Raymond Red

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Citizen Kane

Still one of the greatest and most ingeniously crafted films, clearly defining the auteur, and has the most powerful use of cinema language ever.

Vertigo

One of my all-time favourites, but somehow it did not rank in the best ten for me with the Sight & Sound poll of 2012. After several rewatchings, I have grown to appreciate Hitchcock's convincing crafting of this film so much more, and I now have finally included it in my list.

2001: A Space Odyssey

This visceral classic will always be on my list, and I must have rewatched and re-experienced it countless times already since its release on Bluray.

Apocalypse Now

Another that will always be in my top 10 greatest films. The original 1979 release is still the most powerful amongst the other versions - Redux, and Final cut.

The Godfather

Still the all-time favourite of many, and I am one who swears that everything you need to know about life you can learn from The Godfather.

The Godfather Part II

I have finally moved this up on my best ten list, as this was omitted in my 2012 votes. It absolutely deserves to be, as it has arguably been considered as a sequel that is even more powerful than the original.

Blade Runner

I still believe the original 1982 theatrical release is the best version. If only Ridley Scott could see what we've seen with his eyes.

Rashomon

This powerful classic by Kurosawa remains on my best ten list, another film that influenced me early in my film school years when I was still starting to make my first Super-8mm films. Zhang Yimou's The Story of Qiu Ju comes very close as a classic of Asian cinema, which I sadly had to place further down on my list.

Modern Times

This always stays on my best ten list as it remains a timely reminder to a society overwhelmed and enslaved by technology and industrialization. Metropolis by Fritz Lang always comes close but unfortunately has moved down in my choices.

Kisap Mata

I've had a change of heart in the past ten years since the last poll in 2012, and I had to move up this highly influential and thought-provoking classic of Philippine cinema, "In the Blink of an Eye" by Mike De Leon, as this is definitely one of the films that convinced me to become a filmmaker. Still, HIMALA 1983 by Ishmael Bernal which was on my list ten years ago comes very close.

Further remarks

After ten years since the last poll in 2012 I've had a change of heart in a few choices, as I've rewatched some of my other favourites several times. This was brought about by the release of Bluray copies of many classics and the affordability now of better large flat-screen TVs, coupled with the home set-up of excellent surround sound equipment. So several of the entries in my 2012 list have been pushed down in my consideration, allowing others to move up into the best ten. The majority has remained strong in my mind. This has once again been a grueling task but at the same time a great pleasure.