Phyllis Dietrichson is trapped in a loveless marriage to a man who inspires in her nothing but contempt, but rather than leave him Phyllis decides to kill him and collect on the insurance policy she's had set up with the help of her lover, and naive partner in crime, insurance salesman Walter Neff. The only flaws in their plan are the company's reluctance to pay out so much, the diligence of Neff's increasingly suspicious colleague, (and his 'little man'), and the exemplary ruthlessness of Ph find out more...

A family reunion is the setting for this dark and inventive film from Denmark. When the eldest son gives a speech for his father, Helge's sixtieth birthday, Helge and the guests are taken aback by what they hear. There's also a missing daughter and a party of revellers keen to pretend the speech never happened! The fantastic cinematography from Lars von Triers as well as the richly textured plot makes this a unique film. Highly recommended. find out more...

Playing against time, like Memento, this is a gut wrenching exploration of an horrific act of indiscriminate brutality and the vicious revenge that is its consequence. Irreversible is an exceptionally powerful movie and one of the most disturbing pieces of cinema I've ever seen (the tortuously protracted rape scene would have Ghandi screaming for the death penalty). Awesome....but you have been warned. find out more...

Stunning adaptation of James Ellroy's stylishly sinister 50s crime novel, cruelly robbed of its just desserts by a sinking ship at the Academy Awards farce. An awesomely authentic 1953 Los Angeles provides the backdrop, while the story focuses on a dodgy trio of LA's not-so-finest, united by mutual loathing, and all up to their necks in nefarious goings-on. Kim Basinger deservedly bagged the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her sultry Veronica Lake lookalike hooker, but all the performances are find out more...

The best "buddy" movie ever made. Voight plays the naive rhinestone studded small-town boy who dreams of becoming a big-city gigolo, Hoffman is the frail, sickly hobo he takes under his wing. Stunning performances from both make this an outstandingly powerful and touching film. Very stylish. Won Best Picture at 1969 Academy Awards. find out more...

David Thewlis delivers an incredible performance as the clever and sarcastic Johnny. On the run from reality he turns up at his old girlfriend's house in London, where he proceeds to cause havoc. An inspired mix of script and improvisation with masterful direction, Leigh has taken a dark and inward look at life on Britain's bottom rung. Superb. find out more...

The world as a lunatic asylum. Jack Nicholson plays the anarchist determined to challenge the smug system of authority and obedience that rule the roost. The first film by Czech dissident Forman after migrating from Czechoslovakia to the United States, and a superb comment on society! Won Best Picture plus others at 1975 Academy Awards. find out more...

In this follow-up to his critical success Read My Lips, Jacques Audiard has adapted and updated James Toback's cult 1978 noir Fingers to come up with this memorable character study about a young man torn between a life of crime and classical music. Romain Duris, in a standout performance, portrays the 28-year-old Tom who seems destined to follow in his amoral father's footsteps as a Parisian property shark taking work in a sleazy and sometimes brutal milieu. However, a chance encounter with h find out more...

In an unnamed European town, in an unspecified era, live Cynthia and Evelyn. Every day Evelyn cycles to Cynthia’s chateau to work as a lowly maid and every day the cruel, vindictive Cynthia inflicts countless sad find out more...

A gangster movie that spawned a million with Coppola on top directorial form and Brando and Pacino at their very best. Brilliantly believable and detailed stories unfold complete in every scene as the movie waltzes to its violent moral climax of living and dying by the sword. find out more...