31 things men wish women would not do on a date
A driving test may be scary, but it’s nothing compared to a first date with a man you fancy. At least you can take a driving test again – and pay someone to give you lessons. But if you fail a date, you’re unlikely to get a second chance.
Allow us to improve your chances of passing first time. Here are 29 offences that could lose you points on your first date – or, if he’s feeling less than generous, land you with an instant Fail.
1. Fail to hide your disappointment when you meet a guy for a blind date. If your eyes start darting from left to right, looking for an escape route, he will know exactly what you’re thinking. (Of course, if you really are disappointed, none of this matters, does it?)
2. Refuse to go for a curry, because you’re “already fat enough.” If you like him, indulge yourself. You’ll score fistfuls of dating points for being good company. If you’re really that worried about what one single curry will do to your thighs, go for a run in the morning.
3. Shrug when he says, “where do you fancy going?” He doesn’t want to make all the decisions. Most of them, just not all of them.
4. Look disappointed when your food arrives.
5. Want to share dessert.
6. Fail to laugh at his jokes. He really, really wants you to think he’s funny, so laugh with him – even if you find his jokes as funny as mould. Men love women who share their sense of humour even more than they love women who can put their ankles behind their ears.
7. Ask, ten minutes into the date, if he’s free tomorrow.
8. Keep checking your phone. You think you’re being surreptitious? When it comes to noticing a woman’s “I’m bored” signals, men suddenly acquire surveillance skills that MI5 would envy.
9. Check your watch. See above.
10. Mention your mum. He’s terrified of her already, so please don’t bring her up unless expressly invited to do so.
11. Mention your ex. Like mentioning your mum, only 10,000 times more damaging. Whatever the context, all your date can hear is: “you’re nice, I suppose, but I’m still so into my ex that I’m actually hallucinating a vision of him right now.”
12. Mention your best male friend. Your date may even perceive this man to be a greater threat than your ex, since your BMF is more likely to be found hanging around your kitchen, and almost certainly plans to marry you.
13. Spend an hour talking about the “really dark time” you went through in your early 20s, and which you don’t like to talk about.
14. Fail to shut up during the film.
15. Fail to ask him any questions about himself, other than questions which are designed to bring the conversation back to yourself (“Have you been to Mexico? I had an amazing time backpacking there in 2005, I...”)
16. Interview him. Yes, be interested in him, but don’t unleash a volley of questions – it’ll make you seem nervous and inexperienced. Give him something to be interested in, too.
17. Gaze at him across the restaurant table. Stop it, you’re scary.
18. Keep interrupting him. Female friends tend to interrupt each other all the time (in girl-speak, it’s called having a conversation), but many men are less tolerant of overlapping babble. If you want him to think you’re listening, let him finish his point.
19. Fail to get his reference to something he mentioned earlier. Gotcha – now he knows you weren’t listening.
20. Cry.
21. Get drunk. A gin or two can help to relax those first-date jitters, but don’t match him drink for drink, however “connected” you think it makes you look. You’ll soon lose all your inhibitions and commit half the crimes on this list, plus several more that we’re not drunk enough to think up right now. (By the way, holding back your hair while you puke does not prove that a man is the love of your life. He’s just being nice.)
22. Play with your hair. OK, let us clarify: a subtle bit of hair-touching (by yourself, of your own hair) is powerful “touch me” body language, and can be very seductive. But if you spend ten minutes twirling your hair around your finger, you may drive your date into a state of irritated rage that he normally reserves for dodgy football referees.
23. Pretend to like football.
24. Swear. The odd four-letter gem can spice up a flowing conversation, but don’t fall back on effing and blinding as a substitute for eloquence.
25. Open a comment with “don’t take this the wrong way, but…”
26. Wear too much make-up or perfume. He’ll wonder what you’re trying to hide – or how many other men in the room you’re trying to pull.
27. Re-apply your lipstick while he’s still in the room.
28. Adjust your bra strap.
29. Tell him he’d look fantastic in a blue shirt. He doesn’t want you to make him over, thanks.
30. Fail to offer to pay your share of the bill. If you’re lucky he’ll want to pay, but at least offer.
31. Ask to share a cab, and then refuse to come in for a coffee at his place. Of course men shouldn’t misinterpret “let’s share a cab” as “shall I go on top?”, but don’t lead him on. If you don’t intend to spend the night, don’t share transport facilities. A few quid for your own licensed cab won’t break the bank, and it could ensure that you get a second date.
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sábado, 10 de julho de 2010
segunda-feira, 31 de maio de 2010
100 SEXIEST
Number 4
#4 Britney Spears (up 8 places)
Be honest: you’d written her off, hadn’t you? Dismissed her as one more bug-eyed, bald, bankrupt burn-out destined for the teen star mental asylum? But no: for out of her chaotic 2008 chrysalis of divorce, rehab and Starbucks fatness, a beautiful butterfly has emerged. One who’s rich again, after earning a record $35 million dollars from touring last year. But also one who’s regained her dancer body and hair. And retained just enough psychosis to make a bedroom scenario worth daydreaming about. See? Shame on you.
quinta-feira, 27 de maio de 2010
Dez prostitutas que mudaram o destino da História
Elas aqueceram leitos de reis, artistas, militares, celebridades. E, no caminho, aqueceram também o leito da História. Não há como negar que as donas (e donos) da profissão mais antiga do mundo mudaram o curso das coisas. A revista Mental Floss fez uma seleção dos 10 mais ilustres representantes da classe - vale a pena conferir. Não, não foi dessa vez que incluíram a Bruna Surfistinha.
Mata Hari: fascinante espiã
Em outubro de 1917, em seu último gesto sedutor, Mata Hari jogou um beijinho para a tropa de fuzilamento. A prostituta - e secretamente espiã alemã - havia rodado o ambiente militar da Tríplice Entente e comprometido segredos de guerra importantíssimos, como a nova arma inglesa: o tanque de guerra. Ela foi executada respondendo pela morte de mais de 50 mil pessoas.
Mike Jones: herói dos homossexuais
Este foi o justiceiro da causa gay no Colorado, EUA. Mike era amante de muitos homens importantes, entre eles um que ele chamava carinhosamente de Art – e todo o resto do mundo conhecia como reverendo Ted Haggard, líder do movimento cristão evangélico. Art era também uma das cabeças no protesto anticasamento gay, que seria votado no Colorado em novembro de 2006.
Escandalizado com a hipocrisia de seu amante, Mike foi a um programa de rádio e contou cada detalhe sórdido da relação dos dois. A notícia não foi o bastante para fazer com que o referendo fosse um sucesso para a causa gay, mas, ao menos, a comunidade GLSBT teve o gostinho de ver o reverendo sendo expulso da igreja e virando um vendedor de apólices de seguro.
Mike Jones: herói dos homossexuais
Este foi o justiceiro da causa gay no Colorado, EUA. Mike era amante de muitos homens importantes, entre eles um que ele chamava carinhosamente de Art – e todo o resto do mundo conhecia como reverendo Ted Haggard, líder do movimento cristão evangélico. Art era também uma das cabeças no protesto anticasamento gay, que seria votado no Colorado em novembro de 2006.
Escandalizado com a hipocrisia de seu amante, Mike foi a um programa de rádio e contou cada detalhe sórdido da relação dos dois. A notícia não foi o bastante para fazer com que o referendo fosse um sucesso para a causa gay, mas, ao menos, a comunidade GLSBT teve o gostinho de ver o reverendo sendo expulso da igreja e virando um vendedor de apólices de seguro.
