10. James Cameron

James Cameron announced his return to filmmaking with, what has quickly become, the most successful movie ever made. The movie, Avatar, took over four years to make. With Titanic under his belt twelve years earlier, Cameron finally solidified himself as the most commercial filmmaker in the history of Hollywood. His other classics include The Terminator and The Terminator 2, The Abyss, and True Lies.

9. Peter Jackson

Peter Jackson is now known for his three-hour epic fantasy films – his remake of King Kong, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, clocking in at nearly fifteen hours of entertainment. Before he became a household name he did make quirky and often dark comedy-horror films such as The Frighteners and Braindead.

8. George Lucas

Everyone knows who George Lucas is. The interesting fact: even though he’s more recognisable than Wes Anderson or Danny Boyle, he’s made far fewer films than any of the filmmakers on this list. The reason he’s so well known is, of course, the Star Wars series of movies. He directed the original Star Wars film and the new prequels. He is also behind THX 1011 and American Graffiti.

7. Danny Boyle

Danny Boyle never expected Slumdog Millionaire to be such a big hit. It was made on a small budget and was expected to have a limited cinema release in the UK, and then head straight to television. The film actually became one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful films of 2008. Boyle is also the director of some other great movies including 28 Days Later, Trainspotting, and Shallow Grave.

6. Paul Thomas Anderson

Paul Thomas Anderson, is another, like Peter Jackson, who likes to makes movies that breech the three-hour mark. The difference is that Anderson sticks to less mainstream storylines, preferring to practice his art over commercial viability. He made the superb There Will Be Blood in 2007, but is more recognised for his ensemble films Boogie Nights and Magnolia.

5. Alexander Payne

Alexander Payne is the best character-driven director on this list. His films are beautifully constructed character pieces, usually concerning oddball or quirky men and women who seem alienated from their social circle. His greatest achievement is the brilliant Sideways, but he’s also made the equally impressive About Schmidt and Election.

4. Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson (no relation to Paul) is a director of black comedies about strange but wonderful characters often in an almost surreal setting. His debut film Bottle Rocket became a huge cult hit while Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums earned him critical success. He has now achieved massive commercial success with George Clooney-starring stop-motion animated film Fantastic Mr. Fox.

3. David Fincher

David Fincher’s films Fight Club and Seven are two of the most popular films in best-of film polls made around the world. These films alone make him one of Hollywood’s best directors but he has achieved high-quality consistency throughout his films. Even the once derided Alien 3 has turned critics around as its aged, becoming one of the best science-fiction films of the 1990s. He most recently made Zodiac and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

2. Martin Scorsese

There’s no denying Martin Scorsese is one of the world’s best auteur directors. Since he burst onto Hollywood’s radar with the Robert De Niro/Harvey Keitel-starring Mean Streets, he has consistently turned out original and provocative work. Some of his most notable films include Goodfellas, The Departed, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Gangs of New York, and Casino.

1. Steven Spielberg

Commercial success and critical acceptance is something every filmmaker wants but few receive. Steven Spielberg achieved both. Learning his trade making television drama, he caught people’s attention with the TV movie Duel. The film was so well received it was given a theatrical release. This allowed him to make his first fully-fledged feature film The Sugarland Express. What followed was a string of commercial and critical successes – Jaws, Close Encounters of The Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, and War of the Worlds, amongst many others.

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The Nintendo Wii is the most popular seventh-generation video game console in the world. Its appeal is wider than the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. It’s perfect for family play, children, and adult gamers, and has become the most popular console for offline multiplayer gaming.

10. Super Mario Galaxy

This 3D platform game is one of the best on the Wii console. With the familiar character of Mario in charge, you are whisked into outer space where you have to complete quests and defeat enemies in order to earn power stars. The game makes use of the Wii’s inventive controls as you navigate Mario with the Wii controller and Nunchuk.

9. Super Smash Bros. Brawl

One of the most entertaining games on the console, Super Smash Bros. Brawl allows you to play some of your favorite characters in a battle to knock your opponent off the screen. This surprisingly simple but highly enjoyable game features a great online feature to allow you to play friends from around the world. With its array of level designs and characters, this game will keep you coming back for more, time and time again.

8. Resident Evil 4

Another game that makes full use of the Wii’s inventive controls, Resident Evil 4 takes you into its world of dread and despair using the Wii control and Nunchuk. Not one for the kids, this game features lots of ways to kill your enemies in graphic and bloody encounters.

7. The Legend of Zelda

This action-adventure game is based on the long-running series of Zelda games. It is one of, if not, the best Zelda ever produced. The Wii version makes use of the controller – the motion sensor is built into the game play. With nine dungeons to explore, the game will provide many hours of entertainment.

6. Tatsunoko vs Capcom: Ultimate All Stars

One of the best fighting games on the Nintendo Wii, Tatsunoko vs Capcom may not be suitable for the younger generation but is a welcome addition to a console that has favored family-orientated games. With online capability, excellent graphics, and quality fighting play, this is the best game for those wanting to duel it out with their friends.

5. Wii Fit

Not just a marketing ploy, Wii Fit will actually make you healthier. Utilising the unique Wii balance board, the game will, amongst other things, test your body mass index and show how you are improving as you use the game. This is a challenging and entertaining game with plenty for you to do. The fitness exercises are split into four categories: balance games, aerobics, yoga, and strength training.

4. The Beatles: Rock Band

A game for Beatles fans and music fans alike, The Beatles: Rock Band is great for all the family. Allowing each player to play a part in the band – from guitar to bass to vocals – you sing or play along to over 40 of the band’s biggest hits. With downloadable content available to add more songs to your game, The Beatles: Rock Band will give you hours of fun.

3. Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart is another favorite on the Nintendo brand and has appeared on many of its consoles. The Wii version has lots of characters and tracks to keep the game fresh and also has online capability so you can race your friends without them having to be in the room with you. As a bonus, the game comes with a steering control that the Wii controller fits into to provide you with a more immersive and realistic driving experience.

2. Super Mario Bros.

Nintendo’s most famous game and the one that has graced all its gaming consoles since Nintendo started production for the gaming market. Super Mario Bros. has grown as the systems have improved but the core enjoyment of the game has never been lost. On the Wii this 2D game features another great multiplayer option, and is the first since the original arcade game to feature simultaneous multiplayer gaming.

1. Wii Sport

The game that helped launched the console, Wii Sports highlights the appeal of the Wii’s infrared controller and its ability to track your movements. With five sports to choose from there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy, with each sport testing a unique ability. Wii Sports is the best-selling video game of all time. With bowling, tennis, boxing, golf, and baseball plus a variety of training games, Wii Sports is packed with entertainment.

