My Top 50 Films of the 80s

Following my 00’s and 90’s lists I thought I’d complete the set with this decade. Some notes before I start: The only listing films I’ve seen rule makes for some pretty big omissions with this decade (and if I ever get back on LoveFilm I will attempt to rectify that) and this is probably the list that differs most from accepted views. I think this is largely because of the age I was when seeing most of these movies for the first time when they made their biggest impression on me. I should also add that I regard Das Boot as a TV series not a film, otherwise it might have made the top ten if I could have forgiven its length.

50. The Thin Blue Line

I like to think that film is important, that it speaks to people and it influences the world. It’s not always true but it’s undeniably the case with The Thin Blue Line. In the documentary, director Errol Morris calmly and clearly dissects the flaws in the case that convicted Randall Adams of murder in Texas. Using techniques that were to become standard he recreates the crime over and over again, highlighting the differences in testimony and the vital clues they lead to. Adams would be released from jail a year later after serving 12 years for a murder he did not commit. Morris shows the raw power of cinema in this excellently constructed and utterly compelling film.

49. The Breakfast Club

The 80’s is often regarded as the greatest decade of teen films. While I certainly understand that notion, they tend not to speak to me as I am from the wrong generation to really get Eighties teenagers. However The Breakfast Club is the best of that sequence of movies and deserves a place on this list. The stereotypes shown feel a little hokey now, but the interaction between cliquish teens now forced to spend a day in each other’s company speaks to everyone. Contains several of the definitive film moments of the decade, whilst capturing the styles and spirit of the age.

48. Akira

The imagery and concepts at work in Akira are so intense as to make this more an experience than a film at times. Shifts from achingly cool to mind meltingly odd and pulls the audience in all kind of unusual directions. The most famous Anime of all time, and is certainly an outstanding fusion of Japanese sci fi, and dazzling animation however it’s just too odd for me to place higher up the list. Nevertheless it remains required viewing for all fans of cinema.

47. Planes, Trains and Automobiles

In many ways Planes is a somewhat archetypal 80’s comedy, featuring Steve Martin and John Candy playing to type with the kind of easy rapport that actors dream of. There’s nothing in film quite like Steve Martin being unnecessarily angry, or John Candy being accidentally obnoxious, and it’s good to revel in two high quality comedic actors doing what they do best. Like most 80’s comedy there is a heart and a message that may seem corny to our more irreverent times but was the basis for some of the most successful comedies of all time.

46. Blood Simple

Early Coen Brothers and much more appreciated after the fact than at the time. It’s a low budget, down and dirty crime thriller, where the plot rolls on built entirely on lies, mistrust and violence. The characters become believably weighed down under the weight of their own deceptions, twisting and pulling each other further into a darkness of their own making. While the hints of greatness to come are obvious, it’s not just an early film showing promise, there is real quality here and Blood Simple deserves recognition on its own terms.

45. Witness

Rock solid film making. It’s often studied as a perfect example of structure, pacing, and scripting and that shouldn’t be a criticism, in fact there is decent depth here as Harrison Ford’s weathered cop comes to understand and appreciate the Amish community he tries to help.

44. Good Morning, Vietnam

A much more important film than is perhaps recognised. The cinematic fall out from Vietnam was a major part of 80’s film making but Good Morning... is the first film to consider the Vietnamese as people, or indeed as anything more than noises in the trees. It is a valiant attempt to humanise the other victims of a horrific conflict and has much more depth than clips of Williams’ hyperactivity portray.

43. Day of the Dead

It probably doesn’t quite hit the heights of the Dawn of the Dead, this is still a classic horror film. Like all of Romero’s zombie films, the marauding dead are a device to put his human characters under relentless pressure and the drama comes as their humanity cracks and fractures. In this entry in the series Romero portrays a military scientific complex that has lost all connection to the people it is meant to protect. Romero builds to the inevitable chaotic breakdown like no other director, and has the guts to make the zombie feasting genuinely horrific. It also benefits from being filmed when special effects could manage the right tone of realism where it’s enough to be horrific without being disgusting.

42. Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid

Dead Men... is a quite unusual little comedy that combines new footage starring Steve Martin with scenes from classic film noir movies to tell a tale which is part homage, part parody. The result is unique, a lot of fun and fairly indescribable. Well worth seeking out if you can.

41. House of Games

Representing my continuing love for David Mamet’s work this is a highly assured directorial debut. As usual the Mamet dialogue sparkles and it’s a beguiling, twisting plot that I won’t spoil here. In fact I won’t say anything except that you should watch it.

40. The Terminator

It takes a special film to create the kind of legacy that The Terminator has managed. However the first film is a relatively simple chase film with one of the greatest screen villains ever created and introduced with sublime, simple threat.

“Listen, and understand. That terminator is out there. It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.”

39. Blade Runner

“Like tears in rain.” Frankly, it’s the greatest death soliloquy ever written for film however the movie is perhaps more important than it is great. I’m not much of a fan of its pacing but, as the first film to really portray cyberpunk aesthetics and ideas in the mainstream, it’s the forefather of a vast body of work. Visually the film is essentially perfect, conjuring an entire future world with both city wide vistas and small visual cues. A plot so well constructed that its still debated decades after its release and one of the great movie scores elevate it too.

38. Silverado

During the 80’s Westerns were largely dead but this is an interesting attempt to revive the genre. Now largely forgotten by history after Unforgiven showed how to truly make a modern Western, it’s a surprising, dramatic, action filled movie that demonstrates the very best of the genre. Its greatest strength is also its weakness, in that it plays as a series of highlights from great Westerns of the past. You have to be a fan of the genre to enjoy it, but, as you can tell from the relatively high placing, I am one.

37. Airplane!

It’s difficult to imagine that air disaster movies were once a major part of Hollywood output, a large part of their downfall was Airplane!’s perfect mockery. However Airplane! is much more than a pastiche of a now dead genre, its unrelenting stupidity is infectiously funny and it may be one of the most quoted movies of all time. It was regarded as a comedy classic but I’ve always seen it as Zucker, Abrahams and Zucker finding their feet. It’s also hard to overestimate the daring risk needed to make a film unlike any other at its release.

36. Beverly Hills Cop

There was a time when Eddie Murphy was a dazzlingly charismatic film actor, capable of carrying an entire series of films on his back. The Beverly Hills Cop films (of which the first is the best by a distance) are quintessential star vehicles; the plot is little more than an excuse to put Murphy in a series of situations he can quip at and providing him with a succession of strait laced characters to mock. It can only work with a star at the peak of their powers like Murphy is here. Not the smartest, most involving or most impassioned film but certainly one of the most enjoyable.

35. Dressed to Kill

In many ways this is a relatively standard thriller where a call girl is threatened by an insane killer. However, sequences at the beginning and end of the film give context to the characters, allowing them to exist beyond the parameters of the genre. Overall it is a film heavier on style than plot but it is a beguiling and different movie, wrangling plenty of entertainment from its twists and turns.

34. Mississippi Burning

A solid exploration of institutional and societal racism in America’s Deep South through the prism of the murder of three civil rights activists where the Ku Klux Klan are suspected. Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe are superb as the FBI agents pushed to extreme measures to make arrests and crack a conspiracy of silence. The FBI are slightly too well presented, given the actual facts of the case, but it manages to combine drama with the actual story of a horrendous episode in America’s history with race.

