Favorite Movies of All Time: 50-26

Welcome to Part 3 of the last series of articles in celebration of the 10th Anniversary of The Gibson Review! Let’s get into it.

50. Inception (2010)

I’ve sung the praises of Inception plenty of times in the past. I remember there was a time when I just wanted Christopher Nolan to finish the Dark Knight Trilogy and not fuss with anything else, particularly after The Dark Knight. But we got this film first, which ended up being superior to every film he’s released afterwards. I might have gotten myself sick of it or something, because it’s not a film I watch or crave very often, I will admit. But there are few films that balance high-IQ sci-fi concepts with thrills like this film (The Matrix may be the only other one). This film is probably the most jaw-dropping and coolest, visually-speaking, of all of Nolan’s work. It was so unique that pop culture parodied it ad nauseum. Anyway, if you want to hear more of my thoughts about this film read my previous articles on it.

49. Modern Times (1936)

So, I was torn between this film and Limelight when it came to Chaplin’s work. It would be cheating to include both. But Limelight was a film I saw, because it might have been included in the AFI’s 100 Greatest films list. This was, too, but few people know about Limelight. I fell hard for that movie’s self-reflection and melancholy. But I chose Modern Times, because it is one of his most brilliant comedies and most iconic in the literal sense of the word; there are so many visuals in this film that are part of Chaplin’s legacy. I would venture to guess most people these days have not seen any of Chaplin’s work, but if they think of his movies visuals like the one above are what come to their minds. So, it’s a brilliant film for its social and industrial commentary, but it’s also one of Chaplin’s funniest movies. This is peak Chaplin.

48. The Hunt for Red October (1990)

This movie has bounced all over this list, including the Top 30. I don’t think this film gets mentioned as much as John McTiernan’s other films, Predator and Die Hard. This may be the least popcorn action-friendly he ever got. But it still manages to be just as thrilling as his other films. It’s just that it includes Sorkin-like dialogue (quite a bit before Sorkin got a script developed) about submarines, warheads, and speculation about what a Russian commander may or may not be doing. This is the best Jack Ryan movie ever made and that’s partly because of McTiernan’s direction, partly because of the script by Larry Ferguson (Highlander) and Donald Stewart (Missing), partly because of the score by Basil Poledouris (Conan the Barbarian, RoboCop), and partly because of the cast, which includes Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, James Earl Jones, Sam Neill, Jeffrey Jones, Scott Glenn, Richard Jordan, Joss Acklund, Tim Curry, Courtney B. Vance, Stellan Skarsgard, and Fred Thompson. It was considered one of the best films of 1990 and, I think, it was one of the year’s highest-grossing. Totally underrated 30 years later.

47. Seven (1995)

Fincher is a great director, but I’m not an acolyte who thinks most of his work are masterpieces or anything. I admire a handful of his 11 films, but I really only love 2 or 3. Seven (or Se7en, as the marketing called it) is my favorite David Fincher film. In a way, the film is typical of the ‘90s’ need to be incredibly edgy and violent. There were many half-baked thrillers that aimed for this in the ‘90s. Seven is not half-baked. It’s premise is simple: two detectives are investigating the serial murders based around the seven deadly sins. Everything that hangs around that premise is what makes Seven special. The city, which seems to pour more rain in a day than the Pacific Northwest in a month. The young, brash detective (Brad Pitt). The old, seasoned and weary detective (Morgan Freeman). The nature of the crimes and the victims. The killer, John Doe, and his philosophy. The performances by Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, and even the surprise villain. I have found greater meaning and depth with repeated viewings of the film over the past 25 years. The dialogue provides a nice balance of serving the plot and dripping with thematic significance. It’s one of my favorite mysteries of all time.

46. 12 Angry Men (1957)

