As movies continue to come out and the technology gets better we are bound to see some great things in cinema. However that doesn't mean that we always need big explosions, green screen effects or elaborate stunts. Sometimes the biggest challenge and most rewarding is a brilliant story with great acting. The most simple idea is often the most complex and in that the answer of a complex question is usually the simplest of them all. With that said, I still do like action movies, there's a place for all of them. After all I think the majority of people go to the movies to be entertained. Sure some only want action and some only want thought-provoking films.
However my favorite genre is suspense and I love a good mystery. My all-time favorite director said that mystery and suspense are miles apart. That would be Mr. Alfred Hitchcock, and while I respect him as a director, I think in today's films and categorizing films into one or multiple genres, suspense and mystery are far closer than one might believe.
As Mr. Hitchcock stated that Mystery is a "Whodunit" whereas suspense is "informing the audience of the impending danger" this is definitely true. Though I think the crossover of mystery into suspense and suspense into mystery is quite common and if used correctly can really really become a great film or movie.
In today's films, the general consensus or at least majority of movie goers believe the word "suspense" as related to movies or films means scarier, and darker subjects that may induce fear without sliding into the horror or slasher label. While this can be true for a number of films, when Mr. Hitchcock was around and making films, he believe that suspense was not necessarily instilling fear into someone, but getting an emotional reaction out of the audience, and in turn that emotional reaction grip the audience so much they got into the film, the story, the characters and in essence were part of the film. This emotional connection that Mr. Hitchcock was able to achieve with what seemed like very little effort and his great eye and visually creative mind is what makes him a stand out and in most people eyes, a legend.
Here now are my top 10 films of all time:
10. Sandlot: A great summer film with kids and baseball. Came out when I was about the age of the kids in the film. This makes the list for a number of reasons, but at the top, the brilliant Narration by David Mickey Evans and James Earl Jones, one of my favorite actors, makes an appearance. Sorry if you haven't seen it, that's kind of a surprise.
9. Goonies: Friendship, adventure, caves, 80s. This is a true classic in pure 80s style. in my top ten for two reasons: Great story and a fun adventure.
8. Unbreakable. A comic book film by M. Night Shyamalan. It's dark, great acting by Bruce and Samuel Jackson and I think the "twist" ending is while easier to figure out, better than the twist endings in any of his other films, including Sixth Sense.
7. Inception: Sure it's newer than the above, but it is definitely better, while to those who can't keep up equally confusing. A make-your-own conclusion suspense thriller sci-fi action ride that is probably one of the most visually stunning and intellectually brilliant pieces you will ever see. The even scarier part? The fact that very little was CGI. They built massive sets one even rotated 360 or 180 degrees. Still the ending while perfect for it's story didn't satisfy. Though it dealt with one of my favorite subjects: Dreams, thankfully it steered clear of the dream meanings and went into more mind games, because I'm writing a crime, suspense based on dream meanings, but definitely not on the grand scale that Chris Nolan did. Mine is different and more based on the reality than that of a extraction of an thoughts and ideas.
6. Batman Begins: As one of my favorite superheros I will see anything Batman related. This is what the majority of us fans wanted, a darker more realistic approach to the caped crusader. Nothing against the previous franchise of Batman as they have their good qualities as well, but Nolan's take makes for not only a fun ride, but a part of Batman that has been explored on the big screen - the origin. This is a very smart film, and the first half focuses more on Bruce Wayne, but the second he dons the cape and cowl, the film hits high gear and ultimately one of the best comic-book actions adaptations ever. I like this film better than the dark knight. TDK got a little too serious, not that it wasn't a good movie, it just went into the realm of extreme dark, but I think for Nolan's and Ledger's Joker they had to or it wouldn't make sense nor do the character justice.
5. Shadow of A Doubt: Mr. Hitchcock's disturbing suspense about an Uncle coming to Santa Rosa, CA to visit his favorite niece of which she was named. When Niece Charlie discovers her Uncle Charlie may have commited unspeakable murders, she tries to put the pieces together to figure out if did or didn't. Told with Hitchock's signature emotional connection and brilliant characters played by Teresa Wright and Joseph Cotten. Hitchcock's personal favorite and one of his earliest classics. The DVD provides some great interviews from Teresa Wright and Hithcock's daughter Pat.
4. American Beauty: Kevin Spacey is one of my favorite actors, and a great drama. Sad, dark and beautifully heartbreaking that uses humor to defuse. It's charming, witty and the cast is great!
3. North By Northwest: Currently my favorite Hitchcock film. Carry grant is awesome in it. Grant's character finds himself in the middle of a mistaken identity, this suspense thriller is another one of Mr. Hitchcock's classic tales. A little confusing trying to figure who's who, but still entertaining.
2. Guys and Dolls: Saw this only a few years ago, but the opening number "A Horse Right Here" is brilliantly choreographed and you got Brando and Sinatra in the same film... enough said.
1. Field of Dreams: My favorite sport to watch is hockey, however I played baseball for close to 14-15 years through Little League. I grew up on baseball and again this film tackles the subject of dreams, a little less grand-scale than Nolan but about the people having the same dream, which is a piece in Inception. Kind of funny how ideas transform and stories evolve through decades and no, I'm not suggesting Nolan stole that piece of his Inception idea from Field of Dreams. It's just amazing how things you'd never think to intertwine somehow connect be it as far away as Inception and Field of Dreams. This movie is my all time favorite not only for the baseball aspect but for the message and the voices, but also because my dad grew up in Iowa. A movie that built a baseball field in the middle of corn fields on an actual farm and the fact the it still stands to this day, 21 year later shows that this movie is a true gem. Plus the sound of James Earl Jones' booming voice echoing one of the most memorable film speeches isn't bad either.
There you have it. If you have to see one, any or all of these films, I encourage to track the films/DVDs down and watch them.
-Matt
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