November 23, 2023

My 100 Most Meaningful, Memorable, Must-See Movies



The Shawshank Redemption – 1994 Prison Drama.

The Godfather – Part 1, 2 & 3 - Francis Ford Coppola's crime drama. Superb A-list actors.

Lincoln – Steven Spielberg's historical drama. Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, star-studded.

E.T. - Steven Spielberg's touching science-fiction; a heartwarming movie.

Titanic – James Cameron's romantic, disaster superb film.

Saving Private Ryan – Steven Spielberg's phenomenal, greatest-ever war film.

Hacksaw Ridge – The true story of an American pacifist combat medic; Andrew Garfield.

The Zookeeper's Wife – Jessica Chastain; true story of saving souls during Nazi invasion.

Sleepless in Seattle – Romantic Comedy-Drama. Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan.

Jerry McGuire – Romantic Sports Comedy. Renee Zellweger & Tom Cruise.

When Harry Met Sally – Rob Reiner's romantic comedy. Meg Ryan & Billy Crystal.

Gran Torino – Clint Eastwood directed, produced & starred in this poignant drama.

The Pianist – Roman Polanski's epic World War ll drama starring Adrien Brody.

The Railway Man – A breathtaking true war story, starring Colin Firth.

The Post – A gripping Steven Spielberg movie, starring Tom Hanks & Meryl Streep.

Marshall – about Thurgood Marshall; the 1st African-American Supreme Court Justice.

My Left Foot – An accomplished man with cerebral palsy played by Daniel Day-Lewis.

Erin Brockovich – Julia Roberts portrays the renowned environmental activist.

Harriet – Inspiring true story of Harriet Tubman's escaping slavery & underground railroad.

The Imitation Game – A moving World War 2 biography of intelligence; the enigma code.

Freedom Writers – A drama starring Hilary Swank as a very special teacher.

A League of Their Own – Penny Marshall's brilliant, star-studded sports comedy-drama.

Dead Man Walking – death-row drama; superbly acted by Susan Sarandon & Sean Penn.

Breathe – True, amazing story of a man with polio played by Andrew Garfield.

Slumdog Millionaire – Best Picture winning English drama about an Indian young man.

Hidden Figures – Bio of African-American mathematicians in early NASA space program.

Philadelphia – Legal drama starring Tom Hanks about early HIV/gay rights.

The Upside – Ex con's unlikely friendship with paralyzed billionaire (Bryan Cranston).

A Few Good Men – Dramatic courtroom thriller; Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise ...

Forrest Gump – Great film following decades in the life of slow-witted, kindhearted man.

Bridges of Spies – Steven Spielberg's Cold War Espionage thriller, starring Tom Hanks.

The Theory of Everything – Stephen Hawking stirring biography; magnificently acted.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Infamous trial drama & true story of anti-Vietnam protesters.

Dog Day Afternoon – Sidney Lumet's 1975 true-story crime drama; starring Al Pacino.

The Stoning of Soraya M. - Frighteningly memorable Persian language, American drama.

Cold Mountain – Star-studded, epic, love story set to Civil War background.

The Color Purple – Steven Spielberg's 1985 acclaimed, epic Southern life drama.

Green Book – World-class African-American pianist does Southern concert tour in 1962.

Awakenings – Doctor's work with catatonic patients; with Robert DeNiro, Robin Williams.

A Bronx Tale – coming-of-age story of Bronx boy & Mafia; Robert DeNiro & other stars.

Million Dollar Baby – Clint Eastwood's acclaimed, emotional film, with Hilary Swank.

The American President – Rob Reiner lovely film with Michael Douglas/Annette Bening.

Sophie's Choice – Kevin Kline & Meryl Streep; a Holocaust survivor living in Brooklyn.

Rain Man – Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman make magic in this road comedy-drama.

Catch Me If You Can – A Steven Spielberg true story; Tom Hanks & Leonardo DiCaprio.

Goodfellas – Martin Scorsese crime drama with Robert DeNiro, Joe Pesci, Ray Liotta...

Mississippi Burning – loosely based on FBI's search for missing Civil Rights Activists.

Schindler's List – 1993 historical, epic film directed & produced by Steven Spielberg.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest – 1975 phycological drama starring Jack Nicholson.

The 40 Year Old Virgin – An amazing cast in this really funny comedy.

Little Women (2019 version) – Highly-acclaimed, coming-of-age, period drama.

