my favourite films

Roger Ebert once said that cinema was "the most powerful empathy machine in all the arts," and to me, that sums up the impact that films can have. They can place us into the lives of people we would never usually encounter and see the world through their eyes. The films which have the greatest impact on me are those that feel both universal and specific- they're set in a very particular time and place yet hold truths unrestricted to any setting. The films on this list are not necessarily what I consider the best ten films of all time, but the ten films which I consider the most important to me at this moment in time.

10. The Social Network (2011)

David Fincher's precise direction coupled with Aaron Sorkin's acerbic, sharp dialogue makes this film about the founder of Facebook both a thrilling and intriguing portrait. Perfectly cast, with Jesse Eisenberg at his wisecracking best as Mark Zuckerberg and Andrew Garfield giving a career-best performance, the film manages a tough balancing act, being smart enough as to mimic its protagonist's tendency to be a couple of steps ahead of the room, yet retains enough of his humanity, or lack of it.

Looking back, considering the controversy surrounding Facebook's privacy and fake news issues, The Social Network has aged fantastically and the ideas it raised about the permanence of the internet and the importance of personal privacy.

9. E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

I tried to restrict myself to only one film per director, but Steven Spielberg has made around six or seven films which could've made it on this list. Often both criticised and praised for his overt sentimentality, E. T. sees him at one of his most warm and emotional. Bolstered by John Williams' iconic score, its story of friendship in unlikely places is vintage Spielberg in its evocation of childhood, message of acceptance and tolerance, right up to its heartstrings-tugging ending. But like Spielberg's best works, it contains elements of darkness and depth in spades, such as its honest depiction of broken suburbia and its mythic, fairy tale-like quality.

8. Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight is one of those films that is often designated as an "important" film, being the first film with an all-black cast and first LGBTQ-related film to win Best Picture, famously beating La La Land. But beyond that, Moonlight stands out for its exquisite rhapsodical beauty. It follows the life of Chiron, at three key moments in his life, and the struggle as he comes to terms with who he is. Every element- the cinematography, Nicholas Britell's score, the performance- is perfectly judged and its tale of struggling to belong and searching for an identity is one that resounds irrespective of race or sexuality.

7. Pan's Labyrinth (2005)

Guillermo del Toro's best film is a gothic fantasy tale, bolstered by beautiful visuals and a haunting score. Set after the Spanish Civil War, the story follows a young girl, Ofelia, who faces dangers in both the physical and fantasy world. Del Toro's reliance on physical effects and prosthetics to create his monsters means the effects have withstood the test of time, with the nightmarish Pale Man as the crowning jewel in the hellish menagerie. What makes Pan's Labyrinth truly remarkable, however, is the way both worlds feel as dangerous and haunting as each other. Both of the worlds are equal in their visceral realisation and unpredictability; both feel as grimy and dangerous as the other.

For the human antagonist, the fascist Captain Vidal, who is also Ofelia's stepfather, it is his deranged cruelty that sets him apart. In a film of monsters and terrifying creatures, the most frightening character is the inhumanity of man.

6. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Wes Anderson is one of the most distinctive directors working today, both visually and narratively. His films have become known for their precise camera movements, symmetrical shot composition and their blend of humour and grief. And Grand Budapest is the definitive Wes Anderson film, bearing all of his trademarks- with each creative decision fully justifying their function within their narrative. Initially beginning as a more whimsical comedic foray, Anderson slowly unveils his critique of fascism and bigotry- the tragedy of war is epitomised in Tony Revolori's Zero and the spirit of acceptance lives through Ralph Fiennes' Gustave. A pitch-perfect balance between humour and pathos, and supported by a stellar cast (as to be expected in a Wes Anderson film), this is a spectacle of cinema.

