Welcome to the latest What’s on Netflix top 50 movies currently streaming on Netflix for May 2020. Our selection covers a mix of the best comedy, action, romantic, sci-fi and animated movies currently streaming on Netflix. We update this list every month with the new movies that have been added to Netflix.
As the world crisis continues, we offer our continued best wishes; and, to many of you, our deepest commiserations. Stay safe and stay well.
There are plenty of new entries in our list this week. And does it feel like Jim Carrey season to anyone else? As always, we don’t offer this list as the best movies ever, but as 50 films that are worth watching on Netflix. Bet you haven’t seen them all yet. Let us know what you think.
50. (-) Arctic Dogs – 2019
Directed by: Aaron Woodley
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum, James Franco
Running time: 1h 32min
We start with a film for the kids. At the outset we have to say that Arctic Dogs (or Polar Squad or Arctic Justice – whatever it’s titled this week) did not set out to win awards. It’s aimed straight between children’s eyes and, at this level, it works fine. Of course, it has moral messages but these are delivered with simplicity and charm. The music is good and the characters endearing. Listen out for John Cleese in particular.
49. (-) Hangman – 2017
Directed by: Johnny Martin
Starring: Al Pacino, Karl Urban, Brittany Snow
Running time: 1h 38min
Fundamentally Hangman is another hackeyned buddy cop film with a serial killer following a weird theme. If all you want to do is compare it to the plethora of similar formulaic movies, OK. But it’s still worth a chance as the story concept is good. The downside is that the delivery is not so good.
48. (-) What a Girl Wants – 2003
Directed by: Dennie Gordon
Starring: Amanda Bynes, Colin Firth, Kelly Preston
Running time: 1h 45min
Not to be confused with Mel Gibson rom-com What Women Want, What a Girl Wants is an easy estranged father/ daughter story that spans the Altlantic ocean. While the set up is spurious, the relationship is believable and the story has its roots in films from the 1950s. There’s rarely anything genuinely new on the big screen! This is a gentle diversion probably best watched with a glass of something and your feet on the couch.
47. (-) Fun with Dick & Jane – 2005
Directed by: Dean Parisot
Starring: Jim Carrey, Téa Leoni, Alec Baldwin
Running time: 1h 30min
We often get vocal about remakes that should never have happened. While the 1977 original was a perfectly good movie, it was one of those unusual films that benefitted from an upgrade to more modern times. Having a hyper-active Jim Carrey doesn’t do any harm either. Despite the title bearing an uncanny resemblance to one of those educational adult films with a happy ending, this is proper fun with relevance even 15 years after its release.
46. (50) Goosebumps – 2015
Directed by: Rob Letterman
Starring: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush
Running time: 1h 43min
Off Netflix and almost immediately back again, Goosebumps is a family-friendly monsters movie with some nice special effects and quality performances from a largely unknown supporting cast. Jack Black in the lead role is his usual competent self. Based loosely on the series of Shivers children’s books (Black’s character is rather shamelessly called Shivers) which were, in turn, a “rip off” of the earlier series of Goosebumps books. This is the end of a procession of, er, recycled material that actually works.
45. (48) Dragonheart – 1996
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Sean Connery, Dina Meyer
Running time: 1h 55min
You can’t beat a bit of dragon slaying. It’s a great way to spend a weekend. We must be careful not to drive them into extinction. Dragonheart was nominated for the visual effects Oscar and no wonder. The dragon voiced by Sean Connery is really very good. This is a family movie with minimal blood and guts. Don’t worry about the cliches.
44. (47) Outbreak – 1995
Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, Morgan Freeman
Running time: 2h 7min
Jump on a bandwagon? Who us? A deadly virus has arrived from overseas and is spreading rapidly. No, no, no. In the film. Dustin Hoffman carries off a rare bit of miscasting with aplomb. Is there anything to learn here? Probably not. But it might be appropriate watching while you’re self-isolated.
43. (46) Hitch – 2005
Directed by: Andy Tennant
Starring: Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin James
Running time: 2h 10min
Apparently there are professional “date doctors” out there. Hitch is one. He’s not very good at it when it comes to his own relationships and this is the conceit of the comedy here. Beneath the layers of stereotyping, the film actually has a deep look at the vulnerabilities of people and relationships. Stay with us. Hitch is a funny movie with well-developed characters and a nice sideways smile at New Yorkers.
42. (45) What Lies Beneath – 2000
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Katharine Towne
Running time: 1h 44min
To remind you, Back to the Future, Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Forrest Gump were some of Zemeckis early films and speak to his versatility and skill. And in the hands of another director, this movie might not have worked. Delivered by a, er, mature Michele Pfeiffer and a, er, maturer Harrison Ford the story is believable and that makes What Lies Beneath a perfectly watchable movie.
