Every so often, a film comes along that truly captures the pulse and zeitgeist of its time and mood. The first film from writer/director Dan Gilroy, Nightcrawler is such a film. While a Hollywood screenwriter for some years, nothing previously in his career hinted at this exceptional blow torch of a film that takes aim at news media and the moral implications therein.

This is angry, uncompromising cinema, surprising in both its dark humour and incredible ability to disturb and make viewers truly question the processes involved in the attention grabbing, sensationalist news coverage presented to them in this twenty-four seven world, where the next big story is only a heartbeat away.

Story-wise, it takes an unflinching look at modern media and, in particular, cameramen who specialise in filming human existence at its worst, whether it be car crashes, murder or behaviour at its most toxic or negative.

Lou Bloom (a masterful Jake Gyllenhaal, losing thirty kilos to play the role) is such a man, nicknamed a ‘nightcrawler’ due to the fact that they work in that physical and moral grey zone between dusk and dawn, where the world in general is asleep and unaware of this netherworld existing.

Nightcrawler is a welcome addition to films that, over the past sixty years, have taken a critical look at news media and the ends and means to which it achieves its goals. Some of these include the 1951 Billy Wilder film Ace In The Hole which, over sixty years since it was made, still packs an almighty punch. Other films include the 1987 James L. Brooks film Broadcast News and one of the most unforgettable, Oliver Stone’s lacerating cinematic sledgehammer from 1994, Natural Born Killers. Like many of the big themes and concepts of our modern world, journalism and news media has always held a certain fascination for film makers. If done right, they have provided compelling cinema over the decaddes.

It is interesting to note the advent of reality television over the past fifteen years and its effect of the presentation of news, whether it be in written form or televisual. There seems to be a disturbing trend where misinformation and outright lies are now acceptable, never mind the actual ‘truth’. There used to be an expression that said ‘the camera never lies’. Nightcrawler, and the way it shows Bloom editing what he films to suit his own ends and means, somewhat casts a negative light on what was once a truism. Also, news has become somewhat trivial in its content, highlighting famous and wannabe famous people and their exploits. It is instances of what passes for ‘news’ in our modern day and age that makes the themes and issues of Nightcrawler more cutting and pertinent than ever.

As a side note, the head of News Ltd, Rupert Murdoch, has come under fire recently for a Tweet he posted congratulating his people for getting the story first, without a whiff of compassion, empathy or apology to the families of the innocent victims who lost their lives in the siege. This highlights all the more the cut throat ‘every man for himself’ attitude that Lou possesses in the film.

It is fascinating how, in the film, there are never any easy or pat explanations for Lou’s motivation as a character. While an absolute sociopath with possibly psychotic tendencies, was he born that way or is he a product of the modern work day and age? America and, by extension the world, is experiencing something of a recession at the moment.

Work places are tightening their belts left and right. In a way, Lou represents those that have lost jobs through no fault of their own and seek work outside the traditional system, or are fed up with supposed ‘conflict resolution’ in the work place consisting of sentences like “Shut the fuck up and deal with it” or “If you don’t like it, quit” as explanation of less than positive treatment by employers of their workers.

We also live in a day and age of warfare across the globe. Is Lou a veteran who has seen too much, whether it be as a soldier or a citizen, and has somewhat disconnected from the world as a result. One of the most admiral strengths of this film is the way it refuses to offer any pat or easy explanations.

In a way, Nightcrawler shares a lot of ground with the classic 1976 Sidney Lumet film Network. While ostensibly satire, it downplays the exaggeration that this style of writing and art is known for. One does wonder watching both films where that line between truth and fiction lies. It also addresses one of the key concepts of media and how it has somewhat become malleable over time: morality.

The pursuit for ratings and viewers becomes the be all and end all for both Lou and his boss (Rene Russo), who alarmingly becomes converted to Lou’s way of thinking after he identifies the fact that she has never lasted more than two years an any position she’s held as a news producer. The question of ‘what is right’ or ‘what is pushing things too far’ in regards to what is shown on television becomes somewhat redundant over time.

Also, it is interesting to look at what has motivated Lou to the point that we see him in the film. Sunken eyed and constantly looking like he hasn’t slept much, he mentions that he has been inspired by the words of motivational speakers online. It highlights a distortion and misfiring in his character the way that he has taken this ‘nonsense speak’ as gospel and a way to conduct himself. Outwardly polite, there is an absolute heart of darkness within this man, determined to succeed at all costs, no matter what damage, physically or mentally, he causes along the way.

In that respect, Nightcrawler is powerfully reminiscent of the work that writer Paul Schrader did with director Martin Scorsese in the Seventies and Eighties. Films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and, especially, the 1983 film The King Of Comedy make for fascinating comparisons. Travis Bickle, in Taxi Driver, learns what he knows about sex from watching pornos when not working as a taxi driver.

Boxer Jake La Motta, in Raging Bull, sees violence as the only way of dealing with life, in and out of the ring. In his own work, Schrader has very much addressed the plight of the lone American male and the alienation and loneliness they experience, something of a spiritual and physical separation from their fellow being. Some of the films that Schrader has written and directed, such as 1980’s American Gigolo and 1992’s Light Sleeper, are compelling examples.

As part of his job, Lou takes on an offsider, Rick. This is a particularly interesting character in a number of respects. He serves as a moral compass through the film, horrified by some of the things that his boss asks him to do. Also, the question of money is a big one. Rick is told that he is working as an ‘intern’, business speak for working but not getting paid for it. This provides a running theme throughout the work, and serves as a comment of business practice in the modern day and age.

As the story progresses, Lou becomes more emotionally cold and aggressive in his own pursuits. This includes ingratiating himself with the higher ups at the news station. While a fascinating character, this is one with frozen vodka in his veins and a little black marble stone where the heart should be. There is a particularly shattering and violent climax in Nightcrawler that Lou pretty much orchestrates himself to get what could be described as the perfect ‘money shot’ with what he presents to the station.

In the chaos and violence that follows, his partner Rick is shot and dies as a result. The blank look on Lou’s face, as he films his dying partner, says a million words. He all but shrugs his shoulders, considering this human life little more than collateral damage in his attempt to claim his piece of the world, like Schrader’s ‘American loners’ before him.

Even when questioned by the police, he is smooth as silk, ultra polite and gives nothing away. This is a character so far gone that he has become a law unto himself, bolstered by his growing stature at the station, underlined beautifully in the final scene where he has assembled his own team of ‘nightcrawlers’ and his sending them on their way into the night.

Make no mistake, Nightcrawler is very much a film of the here and now. However, the themes and concepts it addresses, without pulling any of its punches, will last eternal. Interesting to note is the way that, in the upcoming Oscars, it only has one nomination, Best Original Screenplay. Occasionally, awards ceremonies move in mysterious ways.

The other side of that coin are the great artists of our time, such as Stanley Kubrick and Sergio Leone, who never won Oscars in their lifetime. This is unfortunate in the case of Nightcrawler. In a cinematic world full of sequels and superhero movies, here is an astounding work with something to say and the intelligence and guts to say it.

Author Bio: Neil is a journalist, labourer, forklift and truck driver. In a previous life, he was a projectionist for ten years. He is a lifelong student of cinema.

Having studied English Literature at University College London, he specifically chose to study at this institution for its filmmaking facilities, making two short films during his college years, Tarantella in 1989 and 1995’s Larceny, the latter of which played at several film festivals and is considered one of the best short films to come out of UCL.

Nolan made his feature debut in 1998 with the film Following. Shot on weekends with friends and self-funded on a modest budget of three thousand pounds, it announced Nolan, who directed, photographed and edited his feature debut, as a talent to watch.

He made something of a quantum leap with his second film in 2000, Memento. Deploying a highly innovative reverse narrative, this was the film that made the world in general sit up and take notice of Nolan’s prodigious talents.

