Favorite Films of All Time, No. 18


 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!

Lynn Bracken: Some men get the world. Others get ex-hookers and a trip to Arizona.

LA Confidential (1997)
Starring: Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger, and James Cromwell
Director: Curtis Hanson
About: I love a good, hard-boiled detective drama. This film, based on the novel from James Ellroy, offers that in spades. Hanson delivered a great period piece. It's a mystery and unravels slowly and offers a great third act. I enjoyed the production and the performances. Crowe and Pearce are great here, as is Basinger. From the time I first saw this film, it stuck with me. It still does. I thought it was the best film released in 1997 and it remains one of my favorites. It's unfortunate that scandal marred one of the lead actors, which has likely caused people to think about this film differently. But if you just focus on the story and production, what Hanson achieved with this film was impressive. For that reason, this film landed up on my list.

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