'Withnail and I' is a brilliant British classic that I would highly recommend. I agree with you about Gravity, by the end of the film I was hoping Sandra Bullock would land in North Korea.
The Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz & The Worlds End) is a must if you haven’t seen, or if you’ve only seen them once or twice, especially Hot Fuzz that takes about 4 watches at least to catch everything 😂
Go 20th Century - Brief Encounter, Zulu, The Italian Job, Watership Down, Scum, Quadrophenia, The Long Good Friday, American Werewolf In London, Billy Elliot - all great films.
Please do a poll on British classic films you should watch, I'd like to recommend 3 Lawrence of Arabia, The Italian job and my personal favorite Zulu with Michael Caine
Lawrence Of Arabia is possibly one of the finest films ever made, let alone the finest British film. The Italian Job is also a worthy nominee. For myself, I'd suggest The English Patient and Ice Cold In Alex.
This Is England is a fantastic film. There was a TV series set in the early 80s as well. There are a number of Wallace and Gromit films and several others, including Chicken Run, made by Aardman Animations in Bristol. They are all worth a watch. Very gentle humour.
I suspect that you may have already had this recommended to you, if not PLEASE see "Withnail And I". It is an hilarious comedic portrait of two out of work actors in the late 1960s and their attempt to escape the drearyness of a squalid life in London with a therapeutic break in the Lake District. They are totally unequipped for country life ...and there is an excruciating issue with an older relative played by an actor you will definitely recognise ;-) You mentioned an interest in war themed films. An absolute must see IMO is "Come And See" it is unique in so many ways: the 100% natural lighting, even at dusk, the full frontal portrait shots of peoples' terrified expressions, the utterly unrelenting cruelty and the way the main protagonist seems to "age" as the plot unfolds even though he's only about 14. I have seen pretty much every extreme horror film out there but this one left me with palpitations (and tears). It is both horrible but at the same time utterly brilliant.
I know it wasn't made in the 21st Century, but the Spielberg film Empire of the Sun (1987) is based on JG Ballard's book of the same name. It is about a 13-yr old British boy interned by the Japenese after the fall of Shanghai in Dec 1941. It stars a 13-yr old Christian Bale. The music and cinematography are ace.
The sequels to This is England are well worth checking out as well. They were done as TV mini series rather than films. There are 3 of them set in 1986, 1988 and 1990
As a big James Bond fan I remember watching Skyfall for the first time and not being overly impressed. One day I came across a podcast called The Rewatchables (which I've just found out is also on RUclips) and in one of their episodes they did an amazing job of discussing the film in a lot of detail. I watched the film again and it's now one of my favourite Bond films ever. I really enjoyed this video. Original, thought provoking and beautifully made. If someone is still thinking about your video two days later you've done something right.
Surprised that The Imitation Game was not in the list. I much prefer it to The Theory of Everything in 2014. Also surprised Pride and Prejudice is not in the list for 2005. Some other 2000s+ British films I find memorable and better than most of the films on the list: V for Vendetta, Happy Go-Lucky, Atonement, An Education, Amazing Grace, Bend It Like Beckham, Casino Royale, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Also like Eddie the Eagle.
SO glad you liked 'Tinker Tailor', it's a fabulous piece of work but was always going to have to make compromises to fit the source material into such a short space of time and can be tricky to follow as a result. Perhaps the watchalong crew helped you out some. I would *implore* you to seek out the BBC TV adaptation from 1979 and the sequel 'Smileys People' from 1982 starring Alec Guinness so as to complete the Karla Story. They are SOOOOOOOOOO good and as much as I liked Gary Oldman, Sir Alec is the definitive George Smiley.
Gary Oldman is a very talented actor,proven again and again,but Sir Alec Guinness nailed that part. Still very enjoyable though but like you,I preferred the series where you were given deeper context.
Nice one Alanna. This wiil give me something (s) to watch. By the way I liked Gravity, but Iam am biased as Sandy B can do no wrong in my opinion........🤪
The British films of the 20th century need some love as well. There are a very large number of them. I would recommend 'Black Narcissus', 'The Red Shoes' or 'Went the day Well?' as a starting point. Those of the 19th century are few, but interesting, including 'Roundhay Garden Scene', which is about two seconds long (a surviving fragment) and has been restored as far as possible.
Great idea for a video! I won’t watch all of the movies, but there were definitely some I have never heard of before, that I want to watch. My favourite thing about Gravity is the quote by Tina Fey: It’s the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die, than spend one more minute with a woman his own age 😆
That's a huge amount of commitment for a video Alanna, thank you for your time! Some great films there, & glad to see you're expanding your British accent repertoire! 🙏🙏
Although Hollywood became the centre of movies, it really was the advantages compared to a place like the UK with limited space and different filming sites that dictated this. Hollywood itself has been heavily influenced by Britain, as well as other countries, since the beginning. Some of the most influential director, actors, and films were British. I have known plenty of people that thought Hitchcock was American though, people do tend to just associate it with the US. "Hollywood" hasn't just been an American thing only pretty much since the start.
Wow, I really liked Gravity when it came out. I watched it at the cinema in 3D and I have a vivid image of a bolt floating out of the screen and she grabs it. Granted, I haven't seen it watched it since then so maybe it doesn't hold up. For the rest of the movies I have never heard of most of them. Will be adding some to my watch list. 👍👍
Gravity stands up, but only if you're lucky enough to get a retro screening at the cinema. It needs a huge screen and ideally 3D - home viewing kills the spectacle, however big your telly is.
I also saw it when it was first released, on a huge Imax screen. I remember ducking as that bolt headed towards me! It's the only film to ever justify 3D production and I should imagine it's an absolute pancake on the small screen.
Exactly that for me. It essentially does the same thing three times, with the shuttle and the two space stations. That's terrible cinema, but in IMAX it's a hell of a ride....
One if not the most favourite film I have, wouldn’t have been on your list as it was made in 1939 but it’s called Goodbye Mr Chips, it’s a emotional film, it was based on a book and to my knowledge there has been three versions of this film, the original in 1939 a 1970s musical I think and a more recent version, I’m not into musicals but I’ve seen the more recent one and it’s no way near as good as the original. I also liked all versions on the 39 steps films which are old films too, the thing I like about pre 1960s films is they mostly don’t have bad language in them.
