Welcome to our constantly updated list of the best movies on Netflix UK right now. Netflix may have taken the world by storm with its TV output but, as you will see from the following list, there's plenty of movies on Netflix to devour once you have got all that binge-watching out of your system.
The Best Netflix Movies list has been broken up into categories to make it easier for you to navigate. To make things neat and tidy we have chosen 10 movies to watch in each category - with further recommendations listed at the bottom.
In all there's around 150 movies to choose from here, all chosen because they are, simply, the best films on Netflix to watch right now.
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Die Hard
Yipee Ki-yay! The action film that created the blueprint for most action films that came after it, Die Hard is a masterpiece. Bruce Willis' John McClane is the perfect antidote to the almost-invincible muscle men action heroes of the time - he's equipped with one-liners, but you feel every bit of pain he does throughout the movie because he is shown as fallible. Couple this with a brilliant turn from Alan Rickman as the big bad and what you have is an endlessly watchable movie.
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid
With a script by word genius William Goldman and George Roy Hill at the helm, Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid is a wonderful watch. Paul Newman and Robert Redford ooze screen chemistry as the titular pair and the soundtrack by Burt Bacharach is lovely on the ears. It's funny too - mixing both buddy movie and Western tropes with fantastic results.
The Warriors
Focused around a turf war between rival street gangs, The Warriors is an achingly cool cult film. It showcases '70s New York in all its filth and fury and while its focus is on gang fighting, the film never comes across as an exploitation flick. This is because it's shot with such style and flourish by director Walter Hill that 37 years on, it's still as pertinent as ever.
Apocalypto
Released at a time when Mel Gibson found his popularity on the wane for various reasons, Apocalypto is one of the actor-director's finest movies. Shot on digital, Apocalypto rattles on at a furious pace, mixing old-fashioned storytelling (about Mayan culture) with huge smatterings of violence.
Ip Man
Donnie Yen may have a starring role in Star Wars: Rogue One, but it's in Ip Man where he truly shines. The story revolves around the retelling of the grand master who created the Wing Chin style kung fu and also happened to teach Bruce Lee. The film is frenetic, the action impressive and there's also a strange Mike Tyson cameo. Great stuff.
Predator
Predator sees Arnold Schwarzenegger in his pomp as special forces fighter Dutch. He leads a gaggle of soldiers into the deep forests of Central America to fight a foe that just so happens to be a predator from another planet. Filled with cartoon violence and ridiculous machismo, the movie is big and dumb but that won't stop you from having a smile on your face for the most part.
Big Trouble In Little China
Big Trouble In Little China is brilliant tongue-in-cheek fun. It's John Carpenter putting all of his favourite things. It's East meets Western (Kurt Russell is in full-on John Wayne mode), as truck driver Jack Burton gets himself embroiled in a whole heap of mess when he visits San Francisco's Chinatown. Initially Big Trouble was a box-office flop but strong VHS sales turned it into a cult classic.
Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol
The Mission: Impossible movies all start to blend into one after a while but Ghost Protocol is far better than it should be, given it's the fourth film in a franchise. That's because of director Brad Bird - best known for The Incredibles - made a propulsive action film, where Tom Cruise and co have to go 'off grid', that zips along at a fantastic pace.
Battle Royale
Kids are the worst. Well, they are when you put them on an island and make them fight to the death until there is only one winner. This Japanese cult classic is a hard watch but it's worth it. It also pretty much inspired the Hunger Games, albeit in a very watered down way.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
You can understand why the Wu-tang Clan loved this movie so much they used it as the basis of the name of their first album. It's a Shaw Bros classic that sees a Ching Dynasty rebel fight through battle after battle and eventually reach the hallowed 36th Chamber. Lovely stuff.
Warrior
Don't let the title or, for that matter, the plot put you off – Warrior is a fantastic movie, centred on two brothers who find redemption and solace in the biggest MMA tournament ever held. A superb script and superb performances from Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton as the brothers, and Nick Nolte as the alcoholic father, make this a must see.
Once Upon a Time In America
Sergio Leone's masterpiece is on a par with The Godfather - a movie Leone turned down to direct - as the greatest gangster film of all time. It may be nearly four hours long, but you wouldn't want it any other way as you watch the rise and fall of Robert De Niro's Noodles, James Woods' Max and many others in a cast that's rich with talent. The film turned out to be Leone's last - what a way to bow out.