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10. Mass Effect 2

A space-based role-playing game that is intense, epic, and action-packed. It features lots of great characters that are interesting and unique, excellent voice-overs, brilliant shooting style that makes every encounter very exciting, and each level is original and well-designed making every mission new and thrilling.

9. Fight Night Round 3

Fight Night Round 2 was one of the best games on the earlier generation Xbox. EA had set high expectations with their previous release so gamers awaited Round 3 with anticipation. What EA have delivered is an even better gaming experience. This is the best boxing game on the market. Superb graphics and streamlined gameplay. If you like boxing or sports-based games, try Fight Night Round 3.

8. Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise

Viva Pinata is sometimes dismissed by pure gamers as a video game purely for children. Don’t be fooled by the game’s cartoonish look. The game mixes a little of Pokemon with the straightforwardness of The Sims to create an addictive game that will provide you with hours of game-playing enjoyment. Viva Pinata is a game for ages.

7. Gears of War 2

The sequel to Gears of War promised to be bigger and better than the previous incarnation and it doesn’t disappoint. Every bit of the gameplay, the graphics, and the story have been improved upon. The multiplayer aspect of the game is even better too with new modes including online and offline game-playing. This is an epic game featuring scintillating moments of game-playing heaven.

6. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty remains one of the most popular video games. It excels in the three major aspects of modern game-playing – single-player, cooperation, and multiplayer action. The action is packed with excitement, and you’ll get loads out of the cooperative aspect of the game as well as the more rewarding multiplayer game.

5. Fallout 3

Differing from the first two Fallout games, Fallout 3 is designed to be more universal in its appeal. Exploration, combat, and brilliantly nasty bad guys, make Fallout 3 an adventurous and entertaining shooting game. You’ll enjoy the huge world to explore, and the graphics are superb. The game, from developer Bethesda, will provide you with hours of fun.

4. Assassin’s Creed 2

Like other sequels, this is bigger and better than its previous incarnation. Assassin’s Creed 2 benefits from superb graphics and a beautifully created world ready for you to explore. Apart from the production values, there’s great variety in the gameplay. You get lots of different missions, weapons, and exploration and attack techniques, that make it a much more satisfying experience than the first game.

3. Dragon Age: Origins

Dragon Age: Origins is a fantasy RPG that features exciting adventures, great characters, and storytelling that will immerse you in the game. It’s an intricate and involving experience, with great voice-over and dialogue from the characters that bring them vividly to life. The world is rich and diverse, with plenty to explore, and lots of twists.

2. BioShock

BioShock was one of the best games on the Xbox and its progression to the 360 has continued its dominance as one of the most popular amongst gamers. It combines great storytelling, with complex gamplay and brilliant graphics. As a gamer you are sucked into its first-person shooter-based world, giving you hours of entertainment. This is one of, if the best, first-person shooter games on the market.

1. Halo 3

This is the best version of Halo yet and as such tops our list of best Xbox 360 games. The whole game has been expertly put together with great graphics and superb gameplay. Developed by Bungie, this first-person shooting game has one of the best online multiplayer modes you’ll ever play.

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The Playstation 3 (or PS3 as it is known) is the third video game console to be produced by Sony. It competes with the seventh generation of video game consoles – Nintendo’s Wii and Microsoft’s Xbox 360. The Playstation 3 sets itself apart from its competitors with its ability to play Blu-ray media disks.

10. Dead Space

Dead Space has arrived on the market to knock Resident Evil off its perch as the best survival-horror game. A dark, realistic world will give you hours of frightening enjoyment as you explore. The game is great because it takes you into space and makes you feel alone and isolated. Scary stuff.

9. Resident Evil 5

Boasting superb graphics, dark, foreboding storytelling that will fully immerse you in the game, and the usual array of weapons, enemies, and a huge world to explore, Resident Evil 5 is also great for its online two-player cooperative function. Here you can go online, play with a friend, and be doubly effective in your adventure.

8. Fallout 3

One of the great things about Fallout 3 is the human ability simulation, which utilises the latest technology to allow you to customize characters like never before. You can play in first-person perspective or third-person perspective, with lots of options available to you regarding combat, targets, and queued attacks.

7. Street Fighter IV

An old classic that features the traditional values of the original video games with new characters and more exciting moves. Great in single-player mode and even better when you challenge your friends in multiplayer mode. You’ll also love the wide array of locations the fights take place in.

6. Batman: Arkham Asylum

An unexpected success when first released, Batman: Arkham Asylum has quickly become one of the most popular games on the Playstation 3. The game boasts expensive production values including some great voice-over talent including Mark Hamill, to create characters that live within the game. You’ll love playing Batman in this game.

5. BioShock

BioShock is one of the most popular games on the market. It’s very popular with Xbox 360 users as well. It works so well because it combines fabulous storytelling with complex gameplay and superb graphics. This first-person shooter world is fully immersive and will give you hours of entertainment and adventure. Rated by most critics as the best first-person shooter on the market.

4. Assassin’s Creed 2

Assassin’s Creed 2 is bigger, better, and bolder than its previous incarnation. The game benefits from superb graphics and a beautifully realised world ready for you to explore. Very strong production values give a very immersive gaming experience. There’s lots of variety in the gameplay too. Lots of different missions, weapons, and attack techniques for you to learn about and use. A very satisfying gaming experience.

3. Grand Theft Auto IV

This game, designed for more mature gamers, features more violence, gore, strong language, and alcohol and drug abuse than previous versions. But it gives a more realistic setting for the hard-hitting and equally enjoyable adventure as main character Niko Bellic. The various missions are great, as is the multiplayer challenges that range from shoot-out action to cover matches.

2. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Easily one of the most popular video games on the market Call of Duty has been thrilling video gamers across platforms. Excelling in three key areas: single-player, cooperative play, and multiplayer action, Call of Duty is packed with excitement and adventure. You’ll love the cooperative aspect of the game and the rewarding multiplayer experience.

1. Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Every Playstation 3 owner should have Metal Gear Solid in their collection. This exciting stealth-shooter boasts wonderful graphics and an immersive storyline that will provide you with weeks of entertainment. The single-player game will give you an adventure of a lifetime, while the multiplayer game and online compatibility will add a whole new dimension to your experience.

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Bit Defender
Bit Defender Antivirus provides advanced proactive protection against viruses, spyware, phishing attacks and identity theft, without slowing down your PC. Manage the security of your home network from a single location. Hourly updates ensure that you are protected against the latest threats without pushing a button. Lost program files are not a problem either. Bit Defender automatically repairs and updates itself.

The NOD32
The NOD32 antivirus software by ESET is a novel virus program that provides real-time protection against Trojans, spyware, malware, phishing and hackers. Nod32 has two different ways to run the program. 1. Simple Nod32 scan or 2.The control center. Within the control center you can have access to tons of customization features-DMON, IMON, EMON etc.

