Ten Must-Sees You Probably Haven't Seen

I've been sorting out my DVDs, which trust me is a gargantuan task. I'm kind of surprised that I'm not lost in some kind of netherworld following an avalanche because I moved the wrong one.
But anyway, it got me thinking. A lot of the films I have hardly anyones seen. So I've picked ten genres and picked a film from each one that more people need to see. Here goes...

The Romance


The Fountain.
Whenever I mention this film everyone's always like "what?" and when I went to see it at the cinema, I think there were only about six people in there. It's strange really considering Hugh Jackman is in it, and he's pretty famous. But anyway. I argued about whether this was a romance or a fantasy, but at it's center it's a love story. A lovely one at that. I sob uncontrollably every time, because it's such a stunningly beautiful film, and yet I know no-one that has seen it. It's a little bit hard to follow, but I would highly recommend it to anyone, and with Valentines just around the corner, it's a nice one to snuggle up to.

The Horror


Martyrs
This is not a film I talk about a lot. Partly because I'm sure I'll never forget it, and that frightens me a little bit more than the fact I watched it in the first place. Essentially, it's about a group of people trying to find out what women see when they are martyred... you can imagine. It's really not one for the weak of stomach, but definitely worth a watch for its message at the end. But I'm not going to tell you that, because its left me a little bit disturbed, and I want someone else to feel like I do. It's also worth a mention that this is a French film.

The Sci-Fi


Outlander
This film, is really hard to explain without giving too much away. I suppose all I really have to say about it is that if you thought vikings and aliens was a bizarre mix, you'd be right. But if you thought that mix wouldn't work, you couldn't be more wrong.

Animated


Grave of the Fireflies

This film kind of does everything you don't expect an animated movie to do. It's both immensely heartwarming and harrowingly sad. When I think about animated films, I normally expected something cute and cuddly with a happy ending, but the more I watch asian animation, the more I realise there can be a lot more too it. This film really does prove that point.

Adventure

Apocalypto
One of those films everyone's heard of but most people haven't bothered to watch. WHY NOT? I'll admit I never watched Passion of the Christ, but that's partly because I don't do religion. Apocalypto however, I've watched so much I'm not even sure the disc still works. It essentially follows one mans journey to save his family, a typical story but done in a really interesting way. It really helps that it's visually stunning too. It might be subtitled, but you don't really need to read them to understand its message.

The Epic

Curse of the Golden Flower
Yes, I know. Another subtitled film on the list. But this is the last one I promise. And lets face it, western epics just aren't as good as eastern ones. This one has everything you could possibly want. More dysfunctional family relationships than Albert Square, lust, betrayal and some amazingly choreographed fight scenes. It also features the beautiful Gong Li (Hatsumomo in Memoirs of a Geisha) and Chow Yun Fat (who is an amazing actor when he isn't speaking english). And... it's really pretty. Just the whole film. Costumes, the palace, everything. A massive feast for the eyes.
Watch it.

The Fantasy


Nightwatch
Kind of a hard one to put in a genre, I'm placing it in fantasy purely for the fact you see an owl turn into a lady (pretty gross as it turns out). It would also turn out I lied about the subtitles, this one's russian. Another one of those films that's a teensy bit hard to follow, but well worth figuring out. And it would be silly of me to write this without saying you should watch the sequel 'Daywatch'. Worth watching because it's dark and it's brooding, and has some truly trippy moments.

The Comedy


Something's Gotta Give
What can I say about this. Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves for starters! Jack Nicholson features as the man who only dates younger women (art imitates life as they say) only to end up trapped in a beach house with his younger girlfriends mother following a heart attack. Intensely funny, with real feel good vibes. One of those films that's great for sticking on when you've just has enough and need cheering up. I'm not even sure why no-ones seen this.
The Drama
The Wrestler
Yes, I know. You've heard of it, but have you watched it? No you say? Wrestling isn't you're thing you say? That's, quite frankly, no excuse. The film isn't so much about the wrestling, that's just what Micky Rourke does in it. And "Man who lost everything and needs to face own mortality" Isn't much of a title. I cried watching this film when he tries to reconcile with his daughter and I'm still not sure why. A brilliant film, especially when you see big manly Micky Rourke having his hair bleached and using spray tan.

The Independant


Black Snake Moan
Ah, the independant film. I guess that's just my way of saying I can't place it in a genre but you should definitely watch it. Featuring Christina Ricci playing a right royal trollop who'll pretty much sleep with anything that moves. And lets be honest that never turns out well for women, in films or otherwise. She goes on to be found in a ditch by Samuel L Jackson who decides she has 'the consumption' and her only hope of a cure is to live chained to his radiator away from temptation. This film is both brilliantly executed and controversial, and yet disappeared into the realms of obscurity. Plus, it's good to see Samuel L Jackson in a role where he's not shouting 'Motherfucker' a lot.