41. (-) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – 2005
Directed by: Tim Burton
Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly
Running time: 1h 55min
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of the great collaborations between Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. The morality tale was first visited with Gene Wilder in the role of Willy Wonka, owner of the said Chocolate Factory, and we have this in our list later. Frankly, this version is one for Tim Burton fans.
40. (43) Yes Man – 2008
Directed by: Peyton Reed
Starring: Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel, Bradley Cooper
Running time: 1h 44min
Carl has challenged himself to say “yes” to everything for a year. What a nuisance he isn’t a bank manager. This is an unashamed rom-com and, unusually, you don’t need to be a Jim Carrey fan to enjoy it. This a Carrey who has shed a lot of the awkwardness of his early performances and so much the better for that. His brand of “what if” movies are not everyone’s taste, but this is a good one.
39. (42) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – 1968
Directed by: Ken Hughes
Starring: Dick Van Dyke, Sally Ann Howes, Lionel Jeffries
Running time: 1h 57min
You probably knew that Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was written by Ian Fleming; the creator of James Bond. What does this tell us? If nothing else that the guy could write. The movie is now over 50 years old and as fresh as the day it was born. As children’s movies go, this is an archetype. And it wasn’t made by Disney. Frankly it’s better than a Disney movie. This film is truly scrumptious.
38. (41) Patriot Games – 1992
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Bean, Anne Archer
Running time: 1h 57min
It needs a rather wooden actor to play a CIA analyst. Well it does. The good news is that in later Tom Clancy novels the Jack Ryan character becomes the President and it’s nice to see an episode on this epic life journey. Without the political complications of other Clancy stories this is a simple tale of good versus bad. It begs the question “what if Trump had any morals or depth”?
37. (-) Ace Ventura: Pet Detective – 1994
Directed by: Tom Shadyac
Starring: Jim Carrey, Courteney Cox, Sean Young
Running time: 1h 26min
Another high-energy Jim Carrey performance which spawned a TV series almost instantly and a sequel some 15 years later. People steal other people’s pets all the time and this is a rotten thing to do. Stealing a dolphin is a bit off the wall so bring in the specialist! This is a comedy romp. Nothing more, nothing less.
36. (40) Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery – 1997
Directed by: Jay Roach
Starring: Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael York
Running time: 1hr 34min
Austin Powers is the James Bond we would all like to be. Irreverent, politically incorrect, out-dated and only marginally competent. The humor is nothing if not vulgar but Myers creates another pair of lovable characters against a workable storyline. We await mini-me with eager anticipation.
35. (39) Julie & Julia – 2009
Directed by: Nora Ephron
Starring: Amy Adams, Meryl Streep, Chris Messina
Running time:
Meryl Streep hasn’t featured in our Top 50 for a while now and the outstanding work of Nora Ephron (let’s not forget her other classics You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally) is well represented here. This is actually a true story from the memoirs of Julia Child and Julie Powell who were remote in real life but joined but that most important of ingredients, butter. Why not learn to bake as well?
34. (-) Jarhead – 2005
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Lucas Black
Running time: 2h 5min
The issues that Jarhead explores based on a true story are sufficiently important to have spawned several sequels. This, the original and best deals with Operation Desert Shield in Kuwait and, while it loses its momentum towards the end, is a gritty story that is well directed and equally well performed. It touched a nerve with many of the veterans of the conflict who received it as much a documentary as a drama. Well worth a watch.
33. (38) 9 – 2009
Directed by: Shane Acker
Starring: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover
Running time: 1h 19min
It would be easy to dismiss 9 as animation for animation’s sake. That would be wrong. While the concept is pretty surreal and the story rather indifferent, the delivery is very good. The bad guys are pleasantly bad and the good guys pleasantly endearing. This one draws you in and holds you. Against the backdrop of some exceptional artwork and great animation, this is probably not one for the kids. And therein lies the message. An animated movie for grown-ups has got be something special.
32. (37) The Ring – 2002
Directed by: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox
Running time:
It’s always refreshing when a horror movie keeps its feet on the ground. The Ring treats the horror genre seriously and descends into a genuinely creepy story without resorting to over the top shock tactics. Verbinski has a style all of his own and this adaptation of the Japanese novel is a refreshing offering.
