Top 25 Countdown — No. 7


Today I continue my Top 25 countdown with another Steven Spielberg classic.

No. 7 — Jurassic Park (1993)
Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough
Director: Steven Spielberg
Quote: "Yeah, yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should." — Ian Malcolm
About: There are movies that just stick with you, and "Jurassic Park" is one of mine. I was in the summer before sixth grade when the movie came out, and I remember seeing it in the theater. It was one of those movies that made a huge impression on 12-year-old me. I then read the book, and got drawn into the rich world of Michael Crichton. The book is a better than the movie, but I love them both. "Jurassic Park" has been among my top 10 favorite movies for more than two decades, and I think it will always stay there. It's been higher, at times, but it's never left that list of top 10 films. When I watch it today, I am still stirred by the beauty and the wonder of the filmmaking that reached me as a child. That is one of Spielberg's gifts as a director — a gift he's applied to so many classic films, including "Jaws" in some ways. But as an adult, I'm also drawn to the powerful story, which was the aim of Crichton. It's a cautionary tale about what happens when we try to play God. It's a rich narrative that asks deeper questions. The book does so in more depth, but the film captures elements of that, too. And, it's also just a lot of fun. There's so many iconic moments, lines, and visuals. "Jurassic Park" is my favorite Spielberg film and, I think, one of his most enduring. It's a timeless classic for viewers of all ages.
Rating: PG-13 for intense science fiction terror.

Top 25 Countdown:
8. Jaws (1975)
9. Gettysburg (1993)
10. Up In The Air (2009)
11. Die Hard (1988)
12. Doubt (2008)
13. Way of the Gun (2000)
14. Heat (1995)
15. The Paper (1994)
16. Watchmen (2009)
17. LA Confidential (1997)
18. Serenity (2005)
19. Children of Men (2006)
20. Miller's Crossing (1990)
21. About Schmidt (2002)
22. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
23. The Matrix (1999)
24. Independence Day (1996)
25. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

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