Film Guide

I’ve already done my ten best movies of the year and now that the New Year has rolled around, it’s about time I put my 10 favourite DVDs in a list form, so here goes:

1 | [REC]
Hey, I have a soft spot for Zombies and it’s been a while since I saw a good Zombie film, so when [REC] was released on DVD I whipped round to a mates place and watched it on his projector.  An original, edge of your seats, single location Zombie film that will get your heart pounding.

2 | The Black Balloon
Autism is close to my heart, so when Warner Bros released The Black Balloon in December it went straight into my DVD player.  People have been raving about Heath’s portrayal of the Joker, but the best performance I have seen this year would be that of Luke Ford playing the Autistic Charlie.  This is one movie that will break your heart.

3 | I Am legend
This Will Smith flim got a mixed response by critics and moviegoers alike, but for my money, I loved this apocalyptic tale with plenty of action and thought provoking messages.  It’s a pity they decided to over romanticise the ending though.

4 | Shooting Dogs
Hotel Rwanda might have got all the accolades a few years back, and I don’t want to make light of the movie, but for my money, Shooting Dogs was a much grittier take on the horrific events that took place in Rwanda, coupled with a message of hope, this is a movie worth watching again.

5 | Stranded
I first discovered the story of the Andes plane crash survivors a while back when I saw Frank Marshall’s Alive.  As good a movie as Alive was (at the time) it pales in comparison to watching Stranded and hearing from the survivors themselves, their take on the harrowing experience.  Slow at times, it’s still a compelling watch, and worth getting through to see their press conference at the end.

6 | Lost Season 4
Lost may have lost it’s way in season 3, but it injected itself with a double dose of adrenaline in season 4, easily making it the best thing on TV.

7 | 30 Days of Night
I might be a fan of Zombies, but vampires have never impressed me.  That is until the graphic novel turned into a move, 30 Day of Night weaved it’s blood splattered magic on me.  Relentless and somewhat believable, this is the best vampire movie I had ever seen.

8 | Cashback
Quirky but highly original, Cashback won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but this tale of an insomniac with the ability to stop time has that special little something that made it one of the more memorable movies of the year.

9 | Day Watch
Visionary Russian director Timur Bekmambetov wowed everyone when Night watch got released, that after finishing Day Watch he was asked to direct 2008’s Hollywood blockbuster Wanted.  Now he’s working with Tim Burton to bring Shane Acker’s 9 to life.  Brilliant special effects driven entertainment.

10 | Death at a Funeral
There’s nothing like a good dose of black humour to round out the top ten, and Death at a Funeral will make even the most cynical of viewers crack up.