33. The Color of Money

This is a curious film where Paul Newman reprises his role of Eddie Felson 25 years after the original movie The Hustler. It’s a classic performance from one of the greatest actors to have ever live, believably picking up the character from the path he stepped onto at the end of the original. Cruise is, for once, well cast as a spectacularly irritating prodigy with no respect for Felson’s advice or rules. The pool itself is rather beautifully shot and the film works superbly as a tale of an old man getting his confidence back. Really worth watching as part of a double feature.

32. Raising Arizona

Nicolas Cage and the Coen Brothers seem a natural fit and this odd film delivers on that promise. It is as relentlessly weird as a film can be whilst retaining a contemporary setting and a fully formed plot. The extreme verbosity is not to everyone’s taste but I really love it. In the end it has been overshadowed by subsequent Coen Brothers movies, but that happens when you have such a ludicrously high standard of films in your back catalogue.  

31. sex, lies and videotape

A surprisingly important film that launched the career of Steven Soderbergh, made Miramax and transformed both the Sundance festival and the American independent scene in general. It’s the kind of sexually frank film that could only be made outside the mainstream but it shouldn’t be ignored as just a film about sex and, in fact, has a lot of truth to say about relationships. Its a subtle plot combined with an emerging genius of a director who displays some tricks but allows the characters to shine. Sex, lies... remains one of the few genuinely significant films in American cinema history that is also a seriously good watch.

30. Ghandi

One of the things Hollywood tends to do rather well is the epic historical biography. Ghandi is simply a film that should be seen by all. It does, unfortunately, follow almost exactly the formula you could predict from its title but its sheer quality outweighs those concerns.

29. The Verdict

Paul Newman is my favourite actor of all time and this film is just one of many reasons why. It’s a courtroom drama unlike any other as a barely functioning lawyer drags a case to court against everyone’s wishes to try and rebuild his career. Its cynical stuff as the system believably conspires against him and attempts to force him into an out of court settlement.

The real genius of the film is to break away from courtroom drama clichés. Newman’s Frank Galvin is not a heroic defender of justice but a desperate alcoholic who sees this case as a way of making his name. He pursues victory in the courts not to rectify a great wrong but to re-establish his name after years of failure. The case is almost before he realises the importance of it for the victim and realises victory is not just for him. His ultimate triumph comes in the face of the law as his key evidence is ruled inadmissible by a judge willing to punish him for pursuing a trial, rendering his entire case unproven. His final appeal to the jury is a man trying to subvert the law he is meant to support and results in a demonstratively incorrect result.

I am a huge fan of courtroom dramas generally, it’s a perfect set up for dramatic revelations, speeches and tension but The Verdict takes these moments and subverts them. Its greatest line sums this up as one lawyer is advised “You never ask a question you don't know the answer to.” It cuts away all the interrogational pretensions of the trial and reveals its scripted nature. A move that no other trial film would date make.

28. Clue

Either the stupidest funny film or the funniest stupid film but Clue is an underrated classic. Its religious devotion to replicating its source material, coupled with the willingness of a cast to sell each and every joke as if their lives depended on it makes it stand out. About the most fun you can have watching a film.

27. Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure

“This is Dave Beeth Oven, Maxine of Arc, Herman the Kid, Bob “Genghis” Khan. So Crates Johnson, Dennis Frood. And, uh… Abraham Lincoln.”

26. Little Shop of Horrors

This is a pretty good film and then Steve Martin turns up. As film entrances go, it’s up there with Harry Lime. Outside of that Little Shop has cracking songs, fascinatingly odd characters and a bunch of fun cameos. For some reason it feels like it’s fallen through the cracks of cinema history a bit but it is genuinely one of the best comedy musicals you could ever see.

25. Rain Man

Question: How do you make a good film with Tom Cruise in it?

Answer: Cast him as a jerk. (See Money, Color of).

 It’s a formula that works well for a reason and in this case its Hoffman’s classic portrayal of an autistic savant from who Cruise learns valuable life lessons. In all seriousness, this is a fine film that many regard as a classic. Dustin Hoffman is as good as he’s ever been and carries the film.

24. Ghostbusters

More than just a theme tune, this is a perfectly assembled comedy cast delivering really good material. Perhaps the definitive 80’s comedy, it’s a story of dismissed geniuses having their day. Bill Murray is at his very best and Dan Ackroyd is Dan Ackroyd.

23. Evil Dead 2

The film that made Sam Raimi’s career remains one of the oddest and most unusual films you could ever hope to see. Part horror, part comedy but entirely unsettling. It prides itself on keeping the audience off kilter and unsure what to expect. For me it works superbly and was all the better that I had no expectations when I first saw it. Even now, it still stands alone and unlike any other film you could hope to watch. I should also mention the sheer tempo that Raimi keeps up over the film is staggering, one of the most visually kinetic films you could ever hope to see.

22. The Princess Bride

Admittedly it suffers a little in comparison to the book but that shouldn’t diminish one of the most fun films you could hope to see. There are so many classic moments and scenes that it’s difficult to know what to pick out. Perhaps going down the line against a Sicilian? Maybe the sword fight? Maybe every line said by Andre the Giant? Just watch it, then read the book.

21. Little Mermaid

About as classic Disney as it’s possible to get. Doesn’t have the humour or overall quality of Lion King or Aladdin, but I think does have the best songs of any Disney film. Poor Unforunate Souls is an underrated gem.

20. Star Wars Episode 6: Return of the Jedi

It’s best to view the original trilogy outside of the context of the nauseatingly bad later three. In fact, it’s just best to completely ignore the latest trilogy completely. Return… has some of the series’ best moments, and is widely regarded as a classic. From the opening rescue from the Sarlacc the film just keeps on ramping up the personal battles and sweeping space combat. Certainly the best third film in a trilogy ever made.

19. Blues Brothers

They’re on a mission from God. Dan Ackroyd and John Belushi have a ball as they barrel through a jukebox of classic soul and blues. The film is a labour of love for the pair and its chaotic plotting, loose connection with reality and respect for the music make it a unique and highly entertaining experience.

18. Who Framed Roger Rabbit?

This is deliriously silly entertainment that really hits a comedy sweet spot with its version of a world where cartoon characters are real and live in a section of Hollywood. It’s also one of the very few films to cross live action and animation well. Bob Hoskins probably had one of the most difficult acting jobs you can imagine, having to portray a developing friendship with an animated character, however he is superb and gives the film its real heart. Elsewhere Christopher Lloyd does what everyone knows he can do and does it rather well.

17. Raging Bull

“You never got me down Ray, you never got me down.” De Niro is at his brutal, brilliant best as he portrays Jake LaMotta in this classic. His animalistic anger and will to fight makes him formidable in the ring but destroys his family life. Amongst Scorsese’s best works, this is a powerful tale of an emotionally broken individual who finds a semblance of meaning in boxing but cannot hold the rest of his life together. I don’t rate this film quite as highly as its reputation would suggest because its subject matter just doesn’t speak to me like the higher rated film but it’s still excellent.

16. Platoon

One of a few Vietnam movies from the 80s but one I would rate highest. It’s the best combination of a realistic portrayal of the war and an examination of what went so wrong for America. Charlie Sheen has rarely been better than as the volunteer quickly losing his innocence about both war and the exulted US army. It’s an intense and polemical film but it’s the war film that Vietnam deserved.