Like many of the films in this list so far, this was an AFI 100 Greatest Movies discovery for me (ya see how that list had an impact on me as a cinephile?). I thought its story about shredding all prejudices and assumptions and sticking to facts in the name of making a judgment on the rest of someone’s life was incredible for its time. We’re presented with a case that seems, on the surface, somewhat clear-cut. We’re given physical evidence and witnesses to the crime. What’s great is how the film carefully puts in doubt each element of the case. The question quickly becomes not whether or not the defendant, a lower class Latino teen, did the crime. The question is if it’s POSSIBLE he didn’t. Is there doubt that he did the crime. Nobody knows for certain he didn’t kill his father. But they need to be certain he did in order to provide a guilty verdict. At the time only Henry Fonda and Lee J. Cobb were known names. Fonda was a major star in the late ‘30s and ‘40s. Cobb had starred in On the Waterfront a few years before. In hindsight, half the cast is a Who’s Who of the era who got their break in this film: Martin Balsam (Psycho, Cape Fear, All the President’s Men), John Fiedler (The Odd Couple, the original Piglet), Jack Klugman (TV’s The Odd Couple and Quincy M.E.), E.G. Marshall (Superman II, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation), and Jack Warden (Donovan’s Reef, Shampoo, All the President’s Men). All of this anchored by a new director named Sidney Lumet, who would go on to have quite the run in the ‘70s with Serpico, Murder on the Orient Express, Dog Day Afternoon, and Network. Yet, this is one of the few classics I wouldn’t mind seeing remade with a director and cast of similar calibre. Great film.

45. Ikiru (1952)

Like a couple other films in this list, I was exposed to Ikiru by a course in college. I believe, among many other Japanese films, this course included two by Akira Kurosawa: Ikiru and Dersu Uzala. I loved both and it made me eager to see more by this director. The dude directed 32 films and I’ve seen around 14. I haven’t seen his ‘40s work, which makes up most of my blind spots. While Kurosawa is my favorite Japanese director and favorite foreign film director, Ikiru became one of my absolute favorites because of its reflective nature, its carpe diem ideas. I’ve always related to the idea of wanting your life to matter, to have done something significant and not to have wasted life away behind a desk. The realization the main character (played beautifully by the tremendous Takashi Shimura, who starred in at least a dozen Kurosawa films and Godzilla) has - that his life is ending and he doesn’t matter to anyone - is a heart-breaking one that affects me deeply. In the end, he manages to make a small impact to a neighborhood. It isn’t anything that will cause his name to be uttered by future generations or even change anyone’s life significantly. But it does provide something to a community. And, maybe that’s the least we can hope to achieve with our lives.

44. The Little Mermaid (1989)

Is The Little Mermaid my favorite animated Disney film of all time? I’ll be spending 2021 diving deep into Disney’s history, decade by decade, so we’ll eventually find out for sure. But when I took a few minutes to think about the Disney films I grew up with from my lifetime and before and which ones resonate or still stir something in me today, The Little Mermaid was one of the few that came to mind. Most of that is because of the songbook and Jodi Benson’s performance of ‘Part of Your World’, the ultimate Disney ‘I Want’ song. The songs are fun and memorable and I used to play them on piano decades ago. But ‘Part of Your World’ is the most stirring, beautiful, and resonant to me, welling me up in tears more often than not. Also, the animation is absolutely gorgeous. What The Lion King was for sunsets and savannahs The Little Mermaid was for the ocean and its creatures (plus, there’s that iconic shot of Ariel on a rock with the sun behind her). There was a film the year before called Oliver & Company and I absolutely loved that film and waited an eternity for it to come out on VHS. But it was The Little Mermaid that caused pop culture’s teutonic plates to shift.

43. Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

So, I mentioned before that I often prefer a fun sequel to a revered original. Usually - but not always - that sequel rivals the original, if not just shy of the original’s quality. Die Hard with a Vengeance is such a film where it retains what is great about the original, avoids being “Die Hard in a…” concepts, and even serves as a direct follow-up to the original! It also is the only entry in the series with a villain remotely as great and memorable as Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber. And the only entry directed by the original’s John McTiernan. Add a whole lot of rising star Samuel L. Jackson (fresh off of Pulp Fiction) to bounce off of Bruce Willis’s bewildered and exasperated John McClane and you have one of the greatest action sequels ever made. I’m not even sure I can think of an action sequel as good or better. Can you? I also love that the movie kicks off with The Lovin’ Spoonful’s ‘Summer in the City’, followed up with an explosion. It definitely gets its audience’s attention right away. Die Hard with a Vengeance is one of my favorite sequels of all time.

