Top Lists

Top TV in June
Pick your favourite epoch for roistering adventure (The Vikings) or sexual power play (The Tudors). Then compare and contrast today’s Revenge, Dirty Sexy Money and Waterloo Road. Modern classics like Extras and new faves like Miranda.

Top 20 New to Instant in June
The best of Pixar and a bunch of Disney animated classics make June’s LOVEFiLM Instant List something of a family feast. But there’s Cronenberg too, Sarah Polley gets romantic, films from Ken Loach and Stephen Frears, and Killer Joe on top.

Top May Movies & TV
Here's your guide to the very best viewing entertainment this month has to offer – at the cinema, on DVD, and streaming on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are our Top May Movies & TV shows...

Top 10 TV in May
Whether it’s entertainment for the kids (Teletubbies; Balamory; Super Mario Bros Super Show), the teens (Dawsons’ Creek) or the grown ups in your household (Alcatraz; Top Gear; West Wing; Cougar Town) there is something for everyone on Instant this month.

Top 20 New to LOVEFiLM Instant in May
This month catch the 2012 Oscar winner for Best Documentary Searching For Sugar Man, as well as Ben Affleck in The Town and The Company Men, Rooney Mara’s debut film (A Nightmare on Elm Street), and Asif Kapadia’s powerful doc Senna.

Top TV in April
Get an injection of British comedy – and a big dose of kid stuff – in the latest TV additions to our Instant catalogue.

Top April Movies & TV
Here's your guide to the very best viewing entertainment this month has to offer – at the cinema, on DVD, and streaming on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are our Top April Movies & TV shows... Cinema: The Odd Life of Timothy Green (5 April) Directed by: Peter Hedges Starring: Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams When young Timothy suddenly comes...

Top 20 New to LOVEFiLM Instant in April
Warring owls, speeding cars, and the roomie from hell... These are just some of the Instant movie attractions this month. Meanwhile, from the small screen, there are new born babes, Rik Mayall’s Bottom, and more Fresh Meat.

Top TV in March
Time to crib up on Jamie Oliver’s Dream School, or if that feels like too much work there’s always Jack Dee. Eric McCormack swaps laughs for thrills in the new cop drama Perception, and Idris Elba lays down the law as Luther.

Top New to LOVEFiLM Instant in March
Ready to watch? Just say so – our releases on Instant this month include prime comedy with Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jim Carrey and Seann William Scott; Natalie Portman leading Zach Braff a merry dance in Garden State then cracking up as a prima ballerina in Black Swan; Moulin Rouge; Le Havre; and Cockneys vs Zombies.

Top 20 March Movies & TV
Here's your guide to the very best viewing entertainment this month has to offer – at the cinema, on DVD, and streaming on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are our Top 20 March Movies & TV shows... Cinema: Broken City (1 March) Directed by: Allen Hughes Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones In a city rife with injustice, ex-cop...

Top TV in February
Among the top shows new to Instant this month are some of the best in British comedy, including Spaced, The Inbetweeners, The IT Crowd, Father Ted and Green Wing. Plus, from the US, Criminal Minds and Once Upon a Time.

Top New to LOVEFiLM Instant in February
Bradley Cooper and Anne Hathaway are among the Oscar-nominated stars who crop up on Instant this month. Laughs come thick and fast in home grown comedy All in Good Time, and in Robert Downey Jr’s road trip with Zack Galifianakis, Due Date, while the low budget Brit chiller Don’t Let Him In and the real time frightner Silent House has you covered for horror. Somewhere in between, don’t miss Ben Affleck’s crime thriller The Town, and the French tearjerker, Kid with a Bike.

Top 20 February Movies & TV
Here's your guide to the very best viewing entertainment this month has to offer - at the cinema, on DVD, and streaming on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are our Top 20 February Movies & TV shows...

Top TV in January
Laughs, scifi, fantasy, and sometimes all three at once, that’s what’s new and different this month on Instant. Immerse yourself in Battlestar Galactica or have a giggle at Knight Rider, all these and more…

Top 20 January Movies & TV
Here's your guide to the very best viewing entertainment this month has to offer - at the cinema, on DVD, and streaming on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are our Top 20 January Movies & TV shows...

New to LOVEFiLM Instant in January
Mirror, mirror, who is the fairest of them all? Why you, LOVEFiLM Instant, but then you already knew that – you’re getting better all the time. This month’s new releases go to prove that some things really do improve with age...

Top 20 New to LOVEFiLM Instant in December
Let the Kraken loose! For this is where the wild things are, plus curios from Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, Jamaican bobsledders, Whoopi in a wimple, Bale as a Christian, and Christopher Nolan’s brainy Inception. Yours, instantly.

Top 20 December Movies & TV
Here's your guide to the very best viewing entertainment this month has to offer - at the cinema, on DVD, and streaming on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are our Top 20 December Movies & TV shows...

Top 10 Hangover Movies
The dreaded hangover. There are various ways to deal with the after-effects of a heavy night, but gallons of water, stodgy food and a cracking film are a tried and tested combination. Happily, LOVEFiLM Instant and DVD rental service has a selection of perfect hangover movies to pull you out of your comatose state.

