2. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
On an estimated budget ranging from $20,000 to $750,000, The Blair Witch Project conquered Sundance and popularised the idea of the "found footage" movie. The movie also created hype through its innovative use of internet marketing, dedicating an entire website to creating a back story that played on the idea that the movie was real. The hype mounted until the film was released, where it exploded at the box office, grossing hundred of million of dollars, right of a minuscule budget. The effective use of handheld cameras adds to he nervousness that arises when viewing the movie. The inexperienced camera operator led to an incredible amount of shakiness, which purists would scowl at, but in The Blair Witch Project it works to create an extraordinary horror. The effective marketing campaign led some people believing it was a documentary and fierce debate was initially given as to whether it was fact or fiction and numerous films have tried to copy its marketing techiques. Many people do not think the movie is up to much, but is is impossible to deny it is a milestone in cinema history.
1. There Will Be Blood (2007)
Paul Thomas Anderson's confident masterpiece explores American history through themes such as Capitalism, religion, the father/son relationship and ambition. The film, much like Daniel Day-Lewis' central performance is all-consuming and the unhinged intensity of Day-Lewis' Daniel Plainview creates a great modern screen character to rival the very best. The film is hypnotising, its main character featuring in practically every scene, chronicling his relentless obsessions - Anderson's masterful camerawork and Roger Elswit's cinematography are key here - understanding the complexities of the character and the sheer power of Day-Lewis' presence. It's a film of huge proportions - covering monumental themes on a grand scale - yet it is an intimate piece, a simple exploration of a character and everything that forms him. There is something new to find in There Will Be Blood every single time it is watched - it is a strange, sad and emotional film - and depending on personal political and religious affiliations you will feel something different. There Will Be Blood is an explosion in filmmaking. Anderson throws his entire bag of tricks into the movie, he writes an incredible character and Day-Lewis gives his greatest performance ever. There Will Be Blood showed that big, epic movies that posed important philosophical and political questions could still be made in modern cinema, it just needed a rebellious director and a maverick actor to make it happen. There Will Be Blood deserves to be ranked alongside the great American classics such as The Godfather, Citizen Kane and Apocalypse Now and the future of American cinema rests safely in Paul Thomas Anderson's hands. Did we miss any of the most important films ever made? Share your own thoughts below in the comments.