Top 5 horror movies to watch on Halloween

When I first had the idea for my favourite horror movies I knew this would be a list that would take careful consideration and thought. There are so many horror films out there and sub-genres that you don’t really know where to start – from torture porn, folk horror to slasher films there is plenty for the horror fan to enjoy. My list has to be the hardest I have ever deliberated over as I do own a fair few films (I haven’t properly counted yet!) and love being scared. When I was a child I can remember watching Jaws over and over again and loved being in my cousin’s room where the walls were covered in Pinhead and Halloween posters. Again this is my personal taste but please feel free to leave comments with your personal top 5 horror films!

Screen Gal’s top five horror movies for Halloween:

1. Scream
2. Halloween (1978)
3. The Shining
4. Battle Royale
5. Final Destination

Scream

So here it is my favourite horror film of all time. This probably won’t be a number one choice for many people as it is not ‘scary’ however the modern 2.0 version of ‘scary’ is people being torn is half, faces ripped off and any other shit that the Saw franchise churns out. Unfortunately, I was too young to see Scream in theatres at the time of its release and instead settled to watch it a friend’s house a year later. From the moment the tape began playing right through to the credits rolling I was glued to the screen and it was at that moment it became one of my favourite films of all time. 

The film opens with a young Drew Barrymore getting ready to watch a horror film and is waiting on her boyfriend to come over to join her. A mysterious phone call then takes place and it is not long until Drew’s character Casey finds herself being the target of some sick trivia game where her and her boyfriend’s lives hang with a masked lunatic who is harassing her. After the brutal killings and the best opening to a film I have EVER seen we are introduced to Sidney Prescott played by Neve Campbell. It is almost the first anniversary of her mother’s death and the killings of the two high school students couldn’t have come at a worse time for Sidney. With her supportive boyfriend Billy around her and her best friend Tatum she finds that she is the killer’s main target and one by one the citizens of Woodsboro, California are being victimised by the psycho killer. Soon Sidney is fighting for her life as the killer knows everything about her and it is not long before secrets start pouring out.  

Two other characters who become heavily involved in Scream’s storyline are Gale Weathers played by Courtney Cox and Deputy ‘Dewey’ Riley played by David Arquette. Both of these characters are crucial to the storyline as Gale Weathers is writing a book based on Sidney’s mother’s death and is determined to get some recognition in the spotlight, while Deputy Dewey acts as a bodyguard to Sidney and he is also Tatum’s older brother. In a spectacular climax to the film, we assume that both Gale and Dewey are dead however, Gale returns and saves Sidney’s life. It is clear that with its young cast and endless horror references, Scream is still as modern today as it was fourteen years ago. 

Scream is the first horror film that I have ever seen and it was the horror film of the 90’s and one which kick started the genre’s return. I think that the acting is fantastic, with everyone giving 110% into their roles. I think that Matthew Lillard as Stu Macher has to be my favourite character as I like his motive of ‘peer pressure’ (something which is not lost on today’s society), his goofiness and the fact that you never would have thought that he was a killer! I really did not see that coming! Also the fact that there is a back story to this film really adds depth and emotion to the character of Sidney and I like knowing that we have never met/seen her mother in previous scenes as it keeps the mystery alive. Ghostface is an icon in modern society and you can’t look anywhere at Halloween without seeing the mask, seeing the films being repeated on TV or hearing about someone getting a prank phone call about what their favourite scary movie is. Scream is a classic horror film and one that will live on in the hearts of millions.

Halloween (1978)

I am writing the date next to the title as many people may think that I am referring to Rob Zombie’s Halloween when I am actually referring to the original John Carpenter’s Halloween. As I have previously stated, I have seen the posters and DVD covers but I am actually ashamed to say that I did not see this film until a year ago. I did however see Halloween H20 a number of years ago with my family and thought it was not too bad but I was always intrigued to see the original. My boyfriend bought it last year having seen it previously and we decided to have a horror night and watch Halloween and Halloween II in one go. I absolutely loved it, so much so that it has firmly moved into second place in my list above other horrors which I know and loved for years.