>> Jogue games on-line de graça no site de Galileu
>> Linha do tempo com a história da comida
>> O Pornô no gráfico
>> Linha do tempo com a história da comida
>> O Pornô no gráfico
Valerie Jean Solanas: quase-assassina de Warhol Durante a década de 60, a “Factory” de Andy Warhol - estúdio do artista que se transformou em refúgio para excêntricos e aqueles que só queriam curtir uma viagem de anfetamina – estava a toda produção e de portas abertas a quem interessasse. Até que uma dessas excêntricas, a ex-estudante de psicologia e prostituta Valerie, apareceu em sua porta com uma peça chamada “Dentro da sua bunda” (uma delicadeza de menina, não?). Warhol achou que a peça era chocante demais até para ele. Deu apenas um papel para ela em outra de suas produções e a pagou US$ 25 pelo serviço.
Depois disso, Valerie chegou ao pico de sua loucura. Em junho, deu um tiro em Warhol que quase lhe tirou a vida. Ela se entregou no mesmo dia, passou três anos presa e muitos indo e voltando de manicômios. Em liberdade, infernizou Warhol por telefone até o fim de seus dias, quando foi encontrada em decomposição em seu quarto alugado. Quanto à Factory, infelizmente nunca mais foi tão aberta às massas absurdas que inspiravam a pop art de Wahrol. Com seu corpo para sempre danificado pelo tiro, Warhol achou melhor dedicar sua atenção a alguns amigos ricos e celebridades – que provavelmente não atirariam nele.
Belle de Jour : a prostituta nerd
Depois disso, Valerie chegou ao pico de sua loucura. Em junho, deu um tiro em Warhol que quase lhe tirou a vida. Ela se entregou no mesmo dia, passou três anos presa e muitos indo e voltando de manicômios. Em liberdade, infernizou Warhol por telefone até o fim de seus dias, quando foi encontrada em decomposição em seu quarto alugado. Quanto à Factory, infelizmente nunca mais foi tão aberta às massas absurdas que inspiravam a pop art de Wahrol. Com seu corpo para sempre danificado pelo tiro, Warhol achou melhor dedicar sua atenção a alguns amigos ricos e celebridades – que provavelmente não atirariam nele.
Belle de Jour : a prostituta nerd
Belle de Jour
Em 2003, um blog incomum foi eleito o melhor da blogosfera pelo jornal inglês The Guardian. No “Diário de uma garota de programa londrina”, Belle de Jour, uma prostitua de luxo, escrevia sobre como seus clientes a tratavam melhor do que os homens que a levavam para sair de verdade. Escreveu livros, tornou-se colunista do Sunday Telegraph.
Sua identidade permaneceu em segredo até novembro de 2009, quando um ex namorado furioso ameaçava expô-la. Antes que ele fizesse isso, ela veio ao público por conta própria e chocou a todos. Era a Dr. Brooke Magnanti, uma loira belíssima que passava seus dias pesquisando o câncer infantil. Explicou a todos que se prostituíra para conquistar a estabilidade financeira que lhe permitisse escolher a área científica de que mais lhe agradasse.
Geórgia Beyer: primeira prefeita transexual do mundo George nasceu em 1957 e cresceu como um garoto do campo na Nova Zelândia. Quando completou 17 anos, descobriu o mundo das drag queens e passou a fazer shows e a se prostituir. Assim, George economizou dinheiro para se tornar Georgina. Essa nova mulher se dedicou à vida de atriz e, logo de assistente social. Mesmo causando impacto a princípio, logo ela encantou a todos e teve grandes conquistas, como melhorar o sistema educacional local. Em 1995 foi eleita a primeira prefeita transexual do mundo. Em quatro anos, ela chegou ao Parlamento, onde lutou pelos direitos dos gays até 2007, quando se aposentou.
Carol Leigh: a sindicalista Se você tem direito a plano de saúde, férias remuneradas e acha que todos os seus direitos trabalhistas são muito justos, por que as prostitutas não poderiam pensar o mesmo? A ativista Carol Leigh conquistou direitos para as prostitutas em São Francisco, na Califórnia. Desde os anos 70, sob o codinome Scarlot Harlot, ela trabalha como advogada, prostituta e vídeo artista. Hoje, é consultora internacional em direitos das profissionais do sexo para África do Sul, Tailândia, Hungria, entre outros países. Para ela, o mundo ideal é aquele em que, além de ter uma profissão legalizada, as prostitutas têm aulas grátis de defesa pessoal, preservativos e educação sexual, oportunidades de estudo e até o direito de – como aconteceu na França - escrever ao presidente reclamando que as estrangeiras estão roubando seus empregos.
Ana Bolena: amante religiosa
Sua identidade permaneceu em segredo até novembro de 2009, quando um ex namorado furioso ameaçava expô-la. Antes que ele fizesse isso, ela veio ao público por conta própria e chocou a todos. Era a Dr. Brooke Magnanti, uma loira belíssima que passava seus dias pesquisando o câncer infantil. Explicou a todos que se prostituíra para conquistar a estabilidade financeira que lhe permitisse escolher a área científica de que mais lhe agradasse.
Geórgia Beyer: primeira prefeita transexual do mundo George nasceu em 1957 e cresceu como um garoto do campo na Nova Zelândia. Quando completou 17 anos, descobriu o mundo das drag queens e passou a fazer shows e a se prostituir. Assim, George economizou dinheiro para se tornar Georgina. Essa nova mulher se dedicou à vida de atriz e, logo de assistente social. Mesmo causando impacto a princípio, logo ela encantou a todos e teve grandes conquistas, como melhorar o sistema educacional local. Em 1995 foi eleita a primeira prefeita transexual do mundo. Em quatro anos, ela chegou ao Parlamento, onde lutou pelos direitos dos gays até 2007, quando se aposentou.
Carol Leigh: a sindicalista Se você tem direito a plano de saúde, férias remuneradas e acha que todos os seus direitos trabalhistas são muito justos, por que as prostitutas não poderiam pensar o mesmo? A ativista Carol Leigh conquistou direitos para as prostitutas em São Francisco, na Califórnia. Desde os anos 70, sob o codinome Scarlot Harlot, ela trabalha como advogada, prostituta e vídeo artista. Hoje, é consultora internacional em direitos das profissionais do sexo para África do Sul, Tailândia, Hungria, entre outros países. Para ela, o mundo ideal é aquele em que, além de ter uma profissão legalizada, as prostitutas têm aulas grátis de defesa pessoal, preservativos e educação sexual, oportunidades de estudo e até o direito de – como aconteceu na França - escrever ao presidente reclamando que as estrangeiras estão roubando seus empregos.
Ana Bolena: amante religiosa
Reprodução: Creative Commons
Ela foi amante (o que, para a sociedade da época, não era muito distante de prostituta) do Rei Henrique VIII e depois se tornou rainha da Inglaterra. E, antes de ter sua cabeça cortada por seu amado, ajudou na criação de uma nova religião: o anglicanismo. O fato de a igreja Católica não concordar em dar a separação e a ratificar o novo casamento, ajudou Henrique VIII a tomar a decisão de criar a nova religião.
Jim Carroll: poeta, prostituto e astro do rock Se tem alguém que deve agradecer a este prostituto ilustre é Leonardo DiCaprio. Foi interpretando sua autobiografia em Diário de um drogado – do livro Diário de basketball – que o ator ganhou fama e começou uma carreira séria. Assim como no filme, Carroll se prostituía para sustentar seu vício. Apesar disso era um escritor genial, músico brilhante e até roteirista de alguns dos filmes de Andy Warhol. Em toda a década de 80 e 90, seu livro foi leitura obrigatória para os jovens.
As vítimas de Jack, o estripador As vítimas de Jack, o Estripador são quase mártires da categoria. O serial killer fez uma fama negra por estrangular prostitutas e, depois, desfigurar seu rostos, genitálias e retirar seus órgãos. Seus crimes, entre 1888 e 1891, criaram pânico geral e também fizeram com que o governo local passasse a prestar mais atenção nas prostitutas da região, oferecendo a elas melhores oportunidades.
