A Beautiful Mind
A lot of things about this movie just strike a cord with me. I love stories that revolve around real life scientists and mathematicians like John Nash. Because of their brilliance you might assume at first that they're next to perfect individuals which couldn't be further from the truth. Einstein wasn't the best father and family man. Stephen Hawking, despite his total paralysis has had affairs and been divorced, and Newton...well historians describe him basically as being an asshole to have to talk to. All these men are still decent at the end of the day but I personally enjoy looking beyond their accomplishments and reading about their lives at home. You really feel for Nash in this movie, who struggles for his entire adult life with what is reality and what he believes is reality caused by his schizophrenia. Nash was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1994 for his contributions to mathematics and many of his theories have been applied to everything from evolutionary biology and computing to economics.
Schindler's List
You don't exactly snuggle up with your girlfriend with a bowl of popcorn to watch this but its one that, although I don't "enjoy" watching as much as I would something like Star Wars or James Bond because of the subject and the violence, it is however from an historical, philosophical and emotional standpoint one of the most powerful films I have ever scene and am likely to see. And I say film because to even refer to it as a movie seems insulting. When Spielberg was making the picture it is said that he requested all the episodes of Seinfeld on videotape from Seinfeld himself so that when he would go back to his hotel at night he could have something to make him laugh because being on set was making him very depressed. I love that it was shot in black and white with the exception of the symbolic color red that you see throughout the picture. You feel like you're watching something very similar to like the old military footage of the allied liberation of concentration camps throughout Europe. John Williams' score here never fails to move me and make me cry.
Saving Private Ryan
I always enjoyed watching this one with my dad. Its incredible from start to finish. World War II is an era I admire very much and makes me think "Damn its good to be American.". Around 20 million people were killed from 1939-1945 but the United States made an enormous statement after the Pearl Harbor attack. We conquered the depression and went to work building an army that would lead the allies to victory. Could we have taken Hitler and the rumors of extermination camps more seriously and acted much sooner than we did? Certainly. Were we naive to think the embargo on Japan wouldn't instigate a retaliation? Probably. But we stepped up and defeated the enemy when the world needed us and we came home to strengthen the country again from within. I cringe at many of the wars we've gotten ourselves into but WWII was without question something we couldn't let the other allied forces deal with on their own. But an anyways, an awesome cast in this one with a lot of memorable scenes. "Fubar."
The Shawshank Redemption
Where do I even begin with 'Shawshank'? It was a difficult decision bumping this one down to number two and its still ridiculously good. Despite taking home zero academy awards in 1995, which is insane to me, it was one of the most rented movies in the 90's and is one of the most watched on cable television. A growing cult following surrounds it and I think it speaks to a lot of young men in particular, men who feel lost but are holding on to something greater that keeps them going, like the main character Andy. There's also an underlying but heavy spirit of brotherhood throughout the story, a friendship between two men that audiences connect with and the movie ending does justice to, unlike the book. Everyone at some point has felt like a prisoner, an innocent man who just wants to be free. 'Shawshank' makes it clear who the bad guys are but even they feel imprisoned. "Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'."
The Empire Strikes Back
This is the second time Empire's made the number one spot in my top 5 lists. Star Wars was probably the most important thing, artistic and entertainment wise, to happen to my childhood. It inspired me to write, it got me interested in astronomy and science, and its pretty much what sparked my love for movies to this day. 'Empire' was the one I watched the most of out of the three from the old trilogy. Its about as long as the others but from the battle of Hoth to the escape from Cloud City, it feels like fifteen minutes because its like one big chase sequence with the good guys constantly on the run. As far as this list, 'Empire' really stands apart from the rest with its genre and themes but it stands at number one because it still gets better and better every time I watch it. Even now, I still see things I missed before. Lucas achieved something very special with these movies that have become so embedded into pop culture not only here but all over the world. He's tinkered with these enough and shouldn't have to prove anything to anyone by now. Movies like 'Empire' speak for themselves.
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