For reasons unknown, at the start of 2024, I found myself piecing together an extensive Letterboxd list of every film ever funded, produced or distributed by Film4 Productions. With said list in hand, and with a little help from some Channel 4 archive wizardry (best not to ask), the plan was to take the plunge and make my way through the entire thing in chronological order, from the company’s birth all the way up to the present day.

For the uninitiated, Film4 are the film production and distribution arm of British public service broadcaster Channel 4. Founded in 1982, Film4 began life as Channel Four Films and was given the directive of investing in movies to broadcast on the ‘Film on Four’ section of the channel.

From Local Hero to The Favourite via Sexy Beast and everything in between – over the many years and decades, Film4 would grow to become a crucial cog in the British film industry, going on to finance, produce, and distribute some of the most iconic movies the country has ever seen.

Over the course of 44 years (and counting), Film4 has had a hand in over five hundred titles – a rather daunting back catalogue that contains some serious cinematic belters, as well as an awful lot of incredibly niche, often hard to source stuff. However, despite the intimidating, sometimes questionable nature of the list, a couple of years later and I managed to burn through two decades worth of beautiful/bonkers British cinema to find myself at the end of the nineties.

It’s been a weird, wild, somewhat tumultuous ride so far, with plenty of highly questionable efforts in the mix, yet, all things considered, it’s been an enthralling, enlightening, highly entertaining journey and a cool little snapshot of 1990s Britain (and beyond) through the eyes of an adolescent Channel 4 still finding its place and its voice in the world.

Whether we’re talking Trainspotting, Topsy-Turvy, Brassed Off or Four Weddings and a Funeral – the 90s was the decade that really established Film4 as a true British filmmaking force, as they rapidly grew in size and scope, combining breakthrough hits, thoughtful indie efforts, and huge cultural moments that would ultimately make them the cinematic icon they are today.

As such, and before I move on to a new decade/millennium, I just wanted to pause, take stock, look back, and honour the best that 90s Film4 had to offer.

So here we are then ladies and gentlemen – my TOP 20 FILM4 MOVIES from 1990 to 1999:

“Are you gonna hit me too, Joe?”

Peter fucking Mullan, ladies and gentlemen. There’s not a film out there the man doesn’t instantly elevate with his presence, and My Name Is Joe is no different. A solid, engaging Ken Loach grim-drama taken to another level entirely by its star. Just an absolute masterclass from Mullan in a story that would otherwise find itself buried under the weight of its own misery.

“Don't blind people usually wear dark glasses?”

“Do they? I've never seen a blind person.”

About as Jim Jarmusch as a Jim Jarmusch film gets. Low-key, laid back, confined, conversational, unconventional, incidental, but not without its fair share of oddly poignant moments. Pure, unfiltered Jarmusch. I hadn’t seen this since university 20+ years ago, but it still very much works for me, and I still love the taxi-based anthology setup, even if some segments work better than others.

“Is it your ear again? I suppose you've been picking at it again, haven't you? What nasty little creatures you little boys are.”

There’s something about Terence Davies films that just hit me, and The Long Day Closes hits the spot once again. So much of The Long Day Closes feels reminiscent of Davies’ previous effort Distant Voices, Still Lives with its semi-autobiographical approach and tableau style, as well as its depictions of post-war family, community, and the nature of memory. Doesn’t hit quite as deep as its predecessor, yet I found it an incredibly moving piece, nonetheless.

“Anil, you have become American.”

“So what? I'm living in America! You don't like it? Then go back to India!”

A smartly written clash-of-cultures romance drama elevated by Denzel Washington’s next level charisma and excellent chemistry with co-lead Sarita Choudhury. For something on such a modest budget, Mississippi Masala offers an admirable level of scope and cultural commentary, yet it’s a film that has sadly slipped through the cracks of time.

“The truth is, I thought it mattered - I thought that music mattered. But does it bollocks? Not compared to how people matter.”