Aileen Wuornos: porque mulheres também são serial killers
Jim Carroll: poeta, prostituto e astro do rock Se tem alguém que deve agradecer a este prostituto ilustre é Leonardo DiCaprio. Foi interpretando sua autobiografia em Diário de um drogado – do livro Diário de basketball – que o ator ganhou fama e começou uma carreira séria. Assim como no filme, Carroll se prostituía para sustentar seu vício. Apesar disso era um escritor genial, músico brilhante e até roteirista de alguns dos filmes de Andy Warhol. Em toda a década de 80 e 90, seu livro foi leitura obrigatória para os jovens.
As vítimas de Jack, o estripador As vítimas de Jack, o Estripador são quase mártires da categoria. O serial killer fez uma fama negra por estrangular prostitutas e, depois, desfigurar seu rostos, genitálias e retirar seus órgãos. Seus crimes, entre 1888 e 1891, criaram pânico geral e também fizeram com que o governo local passasse a prestar mais atenção nas prostitutas da região, oferecendo a elas melhores oportunidades.
Aileen Wuornos: porque mulheres também são serial killers
Reprodução: Wikimedia Commons
Se Jack, o Estripador, era um homem que matava prostitutas, Aileen era seu exato oposto: uma prostituta que matava homens. Sua mãe a abandonou quando ela era ainda criança e, em sua adolescência, o pai foi preso por prática de pedofilia. Para se sustentar, ela se tornou prostituta e passou a matar caminhoneiros na beira da estrada. Sete assassinatos depois, Aileen foi presa e passou mais de uma década no corredor da morte. Até que, um dia, demitiu todos seus advogados e disse que queria morrer. “Eu sou uma pessoa que odeia profundamente a vida e mataria de novo”, ela disse.
quarta-feira, 11 de novembro de 2009
The 100 Best Films of the Decade, segundo o jornal britanico "The Times"
100 The Devil Wears Prada (David Frankel, 2006)
Meryl Streep begins her own populist career reinvention (soon to be followed by Mamma Mia!) by playing a tyrannical and thinly disguised version of Vogue editor Anna Wintour in this satirical yet soft-centered account of life among the fashionistas.
Meryl Streep begins her own populist career reinvention (soon to be followed by Mamma Mia!) by playing a tyrannical and thinly disguised version of Vogue editor Anna Wintour in this satirical yet soft-centered account of life among the fashionistas.
99 Battle Royale (Kinji Fukasaku, 2000)
The worst school kids in Japan are dumped on an island, fitted with exploding neckbraces, equipped with weapons and told to fight it out between themselves. Deliberately lacking in PC credentials but ultimately, it’s a provocative and challenging film.
The worst school kids in Japan are dumped on an island, fitted with exploding neckbraces, equipped with weapons and told to fight it out between themselves. Deliberately lacking in PC credentials but ultimately, it’s a provocative and challenging film.
98 Crash (Paul Haggis, 2004)
This surprise Oscar champ of 2004 inspired myriad syrupy “We are all, like, totally connected” imitators (see The Air I Breathe), and yet the savvy narrative chicanery and superlative performances (including Sandra Bullock’s racist housewife) lift this LA-set ensemble far above the crowd.
This surprise Oscar champ of 2004 inspired myriad syrupy “We are all, like, totally connected” imitators (see The Air I Breathe), and yet the savvy narrative chicanery and superlative performances (including Sandra Bullock’s racist housewife) lift this LA-set ensemble far above the crowd.
97 Sympathy for Lady Vengeance (Park Chan-Wook, 2005)
The third of Park Chan-Wook’s fervid, savage revenge trilogy, Lady Vengeance ends with a sombre acknowledgement of the futility of revenge. But not before buckets of blood have been spilt.
The third of Park Chan-Wook’s fervid, savage revenge trilogy, Lady Vengeance ends with a sombre acknowledgement of the futility of revenge. But not before buckets of blood have been spilt.
96 Morvern Callar (Lynne Ramsay, 2002)
One of Scotland’s most acclaimed and offbeat filmmakers, Ramsay (Ratcatcher) here transforms Alan Warner’s cult novel into a thing of woozy, meditative beauty. Samantha Morton stars, in the title role, as the emotionally withdrawn checkout girl who profits from her boyfriend’s suicide.
One of Scotland’s most acclaimed and offbeat filmmakers, Ramsay (Ratcatcher) here transforms Alan Warner’s cult novel into a thing of woozy, meditative beauty. Samantha Morton stars, in the title role, as the emotionally withdrawn checkout girl who profits from her boyfriend’s suicide.
95 Amores Perros (Alejandro González Iñárritu, 2000)
This smouldering powder keg of a movie launched a new generation of Mexican talent. Gael Garcia Bernal stars in the first of three stories which are linked together by a shattering car crash.
This smouldering powder keg of a movie launched a new generation of Mexican talent. Gael Garcia Bernal stars in the first of three stories which are linked together by a shattering car crash.
94 An Inconvenient Truth (Davis Guggenheim, 2006)
A user-friendly slideshow about global warming, combined with a revealing personal profile of presenter Al Gore, becomes a box office behemoth, an Oscar winner, and a brand leader for all future eco docs.
A user-friendly slideshow about global warming, combined with a revealing personal profile of presenter Al Gore, becomes a box office behemoth, an Oscar winner, and a brand leader for all future eco docs.
93 House of Flying Daggers (Zhang Yimou, 2004)
Probably the most satisfying of the big budget martial arts crossover movies of the past decade, it combined ridiculously ambitious action set pieces with lush, colour-saturated imagery.
Probably the most satisfying of the big budget martial arts crossover movies of the past decade, it combined ridiculously ambitious action set pieces with lush, colour-saturated imagery.
92 Dirty Pretty Things (Stephen Frears, 2002)
A Nigerian doctor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in London double-jobs as a cab driver and hotel porter while uncovering an illegal trade in human organs. This quietly polemical work humanises the immigration debate.
A Nigerian doctor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) in London double-jobs as a cab driver and hotel porter while uncovering an illegal trade in human organs. This quietly polemical work humanises the immigration debate.
91 Lantana (Ray Lawrence, 2001)
This intelligent drama is so much more than a murder mystery — it’s an impeccably acted exploration of human relations at their trickiest. Meticulously constructed and rewardingly realist in tone.
This intelligent drama is so much more than a murder mystery — it’s an impeccably acted exploration of human relations at their trickiest. Meticulously constructed and rewardingly realist in tone.
90 Wedding Crashers (David Dobkin, 2005)
It could've been a frat-boy sex comedy but Wedding Crashers achieves that miraculous balance of crude and cute, wild and witty. Two charismatic central turns help, from Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, playing the eponymous cads with sex on the brain but romance on the cards.
It could've been a frat-boy sex comedy but Wedding Crashers achieves that miraculous balance of crude and cute, wild and witty. Two charismatic central turns help, from Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, playing the eponymous cads with sex on the brain but romance on the cards.
89 School of Rock (Richard Linklater, 2003)
This boisterous love letter to loud guitars and three-chord choruses represents the last good performance from star Jack Black. It’s an irrepressible ode to the joy of power-chords played by grown men in PVC trousers.
This boisterous love letter to loud guitars and three-chord choruses represents the last good performance from star Jack Black. It’s an irrepressible ode to the joy of power-chords played by grown men in PVC trousers.
88 The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)
A career high from which Anderson (Fantastic Mr Fox) has never quite recovered, here he directs a knockout ensemble (including Gene Hackman and Bill Murray) as a dysfunctional family of New York eccentrics.
A career high from which Anderson (Fantastic Mr Fox) has never quite recovered, here he directs a knockout ensemble (including Gene Hackman and Bill Murray) as a dysfunctional family of New York eccentrics.
87 Time and Winds (Reha Erdem, 2006)
A lyrical portrait of village life in rural Turkey — slow-burning but inexorable in its power. Nothing is hurried about the rhythms of the lives captured here, but we are left with the feeling that each passing moment is precious.
