Much imitated but never equalled, this is the definitive space nightmare. The crew of a commercial spacecraft are stalked by a stowaway, mutating monster of veracious appetite. Weaver puts in a splendidly believable performance as the resourceful Ripley. Taut script and awesome special FX. find out more...

A stunning visual account of man's struggle for survival in the 21st Century, a time when replicant life forms are beginning to surpass humans not just in intelligence but emotions, raising questions about our concepts of self. A post-modern sci-fi classic, THE great Hollywood movie of the '80s, the last great pre-computer film done with smoke-and-mirrors SFX and the definitive cult arthouse Sci-Fi film. This is the second version re-edited by Ridley Scott; all the good bits remain, with the onl find out more...

A stunning visual account of man's struggle for survival in the 21st Century, a time when replicant life forms are beginning to surpass humans not just in intelligence but emotions, raising questions about our concepts of self. A post-modern sci-fi classic, THE great Hollywood movie of the '80s, the last great pre-computer film done with smoke-and-mirrors SFX and the definitive cult arthouse Sci-Fi film. This is the originally released version with no unicorns in a dream, a voiceover to keep y find out more...

When Bruce Willis, a New York cop, gatecrashes an office party in order to speak to his estranged wife he gets a lot more than he bargained for. The office block is taken over by a ruthless group of terrorists threatening to blow it up. A tense cliff-hanging thriller. Action movie of the year. find out more...

Lumet's complex and atmospheric thriller is based on a real event. Pacino is superb as the neurotic and incompetent gay bankrobber who needs the money from the robbery to finance his lover's sex change operation. The film's beauty is it's closely detailed psychological observation. Excellent.

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An excellent black comedy, handsome thriller and a tall story that keeps you guessing as it unwinds. The genuinely ridiculous plot (a man pays a couple of goons to 'pretend' to kidnap his wife in order to get his paws on his in-laws' 'ransom' money) is completely credible as mighty plans fall apart, spiralling ever more beyond the protagonist's control and leaving us marvelling at the complex stupidity of human nature. A modern classic.

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Top-notch gory horror as killer shark threatens holidaymakers on an island resort. Worse still, the islanders want to hush it up in order to save their livelihoods. Brave or fool hardy? The lifeguard decides to confront the beastie. Some totally tense moments that got millions out of the water. "We're gonna need a bigger boat!" find out more...

Leone's superb all-encompassing epic portraying the death of the mythical 'Wild West'. A superb cast, the collaborations of Bertolucci and Argento, and Morricone's brilliantly atmospheric score all add to the incredible style and weight of Leone's creation. A true cinematic masterpiece! A candidate for greatest movie ever made, if you haven't... then you must. find out more...

Guillermo Del Toro's blockbusting tale of a young girl struggling to make sense of the violent world around her was a big 2006 arthouse hit. Continuing his exploration of the impact of the Spanish Civil War on his generation (it was also the backdrop for his excellent ghost story, The Devil's Backbone) Del Toro's fantasy mixes strong horror with fairytale-style aesthetics to great effect, making Ofelia's escape into an imaginary realm a poignant response to the cruel realities of her existence. find out more...

The original and best version of the detective thriller classic. Philip Marlowe is hired to investigate the gambling debts of a rich man's daughter, but is plunged into a twilight world of intrigue, blackmail and violence. Stylish and gripping. find out more...