15. The Fly

Jeff Goldblum delivers a career best performance in this science fiction horror classic. It is Cronenburg at his most commercial but he manages to marry this to his normal obsession with doing odd things to the human body. Goldblum’s mind cracks as his body breaks down in a believable portrayal of unimaginable suffering. The film’s greatest trick is to use the body horror and graphic, sickening violence to tell a human story of a man travelling from confidence to arrogance to megalomania and complete breakdown but always allowing this transition to breathe. The horror is used to punctuate the story, instead of a classic horror film where the story is mere decoration on a series of set pieces. Fine, unique film making.

14. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

A film that shows what can be achieved when talented film makers apply themselves to making a fun film. Raiders barrels along at a high pace with great villains, set pieces and a memorable hero. It’s a genuine homage to old adventure serials and you can feel the love invested in every frame.

13. Do the Right Thing

For my money, this is, by a distance, Spike Lee’s best film. It portrays a long, hot, loud day in Brooklyn where tensions escalate to boiling point. While it is ultimately matters of race that cause the final eruption, Lee’s film is careful to make a few points along the way. Firstly, heat, tiredness, and the fundamental pressures of city life are key parts in the escalating hate, alongside racist language. Secondly, Lee is careful that nearly everyone in the film uses racist language or expresses racist thoughts through the film. No group is left innocent, and none escape abuse. The film ends with contradictory quotes on the use of violence from Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, and if violence can be justified remains a central question that it resolutely refuses to answer. Ultimately this is a mature, interesting film about race in America that raises questions as relevant then as they are today. The absurd reaction to its initial release from reviewers showed how unable America was to even confront those questions then, but the continued and growing appreciation of this landmark film shows that maybe America is finally learning to deal with its relationship with race.

12 The Long Good Friday

Bob Hoskins used to act. When he did, he was rather good. There is something pared down and heavy hitting about this tale of gangsters in 80’s London and it barrels along towards its conclusion. Hoskins is an angry, snarling pitbull of a lead character and it’s the energy and believable threat of his performance that drives the story. He is the head of London’s criminal underworld, seeking to expand his empire, who instead watches his power crumble, and his associates die, over the course of a brutal weekend.

Long Good Friday stands alone to me as a realistic portrayal of a London gang, Hoskins leads by charm and by threat, and by maintaining a tenuous peace. When this peace is shattered, old wounds are opened and everyone because a suspect due to the inherent lack of trust amongst the thieves. One of the reasons I love this is that it could only be a British film and could only be made in the 80’s, such is the authenticity of the characters. It’s also notable that, like nearly all my favourite films, it has a supreme ending. A moment of incredible cinematic simplicity, as huge in its impact as it is subtle in its execution, it is utterly peerless.

11. Back to the Future Part 2

10. Back to the Future

Part one is an exceptional film, part two is very nearly as good. Whilst they are both light in tone it’s almost impossible to believe that two films of such consummate skill, pacing and tone were made. Both are close to the very pinnacle of family film making in a decade where such films were commonplace and often very good. The series made Michael J Fox into the huge star he deserved to be and created the idea of time travel comedy that exists to this day.

Part one takes the concept, explains it and has a lot of fun with Fox in the wrong era and some 50’s culture clash comedy but part two just takes the concept of time travel and stretches it to brilliant effect. But above all the skill, there is a huge amount of heart here. If you don’t cheer when George McFly knocks out Biff Tannen then you simply don’t have a heart.

9. The Untouchables

This bombastic and thrilling version of the pursuit of Al Capone from Brian De Palma pays scant attention to the true history of Capone’s fall but delivers unrivalled action scenes. Sean Connery deliver one of his best late career performances as he thunders around the film, harassing and cajoling the make shift set of treasury agents into a unit tough enough to take on the corrupt system and all powerful criminal overlord. It is a film lavished in expense with big names throughout the credits, script by Mamet, score by Morricone, even down to costumes by Armani. The expense works though and there are few better straight action films.

8. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Amongst the greatest children’s films ever made. The simple, heartfelt relationship between Elliot and E.T. speaks to everyone and drives the film. It has become the quintessential children’s live action film and the fact that it is still regularly shown and enjoyed 30 years after its release speaks to its enduring quality. However, what’s really remarkable is that it offers so much to grown up viewers as well as children and it genuinely rewards multiple viewings.

7. The Naked Gun

Airplane might have basically created the spoof genre but The Naked Gun perfected it. A relentless stream of gags delivered in scattergun style that reveals previously unseen jokes with almost every viewing, Naked Gun is an experience as much as a film. In many ways, it would perhaps have been better for cinema had it failed as its critical and commercial success has led to innumerable poor attempts at capturing the same spoof magic. The Naked Gun and, to a lesser extent, its sequels made spoofs look like the easiest films to make, but with every failed copy the original grows in stature.

6. Die Hard

In a similar way to The Naked Gun, Die Hard is so good it created its own genre. Since Bruce Willis battled supposed terrorists in Nakatomi Plaza we’ve had Die Hard on a boat (Under Siege), Die Hard on a plane (Passenger 57), Die Hard at an Ice Hockey game (Sudden Death) and Die Hard with some god awful plot about cyber terrorists (Die Hard 4.0). Again like Naked Gun, all these imitators have one thing in common: a complete failure to replicate the magic of the original.

It could have all been so different, Frank Sinatra and Arnold Schwarzenegger turned the role of John McClane down and Bruce Willis was chosen despite strong objections from some elements of the studio. In the end, Willis makes the film as his portrayal of a tough everyman is tinged with weakness. He ends the film limping, covered in his own blood and aching from every limb. Whilst Die Hard obviously pushes the bounds of credulity it is still constrained by them, fights hurt, bullets kill, and broken glass cuts. The genius of the film is to ally this more realistic violence with a touch of comic absurdity in the actions of the police and FBI outside the building which helps alleviate some of the tension.

However, no discussion of the merits of Die Hard can forget the beating heart of the film around which all the other strands are woven; Alan Rickman as Hans Gruber. He is funny, calm, ruthless and evil. Rickman’s rich voice lends a touch of crisp intelligence to what could have been a standard villain, and the film is careful to make him seem almost always in control even as his plan slowly unravels. He is funny and clever enough to enjoy whilst still being dangerous enough to root against.

Action films are, by their nature, limited movies but none has ever been, or will ever be, better than Die Hard.

5. Amadeus

Genius is a hard thing to comprehend. It sees the world in a fundamentally different way to the rest of us and makes a mockery of our collective understanding of it. It is this quality that is examined in Amadeus by reflecting on the rise of Mozart through the medium of a merely talented composer.

It has often been pointed out that the film pays little attention to reality, but this is a film about the concept of genius rather than Mozart himself. In the film, Mozart is a world altering talent but with little concerns for the morals of the times. F. Murray Abraham as Salieri, one of the great screen performances of all time, cannot comprehend this fundamental mismatch. Mozart’s brilliance makes him question not only his talent but his system of beliefs as well. He views the young composer as a morally dubious individual who has somehow been rewarded with supreme ability by God. Salieri’s feelings of bitter jealousy and attempts to belittle or destroy Mozart replicate the common reaction of people to genius and it makes the viewer realise why so many are more appreciated after their deaths when their contemporaries dismissed them.

