Andrew Lee

"Don't Trust Critics" says Wong Kar Wai. I'm inclined to agree. Opinion is opinion. But then again, if you find a reviewer you agree with regularly, you'll save yourself from seeing a lot of bad films. I can't see any great consistency to my own tastes though, I like what I like and that doesn't really make a whole lot of sense to most people since it's a bit of a jumble. I guess saying my tastes are odd and varied would be a reasonable statement though. So that you get an idea, here's a bunch of films I love and why:

RoboCop - The greatest SF film ever made. Seriously. The effects of big business sub-contracting for government, Cartesian dualism by way of cybernetics, an artificially-resurrected Christ-figure that embodies karma rather than grace, this film is rich in ideas. Cool robot designs and great action scenes don't hurt either.

The Wild Bunch - Sam Peckinpah invented the modern action film with the opening of this film. He marked its apotheosis with the end. Nothing else comes close.

Punch Drunk Love - I like odd romances... And I have sisters.

Seven Samurai - I love Kurosawa.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - What if Philip K Dick wrote a romantic comedy..? Actually, it's not a romantic comedy, it's a love story. The only film I can think of that deals with a relationship rather than a romance. And it features the most inventive visuals of any film in recent memory.

Simple Men - I love Hal Hartley, and the final shot of the film has never left me. "Don't move."

Dolls - Takeshi Kitano's finest moment. Three stories of broken love, and the impossibility of recovering the past. Tender, heartbreaking and beautiful.

The Limey - Point Blank with heart. Few films have such a simple yet powerful emotional payoff at the end. Plus, I love editing and this is an amazingly well edited film.

Drive - An incredibly silly action comedy, but it's the best silly action comedy. Walter the Einstein Frog rocks!

Ashes of Time - For my money, a much better film than either Hero or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.

The Iron Giant - I loved the book The Iron Man as a child, I love the film as an adult.

Brotherhood of the Wolf - Sleepy Hollow wishes it was this good.

Sympathy for Mr Vengeance - More people have probably heard of Oldboy, which is the thematic sequel to this bruising masterpiece. Not for the faint of heart. If you find you start thinking you like my taste in movies, here's a bunch of interesting, if odd films you may have a hard time tracking down:

Chicken Heart - An offbeat comedy from Takeshi Kitano's production company.

The Jimmy Show - I have no idea why I like this film, maybe I just like losers.

The American Astronaut - A rockabilly sci-fi musical that defies description. See it.

Six String Samurai - A rock and roll post-apocalyptic sci-fi martial arts fairytale.

Jesus Christ, Vampire Hunter - A punk rock musical about the Second Coming, in Toronto.

Actually, forget what I said earlier. I like weird stuff, and musical sci-fi action comedies.