AVG Antivirus
AVG Antivirus has been an up and coming virus scanner for many years. Its free version is one of the most downloaded files on the Internet in the Computer Security sector. The new interface is clean and intuitive while still remaining useful. AVG went through a re-write of their virus scanning engine and included two of their stand alone products with AVG Antivirus as well. AVG Antispyware and AVG Antirootkit were both integrated with the virus scanner. Also revamped is the way AVG Antivirus uses the hardware within your computer. It has been changed to make better use of the multiple cores which are common in today’s computers. This should speed up scanning as well as reduces computer break downs

Avast!
Avast!  Antivirus software represents complete virus protection, offering full desktop security including a resident shield. Daily automatic updates ensure continuous data protection against all types of malware and spyware. Avast! Antivirus is certified by both ICSA Labs and West Coast Labs Checkmark, and all avast! Products are available to download for a free 60-day trial period.

McAfee
This software comes with a Script Stopper, to stop viruses to spread from one computer to another via email, and Worm Stopper. Some downsides to the program are that it does not offer instant message protection, P2P/file sharing protection or registry startup protection. McAfee offers an 800 number, however it’s going to cost you and good luck finding the number.

Norton
One of the leaders in security software, Norton offers viable antivirus protection. The software is easy to use and has wide-ranging security features to protect your PC from malicious programs. Some of this protection includes instant messaging scanning, script blocking and POP3 and SMTP email protection. But, this software does not provide protection from P2P or file sharing transfers.

Panda
Panda Antivirus making protecting your personal computer as easy as possible. Free automatic updates. Powerful blockage from hijackers, key loggers, intruders, and hackers. Panda’s Antivirus software comes with an virus and spyware protection. Panda allows you to block, delete, clean, and quarantine infected files and does not slow your pc down during virus scans which is helpful to those constantly on your PC.

Trend Micro
Pc-cillin antivirus has protocols for protecting PCs against viruses, worms and Trojan horses as well as spyware, root kits and malware. It scans incoming files real-time, including emails, downloads and files from portable storage devices. You can also schedule scans, run customized scans or conduct a scan on demand. Trend Micro’s Antivirus plus Anti-spyware now gives its customers the tools it needs to battle malicious spyware, amongst things like Trojans, hackers, worms, and adware.

F-secure
F-secure does thoroughly scan your PC for viruses, and has a built-in anti-spyware scanner. One or the other or both can be run to cut down on scan times, the program scans outgoing and incoming email in real-time, does a great job of shielding your registry against probable hijackers and controls which programs startup automatically. F-Secure have a news section that can be used to sign up for virus alerts and updates of what is going on in the virus world.

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Comedy is an acquired taste. It either works or it doesn’t work, there is very little in between. And yet, when it does work, comedy can be the most fulfilling and entertaining type of cinema. It can instantly break down your barriers of disbelief and immediately bring a smile to your face.

10. Finding Nemo

Pixar revolutionized animation and their 2003 film about a paternal clownfish setting off on a journey across the ocean to find his son has become a favorite of audiences across the world. The company – beginning as the graphics arm of George Lucas’ special-effects studio – quickly progressed throughout the 1980s as computers became more powerful. During the 1990s, Pixar was struggling so began to make animated commercials for outside clients. In 1995, Disney agreed to help produce an animated feature film. The film was Toy Story, the rest, as they say, is history.

9. City Lights

Charlie Chaplin was, and posthumously remains, one of the greatest silent film comedians. Although he made many classic and much-loved comedies such as Modern Times, The Tramp, A Dog’s Life, The Gold Rush, and sound pictures The Great Dictator and Limelight, City Lights has remained his greatest achievement. The film sees Chaplin’s comic creation and reoccurring character Tramp falling in love with a blind girl whose family are having financial trouble. The Tramp befriends a wealthy man allowing him to help the girl in her moment of need.

8. Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb

Stanley Kubrick later proved he could adapt to any genre but his 1964 comedy about a world on the brink of World War III is a brilliant deconstruction and satire of hypocritical politics. The film features one of Peter Sellers finest performances, playing three different characters, including the deliciously dark, Hitler-loving ex-Nazi Dr. Strangelove.

7. Forrest Gump

Robert Zemeckis’ 1994 film based on the novel of the same name by Winston Groom was an instant hit. Its tale of the life of a simple-minded man, growing up and interacting with the world’s most recognised politicians and celebrities, and having an unknowing affect on some of history’s most important events, struck a chord with audiences all over the globe. Tom Hanks delivers one of his finest performances, and Robert Zemeckis’ use of real footage and fictional retelling makes for a unique and authentic movie experience.

6. The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski, a 1998 comedy by sibling directors Joel and Ethan Coen, is one of the funniest modern comedies to come out of Hollywood in the last twenty years. Jeff Bridges is irresistible as The Dude, a ten-pin bowling-loving slacker, who unwittingly finds himself caught up in a kidnapping plot. Ably supported by Steve Buscemi and John Goodman, who both turn out brilliant comic performances, The Big Lebowski remains the Coen’s best movie.

5. Annie Hall

Written, directed, and starring Woody Allen, Annie Hall is Allen’s finest piece of work. His characters have depth and their relationships feel real. His knack of finding drama in the almost mundane is one of his strengths but what makes Annie Hall stand out, along with the performances of Allen and Diana Keaton, is the fact it is so funny. Renowned film critic Roger Ebert calls the films: “Everyone’s favorite Woody Allen movie.”

4. Sullivan’s Travels

Sullivan’s Travels is Preston Sturges 1941 film that satires the era of the studio system in Hollywood. It follows the struggle of a film director (Joel McCrea) to get his social-conscience movie off the ground. Veronica Lake is deliciously alluring as the director’s muse. Sullivan’s Travels was chosen in 1990 for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

3. The Apartment

Billy Wilder is arguably Hollywood’s finest director so it’s no surprise two of his films appear on this top ten list. The Apartment, released in 1960, stars Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, and Fred MacMurray, and tells the tale of Lemmon’s reserved office clerk who allows his bosses to use his apartment for extramarital love affairs. The plan to get promoted works but at a cost. Lemmon falls for one of the bosses women – played by Shirley MacLaine – and has to choose between love or career. The film is a delightful comedy that was nominated for ten Academy Awards, winning five.

2. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

British comedy team Monty Python were a massive success in the UK with their television show Flying Circus. Their brand of comedy crossed the pond and took America by storm, leading to the opportunity to make movies. Of all the movies the Monty Python’s made, Holy Grail stands out as their best. Starring John Cleese, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Graham Chapman, and Terry Jones, the film spoofs the legend of King Arthur with a series of plot-linked sketches.