Amadeus is a magnificent film, taking a completely unexpected angle on Mozart’s life and being so much more than a historical biography. Perhaps its finest achievement is to capture the scope and scale of his music, and makes even viewers with no education in classical music understand his talent.

4. This is Spinal Tap

There’s a point during this film where it almost stops being a movie and turns into a list of famous lines but that’s reflective of the impact it’s had on popular culture. An endlessly quotable, incredibly funny, and cleverly styled film it is undoubtedly one of the best comedies ever made.

Stylistically, Spinal Tap is also important as the first film to really perfect the mockumentary format and its huge influence on comedians can be seen in the style’s increasing use throughout comedy in the subsequent decades. Similarly, the use of pretentious idiots has become more commonplace in part in reaction to their superb use here.

3. Once Upon a Time in America

Sergio Leone’s last film is one of the finest crime films ever made. This finely crafted 3 hour plus (depending on your version) epic might tell the story of a set of gangsters across four decades but it also tells a story of America. It tells of a country of opportunity which suffered from dominant criminal empires for many of its formative years and which made a desperate post war lunge for respectability.

It’s not for the faint hearted with its gargantuan length and frequent violence, some of it sexual, however it is worth sticking with as it delivers a satisfying cinematic experience that you will be hard pressed to find anywhere else. It is a five course meal of a film, telling a story of friendships from children to old men and with a depth of character that makes the investment of time well worth it.

Leone remains amongst my favourite directors, with three of my favourites amongst his small oeuvre of only seven films. This is his masterpiece and a masterpiece of cinema.

2. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back

The best Star Wars movie. If you need anymore:

Hoth

AT-ATs

Yoda

Boba Fett

Cloud City

Lando

“I know”

Carbonite

Severed hand

“I am your father”

Iconic shot, rising music. Fin.

1. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Sean Connery makes almost everything better. I have always preferred this final film in the Indiana Jones series (yes, I said final), because of the father son relationship which adds an extra dimension to Indy himself. By the end of the film he is no longer just a wise cracking hero but a person with relationships and a fake name. I would also say this is the funniest of the Indy films, from the whole wonderful opening sequence with young Indy to breaking the floor of the library in time with the librarian’s stamp right up to the trilogy’s final revelation.

Of course, Sean Connery is the highlight. He adds something to every scene he’s in and his relationship with Indy is perfectly pitched as an awkward mutual respect hidden beneath layers of parental disapproval and childhood shame. He also takes down a fighter plane armed only with an umbrella. If you know me I may have mentioned this before, but it’s one of my favourite sequences in film.

The eighties generally were an era of relatively innocent, fun films when film makers largely abandoned the paranoia and cynicism of the previous decade. It’s also a decade when Spielberg, Lucas and Ford where dominant figures, especially at the box office. The Last Crusade could only really have been made in that decade, so it’s not only a great film but specifically a great 80’s film.

Caught in a Trap: The Modern Sports Fan

The last decade should be regarded as a sporting golden age. In that time a fair argument could be made that fans have seen the greatest club football team come to dominate Europe, while the greatest national football team ever assembled fundamentally changed the sport. Possibly the best three tennis players ever to have played the game have fought personal duels over multiple  of Grand Slam finals, while one of the greatest rugby union teams ever assembled finally won a world cup. Eight years ago, two of cricket’s heavyweights slugged it out in what was widely acclaimed as the greatest test series ever played. In athletics Usain Bolt has redefined what a human body can achieved whilst entrancing the world with once in a generation charisma. In American Football, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning have ushered in an era of offensive dominance through sheer passing power while in baseball Boston Red Sox broke the Curse of the Bambino in one of the greatest turnarounds in sport. In swimming Michael Phelps won a record number of Olympic gold medals.

Wherever you look, across a wide range of sports there are figures of revolutionary brilliance, singlehandedly changing what is deemed possible and how the game is played. These are absurd times and will be remembered as such for years to come, and yet to truly enjoy the times fans have to close their ears to the incessant whispers of suspicion. In no era have elite athletes been so scrutinised based on their choice of doctor and never has a passed drug test invoked such suspicion. There are many causes for this environment but one stands out above all others.

There is, of course, one achievement left off the above list, one that no longer exists even in record books. Lance Armstrong capped the greatest sporting story of all time by, not just winning but, dominating his seventh Tour de France in 2005. The whispers were present even then, so much so that his acceptance speech was an attack on all those who had accused him. He told them he was “sorry you don’t believe in miracles.” It is, therefore, fitting that his sporting legacy is to kill the miracle. When 16 year old Ye Shiwen stormed to 400 and 200m medley gold medals at London 2012 an American coach verbalised the silent fears of many by raising the spectre of doping. It was an unfair and widely criticised attack but it was also a sign of the times. Miracles don’t happen and 16 year old girls don’t swim 50m faster than male Olympic athletes.

The manner of Armstrong’s deception has made the damage so much worse. He evaded drug testers for years by managing his life around deceiving them. He received advanced warning of testers, hid needles in Coke cans, and lied his way out of a failed test. For years he was the most tested athlete on earth, the holy grail of the anti doping police and yet he remained free to commit his crimes and steal his victories. The damage done to testing has been devastating. Passed drug tests mean nothing when the greatest cheat in sporting history was caught with witnesses not blood. Marion Jones was famously the first athlete to ever be banned for drugs without failing a test but it is now a familiar occurrence. It casts suspicion on all athletes, creating a time when the absence of proof becomes proof in itself. In the midst of this mess Spanish police uncovered tens of blood packs as part of Operation Puerto, silent witnesses to uncaught cheats which may now be destroyed rather than investigated.

The whispers would matter less had they not been proved so right in the Armstrong’s case. The years between 2000 and 2013 saw a titanic battle for the soul of cycling between those journalists who saw nothing but a cheat in Armstrong and those who bought into his cult of personality. Armstrong himself was a large part of this battle, confronting and attacking his growing legion of doubters. It made his believers all the more sure, all the more betrayed. The battle became cruel and bitter as his return to cycling was described as an end to cycling’s “remission” and that the “cancer of cycling” had returned. All the time he was defended by people now unable to believe anyone’s self defence. It has given all conspiracy theorists the faint air of respectability. Right too often to be stopped clocks, they are instead the realists, those who can see beyond the superficial brilliance of so many. They exist in a world without heroes, only a list of the yet to be caught.

The case of Armstrong introduced a new term into the sporting vernacular, omertà. It is the all pervasive silence of the peloton which protects cycling from outsiders with questions and from insiders with truths to tell. Perhaps a belief in the honesty of competition was naive, but now it is simple idiocy. The omertà is the final spit in the face to all honest fans. It’s a tacit admission that, while fans may want genuine competition, the athletes would not let something as important as a bike race up to chance. Instead the result is determined beforehand by the quality of your chemist. Years after the fact, Armstrong’s colleagues lined up to confess their and his sins. It was apparently the peloton’s open secret and cyclists admitted bullying out of the sport those competitors who spoke out in favour of clean racing. The omertà is the painful truth that a sport lied to its fans and lied in full knowledge. But its damage is worse than that. The omertà is a clear message to fans. To the athletes, the fans don’t matter, they don’t need to know and athletes themselves must be protected over all other interests. The fans are excluded, reduced to being inhabitants of Plato’s cave, watching the shadow competition on the wall for so long they have forgotten what genuine contest is.

