[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

REAL-TIME FILMS

1. 12 Angry Men – an all-time great and compelling no matter how many times I watch it. It's something I'd very much like to see at the cinema in a remastered form and also at the theatre to see how a stage play compares to Sidney Lumet's directorial debut.
2. Run Lola Run – a film I haven't seen in a while, but remember laughing and really want to rewatch it in light of compelling this list. The blend of filmmaking styles (incorporating animation) and telling the story with different outcomes makes it very interesting and Franka Potente's breakthrough performance still impresses.
3. Locke – I know Tom Hardy doesn't have the greatest Welsh accent in the world, but this film throws up all sorts of 'what would you do' scenarios and is one I really enjoy.
4. High Noon – I'm not sure if this would make my top 10 Westerns, but it's a really good film and benefits from the 'real-time' plot device. The fact is referenced in Die Hard is an added bonus!
5. Rope – a groundbreaking piece of cinema with Hitchcock seemingly doing the entire thing in one take. However, after one viewing, you can see where the cuts are, something which doesn't diminish from its tension and atmosphere.
6. Before Sunset – probably my favourite of Linklater's 'Before' trilogy and a film that feels less like a movie and more like a real conversation between a real couple.
7. Buried – I wasn't too thrilled with this at the cinema, but it's grown on me over time and Ryan Reynolds' performance is utterly convincing and the claustrophobic element means it can be extremely uncomfortable viewing.
8. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu – one of the gems from Eastern Europe this century along with 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days and (from Turkey) Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, this is a weekly comic look at the crumbling Romanian healthcare system and, though it's not the happiest films, it's a masterpiece.
9. United 93 – another great film which is tough watching because of the knowledge it's based on real events and many of those portrayed in the film died. It is superbly directed and I remember watching it in the cinema and having to remember to breathe!
10. The Silent House (2010) – I prefer this Uruguayan film to the American remake with Elizabeth Olsen, though that is not without its merits, and the ideas of everything taking place not only in real-time, but also (like Rope) in one shot and one continuous take makes this a remarkable piece of filmmaking and something which is not only technically brilliant, but engrossing.