41. The Shawshank Redemption
Year: 1994
Director: Frank Darabont
The Shawshank Redemption isn't simply one of my favorite films, it is my absolute favorite. I saw it for the first time during the summer of 2000, instantly fell in love with it, and from that moment on I've considered it my favorite. Everything about the film just feels perfect to me, but the writing - from the plot (with one of the best "twists" I've yet to see) to the characters and dialogue - is by far its most impressive aspect. Andy (Tim Robbins) and Red (Morgan Freeman) have one of the best and most inspiring relationships that I've seen on film. It's rare to see a friendship between two adult men on screen and I've always loved this aspect of The Shawshank Redemption. All the side characters get their moment to shine, but Warden Norton (played with a perfect amount of vileness by Bob Gunton) and Brooks (the wonderful James Whitmore) shine especially bright. Two aspects that I've grown to appreciate more and more over the years are the cinematography (by Roger Deakins, one of the best in the business) and score (composed by Thomas Newman, who has provided the music for many of my favorite films). The two combine, along with the marvelous direction of Frank Darabont, to create a timeless, magnificent film that never fails to engage me. I'm happy to be among the millions of fans who discovered The Shawshank Redemption years after its initial release.
42. Sideways
Year: 2004
Director: Alexander Payne
Alexander Payne is one of My Favorite Directors and I believe Sideways is not only his best film, but one of the best films of this century. It's a perfect combination of comedy (often times on the very dark end of the spectrum) and drama, with several heart-wrenching moments. Paul Giamatti is quite possibly the greatest actor of his generation and turns in his very best performance here as Miles, a depressed wannabe novelist and snobbish wine connoisseur. Giamatti nails every single moment, capturing the tortured lows and fleeting highs of Miles' character. Thomas Haden Church plays Jack, Miles' best friend, and together they go on a combination road trip/bachelor party in advance of Jack's upcoming wedding. Church is excellent as the goofy, narcissistic Jack - who is almost a polar opposite of Miles. Church received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, but Giamatti was snubbed for Best Actor. The other two main cast members, Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh, are also in terrific form. It's just an overall marvelously acted, written, and directed film. There's not a flaw to be seen, in my mind.
43. The Sixth Sense
Year: 1999
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
The Sixth Sense is a film that took me by complete surprise. I wasn't very excited about it coming out (in August of 1999 I was more interested in Mystery Men which debuted on the same day as The Sixth Sense and turned out to be a disappointment) and can't remember the trailer at all. That was maybe the perfect way to experience a movie like this - no expectations, no knowledge or "spoilers" about the plot - and it paid off wonderfully. From the first moments on, I was hooked. Just last week, I wrote about how much I love Toni Collette's performance as part of My Favorite Supporting Actress Performances, but the entire main cast is phenomenal. Bruce Willis, who once was my favorite action star, gives one of his best performances and the brilliant Haley Joel Osment took the movie world by storm with his exceptional work as Cole, a young man who can see and interact with ghosts. Shyamalan, who has turned into a joke at this point, was THE director to watch out for after the success of The Sixth Sense. He pulled double duty here, writing and directing, and was nominated for an Oscar in both categories. Even though a lot of people say The Sixth Sense relied too heavily on the twist, I never thought that was the case. I enjoyed the film just as much the second time, when I was trying to see if everything actually made sense, and I've continued to love the film over the years.
44. Stranger Than Fiction
Year: 2006
Director: Marc Forster
For most people I talk to, Stranger Than Fiction is a film they haven't seen or even heard of. I am constantly championing it, though, as I think it's got a wide reaching appeal. Will Ferrell plays Harold Crick, a slightly OCD IRS agent who is desperately lonely in life. One day, he starts to hear a woman's voice seemingly narrating his daily life. That woman turns out to be Karen Eiffel, played by Emma Thompson. Last week, I wrote about how much I love Thompson's performance when I listed it among Favorite Supporting Actress Performances, but Ferrell is almost as good. He's always been funny, but he shows his talent for drama as Harold. Maggie Gyllenhaal turns in a very surprising performance, for me at least. I've never been a fan of her's, but she really shines as the love interest of Harold's and, as a really unexpected bonus, she's incredibly sexy in the role. Queen Latifah and the always exceptional Dustin Hoffman round out the main cast. Stranger Than Fiction is a wonderful mix of fantasy, romance, comedy, and drama - it truly has something for everyone - and it's a somewhat rare example of a film that handles all these different aspects equally well.
45. Thank You for Smoking
Year: 2005
Director: Jason Reitman
I've written about my love of Thank You for Smoking in the past, as part of My Favorite Comedy Films, so I won't take up any more space here. I strongly encourage anyone who hasn't seen it to check it out, though!
Well,
there's part nine of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at
least one person to check out a film or two and I hope to read some
comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them?
Let me know, please!
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