Andy Lea

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Pan's Labyrinth

Visual stunning, deeply humanistic and wonderfully unsettling, Del Toro's fable pits a young woman’s unbridled imagination against the brutalities of fascism. Goya and Buñuel are clear influences, but this is the singular vision of an artist at the peak of his powers.

The Big Lebowski

The Coens' comic masterpiece finds poetry in the bowling lanes of Los Angeles and an accidental Philip Marlowe in Jeff Bridges's middle-aged layabout. Seeking justice over a ruined rug, The Dude becomes the reluctant protagonist in a surreal film noir.

Duck Soup

Nationalism, religion and war are skewered with music, dancing, slapstick, and endlessly quotable one-liners. This joyous but depressingly still timely film shows the Marx Brothers at the peak of their powers.

Blade Runner

Lawrence G Paul's cityscapes, Jordan Cronenwerth's cinematography, Vangelis's electronic score and Rutger Hauer's soulful android were all astonishing innovations that redefined movie sci-fi. Ridley Scott's 1992 Director's Cut proved that its former faults were the product of meddling studio execs.

The Conversation

Foreshadowing Watergate and more recent technological intrusions, Coppola’s tense political thriller boasts groundbreaking sound design and a masterclass in screen acting from its leading man. Gene Hackman's performance is so restrained and so precise, he barely seems to be acting at all.