I've not heard of some of these, let alone seen them, so thanks for dedicating so much time to watching and reviewing them for us! I have made a literal note to watch some of them now.
Oh my! I remember Petit's walk between the towers of the World Trade Center. I was living in Boston, listening to the morning news on the radio. They interrupted and switched to live coverage. Apparently commuters stopped driving to watch and NYC traffic got snarled for hours. Then the story of his clandestine preparations came out and elevated the event further. What a feat, what a memory. ... Excellent review and video. Keep up your good work! And thanks for the memory. :)
@12:40 Hey! I'm in that scene! Filmed outside the Sierra Leonian Embassy in Portland Place, London - and boy! was it chucking it down that day. The delapidated interiors were also extensively used as Lionel Logue's (Geoffrey Rush's character) rooms.
I know I'm old but the best British film ever, to my mind, is "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" starring Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark. You've got the end of Empire, the boarding school experience, snobbery, the Blitz... it has everything definitive of England in the first half of the 20th century and I still hum the theme song. Tina Fey reviewed 'Gravity' best of all, "It's the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.”
You need to go back further and ignore Bafta 1. Withnail & I 2. Nil by mouth 3. Get Carter 4. The Spy who came in from the cold 5. Kind hearts and coronets 6. Mona Lisa 7. The long good friday 8. Riff Raff 9. Rita sue and bob too 10. Kes
I'm impressed with your commitment. I've only seen one of those films in its entirety-Gravity. I saw it at the cinema in 3D, and really enjoyed it. But then, I do watch live rocket launches on RUclips (there's going to be one tomorrow [19/04/23], all being well. The largest rocket ever launched!) I've watched most of I, Daniel Blake. I agree that it wasn't that interesting. To be fair to Ken Loach, it was accurate in the way he portrayed the cruelty of the benefits system. I went through the disability assessment myself three times, and it was a disheartening process. My favourite British film of the 21st Century is The Woman In Black. It's a ghost story, and the only Daniel Radcliffe film I've ever seen. Btw, I was on the set of Atonement the day before they started filming, in Yorkshire. Two upcoming big budget films that were shot partially in Yorkshire in 2021, are the new Mission Impossible; and Indiana Jones films.
I work for a Social Landlord and they showed us I Daniel Blake in the office, such a powerful film. It was even brought up in Parliament I recall. Enjoyed the video
Great video Alanna...... 3 Billboards is an excellent Movie.... I am not a big film fan so caught this on tv..... Very much worth a watch..... :-)) xxxx
Great job Alanna! I love your enthusiasm and your candid remarks when the film was not so good. I hope you can find another bunch of films or videos or cinema classics to review for us!!❤❤❤❤❤
Hi Alanna, if you haven't already, please consider doing movie reactions for this channel. There doesn't seem to be many British reactors out there. Succinctly literate, no umming and arring just insightful takes on a multitude of movies
Not been much of a film watcher in recent years, so was interested in what you'd come up with. There's a couple I'm tempted by 🙂. I couldn't take Gravity seriously when I saw it, but it was entertaining enough.... though not a patch on Dark Star (1974). Glad you finally got the video out Alanna.
What a fabulous movie critic!! Honest down to earth (no BS) comments, you said it how you saw it! Thanks I enjoyed it, positive and negative opinions. Cheers Aah Kid!!
Well done. I think that George Clooney would be UK normally resident and that would be another reason why Gravity was here. Have to agree with others about Skyfall as it portrayed the authentic "Bond", the character that Ian Flemming wrote in the books. Casino Royale followed on from that. As you saw, many British films, we would call gritty.
I think you should take over from Jonathan Ross as a professional film reviewer. That was fun! I couldn't believe how long ago some of those films came out! I'd have put most of them in the last 5-10 years!!!! Great video.
Im so glad you saw This Is England!.. We studied British film when I was in college and it was one of the main films we dug into. Absolutely phenomenal cast, Shane Meadows' faith in them all was great as a fair few parts were improvised on the spot. If you haven't seen it already, one of the main characters (Woody) wrote his own comedy on Sky called Brassic, which features some of the cast. So so funny if you're ever at a loose end, there are 4 series so far.
Great video, Alanna. Pleased that you enjoyed the Wallace & Gromit film. If you’ve never seen The Wrong Trousers, I highly recommend it. That one was my favourite W&G short as a kid. Here’s some other British films that I think you might like: Kes My Beautiful Launderette Letter to Brezhnev Withnail & I Secrets & Lies Made in Dagenham Paddington I and II If you’re in the mood for something a bit tougher to watch: If… A Clockwork Orange Scum Tyrannosaur
If... was a great film. Parts of it jump to black and white, because the money ran out, but it was worth finishing. Britannia Hospital, by the same director, was also excellent, if a tad dark 😁
I'm a hopeless nostalgic, and this was something of a nostalgia trip, so thank you for doing it and taking us with you, Alanna! Seeing when these films won their awards, it is possible to think back to when they came out, where I was and what life had me doing there and then. (Not that I have seen all these films, nor did I first encounter those I have seen upon their release.... but the memory of viewing can also be associated with certain times and places!) Given how much the royal family has been under the spotlight recently, perhaps a sure bet for a British film is one of those dramatising real-life events in royal history - presumably you're aware of "The King's Speech" and "The Queen," for instance? I would also commend Kenneth Branagh's adaptations of Shakespeare, especially "King Henry V" which was his first directorial effort and in many ways his finest - one of the contemporary reviewers noted that it contains "the cream of British acting" as it was then (aside from Branagh himself it includes Emma Thompson, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench, Brian Blessed and many others) and it has Patrick Doyle's first attempt at a film soundtrack, recorded by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle's direction; it's a truly British production in every respect! Out of your list, it's wonderful to see Wallace and Gromit. Their every appearance from the very first TV special ("A Grand Day Out" at the turn of the 1990s) was an improvement on the last, and "The Curse of the Were Rabbit" pulled out all the stops, undeniably.
