#88 Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Position: #88

Ddirected By: John Hughes

Starring: Matthew Broderick and Mia Sara

Empire's Star Rating: 5

Although reluctant to watch this at first I eventually sat throuh it one christmas at my dad's insistance. Silly, daft and outrageous is how i'd describe this film-a lovenote to the fantasies of teenage boys, envisaged in a somewhat frantic manner. The circumstancial and slapstick comedy in the film is excellent and the huge amount of times that this film has been referenced in contemporary media is testament to the humour's longevity.  

#91 Return of the Jedi

Star Wars Episode VI-Return of the Jedi

Position: #91

Directed By: Richard Marquand

Starring: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher

Empire's Star Rating: 4

When I originally saw this film at about 6 or 7 i thought it was the best of the Star Wars series, however as i've gone on I realise that it doesn't match the originality of A New Hope, or provide the action that The Empire Strikes Back does. Picking up a few months after the end of the last film, we are initially shown an unknown figure free Han Solo of his Carbonite bonds, a tense opener which is quickly followed by a showdown with a Rancor and a desert battle. This opening half an hour showed a lot of promise but it rapidly descended into slow dialogues with Yoda and the laying of the battle plans. Around an hour of the movie is dedicated to talking about the impending battle, which when it arrives is a little dissapointing. In space the action jumps around too much and stays true to the usual cliches, on Endor a promising fight is quickly brought to an end before a sneak attack rapidly turns the tide. Although it may seem enticing the lack of actual fighting is minimal, if one side wasn't being calmly led away whilst remaining unarmed then the others were. It jut didn't seem to work on an aesthetic level. A nice speeder chase was thrown in but that was repeatedly undermined by the native teddy bears' screen time.

The acting remains solid as per usual with Lucas. We really feel for Luke at the end when he says goodbye to his father, he plays the conflicted youth well, but again Harrison Ford steals the show. His witty quips and bromance with Chewie is touching and sweet, his charisma improves any scene he's in and his love for Leia is never questioned. Having said that the rebel command lacks any flare when in battle they seem devoid of emotion and their attempts to convey a sense of danger is laughable at times. All that in mind the main focus of the story is told well by the necessary actors, it's easy to criticise the backgroud characters that only serve to add a little authenticity but they aren't particularly important.

Lucas' previous films in the series were spectacular and my dissapointment in this is glossed over by his previous attempts however it was odd that his storytelling is what let the film down. The middle of the film was too dialogue heavy, and the integration with the Ewok culture seemed an unnecessary tangent. The run time could've been cut down significantly to facilitate a more compact plot, it isn't too difficult to follow as such but some of it appears to have been put in their to fill time. The special effects as always with Star Wars is superb especially for its time, and despite the lack of action in the middle when it does arrive, the set plays are something to be marvelled at. The technology on display is sophisticated enough to make it believable but simple enough to work out what it is. The general feel of the movie maintains its integrity, we thoroughly feel as if we are there in this futuristic (but somehow in the past) world or that some day this is what life will be like(or was?).

So Episode 6 ties up the loose ends nicely, there are some touching moments and the special effects are marvellous as always. The battles are a little one dimensional (with the exclusion of the opening one) and there are numerous parts that just don't need to be there. We are thoroughly made to believe we are there, but it seems that what we find is a little bit boring.

72/100
Drags on in parts and lots of unnecessary fluff. But a strong cast and believability go some way to make up for this. A pretty good conlcusion to the Star Wars saga.