It has been heartening over the past fourteen years to watch Nolan mature and grow as an artist. While his films deal with wildly different stories, they all share similar thematic themes and concepts, such as human morality, the concept of time and the shifting, subjective experiences of memory, personal identity and being.

What makes Nolan particularly special is the way that he beautifully walks the line between what can be described as ‘art vs commerce’. Namely, he creates films that fulfill his personal aspirations and vision, while at the same time making films that connect with large audiences. Never one to play it safe, he continually pushes himself and his public with intelligent, thought provoking work.

Unlike some of his contemporaries who make what could be best described as ‘franchise’ films such as Sam Raimi (Spiderman) and Bryan singer (X-Men) as Nolan has done with his reinvention of the world of Gotham City and Batman, he hasn’t gone back to back with making said films and, in the process, burnt himself out as an artistic talent and/or lost his mojo with what he does. He has spaced the three films he did set in that world with highly interesting and original works such as The Prestige, Inception and, most recently, Interstellar.

He is also to be commended for his use of practical effects rather than over-relying on CGI which, in the hands of some directors, can leave a film lifeless and looking like a video game, thereby robbing the audience of that human connection with its characters.

Nolan is a director who, over time, has broadened his ambition and scope with every film he has made. What really makes the films work is that he never loses sight of his characters and narrative. In other words, whether you like or hate the characters presented, you always find them interesting. As an audience, that is one of the points that a number of blockbusters fail at getting right time and time again.

He also runs Syncopy Inc, the company that distributes his films and those of other directors, such as his former regular Director Of Photography Wally Pfister, who made his feature film debut with Transcendence (2014), starring Johnny Depp.

In New Hollywood Cinema of the Seventies, many directors subscribed to what the French called the ‘auteur’ theory, in that they were the author of the films they made. Nolan is very much in this style and method.

However, he is also smart in that he has learnt from the mistakes of directors of the past and avoids the excess that brought that period of filmmaking to an end, most notably personified by the infamous 1980 Michael Cimino film Heaven’s Gate, a film that attempted to paint a broad canvas and instead both tanked at the box office and, due to its exorbitant budget, bankrupted the studio that made it, United Artists.

Nolan also has a spot on eye for casting in each of his works, utilising great actors and actresses such as Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, the late Heath Ledger, Leonardo Di Caprio, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine and Joseph Gordon-Levitt to name but a few. All great actors, over time they have formed something of a repertory for Nolan, a number of them working with him several times.

Here, we look at the cinematic life and times of Christopher Nolan and the way that he has changed and shaped film as we know it.

1. Following (1998)

Nolan’s feature debut is strikingly shot in black and white, Following depicts a young man (Jeremy Theobald) who follows people across London, hopefully gaining material to write a novel. Through the course of his actions, he becomes involved with a criminal named Cobb (Alex Haw).

Inventive, lyrical and striking, the film presents itself in a non-linear fashion, beautifully coming together in the last ten minutes or so. This was one of debut films that was highly polished and accomplished, without an ounce of cinematic flab on it.

Interestingly, there is an option on the Criterion DVD/Blu-ray release of the film that lets you watch it in a linear fashion, rather than the seemingly random way in which Nolan depicts his story. Either way, Following is a compelling and highly effective calling card for a director who, in the space of the next decade, would become a major force in film making across the world.

Shot on weekends over a year on a modest shoestring budget, this was an auspicious debut for Nolan.

2. Memento (2000)

Memento is the film that truly brought Nolan to the attention of the world. With a truly original take on narrative structure and style, this film, considered by many as one of the best of the 2000s, tells the story of Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) and his attempts to hunt down whoever killed his wife, all the while suffering short term memory loss.

Where Memento truly excels in in the way that it depicts the constantly shifting sense of human emotion and experience when one is put under physical, mental and spiritual pressure, whether it be of their own doing or the world around them.

While the idea and concept of amnesia is a somewhat overused device in cinematic narrative, Nolan infused it with a freshness and energy that was impossible to ignore. It is this ‘different’ point of view that would infuse and shape his later work that makes Memento such a different and unique film.

Garnering an Academy Award Nomination for Best Original Screenplay, this is still one of the most unique and striking films of the past fifteen years.

3. Insomnia (2002)

Insomnia was the first big budget Hollywood film that saw Nolan step up to higher budget film making. A remake of the Norwegian film of the same name, this is a tense, unnerving, incredibly claustrophobic and beautifully made detective thriller, something of a kindred spirit to David Fincher’s Se7en. It details two detectives sent from the city to a small Alaskan town to investigate a series of murders.

The film beautifully details the fact that the Alaskan town is experiencing a seasonal shift in weather in that the sun doesn’t set, and the way that plays on the inner demons and guilt of Detective Will Dormer (Al Pacino).

Out of all the Hollywood remakes of foreign films, this is one of the stronger entries, with a powerhouse cast, especially Hillary Swank and a brilliantly against type Robin Williams, really giving this film light and shade.

Insomnia depicts mental and moral fragility in a visceral and effective way. It’s not often that one can say that this ‘Hollywood’ take on a foreign film stands up against the original, but this is one of those rare exceptions to the rule.

In regards to stepping up in budget and scope of vision, this was a highly polished and strong step for Nolan to take, and one that would lead to the franchise of films that would cement him in cinematic history as one of the greats, the Batman franchise.

4. Batman Begins (2005)

The Batman franchise has had something of a chequered history over the decades. Whether it be the camp Sixties TV series or director Tim Burton’s gothic take on the metropolis of Gotham City, there have been interesting but not quite satisfying visions over the years.

The franchise was at something of a low point when Nolan stepped into the frame. Director Joel Schumacher had made his take on the franchise with two films, the rather pedestrian Batman Forever (1995) and the perfect storm of awfulness that was Batman And Robin (1997), a film that all but killed the cinematic franchise.

Eight years after that debacle, Nolan made Batman Begins. As it turned out, this was the film that fans of the franchise had been waiting for. An intelligent, mature and gritty take on the origins of Bruce Wayne and Gotham City, this was a rich, new and darkly brooding vision of a world that, as lovers of cinema, we thought we knew.

Aided by a compelling script and a cracking cast, this was Batman, but thrillingly not as we knew it. Christian Bale, one of the best actors of his generation, proves to be an inspired choice as Batman/Bruce Wayne, capturing the man’s inner turmoil and vengeance against the crime world of Gotham to an absolute tee.

Gone is the glitzy, day glo visual style and cartoonish look of previous Batman films. What really makes Batman Begins fly is its firm rooting in a reality, while removed from that of real life, is one that is vivid and highly believable. Featuring little to no CGI, Nolan really took the story and mythology of the Gotham universe and, in the best way possible, turned it inside out.

At a time when blockbusters consisted of bloated self-indulgence, bum stinging running times and were the cinematic equivalent of empty vessels, Batman Begins was an absolute breath of fresh air. It also cemented Nolan’s reputation as one of the great directors working in modern Hollywood.

With the recent release of the first part of the final instalment of the “Hunger Games” franchise, “Mockingjay”, apart from the baggage and hype surrounding this particular set of films, it also puts a spotlight on the final performance of an actor that many consider to be one of the finest of his generation. That actor? Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014).

Passing away at the tender age of forty-six under somewhat sad and tragic circumstances, he was a total chameleon of an actor that brought a complexity and grace to whatever he did onscreen, whether it be support roles in mainstream cinema or his fierce, challenging performances in more independent work.

Born and raised in New York, he studied acting at both the New York State Summer School Of The Arts and the Tisch School Of The Arts, really honing his craft on the stage and later in both television and his work in films.

He started to really come to prominence in the early part of the Nineties, playing small but eye catching roles in major Hollywood fare such as Martin Brest’s “Scent Of A Woman” (1992) and Jan De Bont’s “Twister” (1996), proving that old adage that it’s not about the amount of screen time that you have, but how an actor uses it.