42. Pleasantville (1998)

I find Pleasantville fantastic in just about every way. It is the directorial debut of Gary Ross and his best film by far. At the time - and mostly today - the visual effects were incredible. I’m not actually sure if the mix of black and white and color is a visual effect or a matter of color tinting. But it was amazing at the time, because of its visual beauty and its thematic symbolism. This movie is all about its symbolism and themes. Goodness, I’m finding that I could follow up that sentence with an essay that goes into detail about several of the characters and the film’s concept. I’ll spare you that for now and welcome a private dialogue about it. Like most great films, the ensemble cast needs to be called out: Tobey Maguire, Reese Witherspoon, William H. Macy, Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, Don Knotts, J.T. Walsh, Marley Shelton, Paul Walker, and with Jane Kaczmarek for a couple of scenes. Don Knotts is a TV legend and to see him in this film about a wholesome classic TV show being not so wholesome was a huge delight. I also think this is one of Witherspoon’s best performances. I also love the beautiful score by Randy Newman. What’s crazy is the score and technical achievements earned the film its only Oscar nominations. It was the year of Saving Private Ryan and Shakespeare in Love, so it had some tough competition. But maybe Life is Beautiful should’ve been happy with its Foreign Film win and give Pleasantville room to earn a nod. Then again, The Truman Show was also snubbed and definitely worthy. This film almost made my Top 25 and, given the ease with which I can carry on about it, it’s easy to see why. But I just couldn’t put it above what follows.

41. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Okay, so this was also an AFI 100 Greatest discovery. But it was also one of my dad’s favorite sci-fi films (The Day the Earth Stood Still is the other one he’d mention). He still owns the original vinyl soundtrack. For me the greatness of the film was instantly apparent. This film spends over 20 minutes with a tribe of pre-historic ape men doing very little with no dialogue and primarily silence. Clearly, this was not your typical movie; it was aiming for something very different. Of course, every scene, every action those apes make is significant and leads us somewhere. It’s no secret and has been written by many about how this film was a benchmark in science fiction filmmaking. You can mark the history of the genre to Before 2001 and After 2001. Science fiction was no longer about cheap production design and aliens from another world. Science fiction could be captivating, beautiful, innovative, and baffling. Maybe I’m forgetting something, but I think 2001 had the original WTF ending. It made you think and wonder what the hell did it all mean. And I appreciate the hell out of a film that successfully accomplishes that.

40. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

I think I had heard of or seen shots from this movie before the AFI listed it as its 100 Best. Like so many of the films I’ve mentioned before it greatly appealed to me and my sense of what is right and wrong in the world. Its metaphor of the institution and Nurse Ratched for society and those in charge and how both go to great lengths to suppress and manipulate free thinking and spirit was catnip for me. I still think it’s very powerful. And tragic. I was assigned the Ken Kesey novel in my first quarter in college and it became one of my favorite novels. The film and novel are similar, but very different experiences since they sort of follow different characters. And such great characters both are populated by: JP McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), Chief Bromden (Will Sampson), Taber (Christopher Lloyd), Martini (Danny DeVito), Cheswick (Sydney Lassick), Harding (William Redfield), Frederickson (Vincent Schiavelli), Billy Bibbit (Brad Dourif), and the blood-boiling Nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher). It’s a great film that becomes relevant again and again over time.

39. Seven Samurai (1954)

I believe this was the very first Akira Kurosawa film I ever saw, but I don’t recall the context of my first viewing. I just remember it was one of the most incredible pieces of film-making I had ever seen. The film is over 3 and a half hours long. But I often forget that, because it never really feels that long. I’m usually so caught up in the story and the incredible cast of characters. Many films have featured an ensemble team of characters who work together to protect good from bad or what-have-you. Very few of them do the work to develop those characters so that when shit goes down you really feel a sense of loss. There are many things that make this film an incredible achievement, but the balance between the story’s action among samurai and with bandits and the character development is certainly one of them. It’s one of those movies that is fun to discuss favorite characters with friends afterwards. Toshiro Mifune’s Kikuchiyo and Takashi Shimura’s Kambei Shimada are two of the most popular. But I honestly love all seven. Due to its length, this isn’t a film I watch often. But I’m always glad to show it to any friend who asks.

38. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

I had a writing teacher who defied anyone to watch this film without a smile on their face. It is hard to deny the feel-good, irresistible nature of Singin’ in the Rain. As you can tell by my list, there are several musicals I love. And there’s a handful like Grease, The King and I, and Yankee Doodle Dandy that didn’t quite make the list. What I love about this film, aside from its songbook, are the three leads: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, and Donald O’Connor. I was always more of a Gene Kelly guy than a Fred Astaire man; it seemed, when it came to Golden Age song and dance leading men you had to like one or another. It didn’t matter what movie he was in he always seemed so smooth and relatable… and a bit of a smart-ass. I also love the plot about the transition between silent to talkies. It handles that subject with humor and a bit of love. The only thing in this movie that keeps it from being my absolute favorite is the ballet sequence with Cyd Charisse. An inexplicable trend in ‘50s musicals was the ballet sequence. You see it also in An American in Paris, Limelight, and The Red Shoes (it seems a bit more necessary in that film). I always felt the film - and the number surrounding it - comes to a halt during that sequence. But the rest of the film is an absolute delight and I fail my teacher’s challenge every time I watch it.