1. Some Like It Hot

Billy Wilder’s 1959 comedy starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, and Marilyn Monroe, was rated by the American Film Institute as the best comedy movie ever made. The film sees Lemmon and Curtis’ struggling musicians having to run from the mob after witnessing a murder. They join an all-girl band by dressing up as women and calling themselves Josephine and Geraldine. But soon enough Joe falls in love with one of the girls, and Jerry, still in his female disguise, unwittingly attracts the attention of millionaire Osgood Fielding III. It all makes for madcap fun and outrageous comedy.

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10. Lady and the Tramp

Originally released in 1955 from director trio Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske, Lady and the Tramp follows the lives of several canine pals through love and adventure. Lady is a pampered Cocker Spaniel from a rich home. When her owners have a baby and two Siamese cats come to stay, Lady is suddenly thought to be dangerous and put outside. Tramp, a street-dog who lives off scraps and garbage dumps, comes to Lady’s rescue but they are soon captured by an unscrupulous dog catcher.

9. Ratatouille

Pixar’s lavishly detailed family-comedy Ratatouille directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava is a wonderfully inspired and richly designed story following the traditions of the little guy making it big. Like all of Pixar films, it’s universally appealing, features an array of individualistic characters that have depth and plenty of warmth, and a perfectly plotted script that boasts both heartfelt sadness and moments of pure joy.

8. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves

Another classic from Disney’s hand-drama animators, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was released in 1937. Directed by David Hand, the film is a magical retelling of the Brothers Grimm fairytale. It is one of the most important animated films ever made because it was the first feature length animated film to be produced in America as well as being the first in color.

7. Shrek

Shrek, a Dreamworks film from directors Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson, took the Pixar mould of computer-generated imagery with family-orientated, universally appealing stories, and added an array of big name star actors. Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, and Cameron Diaz show up in Dreamworks’ best animated feature film to date.

6. Beauty and the Beast

A modern Disney hand-drawn feature film based on another fairytale, this much-loved film from directors Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise features songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. Beauty and the Beast proved to be one of Disney’s most commercial hits taking in over $400 million worldwide.

5. Finding Nemo

A heart warming and beautifully realized tale of a paternal fish who crosses the ocean in search of his son. Aside from the fact the story is richly detailed and full of brilliant characters, Pixar produced one of their most visually arresting movies. The recreation of the ocean in digital form is nothing short of genius.

4. Wall-E

Wall-E (pronounced ‘Wally’) is one of Pixar’s most daring films to date. Directed by Andrew Stanton, the film is about little robot Wall-E whose job is to clean up waste disposal on earth. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, earth is a barren land covered in garbage and waste. Wall-E is lonely and alone. When he meets another robot called Eve, he follows it into space, beginning an adventure that will change Wall-E’s and humanity’s destiny.

3. The Lion King

The Lion King is one of the most loved Disney hand-drawn films ever made. It took over $700 million worldwide and is the highest grossing film of its type in America. Featuring songs by Elton John, the film is a joy for all the family. The film received two Academy Awards for its use of music, while it received the Golden Globe for Best Film.

2. Toy Story

One of Pixar’s earliest films and the first feature length film to be released using only computer-generated imagery. Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks and Tim Allen, and directed by John Lasseter, the film was notable because the lifelike quality of the motion and appearance of the characters, had never been seen before. Pixar set a benchmark with the film, which they have continually lived up to.

1. A Bug’s Life

A Bug’s Life is another fabulous Pixar film. The company improved on the computer-generated imagery seen in Toy Story, and created a story that worked just as well for children and adults. Loosely retelling Aesop’s fable The Ant and the Grasshopper, it tells of Flik, a tiny ant who hires the help of what he believes to be warrior bugs to fend off attacks by mean grasshoppers. The warrior bugs turn out to be circus performers. This is a great story of adventure, bravery, and friendship. It remains Pixar’s best work.

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10. Daniel Day-Lewis

Less commercial than many of his contemporaries, England-born actor Daniel Day-Lewis struggled to break into the Hollywood mainstream for many years. Recently, with powerful performances in There Will Be Blood and Gangs Of New York, he has shown he can star in major Hollywood films, but you’ll find some of his best performances in early British films such as In The Name of the Father and My Beautiful Laundrette.

9. Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. has found himself in the spotlight for the wrong reasons too often in his career but nothing should take away from his talent as an actor. He’s made the commercial hits Iron Man, Tropic Thunder, and Sherlock Holmes recently, but his stand out performances can be found in Chaplin, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and Natural Born Killers.

8. Edward Norton

Edward Norton announced his presence with his tour-de-force performance as a reformed neo-Nazi who, having learnt the errors of his ignorance, has to persuade his younger brother not to go down the same route. He followed the film up with an equally good performance in David Fincher’s Fight Club. He has most recently become a comic book hero in The Incredible Hulk. He is undoubtedly one of the finest actors of his generation currently working in Hollywood today.

7. Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington, with a string of commercial and critical successes, has shown he is the finest African-American actor currently working in Hollywood. He was brilliant in Ridley Scott’s Man on Fire, and he delivered an emotional turn in Remember The Titans, bringing celebrated high school football coach Herman Boone to life.

6. Leonardo Di Caprio

Leonardo DiCaprio must be one of the busiest actors working in Hollywood right now. And it’s not surprising since the actor, who for a long time struggled to shake off the perception that he was just a pretty-boy with average talent, is now one of the most highly regarded, not to mention highly paid, actors in the industry. DiCaprio has been acting on film for longer than many people think, starring alongside Robert De Niro in the hard-hitting family drama This Boy’s Life when only 19 years of age. His finest performances have come in the last few years, playing against type in The Departed and Body of Lies.

5. Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro might have saved his best performances for Martin Scorsese, but what brilliant performances they are. His raw talent was properly introduced to the world in Scorsese’s Mean Streets, playing street bad boy Johnny Boy. Over the years he has brought to life some of the most iconic and devastatingly memorable characters in such films as Taxi Driver, The Godfather Part II, The Deer Hunter, Cape Fear, and Goodfellas.

4. Al Pacino

Nobody thought Al Pacino could handle playing Michael Corleone in The Godfather apart from Francis Ford Coppola. He was inexperienced and a raw talent. But hindsight is a great thing, and history proves it was a perfect casting choice by Coppola to choose Pacino. His best performances can be found in The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Scarface, and Carlito’s Way.

3. Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson didn’t make much of a splash in his first few movies. He played many small parts during the 1960s, working frequently with low-budget filmmaker and producer Roger Corman. But as soon as Nicholson made Five Easy Pieces, he quickly became one of Hollywood’s most iconic actors appearing in such classics as One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, Chinatown, The Shining, and, of course, playing The Joker in Batman.

