Guest Columnist: Gianna's Top 100 Movies Every Film Buff Should See, Pt 8

Newman! I'm still stuck at 7 for 10! Maybe I can eventually go 10 for 10 in one of the last two installments!

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Peeping Tom(1960, Dir: Michael Powell, Wr: Leo Marks)-Another great forefather of the modern horror slasher flick. Michael Powell’s unnerving film about a serial killer who films his victims as they are being killed. Not appreciated in its time, Peeping Tom effectively killed Powell’s career.

Picnic at Hanging Rock(1975, Dir: Peter Weir, Wr. Cliff Green)-The story of several girls who simply vanish on a school trip to Hanging Rock. Unlike most American films, no answers are given to the fate of the girls. Haunting and lyrical, a fantastic example of how great Australian cinema truly is.

Purple Rose of Cairo(1985, Dir: Woody Allen, Wr: Woody Allen)-One of my all-time favorite Woody Allen flicks. Mia Farrow plays a depression era housewife obsessed with movies. After numerous repeated viewings of one film, the main character leaves the screen to be with Farrow. Sweet, charming and very funny. (One of Jami's Top 100 of all time!)

The Red Shoes(1948, Dir: Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, Wr: Emeric Pressburger)-Powell and Pressburger’s wonderful film about life in the ballet. Interesting to note that the Red Shoes ballet sequence was an inspiration for Martin Scorsese in shooting the boxing sequences in Raging Bull.

Repulsion (1965, Dir: Roman Polanski, Wr: Roman Polanski & Gerard Brach)-Polanski’s gripping and disturbing portrait of a young sexually repressed woman descent into madness.

Richard III (1995 Dir: Richard Loncraine, Wr: Ian McKellan)-This broke down some of my Shakespeare snobbery. I personally hate ‘concept’ Shakespeare and get fits watching American actors not ‘get’ how to act it. This film adaptation of Ian McKellan’s wonderful stage production is fabulous! Setting Richard III in a pseudo-Nazi type setting is brilliant and the cast which includes Robert Downey Jr., Annette Benning, Jim Broadbent and Kristen Scott Thomas are fantastic.

The Right Stuff (1983, Dir: Phillip Kaufman, Wr: Phillip Kaufman)-I have no idea why this excellent film of the early days of the Mercury Space program, continually get overlooked when people craft ‘Must See’ lists. Based on Tom Wolfe’s excellent novel of the same name, The Right Stuff has it all, great story, great direction and a superb cast. If you haven’t seen this film yet, rent it today! (One of Jami's Top 10 of all time!)

River’s Edge (1986, Dir: Tim Hunter, Neal Jimenez)-Based on a disturbing true story of a teenager who kills his girlfriend and then brings their friends over to view the body. An interesting and honest depiction of the apathy and disconnect of the American teenager.

Rope (1948, Dir: Alfred Hitchcok, Wr: Hume Cronyn)-A lesser know Hitchcock, interesting in that it was shot with only 15 edits. Based very loosely on the Leopold and Loeb murder, it features a great Jimmy Stewart speech at the end.

Santa Sangre (1989, Dir: Alejandro Jodorowsky, Wr: Alejandro Jodorowsky & Roberto Leoni)-Legendary cult filmmaker Jodorowsky spins a creepy and surrealistic tale of a young man who essentially becomes arms for his limbless mother. Has to be seen to be believed.