RATINGS AND RANKINGS

---

My favourite films of all time (this list is almost completely subjective, there will be more objective reviews on other lists, but this one is to really address what I enjoy in these films)

10- The Worlds End. 

I go back and forth between all the Edgar Wright films for this spot, and while others like Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver are objectively better, The Worlds End is by far the most rewatchable for me. There are a few reasons for this; Gary king is my favourite performance from Simon Pegg. He's a funny yet wild character, who you wouldn't think of as being tragic, but by the end he'll have you questioning life. Gary King is a boy who never became a man, like a more realistic and depressing Peter Pan; The trademark gags from the other Cornetto films like the fence joke and trademark Cornetto are here too, but not only are they continued gags but somehow payoffs as they're like a climax to the running joke. For example, the Cornetto, while eaten in the other films, becomes an unreachable and lusted after item in the Worlds End, I don't know if that was intentional but it seems like a fitting end to the joke. The premise is by far the most interesting of the trilogy as the film has a complete Genre twist halfway through the film that on first viewing comes out of nowhere. One moment it's a film about 5 friends having a depressing reunion and an equally depressing pub crawl then boom, there's aliens and robots all over the town. On subsequent watches, you see all the little hints and moments foreshadowing and think “How did I not see that earlier?” but then immediately after you realise "Well I didn't realise because it was normal before" a classic trope in most movies that have a twist, but in the Worlds End its baffling considering that everything that seemed really menial on first viewing suddenly becomes blatantly suspicious and obviously wrong. And my is it a tear jerker, Gary king really is the best character Edgar has written 

9- Prisoners. 

One of the hardest films I’ve ever watched alongside Netflix’s All Quiet on the Western Front. My friends and I had a watch party for this Film and the tension paired with our reactions throughout really elevated the experience. The way it tricks you into rooting for a character committing such brutal crimes with the excuse of “he’s a grieving father” paired with Denis Villeneuve‘s depressing and somehow personal tone is really a sight to behold. I mean when I say this man can go from bringing to life an impossible sci fi world in one film then place the viewer into a morbid version of their own home town in another is wildly impressive, I mean it. And damn is detective Loki a badass.

8- Se7en. 

This film proved to me that no horror movie can ever be scarier than a thriller. At least in horror you expect the scares, but I was not prepared for how evil this movie was. The fact that you only ever see the aftermath of the murders in the film is genius to me because then we have to imagine what really went down, which is infinitely more terrifying than just seeing it. The reveal of John Doe, the conflicting morals of protagonists Somerset and Mills and the infamous box scene are really the best use of their tropes and story telling techniques I've seen. There is pure malice in this movie from start to finish not just in the story but in the world too. Its set in this un-named city that's constantly raining and is only ever described as "this godforsaken city" like its hell itself. At one point the characters enter a brothel and from the moment they enter its like they entered a new circle of Hell; loud, violent and chaotic. And as a side note, I never expected Howard shore, the composer for the epic and bombastic lord of the rings score, to have also created the soundtrack to this film. Somehow using notes and instruments that aren’t disturbing at all, he was still able to frighten me with the Original Soundtrack (OST). Maybe the uncanny use of mostly normal sounds in that setting is what did it

7- Lord of the Rings Return Of The King. 

What I consider to be the best film ever made is also one of my favourites. This is one where I really struggle to put into words what makes this one special. Maybe it’s the culmination of all the things that the previous two films were building up to, the brilliant payoffs, the unreal scale in the battle scenes, the fact that the characters are still growing and developing in every moment even after 8 hours from the other two films, the overall feeling of optimism despite all the troubles and evils that the characters face. Pretty much all of these factors can be summarised in the character of Samwise Gamgi. He really is the true hero of the story, never giving into temptation or hatred and never giving up on Frodo no matter how much he’s pushed away or how much the odds are stacked against him. Everything in this film is perfect. You’d be stabbing yourself in the back if you don’t watch the extended version too as you would be missing out on some of the best scenes in the film, some of which I genuinely don‘t understand why they were cut. And the visuals to this day still hold up and look better than pretty much anything made today. 

6- Star Wars Revenge of the Sith. 