Shawshank Redemption
Adapted from Stephen King's novella, Shawshank Redemption is a film that tissues were invented for. Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is sentenced to life in prison for two murders he didn't commit. There he befriends Red (Morgan Freeman) and embarks on both serving his sentence and trying to clear his name. Heartwarming and gut-wrenching in equal measure, Shawshank is a modern classic.
City of God
Brazilian director Fernando Meirelles recently showed the world his talent by directing the Rio Olympics opening ceremony but it's City of God where you will see the true skill of the filmmaker. Shot in and around the favelas of Brazil, the movie is a beautifully shot eye-opening look at the violent neighbourhoods of Rio de Janeiro and the people who are trying to make a living within them.
Network
Not only did Network spawn one of the greatest lines shouted in a movie - "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" - it also shone a light on US network television and its constant push for higher ratings. The plot is great: longtime anchor Howard Beale finds out that he is about to get fired, so to drive ratings he announces he will commit suicide on air. What ensues is a harsh look at TV that's still prescient today.
The Lives of Others
The Lives Of Others is a tragic film both on and off screen. Starring Ulrich Mühe (who passed away soon after the film was released) the movie focuses on a sympathetic Stasi officer who becomes obsessed with spying on a playwright who is a member of the Communist Party.
To Kill A Mockingbird
It may leave a lot of the book out and switch the point of view from Harper Lee's classic novel somewhat, but To Kill A Mockingbird is a fantastic film that's anchored by one of the very best acting performances you will see. Gregory Peck shines as Atticus Finch, a lawyer who takes on a case that shocks a whole town.
The Big Short
Eyebrows were raised when Anchorman director Adam McKay's next project was a deep dive into the US subprime mortgage crisis of 2008, but The Big Shot is a fun and frivolous look at the people who betted against the housing market and made a lot of money.
Brad Pitt, Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling are all superb, playing varying degrees of slime balls with charisma, while the script - which won an Oscar - is whip smart.
21 Grams
Before Alejandro González Iñárritu became a stick-on for Best Director at the Oscars, he made some brutal but beautiful movies with his writing partner Guillermo Arriaga. 21 Grams was his first English-speaking film and it's fantastic. Myriad storyline threads - centred on a freak accident - bring together an ensemble cast that includes Sean Penn, Naomi Watts and Benicio Del Toro.
The Fighter
David O Russell has had a career resurgence of late that began with The Fighter - about Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) a boxer who is trained by his loser brother, Christian Bale, in fine form. Although it doesn't quite pack the punch that Warrior does, it still puts up a great fight.
Also consider: A Single Man | Love Is Strange | Mean Creek | Good Will Hunting | Cinema Paradiso | Still Alice | Into The Wild | Babel | 12 Angry Men | Moneyball
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The Lobster
One of the stranger movies you will ever see, The Lobster is set in some sort of strange dystopian future where people who are not in love go to a retreat to find love. If they don't find love after 45 days, they are turned into an animal of their choice. Far funnier than it should be and littered with symbolism about fighting against the norm, this is one of the most original movies around.
Pi
Darren Aronofsky has come a long way since his debut movie Pi but this doesn't make the movie any less intriguing. Shot in stark black and white, it is centred on the trials and tribulations of a mathematician obsessed with a certain number formula. It's a dense movie and one that involves repeat viewing.
Clerks
Kevin Smith has never bettered his debut film, Clerks. Shot on a shoestring, after hours in the convenience store Smith was working in at the time, Clerks is a brilliant look at what happens when the mundanity of life is punctuated with something quite profound. Both Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) are fantastic in the movie but it's Smith's pop culture obsessed script that makes the film what it is.
Harold and Maude
One of the darker dark comedies you will see, Harold and Maude is a brilliant buddy movie - where the two buddies are a death-obsessed 20-something, played by Bud Cort and a fearless 80 year old lady, a superb Ruth Gordon. Directed by Hal Ashby and with a score by Cat Stevens, the film is twisted but its heart is definitely in the right place.
Election
Matthew Broderick shines as Jim McAllister, a teacher who tries to get one-up on gifted student Tracy Flick (Reece Witherspoon) by convincing another pupil to run against her for school president. What could have been yet another teen flick, Election is quite a savage, cynical movie that only someone like director Alexander Payne could make.