A lyrical portrait of village life in rural Turkey — slow-burning but inexorable in its power. Nothing is hurried about the rhythms of the lives captured here, but we are left with the feeling that each passing moment is precious.
86 The Orphanage (Juan Antonio Bayona, 2007)
The ultimate in post-Sixth Sense kiddie horror, this superlative Spanish chiller stars Belén Rueda as a woman battling an entire orphanage of creepy pre-teen ghosties who might just have kidnapped her dying son.
The ultimate in post-Sixth Sense kiddie horror, this superlative Spanish chiller stars Belén Rueda as a woman battling an entire orphanage of creepy pre-teen ghosties who might just have kidnapped her dying son.
85 The Piano Teacher (Michael Haneke, 2001)
Two of the most uncompromising voices in European cinema, director Michael Haneke and actress Isabelle Huppert collaborate on a harrowing, deeply disturbing exploration of female sexual repression and masochism.
Two of the most uncompromising voices in European cinema, director Michael Haneke and actress Isabelle Huppert collaborate on a harrowing, deeply disturbing exploration of female sexual repression and masochism.
84 Hotel Rwanda (Terry George, 2004)
Ten years after the Rwandan genocide, George’s bracing drama was the first mainstream movie to tackle the subject. Don Cheadle gives a duly Oscar-nominated turn as the Hutu hotelier Paul Rusesabagina who risks his own life to save hundreds of vulnerable Tutsis.
Ten years after the Rwandan genocide, George’s bracing drama was the first mainstream movie to tackle the subject. Don Cheadle gives a duly Oscar-nominated turn as the Hutu hotelier Paul Rusesabagina who risks his own life to save hundreds of vulnerable Tutsis.
83 The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Ken Loach, 2006)
A stirring and sympathetic portrait of the early days of the Irish Republican Army that carries the stark warning: an armed struggle soon loses touch with its ideals. The naturalistic, committed performances are the film’s main strength.
A stirring and sympathetic portrait of the early days of the Irish Republican Army that carries the stark warning: an armed struggle soon loses touch with its ideals. The naturalistic, committed performances are the film’s main strength.
82 Yi Yi: A One and a Two (Edward Yang, 2000)
An insightful, exquisitely controlled family drama set in modern day Taipei, this is Yang’s masterpiece.
An insightful, exquisitely controlled family drama set in modern day Taipei, this is Yang’s masterpiece.
81 In The Loop (Armando Iannucci, 2009)
The savagely perceptive political satire based on the television series The Thick Of It elevates swearing to an art form. It’s the Sistine Chapel of profanity. Lean, mean and painfully funny.
The savagely perceptive political satire based on the television series The Thick Of It elevates swearing to an art form. It’s the Sistine Chapel of profanity. Lean, mean and painfully funny.
80 Me, You and Everyone We Know (Miranda July, 2005)
A gorgeous, feather-light debut from American visual artist July, the film depicts a burgeoning romance between the quirky Christine (July again) and shoe salesman Richard (John Hawkes). Subplots involving chatroom debacles, bashful perverts and teen sex lessons create a nicely demented tone.
A gorgeous, feather-light debut from American visual artist July, the film depicts a burgeoning romance between the quirky Christine (July again) and shoe salesman Richard (John Hawkes). Subplots involving chatroom debacles, bashful perverts and teen sex lessons create a nicely demented tone.
79 Le Grand Voyage (Ismael Ferroukhi, 2004)
A devout Muslim father and his secular son make a pilgrimage together — in itself, it’s not a groundbreaking premise. But the picture’s climax, actually filmed in Mecca, is extraordinary.
A devout Muslim father and his secular son make a pilgrimage together — in itself, it’s not a groundbreaking premise. But the picture’s climax, actually filmed in Mecca, is extraordinary.
78 About Schmidt (Alexander Payne, 2002)
Possibly the last great Jack Nicholson performance of the decade (and no, hamming it up in The Departed doesn't count). He stars as a superannuated actuary searching for meaning in an empty middle-American existence. The tear-stained finale is heartbreaking.
Possibly the last great Jack Nicholson performance of the decade (and no, hamming it up in The Departed doesn't count). He stars as a superannuated actuary searching for meaning in an empty middle-American existence. The tear-stained finale is heartbreaking.
77 Bowling for Columbine (Michael Moore, 2002)
Moore’s documentary, the best of his career, and made before he became a global brand, is a breathlessly entertaining two-hour tirade against lax American gun laws. Highlights include interviews with Marilyn Manson and a sadly enfeebled Charlton Heston.
Moore’s documentary, the best of his career, and made before he became a global brand, is a breathlessly entertaining two-hour tirade against lax American gun laws. Highlights include interviews with Marilyn Manson and a sadly enfeebled Charlton Heston.
76 Control (Anton Corbijn, 2007)
Manchester post-punk band Joy Division are brought to life thanks to a punchy, often blackly funny script and an incendiary debut from Sam Riley, playing lead singer Ian Curtis.
Manchester post-punk band Joy Division are brought to life thanks to a punchy, often blackly funny script and an incendiary debut from Sam Riley, playing lead singer Ian Curtis.
75 Talk to Her (Pedro Almodóvar, 2002)
One of Almodóvar’s most ambitious and accomplished films focuses on the tribulations of a comatose dancer (Leonor Watling) and those who surround her. It thus features an array of flash forwards, flash backs, surprise twists, plus a giant rubber vagina.
One of Almodóvar’s most ambitious and accomplished films focuses on the tribulations of a comatose dancer (Leonor Watling) and those who surround her. It thus features an array of flash forwards, flash backs, surprise twists, plus a giant rubber vagina.
74 Pan’s Labyrinth (Guillermo Del Toro, 2006)
One of the darkest periods in recent Spanish politics is woven into a twisted fairytale, a battle between good and evil that plays out in the imagination of a little girl trying to escape the ugly realities of the real world. Stunning.
One of the darkest periods in recent Spanish politics is woven into a twisted fairytale, a battle between good and evil that plays out in the imagination of a little girl trying to escape the ugly realities of the real world. Stunning.
73 The Beat That My Heart Skipped (Jacques Audiard, 2005)
A gifted director, a roaming restless camera, and a young white-hot French actor (Romain Duris) combine to tell the wrenching tale of a small time hoodlum with ambitions to be a concert pianist, and a string of Russian mobsters in his way.
A gifted director, a roaming restless camera, and a young white-hot French actor (Romain Duris) combine to tell the wrenching tale of a small time hoodlum with ambitions to be a concert pianist, and a string of Russian mobsters in his way.
72 The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow, 2008)
The cinematic equivalent of a Semtex detonation, this Iraq-set movie is a sensory wallop that ignores political sermonising. Meticulously researched by journalist Mark Boal, it follows a busy bomb-disposal team in Baghdad.
The cinematic equivalent of a Semtex detonation, this Iraq-set movie is a sensory wallop that ignores political sermonising. Meticulously researched by journalist Mark Boal, it follows a busy bomb-disposal team in Baghdad.
71 Monsters, Inc. (Pete Docter/David Silverman/lee Unkrich, 2001)
Pixar at its most hallucinogenic follows fourth dimensional monsters Sulley and Mike (John Goodman and Billy Crystal), who harness terrified children’s screaming power for industrial energy. They nonetheless learn that love contains more power than fear.
Pixar at its most hallucinogenic follows fourth dimensional monsters Sulley and Mike (John Goodman and Billy Crystal), who harness terrified children’s screaming power for industrial energy. They nonetheless learn that love contains more power than fear.
70 The Class (Laurent Cantet, 2008)
Former teacher and novelist François Bégaudeau plays a version of himself in a doc/drama hybrid set in an inner city school. Without being sanctimonious or sentimental, the film makes piercing observations about multicultural France.
