Alan Clarke's work is renowned for it's starkly realistic and often disturbing portrayal of British society, and this is no exception. Tim Roth is outstanding as the snarling anarchistic skinhead car-thief who has no wish to be "saved" by his concerned social worker. Black, bleak and brilliant. find out more...

Set during the 1920s in West Virginia, Matewan is a small mining town whose workers have responded with a strike to the coal company's announcement of a wage cut. The bosses reply to this act of defiance but bringing black and Italian workers to take over their jobs. A lone stranger (a Union organiser) arrives in town to unite the locals against the tooled-up heavies and, as the tension escalates, a violent end to the standoff seems inevitable. Sayles' powerful gripping movie never compromises i find out more...

An actor most famous for his portrayl of Mephisto, the man who sold his soul to the devil, sells out to the Nazi regime. His ambition over-rides all other concerns as he climbs his way to the top. A brilliantly made study of ruthless egotism. find out more...

Guillermo Del Toro's blockbusting tale of a young girl struggling to make sense of the violent world around her was a big 2006 arthouse hit. Continuing his exploration of the impact of the Spanish Civil War on his generation (it was also the backdrop for his excellent ghost story, The Devil's Backbone) Del Toro's fantasy mixes strong horror with fairytale-style aesthetics to great effect, making Ofelia's escape into an imaginary realm a poignant response to the cruel realities of her existence. find out more...

Rossellini's masterpiece of neo-realist cinema. Based on the life of a priest who serves in the Resistance movement, it's triumph is to show the Resistance against a backdrop of everyday wartime life in Rome. The realism is enhanced by the camerawork and locations. A truly remarkable film. find out more...

A highly acclaimed and influential account of Algeria's turbulent past made in psuedo-documentary style. The tense plot surrounds the rise of nationalist organisations in '54 and the French government's attempts to quell them. This film was the prototype for most political thrillers of the 1970s. find out more...

Set during WW2; Veronica is madly in love with her fiancé, Boris, who departs for the front to do his patriotic duty. The story unravels to depict a poignant portrayal of blameless individuals doing their best to survive the travails of tragedy and hardship in the face of such an all consuming conflict. The compelling narrative is complemented by stunning black and white cinematography and the film deservedly won the Cannes Palme d'Or in 1958, reintroducing Soviet cinema to the Western world. find out more...

War hero Raymond Shaw returns from North Korea after being seized, brainwashed by the enemy and programmed to assassinate key establishment figures. He arouses the suspicions of former colleague Major Marco, but who really controls him? A brilliantly plotted conspiracy thriller with a sterling cast - an unmissable treat. find out more...

A disturbing documentary account of the 1934 Nuremberg rally, portraying Hitler in near godlike terms. So powerful was the imagery and effect of this film that it was banned for many years after WW2. Today too it leaves a chilling effect even after all those years. find out more...

Father's business is that he's in the nick, because of some dodgy political and sexual liasons in the turbulent world of post war Yugoslavia. This is a free-wheeling and hugely enjoyable movie about how his extended family get along without. Anarchic and sprawling! Highly recomended. find out more...