The Babadook
Part horror film, part family drama The Babadook is a breathtaking movie. It's both scary and sad as we follow a mother and her troubled son, who believes that a monster from a children's book is after him. Director Jennifer Kent has created one of the best debut films in years.
Antichrist
With the title Antichrist, Lars Von Trier was always up for a bit of controversy with this movie, like he always is. Starring a very game Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg, the movie charts a couple's life after the terrible death of their son. While not all of it works - what's with the talking fox? - Antichrist is a thought-provoking and worthy watch, as long as you aren't easily offended.
Django Unchained
Django may not be on a par with Pulp Fiction but it's a film that shows how fast Quentin Tarantino has come from the pop-trivia infused movies of his youth to the epic Leone-inspired landscapes of Django Unchained. The plot is great: Django (Jamie Foxx) is a freed slave-cum-bounty hunter who is on a mission to find out what happened to his wife.
Super
Before Guardians of the Galaxy catapulted director James Gunn's career into the stratosphere he had worked on another superhero movie, albeit one that's about as far from the mainstream as you can get. Super sees Rainn Wilson as a chef who decides to turn into a vigilante after his wife leaves him. What ensues is the blackest of black comedy, with Wilson fighting through bad guy after bad guy, splattering graphic violence all over the shop. Think Deadpool but that bit ruder and you are halfway there - Super is a devilish delight.
Requiem For a Dream
Requiem For a Dream is a hard, hard watch. Based on Hubert Selby Jr's novel about addicts in New York, director Darren Aronofsky doesn't shirk on showing what drugs do to even the best people. The film is intense to watch but stick with it and you will be rewarded with some of the best visuals seen in a movie as well as some superb acting from Jennifer Connelly, Jared Leto and the incomparable Ellen Burstyn.
Also consider: Half Nelson | Precious | Alpha Dog | Robot And Frank | Young Adult | Whip It | Junebug | Love | Jackie Brown | The Rules Of Attraction
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Kung Fu Hustle
Shaolin Soccer may be the movie that proved director Stephen Chow was the master of fantasy and slapstick movie making but it's Kung Fu Hustle that's his masterpiece. The movie brilliantly blends cartoon-like violence with kung-fu, adds in some crazy special effects and a smattering of musical moments to create a goofy, great film.
Mascots
Christopher Guest has been mining the mockumentary format for decades now, offering up classics such as Spinal Tap and Best In Show. Mascots, a Netflix exclusive, is his latest comedy and is centred around the mascots that parade around the big sports games - as they all compete for the ultimate mascot accolade, then Gold Fluffy. While not quite up their with Guest's best work, this is still a great slab of improvised fun.
Nebraska
Alexander Payne proves once again that he is one of the best directors around with Nebraska, a film that follows elderly Woody Grant (Bruce Dern) who embarks on a 750-mile journey to Nebraska to cash in the supposed winnings of a sweepstake. Nebraska is full of heart but also home truths when Woody arrives back in his hometown after years away.
What We Do In The Shadows
From the folks behind Flight of the Conchords, What We Do In The Shadows is a brilliant mockumentary following a group of vampires who live together in New Zealand. Jermaine Clement is fantastic as Vladislav but it's Rhys Darby who show steals the show as werewolf Anton.
Dr. Strangelove
One of the funniest movies ever made, Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a masterpiece by director Stanley Kubrick. Endlessly quotable - "No fighting in the war room" - with a stellar cast headed up by Peter Sellers, the film is a biting satire that still resonates today.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Ferris Bueller's Day Off is the perfect '80s movie. It's got teenagers rebelling, budding romance, a great soundtrack and a huge 'stick it to the man' storyline. It's also got Matthew Broderick at his finest (as Bueller) and some great direction and writing by the legend that is John Hughes. Great stuff.
Get Shorty
A film that continued John Travolta's Hollywood resurgence post Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty is a fantastic look at what happens when the world of gangsters and Hollywood combine. Penned by Elmore Leonard, directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and with a cast that includes Travolta, Danny DeVito and Gene Hackman, Get Shorty is good, sharp fun.
Clueless
Clueless is the best teenage-centred movie to come out of the '90s, which is no mean feat considering how many there were in that decade. The exploits of Cher (Alicia Silverstone) at a Beverly Hills high school spawned a whole host of real-life fashion faux pas, as well as a new line of dialogue that was, well, "totally buggin".
