Act.World Changer Movie Recommendations

Recently, I have been humouring my friends by explaining any movie imaginable as a intensely academic documentary film. While describing Top Gun as a “documentary film illuminating the male ego of fighter pilots of the United States Navy in the Cold War” is fun party trick, I honestly believe in the power of film as a genre to help us better understand our world and help us grow into better people.

As the inaugural group of graduates leaves THINK Global School and continues their journey, I wanted to provide them with a list of movies that have helped me grow and understand the world.

This was extremely difficult, but here’s my first shot at this list. I am sure that throughout my life I will add to and amend this list for my students. I have left comedies off of this list, perhaps that will be for another blog! (Side note: As an American male, this list is certainly biased.)

Ma’ats Defenders attempts to bring together game-changers from all walks of life to make our world a better place. I hope this list can fuel some of your fires to be more and do more.

Personal Favorites

• The Godfather (1972)
• The Sting (1973)
• True Romance (1993)
• Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
• The Sandlot (1993)
• The Goonies (1985)
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

While I think all of the movies listed below are important, I have bolded the top-picks for each section for those of you who I know do more than sit on a couch all day.

Epic Male Must-Sees

• Gladiator (2000)
• Braveheart (1995)
• Last of the Mohicans (1992)
• The Last Samurai (2003)
• Boys in the Hood (1991)
• A Time to Kill (1996)
• A Few Good Men (1992)
• Star Wars: A New Hope (1977) 

Power of One Movies

• Without Limits (1998)
• Rudy (1993)
• Gandhi (1982)
• Rocky (1976)
• Fearless (2006) 
• Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993)
• Warrior (2011)
• Ip Man (2008)

Against the System

• V for Vendetta (2005) 
• Blow (2001)
• Goodfellas (1990)
• A Bronx Tale (1993)
• Cocktail (1998)
• Top Gun (1986)
• The Saint (1997)
• The Place Beyond the Pines (2012)
• The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)

Political Movies

• Ides of March (2011) 
• Lions for Lambs (2007)
• Hotel Rwanda (2004)
• Zero Dark Thirty (2012)
• The Constant Gardner (2005)
• JFK (1991)
• Michael Clayton (2007)

Conflict Movies

• Platoon (1986) 
• Saving Private Ryan (1998)
• Thirteen Days (2000)
• Black Hawk Down (2001)
• Legends of the Fall (1994)
• Born of the 4th of July (1989)
• Forrest Gump (1994)

Cerebral & Cultural

• Crash (2004)
• What Dreams May Come (1998) 
• Apocalypto (2006) 
• Meet Joe Black (1998)
• Pan’s Labrinyth (2006)
• Vanilla Sky (2001)
• Radio Flyer (1992)
• Finding Neverland (2004)
• The Kite Runner (2007)
• Kids (1995)
• Rabbit-Proof Fence (2005)
• Zeitgeist (2007)
• Invisible Children Rough Cut (2006)

Teacher Movies

• Dead Poets Society (1989)
• To Sir with Love (1967)
• Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade (1989)

 

As always comments and discussion are always appreciated, thanks for reading.