31. (36) War Horse – 2011
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, David Thewlis
Running time: 2h 26min
World War II has been brought to the movies many, many times. World War I far less so. Spielberg is no stranger to historical movies and delivers once again. Having said that, War Horse is a good rather than great movie. Looking at the horrors of war through the role of the horse is a fascinating spin, and the story is helped by an able cast. We get a taste of the great things to come from Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddlestone. And John Williams delivers another of his huge music scores.
30. (-) The Patriot – 2000
Directed by: Roland Emmerich
Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson
Running time: 2h 45min
The American War of Independence ripped families apart, in some cases forever. There are shades of Braveheart here but The Patriot sufficiently different to warrant no comparison. Whether it’s historically accurate matters little; it’s just a good story. And if you’re British you probably think George III was a bit of a twerp for letting America go. If you’re American, you’re probably quite glad he did. Or, at the moment, maybe not.
29. (35) Corpse Bride – 2005
Directed by: Tim Burton, Mike Johnson
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson
Running time: 1h 17min
Yet another Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter collaboration and with music by the genius Danny Elfman with whom Burton has worked often, Corpse Bride is an animated movie. Burton’s young life was in the world of art and illustration and it’s no surprise when he returns to it. This is some of Burton’s darker subject material and delivery and may not appeal to a younger audience. However, this is spectacular story-telling and immaculate delivery. It is well worthy of its award nominations.
28. (34) Tootsie – 1982
Directed by: Sydney Pollack
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr
Running time: 1h 56min
Tootsie is so much more than Dustin Hoffman running around in a dress (and looking rather good doing it). This is a highly intelligent comedy. Drag movies have a tendency to dissolve into slapstick and that is nicely avoided. Hoffman thoroughly deserved his nomination and Jessica Lange took the best actress Oscar. In the days of #metoo, Tootsie has enormous relevance.
27. (33) John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky – 2018
Directed by: Michael Epstein
Starring: Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, David Bailey
Running time: 1h 30min
We haven’t had a documentary in our list for a while and John & Yoko: Above Us Only Sky is a welcome inclusion. This is the story of the making of the seminal album Imagine and it includes a wealth of previously unseen footage and interviews. Imagine was the only piece of solo work that matched the heights of the Beatles after their break-up. Yoko Ono’s influence of Lennon’s creative genius was clearly as strong as Paul McCartney’s in the earlier years.
26. (32) The King – 2019
Directed by: David Michôd
Starring: Timothée Chalamet, Gábor Czap, Tom Fisher
Running time: 2h 20min
There’s some odd stuff going on here. Timothée Chalamet, the undoubted star of the movie, the main character and a candidate for Best Actor, is way down the credits. You could be forgiven for thinking that The King has been lifted straight from a Shakespeare play. It’s authentic to the point where some of the 15th-century dialogue is hard to follow. But don’t let this put you off. This is money well invested by Netflix. Find the biggest screen you can to watch it.
25. (30) Hugo – 2011
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Chloë Grace Moretz, Christopher Lee
Running time: 2h 6min
Hugo, in the hands of Scorcese, won 5 Oscars. This is a massive tribute to the era of silent movies. That this is a children’s movie makes it all the more important. But don’t write off it’s appeal to an adult audience as well. It’s not a big leap to class Hugo as an important piece of cinema history.
24. (28) Saving Mr. Banks – 2013
Directed by: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Annie Rose Buckley
Running time: 2h 5min
When Walt Disney agreed to bring Mary Poppins to the big screen in 1964 (55 years ago, can you believe it?), his relationship with the author of the book – P.L. Travers – was nothing if not strained. She felt she knew more about the movies than Disney! The Mr Banks of the title is the father of the family and saving him references the fact that the five Oscar-winning movie was very nearly never made. This true story is, arguably, better than the underlying story.
23. (27) The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! – 1988
Directed by: David Zucker
Starring: Leslie Nielsen, Priscilla Presley, O.J. Simpson
Running time:
After the runaway success of Airplane it was almost inevitable that Leslie Neilsen would become the figurehead of an enduring procession of idiotic comedies. Others have tried; and failed. Every line is a punchline and many have entered the language as quotable quotes. Who can forget “nice beaver” or “Cuban? No, Dutch-Irish. My father was from Wales”.
22. (24) Minority Report – 2002
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton
Running time: 2h 25min
Sci Fi buffs will be well aware that Philip K. Dick penned many short stories and this film adaptation of one of them is up there with Blade Runner (another of his). Minority Report kept its original title. This is a look at using future technology because we can not necessarily because we should and the implications for the human race. And the soundtrack is by the all-time master John Williams. There are simply too many reasons to watch this film than can be listed here.