It's probably already been mentioned in the comments but This is England continued on television for two series (This is England '86 & '90) both are excellent following all the the characters years later. This is England is loosely based on writer and director Shane Meadows life, as you enjoyed the film I would recommend watching the TV series.
FYI, and apologies if another comment has already covered this, but This Is England spawned a TV series if you are interested. I took a look through the nominees, and I'm not convinced that they got the right winner in a number of years! Dirty Pretty Things in '02 was a breakout performance for Chiwetel Ejiofor who might be the most talented actor in the world. The funny thing is the director of it, Stephen Frears also had a film Philomena that lost to Gravity! Philomena is a British/Irish story about a woman trying to find the child she had to give away for adoption. The COnstant Gardener was another film that lost and the acting from Ralph Fiennes in it is incredible. The other thing that jumped out for me is that awards shows in general feel like they equate misery with meaning - you'll do better in the awards if the film is bleak, so comedy or semi-comic films would get overlooked. For me, the finest British films have tended to be comedies so I'd maybe recommend films like Kinky Boots (a film about a shoe make who is going out of business finding a new market) and Adult Life Skills (Jodie Whittaker is a women living in a shed in her parents' garden) ahead of some of those mentioned. Four Lions and The Death Of Stalin were nominated and worth tracking down! The McDonagh brothers have turned darkly funny in to an artform. In Bruges put Martin on the map (and that has an amazing amount of swearing in it), but that was nominated but didn't win. By the way, In Bruges not only shares the director with Banshees... but the two main cast are in both films too. For a number of people, it helped convince them that Colin Farrell could actually act, he wasn't just a good looking performer.Martin's brother John Michael has done The Guard and Calvary which were both brilliant films too. I wouldn't say no to more videos where you dive in to British films... I think Victim (50s or 60s?) might still be on the ITV player which is notable for being the first films to use a word for a forbidden lifestyle (or at least was forbidden at the time it was made)
Alanna, you always always go that extra mile, but this time you have out done yourself, the brewing video was commitment on a large scale, the lengths that you go to in your food tastings and also comparisons are second to none, you really do spoil everyone who watches your content, the quality is very high always, I Daren't think how long it takes to script a video, but I would struggle so much, but you, you never seem to give up, we all are so lucky to have you making such high quality content, honestly you could charge us for a "TV" licence and we wouldn't complain, the license payers would be the envy of RUclips 😂 thank you and take care 😊
Great video, thank you. I don't generally watch award-winning films so was a bit surprised to see that I've seen more than half of these. I even enjoyed one or two of them.
Great selection , Alanna , and loved your summaries . You had 2 of my favourites , This is England , and I, Daniel Blake .. Plus I fully agree , we need more of Stephen Graham !!! Thank you so much for your effort in putting this together . Well done 👍
Than you for some great ideas. I used to be a real fan of film and more especially cinematography. Something I would like to revisit. So absorbing if it's 'good'. Andy...
Hi Alana Wow! This video was a blast, great energy levels all the way through. The concept and delivery of this video were right on point. Can’t imagine how much time you spent watching all the films, and the editing must have taken forever, but it paid off spectacularly. You’re clearly a very smart woman, and I found your analysis really incisive. My only differing opinion was ‘Skyfall’, the best Bond film in modern times, imho, closely followed by ‘Casino Royale’ However, I couldn’t agree more about ‘Gravity’, it was the biggest pile of 💩 I’ve had the misfortune to watch. Should be renamed ‘Tragedy’ 🤭 Love your work…always smiling, always cute, and always a treat to watch. 😊
Gosford Park is 'perfection' in film form. It is SOOO nuanced and there's so much to notice in repeated viewings. The commentary on the DVD is also a must. Not sure BAFTA winners is the best way to find amazing 'British films' as none of the Cornetto Trilogy was ever going to win that but i'd say they DEFINITELY should all be in anyone's top 10 of the noughties. If you liked This is England, they did 2 follow up mini-series'. They are fantastic but again NOT an easy watch in either case. Also, re: Fishtank - Fassbender wasn't particularly well known at that point, he was just on the cusp. He had done a couple of stand out performances in smaller films but this was pre-all of the big budget, 'starring' roles he did next.
Wow, that's a lot of effort for one RUclips video! It was an interesting collection, and I suppose if you're going to assemble a list of 22 films that somehow represent the best of British film, then following the BAFTA is one way of doing it. However, looking through the lists of nominated films, I was surprised by some of the films that didn't win. Too numerous to mention really, but as an example, the execrable Gravity squeezed out the wonderful Philomena, a kind of redemptive road story about a woman's 50 year search for her son, dir. by Stephen Frears, and with fantastic performances from Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri may have been directed by a Brit, but it won out over Paddington 2, which is obviously one of the greatest films of all time, even before we mention that it is also quintessentially British. I was rather expecting some lofty conclusion from you on what you learnt, as someone who is not British by birth, about modern Britain from watching these 22 films. As one who does not have that perspective, I thought sometimes they were really good, sometimes a bit worthy, and sometimes a bit naff - but liberally sprinkled with some really good actors. Is this who we are? Interesting fact, the Best British Film BAFTA was not a category between 1968 and 1982 because there weren't any! Or at least not very many, especially in the 70s, when the British Film Industry consisted solely of some second rate Bonds, and a smattering of late Carry On films. Apart from that, between Dr Zhivago and Chariots of Fire, there was hardly anything. So we're a lot more productive now than we were back then.
Fantastic video, Alana. Not only the time you spent watching, but also the brilliant commentary. It's obvious, as a viewer, that you put a lot of thought in to this. Really appreciate your hard work.
Thanks for this Alanna, it's a great idea to review these and it's really interesting to get your views. Though definitely not blockbusters, I loved both 'Brooklyn' and 'I Daniel Blake' for some reason and I totally agree about a thumbs-down for 'Gravity', which bored me completely. There's also a couple that I've yet to see and so they'll definitely be added to my list!