Former teacher and novelist François Bégaudeau plays a version of himself in a doc/drama hybrid set in an inner city school. Without being sanctimonious or sentimental, the film makes piercing observations about multicultural France.
69 Persepolis (Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi, 2007)
Satrapi’s bestselling autobiographical graphic novel makes the transition to the big screen seem effortless. A child’s-eye view of the Iranian revolution, this is playfully disarming rather than didactic; the animation pleasingly simple and stylised.
Satrapi’s bestselling autobiographical graphic novel makes the transition to the big screen seem effortless. A child’s-eye view of the Iranian revolution, this is playfully disarming rather than didactic; the animation pleasingly simple and stylised.
68 Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)
Formally intricate and expertly executed, Memento is a devious brainteaser of a film. Guy Pearce is a haunted man doomed by short-term memory loss to live forever in the present, who carries clues to his past in the tattoos on his body.
Formally intricate and expertly executed, Memento is a devious brainteaser of a film. Guy Pearce is a haunted man doomed by short-term memory loss to live forever in the present, who carries clues to his past in the tattoos on his body.
67 Gomorrah (Matteo Garrone, 2008)
A sprawling, multi-stranded descent into a modern day Naples terminally infected with the disease of organised crime, this is a film full of striking imagery, sardonic wit and sobering truths.
A sprawling, multi-stranded descent into a modern day Naples terminally infected with the disease of organised crime, this is a film full of striking imagery, sardonic wit and sobering truths.
66 City of God (Fernando Meirelles, Katia Lund, 2002)
Vital, kinetic and visceral, this Brazilian favela epic sent shockwaves through audiences. The cool and the camaraderie of crime in the face of extreme poverty is powerfully evoked, as is the terrible cost to young lives.
Vital, kinetic and visceral, this Brazilian favela epic sent shockwaves through audiences. The cool and the camaraderie of crime in the face of extreme poverty is powerfully evoked, as is the terrible cost to young lives.
65 Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman, 2008)
The 1982 Israeli-Lebanon war is seen through the prism of animation in a deeply personal account of one soldier’s struggle with his own memories. Folman, an army veteran, depicts traumatic war stories with unflinching honesty and a dreamlike palette.
The 1982 Israeli-Lebanon war is seen through the prism of animation in a deeply personal account of one soldier’s struggle with his own memories. Folman, an army veteran, depicts traumatic war stories with unflinching honesty and a dreamlike palette.
64 L'enfant (Jean-Pierre Dardenne/Luc Dardenne, 2005)
The plot is seemingly preposterous — local Belgian tearaway Bruno (Jérémie Renier) sells his girlfriend’s baby on the black market for a new leather jacket. But in the hands of fraternal film-making masters, it becomes a tour de force of guilt and desperation.
The plot is seemingly preposterous — local Belgian tearaway Bruno (Jérémie Renier) sells his girlfriend’s baby on the black market for a new leather jacket. But in the hands of fraternal film-making masters, it becomes a tour de force of guilt and desperation.
63 There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
“I, drink, your, milkshake!” The climactic quote, from Daniel Day Lewis’s embittered protagonist is already immortal, as is the performance. While the entire devastating movie, about oil prospecting in the early 20th century, is endlessly re-watchable.
“I, drink, your, milkshake!” The climactic quote, from Daniel Day Lewis’s embittered protagonist is already immortal, as is the performance. While the entire devastating movie, about oil prospecting in the early 20th century, is endlessly re-watchable.
62 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (Adam McKay, 2004)
Unreconstructed juvenile chauvinism goes head to head with the march of feminism in a 1970s San Diego newsroom. It’s a world where men wear flammable trousers and aftershave called Sex Panther. Will Ferrell’s finest moment.
Unreconstructed juvenile chauvinism goes head to head with the march of feminism in a 1970s San Diego newsroom. It’s a world where men wear flammable trousers and aftershave called Sex Panther. Will Ferrell’s finest moment.
61 Spirited Away (Hayao Miyazaki, 2001)
The master storyteller and animator creates a deliciously loopy adventure for ten-year- old Chihiro (Rumi Hiragi) when a tedious drive to a new town is interrupted by a deadly detour into the spirit world. Like the Wizard of Oz, minus the sentiment.
The master storyteller and animator creates a deliciously loopy adventure for ten-year- old Chihiro (Rumi Hiragi) when a tedious drive to a new town is interrupted by a deadly detour into the spirit world. Like the Wizard of Oz, minus the sentiment.
60 The Squid and the Whale(Noah Baumbach, 2005)
Exemplary US Indie about two brothers growing up in mid-1980s New York and dealing with their academic parents acrimonious divorce. A witty and acrid semi-autobiographical script from Baumbach, plus pitch-perfect casting, give this coming-of-ager unexpected depths.
Exemplary US Indie about two brothers growing up in mid-1980s New York and dealing with their academic parents acrimonious divorce. A witty and acrid semi-autobiographical script from Baumbach, plus pitch-perfect casting, give this coming-of-ager unexpected depths.
59 Être et Avoir (Nicolas Philibert, 2002)
A rural schoolhouse holding just 12 students and a single ageing teacher in the Auvergne may not seem like a recipe for must-see documentary. Yet Philibert is so finely attuned to the tender relationship between teacher and pupils that the subsequent school year becomes as gripping as any blockbuster.
A rural schoolhouse holding just 12 students and a single ageing teacher in the Auvergne may not seem like a recipe for must-see documentary. Yet Philibert is so finely attuned to the tender relationship between teacher and pupils that the subsequent school year becomes as gripping as any blockbuster.
58 Shaun of the Dead (Edgar Wright, 2004)
Shaun is determined to win back his girlfriend Liz and nothing, not even the fact that streets of suburban North London are full of zombies trying to eat his brains, will stop him. Although there’s always time for quick pint in the Winchester.
Shaun is determined to win back his girlfriend Liz and nothing, not even the fact that streets of suburban North London are full of zombies trying to eat his brains, will stop him. Although there’s always time for quick pint in the Winchester.
57 The Consequences of Love (Paolo Sorrentino, 2004)
Sorrentino’s super-stylish debut is an art-house mafia movie about a middle-aged businessman and Cosa Nostra cash-mule called Titta (Toni Servillo). When his quiet romance with a local waitress fails, Titta takes out his frustrations on his Sicilian paymasters. Big mistake.
Sorrentino’s super-stylish debut is an art-house mafia movie about a middle-aged businessman and Cosa Nostra cash-mule called Titta (Toni Servillo). When his quiet romance with a local waitress fails, Titta takes out his frustrations on his Sicilian paymasters. Big mistake.
56 Volver (Pedro Almodovar, 2006)
A family and the ghosts that haunt it, a body in the freezer and Penelope Cruz in screen-melting vamp mode. This tragicomic melodrama is drenched in colour and full of evocative imagery; it’s a rich confection from Almodóvar.
A family and the ghosts that haunt it, a body in the freezer and Penelope Cruz in screen-melting vamp mode. This tragicomic melodrama is drenched in colour and full of evocative imagery; it’s a rich confection from Almodóvar.
55 Chopper (Andrew Dominik, 2000)
Actor Eric Bana displays a near-wreckless virtuosity as the violent and self-deluded Australian criminal, Mark “Chopper” Read, in an off-kilter adaptation of Read’s quasi-autobiographical writings. Through self-mutilation, murder and megalomania, Bana somehow always retains audience sympathy.
Actor Eric Bana displays a near-wreckless virtuosity as the violent and self-deluded Australian criminal, Mark “Chopper” Read, in an off-kilter adaptation of Read’s quasi-autobiographical writings. Through self-mutilation, murder and megalomania, Bana somehow always retains audience sympathy.
54 Bad Santa (Terry Zwigoff, 2003)
Billy Bob Thornton buys his Christmas spirit in bulk from the discount liquor store and drinks away his hatred of children in order to face his job as a department store Santa. Take a wild guess whether he’s naughty or nice.