Airplane
There are so many one liners and sight gags in Airplane that it really doesn't matter when a few of them don't work. The film skewers the many disaster movies of the '70s with a spoof so funny that it hasn't really been bettered. The stars of the movie are Leslie Nielsen as Dr Rumack and Lloyd Bridges, chosen not just because of his comedy chops but because he had starred in many of the films that the movie was sending up.
Wayne's World
Wayne's World is that rare beast, a Saturday Night Live skit that actually made a decent transition to the movies. The film is based around a basement TV show featuring friends Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey). The show is picked up by a big producer (a brilliantly deadpan Rob Lowe) who wants to put it on prime time television.
Also consider: Black Dynamite | Charlie Bartlett | Adventureland | Wet Hot American Summer | A Hard Day's Night | Coming To America | Raising Arizona | Fast Times At Ridgemont High | Look Who's Back | Hannah And Her Sisters
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Scream
The shock appeal of Scream may have lessened over time, but there's no denying how influential and important Scream was when it was released back in the '90s. Directed by horror maestro Wes Craven, it's a movie that takes all the horror tropes of past films and turns its back on them, creating a postmodern horror comedy that plays like a love letter to the whole genre. The first scene with a very vulnerable Drew Barrymore has yet to be bettered for shock value.
Creep
This ultra low budget movie comes from the Duplass Brothers and is one of the most inventive chillers in years. The plot is slight, focussing on a man who answers a Craiglist ad to film what he thinks is a video for the person's unborn son. And that's all we will say about the plot as it twists and turns in on itself, terrifying the viewer repeatedly in the process.
Let Me In
A remake of the (frankly superior) Swedish movie Let The Right One In, Let Me In is an admirable horror film in its own right. Matt Reeves directs a young Chloë Grace Moretz, who stars as a vampire who just wants to be friends with a local boy. The film is sinister and cold, but there's warmth in the relationship between the two children, as well as a lot of bloodshed.
From Dusk Till Dawn
For the first hour of From Dusk Till Dawn, you'd be forgiven in thinking that there's no horror to be seen at all, other than the fact no one clearly wants to go on holiday in a camper van. But when the film finally lands in the Titty Twister, all hell breaks loose. Given this is a Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez joint venture, there's plenty of black comedy to go with the hordes of vampires that eventually turn up and wreak havoc in the movie. Dumb fun.
Horns
The writer of Horns, Joe Hill, has horror running in through his veins - thanks to his dad being the master of horror himself, Stephen King. Telling the tale of a person who one day grows horns and with them garners supernatural powers, this movie version of the best-selling book may lose some of its impact on the big screen but thanks to Alexander Aja's visual style, it looks fantastic.
Insidious
Insidious is a film that proves, if you want mainstream horror done right, then you have to call up director James Wan. He brings a menacing atmosphere to this film about a family that moves into a house that's not what it seems. While it doesn't quite match up to the scares seen in Sinister - another film produced by Jason Blum - Wan does enough to make sure there's plenty of shocks to go around.
The Sacrament
Another film by Ti West, this one isn't quite in the same horror vein as House of the Devil but is just as oppressive. It's one of the better forays into the found footage genre that sees team of filmmakers investigating a sinister cult. Gene Jones is fantastic as 'the father'.
Hush
Hush has a brilliant premise. Directed by Mike Flanagan it revolves around a killer who tries to get the best of a girl in the house on her own. So far so 'every horror movie ever made', but the girl who is being stalked happens to be deaf. Yes, the home invasion genre is getting tired, but Hush manages to quietly breathe new life into it.
Let's Scare Jessica To Death
A forgotten '70s gem of a horror movie, Let's Scare Jessica To Death is all soft focus and maudlin music as we follow the exploits of a woman who has just gotten out of a psychiatric hospital. While staying in a country house to recuperate, she befriends a strange visitor. It's worth watching just for John D Hancock's dreamy direction.
Would You Rather
One of the more high-concept horrors on the list, Would You Rather is about a group of seven people who are invited to a millionaire's house to play a game of 'Would You Rather'. The game turns out to be one of the most sadistic around.
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Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy was a big risk for Marvel, taking relatively unknown characters from the Marvel universe and handing them over to a director who was steeped in indie and cult status. The result: the best Marvel movie to date and one of the most hilarious CGI raccoon-like creatures you will ever see on screen.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter Soldier was a welcomed surprise when it arrived. It showed Marvel knew the answer of how to make audiences still care about superhero movies, when there are so many being released - essentially turn them into genre films. Winter Soldier apes the '70s conspiracy theory movies of the past, but doesn't scrimp on big set pieces and is fresh and fearless because of it.