Some great movies, some good, some head scratchers lol There were definitely a few I wouldn’t have thought of as British 🙃 What a brilliant vid, Alanna. I really enjoyed hearing your reviews. Cheers ☺️
Ken Loach directed I,Daniel Blake. He's made a lot of films of that nature, often using unknown actors. His best-known film is probably Kes. A cult classic from 1971 is Get Carter, set in Newcastle. Michael Caine plays a gangster returning to his home town and there's no hint of a Geordie accent.
Great video, Alanna. I'm definitely going to give some of the ones I missed a watch. By the way, the girl in This is England was Vicky McClure from Line of Duty, so she was reunited with Stephen Graham in that.
War film, sorta, Went The Day Well (1942) it's quite unexpected for its time. I find the wartime films very interesting as we didn't know we were on the winning side during production.(obvs) I do love Battle of the River Plate, all Powell & Pressburger-y as it is. Battle of Malta /Cruel Sea/Colditz/ so many great 40's/50's films 😁
That really did something strange to my perspective, compressing 22 years into 30 minutes like that. There's 2/3 I haven't seen that I really want to now - thanks!😃
Wow, what a great Video this week Alanna, I can see why you were so determined to get this one out with all the hard work that must have gone onto it. Very well done. My favourite two films from the list are Tinker Tailor and Wallis & Gromit both high on my go to list of movies. 👏👏👏😊
I actually enjoyed watching Gravity - it was good, but then i liked Solaris (2002) too. Last King of Scotland was an excellent movie yes, I will to re watch that, and I think I will give Tinker, Tailor, soldier, spy another go. Thanks Alanna.
Interesting program, thanks for that. I'm surprised how many I've missed and a little depressed how long ago I saw some of them in the cinema. Clearly you were terribly wrong about Gravity but apart from that I think you've inspired me to catch up with, or re-watch quite a few of those.
Alana have you thought of reviewing British tv comedy series ??? Off the top of my head i think you might look at ' Only Fools and Horses ' , Harry Enfield Show ( the Women know your Limits sketches in particular) , Little Britain , League of Gentlemen, The Mighty Boosh, The Inbetweeners.I have probably missed some ' must sees ' here . Very sensitive assessment of ' This is England ' - well done . There are many Engkands - ' This is England ' is one , ' Downtown Abbey ' is another .
One of the best 'British’ movies has to be Remains of the Day. - it precedes your time range - but is so british it hurts. Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. I think you’d love it.
It is a lovely film - I generally end up watching it and shouting like a sports hooligan about what Mr Stevens should do though! - breaks the gentile atmosphere a bit !!
From a book by a Japanese writer. I’ve just seen “Living” with Bill Nighy also written by a person from Japan. Interesting how Japanese seem to understand British culture. I would very much recommend it
@@marybalding1435 Both the novel that Remains of the Day was adapted from and the film "Living" were written by the same person. And that "Japanese" writer is also a British citizen, who lived in Britain from the age of 6. He is a Japanese-British writer.
Great vid, Alanna! You should do a part 2, 3, 4 etc. at some point. Could be the Best British films from the 20th Century or the nominees from this century. Plenty more films, so many more videos to come 😀
'Withnail and I' is a brilliant British classic that I would highly recommend. I agree with you about Gravity, by the end of the film I was hoping Sandra Bullock would land in North Korea.
Do not attempt to keep up with the drinking though.
The Cornetto Trilogy (Shaun Of The Dead, Hot Fuzz & The Worlds End) is a must if you haven’t seen, or if you’ve only seen them once or twice, especially Hot Fuzz that takes about 4 watches at least to catch everything 😂
SWAN!
Fantastic
@@jonsmith8582 No luck catching them swans then?
I used to watch Shaun of the Dead every Halloween!! Hot Fuzz is fun but I couldn't stand The Worlds End
@@b-beale1931 just the one Swan actually !
Do yourself a favour and watch 1996's 'Brassed Off'. British stars, British accents and British Brass !
Not forgetting Up ‘N’ Under Rugby League film. The Draughtmans Contract or the very quirky The Lair of The White Worm.
I second that. Great film.
I have a friend who played in a brass band.. she became known as "Gloria" lol
Full metal jacket, as American as you can get? It was filmed mostly in a disused gas works in London, with a Uk director
One of my all time favourites (it’s number 3 behind Local Hero and Mamma Mia, what can I say? I have diverse taste).
If you like Wallace and Gromit, try Shaun the Sheep the Movie; probably the best observation on a small British town anywhere.
"Attack the block" is a must see! "Withnail and I" is another
'Withnail and I'!
'Gosford Park' is a great choice. The (American) director, Robert Altman, is brilliant.
Go 20th Century - Brief Encounter, Zulu, The Italian Job, Watership Down, Scum, Quadrophenia, The Long Good Friday, American Werewolf In London, Billy Elliot - all great films.
Wallace and Gromit is pure British and so much fun.
Hiya Shane, where are you from?
Please do a poll on British classic films you should watch, I'd like to recommend 3 Lawrence of Arabia, The Italian job and my personal favorite Zulu with Michael Caine
Lawrence Of Arabia is possibly one of the finest films ever made, let alone the finest British film. The Italian Job is also a worthy nominee. For myself, I'd suggest The English Patient and Ice Cold In Alex.
With you on those, Zulu also my all time favourite.
This Is England is a fantastic film. There was a TV series set in the early 80s as well. There are a number of Wallace and Gromit films and several others, including Chicken Run, made by Aardman Animations in Bristol. They are all worth a watch. Very gentle humour.
I suspect that you may have already had this recommended to you, if not PLEASE see "Withnail And I".
It is an hilarious comedic portrait of two out of work actors in the late 1960s and their attempt to escape the drearyness of a squalid life in London with a therapeutic break in the Lake District. They are totally unequipped for country life ...and there is an excruciating issue with an older relative played by an actor you will definitely recognise ;-)
You mentioned an interest in war themed films. An absolute must see IMO is "Come And See" it is unique in so many ways: the 100% natural lighting, even at dusk, the full frontal portrait shots of peoples' terrified expressions, the utterly unrelenting cruelty and the way the main protagonist seems to "age" as the plot unfolds even though he's only about 14. I have seen pretty much every extreme horror film out there but this one left me with palpitations (and tears).