21. (23) The Theory of Everything – 2014
Directed by: James Marsh
Starring: Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Tom Prior
Running time: 2hr 3min
The number of biopic movies that have won the best actor Oscar in the last 30 years is disproportionate. Stephen Hawking was an extraordinary man and Eddie Redmayne, an extraordinary actor delivers an extraordinary performance in the story of his life. There’s no great hidden depth or message here; just a story of a life well-lived. Inspirational? Definitely. Moving? Very. Will you end up understanding black holes? Almost certainly not.
20. (20) The Social Network – 2010
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake
Running time: 2h
The story of Mark Zuckerberg’s rise to be the most powerful man on the planet, and yes Donald it ain’t you, is nothing if not compelling. The idea of being in the right place at the right time, serendipity if you like long words, presses a lot of buttons; especially the jealously button if you’re into money. The Z never planned the FB behemoth, it just happened.
19. (19) Beasts of No Nation – 2015
Directed by: Cary Fukunaga
Starring: Abraham Attah, Emmanuel Affadzi, Ricky Adelayitor
Running time: 2h 17min
Beasts of No Nation was the movie that Netflix had in its inventory to change cinema forever. While it didn’t quite cause the revolution they were hoping for, it did leave Netflixers with one of the best movies of 2015. Thought-provoking and moving, the movie starred Idris Elba and followed the civil conflict in Africa.
18. (18) The Hateful Eight – 2015
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Running time: 3h 7min
The Hateful Eight takes over 3 hours to earn its Oscar and that was for the music. As Tarantino movies go, there’s plenty of gore and violence but the dialogue really isn’t up to his usual standard. Also, the story is virtually non-existent; it’s just people killing other people. The movie was much hyped before its release and the script was leaked adding to the hype. If you’re a Tarantino fan, give it a go. If you’re a western fan, don’t expect a lot of glorious scenery.
17. (17) Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – 2000
Directed by: Ang Lee
Starring: Yun-Fat Chow, Michelle Yeoh, Ziyi Zhang
Running time: 2h
Shunned in China and warmly received in the west, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is as much a romantic adventure as a kung fu spectacular. The movie actually panders to west tastes. Director Ang Lee described the film to star Michelle Yeoh as Sense and Sensibility with martial arts. Lee had, of course, directed Sense and Sensibility in 1995.
16. (16) The Boy in the Striped Pajamas – 2008
Directed by: Mark Herman
Starring: Asa Butterfield, David Thewlis, Rupert Friend
Running time: 1h 34min
A deeply moving movie about the friendship between two young boys through the wire of a holocaust concentration camp, The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is an examination of the devastating effect of war on two innocents. The holocaust is one of the indictments of the Germans during this desperate period of their history – “We were only following orders” – but that it should have been imposed on young children who knew nothing of the concept is beyond comprehension.
15. (15) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – 1986
Directed by: John Hughes
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck, Mia Sara
Running time: 1h 40min
If ever school was getting in the way of a proper education, it was Ferris Bueller’s school. It is right that every kid should bunk off from time to time and visit art galleries, fine restaurants and go on parades. It helps if someone close has a Ferrari. To be fair, that isn’t really the message here but it’s a nice comedy from the brat pack with a reasonably sensible message.
14. (-) The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – 2008
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton
Running time: 2h 46min
Well. The clue is in the title. This is nothing if not a curious film. And, frankly, rather underestimated. This is a cinematic smorgasbord with huge emotional undercurrents that will stay with you for a long time. This film is beautifully directed and is, arguably, Brad Pitt’s finest performance. At no point does it patronise when it could so easily tell you what you’re thinking.
13. (-) Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory – 1971
Directed by: Mel Stuart
Starring: Gene Wilder, Jack Albertson, Peter Ostrum
Running time: 1h 40min
The original book gave this movie was titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. That Tim Burton (see earlier) felt the need to change the focus from Willy to Charlie seems to show that Gene Wilder’s performance as Willy Wonka could not be beaten. The difficult concept for adults to grasp is that it’s not the children that are odious, it’s the parents who made them that way.
12. (14) The King’s Speech – 2010
Directed by: Tom Hooper
Starring: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter
Running time: 1h 58min
When the British knock out a great movie, they don’t hang around. The King’s Speech collected four Oscars from out of 12 nominations. There is enduring respect if not love for the British royal family around the world, and there seems to be an enduring appetite for stories about them. Reference, of course, the Netflix Original drama The Crown. Events surrounding the abdication are well known but this is a nice look at what was going on from a completely different angle.
11. (13) Magnolia – 1999
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jason Robards, Julianne Moore
Running time: 3h 9min
Magnolia is a substantial film of coincidences happening in a 24-hour period. You’ll need your thinking cap on for this one. The biggest thing here is the acting. It really could be a workshop in immaculate performances and you will get involved with each and every character. You will also be convinced and moved by the script.