While people have turned around on them, the prequels still get a lot of hate. Despite growing up with them, I would have to agree that overall they are objectively bad films. However I still have a soft spot for ROTS. The sheer awesomeness of this film just makes me love it to bits. The opening battle is probably the best opening sequence of any Star Wars film, immediately setting the darker tone and preparing us for the rest of the film, as there is a ton of death, mutilation and manipulation not just in this scene but throughout. Anakin's fall while rushed still has a punch to the gut factor, as seeing how he was really a slave his whole life to every side he played for is just depressing. The action and music are by far the best of the entire saga here, as the set pieces like the fiery landscapes of Mustafar and the meeting room of the senate are great for delivering unique battles, and the music is just absolutely astounding. John Williams didn’t falter on a single piece for this score as he delivers the best tracks of the entire saga like battle of the heroes, Anakin's dark deeds, Padme's ruminations, General Grievous and the immolation scene. Some epic bombastic and others epic and tragic. I can gush about this film all day while still admitting it’s flaws, but those flaws just can’t destroy the pure joy I get from watching this film.

5- The Hateful 8. 

This film by Quentin Tarantino garners a lot of flack as its generally seen as his worst film. now this may just be due to it being the first Tarantino I saw, but I think the Hateful 8 may be one of his best. The atmosphere of this film is really impressive, being set in only one location throughout the majority of the film, and while people criticize the film as just being dialogue for nearly 3 hours in one house, I would count that as a positive considering how excellent the dialogue and character writing in this film is. The character roster in this film is probably the most impressively written that Tarantino has done, each character bringing something unique to despise about them. I mean the film is called the Hateful 8 for a reason, these guys are horrific and, ironically, that is what makes them so enjoyable to watch bounce off of each other. As well as this, the performances are out of this world, especially from Walton Goggin's, Samuel L Jackson and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Even scenes as simple as Daisy playing a lonely melody on the guitar may seem like it would drag on, but the atmosphere combined with Leigh's chilling performance elevate it to the point where I can't take my eyes off the screen. The way that you can tell that she is plotting through the song is just perfect. And the finale is Quentin at his most bloody and brilliant.

4- Bladerunner 2049. 

I've got both of the Bladerunner movies on this list and regularly go back and forth between which one I like more. 2049 is a visual marvel, every single shot and visual effect in this movie is gorgeous, and I would go as far as to say this is the best looking film ever made. But 2049's plot is worth the praise too. In the film you follow Officer K, a Bladerunner hunting down replicants despite himself being one. The movie explores the same themes of the first movie such as what it means to be human, and it very successfully expands on those core elements. One of the most vital elements of the story is K's relationship with his holographic girlfriend Joi. I found myself invested in their relationship and was deeply saddened with how it ended, but I found myself asking "how?" because early on it is established that Joi is a hologram. Unlike even K who is at least an artificial human, she shouldn't even have emotions. The Film does a good job of making you wonder if her love for him was real or if it was all programming, and the film doesn't suggest itself which one it is. K's journey is excellent as he isn't the typical hero of the story. Throughout the entire experience he thinks that he is the chosen one, only to find out that he really isn't that important. He's that one character we always see in movies, the side character or extra who helps the important characters get out alive while they die behind them. And to see a story from that characters perspective was really quite touching.

3- Tron Legacy. 

Like Revenge of The Sith, this film is a total guilty pleasure, a comfort film even. A lot of people like to rip into this film for having a basic and uninspired plot, but I really don't have a problem with it. Yes it is a basic "son looking for father" plot tied in with a resistance against some evil empire, but the story isn't really bad, just not very creative. This is definitely forgivable due to the films visuals and score, which are the real stand outs. The movie, despite being made in 2010, still looks absolutely amazing. The original Tron was a marvel of its time in visual effects, and legacy was made to give a new generation the same feeling of awe that the original gave its viewers in the 80's. The dark and gothic landscape of the grid paired with the bright neon colours of characters clothing, weapons and vehicles really made this the gold standard for how to make a cyberpunk world. But the world wouldn't have been as unique and stylistic without the score. Daft Punk, a French techno duo, were brought in to do the soundtrack of this film. And the way they pair the Electronic synths with the spine chilling orchestral strings, essentially creating a new genre was something just out of this world. The music and visuals for Legacy is what puts it in my top 3, as I have many fond memories of watching the Blu Ray version of the movie on our TV, which let me tell you, made it by far the best looking piece of media I had seen to that point and it's still up there as one of the best technical achievements in film to date.