Pan's Labyrinth
Guillermo del Toro's back catalogue is wonderful bag of strangeness. He's delved into the superhero genre with both Blade II and Hellboy, wrote a fan letter to Japanese culture with Pacific Rim, tackled horror with both Chronos and Devil's Backbone but his masterpiece has to be Pan's Labyrinth. An adult fairytale that has peculiar characters and a sad story set among the Spanish Civil War, it masterfully blends child and adult fantasy. It's a must watch.
X-Men: Days Of Future Past
Although a lot darker - in theme and look - than other X-Men movies before it, Days of Future Past is a nice addition to the franchise and one that tries to tidy up the messy timelines left by the previous movies. As always, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is a highlight but it's Evan Peters that steals the show as Quicksilver.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
A sequel to a remake that decided to forget the other Tim Burton remake, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a great addition to the Apes franchise. Matt Reeves packs a whole heap of emotion and intelligence into his movie, which focuses on the apes getting smarter and the humans, well, dumber. The whole thing is topped off with some of the best special effects you will see.
Looper
The film that pretty much got Rian Johnson the job to helm Star Wars: Episode VIII, Looper is a timey wimey tale that is set in 2074, when time travel has been invented but subsequently banned. This doesn't stop a band of outlaws (called Loopers) using the technology to assassinate people in the past for payment. Yes it's convoluted but it's also a gripping film that doesn't let up until its twist ending.
The Hobbit: Battle Of The Five Armies
Alright, we know, The Hobbit should not have been split into three movies. But it happened and if you can see beyond your fury, the films aren't that bad *ducks*. The Battle of the Five Armies tries its best to wrap the story up, but ends up being just one big battle sequence. This is no bad thing, though, as Peter Jackson has helped create one of the best looking battles ever seen, even if the end result is far removed from the Hobbit book.
Troll Hunter
Another found footage movie, but this one is about the hunting of trolls so we will let it off. Troll Hunter is a mockumentary played straight. A bunch of filmmakers follow an elusive troll hunter around Norway, even though they don't truly believe in trolls - something that changes pretty fast. Despite some rather low-budget effects the film is a fantastic fantastical watch.
Ghost In The Shell
Rightly heralded as one of the best anime films around - a live-action remake is in the works - Ghost in the Shell mixes cyberpunk, postmodernism and a whole heap of Japanese Culture into a story about a policewoman chasing a hacker. If that all sounds familiar, it's because a whole host of movies (including The Matrix) have begged, borrowed and stole from this epic film.
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
Philip Kaufman's remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers is one of the best rehashes ever as it takes the theme of the original - communist paranoia - and updates it for a time when fear and loathing of the US government was at its highest, thanks to the debacle of the Vietnam war. Donald Sutherland is superb in the film and his pointing to the camera, shouting "you're next" is one of the creepiest things ever put to film.
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The Look Of Silence
The Look of Silence is a hard watch. A sequel of sorts to The Act of Killing - which is sadly not on Netflix - it was created by Joshua Oppenheimer and focuses on a man who confronts the men who killed during the 1965 'purge of communists' in Indonesia in the 60s. He confronts them while giving them eye exams - a ruse to get them to speak. It all makes for uneasy but riveting viewing.
Blackfish
One of the most important documentaries of the decade, Blackfish charts the life of killer whale Tilikum. Kept in captivity as a 'performance mammal' at SeaWorld, the doc explores the unsightly side of why keeping whales in captivity is a terrible idea. Blackfish had such an impact that SeaWorld decided to phase out its orca shows and rebrand itself. Powerful stuff.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
This Netflix exclusive documentary is a heart-wrenching look at one of the greatest singers of all time. While the highlights are definitely seeing Simone sing live - there's a huge amount of never-before-seen archive footage - it's the eye-opening truths about her troubled life that hit home hardest.
Cartel Land
Cartel Land works great as a companion piece to Sicario - found in our Best Thriller list. It's a documentary focused on the bloody and brutal battle between drug runners on the US/Mexican border and a vigilante group of civilians who have had enough and fight back. Produced by Kathryn Bigelow, Cartel Land is a despairing watch punctuated by some stunning cinematography and a fantastic score.
