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What are the best conservative movies of the past 25 years ?

HOTAIR.COM ^ | Jan 15,2009 | Ed Morrisey

Posted on by SeekAndFind

John J. Miller at The Corner asks the question:

What are the best conservative movies of the last 25 years? This cinema epoch begins roughly with the release of Red Dawn in 1984.

I might be happy if I could find 25 bona-fide conservative movies at all in the past 25 years. Im afraid that most of what Miller will get in response will be of the Red Dawn variety, since the only place safe for conservative themes in Hollywood has been action films. Red Dawn itself had that in spades, but it was also a rather dreadful movie with more scenery-chewing than one might imagine without William Shatner. I watched it again recently and found it rather embarrassing, except for the brief appearance by Powers Booth. AVENGE MEEEEEEEE!

There have to be better examples of conservative movies that we can suggest to Miller. I have a few, and will add those suggested in the comments in updates, or at least the ones that make some sense. Here are my starters:

* The Great Raid (2005) - Based on a true story and managed to mostly stick to it, this film also committed the apparently unpardonable sin of telling the truth about the brutal Japanese occupation of the Philippines and their treatment of POWs. It exemplifies honor, courage, resistance to evil, and risking lives to save others.

* Saving Private Ryan (1998) - For many of the same reasons as The Great Raid, made even more clear by the highly realistic battle scenes, which make clear the sacrifice asked and made.

* Requiem for a Dream (2000) - Harrowing depiction of the destruction of lives from drug addiction, even from prescription drugs. Definitely not for everyone, but brilliant in every aspect of production. In the end, the main characters lose their souls, their freedom, and their minds. Perhaps Ellen Burstyns best performance.

* United 93 (2006) - Harrowing and heartrending depiction of the 9/11 flight that didnt hit its intended target, thanks to the heroism of the passengers on the flight. Facing certain death, they fought back against the Islamist terrorists, becoming the first Americans to do so on that awful day.

* Glory (1989) - The true story of the Massachusetts 54th in the Civil War, which led an ill-starred assault on a fortified position for the Union and suffered massive casualties. The all-black regiment fought for freedom, dignity, and honor, and gave their lives gladly for those causes. Great performances by Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman make this highly compelling.

* Shattered Glass (2003) - The story of the first round of fabrication at The New Republic, with an unexpectedly excellent performance from Hayden Christenson as Stephen Glass, the serial fabulist who succeeded by telling lies about the right people  conservatives. The film does a good job of pointing that fact out.

* Lord of the Rings (2001-2003) - The trilogy should occupy one spot, but its an important one. In the fantasy realm, it speaks to true evil and the need to fight it, even to the death. The final battle, in which Aragorn attempts to sacrifice his entire army so that Frodo can complete the quest, has one of the most stirring battle speeches in film history. No one in this film argues for moral equivalency or the idea that Sauron might just be misunderstood.

I know Im missing a few, so lets hear from Hot Air readers. Be sure to explain your suggestions in the comments.

Update: The best film you never saw: The Stoning of Soraya M (2008). Read my review here. Unfortunately, its never made it into wide release, but it should be required viewing for those interested in human freedom. Made even better by the surprisingly subtle performances of the entire cast.

Update II: The comments section has some great suggestions. Let me add a few that deserve mention:

* The Incredibles (2004) - Cant believe I missed this one. It focuses on the strength of a family that works together as well as rips the notion that talented people somehow pose a threat to everyone else. And its also flat-out fun for all ages.

* Gettysburg (1993) - Excellent, fact-based depiction of the bravery and courage on both sides of this battle.

* 300 (2006) - Im not normally a big fan of the graphic-novel approach to storytelling, but it works in the story of the Greeks at Thermopylae. Self-sacrifice for a greater good gets a boost from highly stylized filmmaking. Not for all tastes, but for its genre, excellent.

* Braveheart (1995) - Worthy, I think, for its emphasis on resistance to tyranny and defense of homeland against foreign rule. Historical inaccuracies mar this somewhat, especially the disappearance of the bridge from the Battle of Stirling Bridge. Still excellent, though, but The Patriot is hobbled badly by its anti-British smears.

* Juno (2007) - Interesting view of teen pregnancy and the choice to give birth rather than abort. Not really ideological, but it has much more authenticity than most teen dramedies, and really a beautiful little movie.

* Team America: World Police (2004) - A twisted satire of conservative values on defense that winds up being itself a defense of conservative values. Profane as it possibly can get and with one really disturbing scene that got it an NC-17 rating until it was cut, Team America winds up providing one of the best explanations of why we need people willing to fight terrorists and tyrants which I cant quote here.