Over time, he became best known for his work in films that one would consider left of centre of the Hollywood mainstream. He shared a fruitful and rich collaboration with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson, featuring in five of the seven films that the director has made so far.

Their collaboration was one of those beautiful actor/director partnerships you find every so often in the world of cinema, comparable to the likes of the working relationships between Martin Scorsese and both Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio and that of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp.

What made Hoffman special as an actor is the way that he would truly delve into the psychology and being of the characters he played. Never one to rely on caricature or being one-dimensional, he gave the viewer a real sense of the feel of the characters he played, with a particular gift for playing those that could be considered lowlifes or losers.

In that respect, he is remarkably similar to another character actor of his generation that has crossed over to the mainstream, actor William H. Macey, whom he has worked with in the Anderson films “Boogie Nights” and “Magnolia”.

Hoffman also had a true gift for taking thankless, clichéd roles and characters and infusing them with a gorgeous sense of light and energy that would enlighten even the most average of film.

A great case in point is the film “Along Came Polly”, with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston. A fairly pedestrian comedy, Hoffman plays one of those ‘stock characters’ in cinema, the best friend. Every scene with him lifts to a significantly greater height than the rest of the film as a whole. Again, like our recent article on Steve Buscemi, here is an actor that adds a tactile sense of light and shade to cinema that cannot be dismissed or ignored.

Here are twenty films involving Mr Hoffman that are very much worth your time.

20. A Late Quartet (2012) Directed by Yaron Zilberman

In this low key, gentle and touching ensemble piece, Hoffman is part of a string quartet, struggling to stay together due to the fact that one of their members (Christopher Walken) is dying.

A close and personal examination of the world of the artist and how, as people, we relate to each other on different levels and being, “A Late Quartet” boasts a stellar cast that also includes Catherine Keener, Wallace Shawn, Imogen Poots and Madhur Jaffrey, this is another of those small and beautifully formed works of cinema that managed to slip under the radar.

What really makes this film fly is watching how this strong set of actors click with each other onscreen, something that is always a joy to watch in any form of cinema.

19. Punch-Drunk Love (2002) Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson

In a sharp about face for director Anderson, Hoffman plays Dean Trumbell in this quirky, defiantly left of centre comedy/drama. Tapping into a considerable gift for playing lowlifes, Hoffman excels as a greedy, morally bankrupt individual whose sole purpose in life is to fleece his fellow man financially for his own self-serving ends and means.

Tapping into hitherto unknown dramatic skills as an actor, Adam Sandler proves to be a great foil for Hoffman’s bullying and toxic character. The scene in which Sandler, finally standing up to Hoffman after years of mental abuse from other, and tells him he has love in his heart really makes the heart soar.

While not of the same ambition and scale of the better known films from the back catalogue of Anderson, this is a small gem, in which Hoffman really shines as a scummy, unlikable and repellent individual.

18. Flawless (1999) Directed by Joel Schumacher

Displaying his almost chameleon like versatility and fearlessness as an actor, in director Joel Schumacher’s highly likeable and somewhat underrated film, Hoffman plays Rusty, a drag queen assigned with the task of giving singing lessons to homophobic police officer (Robert De Niro), who has recently been the victim of a stroke.

A classic odd couple comedy-drama, “Flawless” is very much lifted by its two central lead performances. The film displays another great strength of Hoffman as an actor, the way in which he strikes a great rapport and chemistry with his on-screen co-stars. There is a highly compelling to and fro between these two wildly different people that gives the film a real fire and energy.

Still coming off the debacle that was “Batman And Robin”, as a director, Schumacher definitely redeemed himself here, going through a purple patch in his career that included great films like “Tigerland” and “Phone Booth”. “Flawless” is something of an underrated gem in the careers of both Hoffman and De Niro that is well worth finding.

17. Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) Directed by Mike Nichols

Directed by veteran Hollywood director Nichols, in what would be his final film, and written by Aaron Sorkin, this is a razor sharp comedy about political wheeling and dealing set during the first Gulf War in the early Eighties. Hoffman plays Gus, an embittered but highly intelligent CIA operative that becomes involved with the Texan politician of the title (a surprisingly sleazy and charming Tom Hanks, getting away from his usual onscreen persona).

Tight as a drum, all three lead actors (the other being Julia Roberts) are in top form working with a cracking, incredibly focused script and superb direction from Nichols, an former actor himself and one that could truly get the best out of other actors.

16. Pirate Radio (2009) Directed by Richard Curtis

Taking a break from his stock in trade, namely the romantic comedy, British director Richard Curtis made this absolutely charming comedy about the pirate radio stations of the Sixties that broadcast off ships stationed off the British Coast such as Radio Caroline.

These ‘pirate’ radio stations subverted the ultra-conservative and strict guidelines of the British Broadcasting Commission, who at the time played a laughably tokenistic and small amount of popular music of the day.

Here, Hoffman plays The Count, one of a motley crew of DJs broadcasting on such a pirate radio station. Effortless in his charm and passion for music onscreen, Hoffman’s character serves as a defacto leader for a wide, diverse and disparate bunch of people united by this sonic universal language and desire to kick against the authorities that wish to silence them.

Featuring a stellar cast including Kenneth Branagh, Rhys Ifans, Chris O’ Dowd, Ralph Brown, Bill Nighy, Emma Thompson and many others, while the film may be incredibly light on story, much to the frustration of viewers upon release, it is something of an absolute pleasure hanging out with these people and watching a film that covers a little known but fascinating part of world history.

15. 25th Hour (2002) Directed by Spike Lee

A moody character piece from director Spike Lee, Hoffman is Jacob Elinsky, friend of the main character Monty Brogan (Edward Norton), about to go to jail for drug trafficking.

In what is very much a character piece and something of a change of pace for Lee, a director known for addressing and depicting the plight of African-Americans, Hoffman really captures that mental state of being where men are romantically interested in women younger than themselves, painting a vivid portrait of the male ego and being scared and refusing to mentally evolve and grow up.

“25th Hours” is also a metaphorical and soulful work, reflecting a post-9/11 New York and addressing human frailty, that need for connection with one’s fellow man and making this fragile concept we call life count.

This is one of Lee’s more rounded, human and successful works, undoubtedly aided by a very well chosen cast.

The owner of one of the most distinctive speaking voices in the world, actor Morgan Freeman was born in 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee. He first came to prominence and the attention of the world via roles in the soap opera Another World and, most notably, in the children’s television show The Electric Company.

He was something of a latecomer to cinema, taking on support roles in the late 1980s, most notably garnering a Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for the Jerry Schatzberg film Street Smart in 1987.

Over the past two decades, he has become best known for not only iconic roles in such fares like The Shawshank Redemption, Se7en and Million Dollar Baby, but also his voice, used brilliantly in many a film as voiceover and narration form. An excellent formal use of Freeman’s voice is the documentary The March Of The Penguins

The man also has this aura and gravitas to his persona that is unique. It is one of incredible calm that can instill trust and calm in viewers. In both his onscreen roles and the way he conducts himself in the real world, he is the equivalent of an older family relative or friend that’s been around the block a few times as far as life is concerned, seen it all and is much wiser for the process. This is one of many qualities that separate him from the pack in regards to other actors out there.

Occasionally, it’s fun to watch Freeman play with that on occasion, such as the film Wanted, where he swears like a wharfie at one point-it’s like hearing God cuss! Another example is the immensely enjoyable action comedy Red, where Freeman taps into a ‘dirty old man’ persona as part of a stellar cast including Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich and Mary-Louise Parker.

Here are ten choices from the back catalogue of this wonderful and immensely charismatic actor that are well worth your time.