Top 10 Woody Harrelson
To celebrate the release of Rampart on DVD, we’ve compiled our ten favourite Woody Harrelson films. From humble beginnings, a career that contains two Oscar® nominations now spans over 25 years, and counting...

Staff Picks: Top Talent
Rising stars or regular reliables, these are the actors and actresses that the LOVEFiLM team are loving right now. For our favourite films so far and what we’ve got to look forward to, read below.

Staff Top Tips for 2012
Before the festive season we gave you our top films of last year; now, it’s time for the LOVEFiLM team's top tips for 2012. Some big movies are heading into cinemas this year (many with superheroes involved), but our lists are actually quite eclectic - take a look at the films we can’t wait to watch…

Top 10 Kate Winslet
Firmly secured herself in the Hollywood A-list but still only in her 30s, Kate Winslet has charted a varied and eclectic career so far – from drama to comedy, period to contemporary, mainstream to indie. She is also the youngest person ever to have gained four Academy Award nominations. Here are her Top 10 films...

Staff Picks: LOVEFiLM Instant
With more and more movies arriving on LOVEFiLM Instant, there’s a lot to choose from. For our latest Staff Picks, we’ve asked some LOVEFiLMers to share their favourite films available to watch right now and in the not too distant future...

Top 10 Brad Pitt
We’ve scrutinised Brad Pitt’s last two decades for his best bits (a tricky job, but someone’s got to do it), and here’s the result: a top ten detailing the measure of a man who combines A-list status, outrageously good genetics, and not a little actorly craft...

Top 10 Christian Bale
Christian Bale is the dictionary definition of committed actor – losing weight or piling it on, devouring research to really embody a character, regardless of whether they’re real-life or far flung fantasy. And here are our ten highlight movies from his career so far... His Top 10 Films Empire of the Sun (1987) It’s not a bad...

Top 10 Natalie Portman
Natalie Portman has had one hell of a career, but 2011 looks set to be her most defining year yet, professionally and personally. With a mesmerising performance in Black Swan, she has three other films set for release, plus she’s expecting her first child with fiancé Benjamin Millepied, and she’ll turn the big 3-0. For now, here are her top 10.

Top 10 Colin Firth
Starting out in British TV dramas, Colin Firth’s career has been a steady climb, with popular rom-coms and his heartthrob status. But it’s now, at the age of 50 and thanks to his performances in A Single Man and The king’s Speech, Firth is at the top of his game. Winning awards left, right and centre, our Col has the whole world watching...

Top 10 Will Ferrell
The world’s favourite funnyman? Quite possibly. With a huge fan base and cult following, Will Ferrell’s the lynchpin of the Frat Pack, and from satirical beginnings in Saturday Night Live, now turns in iconic performances like Elf, Ron Burgundy, and George W. Bush. He’s a comedic powerhouse, and here are our ten favourites…

Top 10 Tom Hanks
Hot on the heels of Toy Story 3, we look back at the remarkable career of Tom Hanks. A truly big big-screen presence since the 80s, Hanks has played some of modern cinema's most iconic roles, both as a comedian and straight man. His repertoire stretches from Catch Me If You Can to Saving Private Ryan via the voice of Woody for the Toy Story...

Top 10 Angelina jolie
Part of power-couple Brangelina, mother of six, humanitarian and Oscar-winning actress. Angelina Jolie doesn’t do things by halves. Although her good looks have been accused of overshadowing her acting abilities, Jolie has picked varied roles that have given her the chance to smolder on screen one minute and deliver gutsy, emotional...

Top 10 Tom Cruise
Tom Cruise’s personal life may have come under fire in recent years but his career still continues to impress. Back in the 80s, the U.S. actor made a name for himself by flashing his pins in a shirt and sunglasses. He has since made the impossible possible, donned prosthetic hands to play an egotistical producer, with a penchant for rap...

Top 10 Tim Burton
His Top 10 Films Beetlejuice (1988) After the success Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Tim Burton gained a reputation as a bankable director and whilst he was co-writing the script for Batman, Burton was offered to direct Beetlejuice. Out of the film’s $13 million budget, Burton spent $1 million on special effects, which included stop-motion,

Top 10 Leonardo DiCaprio
Probably most famous for reaching mega-star status with his role as Jack Dawson in James Cameron’s Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio is no one trick pony. His performance in What's Eating Gilbert Grape earned him huge critical claim, and his ongoing relationship with director Martin Scorsese has cemented him as one of the best actors of his generation. It was a hard job, but we’ve whittled Leo’s roles down to his ten best…

Staff Picks: Family Favourites
Available to rent or watch now on LOVEFiLM Instant, these are some of the LOVEFiLM team’s top family movies. From dramas to action-adventures and comedies, these are the perfect excuse to sit down together and watch some great entertainment…

Staff Picks: LOVEFiLM Instant TV
Some cracking TV series have joined LOVEFiLM Instant of late, from classic British comedies to big-budget American fare. So we've rallied some of the LOVEFiLM team to share with you their top TV picks - see who you agree with...