Exit Through The Gift Shop
Don't go watching Exit Through The Gift Shop thinking you will understand celebrated graffiti artist Banksy, as you will come out knowing less about the man. But that's not to say this doc isn't brilliant. It is. It begins by following a French artist who tries to befriend Banksy and ends up being a documentary on this artist. No one really knows what is real, what is artifice or if the whole thing is one big pisstake. Whatever it is, it's a great watch.
Searching for Sugar Man
Searching for Sugar Man is a superb true tale of two filmmakers looking for answers about the apparent death of American musician Sixto Rodriguez. Rodriguez, at the time, wasn't really known outside of the US but in South Africa he was something of a cult figure. As the documentary unfolds, it becomes apparent that the movie will have one hell of a surprise ending.
Bobby Fischer Against The World
A movie about chess shouldn't be this riveting but Bobby Fischer Against The World is a stunning portrait of a man who was one of the best chess players in the world. Featuring interviews from other chess luminaries, such as Garry Kasparov, the documentary looks into the tumultuous life of Fischer who won everything going in the 60s, only to disappear into obscurity for some 20 years.
Dark Days
This documentary may have gained prominence thanks to its DJ Shadow soundtrack, but it's the subject matter that makes Dark Days such a must watch. Shot and directed by Marc Singer, Dark Days shines a light on those who live in underground tunnels under New York. Criminally, this was Singer's only foray into documentary filmmaking but at least he created a classic.
Hoop Dreams
At nearly three hours' long, Hoop Dreams is an exhaustive and very personal look at two teenagers trying to make it big in professional basketball. The two kids in question - William Gates and Arthur Agee - are from poor backgrounds which makes the push to basketball superstardom even more effective. The film won Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and for good reason - it's one of the best sports movies ever made.
The Queen Of Versailles
The Queen Of Versailles is a documentary with a difference. It starts off being about the Siegel family, one of the richest in America, who are building the most expensive house in the US. During filming, however, the Great Recession of 2008 hits and David Siegel's timeshare business is hit badly, leaving the building work halted. As his wealth slowly evaporates, the cameras continue to roll.
Also consider: Amanda Knox | Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon | Hot Girls Wanted | Keith Richards Under The Influence | Kurt & Courtney | Catfish | Iris | Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer | The Square | Tabloid
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Sicario
Emily Blunt is sensational in Sicario, a film that's centred around the drug cartels of Mexico and the government agents tasked to stop the drug running. Alongside Blunt as a new FBI agent assigned to the case is Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin, two agents who are well versed in dealing with drug lords and the devastation they cause. The film was so good, its director Denis Villeneuve was picked to helm the sequel to Blade Runner off the back of it.
Winter's Bone
Back before Jennifer Lawrence was a superstar Oscar-winning actress, she made a film that arguably houses her best role. Winter's Bone is bleak. Set around the harsh Ozark Mountain landscape of the US, the film sees Lawrence on the hunt for her meth-making father. On the way, she unravels a conspiracy that involves much of her untrustworthy neighbours. This is Lawrence at her understated best.
Miller's Crossing
The Coen Brothers again, this time in a period piece that's set in the Prohibition times and focuses on Tom Regan (Gabriel Byrne), a go-between that tries his hardest to keep the peace between warring mob bosses. Although this movie is never muttered in the same breath as The Godfather or Once Upon A Time In America, it deserves to be up there as one of the best gangster movies of all time. It should even be on some Best Movies Ever lists.
Beasts of No Nation
One of the first movies to be made under the Netflix banner, Beasts of No Nation sees Idris Elba on fine form as a commandant fighting in a civil war. But the biggest praise has to go to Abraham Attah's Agu - a boy soldier caught in the fighting. Directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga - who made the first season of True Detective the masterpiece it was - this is a harrowing but great watch.
Vertigo
James Stewart is at his finest here in Alfred Hitchcock's ultimate suspense film. Named by the BFI's Sight & Sound magazine in 2012 as the greatest film ever made (and for good reason), it is the story of a police detective's obsession (Stewart) with a married woman (Kim Novak). Full of double meaning and double vision, it's a must for any suspense fan.
Slow West
Painfully ignored on its original release, Slow West is a brilliant western by former Beta Band member John Maclean. It stars Michael Fassbender as a bounty hunter who acts as a bodyguard to a teenager in 1800s Colorado. Despite its name, this is a well-paced, tense, twisty thriller.
