Swiss veteran Bruno Ganz’s portrayal of Adolf Hitler in his final days is brilliant in Oliver Hirschbiegel’s 2004 film “Downfall”.
In the new reality that accompanied the Coronavirus pandemic our health, both physical and mental, became infinitely more important to us all. Whilst governments enacted laws to protect our physical health, we were left to tend to our own mental wellbeing.
The main challenge was to how best fill the void left by no work, no study and little socialising. I, like most, turned to the much-maligned but always cherished television. Thankfully in the age of connectivity, the TV is so much more than just a handful of channels. Netflix, Stan and various others platforms have given us access to a world other than the news and reality shows.
It feels as though a million movies are orbiting our homes just waiting to be pressed into action, and with time on my hands, I’ve been happy to wave plenty of them in for landing. So here, I submit my 50 all-time favourite films. This is Part II, Nos. 40-31. A link to previous installments is at the bottom of this list.
40 – THE TRIP
2010 – Directed by Michael Winterbottom
On face value, “The Trip” is as straight-forward as it comes. It’s a feature film in which two English comedians, Steve Coogan and Rob Bryden, set off by car to review some of the best restaurants in Great Britain. Food is eaten and restaurants are reviewed, but the bulk of the two mates’ time is spent sparring, either intellectually or comedically. Dig deeper, though, and you’ll find there is more to “The Trip” than meets the eye. The line between reality and fantasy has been expertly blurred by director Michael Winterbottom, and if you become obsessed with un-blurring said line you’ll end up with the type of headache you could only get from sculling down a Slurpee. You see, Coogan and Bryden play partially fictionalised versions of themselves. The restaurants and hotels they visit are real and the people preparing the food are chefs, but the wait-staff and other employees appear to be actors. I’m fairly certain that Coogan and Bryden’s family shown in the film are all actors, but I’m not 100 per cent. To further complicate matters, Coogan comes across as highly insecure, whilst Bryden has a surreptitious cruel streak that preys on Coogan’s insecurity. These personality traits are hilarious, and whilst they may have been part of the script, who is to say they are not at least partially indicative of the person to which they have been attributed? Don’t worry about what’s real and what isn’t. Sit back and enjoy “The Trip” for what it serves up, delicious food and a laugh-out-loud pissing contest between two of the funniest men alive today.
39 – THE STING
1973 – Directed by George Roy Hill
127th Empire Magazine, 500 Greatest Movies of All Time
Critically acclaimed, a box-office success and undiminished by time are the signposts of cinematic greatness, and “The Sting” ticks all three boxes. The movie was released in the US late in 1973 amid much hype and defied the curse normally associated with such predictions to instantly become a hit worldwide. The producers of “The Sting” knew they were on a winner from the first reading of the script and assembled a glittering cast. Heading the ensemble was moviedom’s most desirable double-act then, and possibly ever, Paul Newman and Robert Redford. The movie itself has necessary doses of humour, drama and romance, but really catches fire late when the title of the film finally makes sense. “The Entertainer” by Marvin Hamlisch has probably become more famous than the movie itself, so if you can whistle the theme you should see the movie.
38 – DUCK SOUP
1933 – Directed by Leo McCarey
16th – Time Out 100 Greatest Comedy Movies of All Time
“Duck Soup” may not have been as successful at the box-office as other Marx Brothers movies, but over time it has become the most critically-acclaimed, and for good reason. It is the last time all four Marx Brothers, Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo appeared in a movie together, and this was the last of their movies made by Paramount Pictures, the studio at which they enjoyed their greatest success. Those facts aside, it is the movie that best showcases the exquisite comedic chemistry shared by Groucho Marx and his favourite fall “guy” Margaret Dumont. Groucho is at his Machiavellian best in the role of Rufus T Firefly, whilst Harpo and Chico offer their distinctly different comedic styles throughout the film. Whilst the script follows a well-trodden path, it’s the one to go down if you’ve never sampled the Marx Brothers and you want to see what all the hype is about at your grandparents’ retirement village.
37 – THE KING’S SPEECH
2010 – Directed by Tom Hooper
156th Empire Magazine’s 500 Greatest Movies of All-Time
Whilst the imagination is an endless frontier that fiction writers can harvest for their next novel or script, I have always preferred storylines taken from the pages of history. Give me World Wars over Star Wars any day, or more specifically, “The King’s Speech” over “The Lion King”. The film takes the watcher back to the mid 1930’s and the final days of the reign of King George V. His successor, King Edward VIII, chooses to abdicate rather than forego his relationship with an American divorcee, leaving his younger brother to become King. The story is taken up there and deals with the future King’s speech impediment, a stutter that threatens to undermine his authority as The King of England. Whether or not the movie is a faithful retelling of events as they actually occurred is a moot point. The major planks to the story are there and match actual events. King George VI had a pronounced stutter, he did seek the help of Harley Street specialist Lionel Logue, and Logue did teach him various techniques that enabled him to perform his duties satisfactorily. Being a film that deals with a well-known historical event eliminates the need for a spoiler alert. There is however a result through from the “Acting Ashes”, so if you don’t wish to know the score, look away now. It reads: England 2 – 2 Australia. Colin Firth and Helena Bonham Carter both score top marks for the Poms, whilst the Aussies hit back with Geoffrey Rush and Guy Pearce equally as impressive.
