Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Films that haven’t tarnished with time

Since my last post about the enduring power of The Silence of the Lambs, I started thinking about other films that stand the test of time, films that I remember no matter how much time has passed, films that after multiple viewings still put a smile on my face, films that I find on TV that make me want to kick back and watch even though I’ve seen them dozens of times and know the plot and dialogue inside and out, and films that are so great they’re considered classics.

Determining what makes a great film is a purely subjective and personal thing. Criteria for good films vary and so do opinions. There are tons of movies that I enjoyed as a kid but when I watched them again, I realized how bad they were. After 10 or 15 years, sometimes the storyline seems silly or the acting bad or the special effects not so effective. An enduring film is one that stands the test of time even when the special effects don’t hold up because the film works on so many other levels. It’s not going to be the same for everyone, of course. To me, good movies make us think, feel, react, relate, connect, and want to watch again and again. They’re films that we make a point of owning and recommending, and films by which we measure other films against.

Here are 10 films that have stood the test of time for me:

The Shawshank Redemption

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

Raiders of the Lost Ark

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

The Princess Bride

E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial

The Usual Suspects

Big Trouble in Little China

Pulp Fiction

Willow

What films have stood the test of time for you? Let us know in the comments section.

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