Double Indemnity
This is film noir at its absolute best. Centred on an insurance salesmen Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) who is mixed up in a tale that sees a woman (the brilliant Barbara Stanwyc) intent on murdering her husband, Double Indemnity is gripping to watch and, ultimately, heartbreaking. Written by Raymond Chandler with help from director Billy Wilder, this rival's Wilder's Sunset Boulevard for being Wilder's best film.
The French Connection
There's a good deal of grit and realism in The French Connection, a magnificent cop drama directed by William Friedkin and starring Gene Hackman as Jimmy Doyle. 'Popeye' Doyle is the ultimate anti-hero cop - hard-drinking, bigoted but dedicated to the force and getting rid of heroin from the streets. Oh, and there's a car chase. Not just any car chase, but one of the best ever filmed. Unmissable.
Fargo
Fargo is the perfect Coen Brothers film. Funny enough to make you chuckle, it's also filled with some ridiculously dark moments, most of which involve Steve Buscemi's bumbling hitman and William H Macy as the cowardly corrupt Jerry Lundegaard. The star of the film, however, has to be Frances McDormand's heavily pregnant, inquisitive and just darn tootin' nice detective.
Blow Out
Brian De Palma is a magpie filmmaker. His style apes that of his hero, Alfred Hitchcock, and he loves to make remakes. Blow Out is one of his best. A re-imagining of the seminal '60s film Blow-Up, De Palma moves the action from London to the US and focuses on sound not photography as Travolta stars as a sound effects producer who believes he has caught a real murder on tape.
Also consider: The Talented Mr Ripley| Carlos The Jackal | The Purge: Anarchy | Gone Baby Gone | The Spy Who Came In From The Cold | We Need To Talk About Kevin | The Parallax View | Rear Window | Serpico | Natural Born Killers
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Brooklyn
No, not a film about the Beckham's model son but a sweeping tale of young love in New York in the 50s. Saoirse Ronan - easily one of the best actresses around at the moment - stars as the Irish immigrant who moves from a small Irish town to Brooklyn in search of work. Adapted for the screen by Nick Hornby, the story flits along at a great pace but its the acting that really shines.
The Apartment
The partnership of Jack Lemmon and Shirley McClaine, matched by the ever-amazing direction of Billy Wilder this fantastic romantic comedy is set around an apartment where an insurance worker lets his bosses use his apartment for romantic trysts, in return for a promotion. It's farcical but it works, even more so thanks to Mad Men which recently brought this whisky-strewn era of the '60s back to life. The romance is in there, among the comedy, as Jack Lemmon falls for the elevator girl.
The Fault In Our Stars
What's that? No, I'm not crying, I've just got something in my eye. Have the tissues at the ready for The Fault In Our Stars, as it's one of the weepiest weepies around. Shailene Woodley is superb as Hazel, a cancer patient who falls for someone in her support group. Ably directed by relative newcomer Josh Boone - who is attached to a number of Stephen King properties - this movie is an assured adaptation of the number one bestseller.
Annie Hall
Woody Allen won an Oscar for Best Direction, Diane Keaton for Best Actress and Annie Hall won for Best Film in 1977… it's fair to say this movie has critical clout. Even if it didn't win these awards, it would still be known as one of the very best movies about love, and certainly one of the best movies Woody Allen has made. The titular Annie Hall is 'the one who got away', as Allen's comedian character Alvy Singer tries to figure out what went wrong in their relationship.
Manhattan
As much a love letter to New York as it is a romantic film, Manhattan is a brilliant look at love, through those who are in love and have lost love. Woody Allen plays, well, Woody Allen, someone who is already twice divorced when we meet him, then follow him through a string of affairs throughout the film. Although it could do without the rather sombre third act, the movie is a delight.
45 Years
Who said romance films had to just be about love? 45 Years is about falling out of love, after many years of marriage, and is an absolutely devastating watch. Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling are the couple trying to figure out what the future holds, when Courtenay's character drops a truth bombshell that puts a strain on a relationship that has lasted 45 years and beyond.
Last Tango In Paris
Who said romance had to be sickly sweet? Bernardo Bertolucci's still controversial account of two lovers who know nothing about each other - a chance encounter in their apartment block one day leads them to no-strings-attached sex. The movie may be more well known for Marlon Brando's weight and a scene involving butter, but beyond these it's a great lesson that, for better or worse, lust will eventually lead to love.
