If it came down to it, and you could do so without risk of slipping or chewing up the block or whatnot, use a big flat-blade screwdriver as a punch on the ring edge of the filter (where the inner and outer shell portions are mated together) and apply some hammer blows. That'll produce torque nearest where the binding is happening. With filter wrenches and such you're applying torque away from the sticking point, through the outer, flimsy shell, which sucks up the energy by crushing and twisting. I've not had to resort to this (just now thought about this approach after reading through this thread), but will look to apply it at the next opportunity (which isn't likely going to happen to anything I've already worked on, so it'll have to be something newly acquired, and nothing's on the horizon- I'll probably never have the ability to test this theory!).
One of the great things about my VW TDIs is that they use cartridge oil filters. Easy to remove cap. And from the TOP of the engine. I do top-side oils changes (using an oil extractor). No easier oil change to be had!