It is both horrible but at the same time utterly brilliant.
Kind Hearts and Coronets. ..... not in your timescale but but outstanding film
Alanna is always working the extra hours for our entertainment. Clearly, she loves all of us!
I know it wasn't made in the 21st Century, but the Spielberg film Empire of the Sun (1987) is based on JG Ballard's book of the same name. It is about a 13-yr old British boy interned by the Japenese after the fall of Shanghai in Dec 1941. It stars a 13-yr old Christian Bale. The music and cinematography are ace.
The railway children , it's supposed to be for kids but it's one of the best British films ever made , and I defy you not to cry at the end 😭
Anyone who doesn't cry watching THAT scene is clinically dead.
"Daddy! My daddy...!"
The sequels to This is England are well worth checking out as well. They were done as TV mini series rather than films. There are 3 of them set in 1986, 1988 and 1990
I didn't realise, thanks for the heads-up!
I would appreciate you looking at some of the Ealing comedies.
As a big James Bond fan I remember watching Skyfall for the first time and not being overly impressed. One day I came across a podcast called The Rewatchables (which I've just found out is also on RUclips) and in one of their episodes they did an amazing job of discussing the film in a lot of detail. I watched the film again and it's now one of my favourite Bond films ever.
I really enjoyed this video. Original, thought provoking and beautifully made. If someone is still thinking about your video two days later you've done something right.
Surprised that The Imitation Game was not in the list. I much prefer it to The Theory of Everything in 2014. Also surprised Pride and Prejudice is not in the list for 2005. Some other 2000s+ British films I find memorable and better than most of the films on the list: V for Vendetta, Happy Go-Lucky, Atonement, An Education, Amazing Grace, Bend It Like Beckham, Casino Royale, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Also like Eddie the Eagle.
SO glad you liked 'Tinker Tailor', it's a fabulous piece of work but was always going to have to make compromises to fit the source material into such a short space of time and can be tricky to follow as a result. Perhaps the watchalong crew helped you out some. I would *implore* you to seek out the BBC TV adaptation from 1979 and the sequel 'Smileys People' from 1982 starring Alec Guinness so as to complete the Karla Story. They are SOOOOOOOOOO good and as much as I liked Gary Oldman, Sir Alec is the definitive George Smiley.
And Karla steals the the show. Doesn't say a word.
He went on to Stella things.
Gary Oldman is a very talented actor,proven again and again,but Sir Alec Guinness nailed that part.
Still very enjoyable though but like you,I preferred the series where you were given deeper context.
Totally agree. I watch Tinker Tailor and Smiley's People every Autumn.
Watched the series with Sir. Alec avidly when it came out and also smilies people.
Fantastic film. The performances and the look. The music too.
Nice one Alanna. This wiil give me something (s) to watch. By the way I liked Gravity, but Iam am biased as Sandy B can do no wrong in my opinion........🤪
The British films of the 20th century need some love as well. There are a very large number of them. I would recommend 'Black Narcissus', 'The Red Shoes' or 'Went the day Well?' as a starting point.
Those of the 19th century are few, but interesting, including 'Roundhay Garden Scene', which is about two seconds long (a surviving fragment) and has been restored as far as possible.
Great idea for a video! I won’t watch all of the movies, but there were definitely some I have never heard of before, that I want to watch.
My favourite thing about Gravity is the quote by Tina Fey: It’s the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die, than spend one more minute with a woman his own age 😆
😂
Let’s just take a moment to remember the “SMUG” fridge on Wallace and Gromit….. so many fab bits in Curse of.. but that’s my favourite. ❤
That's a huge amount of commitment for a video Alanna, thank you for your time! Some great films there, & glad to see you're expanding your British accent repertoire! 🙏🙏
Thank you so much!
No British film compares to the best ever film featuring Alec Guinness "Kind Hearts and Coronets" (1949).
Bonus for you is "Filming took place from September 1948 at Leeds Castle and other locations in Kent . . . ."
Got the 4K disc - very good.
A Fish Called Wanda, a good British comedy from the 80s.
Ice cold in Alex, great film, loved 3 billboards
East is East a great British movie and very funny I think you’ll love it Alanna
Loads of what you would generally think of as American films were shot at Shepperton or Pinewood
Although Hollywood became the centre of movies, it really was the advantages compared to a place like the UK with limited space and different filming sites that dictated this. Hollywood itself has been heavily influenced by Britain, as well as other countries, since the beginning. Some of the most influential director, actors, and films were British.
I have known plenty of people that thought Hitchcock was American though, people do tend to just associate it with the US.
"Hollywood" hasn't just been an American thing only pretty much since the start.
Wow, I really liked Gravity when it came out. I watched it at the cinema in 3D and I have a vivid image of a bolt floating out of the screen and she grabs it. Granted, I haven't seen it watched it since then so maybe it doesn't hold up. For the rest of the movies I have never heard of most of them. Will be adding some to my watch list. 👍👍
Gravity stands up, but only if you're lucky enough to get a retro screening at the cinema. It needs a huge screen and ideally 3D - home viewing kills the spectacle, however big your telly is.
I also saw it when it was first released, on a huge Imax screen. I remember ducking as that bolt headed towards me! It's the only film to ever justify 3D production and I should imagine it's an absolute pancake on the small screen.
Exactly that for me. It essentially does the same thing three times, with the shuttle and the two space stations. That's terrible cinema, but in IMAX it's a hell of a ride....
One if not the most favourite film I have, wouldn’t have been on your list as it was made in 1939 but it’s called Goodbye Mr Chips, it’s a emotional film, it was based on a book and to my knowledge there has been three versions of this film, the original in 1939 a 1970s musical I think and a more recent version, I’m not into musicals but I’ve seen the more recent one and it’s no way near as good as the original. I also liked all versions on the 39 steps films which are old films too, the thing I like about pre 1960s films is they mostly don’t have bad language in them.
Good choices.