Halloween’s opening sequence takes place on Halloween night in Haddonfield, Illinois, 1963 and a six year old boy named Michael Myers has just stabbed his teenage sister to death. Michael then spends the next 15 years institutionalised in Smith's Grove Warren County Sanitarium where he is placed under the care of Dr. Sam Loomis. On October 30^th 1978 Michael breaks out of the sanitarium and begins to stalk three teenage girls; Laurie Strode and her two friends Annie and Lynda. As the film’s events unfold, Michael appears more frequently causing Laurie to become distressed and anxious and it is when babysitting that things turn nasty. With the town’s sheriff in tow, Dr Loomis tries to stop Michael on his grisly killing spree and put an end to Michael once and for all. 

I loved the beginning of the film, where we see things from Michael’s POV and the parent’s coming home and we see what a young boy he is and that it was his sister that he murdered. I was gripped and didn’t move for the duration of the film, eager to know what caused this boy to act like this and what his motives where. My favourite scene is with Laurie’s friends Lynda and Bob who are having sex in the empty house across the street for where Laurie is babysitting. Michael enters the house and kills Bob and then continues to pretend to be Bob by covering himself with a sheet and Bob’s glasses. I was certainly not expecting a comedy element to this film but as with every horror film rule, you have sex and you die. 

For me this is one of Jamie Lee Curtis’ stand out roles among her other many films but I think her acting is phenomenal and I really get how you completely empathise with her throughout the entire film. Halloween is one which I will continue to watch on Halloween for many years to come and it is a true horror classic.

The Shining

I also have early memories of this film where my sister would watch it and I wasn’t allowed in the room as I would be far too scared. It wasn’t until I was about 15 where I was allowed to watch it and even then I’d heard my friend saying about how she watched it and was petrified for weeks and had to sleep in her mum’s bed! This didn’t really give me a positive feeling about this film and will admit that before watching it I was very fearful and anxious that I would spend the rest of my teenage years in beside my mum every night. However, my blanket and sister in tow I took a deep breath and pressed play. I honestly can’t find this film petrifying, not to the extent of sleeping beside someone else anyway! I think that the film is scary, there is something disturbing about witnessing a man go slowly insane and have inner desires to kill his family.

The Shining is about an out of work writer Jack Torrance who applies for a job at the Overlook Hotel, Colorado as a caretaker over the winter months and if successful would have to move his wife Wendy and his child Danny to live with him. During their stay at the hotel, Danny soon starts to see gruesome images in his head known as having ‘the shining’ and Jack soon becomes affected by this. As the heavy snow and isolation set in, as well as writer’s block Jack starts to go insane and begins to have murderous thoughts in his head. Things turn very odd at the hotel as at night Wendy and Danny can hear other guests staying in the hotel and Jack attends a function in the grand ballroom where the barman’s ghost insists that Jack should ‘correct’ his family and that they deserve to be punished. 

As I have said, this is a fantastic film and one which really stays with you for a few days after you watch it. I think Jack Nicolson was born for this role as I couldn’t imagine any other actor playing this part and I think he is genuinely terrifying in some scenes just by his facial expressions. I actually bought the book last year in a charity shop as I was eager to find out if it was different to the film and wow, it is completely different. If I am truly honest I do prefer the book as it has much more detail and sinister themes to it than the film but that is usually the case with a good novel. I have one gripe about this film concerning casting and I really wish they would have cast Wendy Torrance’s role to another actress as I did not like Shelley Duval at all. She was overly hysterical and I found her really hard to watch, at one point I found myself rooting for Jack just to get her to catch a grip! Overall, it is a fantastic film and one which I regularly enjoy.

Battle Royale

Number four on my list is Battle Royale, a Japanese horror film about a group of students who are taken to a deserted island where the rule is: kill or be killed. I heard about this film years ago and was really intrigued by it as I don’t often watch a lot of foreign language films but this one really appealed to me. I first seen this when I recorded it from channel 4 a couple of a years back and I loved every minute of it! The fact that it is subtitled does not put me off in the slightest and although it is quite gruesome at some points, the sheer cleverness of it makes up for it. 

