1. DAWN OF THE DEAD (1979)

Romero. Zombies. '70s. Cinematic brilliance. My favourite film of all time. Enough said.

2. ROCKY (1976)

Yes, Stallone is one of my favourite actors (see his performances in such films as F.I.S.T, Lords of Flatbush and First Blood if you think I’m high on drugs), but this, his 1976 masterpiece, is his greatest performance. Flawless in every respect; dramatic without being sentimental, funny, honest, inspiring and heartfelt. Forget the sequels - this is a totally different experience.

3. FRIDAY THE 13TH (1980)

An old favourite. While not a great film by most standards, this film just does something for me. Maybe it’s the great low-budget feel, the real summer camp locale, the fantastic effects courtesy of Mr. Savini, or perhaps it’s seeing young Kevin Bacon in a pair of Speedo’s. Whatever the reason, no other film entertains and brings back so many childhood memories as this one. And it’s quite creepy to boot.

4. THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (1974)

The '70s are my absolute favourite decade for films, and this is one of the classics. Gritty, grainy, sweaty, claustrophobic, violent…and scary as hell! No film has kept me awake at night except for this one. Really well made and acted. A pseudo-documentary ball breaker that puts nearly every horror film to shame!

5. REAR WINDOW (1954)

Hitchcock was one of the greats and this, for me, is his masterpiece. A film about the voyeuristic nature of watching films, with great performances (Grace Kelly - grrrr), fantastic story and about as a thrilling climax as any film ever made. The perfect film.

6. THE GODFATHER (1972)

Containing one of the most memorable scenes in movie history - the restaurant scene where Michael shoots the cop and Sollozzo - The Godfather is the best film about gangsters and one of the finest dramas ever made. Pacino is simply brilliant and Coppola directs beautifully, capturing the full flavour of 1940s New York.

7. JAWS (1975)

The best fun-scary film of all time. Scores full marks on thrills and chills, while still managing to create some genuine characters and some awesome suspense. The trio of Scheider, Dreyfuss and Shaw still rank as one of the finest ensemble acting. Great direction by Spielberg and that score…

8. PSYCHO (1960)

The master is at it again. A true classic and one of the great films in history. Made by Hitch’s television crew, Psycho has the flavour of a low-budget film, but the class of a big-budget Hollywood production. Perkins gives one of the most memorable performances in all of cinema. Dark, moody and elegant.

9. TAXI DRIVER (1976)

My favourite actor, De Niro, is mesmerising in one of Scorsese’s best. The first time I watched it I knew I was experiencing something special. Captures the seedy New York underbelly in all its '70s glory. One of the great urban dramas. The ultimate anti-hero.

10. BACK TO THE FUTURE (1985)

Funny, exciting, superbly acted and even a little thought-provoking. It’s '80s classic cinema by the considerably talented Robert Zemeckis. Another childhood favourite that has carried through to my adult-hood. Hasn’t lost any of its freshness. Great escapism every time.

11. THE NEVERENDING STORY (1984)

The best children’s fantasy. With a cast of totally original characters (including the heroic Atreyu and the angelic Childlike Empress), this film is warm, sad, funny and scary. Sensational score that invokes the magical world of Fantasia, where luckdragons fly through the sky, and huge snails travel faster than racing cars.

12. DELIVERANCE (1972)

Great man Vs nature film, made all the more breathtaking by beautiful photography, lush scenery and some very real and scary hillbillies. Sparse musical score, which adds to the stark realism of the movie. Intense, authentic and very horrific. The dueling banjo’s scene is a classic.

13. THE EVIL DEAD (1982)

One of the goriest films of all time, as well as scariest, The Evil Dead marked the debut of the amazing talents of Sam Rami and cult actor Bruce Campbell. The best in the trilogy and one of the best horror films of the '80s. Good gooey fun!

14. THE KARATE KID (1984)

Another nostalgia-fest, but there is more to love in this film besides the cheesy '80s music, bad clothes and blow-waved hair - a simple but effective story, outstanding acting (Macchio and Morita work brilliantly together) and one of the most rousing finales, all add up to a great film (another winner by Rocky director John Avildsen). Bonsai!

15. PULP FICTION (1994)

Cool retro movie; the ultimate film-geek flick. Tarantino’s best film contains sharp dialogue, a brilliantly twisty plot and one hell of a soundtrack. Black humour reigns throughout with one classic line after another.

16. STAND BY ME (1986)

One of the most authentic and best-loved coming-of-age movies. A true triumph of outstanding writing and sublime directing. And there has never been a better group of young actors than in this film. The train scene is one of my all time favourites. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry (and you might even hurl - just like young Lard Ass - I mean David Hogan).

17. AMERICAN HISTORY X (1998)

Brutal film about racism and redemption. One of the best performances in recent memory by one of the best actors of this generation - Ed Norton. Very violent (that curb scene - ouch!), but utterly compelling.

18. FORREST GUMP (1994)

Sweet movie, elevated to classic-status by a bravura performance by Hanks, wonderful effects and a real heart. One of the few films to make me cry (yes, I admit it). Also made me laugh out loud. Pure joy.

19. DONNIE DARKO (2001)

One of the most original films to come along in a while, this mind-bending sci-fi/fantasy/drama/horror film had me watching it over and over again. Surprising and complex, but in a good way. The dialogue about the Smurfs was just hilarious. This is what independent filmmaking should be about. Haunting score too.

20. MEMENTO (2000)

Want a film that fucks with convention, totally hypnotizes you with its web of intrigue and still manages to be more suspenseful and exciting than 99% of the films being released? Welcome to Memento. It also has one hell of a performance by Guy Pearce and the more you watch it the more you get out of it. Read this review backwards and you’ll see it makes no sense whatsoever.