Billy Bob Thornton buys his Christmas spirit in bulk from the discount liquor store and drinks away his hatred of children in order to face his job as a department store Santa. Take a wild guess whether he’s naughty or nice.
53 Milk (Gus Van Sant, 2008)
“Best Actor” winner Sean Penn, surrounded by firebrand talent including Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin, stars in a timely movie that brings the selfless (and ultimately fatal) activism of gay campaigner Harvey Milk to the mainstream. Released, ironically, just as California passed the anti-gay-marriage bill Section 8.
“Best Actor” winner Sean Penn, surrounded by firebrand talent including Emile Hirsch and Josh Brolin, stars in a timely movie that brings the selfless (and ultimately fatal) activism of gay campaigner Harvey Milk to the mainstream. Released, ironically, just as California passed the anti-gay-marriage bill Section 8.
52 The Constant Gardener (Fernando Meirelles, 2005)
A John Le Carré thriller brought to life by the Brazilian director Meirelles, this is storytelling that is charged with energy and idealism. Ralph Fiennes is tremendous as the conflicted widower driven to make sense of his wife’s murder.
A John Le Carré thriller brought to life by the Brazilian director Meirelles, this is storytelling that is charged with energy and idealism. Ralph Fiennes is tremendous as the conflicted widower driven to make sense of his wife’s murder.
51 The Son’s Room (Nanni Moretti, 2001)
Moretti, of Dear Diary fame, dumps his previous penchant for on-screen clowning with an emotionally punishing account of a psychiatrist (Moretti) dealing with the sudden death of his son. There are light moments, especially with his neurotic clients, but this mostly made for weeping.
Moretti, of Dear Diary fame, dumps his previous penchant for on-screen clowning with an emotionally punishing account of a psychiatrist (Moretti) dealing with the sudden death of his son. There are light moments, especially with his neurotic clients, but this mostly made for weeping.
50 The Lord of The Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003)
The final and most satisfying Rings movie snagged a record $1.1 billion at the box office, plus 11 Oscars, and cemented the trilogy’s reputation as one of the great all-time franchises.
The final and most satisfying Rings movie snagged a record $1.1 billion at the box office, plus 11 Oscars, and cemented the trilogy’s reputation as one of the great all-time franchises.
49 Knocked Up (Judd Apatow, 2007)
Ambitious career girl Katherine Heigl and stoner scruff Seth Rogen get more than a phone number at the end of their night together. It’s gleefully rude and deliriously funny, but the film’s ultimate strength comes from its unexpectedly soft centre.
Ambitious career girl Katherine Heigl and stoner scruff Seth Rogen get more than a phone number at the end of their night together. It’s gleefully rude and deliriously funny, but the film’s ultimate strength comes from its unexpectedly soft centre.
48 Little Miss Sunshine(Jonathan Dayton/Valerie Faris, 2006)
A Hollywood honcho’s dream ticket, this heartfelt family drama cost only $6 million but grossed over $100 million. The story of a ramshackle road trip to California in a clapped out VW van set the quirky tone for future indies, such as Juno.
A Hollywood honcho’s dream ticket, this heartfelt family drama cost only $6 million but grossed over $100 million. The story of a ramshackle road trip to California in a clapped out VW van set the quirky tone for future indies, such as Juno.
47 My Summer of Love (Pawel Pawlikowski, 2004)
Heady, intoxicating and a little crazy — the teenaged crush is explored in all its deranged intensity, with two sterling central performances from Natalie Press and Emily Blunt.
Heady, intoxicating and a little crazy — the teenaged crush is explored in all its deranged intensity, with two sterling central performances from Natalie Press and Emily Blunt.
46 Traffic (Steven Soderbergh, 2000)
Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan somehow achieve the impossible by making a single star-laden movie (step forward Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas) about the human cost of the drugs trade that’s even better than the six-hour Channel 4 mini-series that inspired it.
Soderbergh and screenwriter Stephen Gaghan somehow achieve the impossible by making a single star-laden movie (step forward Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas) about the human cost of the drugs trade that’s even better than the six-hour Channel 4 mini-series that inspired it.
45 Touching the Void (Kevin Macdonald, 2003)
In 1985, two climbers attempted to scale the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. This documentary, about endeavour and survival, is as tense as a thriller.
In 1985, two climbers attempted to scale the west face of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. This documentary, about endeavour and survival, is as tense as a thriller.
44 Under the Sand (François Ozon, 2000)
Charlotte Rampling dazzles as a woman in denial about her husband’s death. An uncharacteristically subtle and sensitive work from Ozon.
Charlotte Rampling dazzles as a woman in denial about her husband’s death. An uncharacteristically subtle and sensitive work from Ozon.
43 The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
A rare example of a film franchise in which the director’s vision triumphs over the tendency to churn out a homogenous brand. A chilling, brilliant swan song for Heath Ledger as the Joker.
A rare example of a film franchise in which the director’s vision triumphs over the tendency to churn out a homogenous brand. A chilling, brilliant swan song for Heath Ledger as the Joker.
42 The Incredibles (Brad Bird, 2004)
Superhero-mania gets a wryly affectionate drubbing with an ironic adventure from Pixar
Superhero-mania gets a wryly affectionate drubbing with an ironic adventure from Pixar
41 Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)
Staggeringly accomplished photography from Emmanuel Lubezki brings an urgency to this dystopian vision of a near future where humankind has become infertile. An outstanding film which somehow slipped through the net.
Staggeringly accomplished photography from Emmanuel Lubezki brings an urgency to this dystopian vision of a near future where humankind has become infertile. An outstanding film which somehow slipped through the net.
40 Syriana (Stephen Gaghan, 2005)
George Clooney produces and stars in a withering account of petrol politics in the Middle East. Fine performances from Matt Damon, Christopher Plummer and William Hurt, plus a cracking sense of pace, help to mollify a core message of bleak corporate cynicism.
George Clooney produces and stars in a withering account of petrol politics in the Middle East. Fine performances from Matt Damon, Christopher Plummer and William Hurt, plus a cracking sense of pace, help to mollify a core message of bleak corporate cynicism.
39 Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
Strangers in a strange place become soul mates for a few stolen days. Bill Murray is gloriously hang dog as a movie star in crisis; Scarlett Johansson is utterly disarming as the neglected newlywed.
Strangers in a strange place become soul mates for a few stolen days. Bill Murray is gloriously hang dog as a movie star in crisis; Scarlett Johansson is utterly disarming as the neglected newlywed.
38 Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
Lynch at his brash elliptical best with Naomi Watts as Betty, an aspiring actress who becomes the unwitting star of her own twisted film noir.
Lynch at his brash elliptical best with Naomi Watts as Betty, an aspiring actress who becomes the unwitting star of her own twisted film noir.
37 In the Mood for Love (Wong Kar Wai, 2000)
Heart-stoppingly lovely and exquisitely sad, elegantly erotic and impeccably stylish — this romantic tone poem is a thing of real beauty.
Heart-stoppingly lovely and exquisitely sad, elegantly erotic and impeccably stylish — this romantic tone poem is a thing of real beauty.
36 Capturing the Friedmans(Andrew Jarecki, 2004)
Bizarre and compelling, Andrew Jarecki’s documentary began as a portrait of New York clown David Friedman but segued into an analysis of Friedman’s pressured family life — complete with brother Jesse and father Arnold, both convicted paedophiles.
Bizarre and compelling, Andrew Jarecki’s documentary began as a portrait of New York clown David Friedman but segued into an analysis of Friedman’s pressured family life — complete with brother Jesse and father Arnold, both convicted paedophiles.
35 Y Tu Mamá También (Alfonso Cuarón, 2002)
Two teenage boys and an older woman in crisis take a road trip to an elusive “perfect” beach in this sexually charged Mexican comedy drama. Cuaron’s restless camera-work gives an unexpected depth to the story.