It is the beginning of the 21^st century and the Japanese economy is on the brink of collapse, with high rates on unemployment and violence among the nation’s youth spiralling out of control. The school students are boycotting their classes and abusing their teachers, so as a response the Japanese government approves the Battle Royale Act, where a randomly chosen school class is selected and are sent to an island with a weapon for their possession and are forced to fight each other to the death. Only one pupil is allowed to survive the game to prove that the government will go to any lengths necessary to prevent violence among modern youth.

As I have stated for The Shining, this is a film that stays with you for days after watching it. It is a really clever idea for a film and I love the plot and general consistency of it. I don’t feel character wise that you get to know or sympathise with any one person in particular as students are being killed constantly, however I think that is one of the main points about this film. I think that some of the deaths are really quite inventive and often found myself covering my eyes as it could be quite jumpy at parts. I often think that this is what is needed in the modern society concerning some of the stories on the news about teenagers or young people harming others. It is a great film and one which will keep you hooked right to the end to find out who survives.

Final Destination

I actually had another film in mind for this last place but it was a last minute decision and I changed my mind. Again, this isn’t a typical ‘horror’ gut wrenching, eyeball gouging film but one which I enjoy regularly. I can’t honestly remember the first time that I seen this film as it was so long ago, however I have been to see every sequel in the cinema (some good, some not so good!) However, this is the horror film which brought me into the 21^st century. It is one that I watch quite frequently and as my rule normally stands, original is best. 

Final Destination follows Alex Browning, a high school student who is about to embark upon a trip with his fellow classmates to France on flight 180. As the plane is about to take off Alex has a premonition and sees the plane exploding upon take-off. Frightened by this, Alex and seven of his classmates are escorted off the plane and forced to stay behind while their fellow students take off for Paris. It is only when in the departure lounge that the students witness the plane exploding before their own eyes. The FBI thinks that Alex is really to blame for what happened and follow his every move. As time passes Alex and his friends are hunted down one by one by death, who is angry that they have cheated his design and so die in peculiar ways which look like ‘accidents’. After cheating death once before, can Alex find a way to cheat it once more before it’s too late?

I think that this film is so clever when it comes to horror and I absolutely love the way in which some of the characters get killed off. The bus moment has to go down in history as one of the best and least expected killers ever in horror movie history! I think that the acting is quite good, with Devon Sawa and Kerr Smith as the better characters out of the group. It is definitely a thrill ride which will keep you on the edge of your seat, thinking will it be a knife that kills Ms Luton, plastic from the computer, alcohol bottle or the fire? I never fail to have a smile on my face at the ending of this movie where the survivors are finally in Paris and they realise that the horror may not be over yet.

So there you have Screen Gal’s top 5 horror recommends for Halloween. There are so many other films which I could have placed in as it is a really hard decision! As I have said, please feel free to leave a comment with your top 5 horror films or any other top 5 ideas that you would like me to cover at some point. Thank you for taking the time to read through my blog and have a Happy Halloween!

People don't realise this, but loneliness is underrated.

500 Days of Summer

Rating: 2/5

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend and Chloe Grace Moretz.

Director: Marc Webb

Year: 2009

This was always a film with so much hype built up around it and most of my friends were saying how it was a good film and with a rotten tomatoes rating of 87% you can imagine that I held extremely high hopes for this film. I picked it up around a month ago in the HMV sale for £3 (bargain!) and now I know why. I have always been such a huge fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt since 3rd Rock from the Sun, 10 Things I Hate About You etc. although I have never heard of Zooey Deschanel, apart from her Rimmel adverts. For whatever reason it just did not do a thing for me and I was very dissapointed with this film.