Goodbye Mr Chips is such a good film. I saw it as a child and remember it fondly.
I've not heard of some of these, let alone seen them, so thanks for dedicating so much time to watching and reviewing them for us! I have made a literal note to watch some of them now.
Awesome, hope you enjoy it!!
Oh my! I remember Petit's walk between the towers of the World Trade Center. I was living in Boston, listening to the morning news on the radio. They interrupted and switched to live coverage. Apparently commuters stopped driving to watch and NYC traffic got snarled for hours. Then the story of his clandestine preparations came out and elevated the event further. What a feat, what a memory. ... Excellent review and video. Keep up your good work! And thanks for the memory. :)
Thank you. I have followed you on and off for years. I really like your film reviews. How about Three Colours from Kieslowski?
@12:40 Hey! I'm in that scene! Filmed outside the Sierra Leonian Embassy in Portland Place, London - and boy! was it chucking it down that day. The delapidated interiors were also extensively used as Lionel Logue's (Geoffrey Rush's character) rooms.
I know I'm old but the best British film ever, to my mind, is "Goodbye, Mr. Chips" starring Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark. You've got the end of Empire, the boarding school experience, snobbery, the Blitz... it has everything definitive of England in the first half of the 20th century and I still hum the theme song.
Tina Fey reviewed 'Gravity' best of all, "It's the story of how George Clooney would rather float away into space and die than spend one more minute with a woman his own age.”
My favourite british films in recent years are Aftersun and The Father. Both amazing!
BAFTA should sponsor A&N after this excellent episode Alanna created...🎬🇬🇧
😂 Cheers Steve!
You need to go back further and ignore Bafta
1. Withnail & I
2. Nil by mouth
3. Get Carter
4. The Spy who came in from the cold
5. Kind hearts and coronets
6. Mona Lisa
7. The long good friday
8. Riff Raff
9. Rita sue and bob too
10. Kes
Belting good video Alannah.
I'm impressed with your commitment. I've only seen one of those films in its entirety-Gravity. I saw it at the cinema in 3D, and really enjoyed it. But then, I do watch live rocket launches on RUclips (there's going to be one tomorrow [19/04/23], all being well. The largest rocket ever launched!)
I've watched most of I, Daniel Blake. I agree that it wasn't that interesting. To be fair to Ken Loach, it was accurate in the way he portrayed the cruelty of the benefits system. I went through the disability assessment myself three times, and it was a disheartening process.
My favourite British film of the 21st Century is The Woman In Black. It's a ghost story, and the only Daniel Radcliffe film I've ever seen.
Btw, I was on the set of Atonement the day before they started filming, in Yorkshire. Two upcoming big budget films that were shot partially in Yorkshire in 2021, are the new Mission Impossible; and Indiana Jones films.
I work for a Social Landlord and they showed us I Daniel Blake in the office, such a powerful film. It was even brought up in Parliament I recall. Enjoyed the video
Definitely a tough watch!
Gosford Park was written by Julian Fellowes. The same person who created Downton Abbey. So its little surprise that they feel similar, as they are.
Sharpes i/c and then Prince Regent. And good friend of Dick who took the Eagle at Talavera don't you know.
Great video Alanna...... 3 Billboards is an excellent Movie.... I am not a big film fan so caught this on tv..... Very much worth a watch..... :-)) xxxx
Great job Alanna! I love your enthusiasm and your candid remarks when the film was not so good. I hope you can find another bunch of films or videos or cinema classics to review for us!!❤❤❤❤❤
Thank you! Will do!
Hi Alanna, if you haven't already, please consider doing movie reactions for this channel. There doesn't seem to be many British reactors out there. Succinctly literate, no umming and arring just insightful takes on a multitude of movies
Some excellent choices. was so pleased you included Fish Tank. Such a good film.
I dare you to watch 5 or 6 of the Carry On films and review. True British comedy.
Not been much of a film watcher in recent years, so was interested in what you'd come up with. There's a couple I'm tempted by 🙂.
I couldn't take Gravity seriously when I saw it, but it was entertaining enough.... though not a patch on Dark Star (1974).
Glad you finally got the video out Alanna.
Cheers Stuart!
What a fabulous movie critic!! Honest down to earth (no BS) comments, you said it how you saw it! Thanks I enjoyed it, positive and negative opinions.
Cheers Aah Kid!!
Very much enjoyed your take on these movies. Need to get you on Lorraine doing showbiz reviews. All the best.
Well done. I think that George Clooney would be UK normally resident and that would be another reason why Gravity was here. Have to agree with others about Skyfall as it portrayed the authentic "Bond", the character that Ian Flemming wrote in the books. Casino Royale followed on from that. As you saw, many British films, we would call gritty.
Great idea, I need to see a few of these again.
I think you should take over from Jonathan Ross as a professional film reviewer. That was fun!
I couldn't believe how long ago some of those films came out! I'd have put most of them in the last 5-10 years!!!!
Great video.
Best episode yet. Your passion for film really comes across. More please.
Thanks so much! ☺️
This was really interesting. Some of those films I had never heard of! Loved this and the “best” British albums one.
Alana, do more reviews-of anything. You're great doing them and it shows off your wonderful smile.
Cheers from the Pacific West Coast of Canada.
Im so glad you saw This Is England!.. We studied British film when I was in college and it was one of the main films we dug into. Absolutely phenomenal cast, Shane Meadows' faith in them all was great as a fair few parts were improvised on the spot.
If you haven't seen it already, one of the main characters (Woody) wrote his own comedy on Sky called Brassic, which features some of the cast. So so funny if you're ever at a loose end, there are 4 series so far.
Great video, Alanna. Pleased that you enjoyed the Wallace & Gromit film. If you’ve never seen The Wrong Trousers, I highly recommend it. That one was my favourite W&G short as a kid. Here’s some other British films that I think you might like:
Kes
My Beautiful Launderette
Letter to Brezhnev
Withnail & I
Secrets & Lies
Made in Dagenham
Paddington I and II
If you’re in the mood for something a bit tougher to watch:
If…
A Clockwork Orange
Scum
Tyrannosaur
Scum is a great film, no kicking in the goolies and no biting
If... was a great film. Parts of it jump to black and white, because the money ran out, but it was worth finishing.