Two teenage boys and an older woman in crisis take a road trip to an elusive “perfect” beach in this sexually charged Mexican comedy drama. Cuaron’s restless camera-work gives an unexpected depth to the story.
34 Finding Nemo (Andrew Stanton/Lee Unkrich, 2003)
The Pixar trademarks are all there — rapid-fire badinage, ravishing visuals, and sympathetic characters. But this tale of a timid clownfish tracking his kidnapped son carries, like a subaqueous Searchers, a genuinely mythic uppercut.
The Pixar trademarks are all there — rapid-fire badinage, ravishing visuals, and sympathetic characters. But this tale of a timid clownfish tracking his kidnapped son carries, like a subaqueous Searchers, a genuinely mythic uppercut.
33 Monsoon Wedding (Mira Nair, 2002)
There are few directors better than Mira Nair at capturing the mercurial tensions of domestic life. And with this vivid, richly textured portrait of a Punjabi wedding she is at her absolute best.
There are few directors better than Mira Nair at capturing the mercurial tensions of domestic life. And with this vivid, richly textured portrait of a Punjabi wedding she is at her absolute best.
32 Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000)
The sheer audacity! Taking a dead genre — the sword’n’sandals movie — and not just reviving it, but creating an Oscar-winning box-office sensation into the bargain.
The sheer audacity! Taking a dead genre — the sword’n’sandals movie — and not just reviving it, but creating an Oscar-winning box-office sensation into the bargain.
31 Iraq in Fragments (James Longley, 2006)
Remarkable photography and a glimpse of Iraq on the streets rather than from inside an armoured vehicle — this little-seen film is one of the decade’s most impressive documentaries.
Remarkable photography and a glimpse of Iraq on the streets rather than from inside an armoured vehicle — this little-seen film is one of the decade’s most impressive documentaries.
30 Irreversible (Gaspar Noé, 2002)
Yes, this scandalous revenge drama boasts a vile nine-minute rape sequence and a hideous opening mutilation. But it’s also a moral movie that refuses to sanction violence and remains, for strong stomachs at least, unforgettable.
Yes, this scandalous revenge drama boasts a vile nine-minute rape sequence and a hideous opening mutilation. But it’s also a moral movie that refuses to sanction violence and remains, for strong stomachs at least, unforgettable.
29 Being John Malkovich (Spike Jonze, 2000)
The film that introduced the surreal genius of writer Charlie Kaufman to the world, this endlessly inventive riff on the nature of identity and celebrity is a milestone in moviemaking.
The film that introduced the surreal genius of writer Charlie Kaufman to the world, this endlessly inventive riff on the nature of identity and celebrity is a milestone in moviemaking.
28 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Julian Schnabel, 2007)
The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who, after a stroke, was left paralysed and able to communicate only through blinking his left eye. The film takes us inside Bauby's wrecked body and charms us with his still rebellious wit.
The true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby who, after a stroke, was left paralysed and able to communicate only through blinking his left eye. The film takes us inside Bauby's wrecked body and charms us with his still rebellious wit.
27 Sideways (Alexander Payne, 2004)
A sozzled road trip in Californian wine country leads to a mid-life crisis for divorced failed writer and wine buff Miles (Paul Giametti), best man to sleazy charmer Jack (Thomas Haden Church).
A sozzled road trip in Californian wine country leads to a mid-life crisis for divorced failed writer and wine buff Miles (Paul Giametti), best man to sleazy charmer Jack (Thomas Haden Church).
26 Minority Report (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
A pinnacle for Spielberg and star Tom Cruise, this near-future sci-fi depicts a world of psychic crime- stoppers but is rooted in old fashioned film noir.
A pinnacle for Spielberg and star Tom Cruise, this near-future sci-fi depicts a world of psychic crime- stoppers but is rooted in old fashioned film noir.
25 Dancer in the Dark (Lars Von Trier, 2000)
This musical melodrama was as emotionally subtle as a coach load of orphans and kittens driving off a cliff — and yet there was something about the florid excesses that gelled perfectly with star Bjork's heart-wrenching score.
This musical melodrama was as emotionally subtle as a coach load of orphans and kittens driving off a cliff — and yet there was something about the florid excesses that gelled perfectly with star Bjork's heart-wrenching score.
24 28 Days Later... (Danny Boyle, 2002)
Danny Boyle and Beach novelist Alex Garland re-imagine the zombie movie for the 21st century. Here, the zombies move with lightning speed, and are fuelled not by the dark arts but by rage itself.
Danny Boyle and Beach novelist Alex Garland re-imagine the zombie movie for the 21st century. Here, the zombies move with lightning speed, and are fuelled not by the dark arts but by rage itself.
23 Man On Wire (James Marsh, 2008)
This lyrical documentary tells the story of Philippe Petit, who strung a wire between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre and danced on it, for no reason other than to create something beautiful for the people far below.
This lyrical documentary tells the story of Philippe Petit, who strung a wire between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre and danced on it, for no reason other than to create something beautiful for the people far below.
22 Far from Heaven (Todd Haynes, 2002)
The social facades of 1950s Connecticut slowly crack apart in a gorgeous Technicolor-style melodrama. Julianne Moore is riveting as the homemaker whose life is upended by her husband’s homosexuality and her own feelings for gardener Dennis Haysbert.
The social facades of 1950s Connecticut slowly crack apart in a gorgeous Technicolor-style melodrama. Julianne Moore is riveting as the homemaker whose life is upended by her husband’s homosexuality and her own feelings for gardener Dennis Haysbert.
21 Good Night, and Good Luck (George Clooney, 2005)
This ode to a past era of challenging TV journalism is authentic down to the last swirl of late-night cigarette smoke. David Strathairn impresses as Edward R. Murrow, the television journalist locking horns with Senator Joseph McCarthy.
This ode to a past era of challenging TV journalism is authentic down to the last swirl of late-night cigarette smoke. David Strathairn impresses as Edward R. Murrow, the television journalist locking horns with Senator Joseph McCarthy.
20 Donnie Darko (Richard Kelly, 2001)
Head-tripping sci-fi goes to high school in an Eighties-set psychological thriller with dark Lynchian overtones. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the titular teen — a possible paranoid schizophrenic who may just have the key to time travel.
Head-tripping sci-fi goes to high school in an Eighties-set psychological thriller with dark Lynchian overtones. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the titular teen — a possible paranoid schizophrenic who may just have the key to time travel.
19 United 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006)
Shattering, sobering and uncompromising, Greengrass’s masterful drama set onboard one of the 9/11 hijacked planes is resolutely unsensational — and is all the more powerful for it.
Shattering, sobering and uncompromising, Greengrass’s masterful drama set onboard one of the 9/11 hijacked planes is resolutely unsensational — and is all the more powerful for it.
18 Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)
The biggest vampire movie of 2008 was Twilight, but its bloodless inanities were exposed by this Swedish chiller. Here Kare Hedebrant plays a bullied pre-teen whose burgeoning relationship with an equally alienated girl-vampire radically alters his dull suburban existence.
The biggest vampire movie of 2008 was Twilight, but its bloodless inanities were exposed by this Swedish chiller. Here Kare Hedebrant plays a bullied pre-teen whose burgeoning relationship with an equally alienated girl-vampire radically alters his dull suburban existence.
17 Brokeback Mountain (Ang Lee, 2005)
This achingly sad love story gave Heath Ledger a chance to explore hitherto unsuspected depths. It’s a hugely powerful performance — his inarticulate yearning is almost painful to watch.
This achingly sad love story gave Heath Ledger a chance to explore hitherto unsuspected depths. It’s a hugely powerful performance — his inarticulate yearning is almost painful to watch.
16 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
Testing the limits of narrative convolutions and visual technique, Gondry directs an ingenious script about memory-wiping. A central tempestuous romance between Jim Carrey’s Joel and Kate Winslet’s Clementine, however, is never once overshadowed.