2- Django Unchained. 

Tarantino you did it again. Django Unchained is about as classic a revenge story as you can get. A man freed from enslavement now hunts down those who imprisoned him to slaughter them and free his wife. Tarantino knows how to satisfy his audience so well, as similarly to Inglorious Basterds, Django showcases a satisfactory version of US history in which the terrible slavers of Africans are punished and brutalised in the same way they tortured the slaves. Django himself is a really excellent protagonist as at first he isn't cool at all. If anything he's like a child as before his freedom he knew almost nothing of the outside world. But once he gets into the bounty hunting profession he is, of course, a natural because of his rage and lust for vengeance. While he still has a sense of morality, he ultimately knows that he has to do some pretty terrible things if he is to save his wife. It's a great example of having a truly human character as he isn't as black and white as "I always do the right and good thing and only kill the bad guys" he isn't opposed to killing fathers and letting innocents be killed in his wake, and while it is for a selfish reason, its a reason we can all understand. As well as Django himself there's his partner in crime Dr King Schultz. Schultz, played by Christoph Waltz, has an extremely similar personality to Waltz's other Tarantino character Hans Landa. But what intrigues me about Schultz is that despite being so similar in personality to the terrible SS soldier, he couldn't be a more different guy. It goes to show the range that Christoph has. He is essentially playing himself in every role, but unlike many other actors who do the same, he can make a different version of himself each time and have it work. Other performances like Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie, Kerrie Washington as Brumhilda and especially Samuel L Jackson, my favourite actor, as the despicable Stephen, are worthy to note as well. the Performances are really something to behold in this film.  The action is also incredible, the Candyland shootout is one of the most intense, wild and awesomely bloody fight scenes in movie history. The blood looking and sounding like thick hot soup or juice is a great example of both Tarantino's glorified violence and his excellent use of sound design. Above all, this movie is just fun. I could honestly watch Django and all the other films below it on this list a thousand times. but there's only one film that I could watch infinite times and never be bored.

1- Bladerunner, The Final Cut. 

I said that I go back and forth between this and 2049 and I think I've finally made my decision. The final cut's atmosphere is unmatched. Vangelis' soundtrack is one of the most unique and iconic scores ever composed with its mix of futuristic synths and smooth jazz and saxophone. the music of Bladerunner helps to create the world more than anything else, so much so that with just the ambience and music this movie can relax me and transport me into its world completely. I can get the same amount of joy as watching this movie just by listening to it in the background. For a movie made in 1982 it holds up spectacularly with its visuals, and I'm aware that the Final cut is a 2007 remaster but it doesn't alter much of the effects because, well, it didn't need to! As well as this,  the story is pretty great too. It seems like a simple dystopian cop story at first; moody alcoholic detective needs to hunt down the evil robots; but the more you think about it, the more complex Bladerunner becomes. The story is really about asking what makes us human. Roy Batty and the other replicants seem to just be freaky murderous villains at first, but you realise that all they wanted was to live and feel things like love. Roy and Pris are a romantic couple within the film that, despite not having much screen time together, perfectly convey the core message about the replicants. they haven't got long to live and have only just started to realise emotional responses. Because of this they are wild and passionate with their love in ways that seem weird and uncanny at first, but pure and beautiful once you think about the emotions behind how they act. Deckard, the protagonist, goes on a mini arc in the film that by the end has him appreciating life more due to Roy Batty's amazing "tears in the rain" speech, written by Roy's late actor Rutger Hauer himself. How ironic that it was an android, an artificial human, who made Deckard realise how precious life was and how much it was worth living. It's truly amazing how this movie can tell so much with such a simple and short story, because if you think about it, the movie's story is quite short, as it's the atmosphere and the world that's the real star of the movie. Bladerunner tells a story within a painting, and even though that story isn't seen as the main focus, it is without a doubt in my mind, one of the greatest stories ever told.