Peep Show's Top 10 Funniest Moments
We’ve long been fans of Peep Show, but now series 1-4 are available to watch on LOVEFiLM Instant we love it even more. Whether you’re watching it for the first time or rediscovering it, have a giggle courtesy of our Peep Show's Top 10 Funniest Moments.

Top 10 Dirtiest Cops
Bad-boys in blue, what you gonna do, what you gonna do when they come for you?

Ten Top Reasons To Get LOST
90 hours of TV is a serious time investment. So why bother? It's a fair question. And here are some answers...

Top 10 Kenneth Branagh
Actor, writer & director Kenneth Branagh has been making an impression on audiences since the early 80s. During his career he's been nominated 4 times for an Oscar, and while he's not managed to take one home yet, there's still plenty of time. In celebration of the marvelous Mr Branagh, we chart his top 10 films.

Staff Picks: Best Films of 2011
At the beginning of the year we gave you our Top Tips for 2011 and so now it's time to reflect on the last 12 months of films and choose our top 5. Certainly no easy task...

Staff Picks: Top TV
We spend a lot of time thinking about film but we thought TV was due some attention, so team LOVEFiLM have put their thinking caps on and revealed their top 5 TV shows, old and new. Find out who likes what, and what they have to say about it...

Staff Picks: Autumn Preview
Well, it’s fair to say summer is well and truly behind us. But looking on the bright side we’ve got some very exciting months ahead in the way of film releases, as momentum builds for the awards season. From big blockbusters to British independents, here’s what team LOVEFiLM are most excited about seeing, at the cinema or on DVD.

Top 10 Harrison Ford
While we might want to overlook a few of his recent projects, Harrison Ford has led some of the most memorable movies of all time, and – at 71 – is still a tough Hollywood contender. In fact, the man’s an absolute living legend. And here are our Top 10 Harrison Ford movies...

Top 10 Steven Spielberg movies
It’s hard to pick which ten Steven Spielberg movies to feature – the man’s directed nearly 50 titles, and overseen more than a 100. He’s been hands-on Producer for just 19 features though (including JJ Abrams’ Super 8). And he’s only worn the twin hats of Director and Producer for 12 of those. So here is our Top Ten Steven Spielberg films from that duel(!) category...

Staff Picks: Our Favourite Childhood Movies
Inspired by the release of Super 8, we’ve taken a trip down memory lane to reminisce about the films we watched growing up. From our first trip to the cinema to special effects that blew our minds, these are our favourite childhood movies…

Staff Picks: Best of 2011 so Far
At the beginning of the year we gave you our Top Tips for 2011, and now that we're half way through the year it's time to reflect on the last six months and choose our five favourite movies so far. It's fair to say there are some stand-out winners, but there's plenty of love for the indie gems out there as well..

Critic's Choice: Best of 2011 So Far
Six months in, how is the movie year shaping up for you? Here are the best memories from the class of 2011 to date – and a few of the not-so-good too…

Top 10 Hilary Swank
Hilary Swank has enjoyed a diverse and remarkable career since the age of 16, with a knack for persuasive performances and portraying real-life characters, and Oscar wins to her name already. Here's her Top 10 so far...

Staff Picks: Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks turns 55 on 9 July and his latest film, Larry Crowne – which he directed and stars in – is released in cinemas this week. A fitting time to round up some LOVEFiLM staffers and find out their favourite Tom Hanks movies. One thing's for sure: there’s a lot of love for Big...

Top 10 Keanu Reeves
Perhaps best known for action roles in blockbusters like Speed and The Matrix, Keanu Reeves actually has more strings to his bow, and some of his most nuanced acting can be seen in small independent films requiring a subtle, cynical demeanour, at which he excels...

Top 10 Dustin Hoffman
For some of cinema’s living legends, selecting just 10 highlights is nigh on impossible, and Dustin Hoffman is a case in point. So, instead of trotting out a glittering but perhaps rather obvious list of award-winners, we’ve decided to pick two shining moments for each decade of his career so far...

Staff List: Top Dance Movies
Dance in movies is all around us. From 80s classics like Footloose, to modern masterpieces like Black Swan and the questionable American Pie 3, it’s surprising where you can find a plié or two. We rounded up some LOVEFiLMers so find out there favourite dance scenes, films, co-stars... Check out their wide-range of answers below.

Staff List: Our Picks for Summer 2011
Here are the films team LOVEFiLM are most excited about this summer, and boy is there a lot to choose from! It's fair to say that Cowboys & Aliens is a favourite, but there are some alternate offerings too in the form of The Tree of Life and Win Win. Whatever your preference, Summer 2011 is shaping up rather nicely...

Top 10 Horror Franchises
No matter how many people die, or whether the killer gets his comeuppance, there's always room for a follow-up as far as these franchises are concerned. With Saw racking up six sequels and Freddie Kruger dream stalking for nine films, there are some horror films that simply won't die. Read our Top 10 Horror Franchises...