* The Chronicles of Narnia (2005) - Ive only seen the first movie, which made C. S. Lewis allegory on Christianity rather explicit. Good movie.

* Rudy (1993) - Hard work, not feeling sorry for yourself, faith, and love all make for one of the best movies ever  and another one I cant believe I didnt recall in the initial post.

* Cinderella Man (2005) - Definitely a worthy entry. James J. Braddock goes back to boxing to rescue his family from poverty, and winds up winning the championship.

* An American Carol (2008) - I thought it was OK, but many others in the comments think it was better.

Ill keep checking back, but remember that were looking at 1984 forward. Were getting some excellent suggestions for earlier movies, but we want to focus on this particular time period.

Update III: Definitely on the list: Serenity (2005), which attacks Utopianism as the excuse for totalitarianism that it is. Shockingly good sci-fi movie on its own, perhaps the best in the last 25 years, its even better as the follow-up to the doomed Firefly television series.

Update IV: I can see that Ill not get much other work done today. Two more worthy of consideration, both true stories:

* Amistad (1997) - Recounts the true story of how John Quincy Adams defended captured Africans for their rebellion on board a slave ship, and how he won their freedom.

* Amazing Grace (2006) - A biography of William Wilberforce, who led the fight in Great Britain to end the slave trade.



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ronmaxwell

Why isn't THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST included ?



To: SeekAndFind

Some people would include FORREST GUMP in the list but many other conservatives disagree. I’d like to hear both sides of the issue.



To: SeekAndFind

"The Postman" /johnny



by 3 posted onby JRandomFreeper (God Bless us all, each, and every one.)

To: SeekAndFind

What about “Hanoi Hilton?”



by 4 posted onby RandyGH (Democrats--So far left they've left America)

To: SeekAndFind

Many John Wayne movies...



by 5 posted onby 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)

To: SeekAndFind

Many Clint Eastwood movies...



by 6 posted onby 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)

To: SeekAndFind

Hmmmm. Scroll back one more year to 1983 and catch “Uncommon Valor”. Great movie, IMHO.



To: 2banana

Not in the last 25 years, I think.



To: 2banana

This list only covers movies from the last 25 years.



To: SeekAndFind

Call me crazy, but Field of Dreams should be on the list. It honors both baseball AND fathers. Can’t get more true-blue American (and conservative) than that. :-)



To: JRandomFreeper

The Postman was not included because it was an embarrassment to moviedom.



by 11 posted onby muleskinner ("You know the Germans always make good stuff')

To: RandyGH

I would like to add the following to the list : Patton ( May be too old to make the 25 year cut )

The Pianist

We Were Soldiers

Defiance

Black Hawk Down

The Patriot

Life Is Beautiful

Bella

and the latest one from Clint Eastwood -— Gran Torino Also, would anyone want to include Spider Man 1 in the mix ?



Bella

Expelled

End of the Spear



To: 2banana

Many John Wayne movies...



Only the last 25 years my friend. If we included every movie since the beginning of film history, we'd have to include hundreds of films made prior to the Boomer generation.



To: SeekAndFind

Kill the Commies (an independent Bollywood production with singing and dancing.)



by 15 posted onby Revolting cat! (After all is said and done I'm goodier goodier than you!)

To: SeekAndFind

Patton is one of my all-time favorite films. (It was released almost 40 years ago).



Stand and Deliver (1988)



To: SeekAndFind

The Great Escape



by 18 posted onby razorback-bert (Save the planet...it is the only known one with beer!)

To: SeekAndFind

Barbershop A "coming of age" story about the son of a deceased barber, who takes over then sells his father's barbershop, but not before he learns to understand how his father could run the business day after day for his family. Gattaca In a future where the genetically engineered are given preference and the natural born are stopped from succeeding at birth, a naturall born man does not accept the fate society has in store for him, and pursues his own dreams. Pursuit of Happyness A man tries to better himself against nearly overwhelming odds to provide for his son.



To: CounterCounterCulture

I’d like to include THE MISSION: Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons team up to make a tour de force about human freedom vs. human oppression in South America, as Catholic Church abandons Christian natives to Portuguese slavers because its politically expedient. THE UNTOUCHABLES seems like a good conservative movie. It celebrates bravery, duty and anti-corruption. Sean Connery was absolutely brilliant in that movie as the incorruptible cop. Needs to be watched again in light of what’s happening in Chicago today.



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