Armstrong wasn’t just a winner, he was a dominant animal. He surveyed the Tour with the air of a conquering general. It was a form of brilliance utterly without parallel in his sport as the Tour ceased to be a sporting event but became a month long victory parade for cycling’s one true King. Now, like all former Kings the ghost of Armstrong wanders amongst his former top table. Team Sky are left unable to enjoy their celebratory champagne as they yell at empty chairs. “We are clean,” they scream, “we are different,” they plead as their congregation looks on with pitying silence. Their madness is compounded by the curious parallel world they inhabit where they are celebrated more in failure than in success. If they can crack, if they can lose, if they’re weak; then they might be real. It is sport’s saddest truth; Armstrong killed brilliance.

Once longevity was proof, but that has been discarded now. Now any competitor is a future Armstrong, if he can be guilty then anyone can be guilty. It is the suspicion that hangs over all achievements. Perhaps no one can be that much better than their rivals, perhaps humans can only do so much. Harder, faster, better, faker. Instead sports fans are left to look at cycling’s hollow victories and ponder the damage a failed test could do to their sport. A presenter of the Football Ramble idly joked about Barcelona’s doctor but what if they were cheating? What would become of tiki taka? What if Federer, Nadal or Djokovic were doping? Could tennis survive? And the greatest fear, what if Bolt was a fake? Could sport recover? The man who saved athletics would be the man who killed competition.*

We don’t want to think these thoughts, we don’t want these people to be cheats but the fear remains. This is a fear not just of cheats, but of success itself. If one man is too good, if one man becomes our sport incarnate; what if he were just another Armstrong? We live in an age where Tours de France remain without a victor as a clean cyclist cannot be found to acclaim. An age where baseball records may be asterisked as potentially unclean and where 99 blood bags sit in Spain under the custody of a court as legal battles continue to see if their secrets will be revealed. This is the house Armstrong built, it is made of cards and I fear an oncoming storm.

*To be clear, there is no suggestion any of these people are drug cheats.

Reflections on … the Ambleside to Grasmere Coffin Route

The two hour walk from Ambleside to Grasmere via Rydal is a gentle trip heavy with historical significance. For hundreds of years the only consecrated ground in the area was St. Oswald’s Church in Grasmere meaning that Ambleside’s dead would be taken on a final journey round Rydal Mount and past White Moss Common.  So called coffin routes are a common feature of rural Britain, appearing as central parishes tried to retain control by withholding burial rights from outlying churches. In the case of the Ambleside to Grasmere route it now exists as a public bridleway and is frequented by less mobile walkers glad for its moderate inclines.

The Lake District is a place as untouched by modernity as anywhere in the industrialised Western world can manage meaning these odd relics of vastly different times can still exist in some form.  When a modern walker, following the route, steers off the tarmac scar of the A591 just after Ambleside, they stroll through a camping ground and past Rydal Hall, now converted into a hotel and tea room. The tourist trade sustains the area almost single handed, and businesses are keen to drive every opportunity but amongst the throng of wi fi enabled cafes selling lattes and paninis remains hints of a rural tradition. The path takes in the home of the Rydal Sheepdog trials, and sheep farming is common throughout the valley. The traditional Herdwick sheep are ubiquitous, looking on with something approaching bemusement at the hordes of walkers traipsing across their fields.

The walk is also a reminder that this is a place that inspires art as it takes in two of Wordsworth’s homes as well as a more recent woodland sculpture walk and an intriguing ‘Art Yurt’. For both the contemporary art and crafters and the Lake Poets, the area represents an escape. For one it is from the modern world, and for the other the rapid industrialisation of Britain. Wordsworth lived through the Industrial Revolution and escaped it by heading to the Lakes; the inhabitants of the Art Yurt have seen its ultimate effects and similarly seek the timeless calm of Cumbria. The Lake District encompasses the kind of pocket sized wonder that Britain specialises in and Bill Bryson once espoused. It’s natural beauty that is comprehendible and personal. The beauty of the fells and tarns is on a scale that fits to the human imagination and doesn’t bludgeon the individual with the scale of nature. Peaks can be conquered, Lakes circled and views memorised. For me, these views represent childhood holidays, roadside cooking and my first experience of wonder, for Wordsworth they inspired poems of death, separation and grief. Like the surfaces of the tarns, the views reflect the beholder.

After Rydal Hall the walk continues beneath the craggy face of Nag scar and presents views across Rydal Water and towards Loughrigg. Here the walker is reminded of the purpose of this archaic trail. A flattened stone sits to the side of the path, worn smooth through use and time. It is often used now as a bench by weary travellers but once it was a penultimate resting place for the inhabitants of Ambleside. A moment of rest for coffin bearers on the weary trudge towards St. Oswald’s is now a poignant reminder of the difficulty of this trip for the original users. It is perhaps a symbol of our humanity that these are the lengths we are prepared for to give proper respect to the dead. The importance of a proper end would only matter to a species that sees life as more than just a temporary state of being. The ancient followers of this path were fathers, mothers, sons and daughters, with lives and hopes, beginnings, and endings. Social beings all, with ties to this environment and their community.

The path finally descends past Dove Cottage and winds towards the middle of Grasmere. Nowadays it passes shops selling postcards, fridge magnets and distantly created fudge within local packages before reaching its final destination in the shaded churchyard of St. Oswalds. Here amongst the dead of Grasmere, Ambleside, Rydal and elsewhere lies the gravestone of Wordsworth. A genius whose timeless words have been passed from human to human for over a century and yet still speak to each reader as if written by their own hand.

The coffin route reminds the walker of the shared bonds of humanity that stretch across time and place. There is something universal in the lengths these old Cumbrians would go to bury their dead, in the simple wonder that the Lake District can inspire and in the literature created by Wordsworth and his like. It is, appropriately, a humbling and quiet journey through some of Britain’s most green and pleasant lands.

My Top 50 Films of the 90s

I previously wrote my top 50 list for the 00s and decided it'd be nice to do it again for a different decade. The only rule is I must have actually watched the film rather than ranking it on reputation. Feel free to comment on any exclusions/inclusions/rankings you agree or disagree with.

Firstly, some Honourable Mentions for films that didn't make the cut but deserve some recognition. Dark City is flawed by its unnecessary opening voiceover; The Limey is just a little too incoherent; Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet is a smidge too overeager to be different; while Three Kings loses its way after an hour and has been surpassed by later films, and Topsy Turvy is probably number 51.

50.              Con Air

Big, stupid action films had their day in the 90s and few were bigger or stupider than Con Air. But it beats out The Rock, True Lies, Under Siege, Demolition Man and many more to get into this list because of its pacing, its humour, and the quality of its action. There is real craft here and the film is perfectly pitched as a fun film where a lot blows up and nothing is too serious. It sounds simple, but few recent films have managed to be anything like as much fun. Meanwhile, Buscemi's cameo as Hannibal Lecter rip off Garland Greene helps drive the film into an off kilter, twisted reality, while Nicolas Cage, John Malkovich, and John Cusack are good enough actors to over act satisfyingly.

