Tuesday, August 20, 2024

MUST SEE MOVIES: Letter to my Grandchildren

Not right away...you are all very busy with school, sports and such. But sometime...maybe when I have passed, if you are convalescing in bed, during vacation, on a long plane trip...PLEASE watch these movies. Each is a masterpiece, utterly unique, dramatic in the extreme, radiating a clear-luminous inner form, extravagant with superior writing, direction, action. I cannot rate them as each is its own utterly incomparable treasure.

Family

To Kill a Mockingbird

Princess Bride

Lord of the Rings (trilogy)

Star Wars (especially A New Hope, first one made)

Sound of Music

Truman Show

It's a Wonderful Life

Mary Poppins

Wizard of Oz

Last of the Mohicans

Chariots of Fire


Western

The Searchers

Red River

High Noon

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

Shane

Big Country

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence


Crime

On the Waterfront

Godfather (1 and 2)

Goodfellas

A Bronx Tale

The Usual Suspects

Jason Bourne movies

The Sting

The Dark Knight


Romance

Quiet Man

Roman Holiday

Casablanca

Lost in Translation

El Cid

Tender Mercies


Religious

Keys of the Kingdom

The Mission

The Apostle

The Passion of Christ

Into the Wonder

Confess (Hitchcock) 

The Bells of St. Mary's

Ben Hur

10 Commandments 


Mature

The Passion of Christ

Fight Club (men only)

Schindler's List

Shawshank Redemption

Cool Hand Luke

Lawrence of Arabia

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Saving Private Ryan

Gladiator

Cinderella Man

In the Name of the Father

From Here to Eternity

A Beautiful Mind

Terms of Endearment

L.A. Confidential

The list above is entirely personal and subjective. Some choices are admittedly lowbrow and sentimental. Most, however, are artistic treasures and of immense cultural significance. Notably, few are recent, most date from mid-20th century, the years of my childhood and youth. This has been for me a nostalgic exercise. The list represents some of the best of the world in which I came of age. Many are unknown to you, my Grandchildren, I hope you will enjoy them as I have. 

I would love to receive comments on movies I omitted or overrated. 

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