10. Bruce Almighty (2003) Directed by Tom Shadyac

“Bruce Almighty”, while an enjoyable and highly watchable comedy about a normal man given God-like powers, it really lifts its game anytime Morgan Freeman, playing God, is on screen.

With that beautiful ‘gravitas’ he has, he also has a great deal of fun with the role. One can’t help but smile seeing the man play the most identifiable of deities on screen. Whoever was responsible for casting was truly inspired with this choice.

9. The Bucket List (2007) Directed by Rob Reiner

While somewhat obvious in its intent, Rob Reiner’s “The Bucket List” has a big heart to it that is impossible to completely dismiss or ignore. Alongside Jack Nicholson, Freeman plays a man with terminal cancer who puts together a ‘bucket list’, namely the things that one wants to do before he ‘kicks the bucket’ and dies.

As in many other roles, Freeman brings a warmth and humanism to a role that, in lesser hands, would come off as two-dimensional and false. He also has considerable chemistry with Nicholson, who plays a wildly different character from that of Freeman. The way in which these two characters affect each other’s lives is the living, breathing and beating heart of this comedy-drama.

Like “The Shawshank Redemption”, this is another film that has entered the world consciousness, with the term ‘bucket list’ becoming a common saying in the language of the world.

8. Invictus (2009) Directed by Clint Eastwood

Working with director Clint Eastwood for the third time, this film sees Freeman taking on one of the most iconic of roles, that of South African freedom fighter and later President Nelson Mandela. He brings that dignity and grace that he is best known for to the fore in this excellent film.

The story of “Invictus” covers a time when South Africa was in a state of change, with Mandela released from jail after twenty-seven years and the abolishment of Apartheid, Freeman embodies a man that preaches peace in an uncertain and challenging period of world history.

Set in 1995, this film depicts Mandela, in his first term as Prime Minister, enlisting the country’s rugby team to win the World Cup that year and unite the people of the country. While rugby is not a sport that translates well across the world, the essence of Mandela finding peaceful means of bringing his people together is what gives “Invictus” its strength.

Again, this is Freeman displaying that beautiful sense of dignity and decency as an actor, something that is always a joy to watch.

7. Amistad (1997) Directed by Steven Spielberg

“Amistad” sees director Steven Spielberg in ‘serious’ mode, as he was in his deeply felt 1993 masterpiece “Schindler’s List”. Here, he looks at a slave uprising on the boat Amistad in 1839. The film addresses the concept and idea of ‘freedom’, primarily via a courtroom drama addressing the uprising on the boat.

Freeman plays Theodore Joadson, a free black man who, along with Lewis Tappan (Stellan Skarsgard), is a man in favour of abolishing slavery and freeing the men responsible for the uprising on the ship.

This was another excellent performance from Freeman to add to the overall quality and consistency of the work that had gone before.

6. Glory (1989) Directed by Edward Zwick

Playing Sgt. Major John Rawlins, this is one of the first roles that brought Freeman to the attention of the world in general. The story is about the first all-black fighting unit during the Civil War

Looking at racism and prejudice, Freeman’s character is something of a spiritual leader to his fellow soldiers. Even at this early stage of his acting career, Freeman brings a certain emotional weight to his role, something that one usually associates with older actors.

Featuring Matthew Broderick, Carey Elwes and an early Denzel Washington, who won his first Oscar for his supporting role here, “Glory” is a compelling tale of American history that is beautifully told.

A powerful film, it showcased what was distinctive about Freeman as an actor and gave signs of what was to follow in regards to his career.

One of the joys of cinema is looking beyond the ‘name’ actors on screen and concentrating on others that are best known as ‘character actors’. These are the actors and actresses that you might not necessarily recognise by name, but when you see them on screen, you say to yourself something along the lines of ‘it’s that guy’ or ‘her’.

Many great actors fit into this category, such as Richard Jenkins, Michael Shannon, Kathryn Hahn and many more. Some of these underrated talents manage to cross over to the mainstream, such as Julianne Moore, Australian actors Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, Rachel Griffiths and Jackie Weaver, Laura Linney, Patricia Clarkson and the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

These are the actors that add a sense of light, shade and complexity to many great films. Prime among these is actor/writer/director Steve Buscemi. Not exactly the most physically conventional or attractive of actors, he has nevertheless, over the past three decades in cinema, brought an incredible sense of being and life to the various roles he has played onscreen.

Equally adept at working in both independent cinema and mainstream Hollywood, Buscemi’s onscreen presence has added a wonderful sense of character to many a film, whether they be good, bad or otherwise.

Buscemi has proven himself to be a highly talented and underrated writer and director, making small cinematic gems such as “Trees Lounge” and “Animal Factory”. He’s also very much part of the HBO family, having initially made his indelible mark in HBO’s landmark series “The Sopranos”, and also having directed episodes of some of the great shows for the television company, such as “Oz”, “Homicide: Life On The Streets”, “Nurse Jackie” and others.

Since 2010, he has brilliantly ed the role of crime lord Enoch “Nucky” Thompson in the Twenties-set crime drama “Boardwalk Empire” for HBO, introducing him to a whole new generation of film and television viewers in the process, earning him a slew of acting awards.

He is also one of the few actors that has a brilliantly humanist and compassionate quality to his being and outlook on life. A former firefighter before his career as an actor, he was physically out there in New York post 9/11, working twelve hour shifts alongside his fellow firefighters in the aftermath of this cataclysmic and world changing event.

Here are fifteen films involving Steve Buscemi, in either an acting, writing or directing capacity that are well worth your time.

15. Trees Lounge (1996) Directed by Steve Buscemi

In his accomplished debut as writer/director, Buscemi really taps into the spirit of author Charles Bukowski here, playing Tommy, an unemployed mechanic whose life is falling apart piece by piece.

An ensemble piece featuring some beautiful writing, especially in relation to very real and never forced dialogue, “Trees Lounge”, while definitely not light viewing, captures the essence and the physical/spiritual ‘world’ of those that has tried its best to beat down and ‘break’ due to one reason or another.

Working alongside some great talents such as Anthony LaPaglia, Chloe Seveigny, Carol Kane and Seymour Cassell, this is a film that flew completely under the radar upon its release and definitely deserves a wider audience.

14. Animal Factory (2000) Directed by Steve Buscemi

In Buscemi’s sophomore effort behind the camera in relation to feature films, this is a stark and powerful contrast to his debut, “Trees Lounge”. A striking and unflinching look at prison life, this is based on the novel by former prisoner, author and actor Eddie Bunker AKA Mr Blue from Quentin Tarantino’s “Reservoir Dogs”, with whom Buscemi co-starred in that film.

Proving his talent with actors, Buscemi gets some great performances from his well-chosen cast, including Edward Furlong, Mickey Rourke, Willem Dafoe, Danny Trejo and Mark Boone Junior.

“Animal Factory” is somewhat low key in its approach, but a fascinating and interesting look at the realities of life behind bars.

13. Airheads (1994) Directed by Michael Lehmann

While something of a box office flop upon release, “Airheads” has garnered a fierce cult following over the past two decades. Buscemi plays Rex, one of a trio of desperate wannabe rock stars that hijack a radio station, holding the DJ at ransom in order to get a song of theirs played on the radio.

Insanely stupid at times, but with an energy and sense of fun to burn, “Airheads” is a wonderfully satirical skewering of the music industry, featuring cameos from the likes of the late Chris Farley and Lemmy from world famous metal band Motorhead.

Buscemi proves himself to be something of a chameleon of an actor here, tapping into a sense of stupid fun that, as viewers, we hadn’t really seen him do before.

12. In The Soup (1992) Directed by Alexandre Rockwell

In this beautifully off-centre, gorgeously shot black and white comedy from director Alexandre Rockwell, Buscemi plays Adolfo, a wannabe screenwriter eking out an existence at the lower level of the independent film industry. Indie great Seymour Cassell plays a shady moneyman who may or may not make Adolfo’s dreams come true.

