40 Years of Movies: 1993

 


2021 is the year I turn 40. As part of my celebration, I'm looking back at 40 years of movies, picking my favorite film from each year I've been around! To learn more about the criteria for this process, check this introduction. Each post will feature my pick, plus three runner's up. So check back over the next 40 weeks of this journey!

1993:

Jurassic Park
About: I still vividly remember the first time I saw this film in a theater. It was in Arroyo Grande, I was 12 and it was thrilling. There was a sense of awe and wonder that washed over me. It soon became the first adult book I ever read, and began a lifelong love of Michael Crichton and his stories. I still love Jurassic Park, and it still fills me with awe, wonder and joy. It's one of my favorite films of all time, and an easy choice to top this list despite the fact this year includes two of my all time favorite films. I also appreciate the deeper social and theological issues this film explores about the nature of creation and the inherent danger in playing God.

Other Considerations:
Gettysburg
About: This is another of my all-time favorite films. This one is a cinematic version of the Michael Sharra novel The Killer Angels, focusing on the battle of Gettysburg that defined the Civil War. This has a rich cast and it's quite the commitment. The film is more than four hours long, originally airing in parts on TNT. Martin Sheen is great as General Lee, but my favorite is Jeff Daniels as Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. It's an incredible work, filmed on the historical site of the famous battle.

Groundhog Day
About: This classic Bill Murray comedy was unique, but it's spawned many imitators over the years. It's about a man stuck re-living the same day time and again until he can grow and find a way out. That time loop formula is everywhere in every variation and this point, but Groundhog Day remains a classic. Bill Murray is great in the film, and it's a lot of fun.

Tombstone
About: This classic western focuses on a retired Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), his family and his friendship with Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer). I like the action here and the performances. This one has plenty of iconic scenes. It's one of my favorite westerns.

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