10. (11) Monty Python and the Holy Grail – 1975
Directed by: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Starring: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle & many more
Running time: 1h 31min
Monty Python and the Holy Grail has been described as one of the funniest movies ever made. Anyone familiar with Python’s irreverent and surrealistic view of the world can only agree. This is loosely a romp through the history of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Since the story is largely myth and legend, the Pythons have a free rein to shred it. And they do.
9. (10) The Irishman – 2019
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Running time: 3hr 29min
Is The Irishman a movie or four mini-movies? The debate will rage. The acting, as you would expect from the pantheon of stars is immaculate, the story based in truth is unquestionable, the atmosphere excellent. And yet there some intangible things that niggle. Did The Irishman need to be so long? The story could certainly have been delivered in a couple of hours. Are the killings trivialised? If not trivialised, certainly very off-hand. Is it about the Irishman or Jimmy Hoffa? You decide.
8. (9) Taxi Driver – 1976
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybill Shepherd
Running time: 1h 54min
Both Jodie Foster – 14 at the time – and Robert De Niro were nominated for their performances in the hugely powerful Taxi Driver. This is a timeless and, frankly, important movie which has a view of society that has changed little in over 40 years. The “You talking to me?” scene has become one of the most quoted scenes over the years and the final scene will leave a lasting impression on you.
7. (8) 3 Idiots – 2009
Directed by: Rajkumar Hirani
Starring: Aamir Khan, Madhavan, Mona Singh
Running time: 2hr 50min
We haven’t featured a movie from the sub-continent for a long while; shame on us. With the word idiot in the title, you can be sure that 3 Idiots is a comedy. This movie is at #83 in the IMDB top 250 which speaks volumes. A romp through a voyage of rediscovery, this is loosely Bollywood because of the songs but it’s a lot more. The nearly 3-hour running time will seem like a few minutes and the hidden depths and poignant moments do nothing but entertain.
6. (7) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark – 1981
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
Running time: 1h 55min
Archaeology eh! Now there’s a dull subject. Except when the reward is priceless riches and power. Odd since Indiana Jones isn’t particularly interested in either. This a Spielberg adventure with plenty of comedy, action and one-liners which will come round time and time again. Get yourself a whip and a homburg why don’t you?
5. (6) The Pianist – 2002
Directed by: Roman Polanski
Starring: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Frank Finlay
Running time:
Collecting three Oscars, most notably for Roman Polanski as Best Director (he was unable to collect the award in person), The Pianist is a true story of Warsaw in WWII. While the Holocaust is the prevalent theme, it is never allowed to take over the story that is being told. Equally disturbing and deeply moving, The Pianist will endure after most of its contemporaries have been long forgotten. Can music save your life? You decide.
4. (-) Back to the Future – 1985
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
Running time: 1h 56min
The great thing about the future is that it never really happened. And that makes it a true story. Back to the Future actually won an Oscar and was nominated for three more. Rightly so. Christopher Lloyd made an art form of playing odd characters but Dr. Emmett Brown was his finest. The really odd thing here is that the future looks very old fashioned. Check out the sequels, II and III and the TV series and the video game as well. And the spin-offs. Need we go on?
3. (4) The Matrix – 1999
Directed by: Lana & Lilly Wachowski as The Wachowski Brothers
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss
Running time: 2h 16min
Binge with The Matrix Reloaded / The Matrix Revolutions
The Matrix trilogy is a trilogy in the truest sense. The story is seamless through the three episodes. And while there were four years between the first and the second, the second and third were released pretty much back to back. The concept is nothing if not complicated. It takes a while to work out which is the reality; inside or outside the Matrix. As a philosophical, metaphysical perhaps, debate on the nature of reality, there probably isn’t a better.
2. (3) Inception – 2010
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page
Running time:
Inception is truly mind-bending. After many viewings, this is still a difficult movie to fully wrap your head around. Which is why you must watch it many times. You simply won’t spot the visual effects but then again who cares. The difference between what is real and what isn’t is the whole point of this magnificent film.
1. (2) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – 1966
Directed by: Sergio Leone
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van Cleef
Running time: 2h 28min
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is, quite rightly, rated as one of the top ten films of all time by many. Sergio Leone defined a genre that has never been matched – The Spaghetti Western. And there’s the score by Ennio Morricone with a theme that people whistle in their sleep. This is one of those masterpieces that gets better with each viewing. It’s probably a morality tale but that doesn’t really matter; and, just sometimes, crime pays.
