This year the members of the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry have inducted quite a few films into their archives. Today we highlight eight films that were accepted, these are all amazing movies and should be watched by everyone, so go out and get your hands on these masterpieces and watch a movie or two.
Rio Bravo, the 1959 film directed by Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson, was just inducted this year. Howard Hawks was quite the filmmaker of note from this era of film, or really any era once you look at the films that he had directed, with classics like The Big Sleep and The Thing under his belt you can’t go wrong with watching any of his films, especially Rio Bravo.
Rosemary’s Baby was written and directed by esteemed Polish filmmaker Roman Polanski. This classic flick came out in 1968 and starred Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes as a young couple that moves into an apartment and soon they learn that their neighbors aren’t exactly on the up-and-up. Rosemary’s Baby is definitely worth your time, if only to see some of the best artists of their time at the top of their game.
Little Big Man tells the story of a young boy that survives an attack by the Pawnee and then subsequently raised by the Cheyenne tribe. It’s a bit like Forrest Gump but in the wild west, as the protagonist Jack Crabb finds himself thrust into some of the most defining points in American history. The main character Jack Crabb is played by Dustin Hoffman and the Cheyenne tribe leader, Old Lodge Skins, is played perfectly by Chief Dan George. It’s one of the few films that actually has Native Americans portraying Native Americans, a novel idea.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory was released in 1971, and is based on the novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl. The film focuses on Charlie Bucket, a poor boy that loves chocolate who wins a tour of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Comic legend Gene Wilder plays the title character in this musical fantasy, a role he was born to play.
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a modern classic, if only for the reason that it’s John Hughes best film, and considering his track record that’s saying a lot. The film stars Matthew Broderick as Ferris Bueller and Alan Ruck as his sickly friend Cameron Frye. This is a must see film for anyone, especially if you’re in high school, just so you can appreciate the lengths that Ferris goes to just to fake sick to skip school.
Luxo Jr. is the only film on here that isn’t feature length, it’s only two minutes long. Despite it’s short length it’s also the short film that threw Pixar into the limelight. If you’ve seen any of the Pixar films you’ll recognize the characters, specifically the Pixar logo which features a Luxo Jr. character quite prominently. This is a must see, if only for the fact that the films that this short has spawned have changed the face of filmmaking to this day.
Saving Private Ryan is Steven Spielberg’s WWII epic war film. It stars Tom Hanks as Captain Miller, like every other role that Tom Hanks has taken on he did an amazing job. The gist of the film is that Captain Miller and his motley crew of soldiers are wading through the French countryside looking for the title character, Private Ryan. The journey makes the film amazing, as they fight for their lives they reveal a level of humanity that is rarely portrayed on the big screen.
The Big Lebowski really should have been inducted into the Nation Film Archive when it was initially released, it’s that good. The film focuses on The Dude, perfectly played by Jeff Bridges, and his task to help save a kidnapped trophy wife. It’s a perfect balance of film noir and 1990s America. If you haven’t seen it drop what you’re doing and watch this amazing flick, there’s a reason that the Library of Congress is lavishing this award upon it.