#97 Reservoir Dogs

Reservoir Dogs

Position: #97

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Starring: Harvey Keitel and Steve Buscemi

Empire's Star Rating: 5

I watched this film for the first time very recently having got into Tarantino's films after seeing inglorious basterds. For me this film was fantastic despite having a slightly slow start. The opening scene in a cafe doesn't seem particularly necessary to the story; the fact Mr Pink doen't willingly tip the waitress is never elaborated on which seems to render that opening exchange useless. It does however set up the iconic slow motion walk, but even that's clutching at straws. After a somewhat inospicious start the film rapidly gains momentum, the serene opening is rapidly followed by a man covered in blood screaming out in pain. As well as providing a shock factor to the audience it acts as testament to Tarantino's filmaking in the way in which he is able to juxtapose two heavily contrasting scenes so smoothly. He then slows the pace right down as Mr Orange and Pink debate the circumstances, when before we know it they're pointing guns at each other. This stop-start method keeps the audience guessing and on the edge of their seat. Although many people criticised the torture scene i think it was crucial in epitomising the gulf in moral standards of these men. Although they were all doing the same thing they all had very different ways in which to go bout it. As for the flashbacks, well, they were necessary i suppose but there wasn't a lot of difference between each one. The traitor's background was interesting and added something more to the character but the other stories were a little pointless if you ask me. All they really told us was this one guy asked 5 people who he had known for varying degrees of time to do a job. We already knew this and didn't need 15 minutes of flashbacks to re-inforce it. Although this was a nice twist by tarantino to the typical chronology of films I just don't think it really came off. It just felt as if he was trying to bend the rules to fit his story. 

The acting is fabulous, the loyalty and integrity of some characters conflict with the brutality and selfishness of others. We as the audience have no idea who the traitor is right up until pretty much when the charcaters in the film do, which in itself is a testament to their ability. The decision to base the film in one location works to the film's advantage as it allows the characters to flourish. We are given more character development time which makes us empathise with them more, we become more involved in it. When personalities do clash we understand the grounds which each character stands on so to speak. We're made fully aware of the reasons behind their actions as well as justification for their means. The focus on pretty much just the central 7 or 8 characters also works as we spend a lot of time with them and are able to view teir development, which further pulls us into the storyline. The closing showdown isn't laboured by Tarantino the cliche endings to gun fights are avoided completely by the director, for me this makes the film much more aesthetically pleasing others with similar premises. It would hve felt like a bit of a 'cop-out' had everyone somehow survived or the right guys were in the right place at the right time. The mix up is unexpected but it is effective.

So the film hits us emotionally as well as providing numerous shock moments. The audience is kept guessing and Tarantino adds some superb artistic touches. The start was a little slow but we are quickly thrown into the action which detracts from this, most of the flashbacks seem pointless and boring when compared to the real time conversations the characters have. All in all it was a highly pleasing film with great acting and a solid directorial debut. The negatives are few in number but do detract slightly from my overall rating of the film.  

82/100
Full of action in the form of nailbiting confrontations and a graphic torture scene, the acting is superb and the plot is enthralling too. Tarntino does try to bend the rules to his credit but they seem to have little impact and meaning on the film as a whole. All in all a very good film.

#99 Toy Story

Toy Story

Position: #99

Directed By: John Lasseter                                       

Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen

Empire's Star Rating: 5

This film was my first experience of Pixar, introduced to me at the age of around 7. It's the reason that I religiously follow the studio now and ensure i watch each of their new films. As for Toy Story itself I absolutely loved it. The ground breaking graphics are astonishing for the 90s, in comparison to Disney equivalents from the period such as Snow White, it stands out because of Pixar's ability to render reflection and varying shades rather than use block colour to fill in the characters . It re-invigorates the escape film genre (on a smaller scale). It benefits primarily from 2 strong, charismatic leads in Woody and Buzz; although animated their chemistry spearheads the film and moves the audience. The main focus of the lead roles' development is Woody's acceptance of Buzz as Andy's (their owner) new favourite toy. I think the writers were clever in not portraying Woody as a violent, obnoxious control freak as initially planned. This makes us feel for Woody when his position as alpha male comes under threat; rather than rejoicing at the fall of a bully. 