Top 10 Stalkers
Leighton Meester goes off the deep end in The Roommate, the latest in a long and (dis)honourable line of movie stalkers (and pretty much retreading the plot of Single White Female). Here’s our Top Ten guide to cinema’s craziest obsessives...

Top 10 Pills in Movies
Or, more properly, Top 10 Life-Enhancing Supplements – give your life a lift with the film world’s finest selection of uppers. WARNING: do not mix medicines, do not exceed the stated dose, and beware the potential side effects...

Top John Candy Moments
John Candy was one of the best-loved film comedians of the 80s and early 90s, who passed away prematurely on March 4, 1994. But in his 43 years, he made the world laugh. A lot. In tribute of the great man, here are his Top 10 Moments...

Staff Picks: Funny Films
We rounded up some LOVEFiLM troops to find out their top 10 funny films, plus their favourite comedy quote. Prepare yourself for a diverse range of comedic movies suited for all types of humour. Get ready to laugh out loud.

Top 10 Liam Neeson
There’s often been a muscular note to Liam Neeson’s roles, but for years it’s been in the mode of experienced mentor (sword, beard and long hair optional). Now though, and all of sudden, the 58 year-old from Northern Ireland is a front-and-centre action-man. Here are his Top 10 highlights so far...

Top 10 Oscar-winning Documentaries
The Inside Job hits cinemas this week and carries an Academy Award nod with it, so here are our Top 10 Documentaries, all of them Oscar-winners... Our Top 10 Films Bowling For Columbine (2002) Michael Moore’s investigative documentary style is based on kicking in the door of political and corporate hypocrisy with a size 13 boot and...

Top 10 Musicians turned Actors
These multi-talented stars have swapped centre stage for Hollywood's backlot studios. We're talking about musicians who have traded in their musical stylings for the big screen, and done it pretty darn well. From Mark Wahlberg and Will Smith to old timers Frank Sinatra and Cher, see who we've crowned the most successful musicians turned actors...

Top 10 Torsos
It’s not just about playing the part; you’ve got to look it as well. For many roles actors need to prove they’re buff enough and strong enough, so we’ve ploughed through the best torsos in film to celebrate the most muscly movie muscles of them all. (It’s a hard feat we know.)

Top 10 How Bard Can It Be...?
All the world’s a stage, of course, and so Shakespeare’s finest works have appeared in many weird and wonderful ways. Not least Gnomeo & Juliet, a grass-roots version (ahem) of his tragic romance. Here, then, are the best adaptations that beg the question: how Bard can it be...?

Top 10 Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren is an actress with bundles of class and sass to boot. She has won a wealth of acclaim in the film industry, by picking roles which not only challenge her, but audiences as well. At 66 she continues to impress, which is no mean feat for a woman in Hollywood. Join us as we tip our hats to Helen Mirren...

Top 10 Clint Eastwood - Director
Famous for his gun-slinging swagger and steely stare, Clint Eastwood is a legend in his own right. As an actor Clint has starred in over 60 films, a number which is near impossible to whittle down. So before we take on Clint the actor, we have decided to take a look at his career from behind the lens. It wasn’t an easy task, but we give you

Top 10 Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman broke America in 1990, and the Australian actress has remained one of Hollywood’s leading ladies ever since. An Oscar-winner, humanitarian, mother of four, and former wife of Tom Cruise, Kidman has shown a willingness for risk-taking in a wide range of roles – boasting comedy, musical, drama, action-adventure and...

10 Great Movie Dances from Non-Musicals
In honour of Black Swan – this week’s ballet horror film – our thoughts turned to dance on film. Darren Aronofsky’s decision to shoot Swan Lake in the style of the boxing bouts in Raging Bull won’t necessarily recommend the film to dance aficionados, though it certainly covers Natalie Portman’s limitations...

Top 10 Heath Ledger
On the 22nd January 2011 it will be three years since Heath Ledger’s untimely death. In his 28 years the Australian actor had already carved out a remarkable career, so much so that choosing his top 10 films was no easy task. Known for his dedication for capturing a character, we give you our favourite Ledger roles.

Top 10 Sidekicks
From costumed and animated characters to trusty wing-men and faithful friends, sidekicks take all shapes and forms. And while the levels of input differ substantially, it’s hard to imagine our heroes saving the day without the crucial assistance of their crucial assistants... Our Top Picks Kato (The Green Hornet) This high-kicking masked...

Top 10 Ensembles
Sylvester Stallone assembled a powerful action ensemble for The Expendables, but that list gets its ass kicked good and proper by these other ensembables. Our criteria was a blend of girth, greatness and gravitas – which meant that JFK, the Ocean’s movies and even The Dirty Dozen missed out. Here, in reverse order, we count down the...

Legal Eagles: Top 10 Lawyers in Film
This week, in Conviction, Hilary Swank plays Betty Anne Wheeler, a working class mum who put herself through law school to get her brother out of jail. It sounds far-fetched, but it’s a true story and a tribute to the determination and faith of a remarkable woman.

