Top 7- My Favourite Films (as of August 2015)

Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday to me. Happy Birthday dear me, Happy Birthday to me (and Jennifer Lawrence, Ben Affleck, director of Birdman Alejandro Gonzalez Innaitu and Dexter's Angel Bautista, David Zayas). Yes, for those of you who don't know, I'm finally 16. To celebrate, I'm having a very self indulgent post today with me, discussing my favourite films as of August 2015. I'll almost certainly revisit this list some time in the future but for now, these are the seven films I love more than any other. And as a warning, don't expect a deep analysis or criticism of these films. This is me delivering my appreciation of these films and nothing else. And as this is a list very close to my heart, I'm opening up a selection of seven honorable mentions, in no particular order. They are:


Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Monty Python and The Holy Grail

Gone Girl

The Dark Knight

The Lego Movie

22 Jump Street

The Raid 2

Now, to the list!

7. Seven Psychopaths

This film has become something of an underground hit. Very few people saw it when it was first released but anyone who did will agree that it's a dark, hilarious film that will never fail to entertain. It's from the director of In Bruges, another dark comedy that is slightly better known than this and anyone who's seen In Bruges will recognise the tone here. Essentially, this film is In Bruges but set in L.A. and with the hysterical Sam Rockwell in the role of Brendan Gleeson. It's a film that, while not necessarily underrated, was under appreciated and I suggest you check it out.

6. Hurt Locker

I've watched a fair few films over the last few years that billed themselves as "tense thrillers that will keep your heart racing". They rarely live up to the hype but this film (and one later on) did and then some. The Hurt Locker is the story of a bomb defusal squad in Afghanistan and their attempts to make it out alive. It's a film that manages to delve into the heart of war and what makes it so prevalent, as well as give us some scenes that will literally have you on the edge of your seat. Trust me, this is one film that will grip you from it's very first scene to the very last shocking moments. A true modern classic.

5. Whiplash

Alongside Hurt Locker, Whiplash is genuinely the most tense viewing experience of my life and it's a film about a drummer. But really, it's more than that. It's a war of attrition between Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons, it's a fight to be the best, it's a story of one man pushing someone further than they can go because he knows they can do it. The score is fantastic, the dialogue feels genuine and J.K. Simmons has created one of cinema's best roles as the sometimes funny, sometimes terrifying but always controlling Fletcher. To anyone who has held out on this film because it's just about drumming or it can't be as good as everyone says it is, I say this; pull your head out of your arse and watch what is one of the best shot, best acted and best written films of this century.

4. Hot Fuzz

One of the first films that ever truly blew me away, there aren't many flaws to Hot Fuzz. It's slickly directed by the superb Edgar Wright, written hilariously and acted to a tee by nerd icons Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. It spends the first half of the film perfectly spoofing cop films and just action films in general, including Point Break, but by the end it eclipses them and becomes one of the centuries greatest action films. A film that's as stylish as it is funny, it's a film that I can go back to constantly  and love just as much each time.

3. Airplane

For my money, Airplane is still the funniest film ever made, even over 40 years after it's release. It succeeds for multiple reasons. First off, it has all the actors playing it straight. While that may seem silly for a comedy, it enhances the comedy perfectly as the actors all keep straight faced in increasingly absurd scenarios. And those scenarios are absurd but hilarious. From Saturday Night Fever parodies to a man so boring he makes people kill themselves, it's sublimely ridiculous. It's not high brow comedy but it's silly humour will keep you rolling will laughter for the whole film.

2. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Undoubtedly one of the most overlooked films of the last decade, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a masterpiece. It has Jim Carrey in a rare serious role but he's great. It stars him trying to forget his girlfriend Clementine (played surprisingly well by Kate Winslet) but as he starts to forget, he realises how much he loves her. This film manages to balance true heartfelt moments, beautiful cinematography and some sweet moments of humour. This film balances warmth and intelligence to create a film that will leave a deep and lasting impression on you for a long, long time.

1. Fight Club

Who saw this one coming? Oh. You all did. Well, it still stands that this film is my favourite film that I've ever seen. It's probably not the best from a technical stand point but that doesn't matter. What matters is the film's blend of dark comedy, witty writing and fantastic acting, all tied together with David Fincher's stylish yet superb direction. Whether you're watching it for the first time and having your socks knocked off by the twist or watching it again and again and seeing the nods to the twist that you really should have seen coming. This film is everything I love about movies. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry and it blows you away every single time. I am Henry's raging love for Fight Club.