19. Manhattan
Judging Woody Allen on the basis of his cinematic output over the last decade or so and it's easy to see why many people wonder what all the fuss is about; perhaps only Blue Jasmine has genuinely lived up to the same high standard he was renowned for earlier in his career. Manhattan sees Allen at the very top of his game, the quintessential example of his style of comedy in which he plays a neurotic in search of love, with long-time collaborator Diane Keaton being the object of his amusingly articulated affections. Allen's characters tend towards a kind of intellectual self-flaggelation, yet beneath the cynicism lies a poignant centre which is thoroughly endearing. As the title implies, Manhattan is as much a love letter to a particular time and place as it is about love, the black and white cinematography capturing the awe and wonder of New York in all its glory. George Gershwin's music, as Rhapsody In Blue plays over the montage of skyscrapers, consolidates Manhattan as a true classic of American cinema.