Top 10 Stanley Tucci
A firm favourite of ours, Stanley Tucci has a career which spans two decades; including several shows and films. With not-so small beginnings in television and film, Tucci quickly triumphed, earning the respect and acclaim he so rightly deserved amongst his peers. He may not always be the main character in a film, but retains his stance as a...

Top 10 Christmas Films
Christmas comes but once a year, but a Christmas movie lasts a lifetime. As the festive season kicks off, we highlight 10 timeless Christmas classics that will ensure that even the most cold-hearted of Scrooges will enter the Christmas spirit. The Top 10 It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Based on the original story of The Greatest Gift, written by...

Top 10 Will Smith
He’s a movie megastar and hugely successful recording artist, with a beautiful actress wife and three kids, one of whom is already following in his big screen footsteps. So if he wasn’t so charismatic and damn well likeable, we’d probably hate Will Smith’s guts. But we don’t, because the man’s funny, generous...

Top 10 Big Screen Bloodsuckers
Denizens of the dark. Creatures of the night. Pointy-toothed, garlic-shy, sun-dodgers. The vampire is never far from the movie theatre, and they come in many shapes and guises. We’re pretty sure we’ve let the right ones in, but prepare to be furious/ecstatic at our choices: here, in reverse order, are our Top 10 Big-Screen...

Top 10 Jim Broadbent
He’s played Bridget Jones’ dad, manned the Moulin Rouge and made a magical impression at Hogwarts as Professor Horace Slughorn - in short, Jim Broadbent is great. After an outstanding performance in Mike Leigh’s Another Year, earlier this month, he returns to Hogwarts for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, in...

Top 10 James Franco
He’s played silver-screen legend James Dean, swapped his sexual preference (on more than one occasion) and played Peter Parker’s best friend - undeniably James Franco is one talented dude. Here, we track his most exciting roles to date, including his first stab at directing...

Top 10 Nicolas Cage
Nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola, Nicolas Cage aka Nicolas Kim Coppola, changed his surname to prove himself a worthy contender in the industry, without having to rely on any family ties. With the help of the Coen brothers he burst onto the scene in Raising Arizona, and since then has remained one of Hollywood's most esteemed actors. Read...

Top 10 Actors turned Directors
Ben Affleck is the latest in a long and venerable line: international film industry professionals who made their name in front of the camera, but who have then slipped into the director's chair. And done so with some considerable success, too. You probably already know who's at number 1, but here - in reverse order - are our Top 10 Actors turned...

Top 10 Jake Gyllenhaal
Born into an industry family, Jake Gyllenhaal has worked hard to establish himself as a serious actor. Opting for obscure parts and avoiding big budget productions early on, Gyllenhaal has secured longevity and evolved from boy-next door to buffed-up A-lister. He’s been Academy Award nominated, enjoys diverse opportunities opposite the...

Top 10 Ewan McGregor
Expertly straddling the hollywood and arthouse divide, Ewan McGregor has serious credibility in both camps. From heroin-addicted Renton in Trainspotting to Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequels, McGregor attacks every role with visible committment. He's also got serious theatre, even musical theatre, chops. We pay tribute to the multi-faceted...

Top 10 Julianne Moore
Hot on the heels of her performance in Tom Ford's debut, A Single Man, we pay tribute to Julianne Moore. She has had lead and supporting roles in some truly era-defining films and has enjoyed uniterrupted critical and commercial success ever since Boogie Nights. Always choosing great projects, she's clearly got an eye for a great script. We...

Top 10 Jeff Bridges
After reprising his classic role in TRON: Legacy and still riding high off the back of Crazy Heart, actor, songwriter and musician Jeff Bridges will release his self-titled album on 5 September. Read our Top 10 list below, which stretches from The Fabulous Baker Boys to The Big Lebowski, and enter our competition for your chance to win a copy of...

Top 10 Clive Owen
A trained stage actor, cutting his teeth at the Young Vic, British great Clive Owen has divided his time between the stage and the screen (big and small). His Hollywood roles have tended to be high-octane affairs and at one stage it looked like he was going to be the next Bond. Whilst that was not to be, he no doubt has plenty more up his sleeve.

Top 10 Movie Soundtracks
With Hans Zimmer the talk of the town for his Inception score derived almost entirely from the first chord of Edith Piaf's 'Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien', scores and soundtracks are getting the recognition they deserve. We've chosen a few of our favourites from Disney sing-alongs to rousing orchestral manoeuvres, via a bit of country and disco, and...

Top 10 TV Stars Turned Movie Stars
It's easy to forget that some of today's biggest film actors had relatively humble beginnings in small screen shows. Bruce Willis was once a private eye and love interest in Moonlighting before kickstarting his action career immediately afterwards. We've documented a few familiar stories and perhaps some surprises in our top 10 TV stars turned...

