20 - Leon
Remember me saying how we love assassins? Never is this more true than when they have an almost childish innocence combined with flawless killing skills. It is a very strange thing that we love Leon so much, he has a questionable relationship with a 12 year old girl, he agrees to train the 12 year old girl to kill and his best friend is a pot plant. Also, he kills people up close and personal for no reason other than money. Maybe we love him because in spite of all this he stares starry eyed at the cinema screen during Singing in the Rain? If you ask me though; we love Leon because he shows that love can transcend everything and for better or worse, he loves Matilda. We love the film Leon because it is probably the most slick assassin film ever made and as I said, we love assassins.
Best bit: Leon's showdown with the SWAT team.
19 - The Dark Knight Rises
I originally had The Dark Knight down, certain that Nolan couldn't possibly top it. Well he hasn't exactly topped it, but The Dark Knight Rises far better represents the trilogy as a whole, uniting both Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. What makes TDKR so successful is how Christopher Nolan has created a film that is so much bigger than the superhero genre. He claims it is a war movie, and in fairness it isn't far off. It is certainly a completely unique experience. The mysterious Bane comes to Gotham to finish the work of the late Ra's Al Ghul. After 8 years of retirement, Bruce Wayne once again takes to the cowl to fight this impending evil. Add to that the flexible antics of Catwoman and the ever excellent Joseph Gordon-Levitt playing a tenacious GCPD officer and you have a film with even more scope than The Dark Knight. The Dark Knight was really about Harvey Dent (regardless of how show stealing The Joker was) and Batman was really just there to fight people. TDKR brings the focus firmly back to Bruce Wayne, once again making him a complex and interesting character who we enjoy watching and don't just tap our feet until he dons the mask. Oh and the action is awesome.
Best bit: Batman's triumphant return......to a load of cops.
18 - The Raid
Iko Uwais is someone to keep an eye on. Many will draw comparisons to Tony Jaa, based solely on their similar looks. These people are idiots. Uwais is a real martial artist, not an exceptionally talented stuntman. A real life master of Pencak Silat, the young man was head hunted by Gareth Evans during a martial arts documentary being filmed at Iko's school. The Onk Bak rip-off Merantau followed (ok Tony Jaa comparisons have a little more weight) which showed off the unique style of Silat. However, Evans' follow up about a group of Indonesian special forces getting trapped in a tower-block full of murderous tenants is on a whole new level. Demonstrating a more practical and devastating form of Silat, Iko tears his way through floor after floor of psychos. He uses night sticks (tonfa), machetes and his environment (not to mention guns) and pretty much any one who crosses him dies. It is a tour de force, relentless and brutal exploration into the action genre. Welshman Evans is seriously showing up British action directors and putting a middle finger up to Hollywood blockbusters. You don't need a ton of money and some great American actors, you need a bunch of double hard dudes who are willing to beat the crap out of each other and simple plot that just leaves them to it. Kapow.
Best bit: The insane three way fight scene at the end.