37. Lethal Weapon 3 (1992)

This was the first Lethal Weapon movie I was allowed to see. I was aware of the series beforehand, but I was too young when the first two came out and they were still considered too dark or violent for an 11 or 12-year old. So, I got to see this one. I absolutely loved it and it still remains my favorite of the series after all of these years. Look, this is another case where the original is revered and influential to its genre, but I prefer the fun sequel. And Lethal Weapon 3 is A LOT of fun! It also dealt with L.A. gang violence and how there’s essentially powerful white men who are taking advantage and profiting off the problem. When Murtaugh (Danny Glover) accidentally kills his son’s friend it was very powerful. I also was absolutely smitten with Rene Russo and loved Joe Pesci. The next film in the franchise took it even further into comedy territory than this film did and I’m not too keen on it for that and other reasons. This film seemed to add a little more levity than the original while retaining its thrills, so it’s my favorite.

36. Contact (1997)

This was quite possibly the first film that literally left me speechless after the credits rolled. I distinctly remember not being able to speak for a solid 30 minutes after leaving the screening. The film blew my teenage mind away. I was completely captivated by the character Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster). I hadn’t seen a character quite like her before. She was intelligent, eager, ambitious, and passionate. Matthew McConaughey’s Palmer Joss may be my favorite character he’s played. This was back before his rom-com streak, back when pretty much every role required him to act. And his pastor character served as an intriguing foil to Arroway’s scientific mind. Here was science and faith, as represented by these two characters, debating and charmed by each other. They were yin to each other’s yang and they completely respected each other. I also loved how this film takes a grounded look at how society would react to an actual first contact with aliens. It was not pretty. And, I’m afraid, the reality of our society has only gotten worse over the years; Close Encounters of the Third Kind, such a situation would not be. I remember the movie was originally compared to 2001, because of the 3rd act journey the main character takes. It was absolutely breath-taking and remarkable to be sure. Oddly enough, the film has slipped into relative obscurity; people will talk about a volleyball in Cast Away and anything else director Zemeckis has filmed well before this. But it was one of the greatest sci-fi films of the ‘90s. And I contend it is the last great film by Robert Zemeckis.

35. Mary Poppins (1964)

Walt Disney Pictures made 50 films in the 1960s. Three of them were from the Animated Studios department. I will be watching and reviewing them and the 47 live action films in 2021. But, as far as I know, none of the live action films are as perfect a piece of filmmaking as Mary Poppins. I will go further and say none of the live action films Walt Disney Pictures produced during the Golden or New Hollywood ages of film are on this film’s level. There was 1954’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and 1971’s similar Bedknobs and Broomsticks - both of which I love - but, as good as they are, they don’t quite measure up. What makes this film a crown jewel in Disney’s live action canon? Well, the Sherman Bros. songs it’s jam-packed with, for starters. Julie Andrews’s ability to be absolutely lovely, yet firm enough to be respected and listened to by the Banks kids. The magic of the entire film. The segment inside the painting where the main characters interact with animated fox hunters and penguins. Dick Van Dyke’s lovable and goofy Jack-of-All-Trades, Bert. David Tomlinson, who was so good at being uptight, yet lovable. The film is a complete wonder and a joyous experience as a kid. But, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve found the ‘Feed the Birds (Tuppance a Bag)’ segment quietly moving and hold deep appreciation for the film’s story about a man being nudged towards re-connecting with his kids. Mary Poppins is a magical and fun film, but underneath its surface lies something quite beautiful.

34. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

Billy Crystal. Meg Ryan. Bruno Kirby. Carrie Fisher. Rob Reiner, Nora Ephron. What’s not to love? That pedigree alone was enough to guarantee one of the greatest romantic comedies of all time. The thesis statement made by Crystal’s Harry still sticks with me today: “It is impossible for a man to be friends with a woman.” It has since been a statement of much debate. The film seems to ultimately confirm Harry’s statement. I absolutely adore ‘80s and ‘90s Meg Ryan. And Billy Crystal was a comedy staple of that era. I miss them both. Harry is a pessimist. But he makes several great comedic observations. I don’t think Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher get enough credit in this film. They are wonderful BFFs to our leads and have their fair share of comedic moments. I even occasionally quote Carrie’s, “You’re right. You’re right. I know, you’re right.” And who can forget Kirby’s Charades guess, baby fish mouth? Reiner was on quite the streak between 1984-1990 with perfect film after perfect film. And When Harry Met Sally… is the perfect rom-com.