2. Dustin Hoffman

Dustin Hoffman has played every type of character in every type of film. Since the late 1960s when he appeared in The Graduate, Hoffman has gone from strength to strength, winning Academy Awards for Kramer Versus Kramer and Rain Man. From the twitchy schemer Ratso Rizzo in Midnight Cowboy to the chaotic humour of cross-dressing Dorothy Michaels in Tootsie to the autistic savant Raymond Babbit in Rain Man, he has continually proven what a powerhouse actor he is.

1. Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp is the most versatile actor working in Hollywood today. He has chameleon-like qualities, especially in the roles he’s played for film director Tim Burton, bringing to life diverse and wonderfully imaginative creations with new nuances and characteristics every time. His stand out performances can be found in Edward Scissorhands, Pirates Of The Caribbean, Ed Wood , Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, Donnie Brasco, and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory.

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From its roots in gothic literature, the horror film has modernized and changed over the years, incorporating other genres (science-fiction in Ridley Scott’s Alien, and comedy in John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London) and even retrospectively parodying itself in such films as Wes Craven’s A New Nightmare and his reinvention of the slasher film Scream.

As much as the genre is dismissed by high-brow critics who see it as low-grade, exploitation, horror film has, and continues, to produce some of the best movies.

10. The Wicker Man

This 1973 British horror film from director Robin Hardy quickly became a cult hit after it received only moderate success at the box office. On home video the film found a new lease of life, where its strange, existential story could be fully appreciated.

It follows the story of police sergeant Neil Howie, who heads to the remote island of Summerisle to investigate the disappearance of a young girl. There he finds a secretive community who seem unwilling to help him find the missing girl. The film is memorable for its devastatingly, twisty climax.

9. The Haunting

Not to be mistaken with the poor 1999 remake, the 1963 original directed by Robert Wise, is a classic example of visual horror. Wise uses his camera to take his audience on an emotional rollercoaster of fear.

Dr. John Markway is determined to find proof of paranormal activity and the existence of ghosts. He is accompanied by three people, some of them skeptics, some of them believers, to Hill House – an old Victorian mansion with a sinister past – where they begin to carry out experiments. Things begin to turn nasty when the house appears to target one of the group through some strange occurrences

8. Rosemary’s Baby

Roman Polanski’s brilliant 1968 film Rosemary’s Baby was recently voted 9^th on the AFI’s 100 Years…100 Thrills list. Ruth Gordon won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in the film.

Mia Farrow plays Rosemary. She moves into a new Manhattan apartment with her husband, a struggling actor. They meet a strange but seemingly harmless old couple who live in the building. When Rosemary’s husband suggests they try for the baby they always dreamed of, the strange couple come round with dessert food. After Rosemary tries some of the chocolate mousse she passes out. While unconscious she believes she has a dream where she is raped by a demonic beast. Becoming pregnant soon after, more strange things start happening, and the old couple appear to be overly interested in the unborn child.

7. Halloween

John Carpenter’s 1978 film set a benchmark in American horror cinema. It was the first of the sub-genre known as Slasher or Stalk and Slash. It inspired countless sequels, remakes, and other franchises like Friday The 13^th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. It was also directly responsible for the influences that created Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.

Michael Myers kills his older sister on Halloween night when he is just six years old. Spending years in a mental institution he finally escapes. Returning back to his home town, tracked by his doctor, Dr. Loomis, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) prepares for Halloween night unknowing that Michael is coming to get her.

6. Night of the Living Dead

George A. Romero’s 1968 horror movie is still the best film about Zombies ever made. Shot on black and white film stock, it feels like a down and dirty picture, realistic in detail, and documentary-like in its rugged photography. It tells the story of Ben (Duane Jones) and several other people who find themselves trapped in a farm house after flesh-eating corpses rise from the grave and start attacking them.

5. King Kong

Remade and re-imagined several times, most recently in Peter Jackson’s three-hour long version, the original 1933 film by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack stands the test of time because it was one of the first instances of stop-motion special-effects. If you imagine that today, even though the special-effects in King Kong of 1933 are dated, they are still effective. Now imagine what it would have been like for audiences in the 1930s who had never seen anything like it.

4. Alien

Ridley Scott’s Alien, released in 1979, is the best example of horror and science-fiction. It follows the crew of space vessel the Nostromo who detect a distress signal from a nearby planet while returning back to earth. On investigation one of the crew is attacked and is left with a parasite on his face. When the parasite dies, he comes out of his coma and appears to be fine. However, while they are having dinner, he begins to convulse and a creature breaks out of his chest killing him. As the crew desperately search for the murdering beast, it begins to pick them off one by one.

3. The Shining

Based on horror maestro Stephen King’s novel of the same name, the film version is Stanley Kubrick’s disturbing interpretation of the story about a novelist who takes over caretaking duties at the Overlook Hotel. The hotel has a mysterious past, including the fact the ex-caretaker went crazy and killed his whole family. The film is great largely because of Kubrick’s detached vision, how he isolates this family from the world. It’s also notable for Jack Nicholson’s breathtaking depiction of caretaker Jack Torrance, and his downward spiral into madness.

2. Psycho

Most people, if asked to name one scene from a horror film, would remember Janet Leigh in the shower screaming in horror at the knife-wielding murderer hacking at her naked body. Master director Alfred Hitchcock made a career out of suspense films, making such classics as Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Strangers on a Train. Psycho is the only film in his career to draw on gothic literary horror. That’s perhaps why this is one of his most well-known movies.

1. The Exorcist

There has only been one horror movie to cause significant controversy for its content and be widely praised by critics and loved by cinemagoers. The Exorcist is also the only film to be banned or advertised with a safety warning for being too frightening. William Friedkin’s 1973 masterpiece is a brilliant depiction of good versus evil, of faith versus facts. It features strong performances from all its cast, a haunting score including the memorable theme tune, authentic special-effects, and documentary-like direction from Friedkin, who makes even the most implausible feel very real indeed.

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10. Jodie Foster

A quiet and understated performer who made a big splash in Hollywood when she appeared as a child prostitute in Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Jodie Foster has mixed dramatic roles in niche films with mainstream feminine power figures. Her most remembered role is in Jonathan Demme’s film The Silence of the Lambs. She also had lead roles in Panic Room and The Brave One.

9. Nicole Kidman

One of the most powerful female actors in Hollywood, Nicole Kidman has been acting in movies since childhood. Although spending much of her young life in Australia, she was actually born in Hawaii. Known for her private life as much as her public film career, the ending of her marriage to Tom Cruise has allowed her films to come fully into focus. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for the 2002 film The Hours.