49.              Cop Land

Sylvester Stallone is, to put it politely, not a natural actor; but what makes Cop Land such a good film is the way it uses his awkward sullenness to tell a story. Playing against type, Stallone is a compliant, weak sheriff in awe of the cops who manipulate his kindness and abuse his adulation. The subtlety of the performance is as impressive as it is unexpected and backed up by a stacked cast of actors familiar with portraying New York police. Stallone gained considerable weight for the role but it’s the sadness in his eyes that leaves the impression, he looks and feels beaten up and broken down. It’s Stallone’s best film by a country mile and it’s particularly disappointing that he never tried a similar role again. Unfortunately, history has not been kind to Cop Land, largely because Stallone blames it for a mid-career malaise, but it deserves a second chance and remains one of my favourite crime films.

48.              The Muppet Christmas Carol

Look, firstly, it’s worth pointing out that this is my list. Secondly, I still regard this as the best adaptation of the novel. Adaptations shouldn't be replicas of the original, otherwise what would be the point? They should interpret the material to new audiences and new media. The Muppet Christmas Carol does this superbly because it uses the history and established world of the Muppets to draw out the exaggerated emotions of the book and connect to children. For instance, the sweeping change in tone from the joy of the Ghost of Christmas Present's entry to the dread of Scrooge's encounter with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, is far more chilling than any more serious adaptation could muster because it exists in the normally light and fluffy world of the Muppets. Is there any other group that could show the contents of a fruit and veg stall singing the chorus of a song, and a man being taken to his own grave as a last warning to change his ways in the same film? Its astonishingly good film making, made all the better as Michael Caine so clearly relishes making his Scrooge cartoonishly evil, while Robin's Tiny Tim makes the mawkishness fade into adorableness. The songs also add punch when necessary, and deliver emotion to children in ways they'll connect with far better than Dickens' prose (as wonderful as that is). Ultimately, if your Christmas does not involve watching this film you're doing it wrong.

47.              Office Space

This comedy would make it on the list even if it solely consisted of the scene with several office workers destroying a printer with baseball bats. Luckily, the film is also a nuanced deconstruction of the all-pervasive rise of corporate bullshit that has drowned workers in all sectors. It draws on the shared negative experiences of the workplace; idiot bosses, stupid rules, and over enthusiastic colleagues, to build a wish fulfilment comedy about an office worker who just stops caring. The fact it survived box office failure to become a cult hit shows how correctly and completely it nailed corporate culture.

46.       Run Lola Run

A German curio and quite the oddest film on this list. Franka Potente’s Lola has 20 minutes to save her boyfriend, except we see three different versions of her attempts; each different and building on the last. It combines just about every cinematic technique to tell its stories and the result is a ninety mile an hour thrill ride that ignores most rules about film making. Intensely different and worth watching because of it.

45.       Primary Colours

Adapted from an anonymous novel based on Clinton’s campaign and election victory, Primary Colours, and John Travolta, capture the spirit of the former president incredibly well. Showing his charisma and the spirit of hope that surrounded him, as well as the eventual sleaze that would engulf him and the ruthlessness that would lose him the support of many Democrats. The film now works as a period piece, particularly as 90s American politics is so different from the following decade. It’s good to watch and remember how Clinton was perceived, even by his own side, before Bush’s rank incompetence rescued his legacy. Larry Hagman is also superb as a Stanton’s wholesome opposition with a tragically human past.

44.       Festen

The first and, by some distance, the best film from the Dogme 95 movement. The Dogme rules make it a pared down, pure film that emphasises the damaged characters at its heart. Dogme was never to be a successful movement overall, either critically or commercially, but Festen is a good film regardless of the pretensions. It tells an odd, unpleasant tale well and the characters react believably to an unbelievable situation. Compelling and uncomfortable viewing.

43.       Pi

Darren Aronofsky has never been a conventional film maker, but almost all his work is a step more commercial and careful than his debut. A genius mathematician tries to solve the stockmarket and may or may not accidentally discover something much more important, something that no human should know. Its dazzling, adventurous stuff that couldn't be made by a settled, or experienced director. It’s the work of an untamed original before he learnt to apply his talents more commercially and, as such, should be treasured.

42.       Pulp Fiction

It’s less a film than a statement of intent, which is why I perhaps rank it not as highly as on other lists. It’s really a loose series of sketches, some brilliant (the watch), some average (spider just caught a couple of flies), and it’s hard to describe the result as a film. However, it is still an entertaining, if slight, experience. For better or worse, its influence casts a huge shadow over contemporary American film making.

41.       The Insider

Al Pacino has been so bad for so long it’s important to cherish the few films he’s turned up for in recent years. He consumes his role as Lowell Bergman, the legendary producer of 60 Minutes, and dominates the screen in this fascinating tale from the battle over tobacco. It’s basically a story of trust between two men, Bergman and industry whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand; whose way of life is threatened by the companies he seeks to expose. Pacino bullies, manipulates, protects, and defends Wigand as he tries to get his story on TV. An underrated gem of a film with two strong leads in good form.

40.       The Hunt for the Red October

Straight up good entertainment as Tom Clancy, Sean Connery, and Cold War paranoia combine to make a really good action thriller that is genuinely gripping. One of those old fashioned action films with believable stunts, good leads, and a twisting plot. It might be cliché to say they aren't made like this any more  but they’re genuinely not. CGI and comic books have killed these kind of films, and that’s a real shame.

39.       The Full Monty

Classic British film making. Robert Carlyle establishes himself as a real star and makes Americans vaguely aware of Sheffield. In all seriousness, this is good film making which, unfortunately, helped create a number of stereotypes that have subsequently dated the film a little. In many ways, The Full Monty has been a bit of a victim of its own success; the cult around it somewhat hiding the quality of its story telling and its comedic timing, but it should be watched, and appreciated, with fresh eyes.

38.       Empire Records

A slight, breezy and somewhat short film, but it is also a perfect time capsule of 90s teen culture. For a film to be this content light but still be this enjoyable it has to have considerable style and confidence, luckily Empire has that in droves. It might not be the most affecting, or the best constructed, but if you’re talking about 90s films it has to be mentioned.

37.       Men in Black

One feature of the crushing rise of Comic Book films in the 00s is the near total death of original family blockbusters which used to be a regular feature of each summer. The king of this genre is obviously Will Smith, and Men in Black is his best effort. Smith’s easy charm and natural charisma combines with Tommy Lee Jones’s knowingly buckled down straight man to make the kind of double act that all directors dream to work with. When film making is really good, it looks this supremely easy.

36.       The Fifth Element

'Costumes by Jean Paul Gaultier' may be one of the greatest credits any film has ever had and it sums up the off kilter nature of this far-future set Sci-fi. A film so good it genuinely convinced people that Milla Jovovich would be a future star. A Six Degrees staple for featuring Ian Holm, Bruce Willis, Chris Tucker and Lee Evans; the film slides from bizarre set piece to bizarre set piece with the audience completely en tow - just ignore Tucker’s DJ doing his best to ruin the film’s denouement. Sci-fi at its best is a chance to present characters and situations you’d never get the chance to portray in a realistic film: Besson takes that notion to its extreme and it’s a great watch.

35.       American Beauty

I wasn't a huge fan when this film originally came out. I thought it too smug and, like a lot of American films, overly obsessed with sex as a metaphor for freedom. However, over time, I've come to appreciate Kevin Spacey’s brilliance, the twisted power plays and the subtlety of the various characters as they pursue erroneous dreams that will ultimately make or break them. Perhaps not quite as sensational as contemporary reviews would lead you to believe, but still one of the finest films made in the 90’s and, in Spacey, one of the decade’s best individual performances.