Britannia Hospital, by the same director, was also excellent, if a tad dark 😁
I'm a hopeless nostalgic, and this was something of a nostalgia trip, so thank you for doing it and taking us with you, Alanna! Seeing when these films won their awards, it is possible to think back to when they came out, where I was and what life had me doing there and then. (Not that I have seen all these films, nor did I first encounter those I have seen upon their release.... but the memory of viewing can also be associated with certain times and places!)
Given how much the royal family has been under the spotlight recently, perhaps a sure bet for a British film is one of those dramatising real-life events in royal history - presumably you're aware of "The King's Speech" and "The Queen," for instance? I would also commend Kenneth Branagh's adaptations of Shakespeare, especially "King Henry V" which was his first directorial effort and in many ways his finest - one of the contemporary reviewers noted that it contains "the cream of British acting" as it was then (aside from Branagh himself it includes Emma Thompson, Derek Jacobi, Judi Dench, Brian Blessed and many others) and it has Patrick Doyle's first attempt at a film soundtrack, recorded by the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Simon Rattle's direction; it's a truly British production in every respect!
Out of your list, it's wonderful to see Wallace and Gromit. Their every appearance from the very first TV special ("A Grand Day Out" at the turn of the 1990s) was an improvement on the last, and "The Curse of the Were Rabbit" pulled out all the stops, undeniably.
It's probably already been mentioned in the comments but This is England continued on television for two series (This is England '86 & '90) both are excellent following all the the characters years later. This is England is loosely based on writer and director Shane Meadows life, as you enjoyed the film I would recommend watching the TV series.
FYI, and apologies if another comment has already covered this, but This Is England spawned a TV series if you are interested.
I took a look through the nominees, and I'm not convinced that they got the right winner in a number of years! Dirty Pretty Things in '02 was a breakout performance for Chiwetel Ejiofor who might be the most talented actor in the world. The funny thing is the director of it, Stephen Frears also had a film Philomena that lost to Gravity! Philomena is a British/Irish story about a woman trying to find the child she had to give away for adoption. The COnstant Gardener was another film that lost and the acting from Ralph Fiennes in it is incredible.
The other thing that jumped out for me is that awards shows in general feel like they equate misery with meaning - you'll do better in the awards if the film is bleak, so comedy or semi-comic films would get overlooked. For me, the finest British films have tended to be comedies so I'd maybe recommend films like Kinky Boots (a film about a shoe make who is going out of business finding a new market) and Adult Life Skills (Jodie Whittaker is a women living in a shed in her parents' garden) ahead of some of those mentioned. Four Lions and The Death Of Stalin were nominated and worth tracking down!
The McDonagh brothers have turned darkly funny in to an artform. In Bruges put Martin on the map (and that has an amazing amount of swearing in it), but that was nominated but didn't win. By the way, In Bruges not only shares the director with Banshees... but the two main cast are in both films too. For a number of people, it helped convince them that Colin Farrell could actually act, he wasn't just a good looking performer.Martin's brother John Michael has done The Guard and Calvary which were both brilliant films too.
I wouldn't say no to more videos where you dive in to British films... I think Victim (50s or 60s?) might still be on the ITV player which is notable for being the first films to use a word for a forbidden lifestyle (or at least was forbidden at the time it was made)
Try the Hornblower film series great set of films about an introvert in a commanders position.
Alanna, you always always go that extra mile, but this time you have out done yourself, the brewing video was commitment on a large scale, the lengths that you go to in your food tastings and also comparisons are second to none, you really do spoil everyone who watches your content, the quality is very high always, I Daren't think how long it takes to script a video, but I would struggle so much, but you, you never seem to give up, we all are so lucky to have you making such high quality content, honestly you could charge us for a "TV" licence and we wouldn't complain, the license payers would be the envy of RUclips 😂 thank you and take care 😊
Great video as usual.
Great video, thank you.
I don't generally watch award-winning films so was a bit surprised to see that I've seen more than half of these. I even enjoyed one or two of them.
Cheers Alanna that was an epic video well done you!
Thank you!
Fantastic vlog. You certainly did your homework.👍
Great selection , Alanna , and loved your summaries . You had 2 of my favourites , This is England , and I, Daniel Blake ..
Plus I fully agree , we need more of Stephen Graham !!!
Thank you so much for your effort in putting this together . Well done 👍
Thanks so much!!
Than you for some great ideas. I used to be a real fan of film and more especially cinematography. Something I would like to revisit. So absorbing if it's 'good'. Andy...
Hi Alana
Wow! This video was a blast, great energy levels all the way through.
The concept and delivery of this video were right on point. Can’t imagine how much time you spent watching all the films, and the editing must have taken forever, but it paid off spectacularly.
You’re clearly a very smart woman, and I found your analysis really incisive.
My only differing opinion was ‘Skyfall’, the best Bond film in modern times, imho, closely followed by ‘Casino Royale’ However, I couldn’t agree more about ‘Gravity’, it was the biggest pile of 💩 I’ve had the misfortune to watch. Should be renamed ‘Tragedy’ 🤭
Love your work…always smiling, always cute, and always a treat to watch. 😊
Gosford Park is 'perfection' in film form. It is SOOO nuanced and there's so much to notice in repeated viewings. The commentary on the DVD is also a must.
Not sure BAFTA winners is the best way to find amazing 'British films' as none of the Cornetto Trilogy was ever going to win that but i'd say they DEFINITELY should all be in anyone's top 10 of the noughties.
If you liked This is England, they did 2 follow up mini-series'. They are fantastic but again NOT an easy watch in either case.
Also, re: Fishtank - Fassbender wasn't particularly well known at that point, he was just on the cusp. He had done a couple of stand out performances in smaller films but this was pre-all of the big budget, 'starring' roles he did next.
