I would say that Comrades (1986) by Bill Douglas, who´s generally better known for his Chilhood Trilogy, is definitely the greatest British film of the last 25 years. Comrades has some of the most astonishingly beautiful images ever filmed, and its loose narrative that leads one to understand everyday life while at the same time making a remarkable statement on injustice and errors of sociological structures is nothing less than unique. I think it´s not only one of the greatest British films ever, but also a milestone in European cinema, and Bill Douglas would deserve to be mentioned alongside the great masters despite having made only a few films.
I’d throw in Withnail and I, Happy-Go-Lucky, A few by Boyle: 28 Days Later, Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire, I’ll eagerly check this thread for more recommendations.
“…astonishingly beautiful images ever filmed, and its loose narrative that leads one to understand everyday life..”
Ratcatcher was sort of in that vein – not a milestone, but of the 600 films I will watch within 3 years, it will be one of the smaller films I will remember when I look down the list.
Another H-G-L fan!
Death at a Funeral was a very funny movie
Naked and Whitnail and I.
1.This Is England (2006) – Shane Meadows
2.Millions (2004) – Danny Boyle
3.Local Hero (1984) – Bill Forsyth
4.In Bruges (2008) – Martin McDonagh
This Is England – absolutny !
Rishi, I agree In Bruges is fantastic but I believe the director is Irish.
@jay – yup the director is irish..
Rishi, I just checked his wiki page and it listed McDonagh as being born in England to Irish parents. It listed him as Irish but his nationality as British. I don’t know what that means exactly and even if it’s entirely correct. I get a bit mixed up as to what the differences are between British and English so hopefully someone more knowledgeable on the subject can help clarify what distinguishes someone as being British.
@jay – may be his parents are from northen ireland and northern ireland is a part of u.k. so this makes him british anyways.
“Couple of my fav Mike Leigh films made the list” – What list?
The Long Day Closes
Topsy-Turvy
Samantha Morton
British is the adjective and demonym associated with Great Britain and the United Kingdom.
banal1: the list is on the Auteurs’ home page
well it was, now I can’t find it but I think it was dated the 30th
In Bruges
Hunger
Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit
Brazil
Man on Wire
Waking Ned Devine
In the Loop
Topsy-Turvy
Secrets & Lies
28 Days Later
Slumdog Millionaire
Hi
Trainspotting
Moon
28 Days Later
Hunger
Red Road
The Descent
Shallow Grave
This is England
Dead Man’s Shoes
24-7
Touching the Void
Shaun of the Dead
and who can ignore A Fish Called Wanda …..
Did you get this thread idea from here: The Observer Film Quarterly’s best British films of the last 25 years ?
I think that he indeed refered to that list since it includes a couple of films by Mike Leigh as well as the other titles he mentioned. The list is interesting, but nothing groundbreaking, and the exclusion of titles like “The Long Day Closes”, “Brazil” or “Comrades” is simply ridiculous if one considers that they even included “Shaun of the Dead” and “Slumdog Millionaire”. I also think that some of Peter Greenaway´s films like “A Zed and two Noughts” would have deserved to be mentioned. So here´s the complete list:
1. Trainspotting
2. Withnail & I
3. Secrets & Lies
4. Distant Voices, Still Lives
5. My Beautiful Laundrette
6. Nil By Mouth
7. Sexy Beast
8. Ratcatcher
9. Slumdog Millionaire
10. Four Wedding and a Funeral
11. Touching the Void
12. Hope and Glory
13. Glory
14. Naked
15. Under the Skin
16. Hunger
17. This is England
18. Shaun of the Dead
19. Dead Man´s Shoes
20. Red Road
21. Riff-Raff
22. Man on Wire
23. My Summer of Love
24. 24 Hour Party People
25. The English Patient
Naked
Hunger
The Cook The Thief His Wife & Her Lover
Trainspotting
Mona Lisa
Brazil
Prick Up Your Ears
In Bruges
Children of Men
Control
Eastern Promises
“In Bruges” is one of the best British movies – although a bizarre declaration of love to the City of Bruge, beautiful pictures during the Christmas season, Colin Farrel as sensitive hitman having a bad conscience about a recent “accident” His always swearing Boss Ralph Fiennes deeply involved in thoughtful arguments with Brendan Gleeson about the pro and cons of dying in fucking Bruge. Marvellous !
“In Bruges” is one of the best British movies – although a bizarre declaration of love to the City of Bruge, beautiful pictures during the Christmas season, Colin Farrel as sensitive hitman having a bad conscience about a recent “accident” His always swearing Boss Ralph Fiennes deeply involved in thoughtful arguments with Brendan Gleeson about the pro and cons of dying in fucking Bruge. Marvellous !
I thought Naked was absolutely brilliant.
The British are worse than the AFI.
I must say that the BFI are pretty great for what they are releasing and preserving.
Just to echo Apursansar, Comrades would be my best of the last 25 years too. The story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs and the early development of the moving image are both explored, with some incredible film making, and the different classes represented by different acting styles. It has been hard to see since its initial release, but the BFI have recently released in on DVD.
I’m suprised Alfonso Cuaron’s “Children of Men” wasn’t included. OK he’s Mexican, but it was part UK funded, it’s an English cast for the most part, and I believe is is considered a UK movie.
I’m glad to see Touching the Void on that list of 25. I don’t know if it really belongs on that list, because I haven’t seen a ton of British films from the last 25 years, but I know that that documentary doesn’t seem to get much love. As a person that generally doesn’t go in for docs, I found it compelling enough to watch a second time – something I never do with docs.
i won’t even comment on the order…but seriously,This is England?
Man on Wire?
Slumdog Millionaire??
The English Patient??
WTF???
Robert W Peabody III
Couple of my fav Mike Leigh films made the list
Oldman’s Nil by Mouth also made it.
Also ratcatcher…