All That Heaven Allows (1955), directed by Douglas Sirk. A phenomenal melodrama that covers classism and shame and wonderful wonderful colours. An incredible, and timeless romance.

Killer Joe (2011), directed by William Friedkin. A depraved, disgusting, deep fried hellhole of a film. McCoughaney is as terrifying as he is funny as the titular Joe. Just an all around helluva time.

Medium Cool (1969), directed by Haskell Wexler. Blow-Up for the Americans, a playful, angry, kind of film. Really sort of just goes by you so idly you don't even realise the sheer horror of the work until it hits you at the end.

The Searchers (1956), directed by John Ford. The west is dying, always has been, no room for the old (no country for old men!), gorgeous landscapes contrasted with horrible violence, a true masterpiece.

The Curse (2023), various directors. This miniseries is... it's incredible, it's cringey, horrifying, funny, it's disgustingly modern and it has beautiful telephoto cinemtography and a hypnotic score to boot.

Body Double (1984), Brian DePalma. A delirious Anti-Hollywood satire from Brian DePalma (the true master of suspense). Easily one of his best, and has arguably the most overwhelmingly strange kiss and musical number ever put to screen.

Cache (2005), Michael Haneke. One of the greatest formal exercises of all time, recalls Michael Snow's Wavelength under the heavy shadow of colonialism. One of the most intense, and one of the most guilty films I've had the pleasure of seeing.

Sanjuro (1962), directed by Akira Kurosawa. Just a virtually perfect action film/western or whatever you want to call it. Moves at a constant pace, and is a much cleaner, much more sensible film than its predecessor Yojimbo.

The Doom Generation (1995), Greg Araki. Araki's masterpiece is a bleak, queer, road trip action movie. It has sex, it has sexiness, and it has nihilism to boot. Visually stunning mise-en-scene paired with his kinetic dialogue amount to a perfect film.

The Wicker Man (1973), Robin Hardy. The great British Folk Horror film (up until Mark Jenkin's Enys Men if you ask me). I did not expect it to be a musical

and it was one of the most interesting first viewing experiences I've had for such a monumental classic.

Showgirls (1995), Paul Verehoven. I've never been too fond of old Paul, but this is one of the greatest, campiest, epics of all time. Imagine a film shot like it were Spartacus, but it is set in

the sleazy behind the scenes of Las Vegas... yeah.

Seconds (1966), John Frankenheimer. Seconds can be separated into three acts of feeling. Act 1, pure paranoia. Act 2, pure bleak sadness. Act 3, pure horror. Rock Hudson is unrecognisable in such a setting, but it is arguably his finest work, even surpassing his films with Sirk.

The Master (2012), Paul Thomas Anderson. His masterpiece. A perfect film. I did not understand how I felt throughout it, but when the last image came on, and the last song played, I was met with every feeling I'd ever had. A perfect film.

OTHER HONOURABLE MENTIONS...

Truck Turner (1974), dir John Kaplan.

The Cook, the Thief, his Wife and her Lover (1989), dir Peter Greenaway.

Watership Down (1978), dir Martin Rosen & John Hubley.

Trap (2024), dir M. Night Shymalan.

Point Blank (1967), dir John Boorman.

Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974), dir Rainer Werner Fassbinder.

Christmas Evil (1980), dir Lewis Jackson.

Paper Moon (1973), dir Peter Bogdanovich.

This is England (2006), dir Shane Meadows.