Molly's Game – Captivating, biographical crime drama; starring Jessica Chastain.

Boys Don't Cry – A true story of a trans man, played by Hilary Swank. Magnificent cast.

The Big Chill – 1983 intelligent, comedy-drama; a group of friends reunite after 15 years.

We're The Millers – 2013 full-of-laughs film; starring Jennifer Aniston & Jason Sudeikis.

BlackkKlansman – A Spike Lee, true-story of a black police officer infiltrating the KKK.

Searching for Bobby Fischer – A powerful drama about a child prodigy that critics loved!

Miss Potter – Renee Zellweger & Ewan McGregor star in this enchanting biography.

Selma – A historical drama about the 1965 Selma to Montgomery voting rights marches.

Just Mercy – biographical legal drama of an attorney defending the poor on death row.

Argo – A captivating, historical thriller produced & directed by, and starring Ben Affleck.

The Aviator – A star-studded, Martin Scorsese epic film about Howard Hughes.

Akeelah and the Bee – Uplifting drama of an 11 yr old girl spelling champ; (Keke Palmer).

Billy Elliot – An emotionally-moving 2000 British coming-of-age comedy-drama.

Conviction – Amazing true-story of sibling love in a wrongful-conviction case. Great cast.

The Butler – A stellar cast; about a butler who served in the White House for 34 years.

The Green Mile – a stirring tale set on Death Row in a Southern jail, starring Tom Hanks.

And Justice For All – 1979 legal drama directed by Norman Jewison, starring Al Pacino.

Cry Freedom – 1987 epic apartheid film by Richard Attenborough, starring Kevin Kline.

As Good as it Gets – romantic comedy-drama starring Jack Nicholson & many stars.

Dirty Dancing – A fun, romantic comedy-dance drama that takes place in the Catskills.

Dead Poet's Society – An acclaimed, coming-of-age drama; starring Robin Williams.

All The President's Men – A film about the reporters who unveiled the Watergate scandal.

Space Cowboys – Clint Eastwood's film about older astronauts; an anti-ageism drama.

Monster – Florida serial killer; Aileen Wuornos, stunningly played by Charlize Theron.

The Last Emperor - Epic biography about the life of Puyi; the final emperor of China.

12 Years a Slave – A free N.Y. black man is kidnapped & sold into slavery in the South.

Amazing Grace – Biography of the abolitionist campaign against the slave trade in Britain.

Milk – Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) was a gay rights activist & first openly-gay politician.

The Sound of Music – musical based on Austria's Von Trap family; fleeing the Nazis.

Mary Poppins – A Walt Disney magical, musical comedy starring Julie Andrews.

Born on the 4th of July – Anti-war biography directed by Oliver Stone; with Tom Cruise.

Amistad – Steven Spielberg's historical drama of Spanish slave ship; La Amistad.

Seven Years in Tibet – Story of Austrian mountaineer stuck in Tibet during war for 7 yrs.

Platoon – an acclaimed film based on Oliver Stone's experience in the Vietnam War.

Anger Management – A comedy starring Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler.

The Martian – A star-studded, very interesting film of an astronaut stranded on Mars.

All the Way – Bryan Cranston portrays Lyndon Johnson in this Steven Spielberg TV film

The Young Victoria – British drama of young Queen Victoria's rule & enduring romance.

Spotlight – The Boston Globe uncovering massive child molestation in Catholic Church.

The People vs. Larry Flynt – Woody Harrelson portrays Larry Flynt of Hustler Magazine.

Sophie Scholl; The Final Days – true story of young anti-Nazi; beheaded by Nazis.

Hysteria – Amusing & educational British film; prepare to giggle. 

Defiance – an atypical, true story set during the occupation of Belarus by Nazi Germany.

Last Vegas – comedy with super stars; who play aging buddies going to Las Vegas.

Testament of Youth – Alicia Vikander as Vera Brittain; a war nurse; later a pacifist activist.

The Sting – Grifters (Paul Newman & Robert Redford) team up to pull off the ultimate con.

The Color of Money - Martin Scorsese sports film, with Tom Cruise & Paul Newman.

Ferdinand - Heartwarming 2017 animation about a gentle, pacifist bull. Loved it! 

Dr. Doolittle - 1967 original Dr. Doolittle with Rex Harrison. A true classic. Love animals! 

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler - beautiful true story of saving Jewish children. 



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