Welcome Back
Hello, what if? readers! My apologies for going so long with so few posts. A combination of too much bridge and too much "real life" hitting all at once.
I'm a little late to the party, but I've been intending to respond to the AnalPhilosopher's post on "Best Movies." You may wonder, why should we care about something as trivial as movies, when events and issues of far greater import occur daily around the globe?
Movies are "only" entertainment - yet they can play an important role in stirring our passions and shaping our views of the world.
Keith requests that we state our standards for "best movies" - and then name our favorites.
To be a "best movie" in my library, a movie must include:
- Excellent acting. Although a great movie needs a fine script, top-notch acting can make mediocrity moving.
- Moral issues. Challenge our intellect and our values!
- Emotion arousing. If it's good, we'll feel it in our gut.
Now - on to the best! (And I fudged slightly on what I'm listing. I love movies, and had to include all of these.)
I'm not certain if this film is #1 or not. But it sure is a movie that if you've never seen it, you must. The film chronicles the lives of three men returning from WWII, and interweaves amongst the three their re-entry into civilian life. Fidelity, alcoholism, hope, friendship, war trauma and much more are all addressed.
If you can watch this without seriously doing damage to a box of Kleenex, you're a better man than I, Gunga Din!
What is the value of a man's life? What would happen if one man never existed? This classic Frank Capra film, with all-time great Jimmy Stewart addresses these issues deftly, with humor and passion.
I couldn't choose between the aforementioned Jimmy Stewart/Frank Capra film - so I am naming this fine film, also. If you think that idealism and one man filled with it can't battle the system, then this is your film to view.
Unlike the previous films, this one is a delicious brew about women: their careers, their men, and their friendships - and what some will do to attain what they want. Fabulous acting and famous lines: watch for Marilyn Monroe's shortie debut, too!
No list of best movies would be complete without an Alfred Hitchcock film; this one's my fav. Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Claude Rains, all in the midst of catching bad Nazis and romance. Mix in the unbelievable talents of Hitchcock - can't help but be a "best!"
This film never got rave reviews, but it remains a favorite of mine. Written and acted by Steve Martin with a popular cast, it's a comedy rich with family life and all the attendant difficulties with relationships. If you feel like laughing and crying, almost at the same time, with a spurt of joy at the end - this could be your best movie, too.
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