A gently ribbing, knowing look at the process of film making, the charm that really makes “In The Soup” is the fantastic chemistry between Buscemi and Cassell. Watching two of the most underrated of actors spark and bounce off each other onscreen is the real spark of another film, like “Parting Glances”, has become somewhat lost over time. This quiet little gem is definitely worth seeking out.

11. Parting Glances (1986) Directed by Bill Sherwood

This early entry into Buscemi’s career paints a vivid portrait of New York in the Eighties in the early days of the AIDS crisis when America was under the presidency of Ronald Reagan. Buscemi plays Nick, an individual dying of AIDS, one of the early victims of the major health epidemic that affected the world during that decade.

This was the only film from director Bill Sherwood, himself an early victim of the disease. This is a shame, as he showed serious potential in “Parting Glances”, especially with his warmth and humanism towards his characters, not demonising them as mass media and the world in general had done so.

A film with great wit, warmth and humour to it, it’s a shame that it’s become somewhat lost over time. If you want to see an early snapshot of what makes Buscemi a unique presence on screen, this is a wonderful lost gem to hunt down.

10. Con Air (1997) Directed by Simon West

Simon West’s “Con Air” is one of those big, dumb, loud and stupid action comedies that were highly popular in the middle of the Nineties. What lifts this one several notches above its contemporaries and competition is the extremely funny scrip from Stuart Rosenberg that all but winks at the audience. It knows what it is, basically, but has a lot of fun going through its motions.

Part of the film’s charm lies in Buscemi’s Hannibal-Lector-like serial killer Garland “The Marietta Mangler” Greene. Scoring some of the funniest dialogue in the film and completely stealing any scene he’s in, Buscemi totally holds his own in an eclectic cast that includes Nicholas Cage, John Malkovich, Ving Rhames and John Cusack.

In a world of soulless and flashy blockbusters, “Con Air” has a refreshing sense of personality and charm to it. Buscemi, along with the rest of the cast, are a big reason why this genre film works as well as it does. In lesser hands, this would have been painful and generic to say the least.

9. Living In Oblivion (1995) Directed by Tom DiCillo

A film that shares a similar sense of being a cinematic kindred spirit to Alexandre Rockwell’s “In The Soup”, Buscemi plays filmmaker Nick Reve. Set on one day of a film shoot, this is to cinema what the 1984 Rob Reiner film “This Is Spinal Tap!” is to music.

Namely, Tom DiCillo’s “Living In Oblivion” is an exaggerated and wildly funny comedy that takes an unflinching look at anything and everything that can go wrong in making a movie.

Buscemi beautifully captures the essence of a man against it all with everything negative the world can do being thrown at him. The cast also features some great character actors of Nineties cinema, such as Catherine Keener, James Le Gross, Dermot Mulroney and, in an early appearance on screen, “Game Of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage in one of the funniest scenes ever committed to film.

Again, like “In The Soup”, this is another knowing wink and nod at the independent film industry of the time that is an immensely entertaining watch.

Over the past three decades, actor Gary Oldman (b. 1958) has left an indelible mark on cinema. Whether it be playing strong pillars of society in a world gone wild, such as in the “Batman” trilogy directed by Christopher Nolan or, as has become something of a specialty for the man, unforgettable villains in mainstream Hollywood fare such as Wolfgang Petersen’s “Air Force One” (1997) or, more recently, the surprisingly excellent “Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes” (2014), directed by Matt Reeves.

Oldman created and perfected his craft on stage in Britain before making a major cinematic breakthrough with playing punk rocker Sid Vicious in the Alex Cox biopic “Sid And Nancy” in 1986. A breakout performance, this got the attention of Hollywood at large.

Whatever the role, Oldman brings an intensity and sense of personality to whatever he does onscreen. Even when the role and film is beneath his, such as the godawful Catherine Hardwicke film “Red Riding Hood” (2011), this is an actor that is nothing less than compelling in his onscreen persona and being.

Over time, from a cinematic perspective, it has been an absolute joy to watch him develop and grow as an actor, each role displaying a different facet and quality of this chameleon-like individual.

Here are fifteen films involving Gary Oldman that are very much worth your time.

15. Chattahoochie (1989) Directed by Mick Jackson

In this criminally underrated film from director Mick Jackson, Oldman , in one of his first American films, plays Emmett Folley, an unstable Korean War veteran placed in the titular mental hospital. While there, he is subjected to cruel and barbaric practices that inspire him to fight against the injustices being hurled against him.

Co-starring Dennis Hopper and Frances Mc Dormand, this is something of an overlooked work and a great showcase for the way that Oldman throws himself into a role, creating an indelible and striking character.

14. State Of Grace (1990) Directed by Phil Joanou

One of three gangster films to be released in 1990 (the others being “Miller’s Crossing”, directed by The Coen Brothers, and Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas”), this is a beautifully shot and atmospheric look at crime in the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York, concentrating on the Irish Mob.

Oldman plays Jackie Flannery, a small time gangster whose brother, Frankie (Ed Harris) is the head of the Mob. The film looks at relationships being tested when Jackie’s childhood friend, Terry (Sean Penn) returns after a ten year absence.

Violent, gritty and uncompromising, “State Of Grace” was unfairly dismissed upon release, definitely overshadowed by the other two films that covered similar ground that year. This is a shame, as Oldman is in absolutely electrifying form in this film, stealing every single scene he features in. Oldman has gone on record as saying that this is his favourite performance from his back catalogue.

13. The Book Of Eli (2010) Directed by Allen & Albert Hughes

A striking post-apocalyptic action drama, Oldman is Carnegie, leader of a group of survivors and determined to take the titular Book from Eli (Denzel Washington) and rebuild society by any means necessary.

Oldman captures beautifully this driven sociopath, something that, as an actor, he has an incredibly rare gift, only comparable to the late Dennis Hopper, to be able to do.

A somewhat underrated film that was released about the same time as another film that addressed similar material, John Hillcoat’s “The Road”, “The Book Of Eli”, with a strong visual style and attitude to it, definitely deserves another look.

12. Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead (1990) Directed by Tom Stoppard

In Tom Stoppard’s witty and intellectually engaging piece, Oldman and fellow British actor Tim Roth play minor characters in one of William Shakespeare’s best known plays, “Hamlet”.

The film totally pitch shifts the play, and we see events from the points of view of these two characters that constantly discuss and ruminate their fate, not really knowing their place in the world or what is really going on. An underrated gem, there is a wonderful chemistry between Oldman and Roth at play here.

Another underrated gem in the Oldman back catalogue, this is well worth seeking out.

11. Prick Up Your Ears (1987) Directed by Stephen Frears

A biopic charting a doomed relationship, Oldman totally gets under the skin of his role here, that of gay British playwright Joe Orton, most famous for the plays “Entertaining Mr Sloane” and “Loot”.

The sophomore effort from director Stephen Frears, it charts the violent and ultimately tragic relationship between Orton and failed novelist Kenneth Halliwell (a brilliant Alfred Molina).

The film has a strong narrative line to it as well as a candid, intimate aura and vibe. This all goes back to the performances, especially that of Oldman. One of the stronger biopics of the late Eighties, it is also a showcase of how brilliant an actor Oldman is.

10. JFK (1991) Directed by Oliver Stone

An incredibly ambitious look at the assassination of American president John F. Kennedy, Oldman shines as doomed gunman Lee Harvey Oswald. Proving to be something of a chameleon as an actor, Oldman vividly embodies this individual who was, at the time, marked as Public Enemy No. 1 due to his violent actions that changed the course of history and robbed America of its supposed ‘innocence’.

An important and compelling work, while having a small amount of screen time, Oldman totally makes his mark.

9. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban (2004) Directed by Alfonso Cuaron

In what has proven to be the best of the “Harry Potter” films, Oldman plays Sirius Black, uncle of Harry Potter and apparently a dangerous criminal. The way that Oldman plays with how others perceive his character, who in actual fact is one of the more positive in the Potter Universe, is a joy to watch.

At the time, he was thought to be a rather unconventional choice for the role, but proved to be absolutely spot on, especially in his introduction in “Azkaban”.

At a time when teen film consisted primarily of horny young boys trying to ‘get laid’, Hughes treated his characters with warmth and affection. These were qualities that sorely lacked in the majority of teen films made in this decade, with their blatant misogyny and objectification of women. There were brilliant exceptions to this, such as Marshall Brickman’s “Risky Business” (1983), but they seemed to be few and far between.

There were many aspects of the films that Hughes made that set them apart from the flock. First and foremost, whether they be positive or negative, his characters shone an honest and enlightening light upon what it was like to be young and trying to make sense of the world around you. While primarily relating the experiences of the American teen, these films struck a chord around the world. They were films that many identified with and took to their hearts.

Also, although a man older than the characters he wrote and directed, Hughes always displayed a great sense of empathy and compassion towards them. In other words, his intentions were always honest and clear. Contrast this with the works of directors like Larry Clark (“Kids”/”Bully”) and Victor Salva (“Powder”/”Jeepers Creepers”). Clark and Salva were to make names for themselves in the Nineties with their films about teenage life.

However, the stories they depicted and the way they did so veered wildly from that of Hughes. Watching a film like “Kids” and knowing it was may by a fifty year old man made the viewer feel somewhat queasy, wondering what Clark’s hidden agenda was with the voyeuristic and sleazy way he depicted teenage life.

One could double that for Salva, a convicted child molester, and showing copious and gratuitous shots of teenage boys without shirts in his films. Unfortunately, this was the progression (or regression) of how being a teenager in cinematic representation progressed after the trailblazing work of Hughes.

Apart from his compassion, Hughes also had an uncanny eye for casting. Molly Ringwald, who would star in three films for Hughes, became something of a muse for him, a representation of what it was like to be ‘different’ and not the blonde haired, blue eyed teenage girl we had seen in a million films a million times. Other inspired choices with regards to actors in the films of Hughes include Anthony Michael Hall (who also starred in three films for Hughes), Judd Nelson, Matthew Broderick, Jon Cryer, Ally Sheedy, Andrew Mc Carthy and James Spader.

The ear that Hughes had for music was also uncanny. He introduced a lot of his audience to great musical artists of the time such as Simple Minds, OMD, The Psychedelic Furs and many more. The soundtracks of his films turned minds on and showed them that there was more out there than what was fed to them by mainstream musical avenues such as MTV at the time.

At the same time, Hughes never forgot the influence of music from the past. There are iconic moments in his films that use music by such luminaries in the field as The Beatles, Otis Redding and, of all people, Wayne Newton. By doing so, Hughes also managed to introduce a younger generation to music that has paved the way for all that has followed.

With teen films in our current time, such as “The Hunger Games” and “The Maze Runner” delving more into the world of fantasy, it is a rare bird, such as the wonderful Stephen Chbosky film “The Perks Of Being A Wallflower”, from 2012, that hold a light on what it is to be an adolescent in this day and age. In a way, this makes the Hughes canon all the more relevant and vital.

Here is an overview of the seven films that John Hughes wrote and/or directed that shone an illuminating spotlight on what it was like to be a teenager in the Eighties.

1. Sixteen Candles (1984) Written & Directed by John Hughes

“Sixteen Candles” was the announcement of a new and exciting voice in cinema in relation to how the existence of a teenager is depicted on screen. The film depicts a chaotic period of the life of Samantha (Molly Ringwald), whose parents forget her sixteenth birthday in light of her older sister getting married and all that involves.

While not without its flaws, this was a genuine surprise in the empathy and compassion it showed towards its characters. While the subplot of the Japanese exchange student Long Duc Dong was faintly racist and could have been excised without impacting on the film, here was a work with its heart in the right place.

While a film of its time, it gets many things right, such as feelings between males and females, the general difficulty of being and adolescent and being really well written, particularly in relation to how it depicts its protagonists, showing that there are shades of grey and that there is no mere black and white in regards to what a person is.

It also excels in its depiction of adult characters, such as Samantha’s father, beautifully played by Paul Dooley. Hughes was never one to shove the adults to the background or let them be mere two dimensional beings in his films.

In short, this was an excellent debut from Hughes and a strong hint at some of the exceptional work that was to follow in his career.

2. The Breakfast Club (1985) Written & Directed by John Hughes

For many lovers of cinema, “The Breakfast Club”, along with Hughes’ 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”, is considered one of his masterpieces. Beginning with the quote ‘and the children that you spit on’ from the David Bowie track “Changes” suddenly shattering like glass into a million pieces, the film takes place on one day during a Saturday detention session.

Where “The Breakfast Club” truly excels is in its depiction and analysis of the class structure within a high school. In attendance at this detention session are five students, each a representation of a subculture or a ‘type’ of teenager. You have ‘the princess’ (Molly Ringwald), ‘the geek’ (Anthony Michael Hall), ‘the jock’ (Emilio Estevez), ‘the rebel’ (Judd Nelson) and ‘the weirdo’ (Ally Sheedy). “The Breakfast Club” is a very talky film, but one that is intelligent and thought provoking. Many have accused it of being self-indulgent and self-centred, but that’s the point. For teenagers, it’s all about the individual and where the fit or don’t fit in the microcosm that is high school.

Another aspect of “The Breakfast Club” that is particularly interesting is the place of the adult in this world. Represented here by the teacher in charge of detention, Mr Vernon (the late Paul Gleason) is an incredibly angry and bitter individual, no doubt beset by not realising his full potential in his adult life and pissed off and offended by the young charges in front of him, in particular Nelson’s character, John Bender, with whom he nearly comes to blows on several occasions.

“The Breakfast Club” was a new kind of teen film for its time, one that allowed its characters space and time to articulate their thoughts, hopes and fears. It remains a benchmark in this genre of film, capped off by the iconic final scene/freeze frame where Bender, walking over the football pitch, throws his fist in the air, the screen changes from colour to black and white while the end credits roll. It’s an image that truly stays with you.

3. Weird Science (1985) Written & Directed by John Hughes

While something of a step back from the social realism of “The Breakfast Club”, the next film that Hughes made, “Weird Science” still hit some marks quite eloquently in regards to discussing what it was like to be young.

Ostensibly a comedy with some fantasy elements to it, the story concerns two smart but outcast best friends, Gary and Wyatt (Anthony Michael Hall and Ilan Mitchell-Smith) who get the brilliant idea to create ‘the perfect woman’, using their home computer. As a result, into their life walks Lisa (Kelly Le Brock).

“Weird Science” was the classic story of how, when you’re young, the idea that if you get what you want that you may not always want what you get.

Buoyed by a rambunctious energy, while not in the same class as his previous film, this was an immensely enjoyable and, at times, accurate depiction of the social class among the young and what it was like to be an outcast among your peers. It also looked at the family unit and, in this case, absent parents and concept of an abusive older sibling, played in the film with brilliant comic timing by Bill Paxton.

Inspiring a short lived TV series, “Weird Science” was a solid entry into the world according to John Hughes.

Breaking onto the cinematic landscape with the startling, unique debut film that was “Bugsy Malone” (1976), a musical/gangster film with one hell of a twist to it, Parker has gone on to make films such as “Midnight Express” (1978), “Angel Heart” (1987) and “The Commitments” (1990).