Top 10 Helena Bonham Carter
Throwing off the shackles of period drama, Helena Bonham Carter has since become wife and muse to Tim Burton and is now more commonly seen playing dangerous and demented women (see Harry Potter and Sweeney Todd). We chart this transition from pale English rose to paler villain via character-forming turns in Frankenstein and Fight Club. Our top 10

Top 10 Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey will probably be remembered as one of the nineties and noughties' great physcial comedians, but there's much more to him than that. Set to play a gay inmate in I Love You, Philip Morris, we look back at other great 'serious' roles including Joel Barish in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Truman Burbank in The Truman Show, as...

Top 10 Michael Caine
With recent roles in Inception as Leo DiCaprio's mentor and father-in-low, as a vigilante pensioner in Harry Brown and currently filming the third in Christopher Nolan's Batman films, there's no stopping Michael Caine. In fact, when a British tabloid claimed Harry Brown would be his last lead role, he angrily refuted the suggestion. We look back...

Top 10 Terry Gilliam
A valuable member of Monty Python and director of their much-loved feature films, Gilliam has since branched out in wildly different directions. He's not been content just to work in comedy, but his films are always recognisably his , conjuring alternate realities and bearing his trademark stamp of surrealism. We wonder how Harry Potter would...

Top 10 Steve Carell
Steve Carell flexed his comedy muscles as a correspondent on the Jon Stewart show from 1999-2004 and Hollywood quickly saw star potential. He's managed to juggle TV and film work impressively, appearing in Anchorman, The 40 Year Old Virgin and Evan Almighty all whilst starring in seven series of The US Office. In honour of perhaps his goofiest...

Top 10 Sharpest Suits on TV
With Sherlock back and cutting a modern British dandyish dash, and Mad Men's skinny ties and razor-sharp suits echoing today's trends, tailoring is definitely in. We run down our favourite snappy dressers on the small screen from the chic geeks (David Mitchell) to the smooth operators (Sex and the City's Big). Mad Men's power-dressing Christina...

Top 10 Pierce Brosnan
Pierce cut a dashing lead in The Thomas Crown Affair and entertained with his off-key singing in Mamma Mia!, but he will be forever defined by his stretch as Bond that lasted nearly a decade. Still suave, but grittier than his predecessors, Brosnan eased the transition to brawny Bond Daniel Craig. We've chosen our ten highlights. His Top 10 Films

Top 10 Couples on TV
The small screen arguably has the advantage over the big screen when it comes to love. TV writers can stretch out 'will-they-won't-they?' scenarios over episodes, even seasons, rather than the few hours movie makers have to work with. Here at LOVEFiLM, we have compiled a list of the small-screen couples we've really cared about in recent years....

Top 10 Bruce Willis
Something of an action man and all-American hero since he crashed onto the scene in the 80s with the Die Hard movies. A string of hit, big-budget Hollywood films has followed with a few leftfield turns with Quentin Tarantino, Frank Miller and animated pop band Gorillaz thrown in for good measure. We pay homage with our top 10 Bruce bits. His Top...

Top 10 Anti-superheroes
The wait is finally over. Zack Snyder’s vision of the comic book they said could never be filmed, Watchmen, makes its way onto DVD this week. So, like the masked vigilante Rorschach, we’ve dug up some film favourites from our superhero vault and taken a look at some of the most unconventional superheroes likely to save the day....

Top 10 Joaquin Phoenix
He might have gone a bit off recently, but even if the career change and very public meltodwn is for real, we still have some great Joaquin Phoenix film moments to look back on. If his post-2008 beard-sporting and rap-battling antics are indeed an elaborate hoax, however, Phoenix's best years may still be ahead of him. For the moment, let's look...

Top 10 Alan Rickman
There is much, much more to Alan Rickman than his villainous turns in Hollywood blockbusters. With comedic and ultra-serious roles to his name, he is also a respected stage actor and director. Without a single Oscar nod in his thirty year career, Rickman is surely one of the most overlooked actors in recent cinema history. We pay tribute to a...

Top 10 Suckers for Vampires
We were suckers for vampires long before Twilight and True Blood. First bitten by Bram Stoker's 'Dracula' novel, we've been smitten ever since. Recent re-vamps of the ancient Transylvanian legend have recast the creatures as deeply dark sex objects, seducing the living. We've compiled a list of ten human suckers for the biters. Taboo-busters, we...

Top Trench Moments
Trench warfare has inspired generations of filmmakers. Whether used as a vehicle for a director's universal anti-war message (The Trench) or simply to honour the stoicism of the Allied Forces in WWI (Legends of the Fall), the location is charged with historical signifcance. That hasn't stopped a few bringing comedy to the trenches, though. We Our

Top 10 Naomi Watts
Initially an Australian soap star, Naomi worked her way up to roles in cult films such as Tank Girl and David Lynch's Mulholland Drive. Her first stellar lead role and biggest break was the US remake of horror classic, The Ring. Since then, she has starred in a string of blockbusters alongside Hollywood royalty. We've picked our ten favourites...