Favourite TV Shows of All Time 

10- Stranger Things (2016-ongoing)

9- The Boys (2019-ongoing)

8- Arcane (2021-ongoing)

7- Cyberpunk Edgerunners (2022)

6- Rick and Morty (2013-ongoing)

5- Attack on Titan (2013-2023)

4- Erased (2016)

3- Love is War (2019-ongoing)

2- Breaking Bad (2008-2013)

1- Vinland saga (2019-ongoing)

Favourite Moments in Fiction 

10- The breakfast scene from "Erased" (2016 anime)

9- Vader kills Palpatine from "Star Wars Return of the Jedi" (1983 movie)

8- Final chapter from "the Hateful 8" (2016 movie)

7- Padme's ruminations from "Star Wars Revenge of the Sith" (2005 movie)

6- band of the hawk Vs Ganishka from "Berserk" (1989-ongoing manga)

5- Eren and Armin vs Bertholdt from "Attack on Titan" (2013-ongoing anime)

4- Gus Fring's final walk from "Breaking Bad" "2008-2013 Tv show)

3 Arthur morgan's final ride from "Red Dead redemption 2" (2018 video game)

2- Tears in rain from "Bladerunner" (1982 film)

1- Askeladd's sacrifice from "Vinland saga" (2019-ongoing anime)

Favourite Characters in Fiction

10- Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)

9- Kayo Hinazuki (Erased)

8- Lee Everett (Telltales the walking dead game)

7- Casca (Berserk)

6- Gehrman The Tirst Hunter (Bloodborne ps4)

5- Gus Fring (Breaking Bad)

4- Roy Batty (Bladerunner)

2- Arthur Morgan (Red Dead Redemption  2)

1- Askeladd (Vinland saga)

Favourite Pieces of Fiction 

10- Shawshank Redemption (my pick for the 2nd best movie of all time)

9- Attack on Titan (4th favourite show)

8- Love is War (3rd favourite show)

7- Red Dead Redemption 2 story (2nd favourite game)

6- Bladerunner (favourite movie and 2nd favourite atmosphere and world)

5- Lord of the Rings (my pick for the best movies of all time)

4- Berserk (favourite manga and art style) 

3- Breaking Bad (my 2nd favourite show and pick for best show of all time)

2- Vinland saga (favourite show and story)

1- Dark souls (favourite game, world, atmosphere, lore and biggest inspiration for my stories currently)

Favourite Soundtracks of All Time

7- Utopia (notable tracks; Utopia Overture, Utopia finale, Monarch's Pyramid, Mr Rabbit it is, Fascinating Child, Lucidity Gone and To You All The Kids Will Come by Cristobal Tapia De Veer

6 Bladerunner (both of them. notable tracks; Tears in rain, wait for me, Rachel's theme, Bladerunner blues, Love theme, Main titles, End titles and memories of green by Vangelis, Sea wall, All the best memories are hers, Wallace, Joi, memory, flight to LAPD and Mesa by Hans Zimmer and Benjamin Wallfisch

5- Red Dead Redemption 2 (notable tracks; Thats The Way It Is by Daniel Lanois, Cruel World by Josh Homme, Crash of Worlds by Rocco DeLuca, The Disaster, Fleeting Joy, Red Dead Redemption and American Venom by Woody Jackson

4- Revenge of the Sith (notable tracks; Battle of the Heroes, Padme's Ruminations, Anakin's Dark Deeds, The Immolation Scene, Grievous Speaks to Lord Sidious and Enter Lord Vader by John Williams)

3- Vinland saga (notable tracks; Enter the War, Somewhere Else, Ahead of The Road, Battleground, Intertwined, Utopia and End of the prologue by Yukata Yamada)

2- Attack on Titan (notable tracks; APETITAN, Attack on D, YouSeeBIGGIRL/T:T, Zero Eclipse, T-KT and Barricades by Hiroyuki Sawano)

1 Soulsborne (Dark Souls 1-3, Bloodborne and Elden Ring. notable tracks; Gehrman the First Hunter and Ludwig the Holy Blade by Tsukasa Saitoh, Gwyn Lord of Cinder and Aldrich Devourer of Gods by Motoi sakuraba, Epilogue and Slave Knight Gael by Yuka Kitamura, Beast Clergyman and Godskin apostles by Tai Tomisawa and a moments peace by Yuji Takenouchi)