While a common theme through Parker’s work has been music, he has proven himself adept at working within many genres across the cinematic field. What does strike the viewer in a number of his films is his ‘outsider looking in’ persona, particularly his films set in America. Being a Brit, he was able to take an unflinching look at America, similar in feel and vibe to some of his fellow British directors such as John Schlesinger and Nicolas Roeg.

Having not directed a film since 2003’s “The Life Of David Gale”, it’s a shame that Parker has become a somewhat forgotten commodity.

Here are thirteen films from the Alan Parker back catalogue that are very much worth your time.

13. Come See The Paradise (1990)

While somewhat haphazard in its scrip, this still remains a penetrating look at a less than positive chapter of American history during World War II. A somewhat ‘Romeo & Juliet’ story transposed to WWII, Dennis Quaid plays an American soldier who falls in love with a Japanese girl in America just as the internment camps for Japanese nationals are set up in America.

While “Come See The Paradise” is beautifully shot on a big budget, it feels somewhat hollow on an emotional level. Something of a rare misfire for Alan Parker.

12. Angela’s Ashes (1999)

A lacerating and unsparing depiction of an impoverished and poor childhood, “Angela’s Ashes” is based on the autobiography of author Frank Mc Court.

While it does an honourable job of showing humour and good grace in the face of adversity, “Angela’s Ashes” suffers somewhat from being a one-note kind of story. ‘We was poor’. Okay, after nearly two and a half hours, we’ve got the message.

On more positive notes, the film depicts an all too real world that, as viewers, more than one of us would have experienced in their lives. It also features two wonderful performances from Robert Carlysle and, in particular, Emily Watson, one of the greatest British actresses of the past twenty years.

A powerful and gut wrenching work.

11. Bugsy Malone (1976)

Once in a while, a debut film from a new director comes along that is a true original, utterly unique and totally one out of the box. Probably the most famous example of this is David Lynch’s stunning opening cinematic salvo, the 1977 film “Eraserhead”. One could quite happily add Alan Parker’s “Bugsy Malone” to that select list.

This is a musical/gangster film, but not as you quite know it. All of the main roles are played by child actors, the most famous of which in the cast are Scott Baio and Jodie Foster. Another gimmick it had up its sleeve were tommy guns that shot cream instead of bullets. Pies were also popular weapons of choice.

Made in a time before ‘political correctness’ became the norm, this was a highly creative take on the gangster film, gleefully turning clichés and genre tropes inside out.

Made by Parker, in his words, ‘for pragmatic reasons’ to try and appeal to two completely different age groups and audiences, “Bugsy Malone” still has a gleeful energy and charm to it. Considering some of the darker material Parker would address in his later work, this is one of his more upbeat and positive works.

10. Birdy (1984)

In something of a change of pace after “Pink Floyd: The Wall”, Parker directed this beautifully observed drama about two high school friends, Al (Nicholas Cage) and Birdy (Matthew Modine).

The film follows, via flashback, their high school years in Sixties America before they are both sent off to the Vietnam War.

Eloquent about the damage of war upon the young, “Birdy” is an elegant and haunting work. Ever a man with his musical ear to the ground, Parker brilliantly uses a score from one-time Genesis main man Peter Gabriel to compelling effect.

An underrated comedy-drama, “Birdy” is a film well worth finding.

9. Evita (1996)

The long-awaited screen adaptation of Andrew Lloyd-Webber stage musical, this saw Parker with a massive budget, thousands of extras at his disposal and all guns blazing in regards to his visual style.

The biography of B-grade actress Eva Durate, who became the First Lady Of Argentina after marrying Juan Peron, Parker brings that same toughness and complete lack of sentimentality that made films like “The Commitments” and “Fame” work so well.

While a limited actress at the best of times, Madonna is particularly well cast in the title role, one that she seems to have been born to play.

While not without its misjudged moments, on the whole, “Evita” proves to be something of a massive surprise.

8. The Commitments (1991)

Parker bounced back in a big way with this lively, spirited film about music, set in Dublin, Ireland.

Sick of dealing with unemployment and the general aimlessness of life, a group of teenagers decide to form a band. What is so great about “The Commitments” is that, like the director’s previous film “Fame” (1980), it captures that vitality and energy of what it’s like to be young.

It also features a killer soundtrack of cover versions of great soul music standards such as “The Dark End Of The Street”, “Show Me”, “Mustang Sally” and what became a big hit on the charts, star Andrew Strong’s version of the brilliant Otis Redding track “Try A Little Tenderness”.

While it’s not a film that’s ever in danger of changing the world, “The Commitments” has personality and charm to burn.

Quickly becoming known for a strong and penetrating visual sense and style, Roeg moved into cinematography, responsible for the lush, striking visual style of such films as Francois Truffaut’s “Farenheit 451” (1966) and “Far From The Madding Crowd” (1967), which brought him to the attention of Hollywood.

Roeg, along with co-director and fellow Brit Donald Cammell, proceeded to make one hell of an impact with the 1970 film “Performance”. Actually made and completed in 1968, it scandalised and confronted the executives at the studio that made it, Warner Brothers, that they shelved the film for two years, at which time a more permissive regime at Warners decided to take a chance on it.

What makes Roeg unique as director? Apart from his striking, highly individual visual style, he has an uncanny ability to tell stories about strangers in strange lands. Whether it be the orphaned children in “Walkabout” (1971), the almost otherworldly canals of Venice in “Don’t Look Now” (1973), or even middle America in “The Man Who Fell To Earth” (1976), Roeg tells his stories like no other director.

This also has to do with how he tells his stories. Roeg is a huge fan of what could be best described as ‘non-linear narrative’. He continually jumps back and forward in time, presenting a fragmented, almost mosaic approach to time and space. Put it this way. Roeg was perfecting fractured chronology when future maverick director Quentin Tarantino was still in short pants!

An incredibly divisive director and one that you’ll either love or hate, he has been a massive influence on the like of the aforementioned Tarantino, Guy Ritchie, Danny Boyle, both Ridley and the late Tony Scott and Christopher Nolan.

Here are ten directorial efforts from Nicholas Roeg that will teach you to ‘look’ at cinema in a completely different way.

10. Castaway (1986)

Set on an island, this is a two hander between actors Oliver Reed and Amanda Donahoe. A man advertises for a female companion to spend a year with him on an island. This is a left of centre look at the eternal concept and idea of the battle of the sexes.

Definitely far from Roeg at his best, the worst thing that can be said about “Castaway” is that is it somewhat predictable in its story projection, albeit a beautifully shot and filmed one. Something of an oddity in Roeg’s career. While interesting, it never quite takes hold as you feel it should.

9. Track 29 (1988)

A mysterious stranger (Gary Oldman) suddenly appears out of nowhere. He may or may not be the long lost child of Linda Henry (Theresa Russell), a bored doctor’s wife.

Written by renowned playwright Dennis Potter, “Track 29” is not uninteresting. However, it is almost borderline indecipherable. Potter’s style of writing fails to mesh with Roeg’s utterly in your face, visual assault.

In probably not a coincidence, Oldman’s character, Martin, bears a more than passing resemblance to the character that David Bowie played in Roeg’s 1976 film “The Man Who Fell To Earth”. Like so many things in “Track 29”, this is completely unexplained.

Pardon the pun, but this one goes off the rails, but not in a way that makes you want to watch something else. Even at his weakest, Roeg still proves to be more interesting than some of the other directors out there.

8. Eureka (1983)

Based on true events, this is an striking, uniquely told drama that looks at the murder of Jack mc Cann (Gene Hackman), a multi-millionaire. Featuring Theresa Russell, Rutger Hauer, Mickey Rourke and Joe Pesci, “Eureaka” is an ambitious and bracing work that eventually bites off a little bit more than it can chew.

This is one of those few films that, in its own violent, vulgar and complex way, looks at that point in life where you are mentally and spiritually once life has given you all you want on a material level. A challenging work and not for everyone, this is definitely something of an acquired taste.