8. Halle Berry

Halle Berry was the first actress of African-American descent to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her 2001 performance in Monster’s Ball. She is best known for her roles in James Bond film Die Another Day, playing Bond Girl Jinx, and as recurring character Storm in the X-Men movies.

7. Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is one of Hollywood’s most consistent performers. Whether appearing in small art films or huge, commercial hits, she always delivers strong, powerful performances. She achieved critical acclaim with her early roles in The Deer Hunter and Kramer Versus Kramer, winning the Best Actor Oscar for the latter. She has taken on roles in all sorts of films from comedy (Death Becomes Her) to hard-hitting drama (The Deer Hunter) to musicals (Mamma Mia) to action (The River Wild).

6. Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren spent years perfecting her craft away from Hollywood. The British-born actress of Russian-English descent played many roles in London theatre productions and on UK television. She became a very popular face on British TV playing cop Jane Tennison in the acclaimed series Prime Suspect. Mirren took on several film roles during the 1990s including some small American films. It wasn’t until Gosford Park, however, that she would become a major Hollywood player. Since then she has appeared in a series of big Hollywood productions. Although, her best performance may well have come in the 2006 British film The Queen.

5. Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston may not be the most versatile Hollywood actress but she is a major Hollywood star and commands multimillion dollar deals for every movie she appears in. She is most well known for her television work appearing in massive hit comedy Friends. Since the show ended she has played similar wife and girlfriend roles in many commercial hits including Marley and Me, Bruce Almighty, and Along Came Polly.

4. Zooey Deschanel

Zooey Deschanel has emerged as the finest young actress of her generation and all signs point to her being one of the most prominent Hollywood stars for years to come. She has mixed humorous roles with more dramatic work, often finding quirky eccentricities in the characters she portrays. The great thing about a good actor is that they are appealing even in films which are not. Her performance in Yes Man was the best thing about a very ordinary film. However, huge hit and critically acclaimed film (500) Days of Summer has put her among the Hollywood elite.

3. Reese Witherspoon

One of the most beautiful actresses in the world, Reese Witherspoon has plenty of talent to go with her good looks. She has great range as an actress, and has made excellent choices in terms of the films she has made. Playing the ditzy blonde in Legally Blonde was a way to poke fun at herself while making a universally appealing comedy. Her quirky performance in Alexander Payne’s Election stands out as one of her best, while she won the Oscar for Best Performance for her role in Walk The Line.

2. Sigourney Weaver

Sigourney Weaver is one of the most commanding and authoritative female actors in Hollywood. She was the first actress to receive acclaim for a role that transcended female stereotypes in Ridley Scott’s Alien. She returned to the same character for three sequels, solidifying herself as Hollywood’s toughest female actor. She has performed in drama, horror, and comedy, always giving authenticity to her character. Most notably, her roles in Gorillas in the Mist, Working Girl, and of course, the Alien series, stand out.

1. Julia Roberts

Julia Roberts is the most recognized female Hollywood star in the world. She has the commerciality of Jennifer Aniston and the acting ability of Meryl Streep. Like Steven Spielberg making commercially viable films and receiving critical acclaim, Roberts makes big films and consistently delivers strong performances. She is most remembered in her role as a high-class hooker alongside Richard Gere in Pretty Woman. But her best performance came in Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Performance.

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1. Dafont.com

Dafont has the biggest collection of free fonts and has been updated constantly. This is my personal favorite one – 8,276 fonts for now.

I like this one, because of categories split in detail and type your text preview feature – allowing You to use it like font viewer browsing over pages, while choosing the best solution.

2.Typenow.net

Last update has been made at 29th April of 2007, but there are 6,846 different fonts. I think worth looking.

3.Urbanfonts.com

Also huge selection of different typefaces. There is over 8,000 free fonts out there!

4. Creamundo.com

Over 9,800 fonts available there, also has very nice preview feature.

5. Showfont.net

Over 9,800 more fonts out there!

6. 1001freefonts.com

And one more page worth checking out, they don’t say exactly how much fonts there are, but I am pretty sure that more than 1001

7. Abstractfonts.com

Nice page with 11,813 free fonts available for now.

8.Simplythebest.net

Each font has a full preview page with proprietary details.

9. WebpagePublicity.com

Over 6,500 free TTF fonts.

10. Fonts500.com

Top 500 selection of all time best fonts, pretty nice collection available there.

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Digital Photography School

Digital Photography School is a website with simple tips to help digital camera owners get the most out of their cameras. It is maintained by Darren Rowse who you probably know from ProBlogger.net.

The Photo Argus

The Photo Argus is a resource for photographers novice to advanced. It’s aim is to deliver useful information, inspiration, technique, photographer showcases and more.

Epic Edits

Epic Edits is a resource and community for photography enthusiasts of all experience levels. It’s focus is to explore many aspects of photography through discussion, example, and participation in group projects.

PetaPixel

PetaPixel was born in May of 2009, and is a blog about photography geared towards tech-savvy digital photographers. Our goal is inform, educate, and inspire in all things related to photography.

Strobist

Strobist is about one thing: learning how to use off-camera flash with your dSLR to take your photos to the next level.

Photojojo

The writers of Photojojo scour the internets, rip pages out of magazines, ransack our friends’ closets, and go through dumpsters to find the very best Photo tips, DIY projects, and Gear.

Joe McNally’s Blog

This is the blog of Joe McNally, a phototgrapher for National Geographic, Life, and Sports Illustrated. Joe’s blog is full of inspiration and tips that will help your photography.

Photocritic

The Photocritic is all about learning more about photography, from the incredibly insightful (rarely) to the dreadfully mundane (also, hopefully rarely) via just about everything in between.

DIY Photography

DIY Photography’s goal is to provide a place for photographers to share, and learn from each other, and to bring cheap studio equipment to those who can’t really buy all the expensive stuff out there.

Photodoto

Whether you shoot with an inexpensive digital compact or the latest digital SLR, Photodoto will help you get the most out of your digital camera.

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This is the site for studying the work of Johannes Vermeer. Every work by the master is here, along with information about the time period and the artist. High-resolution images. A beautifully-designed site.

The National Museum of American Illustration, whose collection is housed in a Gilded Age mansion in Newport, RI, hosts this site showcasing illustrators of the “Golden Age of Illustration.” The online samples are small and few in number, but it’s a good place to get started learning about N.C. Wyeth, Howard Pyle, Maxfield Parrish, and other greats of the period.

The Fantasy Fine Art gallery is traditional fantasy art by some two dozen artists, including Frank Frazetta, the Hildebrandt brothers, and Steven Stahlberg.

Olga’s Gallery hosts over 10,000 paintings, arranged alphabetically, by country, and by art movement. A simple site focused on presenting art (and some ads).

The Smithsonian American Art Museum has a large number of online exhibitions. Click on the logo, left, to check it out. The Luce Foundation Center for American Art page also has links to online artwork.