34.       Rushmore

An odd little gem of a film with no real nice guys, which is odd for something structured like a romantic comedy. Almost impossible to describe but it’s definitely a certain kind of genius. Just watch it and make your own choice.

33.       Babe

Dick King Smith may be one of the greatest children’s writers ever and it takes a supreme effort to capture the heart, imagination and warmth of one of his books. Babe is about as perfect as a pure children’s film can get. Unlike many films for for younger viewers it is aimed squarely at children, with barely any knowing jokes for adults, the film succeeds on heart alone. It also features a notable, brilliant, and almost silent performance from James Cromwell as the farmer and about the happiest happy ending ever filmed.

32.       Apollo 13

Solidly entertaining film drama is actually quite hard to make, not that you’d know it from this consummate film. The scenes on Earth are amongst the most involving you could imagine. Ron Howard gained a reputation for being little more than a solid film maker but Apollo 13 is an underrated little gem.

31.       La Haine

Urgent, vital film making that defined a Banlieue aesthetic for French cinema which has been replicated time and again since but never bettered. It’s just a fantastic film that captures an intense anti-state, anti-police, anti-society mood and runs it for all its worth. French film making can slip into extreme torpor and introspection at times, but La Haine is cut from different cloth and a genuinely exciting cinematic experience.

30.       Toy Story

Few could have predicted the future of animation when Toy Story debuted. Pixar was to go on to dominate the genre to the point where Disney became completely surpassed by the 00s. Toy Story was a marker for Pixar, surprising everyone with its quality, humour and especially its warmth. Few imagined that computer animation could rival hand drawn for heart but the characters of Toy Story shone through. Woody and Buzz are so well drawn that they sustained three films on the strength of their key relationship. Not just a good film but era defining.

29.       Falling Down

Michael Douglas, a machine gun, a fast food restaurant. Cinema Gold.

28.       The Usual Suspects

Films in the 90s liked to play with chronology and narrative but none do it better than The Usual Suspects. Held together by a magnetic performance from Kevin Spacey and a central mystery that sustains to this day. I don’t think the simple action of a character stopping limping has ever connoted so much storyline significance and it’s probably the most outrageous ratio of on screen action to audience reaction that has ever been captured. Outrageously good for what should be a gimmick film and, frankly, will probably never be replicated.

27.       Terminator 2: Judgment Day

One of the all-time classic sci-fi action films. Maybe a small step down from the original, but the quasi father-son dynamic brings something new to the franchise while the icy glare of Robert Patrick makes a brilliant screen villain. The imaginative action sequences rank alongside anything that has been produced since, and it’s one of the few things to make a positive out of Schwarzenegger’s lack of ability.

26.       Twelve Monkeys

It’s not uncontroversial to say that Terry Gilliam is at his best with relatively strong studio control; it concentrates his creative powers and forces him to play some attention to commercial sensibilities. It’s under those conditions that he produced Twelve Monkeys, which is arguably his best work. Convoluted, confusing and witty, the film takes every opportunity to bewilder whilst still delivering a strong narrative. However, it might still be just too weird for some.

25.       The Hudsucker Proxy

The Coen Brothers spent most of the 90s on the kind of career hot streak that other film makers can only dream of. Proxy is one of their most fun efforts, containing any number of quotable gags and some magnificent scene stealing from Paul Newman having the time of his life. About the only film to make Tim Robbins’ idiot persona actually watchable. Great stuff.

24.       Out of Sight

Steven Soderbergh was to later say that making Out of Sight was a conscious decision to move into mainstream movies and get out of his indie career. The result is one of the most stylish and lazily cool films of the decade, which established George Clooney as a legit star when his film career had previously faltered. Often voted one of the sexiest films of all time, you only need to think “Clooney, Lopez, Car Boot” to understand why.

23.       The Talented Mr. Ripley

I find this film surprisingly unheralded. It’s a deeply psychological tale of sexual obsession, hatred and escalating violence that can be heavy going. I think part of the problem was its spectacularly poor advertising campaign which failed to prepare audiences for the horrors within. Matt Damon plays a monster with an angel’s face rather well, Jude Law is as insufferable as the character demands, Philip Seymour Hoffman makes his every second on film deeply uncomfortable and Jack Davenport breaks your heart, again. A supremely different film, it deserves to be seen and appreciated by many more but has been unfairly disregarded by history, and even openly disowned when a second novel in the series, Ripley’s Game, was adapted years later.

22.       Unforgiven

It takes a man who truly understands a genre to de-construct it. Clint Eastwood’s western is one of the best ever made because it so keenly understands both the reality and the myths of the American frontier. In Eastwood’s world, gunslingers are murderers, morality is largely absent, and death is slow and painful. Despite this, it still manages to be respectful to the films before it and complements the western rather than invalidating it. Unforgiven provides a worthy full stop to one of my favourite genres.

21.       Jackie Brown

It used to be blasphemy to call Jackie Brown Tarantino’s best movie, however, appreciation has grown for the most narrative driven work of his oeuvre. In my opinion this is the film where Tarantino best directs his talents and restrains his worst excesses. Dialogue is snappy rather than indulgent, characters are well drawn rather than one dimensional, and the violence is impactful rather than ubiquitous. It’s, dare I say, his most grown up work before the adolescent nonsense that was Kill Bill drove his career into apparently permanent decline. There is so much to like about Brown, from Pam Grier’s jaded and exhausted eponymous character to the 70s-in-the-90s visual style and the sensible, calm, intelligent Max Cherry immersed in a world of idiocy. However, frustratingly, its legacy will remain as the film that shows what QT could have been.

20.       Magnolia

A supreme auteur effort; this is sprawling, unique film making. Unfortunately, it very nearly falls onto the ever increasing list of films ruined by Tom Cruise, but his role is thankfully as limited as his acting. The non-storyline sections at the beginning and end of the film elevate it substantially and are amongst my favourite sequences of the decade. While it is bravura film making (the frog rain, and collective sing-along come to mind), it doesn't quite possess enough engaging characters to get higher on the list. That said, it stands apart as a unique film experience in any decade of film.

19.       JFK

22 years after its release, it’s probably time to end the argument and admit that JFK is not exactly a factually accurate film. Instead, it sits so highly on this list as a work of fiction; powerful, compelling, intense fiction from a one of a kind director at the very peak of his powers, on a subject he cared passionately about. Drawing a career best performance from Kevin Costner as the obsessive Jim Garrison, Oliver Stone’s film comes into its own in the climatic courtroom scenes. The refrain “back and to the left” has become etched into cinematic history and the monologue itself is amongst the most perfectly pitched five minutes in film history.

18.       The Big Lebowski

The Dude remains one of the greatest comic creations of all time, and this is classic Coen Brothers off kilter, distinctly odd comedy. The only reason it’s not nearer to the top is John Goodman’s Walter is unbearable about every other time you watch the film. Conversely, he also delivers some of the film’s best lines. Also higher ranked for having about my favourite ending to a film ever.