7. Insignificance (1985)

Almost a theatre-like piece, this is primarily set in a hotel room. Adding to the air of mystery, the characters are thinly veiled takes on famous people, such as Albert Einstein, Senator Joe Mc Carthy, Marilyn Monroe and Joe Di Maggio. “Insignificance” is very much the chamber piece, each of the characters reflecting upon the state of their lives.

A tantalising, daring ‘what if’, it walks an incredibly fine line between being profound and pretentious. While something of a lesser work in the Roeg back catalogue, it has a true originality and intellectual spark to it. It’s a film that is well worth your time, especially if you’re a Roeg fan.

6. The Witches (1990)

Roeg at his most mainstream. A crowd pleasing take on the famous Rold Dahl novel, this saw Roeg harness his powers once more and tone down spectacularly on the sex and violence that personified some of his key works, such as “Eureaka”, “Don’t Look Now” and “The Man Who Fell To Earth”.

With a gorgeous visual style to it, “The Witches” really takes you into a particular world, time and place. Retaining Dahl’s sly and sarcastic sense of humour, this is a film that will please and entertain a number of different types of audiences.

Out of the adaptations of Dahl’s work, this is one of the most accomplished and satisfying. Anjelica Huston proves to be an inspired choice as the Grand Witch Of All The World, hilarious and terrifying in equal doses.

One for all the family, this is director Roeg at his most accessible. In semi-retirement these days, this would prove to be Roeg’s last truly great work.

It must have been all that pre-millennial tension. For one reason or another, 1999 truly brought out the best in cinema and film makers across the world. It saw great films from material that you would least expect, solid filmmakers step up to become excellent ones and some of the greatest films of the Nineties all in one year.

1999 inspired works that were challenging, intelligent, thought provoking and, in some cases, absolutely exceptional.

Here is a list of thirty movies from that year, illustrating the wide cross section that 1999 had in regards to influence and inspiration to cinema across the world.

30. Two Hands (Gregor Jordan)

This one’s a little bit out of left field. “Two Hands” is an Australian black comedy/drama set in the crime underworld of Sydney. Heath Ledger plays a young man who wants to get into ‘the game’ that is the crime world. In a brilliant performance, Bryan Brown plays Pando, the underworld big key pin.

Although it features a supernatural sub-plot that doesn’t quite work, “Two Hands”, from debutante director Jordan, is a wonderfully written black comedy; sort of like what you would imagine an Antipodean take on “Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels” would be like. If you’re looking for a film that does something of a different dance with the crime genre, then “Two Hands” is for you.

29. American Pie (Paul Wietz)

A late nineties spin on the classic staple of teen comedy, losing one’s virginity, this was a fresh and charming take on a genre that many thought to be dead. With some great writing and acting to it, “American Pie”, while occasionally straying into ‘shock for shock’s sake’ territory, is a film that has a great deal of heart and empathy to it. It struck something of a chord across the world, becoming a massive hit at the box office.

Again, like “The Matrix”, the franchise was cheapened by lesser sequels, especially the direct to DVD ones that didn’t feature any major cast members. However, the original still rates for being highly entertaining and charming.

28. 10 Things I Hate About You (Gil Yunger)

Following on from the massive success director Baz Luhrman had with his remarkable adaptation of “Romeo And Juliet” in 1996, this totally charming take on Shakespeare’s “The Taming Of The Shrew” was one of the more successful modern takes on The Bard.

Featuring heart and style to burn, “10 Things” had a bubbliness that was hard to ignore, managing to melt even the hardest of hearts. Thankfully taming down the more misogynist and negative elements of the original text, this film proved to be the launching pad for two very talented actors, Julia Stiles and the late Heath Ledger.

27. Office Space (Mike Judge)

An acidic comedy from Mike Judge, creator of MTV’S “Beavis And Butthead”, this takes a broad swipe at working life, with all its inconsistencies, frustration and ability to destroy the soul.

A standout in this underrated comedy is where three workers, sick of dealing with a malfunctioning photocopy machine, ‘abduct’ it, take it to a field and beat it with baseball bats! Who hasn’t wanted to do that at some time in their lives.

An accurate and very funny look at work and how it affects life, “Office Space” somehow didn’t fire at the box office upon release. Again, this is another film that found the audience it so rightly deserves in the home market.

26. Man On The Moon (Milos Forman)

Not the most prolific of directors, Czech expatriate Forman brings his sublime skills to the fore to create a highly entertaining biopic on cult American comedian Andy Kaufman. Wonderfully ed by Jim Carey, this enigmatic and enjoyable film lets us into the mysterious life and times of Kaufman, an avant-garde comedian that many didn’t ‘get’ when he was alive.

Also starring Courtney Love and one of Kaufman’s compatriots, Danny De Vito (Kaufman’s co-star in the TV show “Taxi”), this is biopic at its most unconventional, but no less entertaining for being so.

25. Romance (Catherine Breillat)

Uncompromising in the way that only a French director can be, Catherine Breillat’s “Romance” was the film that really introduced her to a greater audience.

Depicting a female school teacher experiencing highly charged and challenging sexual situations, this is not pornography, despite how frank its depiction of sex is.

This is a film that will confuse and provoke in a highly emotional manner. While a bleak and depressing film, it stands out for its intelligence and depth in the way it looks at sex and what it means to us as human beings.

24. eXistenZ (David Cronenberg)

At a point where he was well into his career, Canadian director David Cronenberg was showing no signs of fatigue in regards to his keen intellect in cinema. “eXistenZ”, following hot on the heels of his highly controversial adaptation of the J.G. Ballard novel “Crash”, was a strong illustration of Cronenberg as provocateur, always wanting to push limits and boundaries.

Starring Jude Law and Jennifer Jason Leigh, this look at the video game world covers the director’s obsessions that have run throughout all of his films, such as love, sex, death, reality and insanity.

Visually stylish and thematically compelling, “eXistenZ” is a film that will challenge and provoke in equal measure.

23. Boys Don’t Cry (Kimberly Pierce)

Based on an explosive true story, “Boys Don’t Cry” was a lacerating, powerful film about gender identity and being. Hilary Swank, in an Oscar winning performance, plays a woman who dresses as a man, confused about her identity and being. The ramifications that follow are swift and deadly.

Co-starring Chloe Sevigny and Peter Saasgaard, this was cinema at its most personal and impactful. It’s a shame that talented director Pierce has only made two films since this, her debut feature.

22. Go (Doug Liman)

Fresh of the success of “Swingers”, this was director Doug Liman’s sophomore effort. Featuring a circular narrative where three stories dovetail into one, “Go” beautifully captured that time in one’s life where, in their late teens and early twenties, they are young, full of energy, think they’re bulletproof and all the strange and crazy adventures they get into.

Featuring a bright and energetic visual style, “Go” is a film with energy to burn. It also has a great cast to it, featuring the likes of Timothy Olyphant, Sarah Polley, Scott Wolf and Katie Holmes. “Go”, like its title, is punchy, energetic and really captures beautifully the time when one jumps off from being a child/teenager to being an adult.

21. Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai (Jim Jarmusch)

Jim Jarmusch is one of the most unique, highly idiosyncratic and individual directors working today. All of his films, from “Mystery Train” to his latest, “Only Lovers Left Alive”, have a truly different and personal sense of identity and being to them. His 1999 film, “Ghost Dog: The Way Of The Samurai”, is no different.

A slow, meditative crime drama, Forrest Whittaker stars as an African-American hit man who models his way of life on that of the Japanese Samurai. A thoughtful look at a man who lives by a code, “Ghost Dog” is a wonderfully left of centre take on the crime film. “Ghost Dog” is definitely recommended if, as a lover of cinema, you’re searching for something out of the ordinary.