I’m often asking for movie recommendations both from fellow movie buffs and from people who want to expand their knowledge about cinema. After having a friend ask for a list of important films to watch I decided to put together a curriculum of great films that every budding cinephile should watch. This list is a starting off point for people who want to have a base understanding of cinema’s greatest achievements. All the films follow linear story lines and have one or two specific components that highlight their greatness. I also picked all English language films, not because English films are better or anything but specifically because this guide is intended for native English speakers that might find subtitles daunting when they are getting into film.
The plan is to make this a progressively more intense curriculum, with Film History 102 delving more into complex films, thematically, language wise and what they might excel at.
This is part 2 of a 2 part series featuring 25 total films. The movies in this episode are from 1977-2016. If you missed part 1, listen HERE.For a full slideshow of the films and what makes them important click HERE.
- Annie Hall (1977) directed by Woody Allan
- Amadeus (1984) directed by Milos Forman
- Before Sunrise (1995) directed by Richard Linklater
- Fargo (1996) directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
- The Truman Show (1998) directed by Peter Weir
- The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) directed by Anthony Minghella
- Gosford Park (2001) directed by Robert Altman
- The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) directed by Wes Anderson
- Lost In Translation (2003) directed by Sofia Coppola
- The Departed (2006) directed by Martin Scorsese
- The Social Network (2010) directed by David Fincher
- Moonlight (2016) directed by Barry Jenkins
Music from this episode is from Callahan. We premiered his video for Milk and Honey recently on Live in Limbo. Be sure to check out and buy his music from Bandcamp.