A simple but highly effective film that hits a note few of the likeminded against-all-odds Brit flicks of the time could hit. An affecting blend of light-hearted comedy and bleak anti-Thatcherite grit elevated by the always wonderful Pete Postlethwaite. Not as flashy or as crowd pleasing as The Full Monty but just as rousing.

“Are our names really Chris and Caz? Won’t that get confusing?”

“Would you prefer the recapper call us GAY DJ and STRAIGHT DJ?”

Buzzes with the style, playfulness, and righteous energy of a Spike Lee joint but feels British to its core. Doesn’t quite land as successfully as you’d want at the end, however, Young Soul Rebels is nonetheless an excellent encapsulation of a time and a place that engages with its queer and race subjects in a way that’s both brutally frank and highly insightful.

“I'll never let the colour of your dad come between us. It's not fair coz I love curry an' all.”

“Yeah. Nice one.”

I’d kind of forgotten how sharp this film’s tonal u-turn is. It’s all fun and games until it’s not, as we go from light-hearted comedy to hard-hitting domestic abuse drama quite abruptly – a tonal swerve ball that also applies to the dad, who goes from lovable grouch to domineering monster very, very quickly. It’s still rather good though, and does well to tackle its race, religion, and culture clash issues with a deft touch.

“We're a small country, but we're strong. We've learned how to hold on through good times and bad.”

Ok, so it looks like it was filmed on a potato, but the vibes are just so immaculate that it ultimately doesn’t matter. I’ve listened to the album many times through the years but have never got round to the film itself, so it’s good to finally watch it and get a deeper feel for the culture, energy, and people that went into the music.

“I can't do it.”

“But Juliet, you're a doctor. You kill people every day.”

What a directorial debut. A taut, buzzy pitch-black comedy thriller with a chaotic tonal blend that doesn’t always click, but when it does, it’s an absolute riot that hints at the greatness to come from Danny Boyle. Ewan McGregor and Kerry Fox are obnoxious and fantastic in equal measure, but it’s Christopher Eccleston that undoubtedly steals the show.

“...and as they both sink beneath the waves, the frog cries out, ‘Why did you sting me, Mr. Scorpion? For now, we both will drown!’ Scorpion replies, ‘I can't help it. It's in my nature!’”

It’s been a minute since I last watched this one, and despite the worry about how badly the famous twist and the tackling of the subject matter has aged, I was pleasantly surprised at how well it all holds up. It’s not perfect and often feels both progressive and outdated at the same time, however, the very fact that such a mainstream, Oscar-winning hit from the early nineties portrays a trans character in such a (relatively) sympathetic light is unexpectedly refreshing.

As for the rest of the film, the half-and-half political thriller/love story plot pairs up pretty well, offering something that’s both thrilling and emotionally engaging, and despite Forest Whitaker's janky accent, both him and Steven Rea make for a great on screen pairing.

“There's something inherently disappointing about success.”

For once, it’s just nice to see Mike Leigh let his hair down, although I’m not entirely convinced his trademark kitchen sink style completely gels here for what is quite a lavish period piece. That said, the whole thing is a very cosy viewing experience and an easy watch, with some fantastic character moments throughout (especially with Jim Broadbent having a blast in full grump mode), however, clocking in at a hefty 160 minutes and floating along at its own, steady pace, it doesn’t half go on a bit.

“You people. If there isn't a movie about it, it's not worth knowing, is it?”

Such an oddly loaded movie. Whether it’s the cast, the themes or the tone, it’s a stacked, chaotic whirlwind of things that really shouldn’t work, but somehow do. Undoubtedly Kevin Smith’s biggest and boldest effort, Dogma manages to balance his trademark humour with some hefty theological musings that end up hitting surprisingly hard. But don’t worry, any time we get all deep and serious and shit, Jay is right there to fart in our face or whatever.

“It is a good viewpoint to see the world as a dream. When you have something like a nightmare, you will wake up and tell yourself that it was only a dream. It is said that the world we live in is not a bit different from this.”