33. The Princess Bride (1987)

Speaking of perfect films and Rob Reiner, The Princess Bride is the perfect fairy tale and family movie. I mean, Peter Falk’s grandfather sells the movie pretty well: it’s got action, comedy, adventure, pirates, creatures, torture, a giant, swordplay… what more could you possibly want? How about some of the most quotable dialogue ever to grace pop culture? You know the ones I’m talking about. And there are many. The characters are so distinct and memorable, played wonderfully and irreplaceably by Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Mandy Patinkin, Billy Crystal, Carole Kane, Christopher Guest, Chris Sarandon, Peter Falk, and a pre-Wonder Years Fred Savage. Like Singin’ in the Rain and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, The Princess Bride is feel-good comfort food. You have to be a real grouch to resist it.

32. Jerry Maguire (1996)

For a while, this was the film you couldn’t escape from. Everywhere you went you heard, “Show me the money!” or “You had me at ‘Hello’.” I think a lot of people got tired of Jerry Maguire after a certain point. But I grew to love it not as a love story and not so much as a sports movie, but a movie about a man who learns how to be authentic in his life. The title character’s entire career-ending epiphany is, “Less money, more relationships.” I think a lot of people would respond less cynically to that concept today than in the ‘90s. This film is earnest about that thesis statement and commits to it to the end. The lesson of authenticity is one that Jerry hasn’t fully learned even when he’s proposing to his assistant (Renee Zellweger, who has NEVER been better). I also appreciate the film as an entrepreneur film. Jerry takes a huge risk and sells relationships more than promises. That leaves him with one client. But he continues hustling. He doesn’t stop. He nurtures his relationship with his client while working to build upon that relationship. In that sense, it’s a bit of an underdog story, as Jerry is met with setbacks. Being one of Tom Cruise’s few non-action roles, it is among his best performances and I think he gets taken for granted here by many. You know, he’s one of the biggest stars in the world, so to see him play a man who is on top, always performing for others, go through an arc where he is completely humbled and changed is really cool. Anyway, I wish Cameron Crowe could write and direct a movie this good again.

31. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2010/2011)

The original Harry Potter series is one of the greatest achievements in both fantasy film-making and film-making in general. This final chapter - split into two parts - sealed it. I think it’s very easy for younger generations to fail to understand that there had been franchises before and a straight line of sequels before. No film outside the horror franchise and Star Trek had lasted more than four or five films. None were so long with the exact same cast in every film (Richard Harris’s death notwithstanding). And it was incredibly unusual for the films to get better with each entry, not worse or scattershot. Without that perspective, it is very easy to take the series for granted. The Deathly Hallows is my absolute favorite, because it successfully paid off everything that came before while also avoiding being so focused on getting to the finish line that it sacrifices emotional weight. There are beautiful and moving moments in this film like when Harry and Hermione have a moment of respite, free from life-or-death decisions and friend-on-friend squabbling, and dance to a song on the radio. It’s also fairly intense, as many characters we’ve come to know and love over the years meet their fate. It remains the most satisfying franchise finale I can think of.

30. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017)

Okay, folks… I grew up with the Star Wars franchise. It’s only 3 years older than I am. I have lived, breathed, loved, and been disappointed by it. After the prequels it was very clear that if the franchise were to be touched again we would need to move forward and expand the universe. The Mandalorian is the only thing to satisfactorily move away from the Skywalker Saga and those in it almost completely - a direction that is needed in order for the franchise to continue successfully. The Last Jedi is the only entry in the new trilogy to go in different directions, challenge our expectations, and provide substance beyond the plot and hero’s journey mythology. I was thrilled by the new characters, creatures, and worlds the film introduced. I loved how Rian Johnson completely avoided every plot point fans expected and predicted for Luke Skywalker and Rey. I love how Finn goes on a mission that proves significant not to the plot, but to the themes of the story and what Star Wars is ultimately about. I love that Johnson ended the film with an image that every ‘80s child can relate to - and has done themselves - underscoring the theme that we all have the potential to be something great, no matter our origin. Johnson not only proved to understand more than most that Star Wars isn’t just about thrilling spaceship dogfights, laser swordplay, and seeing the same damn characters over and over again. He understood the series was in need of breaking free of what we’ve thought a Star Wars film could be before. He pushed the envelope. Jon Favreau seems to get it with the work he’s doing. I can only hope more creators in the future do, as well.

