The 20 Best Films of all Time chosen by me - Part 2

It's been difficult to limit myself to just five films, but this is a list which I could happily watch on a regular basis:

1. Duck Soup - The Marx Brothers
While growing up I'd seen A Night at the Opera, A Day at the Races, A Night in Casablanca and The Big Store on TV as a regular bass as my father was a great fan.  But when I read up about the Marx Brothers saw that there were several early films that never seemed to make it to TV.  And then one wet Sunday afternoon BBC2 screened Duck Soup and I was hooked.

2. Notting Hill

I'd always regarded Four Weddings and a Funeral as a piece of cinema verite as  saw it at the time that most of my college contemporaries were getting married, and so far only one has died.  However Notting Hill has a more complex plot, a wonderful role for a beautiful Julia Roberts, and Elvis Costello singing She over the credits.  Need I say more?

 

 

3. Manhattan
It's a bit of a cliche to choose Manhattan as it regularly appears on Best Of Lists, but it is pretty good and I do like Rhapsody in Blue...  I've seen all the films that Woody Allen directed in the 10 years after Annie Hall and many of those from the later period, although only his recent Midnight in Paris comes close to his legendary brilliance.

4. Kind Hearts and Coronets
I had to choose an Ealing comedy and to me this is by far the best.  Apart from the virtuoso series of character parts from Alec Guinness the plot is razor sharp with a brilliant twist at the end.

 

 

 

5. Best in Show

This comes from the same team that produced This is Spinal Tap and is set in the world of competitive dog shows.  Against my better judgement I once went to Crufts to accompany my wife, who is a confirmed dog-aholic and it confirmed all my worst nightmares.  However Best in Show is a very funny satire - in the form of a dog-umentary.