearl. 2.
The Untouchables 1987
Penned by David Mamet and steered by Brian De Palma back when he was good, this was always going to be a corker. Sean Connery got an Oscar gong for his tough Irish cop Jim Malone; Costner made a dashing lead as Eliot Ness on his way from uptight suit to Kevlar-hard cop; and was Robert De Niro ever chillier than the white-suited Capone? There are no letdowns in this, the film that taught us never to bring a knife to a gunfight. 1.
The Fugitive 1993
For taut thrills, it can’t be beat: two magnetic leads as hunter and hunted, each as stonily determined as the other. The finale of TV's The Fugitive was, for a time, the highest ratings puller ever in the States, so the film-makers had big joggers to fill with the cinematic adaptation. That more people associate Dr Richard Kimble with Harrison Ford than David Jannsen is a testament to the successful big-screen shift. Tommy Lee Jones’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar performance has been hard to forget, as well.