29. Shaun of the Dead (2004)

Shaun of the Dead may be the greatest zombie movie ever made this side of George Romero. It’s also arguably the greatest rom-com of its decade. I’m not saying there hasn’t been any other good zombie movies. I’m saying they aren’t as tightly structured and emotionally-effective as this one. I’m not sure if it’s the first in a long line of man-child movies that would become popular in the 2000s. But this was one of the most unique. The idea that Shaun has blinders to everything going on around him in life, including his girlfriend’s feelings, and that being translated into a zombie film is the best concept since Romero skewered commercialism with Dawn of the Dead. I know Edgar Wright made a film several years before, but this was a sort of directorial debut for anyone outside of the UK. It was a slap in the face for us to pay attention to this man. And we have since.

28. All the President’s Men (1976)

This was another AFI 100 Greatest discovery and it is one of the greatest films I have ever seen. It remains the standard to which every journalism film is compared. And it’s not a wonder. It follows the investigation by Woodward and Bernstein, two reporters for the Washington Post, of the Watergate break-in. Their tenacity, their audacity, and investigative minds were the reason the public were able to come to understand one of the most crooked and harmful acts a President has ever committed to our democracy. Nixon was a popular president until this story broke. Then public opinion turned coat real fast against him. The point is it was journalism - the dogged determination to find out the truth and the facts of the matter and report them accurately to the public - that is the hero here. These days, this film is one of the most important films anyone could experience. We need more Woodward and Bernsteins out there. We need less social media skepticism and misinformation. This film means a lot to me and the future of our country.

27. A Christmas Story (1983)

I’ll be honest: this spot was almost taken by National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, a film I love practically every minute and line of dialogue from. I often go back and forth between that film and A Christmas Story as my favorite Christmas movie of all time. Let’s focus on Bob Clark’s 1983 classic. Like many movies on this list, this film has a high quote quotient. While the movie is set in late-’40s Illinois, what I love about the film is how relatable it is to an ‘80s kid. The feeling you get when you messed up and you’re waiting in silence for one parent to tell another parent about your blunder. The desire as a kid to really want that one thing for Christmas and hope you’re not disappointed. The experience of being the target of a school bully. The experience of being abundantly bundled up by your mother for fear you might catch a cold. The fantasy of your parents some day regretting their disciplinary action and how it affected you. As an adult, I also relate now to Darren McGavin’s Father. McGavin’s has become my favorite performance of the film. I watch him in every scene, every gesture and look he gives to what is happening in the scene often tickles me to no end. I know now what it’s like to be the exasperated parent. I’m not sure I can quite articulate what it is about the rest of his performance be it when he gets a prize or on Christmas morning that I relate to. But I do. And it makes me adore this film even more.

26. Giant (1956)

Giant was another AFI 100 Greatest discovery and, like The Best Years of Our Lives, it is a forgotten award-winner. It was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won Best Director (George Stevens). It would shamefully lose Best Picture to Around the World in 80 Days. Nobody I know talks about this film unless it’s because of me. It is my favorite James Dean film. It is my favorite Elizabeth Taylor film. I was absolutely blown away by it when I saw it at the age of 18. The socially-progressive nature of the film in a politically-conservative decade is astounding. I won’t go into detail as to avoid spoilers, but the ending has a few scenes that are quite impressive from a character development / thematic perspective. I really loved the parallel character arcs of Rock Hudson and James Dean. I remember also not knowing what the title referred to before I watched it: ‘Was Giant the name given to the enormous house on miles of empty land?’. Elizabeth Taylor is exquisite here as a city girl brought into the country, but refusing to be treated anything less than the men surrounding her. She constantly has to prove herself and she kicks ass doing so, often giving men a verbal tongue-lashing. Anyway, if people reading this blog discovered only a couple of movies because of it, I would hope Giant was one of them.

That does it for Part 3 of this series. Be sure to check back soon for 25-1.

What are your thoughts on these movies? Which are your favorites? Do you share any of my experiences? Email me.