Looking forward to watching you talking about these films 🙂 but just to say your hair looks very pretty with the high-lights at the front 👍
Wow, that's a lot of effort for one RUclips video! It was an interesting collection, and I suppose if you're going to assemble a list of 22 films that somehow represent the best of British film, then following the BAFTA is one way of doing it. However, looking through the lists of nominated films, I was surprised by some of the films that didn't win. Too numerous to mention really, but as an example, the execrable Gravity squeezed out the wonderful Philomena, a kind of redemptive road story about a woman's 50 year search for her son, dir. by Stephen Frears, and with fantastic performances from Judi Dench and Steve Coogan. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri may have been directed by a Brit, but it won out over Paddington 2, which is obviously one of the greatest films of all time, even before we mention that it is also quintessentially British.
I was rather expecting some lofty conclusion from you on what you learnt, as someone who is not British by birth, about modern Britain from watching these 22 films. As one who does not have that perspective, I thought sometimes they were really good, sometimes a bit worthy, and sometimes a bit naff - but liberally sprinkled with some really good actors. Is this who we are?
Interesting fact, the Best British Film BAFTA was not a category between 1968 and 1982 because there weren't any! Or at least not very many, especially in the 70s, when the British Film Industry consisted solely of some second rate Bonds, and a smattering of late Carry On films. Apart from that, between Dr Zhivago and Chariots of Fire, there was hardly anything. So we're a lot more productive now than we were back then.
Great video, haven't seen many of these but i think i will now 😁
nah,,Hobson's choice ,This Happy Breed ,I Know Where I'm Going! ,Oh, Mr Porter! ,Withnail and I ,
Good Reviews :) and keep up the good work 🙂
The success of Gosford Park, for which Julian Fellowes when the best original screenplay Oscar, was a big impetus for the production of Downton Abbey.
Great effort, in just watching all these films. Couple of films/docs I’ve not heard off.
Look forward to your coronation reaction.
Fantastic video, Alana. Not only the time you spent watching, but also the brilliant commentary. It's obvious, as a viewer, that you put a lot of thought in to this. Really appreciate your hard work.
Thanks for this Alanna, it's a great idea to review these and it's really interesting to get your views. Though definitely not blockbusters, I loved both 'Brooklyn' and 'I Daniel Blake' for some reason and I totally agree about a thumbs-down for 'Gravity', which bored me completely. There's also a couple that I've yet to see and so they'll definitely be added to my list!
Some great movies, some good, some head scratchers lol There were definitely a few I wouldn’t have thought of as British 🙃 What a brilliant vid, Alanna. I really enjoyed hearing your reviews. Cheers ☺️
Thanks so much for watching!
Or The Guard by John Michael McDonagh. Such a great dark comedy. It has to be one of the all time best stories.
Ken Loach directed I,Daniel Blake. He's made a lot of films of that nature, often using unknown actors. His best-known film is probably Kes. A cult classic from 1971 is Get Carter, set in Newcastle. Michael Caine plays a gangster returning to his home town and there's no hint of a Geordie accent.
thoroughly enjoyed this video!
You are bang on about Skyfall. Hated it. Casino Royale miles better.
Great video, Alanna. I'm definitely going to give some of the ones I missed a watch. By the way, the girl in This is England was Vicky McClure from Line of Duty, so she was reunited with Stephen Graham in that.
Ahhh I knew I recognised her from something!
War film, sorta, Went The Day Well (1942) it's quite unexpected for its time. I find the wartime films very interesting as we didn't know we were on the winning side during production.(obvs)
I do love Battle of the River Plate, all Powell & Pressburger-y as it is.
Battle of Malta /Cruel Sea/Colditz/ so many great 40's/50's films 😁
Next level of preparation for this video, props to you a great watch and will definitely try and find some time to watch some of these.
Thank you so much!
That really did something strange to my perspective, compressing 22 years into 30 minutes like that.
There's 2/3 I haven't seen that I really want to now - thanks!😃
Awesome, hope you enjoy them!
Wow, what a great Video this week Alanna, I can see why you were so determined to get this one out with all the hard work that must have gone onto it. Very well done. My favourite two films from the list are Tinker Tailor and Wallis & Gromit both high on my go to list of movies. 👏👏👏😊
Thank you so much! Both great choices!
I actually enjoyed watching Gravity - it was good, but then i liked Solaris (2002) too. Last King of Scotland was an excellent movie yes, I will to re watch that, and I think I will give Tinker, Tailor, soldier, spy another go. Thanks Alanna.
Interesting program, thanks for that. I'm surprised how many I've missed and a little depressed how long ago I saw some of them in the cinema. Clearly you were terribly wrong about Gravity but apart from that I think you've inspired me to catch up with, or re-watch quite a few of those.
Cracking video Gromit. Not seen a multiple reaction type video thingie before. Good job
Great stuff, Alanna. 👍
☺️
Alana have you thought of reviewing British tv comedy series ??? Off the top of my head i think you might look at ' Only Fools and Horses ' , Harry Enfield Show ( the Women know your Limits sketches in particular) , Little Britain , League of Gentlemen, The Mighty Boosh, The Inbetweeners.I have probably missed some ' must sees ' here .
Very sensitive assessment of ' This is England ' - well done . There are many Engkands - ' This is England ' is one , ' Downtown Abbey ' is another .
One of the best 'British’ movies has to be Remains of the Day. - it precedes your time range - but is so british it hurts. Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. I think you’d love it.
It is a lovely film - I generally end up watching it and shouting like a sports hooligan about what Mr Stevens should do though! - breaks the gentile atmosphere a bit !!
From a book by a Japanese writer. I’ve just seen “Living” with Bill Nighy also written by a person from Japan. Interesting how Japanese seem to understand British culture. I would very much recommend it
@@marybalding1435 Both the novel that Remains of the Day was adapted from and the film "Living" were written by the same person. And that "Japanese" writer is also a British citizen, who lived in Britain from the age of 6. He is a Japanese-British writer.
This is really interesting Alanna! Lots of good pointers for things to watch. Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great vid, Alanna! You should do a part 2, 3, 4 etc. at some point. Could be the Best British films from the 20th Century or the nominees from this century. Plenty more films, so many more videos to come 😀