The Museum Syndicate site hosts over 28,000 works by 740 artists, and the numbers continue to grow. You can browse by artist, country, museum, or by a list of tags.

The Salmagundi Club, in New York City, has been around since 1871. They hold many exhibitions each year. Click on the logo, left, to go to a page with several dozen exhibition links.

The Athenaeum site hosts over 40,000 browsable works of art. Click on the image, left, to go to the full list. You can sort the list by artist name or artwork title.

The Art Renewal Center site contains over 60,000 art works, making it probably the largest repository of art images on the internet. Emphasis here is on classical works.

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3DM3.com reminds me of the CG Society’s website, in that it’s a community site with a forum, articles and a gallery, but on a much smaller scale. Unlike CG Talk, however, this site offers over 300 free models for download, and they seem to be of higher-than-usual quality for free models. One downside is that the site does not mention what filetype a particular model is, so you won’t know until you’ve downloaded it. Some models are 3ds format, which Vue can read natively. If the filetype is MAX, however, you’ll need to find a way to convert it before using it in Vue.

Baumgarten Enterprises

If you’re looking for low-to-middle quality free models, this site is worth a look. Here you’ll find over 200 models, all free, of various quality. There are also some low-cost CD collections for sale here.

3D Export

This is a commercial site offering 60 or so models for free. It’s a small collection, but if you’re looking for an Italian dagger or Christmas tree ornaments, your search is over.

Turbo Squid

Turbo Squid is a huge, well-known marketplace for selling and buying 3D models, and they offer quite a few for free. To find them, select “3D Model” as your “media type.” Then, sort by lowest price, and the free ones will come to the top. Free registration is required to download.

3D Total

Primarily known for their high-quality textures, 3D Total has a nice group of models for free download. Look for the “Free Stuff” link at the top of the page, and select “models” from the dropdown.

Renderosity

Renderosity has a huge number of free 3D models in various file formats. The overall quality is quite low, but there’s a few gems among the clunkers. To get to the models, hover over the “Free Stuff” button in the top navigation area, and click on “Search Free Stuff” in the dropdown.

Creative 3D.net

This site has an whole IKEA’s worth of contemporary 3D furniture available for free download. There’s over one hundred pieces of architectural-rendering-grade stuff here.

Geek At Play

In addition to a TON of great, free tutorials for Vue, Hexagon, and others, Geek At Play always has a page or so of free models available for download. Just another reason a visit to their site is time well spent.

Artist-3D

This site has some very impressive, free models for download. It’s a very well-designed, eye-pleasing site, as well. Plan to spend a good while here.

DD Freebies

DD Freebies is a blog with a small but unusual grouping of models. If you happen to be looking for intricate, abstract forms, take a look.

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1. Top 10 Free Stock Photography Sites

PhotoXpress

PhotoXpress is one of the largest free premier-quality stock photos banks featuring more than 350,000 photos in 22 categories with up to 1,000 new images being added every day. It provides a vast and legal image library for both personal and professional use – including Web site design, brochure illustrations, advertisements and editorial illustrations. After registration you can download up to 10 images a day.

Freerange

All stock photos at Freerange are at least 2400 x 1600 pixels in resolution and can be used for personal and commercial use. If you need a larger version of the photo you can ask Freerange administration and there’s a chance they can help you. Registration is required to download high-quality, high-resolution free stock photos and textures. Photographers contributing to Freerange get paid when users click on the ads that appear next to their submissions.

Photl

Photl has large collection of exclusive free stock photos of high resolution for commercial purposes with up to 15,000 new photos monthly. After a registration you will be able to download 35Mb of stock images per day. Most photos are available in 4 different sizes from small (1024×1280) up to very large (5616×3744). Photl search based on color can be very useful to find right stock photos.

Dreamstime free stock photos

Free section of premium stock photography provider contains more than 20,000 high quality and high resolution photos. Registration is required to download images. Since this collection consists of photos donated by professional photographers selling their photos on Dreamstime, you can find really fantastic free stock photos on this resource.

Stockvault

Stockvault provides more than 13,000 free copyright free photos from over 3,600 photographers for personal or non-commercial use. Registration is not required to download free stock photos at Stockvault. Besides photos Stockvault has collection of free website, logo templates and clipart. Site also has helpful Photoshop and CSS tutorials, videos and articles.

morgueFile

morgueFile offers a large collection of more than 200,000 free stock photos which can be used in commercial or personal projects without permission or credit from the photographer. You can search photos on the site by keywords, categories, rating, color, geotag. Site also provides free online photography courses and sponsor a scavenger hunt and photo competition.

FreeDigitalPhotos

FreeDigitalPhotos uses freemium business model. That means that small photo size (640 x 417) is available for free download without registration but for larger image size you have to pay (5$ for medium and 10$ for large). Site organizes its thousands of photos into easy-to-find categories and sub-categories. You’re free to use photos in corporate and personal projects.

Public Domain photos

Public Domain photos provide more than 5000 Free Stock Photos an 8,000 vector cliparts. All photos on this web site are public domain. You may use these images for any purpose, including commercial. But if some photo contains logos and products you need to be careful. Using someone else’s trademark commercially can get you sued.

Image After

All stock photos from imageafter.com can be freely downloaded and used in you commercial or personal works. The size of the stock photos is in range from 1600×1200 up to 2560×1920. Although some images are fit for wallpaper on your desktop, most images are raw unprocessed.

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In late 1992, Dr. Dre & Snoop Doggy Dogg (as he shall forever be known by me) unleashed the “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” video, and before you could say “one, two, three an’ to the four,” rap was forever changed. “Nuthin’ But a ‘G’ Thang” invited kids previously terrified by Gangsta Rap to the after-party for the first time, where they could just chill till the next episode. It wasn’t good time-y, but good times were certainly had—who wouldn’t want to chill with Dre and Snoop for a barbeque, go cruising down Crenshaw in a drop-top and spray the snotty girl at the party with some shook up St. Ides? But Dre saves the best shot for last, as an obviously inebriated Snoop Dogg gets dropped off and stumbles back to his house, the newly risen sun shining bright into the camera, and you know it’s just a matter of hours before they get up and do it all over again.

