Godin & Barquin’s Cinephile’s Choice: Top 50 Greatest Films of All Time

25. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)

Quentin Tarantino’s sophomore effort wears its title like a scuzzy badge of honor. It proved to the world that the equally grimy and colorful Reservoir Dogs wasn’t a fluke and that the man at the helm was onto something.This gleefully vulgar L.A. crime flick epitomized stylized and detached 90s cool and netted screenwriters Tarantino and Roger Avary Oscar gold. It also boasts an impeccable soundtrack and career performances by Samuel L. Jackson, John Travolta and Bruce Willis.

T23. Barton Fink (Joel & Ethan Coen, 1991)  

This deliciously written Coen Brothers effort is the finest film ever made about writer’s block, which is appropriate, since Joel and Ethan wrote it while they were having a hard time writing Miller’s Crossing. Everything that makes the Coens a force are on display: an acerbic script, a measured dose of surrealism, a stellar cast and an apparent love and knowledge of classic film. Toss in a winning performance by Coen’s regular John Turturro as the titual scribe and you have the makings of a modern classic.

T23. Children of Paradise (Marcel Carné, 1945)

Widely considered one of the greatest French films, Children of Paradise‘s mere existence is one to marvel at for the time it was made. A beautiful mix of comedy and tragedy, the entire film plays as though it was destined to be a stage performance, even split into two acts. Carné’s direction brings to life the romance and melancholy that Prevet’s screenplay provides, while Jean-Louis Barrault shows off his talent through a heavily mimed performance in a film so full of life and sound.

22. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)

Of the great Vietnam films, Apocalypse Now is the most surreal one of the bunch, combining natural beauty and man-made destruction to form a distressingly grandiose whole. It’s a stark portrait of the effect of war, corruption and power on the human soul, shot on location and vividly brought to life by master cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. The sheer grandiosity and scope of the film are rendered all the more amazing when you consider the film’s troubled shoot.

21. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)

Racism is at the centre of writer-director-star Spike Lee’s feature, but its impressive script interweaves it with looks at fatherhood, friendship, loyalty and community without missing a beat. The film, set on the hottest day of the year, simply oozes energy, and cinematographer Ernest Dickerson gives the proceedings a searing, vibrant hue to match.