As the story progresses the tension it ratcheted up by Lasseter in heightening the genuine threat that could be posed to these toys in the form of the demented schoolboy: Sid. In entering Sid's room we get this oxymoronic  effect by seeming the complete opposite of the joyful room of Andy's just across the street. Another clever ploy by the studio which increases our shock when Sid's room (if we can even call it that) first appears on screen. This death-trap serves as the "prison" of the movie from which our leads attempt to escape. Overall the story flows nicely, although the true baddie of the film has little screen time it doesn't seem to matter because we are constantly reminded of the "grass 'aint always greener on the other side" thesis. At the risk of sounding clichéd; Toy Story tugs at the heart strings without being a typical love story. Instead it encapsulates a cowboy doll, and his love for his owner. On paper it sounds odd, but in practice toy story is sweet, funny and  heartfelt. Whoever thought we might shed a tear over a couple of toys eh?

Although this film was near perfect in script and delivery, i think the execution could've been slightly better. I'm a sucker for big action sequences and as a result I felt a little let down by Toy Story's finale. At times the animation is awkward in particular Sid's dog (Scud) looks as if he were made of play-doh in the way he walks. Putting that in perspective it was revolutionary for the time so it's only fair i give it a very good score.

87/100
A little slow at times, but this is a wonderful movie which should be enjoyed by generations to come because it is just so relatable. 

I've never done a blog before but basically what this is all about is that i have decided to conduct a review of the films generally perceived to be the best of all time. This is my own opinion and therefore should not be considered definitive. Below is Empire's top 100 films of all time, this is the list that will guide my choices-I've subscribed to them for more than 3 years now and in my opinion they offer unbiased and quality reviews; that is the reason why the films i will attempt to watch are based on their selection. I will review two films a week although the first few weeks will be an exception as I will review the ones I have already seen (about 20).

1. The Godfather
2. Raiders of the lost Ark
3. Star Wars Episode V-The Empire Strikes Back
4. The Shawshank Redemption
5. Jaws
6. Goodfellas
7. Apocalypse Now
8. Singin' In the Rain
9. Pulp Fiction
10. Fight Club
11. Raging Bull
12. The Apartment
13. Chinatown
14. Once upon a time in the west
15. The Dark Knight
16. 2001: A Space Odyssey
17. Taxi Driver
18. Casablanca
19. The Godfather Part 2
20. Blade Runner
21. The Third Man
22. Star Wars Episode IV-A New Hope
23. Back To the Future
24. The Lord of the Rings The Fellowship of the Ring
25. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
26. Dr. Strangelove or How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
27. Some Like it Hot
28. Citizen Kane
29. Die Hard
30. Aliens
31. Gone with the wind
32. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
33. Alien
34. The Lord of the Rings The Return of the King
35. Terminator 2:Judgement Day
36. Andrei Rublev
37. A Clockwork Orange
38. Heat
39. The Matrix
40. Vertigo
41. The 400 Blows
42. Kind Hearts and Coronets
43. The Big Lebowski
44. Schindler's List
45. Psycho
46. On the Waterfront
47. E.T. The Extra Terrestrial
48. This is Spinal Tap
49. Evil Dead 2
50. Seven Samurai
51. 8 1/2
52. The Shining
53. Donnie Darko
54. The Lord of the Rings the Two Towers
55. La Dolce Vita
56. Casino Royale
57. Lawrence of Arabia
58. His Girl Friday
59. Close Encounters of the Third Kind
60. Come and See
61. The Usual Suspects
62. The Graduate
63. Sunset Boulevard
64. Oldboy
65. Harold and Maude
66. Edward Scissorhands
67. Tokyo Story
68. Annie Hall
69. Three Colours Red
70. Stand by Me
71. The Night of the Hunter
72. 12 Angry Men
73. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
74. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
75. A Matter of Life and Death
76. Manhattan
77. Spartacus
78. Rosemary's Baby
79. The Thin Red Line
80. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp
81. Batman Begins
82. The Great Escape
83. Brazil
84. L.A. Confidential
85. Blue Velvet
86. Carrie
87. The King of Comedy
88. Ferris Bueller's Day off
89. Magnolia
90. When Harry Met Sally
91. Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
92. Once Upon a Time in America
93. Spirit of the Beehive
94. The Wild Bunch
95. Yojimbo
96. American Beauty
97. Reservoir Dogs
98. North By Northwest
99. Toy Story
100. Network