58. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Written by Lawrence Kasdan from a story by George Lucas & Philip Kaufman
Starring Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, Ronald Lacey, and John Rhys-Davies
Oscar Nominations: 8 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Set Direction, Best Sound, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects)
A good adventure is hard to find. Raider of the Lost Ark is just that. The name alone is fun. It tells you that you're in for something awesome. When you pull back the wrapper, then you see the treasure you found. One of the things I love about this movie is Harrison Ford. He is what makes this film and there should be no excuses for not. While soe would point at Star Wars as being what made him a star, I point at Raiders just because of the sheer amount of charisma he displays. Quite frankly, I doubt anyone else could have had the combination of wonder and daring that Harrison shows off through out the film. The scene where the swordsmen, after doing that elaborate act of brandishing, just gets shot off-handily, that is a work of pure genius.
57. Finding Nemo (2003)
Directed by Andrew Stanton & Lee Unkrich
Written by Andrew Stanton, Bob Peterson, & David Reynolds
Starring the voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Alexander Gould, Willem Dafoe, & Brad Garrett
Oscar Nominations: 4 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Animated Feature)
Ellen DeGeneres is what makes this movie for me. Dory is possibly one of my favorite characters from a Disney-Pixar film. The voice acting in incredible though, regardless of who it is though. I love this movie for so many reason though. The writing is top-notch, both funny and alternatively dramatic and sad. I admit, I may have teared up at the one scene where Dory gets left behind and Ellen's little line there. It really is a sad part of the movie. For that matter, the early scene where the big fish attacks the eggs and Nemo's Mother, that is just one heart-breaking scene. If I give Disney-Pixar anything, it's that they are not afraid to toy without emotions and I thank them for that, I really do.
56. Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Directed and written by George Lucas
Starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Alec Guinness
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscar Wins: 6 (Best Editing, Best Visual Effect, best set Direction, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Sound)
The movie that started it all. Hello, and welcome back to Epic 101. In the Epic, you need a good first act, obviously. During the first act, you need to introduce all your major players. They don't need to get along at first but you also need to give them some unifying goal. As well, you must introduce the villain. Do something to play him up as a threat, whether that is a willingness to murder innocents or supernatural abilities far beyond humankind. A first act must also end with thing looking up for the heroes. After all, the second act needs things not to start out at their worst because then what are you going too do to make it all bad at the end of act 2? Do all this and you stand a pretty good chance at being as good as the Holy Trilogy. I mean seriously, this movie is a good introduction to the whole of Star Wars, as it should as the real first movie in the franchise. So much good tension and just a bit of romance that becomes a little creepy later on down the line. Good times.
Next Time: "I know everything hasn't been quite right with me, but I can assure you now, very confidently, that it's going to be all right again. I feel much better now. I really do." "Lips red as the rose. Hair black as ebony. Skin white as snow." "We just picked the wrong first husbands, that's all."
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