Such a vibe. In hindsight, a Jim Jarmusch hip-hop samurai hitman flick with Forest Whitaker hunting down the mob to a RZA score just sounds ridiculous, but boy does it work. Whitaker is silent but deadly, while the whole thing just bops along in its own little chilled out pocket gangster samurai universe. Not only has Ghost Dog barely aged, in a weird way, it actually feels kind of timeless and warrants far more love that it has ever received since its release.

“Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed.”

Considering its significance, I’m not quite sure how or why I managed to avoid watching this for 32 years. Being a staunch Richard Curtis denier probably doesn’t help. But you know what? Despite my decades-long aversion to the film, Four Weddings and a Funeral is actually pretty great. A fun conceit, a fantastic ensemble, some sharp writing, and Hugh Grant on full charm offensive make this an incredibly fun film and marks the moment Film4 finally stepped out from the shadows into the big time.

“We've always been mistreated and the moment anyone gives us the slightest bit of attention we over-react with our thanks.”

Astonishing stuff. Really wasn’t sure what to expect going into this film, and the thought of staring at a solid blue screen for 80 minutes wasn’t a particularly thrilling one, however, it absolutely blew me away. Painfully intimate and achingly poignant, Derek Jarman’s poetic blow-by-blow account of his spiralling experiences with AIDS is likely to stick with me for a long, long time. By the film’s end, you’re so engrossed in the words and the journey that you completely forget the blue screen and fully embrace it.

“I don't take drugs or drink or... I don't even like coffee very much. I'm just a total milk-o-holic.”

A horror in all but name. A thoroughly unnerving, upsetting, uneasy watch that will stick to you like glue. The way Todd Haynes slowly tightens the film’s grip on both us and Julianne Moore’s Carol is equal parts impressive and unbearable. Safe is 31 years old now but feels as pertinent and effective today as it would’ve done three decades ago.

“The worst part of being old is remembering when you was young.”

Man, I feel so bad for barely knowing anything about this film going into it. It really is a delightful, heartwarming watch – not something I’m used to saying about a David Lynch film, yet a very welcome surprise, nonetheless. Big and sprawling but deeply and achingly personal, The Straight Story is undoubtedly Lynch’s most compassionate and emotionally affecting effort this side of Elephant Man, but it’s also one that’s not without the director’s trademark idiosyncrasies.

“I've got an infinite number of places to go, the problem is where to stay.”

David Thewlis certainly knows his way around a despicable character, but Johnny may just be his masterpiece. Riffing on Mike Leigh’s scorching dialogue, Thewlis is simply unstoppable, and despite Johnny being quite possibly the worst person in the world, it’s impossible to take your eyes off him. It’s a verbose, relentlessly aggressive performance that could easily come off as cartoonish and laughable in the wrong hands, yet Thewlis absolutely devours it.

Naked sees Mike Leigh at both his deepest and most nihilistic, with his portrait of post-Thatcherite Britain being that of a desperate, dark, and thoroughly depressing existence, full of characters existing in the shadows of society that are either detestable or pathetic or, in Johnny’s case, both. Leigh offers something disturbing and exhilarating in equal measure, and while Naked can be a long and rambling journey, there’s a ferocity and an immediacy to it that makes it one of the director’s most impactful works.

“You gotta laugh, ain't ya sweetheart? Else you'd cry.”

Peak Leigh. Tip-toeing the line between soapy melodrama, comedy, social commentary, and powerful family drama with remarkable dexterity, Mike Leigh’s writing is as good as it’s ever been, while the performances are incredible across the board, not least from Brenda Blethyn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, and Timothy Spall. The film takes its time with the plot and its characters, gradually revealing itself with scene after scene of beautiful, authentic, empathetic character work and sharp, heart-breaking, painfully accurate writing.

“1,000 years from now there will be no guys and no girls, just wankers. Sounds great to me.”

Choose life.

Choose one of the best British films of all time.

Choose Danny Boyle’s finest film.

Choose always kind of forgetting how the last half an hour of the film goes even though you've seen it like a million times.

Choose a certified banger.

Choose the best Film4 film of the 1990s.

So there we have it. 90s Film4 completed. On to the 2000s we go!