5. Submarine
Year of Release: 2010Director: Richard Ayoade Theres a lot of talent in this charming little movie, including a welcome return for Noah Taylor (
Almost Famous). What struck me about it, aside from just how darn charming it was, was the beautifully deft direction by Ayoade (of
IT Crowd fame) he certainly has talent and experience behind the camera and has directed an episode of US-sitcom
Community in the past, showing he knows how to mix it with the big boys. Comedy is nothing new to him and the movie has a lot of laughs; the important thing, once again, is to pinpoint that balance between comedy and drama. The narrative is very fresh; its not pushing any boundaries but it keeps things light and slightly different. Each section of the movie is divided into separate sectors and its almost as if each sector represents a rite of passage for the main character, Oliver, to travel through, as if he has to complete one to get to the next. The second half of the film speeds things up and out of control; whilst the first half has settled us into Oliver's strange and bizarre way of doing things, we feel we've established a connection with this kid and want him to succeed. He's learning life the hard way (naturally) with his parents squabbling continuously and his 'girlfriend' making decisions without any sense of human logic. Now, we have this all built up, Ayoade can let it fall apart in a depressing yet amusing way. It's clever but never rubs it in our faces and its journey is one that never seems too redundant; Oliver has a lot to surpass in this film and he does so. The reason it's on this list is down to its quirky nature and fresh outlook on life. It's old beyond its years and is perhaps a very underrated movie. The characters are all likable and more importantly, we can relate in a twisted and far-fetched way which makes the movie all that more entertaining.