8. Spider
David Cronenberg's foray into minimal drama with Spider, a film that centres wholly on a single nigh-unintelligble mumbling character, is masterful. Undoubtedly one of the Canadian's most under-appreciated films, it deserves its place among his more revered works. It is basically the story of a mentally ill individual whose life has completely broken down. Told through a series of unclear, fragmented flashbacks, the narrative is compellingly difficult to follow, perfectly balancing mystery with confusion in a way that impressionistically reflects the psyche of its protagonist. Of course, a film so dependent on the emotions and experiences of one figure requires a strong lead actor, and the selection of Ralph Fiennes was a stroke of absolute genius by the director. As Dennis Cleg, he gives one of the most hauntedly understated performances in cinema. Fiennes makes Cleg probably the most impressive and unforgettable character in Cronenberg's canon, succeeding in holding a dank and dark film together even as his character's mental state disintegrates. Throw in the fact that the film had practically no funding, and that those involved in its creation received no salaries, and Spider seems like even more of a minor miracle.