Top 10 Denzel Washington
Cutting his teeth playing historical figures like activist Malcolm X and boxer Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, Denzel has now become almost synonymous with the great Hollywood thriller. Denzel has overcome perceived white audience hostility to interracial screen partnerships and become a true, and truly great, establishment figure. Revisit his best...

Top 10 Aaron Eckhart
Aaron Eckhart has won universal acclaim for recent roles in Thank You For Smoking and The Dark Knight, but there's much more to this actor. A critical success from the very start, his role in 2000's Erin Brokovich also made him a bankable prospect. Bar an ill-advised turn in 2003's The Core, Aaron has always taken on interesting projects, as our...

Top 10 Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis may have got a lucky break, landing a bit-part in Richard Attenborough's Gandhi back in 1982. Since then, however, he has really proved his worth, taking on audacious projects and always delivering. He's picked up two Oscars along the way, but we pay our own tribute with a top 10 about the actor who refuses to compromise.

Top 10 John Travolta
John Travolta has been with us since the late 70s with his era-defining roles in Saturday Night Fever and Grease. Since then, there have been highs and lows: Travolta has been nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars and Worst Actor of the Decade at the Razzies. We've attempted to condense his career down to ten key films. His Top 10 Films Carrie (1

Top 10 Willem Dafoe
Willem Dafoe has certainly proven his versatility. In his thirty-year career, he has played everyone from Spider-man's goblin nemesis to Jesus. He's lent his unmistakeable voice to a fish (Finding Nemo) and starred alongside Mr Bean, but also payed homage to Max Schreck (The Last Vampire) and the early days of cinema. Our Top 10 follows... His...

Top 10 TV Pantomime Baddies
LOVEFiLM pay tribute to the acid tongue of Glee's fearsome Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) with our list of TV pantomime villains we love to hate. Some are real-life, others fictional, some are even two-dimensional, but they all liven up our favourite shows with their larger-than-life personalities and outrageous behaviour. Read on for the rundown......

Top 10 Catherine Keener
If you judge a film by its cast, anything featuring Catherine Keener seems a pretty safe bet. Whether it’s small and quirky or part of a heavyweight ensemble, Keener’s performances always bring humility and honesty. We chart her top 10 film roles through the years.

Top 10 Meryl Streep
There’s no one quite like Meryl Streep. A Masters graduate from Yale School of Drama, the actress has carved out a reputable career as one of the most successful women in Hollywood. Streep stands tall, shoulder-to-shoulder with several of her successful male counterparts, and has always endeavoured to take on the more challenging and...

Top 10 Best Buddies
As Buzz & Woody reunite for what appears to be the final time, here's the cream of the buddy movie crop - devoted duos whose layered, fascinating relationships lift them far above the average. Altogether now: you got a friend in me; you got a friend in me... Top 10 Films Buzz & Woody - Toy Story (1995) Loyal, redoubtable Woody (Tom Hanks) is 6-yea

Top 10 Rising World Actresses
Actresses like Penelope Cruz and Audrey Tautou have achieved dual success: balancing big budget Hollywood movies with world cinema, switching between acting in English and their mother tongue. These women prove that you don’t have to be American or become Americanised to make it big, and just because you’ve found blockbuster success...

Top 10 Gwyneth Paltrow
The daughter of actress Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow, a film and television director and producer, Gwyneth was born into the industry. She’s gone from a Young Wendy in Hook (1991) to an Oscar-winning actress for her role in Shakespeare in Love (1998). Now, mum of two and married to Coldplay’s Chris Martin, she’s firmly in blockbuster territory as Pepper Potts in the Iron Man films.

Top 10 Jennifer Aniston
Her Top 10 Films Ferris Bueller (1990-1991) One of Aniston’s first TV roles was when she co-starred in a television adaptation of the 1986 hit movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Charlie Schlatter took on the title role, which was played by Matthew Broderick in the film version, and an unknown Aniston starred as the main character's sister,...

Top 10 Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz was just 21 and had no acting experience when she landed the lead female role in The Mask. She’s gone on to become one of the best comedic actresses around, with parts in There’s Something About Mary and the Shrek films showing she’s always game for a laugh. Read her top 10 here.

Top 10 Julia Roberts
The rom-com go to gal for much of the 90s, Julia Roberts has proved that she can deliver heavyweight performances however meaty the role. Early performances in Mystic Pizza and Steel Magnolias quickly got people’s attention, and she’s gone on to become one of the world’s biggest actresses. Read our top 10 Julia Roberts here.

Top 12 Game-Changers
Every so often, a film comes along that blows the doors off everything that's gone before. A step-change moment that leaves you knowing that nothing will ever be the same again. Such moments are perhaps most identifiable in the special effects dept, and Christopher Nolan's spectacular, mind-bending Inception may be the latest sfx milestone....

Top 10 Cillian Murphy
Irish actor Cillian Murphy has spent the past two decades making a name for himself at home and abroad. Since his career-defining role in Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later… the prominent young actor has captured the attention of auteur directors across the globe, working with Christopher Nolan, Ken Loach, Anthony Minghella and Wes Craven....