500 Days of Summer follows Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) a trained architect who works at a greeting card company and is introduced to the new assistant to his boss called Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). The film is taken from Tom's point of view of the relationship and jumps from various days within the 500 day span of Tom and Summer's relationship. Some of the events include the two lovers going to see The Graduate in the cinema and afterwards they break up around day 290, which Tom does not take very well and so his friends call in Tom's younger sister Rachel (Chloe Grace Moretz) to help him cope. Summer then quits the greeting card company and while at the wedding of a co-worker, Summer invites Tom to her apartment for a party. While at this party it is revealed that Summer is engaged as Tom sees the engagement ring on her finger. Tom enters a deep depression and eventually quits his job and makes the healthy decision of rededicating himself to his architecture. The film ends when Tom attends an interview and meets a girl who is also interviewing and as they introduce themselves it is revealed that her name is Autumn.

I did enjoy the beginning of the film and particuarly liked the scenes with a touch of comedy in them. I immediately liked the character of Tom and was really drawn to him, although I hated Summer. I felt that she was a selfish, cold hearted and complicated person. I understand that she made it clear that she didn't want a relationship with Tom but the way that she acted towards him throughout certain parts e.g. when looking at records and he is being attentive towards her, she does not even crack a smile once! It was at this point that I began looking at my watch as I was becoming more restless. Credit is due to Zooey Deschanel for portraying a character that most of the audience would turn against. I respect the creativity of the director and like the film's layout, it is refreshing to see a change from the typical beginning - middle - end layout. I watched this film with my boyfriend and I could tell throughout the film that he was not impressed, I tried to bear with it but found myself losing interest and after the film had finished I found myself feeling quite down - it left me with a rather bitter taste in my mouth.

I don't actually have much else to say on this film except that I didn't enjoy it and felt really let down after having such high expectations. 

Good Points: The beginning, the acting from the two lead actors and a few touches of comedy here and there.

Bad Points: The plot of the film, the Summer character and the film as a whole. I just didnt enjoy it.

Frasier

Frasier has to be one of my favourite shows of all time - a real classic sitcom that never fails to make me laugh! I was never wholly a fan of Cheers, catching the odd episode here and there. I never actually realised that Frasier was a spin off show until about two years ago! (Silly, I know) I love everything about this sitcom, the setting in Seattle, Frasier's crazy family and the other radio station talent. I have to admit though that I was really hesitant when watching Frasier in the beginning as I didn’t think that I would get a lot of the jokes and they would be too clever for my age. 

 

The show follows Dr Frasier Crane as he moves away from Cheers, Boston to Seattle to start a new life working at KACL Radio Station. Frasier’s world is turned upside down after his father and ex-cop Martin Crane (John Mahoney) was injured in the line of duty and moved in with him alongside Martin's physical therapist Daphne Moon (Jane Leeves). We are also introduced to Frasier's brother Niles who has problems of his own concerning his marriage and his undying love for Daphne.

One of the finest elements to this show is the way in which they portray confusion into each storyline. There is one episode in particular where Frasier and Niles think that they are are after the same woman and for the whole episode this is drawn out over a series of events, when in fact they are attracted to different women. The writing is key to this fantastic comedy and a lot of popular current sitcoms do not come close to the writing team on Frasier.

In my opinion the best character is Dr Niles Crane (Frasier's brother) who portrays comedy extremely well and is the most likeable character. I love the emphasis that is placed on his love for Daphne and the way in which the writers build up to his and Daphne's relationship. David Hyde Pierce is a fine actor and credit is due to the casting agent who scouted the actors as Frasier, Niles and Martin really do look like they could be a real family. There are a lot of characteristics in Niles which I can see in myself e.g. a running joke between my boyfriend and I about how I am the 'forgotten child' of the family and how no-one knows that my mum and dad had another child (Bearing in mind I am 23 years old!) I can totally relate to Niles and how he feels that Frasier is more popular than him. 

The other characters in the radio station also play an important role in the show, some of my favourites including Roz, Bulldog and Gill. There is also the old station manager Kate Costas where one of my favourite episodes is called 'The adventures of Bad Boy and Dirty Girl' where Kate and Frasier are heard live on air being passionate together. 