09. Daft Punk – “Around the World”
(Dir. Michel Gondry, 1997)
In a genre strewn with videos that sought to recreate Microsoft Screen Savers, Daft Punk’s decision to hire prominent music video directors for the singles of their seminal Homework album was sort of a revolution in and of itself. Following up Spike Jonze’s dog-with-a-boombox treatment of “Da Funk,” the two French robots tapped Michel Gondry. His idea? A cornucopia of Halloween costumes, each signifying one of the five elements of the song: drum machine (mummies), vocoder (robots), guitar (skeletons), bass (those weird tall guys with small heads), and synth (what Gondry termed “disco girls”), all dancing in front of the blinking disco lights set up by Gondry’s brother—a long-time collaborator. Gondry calls it one of his favorite videos that he has done. It’s also one of dance music’s most epochal.
08. Jay-Z – “99 Problems”
(Dir. Mark Romanek, 2004)
There’s so much wound into such a brief space here that it practically has to be cut down frame by frame to be analyzed. The most startling and memorable—the costumed dancer in the tunnel, the man holding the urn among the coffins—are further underscored by the jarring contrast between the jumpy, canted action shots and the smooth close-ups on people’s faces. The rest of the world might take umbrage at the New-York-is-all universality of human experience on display, but the only reason that Spike Lee-style NY-centricity fits at all is because it unquestionably suits Jay-Z. If Public Enemy was the ideal soundtrack for the colorful but angry “Do the Right Thing,” then Black Album-era Jay-Z is the music that could match The 25th Hour—dark, fuming, fearless, and held back only by its inability to single out a clear enemy from a crowd of people whose problems all seem too numerous to count.

07. Bjork – “All Is Full of Love”
(Dir. Chris Cunningham, 1999)
Its sound, its process, its arrangements, everything about Homogenic suggests its music should be cold and detached, emotionally devoid. And yet … and yet, as we’ve all surely come to experience, it is without question one of the most affecting albums you or I may ever hear. So for all that is made of the truly incredible and fruitful collaborative relationship between Bjork and Michel Gondry, it is Chris Cunningham, with his clip for “All Is Full of Love,” who visually perfectly captures Homogenic’s deceptive essence. With robots borne straight from Asimov’s own waking dreams, Cunningham, using little more than shadows and shades of whites and blacks and silvers, crafts an authentic and pure sensuality where none should conceivably exist. What results is one of the most visually stunning and deeply affecting music videos you or I may ever see.

06. The Replacements – “Bastards of Young”
(Dir. Unknown, 1985)
To a certain mindset, this is the Best Video Of All Time: One simple shot of an speaker, slowly pulling out to show the rest of the stereo and a bit of a rundown living room. Eventually someone comes in, sits down and smokes a cigarette, but the camera stays where it was—we barely see the guy. The sheer perversity of the video’s lethargy in the face of the power of the music, its refusal to engage in the fledgling tropes of the medium, is still compelling today. Although it was created out of a disdain for MTV that seems woefully old fashioned now, it was also one of the first clips to show us that you didn’t have to stick to the band playing, or even to anything involving the song, to make for riveting viewing.

05. Radiohead – “Just”
(Dir. Jamie Thraves, 1995)
To this day, some 11 years after it first appeared, you can go to any Radiohead message board, chat room or forum in the known universe, and somewhere, likely on the first page, will be that one question that has vexed so many—“What does the guy say at the end of the ‘Just’ video?” It is our generation’s version of “I buried Paul,” but for all director Jamie Thraves or anyone in the band has ever revealed, he may as well be saying “cranberry sauce” too. Whenever he’s been asked what few words compel the video’s hero to disconnect from the surrounding world and plop himself down on the pavement, Thom Yorke insists he’ll never tell. Most likely Yorke doesn’t know the phrase himself, as the ensuing decade has seen Radiohead striving with their music to solve just that kind of riddle themselves.

04. A-Ha – “Take on Me”
(Dir. Steve Barron, 1985)
Iconic. It’s really the only sure way to describe the video for “Take on Me,” one of the earliest examples of how an MTV clip propelled a song from being nothing to enumerating everything. It’s also the first time I ever saw a video that depicted an actual story, or at least that curtailed montage techniques together to form some kind of narrative, albeit one of a fantastically Swedish bent. From the eyebrows-appealingly-raised initiation to the Pinocchio hammering-on-the-door-of-life finale, it also marks the debut of a love affair brought from contemplation to consummation in three minutes and 45 seconds time. The life-into-animation-into-life analogy and windswept 80’s pencil drawings may have aged, but the neo-classical sentiments enshrined in “Take on Me” remain as a virtual bible of the video age.
03. Joy Divison – “Atmosphere”
(Dir. Anton Corbijn, 1988)
It’s a funeral of mourning and slapstick. Children or midgets dressed in Druid robes conduct the ceremony on a beach, and waddle around carrying a church steeple and iconic photographs of St. Ian Curtis. The first impression is that director Anton Corbjin made a tasteless tribute to Joy Division’s late singer and drifter of Britain’s post-industrial wasteland. Yet, the band’s brooding, hymnal melodies and tribal, danse macabre rhythms still takes hold of the viewer, and the visuals soon make sense. Corbjin lets the music flow with the gritty, decayed black and white cinematography, and he only displays the band and Curtis in still photographs, as if Joy Division is just a fading memory. Corbijn beautifully captures the moment when you lose a loved one, and you walk outside to see everything around you in stinging detail. Unforgettable.

02. Johnny Cash – “Hurt”
(Dir. Mark Romanek, 2003)
“You stay the hell away from me, you hear?” Even before American Recordings proved it beyond all doubt, JC’ was a man with two careers in parallel: one bringing the poignancy, the other novelty tunes like “One Piece at a Time,” and that one where he does an impression of a guy being hung. So how better to close his career than by dovetailing the two: a novelty cover version paired with a video featuring poignancy laid on so thick as to crush your heart through sheer persistence. Cash as Jesus, Cash as the pouting rebel, Cash the American, Cash as America personified, Cash the husband, Cash the man in black, Cash the guy who sold records in their droves, Cash the lonely, scared, dying old man. It’s hard to imagine there could have been a better way to close the piano lid on his career.

01. U.N.K.L.E. f/ Thom Yorke – “Rabbit in Your Headlights”
(Dir. Jonathan Glazer, 1998)
The first time I saw “Rabbit in Your Headlights” was during the full light of day, with friends, only paying half attention—I believe we laughed as the decrepit, muttering vagrant walking through an underpass was creamed by passing cars only to stumble to his feet again. The second time I saw the video it was late and I was alone; as it started I settled in for some prime comedy. But this time, actually watching the man’s progress, it wasn’t funny. It was sad and powerful and strangely damning; like Philip K. Dick’s invented religion of Mercerism, it’s hard to escape the impression that the muttering man is suffering for our catharsis. And then there’s the end of the video, the part no-one forgets. As with the rest of “Rabbit in Your Headlights” it’s utterly cryptic and undeniably powerful, stretching towards transcendence in a beautifully shot shower of broken glass and metal like some kind of weird apotheosis. It’s almost impossible to say what it means, but it’s equally hard to find someone who can watch it, really watch it, and remain unmoved.

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