17.       Grosse Point Blank

It’s official; John Cusack can make anyone lovable, even professional killers. The smartest, sharpest comedy of the decade is oddly underrated these days but it is incredibly watchable and fun. Cusack is on top form, Dan Ackroyd is brilliant as usual and the whole thing just works.

16.       The Matrix

Please ignore the sequels. The original marries philosophy, science fiction concepts, and the best representation of computers on film with era defining action sequences. Keanu Reeves finds his perfect role while Hugo Weaving is a revelation and one of the great on screen bad guys in Agent Smith. The storytelling via action is as good as any film has managed. The Matrix will remain one of the defining films for its time and its action has lost none of its zip.

15.       The Shawshank Redemption

What is there left to write about one of the most popular films ever made? It’s perfectly calibrated to pull at the heart strings, and constructed with such perfection that it can wander off into other tangents and subplots without breaking the flow of the movie. What I love about Shawshank is how it manages to be an epic film despite being set in such a confined location; there’s a certain film magic at work to make that possible.

14.       South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut

I think everyone had reservations about the infinitely silly show South Park being made into a film, but the result is one of the best comedies of the decade. Unlike so many TV show to movie adaptations, the storyline fits the scale of a film and, as a result, the film doesn't outstay its welcome.  The addition of Saddam Hussein to the regular cast is a master stroke but the highlight is the songs, the glorious, brilliant, memorable songs. Outrageously good work from Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

13.       The Lion King

On the other end of an arbitrary animation scale from South Park lies Disney. Disney started the 90s on a spectacular role of success and The Lion King represents their last great critical and commercial success of the decade. It is everything a truly great Disney animation should be and still stands up as one of the greatest kids films ever. For my generation, the death of Simba's father is our Bambi's mum moment, the kind of vast cultural impact that only the very greatest films attain.

12.       Philadelphia

There’s not a lot to say about Philadelphia, aside from its being one of the best and most important films of the 90s. The process by which Denzel Washington’s Miller overcomes his professed homophobia and the general treatment of AIDS in the film are a testament to the potential power of cinema for good.

11.       Miller’s Crossing

“I’m talking about ethics.” In fact the whole film is talking about ethics or, more specifically, the lack of them. One of the great examinations of the gangster movie’s pretensions and clichés is also a singularly brilliant film and, I would argue, the Coen Brothers’ best. It’s loaded with great performances, ace lines and arresting images.

10.       Heat

When people say “Michael Mann-esque crime drama” they really mean “it’s a bit like Heat”. A film so successful at what it does it became the model and inspiration for an entire genre of films. Like a lot of 90s films, it’s the best possible execution of a limited genre film. Cops and robbers on an epic scale but still, fundamentally, cops and robbers. It’s a casting coup of a film, capturing an on screen meeting between De Niro and Pacino back when that actually mattered and elevating Val Kilmer and Jon Voight in roles well suited to their shtick. Its greatest achievement is to manage the scale of a personal duel with a crime that consumes an entire city and in doing so it becomes the absolute best example of cityscape crime drama and required viewing.

9.         The Fugitive

In many ways the 90s were the last hurrah for action films before cheap CGI ruined pretty much everything. A case in point is the opening train crash in The Fugitive, which was filmed with real trains as it was cheaper at the time. The effect is vastly superior to the more spectacular crashes that would be possible later. The film itself is a model of lean perfection. Take a concept and two engaging characters then build a film round them. There are few better character establishing exchanges than Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones at the dam. It’s infinitely re-watchable and one of the enduring hits of the decade.

8.         Leon

Could Jean Reno be any more perfect in this film? Sublime action blended with the engaging and odd hitman/child relationship. Leon is one of those films you can’t imagine ever being pitched successfully and yet the whole film just works to an unbelievable extent.

7.         Glengarry Glen Ross

“Coffee’s for closers… Third prize is you’re fired… Fuck you, that’s my name.” It might be hard to look past Alec Baldwin act of cinematic grand larceny which opens the movie but, if you can, you’re rewarded with some of the richest, quickest and cleverest dialogue put to screen. There is simply nothing on earth like an on-form David Mamet, and Glengarry Glen Ross is his best film. That’s really all you need to know.

6.         Ghost in the Shell

For my money, this is the best anime film ever made. Not just for its beautiful animation but for being the greatest cyberpunk film ever made. Smart, confusing, and still entertaining. Watch this instead of Akira and you’ll have a much better time, trust me.

5.         Aladdin

The best Disney film of the 90s, and certainly amongst the greatest children’s films ever made. It’s hard to overstate how much the casting of Robin Williams adds to the film, turning it from a merely outstanding film into something almost timeless. The songs are brilliant, the animation is stunning, but most importantly there is real heart there. I cannot recommend it enough, and it’s probably the film that makes me happiest to watch.

4.         Groundhog Day

Does it ever cross your mind to wonder how long Bill Murray is stuck in the one day of Groundhog Day? Long enough to know every person in town inside out, to learn the piano, to memorise every sequence of events of every person’s life, and to find out how to fix them all. How many times does he save a boy falling from a tree only to know he’ll have to do it again tomorrow? How many times did he commit suicide? How many times did he think he’d finally cracked it only to be sent back to the same morning again? How many times did he give up all hope of having a meaningful existence? It could have been a relentlessly dark comedy, it could have been the most depressing drama ever to have been shot. Instead it retains all these themes and questions but presents them in a family comedy. It all works because of Murray’s supreme control of the material, one of the great comedy performances of all time. Should be regarded as one of the essential films of movie history.

3.                  Batman Returns

The best Batman film. From Penguin’s bitter, uncontrollable outsider; to Catwoman’s damaged madness to Batman’s thin veneer of sanity, there are no real villains or heroes in costumes here, only Max Shreck’s ruthless search for profit. The childish fairytale imagery adds to the air of total insanity that floats over the piece and represents a completely different take on Gotham’s apparent saviour. It’s hard to pick a highlight but Michelle Pfeiffer’s unbalanced Catwoman sits alongside Heath Ledger's Joker as the best performances in comic book movies.

2.                  Fight Club

Brutal, bloody, brilliant film making. It’s hugely funny, subversive, compelling and completely unique. There is no film experience quite like watching Fight Club because it’s the work of supreme talents with little commercial concern. Studio execs had no idea what to do with the work, but it was saved by the new DVD format, becoming one of the first to get real Special Edition treatment. Perhaps the most remarkable element of the film is that it never feels particularly preachy as it attacks all elements of modern life. It just comes across as smart, and even right. Also the best ending on this list.

1.                   LA Confidential

“Do you have a valediction, Jack?” For a film decade, and a list, that is dominated by action, cops, robbers and males it is only appropriate that the ultimate crime film is at Number 1. LA Confidential is a multi-layered, multi-handed film with as much subtlety as action, and an almost sprawling plot that continually twists and surprises. Russell Crowe is perfect as the battering ram running through LA like a bull with a sore head and a supremely self-assured morality. Guy Pearce is similarly well cast as a man out to prove himself by any means, with the brains and amorality to succeed in the LAPD, while Kevin Spacey presents a seedier side of law enforcement. It all hangs together supremely, a tapestry that tells the story of a crime, a police force and an entire city within its tightly wound 138 minutes. Once you’ve watched LA Confidential, it is hard to imagine a film with more shades of grey and moral ambiguity that still entertains. A film that stands up to the best of any decade and that remains a towering success.