5. Lady Bird (2017)

Greta Gerwig's directorial debut is one of those films that wraps you up in its world and draws you in with the vividness of the characters. Set in early-2000s Sacramento, it follows Christine McPherson, or "Lady Bird" as she calls herself, and her relationship with her mother through her senior year of high school. Frequently funny and heartbreaking in equal measure, the relationship between characters feel alive and dynamic, especially the volatile one between Lady Bird and her mother. Their love-hate relationship, and the wild, rapid swings between the two extremes feels honest and real in a universally understandable way. Every character, even ones that are on screen for just a few minutes, is fully realised and multi-dimensional- each of them seems interesting and engaging enough to fill their own film by themselves. Also, this film deserves a place on this list just for giving the world the pairing of Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet.

4. West Side Story (1961)

The story of star-crossed lovers who break boundaries and defy their families has been one that has been told again and again. The famous of these, of course, is that of Romeo and Juliet, on which the story of West Side Story is loosely based. Following the rapidly-progressing love affair between Tony and Maria, a couple separated by both gang rivalries and race, the adaption of the Broadway musical contains dazzling music and dance numbers, which all exist in a heightened reality where vicious turf wars between gangs play out in aggressively choreographed dances and seemingly violent gang members dance and strut through the street. The dance sequences are virtuosically executed, and shot and edited in a thrillingly kinetic fashion, and the iconic music is, obviously, brilliant. Additionally, its message of tolerance and criticism of bigotry and racial division feel startling relevant even today, perhaps a scathing critique of our society today.

3. The Princess Bride (1987)

As we all know, "Life is pain. Anyone who says different is selling something." Some films try to confront this pain, while others try to alleviate it by distraction. Princess Bride is one of these films, sweeping you away with its immense charm and likeability. Simultaneously a sincere fairy tale, with one of the great cinematic love stories to boot, as well an extremely funny send-up of such stories, it feels fresh and modern at the same time as being familiar and comforting. Taking familiar story tropes and archetypes, the film plays with expectations to create a delightfully new and witty narrative. It is helped by being filled with incredibly quotable lines of dialogue, several which have become iconic movie quotes ("Inconceivable!"), and brilliant comedic performances from the entire cast.

2. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

The Coen Brothers' bleakly tragicomic film about a struggling folk singer in 1960s New York is quietly profound and beautiful. Its eponymous lead character, based in part on Dave Ronk, is an often unsympathetic lead, unpleasant and harsh to everyone he meets and sometimes self-destructively short-minded. But all this melts away when we hear him sing. Expertly played by Oscar Isaacs, his heart and soul are laid bare when he plays, as are the pain and hurt he's suffered, and we can't help but root for his driven, fiercely pure artistry. And yet, throughout the film, he struggles for success and recognition. When he is given the choice of compromising his music and achieving guaranteed success, he refuses. When asked why he has not given up and returned to his position in the navy he says that doing so would be merely "to exist." In a world where his talent and perhaps even genius goes unrecognised, Inside Llewyn Davis asks what the price is to truly live in any way other than mere existence.

1. The Tree of Life (2011)

The Tree of Life begins with a line from the Book of Job, the ultimate allegory of human suffering from the Bible: "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the Earth?... When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?"

Throughout the film, Terrence Malick, with his trademark use of voiceover, attempts to tackle such questions of human existence, weaving together excerpts from the life of a jaded businessman, played as an adult as Sean Penn, with scenes on a cosmic scale, such as the birth of the universe and the evolution of all life. Juxtaposing scenes of the utmost intimacy with scenes of monumental beauty, Malick encompasses the entirety of human existence within his film. "What is human suffering," he seems to ask, "in comparison to the vast greatness of the universe?" As Job in the Bible is told, who are we to question the Almighty?

Yet in its achingly longing portrayal of tragedy and loss, Malick grapples with these issues, questioning these concepts with his portrayal of a life; a life steeped in sorrow and hardship, love and fierceness, encapsulated in the dual, contrasting personalities of his main character's parents, played with understated brilliance by Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain. There are no easy answers to such questions, and Malick doesn't pretend there are; in his beautifully elegaic and poetic work he merely poses the question: why?