An idiosyncratic top 100 films

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It seems that at the beginning of every summer I receive email requests for movie suggestions. So, I've made up a categorized list of 100.

Caveats: Some have violence. Some may have some bad language and sexual insinuations. A couple have sneers about Christianity. Some just get to me.

So, I'm not recommending all these for all audiences-read descriptions and warnings. They are movies that if I were looking through a television listing some evening, and was weary of writing, I'd enjoy watching again. My top 10 are at the end.

Five compassionate conservative films:

It's a Wonderful Life Juno Schindler's List The Miracle Worker Groundhog Day

Five that raise interesting theological and ethical questions:

Amadeus Dirty Harry To End All Wars The Fugitive The Truman Show

Five about crime and prison:

Miller's Crossing The Godfather Part I The Godfather Part II Scarface The Shawshank Redemption

Five about human rights abroad:

The Lives of Others Sophie Scholl The Lost City Hotel Rwanda The Stoning of Soroya M

Ten epics:

Braveheart Gladiator Saving Private Ryan Spartacus Star Wars The Adventures of Robin Hood The Bridge on the River Kwai The Guns of Navarone The Last of the Mohicans The Mark of Zorro

Ten romances:

Hitch One Fine Day Pride and Prejudice Serendipity Sleepless in Seattle While You Were Sleeping You've Got Mail Singin' in the Rain Swing Time Top Hat

Ten action/adventure:

Raiders of the Lost Ark Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Air Force One Clear and Present Danger Independence Day Jaws Patriot Games The Hunt for Red October Die Hard The French Connection

Twenty films about America:

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Coming to America My Cousin Vinnie Nashville McCabe and Mrs. Miller North by Northwest Rear Window Saboteur On the Waterfront Spider-Man The Wanderers Sullivan's Travels The Straight Story Twister Up Yankee Doodle Dandy Rocky I Rocky II Rocky IV O Brother Where Art Thou?

Twenty Westerns:

Bend of the River Buchanan Rides Alone Comanche Station Fort Apache High Noon Ride Lonesome Ride the High Country Rio Grande Shane She Wore a Yellow Ribbon The Far Country The Hanging Tree The Magnificent Seven The Man From Laramie The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance The Naked Spur The Outlaw Josey Wales The Searchers The Tall T Winchester 73

My top 10:

The Right Stuff Casablanca Chariots of Fire Field of Dreams Tender Mercies The Family Man The Great Escape The Lord of the Rings (trilogy) The Princess Bride Lonesome Dove

Marvin Olasky

Marvin is the former editor in chief of WORLD, having retired in January 2022, and former dean of World Journalism Institute. He joined WORLD in 1992 and has been a university professor and provost. He has written more than 20 books, including Reforming Journalism.

@MarvinOlasky

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An idiosyncratic top 100 films

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