Ace in the Hole - MatthewHunt

solve a murder. It's an ill-conceived plan on his part and Fuller's stark direction does a great
job of creating a world where madness permeates everything.
Sholay
(Ramesh Sippy, 1975)
The most popular Indian movie ever made, and one that has acquired the same iconic status
as Star Wars or Gone With the Wind. The presence of future superstar Amitabh Bachchan
has a lot to do with that, but it's a great crowdpleaser all round, filled with vivid characters,
rousing action and a classic score.
Shoot the Pianist
(Francois Truffaut, 1960)
After his groundbreaking debut Les 400 Coups, Truffaut retreated from autobiography to
embrace serie-noir genre film-making as a breather before the ambitious Jules et Jim,
upending many of the crime movie's stylistic conventions in adapting David Goodis's pulp
classic for the screen. Energetic, wistful and fatalistic, and Aznavour's gloomily sardonic
presence is a bonus.
Short Cuts
(Robert Altman, 1993)
Altman interweaves Raymond Carver's short stories (and one original thread of Altman's own)
for a poisoned valentine to Los Angeles. The bitterly funny mosaic that results is so full of
standout performances and subtle textures that it rewards repeat viewings even at three-plus
hours.
A Short Film About Killing
(Kyzystzof Kieslowski, 1988)
The best-known, and best, of Kieslowski's extraordinary Dekalog, 10 films based on the 10
commandments, enacted on a dour Warsaw housing estate. This is a masterly account of two
murders: a youth's whimsical, hideous killing of a taxi driver, and the state's equally brutal
revenge/execution.
Shrek
(Andrew Adamson, Vicky Jenson, 2001)
Infectious animation that inverts the stereotypes of its fairytale cast to great effect. Mike
Myer's Shrek is a less-than-jolly green giant, forced into uncharacteristic heroics after his
swamp is invaded by exiled fable characters. Irrepressible sidekick Donkey is one of the best
fits for Eddie Murphy's motormouth skills since Beverly Hills Cop.
Sideways
(Alexander Payne, 2004)
Two barely mature adults - one a sad-sack alcoholic, the other about to be married - take a
bachelors' road trip through California wine country with disastrous results. Payne's wry
buddy movie confronts self-loathing and despair while rarely neglecting the laughs -
particularly memorable is the pair's messy encounter with an amorous, ample-bodied couple.
The Silence of the Lambs
(Jonathan Demme, 1991)
Anthony Hopkins' breakthrough into the super-league was secured by his wildly enjoyable
impersonation of the imprisoned serial killer - a performance only Olivier could have topped.
He is Dr Hannibal Lecter, whose expertise in the psychology of compulsive killers is nervously
sought out by FBI cadet Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). He vouchsafes crucial insights in
return for being allowed inside her head: a terrifyingly dangerous bargain.
Silent Running
(Douglas Trumbull, 1972)
Special-effects maestro Trumbull really stretches his meagre budget here to deliver a greatlooking,
ecological science-fiction film. Bruce Dern plays an unsympathetic misfit who protects