Titanic
If you can forgive the ending - there was definitely room for Jack on that raft - Titanic is one of the best, and certainly most epic love stories. The sinking of the Titanic plays second fiddle to the romance of Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), two lovers from different social groups that end up on the illustrious liner, the Titanic. Yes, it's overwrought and melodramatic, but it's still one helluva watch.
Diary of a Teenage Girl
It's the '70s in SanFrancisco. Minnie Goets (a fantastic Bel Powley) is 15 and falls for her mother's boyfriend. What ensues is a refreshingly honest, funny, unflinching portrayal of unrequited young love. Although there is a lot of sex shown, the movie doesn't sugarcoat it but tells you as it is and because of that it's a much better film than the title implies.
Mermaids
Mermaids may not be the most conventional romantic film but it's a great watch. Cher stars as an eccentric mum who moves from town to town with her two daughters - Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci - finally settling when Bob Hoskins comes on to the scene.
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Muppets Most Wanted
While not as much fun as the first Muppets reboot, this sequel starring Ricky Gervais as the Muppets' manager still manages to hold a few laughs and has some great songs - We're Doing a Sequel - to match. The cast is inspired, with Tina Fey hamming it up more than Miss Piggy as Nadia.
Explorers
One of the most '80s movies you will ever see, The Explorers is directed by the legend that is Joe Dante and follows a bunch of kids who decide to make their very own (working) space ship in their bedroom and then decide to explore space. It's barmy but it's also brilliant.
The Boxtrolls
Laika is a little-known production company that is taking the world by storm with its animation delights. Its latest movie Kubo and the Two Strings is being heralded a classic - as should The Boxtrolls. This stop-motion animation delight centres on a community of trolls who live among the trash of the city of Cheesebridge and come to the aid of a human orphan. The Boxtrolls is a beautifully made movie that shows there's still a lot of love in stop-motion animation. If you don't believe us, try and watch the end credits of this movie without a tear in your eye. Superb stuff.
Maleficent
Disney is on a roll at the moment with its Marvel movies and Star Wars: The Force Awakens breaking all records, but when it remembers and reimagines its own back catalogue it also excels. Angelina Jolie is magnificent as Maleficent, the antagonist of Sleeping Beauty. The movie portrays her point of view of the fairy tale and it's expertly told.
Labyrinth
You remind me of the babe. What babe? The babe with the power. What power? The Power of voodoo. Who do? You do. Do what? Remind me of the babe. Ah, Labyrinth - a superb, strange movie that reminds us all what legends both David Bowie and Jim Henson were.
Shrek 2
While not as ground-breaking or as funny as the first Shrek film, there's still a lot to love in Shrek 2. Much of that love goes to Antonio Banderas as the brilliant Puss in Boots, a voiceover performace so good it bagged him a spin-off movie. Mike Myers returns as Shrek, as does Eddie Murphy as Donkey - surely an animated double act that's up there with Woody and Buzz Lightyear.
Bee Movie
Jerry Seinfeld doesn't do too much anymore - probably busy counting his billions from Seinfeld - but when he does, the world needs to take notice. Bee Movie is a lovely animated movie that follows a bee worker (Seinfeld) who finds out that humans have been stealing and eating honey for years. The film generated enough 'buzz' back in 2007, that there's now rumours of a sequel.
Chicken Run
Made by plasticine king Nick Park, Chicken Run was Aardman's first full-length claymation adventure. Set in a chicken farm, it has it all: evil farmers, a rooster that falls in love with one of the hens and one the best action sequences ever set in clay. Oh, and Mel Gibson also crops up to lend his vocal talent.
Puss In Boots
A spin-off of the mega successful Shrek franchise, Puss In Boots has enough charm to make it feel like part of the Shrek family. The plot is slight - Puss (Banderas) is outcasted after he is accused of a bank robbery, even though it was actually Humpty Dumpty. Yes, it's childish but it's also damn good fun.
Monsters Vs Aliens
DreamWorks may not be able to dish out the hits as well as Disney but it has still has released a number of fun animated films in recent years. One of the better ones is Monsters Vs Aliens. Using the voice talents of Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Laurie, the movie sees a team of monsters help save the world from, well, aliens.
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