54 - Kick Ass
Very few movie titles describe the content of the film. Snakes on a Plane is one. Kick Ass is another. The tale of a school kid who asks the question "why are there no super heroes in real life?" and subsequently sucks at being a super hero. It's a modern day Hamlet. OK it isn't but it is certainly one that speaks to the current generation of super power hungry kids. Except, those kids couldn't watch Kick Ass because it's violent as hell and was 18 rated. Something to do with a 13 year old girl saying "c***". Well, we can't have our kids saying that can we (and if you believe that they don't, you are more deluded than Kick Ass himself). Anyway, Kick Ass is awesome, featuring some great action set pieces and some equally great laughs.
Best bit: Hit Girl shooting Jason Flemyng in the face. HURRAH!
53 - The Outlaw Josey Wales
I'm a big Clint fan. I wrote my university dissertation about his westerns. If I could only pick one of his westerns, forever losing the rest, I'd pick The Outlaw Josey Wales. Josey Wales reminds me of a JRPG in many ways. Our hero Josey starts off as a humble man, ploughing a field and enjoying family life. That is until the Union Army comes and destroys everything that he loves, raping and killing his wife and burning down his home. From the ashes, Josey finds a gun, learns to shoot and becomes a confederate soldier. However, when they Confederacy surrenders, Josey takes to becoming an outlaw instead. Josey travels with little direction but manages to pick up followers, much to his disappointment. He eventually ends up with a rag tag group consisting of a few white folk, a destitute mining community and a Native American. Just as life seems peaceful, Josey must face the local Native Americans but he manages to find peace and harmony with them. Later he gets a chance at revenge and in a genre defying climax, truly earns his freedom. The hero to zero story arc isn't common among westerns which is one of many reasons why Josey Wales is so damn good. Another reason is the meticulous and brutal shoot outs.
Best bit: "Dying ain't much of a living boy."
52 - The Matrix
The Matrix single handedly rejuvenated Western interest in Asian cinema for which alone it should be commended. The mix of Kung Fu, sci-fi and Hollywood production values seemed so new, so fresh. In actual fact, The Matrix is a mix of many films that have made it higher on my list. Still, the inventive use of cutting edge computer and photographic techniques (at the time of course) and the slick and concise direction (which sadly never found its way to the sequels) means that The Matrix stands tall against both the test of time and it's parents. Oh and the fights were choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping. Yes yes.
Best bit: Keanu Reeves walking through a metal detector, setting off and revealing a rather large coat full of guns. Cue kung fu strike to the chest, kapow!
51 - Highlander
There can be only one. It seems there were referring to the fact that there can be only one good Highlander movie cause the sequels are dog s**t and don't get me started on the TV show. If ever a film needs remaking properly it's Highlander. The story may be absurd and the dated production values and Queen soundtrack may not have stood the test of time, but the concept is golden. Any film that spans multiple eras is always interesting, we love the passage of time. Add to that an immortal swordsman who must fight other immortals and claim their heads until there is but one left and you get a pretty slick film. Even though the Scottish lead is played by a Frenchman, the Spanish supporting role is played by a Scotsman and the main villain is Lurch from The Addams Family, the sword fights are super sweet and the dragon head katana is way cool. Just, way cool.
Best bit: Nothing like a sword fighting montage capped off with a helicopter shot of two men fighting on a rock jutting out of the sea.