There are so many other episodes that stand out and with 11 seasons under its belt Frasier had a great fun and will always be a classic sitcom.

Stay tuned to Screen Gal for a Halloween Top 5 Horror Movies! Any comments or feedback about the blog find me on Twitter @Screen_Gal or drop me an email at screen_gal@hotmail.co.uk

Screen Gal’s discussion of the month: 3D films – mind blowing or mind numbing?

Welcome to the first discussion from Screen Gal all about the marvel that is 3D films. I was looking to talk about something a bit different recently and I thought that a short discussion would be a good idea to get juices flowing and also to hear any feedback on your thoughts about 3D. Every month I will post a discussion about topics related to films so let’s begin!

Standard RealD glasses

It is my own personal opinion that 3D films are not very good to say the least. There are exceptions to my opinion however I have only seen two 3D films that I have been blown away by; The Final Destination and Final Destination 5. Here are the following films that I have seen in 3D:-

• The Final Destination

• Toy Story 3

• Alice in Wonderland

• Thor

• Final Destination 5

I have no comparison with other 3D films such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows but personally I feel that 3D is a money-making scam created by the film industry. In most cases it does not add any extra value or dimension to the film – I can remember sitting watching Alice in Wonderland waiting for something to pop out at me and it never did. Also, paying £1 for a pair of 3D glasses? It is ridiculous! The cost to see a 3D film is also far higher with Odeon charging £10.60 for an adult entry. So why does the public insist on paying extra to see these films? Is it because it is cool?

3D has been around since the 1950’s in its earliest form however it was more prominently featured in the 1980’s and 90’s due to IMAX producing non-fiction films. Derived from stereoscopic photography, a regular motion picture camera system is used to record the images as seen from two perspectives (or computer-generated imagery generates the two perspectives in post-production), and special projection hardware and/or eyewear are used to provide the illusion of depth when viewing the film. (Taken from Wikipedia)

3D TV is also the latest offering from the manufacturers, urging consumers to buy into purchasing the TV and Glasses to enjoy their very own home 3D experience. I tried this out for myself recently while shopping for a new TV and I did not see any change at all. It is about market trends and unfortunately this appears to be something that will not disappear anytime soon. 

Kudos must be made to the creators of The Final Destination and Final Destination 5 as they provided a full round 3D experience and I definitely got my money’s worth. At times I even moved my head back and hands up to cover my face. It was the best 3D experience of my life and if filmmakers took a few tips then yeah, it could be worthwhile.

The original Archetypical 3D glasses

It is not just me who has a problem with 3D, check out the following articles about how 3D has proven to be a strain on the eyes and also causes headaches. Don’t get me wrong, if the right film came out in 3D then I probably would consider going to see it, however I wouldn’t go and see every single release of a film in 3D as it is simply not worth it. 

1. The Guardian article
2. The Daily Mail article

Need anymore proof that 3D simply isn’t worth it? Watch The Last Airbender  - you will never trust 3D again.

Top 5 Tarantino movies!

Screen Gal’s top five Quentin Tarantino movies:

1. Kill Bill Vol. 2
2. Kill Bill Vol. 1
3. Reservoir Dogs
4. Pulp Fiction
5. Inglorious Basterds

This has to be the hardest top five as Tarantino is one of my favourite directors of all time and it was such a hard decision to take his films and place them into an order. After a lot of time and deliberation I finally came to a satisfied ranking and I know that there will be a lot of readers out there who disagree with my choice as everyone has their own tastes however I will explain my reasons for choosing this order throughout the blog.

Kill Bill Vol. 2

I know what you’re thinking, how can you possibly put volume two ahead of volume one when there is so much more action in part one. I like to think of these two volumes as one whole, an argument which has plagued forums for years as some fans believe that they are two separate accounts and some who believe that this is all just one film cut in half. Personally, I belong to the second group of fans. Although for the purpose of this top five I will refer to it as two parts to compare them and state why this part is better. This was one which I seen in the cinema (My first 18 rated experience may I add!) and I loved every single minute of it.