36 – FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF
1986 – Directed by John Hughes
33rd – Time Out 100 Greatest Comedy Movies of All-Time
Teen comedy is not the first rock you would look under if you’re searching for the greatest films ever, but knowing that’s where you’ll find some of director John Hughes’ best work might keep you looking there a little longer. Hughes worked with the best American comedians throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, enjoying regular success at the box-office. Over 30 years on, and which of his movies pulled in the most money matters not, what counts now is longevity and cultural impact. That’s what makes “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” the best film directed by Hughes and a motion picture that has nudged its way into discussions over what constitutes a cinematic classic. The movie is manna from heaven for teens. There’s plenty of pranks, teenage angst, French-kissing and teacher shaming. Any adult unfortunate enough to tangle with a teen in this flick comes off second-best. It’s also a movie that is studded with hilarious moments. Do you recall the history teacher so boring that all his students appear to have fallen into a coma? Anyone? Anyone? It might only be for one day, but thanks to Ferris Bueller, Chicago is the land where teens call the shots … “Chicka, chicka”.
35 – DOWNFALL
2004 – Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel
245th – Empire Magazine’s 500 Greatest Movies of All-Time
A German language film released under the title “Der Untergang”, “Downfall” relives the final days of the Third Reich as recalled by Hitler’s personal secretary, Trudy Junge. Set almost entirely within Hitler’s Berlin bunker, the re-enactment of those momentous days has been confirmed as chillingly accurate by every historian or surviving eye-witness who has seen the film. As much as a meticulously accurate recreation of the bunker and a script true to Trudy Junge’s memory were key elements of “Downfall”, it was always going to be the performance of the actor chosen to play Hitler that would determine how audiences and critics would receive the film. The actor charged with that responsibility was Swiss veteran, Bruno Ganz. Ganz initially rejected the role, but upon further reflection couldn’t pass up the opportunity to play such a giant historical figure. It’s a good thing he did, because you are not too far into the 155-minute movie before you are certain that the man dominating the screen is actually Adolf Hitler. “Downfall” takes you deep into Hitler’s bunker and just as deeply into Hitler himself. It reveals a man with a complex personality who was capable of both charm and restraint if such behaviour helped him in reaching his objective. Rarely, if ever, has there been a depiction of Hitler that goes beyond the wild-eyed megalomaniac, and for that reason alone, “Downfall” is a must-see.
34 – 25TH HOUR
2002 – Directed by Spike Lee
The BBC’s 26th Greatest Movie since 2000
Filmed and set in New York City only weeks after the September 11 bombings, Spike Lee uses the aftermath of those attacks as a backdrop to this compelling look at the final day of freedom for a convicted drug dealer. In “25th Hour”, Lee takes on the challenge of portraying a drug dealer faithfully as opposed to the usual one-dimensional treatment meted out by most film-makers. Ed Norton’s Monty is the real face of drug dealing, one of the many links in a chain that gets drugs into the hands of the user. He’s likeable, decent and loyal, but he’s also greedy and blind to the damage done by drugs. “25th Hour” is easy to watch, with a brilliant supporting cast that includes Rosario Dawson, Barry Pepper, Anna Paquin, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Brian Cox. Much of the movie is set in a night club, where the hedonistic world of the dancefloor, electronic music, strobe lighting, drugs and sexuality is masterfully recreated by Lee. It’s a movie that doesn’t get the accolades it deserves, which is a pity, because “25th Hour” is a superb example of Lee’s ability to create settings that are interesting, intricate and constantly evolving without ever compromising on character development.
33 – GOODFELLAS
1990 – Directed by Martin Scorsese
6th – Empire Magazine’s 500 Greatest Movies of All-Time
Most moviegoers’ choice as director Martin Scorsese’s finest film, “Goodfellas” tells the story of real life mobster Henry Hill, who was targeted by the FBI after being elevated to the status of a “made man” within the organised crime organisation best known as the Mafia. The beauty of this movie is that for regular Joes like you and me, “Goodfellas” feels like the most faithful retelling of life within a Sicilian crime family that we are ever going to get. Tick that box, make sure your friends Bobby and Joey (Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci) are on-board and all that’s left is action.
32 – MILLER’S CROSSING
1990 – Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
117th – Empire Magazine’s 500 Greatest Movies of All-Time
The first of four Coen brother movies to appear on this list, and the first Coen Brothers movie I ever saw. Set in an unnamed Raymond Chandler-esque city, “Miller’s Crossing” is your fairly simple gangster story full of double crosses and guns with hair-triggers. The brilliance emanates from a beautifully-crafted script that is studded with words and phrases that take you back, though back to exactly when is not something the directors share with the audience either. Nevertheless, expressions such as “giving someone the high-hat”, “taking it on the heel and toe” and “you’re a regular Mr Inside Outski” stick with you long after the credits stop rolling. A top-notch ensemble cast includes Gabriel Byrne, who really planted his flag in Hollywood with his portrayal of pivotal figure Tommy, delivers the Coen Brothers’ vision without spilling a drop. Unfortunately for the Coens it was released a week after mega-hit “Goodfellas” and got lost somewhat in the hype for the Scorsese-De Niro collaboration. I’m pleased that in some very small way I’ve got one back for the boys by ranking their movie one spot ahead of the Scorese hit, which, by the way, was a total accident.
31 – TOY STORY
1995 – Directed by John Lasseter
69th – IMDB, 500 Greatest Movies Ever
Yes, the Pixar animation was breathtaking at the time, but when it comes to watching animated feature films, the mindset is: “Yeah, but what have you done for me lately.” That means that to be a classic for the ages, an animated film needs to be dux of the school in script and casting. On those two scores, “Toy Story” is comfortably in the classic section of any argument over film. It’s a buddy story that hits the sweet spots for kids and adults alike. There are jokes pitched at both, an epic journey that would have been enough to de-limb most toys and a feel-good ending that even the most joyless watcher would have been secretly wishing for. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen may have provided voices and no more, but in bringing Woody and Buzz Lightyear to life they probably won more fans than with any other role throughout their storied careers.