Testing the limits of narrative convolutions and visual technique, Gondry directs an ingenious script about memory-wiping. A central tempestuous romance between Jim Carrey’s Joel and Kate Winslet’s Clementine, however, is never once overshadowed.
15 Downfall (Oliver Hirschbiegel, 2004)
One of the most extraordinary cinematic explorations of failure, disappointment and thwarted ambition ever made, this tale of Hitler's final days features a savage, dazzling performance by Bruno Ganz.
One of the most extraordinary cinematic explorations of failure, disappointment and thwarted ambition ever made, this tale of Hitler's final days features a savage, dazzling performance by Bruno Ganz.
14 4 Months, 3 Weeks & 2 Days (Cristian Mungiu, 2007)
The tale of an illegal mid-term abortion in Ceausescu’s Romania was never going to be easy. And though the details are harrowing, Mungiu, a former journalist, has such compassion for his heroines Otilia and Gabita that the pain is almost palatable. Almost.
The tale of an illegal mid-term abortion in Ceausescu’s Romania was never going to be easy. And though the details are harrowing, Mungiu, a former journalist, has such compassion for his heroines Otilia and Gabita that the pain is almost palatable. Almost.
13 This Is England (Shane Meadows, 2007)
Meadows’s most personal film is a real treat, combining the director’s impeccably observed comedy with a gathering storm cloud of ominous ill will and violence. Honest, authentic and ultimately shattering.
Meadows’s most personal film is a real treat, combining the director’s impeccably observed comedy with a gathering storm cloud of ominous ill will and violence. Honest, authentic and ultimately shattering.
12 The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)
A mercilessly efficient account of Stasi surveillance in mid-1980s East Germany is anchored by a haunting performance from Ulrich Mühe, who died from stomach cancer just after the film’s release.
A mercilessly efficient account of Stasi surveillance in mid-1980s East Germany is anchored by a haunting performance from Ulrich Mühe, who died from stomach cancer just after the film’s release.
11 Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan(Larry Charles, 2006)
The decade’s favourite sexist, anti-Semitic, racist homophobe, Borat picked at the scabs of America’s intolerance and hypocrisy. Sacha Baron Cohen’s status as the most fearless man in comedy is unlikely to be challenged in the near future.
The decade’s favourite sexist, anti-Semitic, racist homophobe, Borat picked at the scabs of America’s intolerance and hypocrisy. Sacha Baron Cohen’s status as the most fearless man in comedy is unlikely to be challenged in the near future.
10 Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008)
Provocative London-born artist McQueen directs a revelatory Michael Fassbender in a movie that purports to tackle the infamous 1981 IRA hunger strikes but is actually a hypnotic meditation on the ineffable mystery of human life. Achingly profound.
Provocative London-born artist McQueen directs a revelatory Michael Fassbender in a movie that purports to tackle the infamous 1981 IRA hunger strikes but is actually a hypnotic meditation on the ineffable mystery of human life. Achingly profound.
9 The Queen (Stephen Frears, 2006)
Compassionate and intelligent, witty and wicked, this account of what happened behind the Palace gates after the death of the Princess of Wales is a crown jewel of a movie. Helen Mirren is a very human HM.
Compassionate and intelligent, witty and wicked, this account of what happened behind the Palace gates after the death of the Princess of Wales is a crown jewel of a movie. Helen Mirren is a very human HM.
8 Casino Royale (Martin Campbell, 2006)
The high camp of the Brosnan era Bond is ditched, and Fleming’s hero returns rebooted (and Bourne-ified), with an intense turn from Daniel Craig, and some breakneck set-pieces. An opening parkour-style chase through Madagascar sets the tone.
The high camp of the Brosnan era Bond is ditched, and Fleming’s hero returns rebooted (and Bourne-ified), with an intense turn from Daniel Craig, and some breakneck set-pieces. An opening parkour-style chase through Madagascar sets the tone.
7 The Last King of Scotland (Kevin Macdonald, 2006)
Forest Whitaker gives one of the great performances of the decade as Idi Amin. He nails the Ugandan dictator’s deadly charm — he’s a charismatic monster; part amiable buffoon, part stone-cold killer.
Forest Whitaker gives one of the great performances of the decade as Idi Amin. He nails the Ugandan dictator’s deadly charm — he’s a charismatic monster; part amiable buffoon, part stone-cold killer.
6 Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008)
Twelve years after Trainspotting, Boyle produces a dizzying Mumbai-set romance that redefines the possibilities of a progressive yet commercially successful national industry. Oscars abound.
Twelve years after Trainspotting, Boyle produces a dizzying Mumbai-set romance that redefines the possibilities of a progressive yet commercially successful national industry. Oscars abound.
5 Team America: World Police (Trey Parker, 2004)
The South Park creators launch an assault on pretty much everyone, from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il to poor, hapless Matt Damon. It’s jaw-droppingly offensive and wildly funny.
The South Park creators launch an assault on pretty much everyone, from North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il to poor, hapless Matt Damon. It’s jaw-droppingly offensive and wildly funny.
4 Grizzly Man (Werner Herzog, 2005)
Party nature documentary, part philosophical tract, Herzog’s eerie account of the life and brutal death of mildly unhinged bear-watcher Timothy Treadwell is a monumental piece of cinema — emotionally satisfying, intellectually stimulating, but primal to the core.
Party nature documentary, part philosophical tract, Herzog’s eerie account of the life and brutal death of mildly unhinged bear-watcher Timothy Treadwell is a monumental piece of cinema — emotionally satisfying, intellectually stimulating, but primal to the core.
3 No Country for Old Men (Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, 2007)
The alchemic combination of the Coen brothers’ eloquent precision and Cormac McCarthy’s vivid nihilism makes for a bleakly compelling cycle of violence. The only thing more terrifying than Javier Bardem’s haircut is the clinical efficiency of his murders.
The alchemic combination of the Coen brothers’ eloquent precision and Cormac McCarthy’s vivid nihilism makes for a bleakly compelling cycle of violence. The only thing more terrifying than Javier Bardem’s haircut is the clinical efficiency of his murders.
2 The Bourne Supremacy / The Bourne Ultimatum (Paul Greengrass, 2004, 2007)
The action movie is dragged, kicking and back-flipping, into the Noughties courtesy of Matt Damon’s amnesiac superspy and director Greengrass’s film-making élan. Marrying jittery docu-style camera work with healthy political cynicism, Greengrass transformed Bourne into an anti-Bond for the PlayStation generation.
The action movie is dragged, kicking and back-flipping, into the Noughties courtesy of Matt Damon’s amnesiac superspy and director Greengrass’s film-making élan. Marrying jittery docu-style camera work with healthy political cynicism, Greengrass transformed Bourne into an anti-Bond for the PlayStation generation.
1 Hidden (Cache) (Michael Haneke, 2005)
It is only as the decade draws to a close that it becomes clear just how presciently the Austrian director Michael Haneke tapped into the uncertain mood of the Noughties. The film’s twin themes resonate perfectly with the defining concerns of the time: tacit national guilt about a questionable foreign policy, in the film it’s France’s occupation of Algeria, but it’s not hard to piece together the parallels with more recent conflicts. Plus, as round-the-clock surveillance became a part of our daily lives, here was a film that captured the creeping paranoia that resulted from the eyes of unseen strangers invading private life.
It is only as the decade draws to a close that it becomes clear just how presciently the Austrian director Michael Haneke tapped into the uncertain mood of the Noughties. The film’s twin themes resonate perfectly with the defining concerns of the time: tacit national guilt about a questionable foreign policy, in the film it’s France’s occupation of Algeria, but it’s not hard to piece together the parallels with more recent conflicts. Plus, as round-the-clock surveillance became a part of our daily lives, here was a film that captured the creeping paranoia that resulted from the eyes of unseen strangers invading private life.
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