After the cliff hanger at the end of volume one in which Bill asks his assistant ‘Is she aware that her daughter is still alive?’ the audience had a wait of six months before finding out the answer. Volume two picks up directly where volume one left off, we are introduced to the bride who informs the audience that she is on a mission to get revenge on the people who tried to kill her and is going to fulfil her wish and kill Bill.  With two members of the squad already dead the bride then takes aim at Budd and Elle Driver. The films events lead up to the ultimate confrontation with Bill, who was the bride’s former master and the man who ordered the squad to kill her.

Volume two will always hold a dear place in my heart as there is more screen time for my two favourite members of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, Budd (Bill’s brother) and Elle. The death scenes are fantastic and at times hard to watch, for example the scene where the bride is buried alive by Budd and his accomplice and the showdown between the bride and Elle. I prefer this to the first film as it has a lot more emotion and depth to it, we are introduced to her daughter and when she first sees her it is such a touching scene and you can really feel empathetic with this character. It gives you a lot more to the story that we didn’t know e.g. we didn’t know that it was a wedding rehearsal, not the actual ceremony and the events that lead up to the massacre. This isn’t to say that I don’t like part one as to me Kill Bill as a whole is Tarantino’s finest work, it’s just that part two has a lot more to it.

Kill Bill Vol. 1

I first seen Vol. 1 on an illegal copy at a friend’s house and perhaps did not get to appreciate the full value of this film. I seen trailers for it on the TV and was really impressed, although I knew that I would have to settle for an illegal copy. This was completely and utterly different to anything that I have ever seen, as I am not a fan of kung fu or martial arts in any capacity but found myself blown away by the intensity of the action and humour contained with this part.

Uma Thurman plays the bride (her real name is not revealed until part two, and throughout a beeping noise can be heard to disguise it) who was gunned down by her former boss Bill (played by David Carradine) and his Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. This part takes place four years after the events and the bride has just awakened after being in a coma and decides that it is time to get revenge on those who wronged her. As the action continues the bride is successful on her mission and we follow her through Okinawa in Japan to track down O-Ren Ishi and fight off the Crazy 88’s. 

The action in this part is immense and perfectly choreographed. The fight scene with the crazy 88’s and O-Ren’s bodyguards is mind blowing and I personally love when they cut to a blue background and black silhouettes of the actors duelling. Another great element to this part is the anime cartoon that is used in the middle section, telling the story of how O-Ren became an assassin and informing the audience of her upbringing. As I have explained above, volume two beat this film by inches by having the back story and emotion that the first half lacks. However, part one more than makes up for this with the action and humour. I fully recommend watching the two parts back to back and you will soon see why this can be considered as one full film, it is smart, funny, brutal and clever. I highly recommend Kill Bill volume one and two.

Reservoir Dogs

This was actually my first Tarantino film that I ever seen, I remember buying my first DVD player and choosing two DVDs for £20 and this was one of them. My family’s first reaction was ‘Isn’t that a bit too gory for you?’ which for me put a slight taint on this film as I was soon expecting a lot of blood and gore (not exactly a bad thing!) I immediately loved this film and every character involved in the storyline. The acting is phenomenal and is definitely one of my top ten films of all time.

The film takes place in an abandoned warehouse in the aftermath of a robbery where we are introduced to two characters – Mr Pink and Mr White. All of the gangsters involved have colour coded names and only know each other by this. Keeping an eye on things is Joe and his son nice guy Eddie. As the film unfolds the audience see the planning that was involved and the backgrounds to the main characters. Four have survived and are residing in the warehouse but which member betrayed them to the police?

