Favorite Films of All Time, No. 38

 


In 2022 I'm revisiting my favorite films of all time, doing a countdown of the Top 50 throughout the year. Check back each Friday for the latest installment in the countdown of films, which include releases through 2019. Agree? Disagree? Have a thought on the choice? Be sure to share in the comments below!

Henry Wu: Nothing in Jurassic World is natural, we have always filled gaps in the genome with the DNA of other animals. And if the genetic code was pure, many of them would look quite different. But you didn't ask for reality, you asked for more teeth.

Jurassic World (2015)
Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Jake Johnson
Director: Colin Trevorrow
About: I have long appreciated the stories of Michael Crichton. I was leery of this sequel. It felt like a departure from the novel Jurassic Park, which made it clear this idea of creating a world and park like this was impossible to achieve. I was prepared to be angry with this movie. But, the more I watched it, the more it pulled me in. The Jurassic Park franchise has five films and is soon to add a sixth. They aren't all winners. But this film, the fourth in the franchise and a re-boot of the concept, is a winner. Pratt and Howard are great leads and the set up here works. Does it follow a lot of the basic concepts of the original film? It sure does, but it expounds on that principle. It keeps true to the heart of the original story, which is about the illusion of control. But it layers on a message about our culture, and our constant need for something newer, bigger and better. I loved the film for all of its blockbuster qualities, but it won a spot in my heart for its larger narrative. It is those things combined that often draw me to films, and this was no exception. I'm excited to see the final chapter this summer, but for now I love to revisit this film and all the ways it defied my expectations.

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