Top 10 Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman has played the big-man himself, and starred in some of the biggest films during his six-decade career, including Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Se7en, The Shawshank Redemption and Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins/The Dark Knight. It was a challenge to cut down to 10, but here are his highlights...

Top 10 Matt Damon
After 2004's Team America, Matt Damon will forever ring in our ears as Matt Damon. With two Oscar-nominations and one win under his belt, Damon is a class-act with more than a few favourable film roles on his CV. From Good Will Hunting and Ocean's to the Bourne franchise, there is no disputing that Damon is one hell of a talented dude. His Top 10

Top 10 Chris Columbus
Producer, writer and director, Chris Columbus has brought us some of the best all-time classics, including Home Alone, Gremlins and The Goonies, to a name a few. Not to mention, he has helped to launch the career of aspiring hopefuls such as Daniel Radcliffe. Sit back, relax and take a trip down memory lane with our top 10 picks from the...

Top 10 Francis Ford Coppola
Famous for classics such as The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, Francis Ford Coppola is one of cinema's most revered directors. Beginning his career in the seventies - a decade which welcomed a new era of heavyweight directors - Coppola accompanied the likes of Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg as a key player in the industry. We salute this...

Top 10 Biopics
Throughout cinema history the biopic has been seen as a perfect way for actors to gain respect amongst critics and audiences alike, by taking on the challenge of depicting the life of a person of importance. The stakes are high when you step into someone else’s shoes, thankfully the results have paid dividends. With that in mind, it’s

Top 10 Martin Scorsese
Heavyweight director Martin Scorsese burst onto the film scene in 1973 with Mean Streets, and since then has continued to carve out reputable career as one of Hollywood's most talented directors. With American-Italian actor Robert De Niro as his muse, Scorsese has given us some of the finest films in cinema history. Read our Top 10 favourites...

Top 10 George Clooney
George Clooney has come a long way since his humble TV beginnings. Now one of the world’s top actors – and hottest bachelors – he’s part of a modern day Rat Pack that has brought him fame and fortune. In recent years he’s taken on more serious roles and turned his hand at directing, and it's fair to say if Clooney’s involved, it’s bound to be a success. Take a look at Gorgeous George’s top 10.

Top 10 Robert Downey Jr
His Top 10 Films Less Than Zero (1987) After a few bit parts in projects like John Hughes’ Weird Science and TV’s Saturday Night Live, Robert Downey Jr got the critics’ attention with this 80s drama about wealthy young adults growing up in L.A. Downey’s role as the drug-addicted Julian won him rave reviews, but has also...

Top 10 Sandra Bullock
Sandy's career has spanned 4 decades, having taken on small movie roles and TV in the late 80s it was her role in Demolition man in 1993 that kick-started her career. Since then she's risen through the ranks to become one of the most established actresses in Hollywood, highlighted this year by picking up an Oscar for her performance in real-life...

Top 10 Robert De Niro
Robert De Niro has made a name for himself in the industry as a credible actor with a penchant for dramatic roles. In more recent years the American-Italian actor has shown off his funnier side, but before bringing down the house with Ben Stiller he was king of the ring in a string of serious roles. From playing boxer Jake LaMotta and crazed...

Top 10 Rising Actors
It's difficult to narrow down this list to 10 with so much home-grown talent doing so well in the UK and further afield. But we've managed to whittle down the 10 actors who we think are making the biggest impression in the film industry at the moment, from the success of man-of-the-moment Aaron Johnson to Harry Potter's Rupert Grint. Take a look...

Top 10 Johnny Depp
Heeerees's Johnny! Mr Depp's remarkable career kicked off in that late 80s with a stint on popular TV series 21 Jump Street before making the move into movies collaborating with long-time partner director Tim Burton in 1990 with the delicate fantasy Edward Scissorhands. Since then there's been no stopping his success, although he started as a...

LOVEFiLM Staff Valentine's Picks
We quiz some LOVEFiLMers about their favorite Valentine's date movies...

Top 10 Rising British Actors 2011
Following on from last year’s Top 10 Rising Actors, we’ve placed our bets on the latest influx of up-and-coming Brit actors. You’ll recognise a couple from 2010, but most are newcomers to our annual list, poised break through...

Staff Top Tips for 2011
A few of us here at LOVEFiLM HQ share our top tips of 2011, the films we're really excited about seeing. Some you'll have heard of, others you won't, so take a look and see which ones float your boat...

LOVEFiLM Staff: Top Films of 2010
It’s been a great year for film, which explains why choosing our favourites has been so darn hard. We’ve split them into Cinema and DVD releases, and it’s not surprising that Inception and Toy Story 3 crop up more than a few times. So without further ado, here are our personal lists of what we rate the best of 2010...

Top 10 TV: Starter for 2010
Established shows continue their dominance in 2010, though no one's resting on their laurels. We're as excited by 2010's upcoming small-screen activity as we are by the big. We have a new Doctor, there are fresh faces in Skins and Glee marches across the pond. The proven hits jostle with a few new commissions in our TV top 10 rundown. Do not...