Reservoir Dogs has a fantastic cast of some of the best and most well known actors to date including Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen and Chris Penn. The one scene which the film will be remembered by myself and millions of others is the ear scene between the police officer and Mr Blonde (Michael Madsen) This is incredibly hard to watch as we feel empathetic with the police officer as Mr Blonde is a bit of a psychopath however the music ‘Stuck in the middle with you’ which plays as this scene unfolds somehow lightens the mood and intensity of it. For Tarantino’s first film it is an incredible one and the film which established him as a highly esteemed director and writer. 

Pulp Fiction

I caught this on playing late on television one night and since I loved Reservoir Dogs so much I had such a good feeling about the film. A friend then bought it for me on DVD a year or so later as a Christmas gift and it is always a film I stick on every now and then. I think I have worn myself out of it recently as there was a phase where I watched it all the time and now I really need to be in the mood for it. However, it is a fantastic story so well written by Tarantino and the acting and calibre of the actors who star are exceptional.

The film has three main stories which are all linked and of course not told in the correct sequence of events (in typical Tarantino style). We are introduced to Jules and Vincent, (John Travolta and Samuel L Jackson) who are two hit men sent to a flat to redeem money for their boss Marcellus Wallace.  Vincent is also tasked with entertaining Marcellus’ wife Mia while Wallace is out of town. Wallace is currently dealing with Butch Collidge (Bruce Willis), a boxer who failed to throw a fight after taking Wallace’s money and is now planning to flee the city. The lives of these seemingly unrelated people are woven together consisting of a series of funny, bizarre and mindless incidents.

One of the most memorable scenes throughout the film is where Vincent and Jules are in the front seat of the car and driving towards somewhere. In the back is someone and as Vincent innocently turns to ask him a question his gun goes off and the guy’s brains are splattered across the back seat. I know this sounds grotesque but the humour and unexpectedness involved really brings this scene alive and every time I see it I roll about laughing.

Pulp Fiction has set itself firmly in history as a cult classic. A lot of people will have it number one on their list and as I mentioned and it was a very hard decision ordering the films. Tarantino really outdid himself in this film (script wise) as it is definitely his best writing. It is a great film however personally I don’t see this as his best work and generally prefer Kill Bill to Pulp Fiction. I can’t state any specific reason as I just enjoy Kill Bill more.

Inglorious Basterds

On first hearing of this film I was really surprised that it was Tarantino directing as World War Two Nazi killing army did not seem like his type of thing. However, as soon as I seen his name associated with it I was really intrigued to see what this film would bring as it was something completely different for Tarantino. I headed to the cinema with my better half to see it and I did not move an inch throughout the screening. It is a wonderful film and one which I cannot wait to see again.

The film opens in Nazi occupied France where a young Jewish refugee Shosanna (Melanie Laurent), witnesses the slaughter of her family at the hands of Colonel Hans Landa. She narrowly escapes and vows to get her revenge when a German soldier arranges a movie premier at the theatre she owns. At the premier every major Nazi officer is in attendance (even Hitler himself) and the event even catches the attention of the ‘Basterds’ who are a group of Jewish-American soldiers who have one simple goal: kill the enemy.  As the premier gets underway, Shosanna, Lt. Aldo Raine (head of the Basterds played by Brad Pitt) and his fellow Basterds cross paths for a fateful evening that will set itself firmly in history.

This again is an absolutely fantastic film and really well written. Tarantino has a specific quality for screenwriting and particularly loves including a lot of dialogue between his characters. There are of course a few squeamish moments throughout the film, e.g. where the Basterds are scalping Nazi’s and of the killing of Hitler. A lot of fans will refer to this as his best film calling it a masterpiece; I do believe that it deserves to be in the top five however I would not call this his best film (obviously!) It is still an enjoyable ride and at points will leave you at the edge of your seat so check it out!

I have recently noticed that I have had a lot of views on my top 5 and on TV show reviews. I will continue doing top 5’s and currently have a list sitting in my room that I am trying to work through. Please feel free to drop me an email with any ideas of comments about the blog and also don’t forget to follow on twitter to stay up to date with Screen Gal! The email and twitter addresses can be found at the top of the blog. Thanks guys for all your views since I’ve started, it really means a lot to me!