G-S-T Top 10 – Favorite EPIC Films (Part II)

And so the saga continues…Go,See,Talk’s Top 10 Favorite Epic Films (Part II)

Patton – There are “war movies” and then there’s Patton. Sure Saving Private Ryan was an amazing feature film but there’s something legendary about what Patton was able to accomplish nearly 40 years earlier. While this wasn’t a Patton origin story which was what gave Lawrence of Arabia that sense of accomplishment through adventure fueled by youthful exuberance, but it was nearly as grand. Patton was less about insane action and all out war but more about the cunning chess games Patton played in his head before he ever hit the battle field. This film about WWII’s most infamously effective general showed the harsh/unglamorous reality of war and what it takes to win. Unflinching and crass, Patton’s story of success the film did so much to show what it really took to beat the Germans.

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The Lord of the Rings Trilogy – This really is a no brainer as far as epics go. This movie was BIG. The undertaking to assemble and direct the symphony of trades just to get this on camera, let alone execute it in an engagingly cinematic way makes this one of the most epic films I have ever seen. Also the decision to shoot this as 1 movie (broken into the three parts) made this a key to its success. With that you have continuity and a cohesive feel throughout. It was a hard-fought battle for Jackson and the thousands of tradespeople associated with it. As if the sets and action weren’t enough, Howard Shore’s mighty brass orchestra conjured up visions (at times) far more grand than the on-screen battles with a cave troll, a Balrog or a legion of orcs.

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Watchmen – For a movie that is neither “Sword and Sandal” or some Elizabethan period piece, this is one I would call an epic. It’s got all the makings: a story that spans decades, intricate plot, a myriad of rich and colorful characters and the directors cut is long, long, long. So what if it’s a comic book movie. This is a game changer as far as I’m concerned…or maybe I’m just mesmerized by vividness and gorgeousness of the Blu Ray transfer. People have called the graphic novel that this is based on Epic and I think Snyder succeeded in making something that both respects the book, it’s die-hard fans, that in and of itself is an epic feat. Did I use epic enough in this entry?

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The Godfather: Part II – Very few movies have an even better second installment than the first…and even less take a second Oscar (I’m still waiting for Ben Hur II). The story of Michael Corleone and the back story of Vito Corleone are fantastically done here in one tight picture. This film had very tense and complex undertones even if nothing spectacular was happening on the surface. Still, this was a workout to get through but was so enjoyable. I can’t imagine how much work it took to recreate the very early 1900’s where Vito began his journey to become “The Don”. Masterful, simple and impacting.

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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – One of my favorite films to watch, epic or not, because it is so damned gorgeous. This is the film that made me want to start Go,See,Talk (or as it was called back then, G-C-T for Great Cinematic Treasures…we like the new name better). Button has such a grand sense of story as well as beautiful locations, sets and it follows these characters over many decades. Every element works here and Button has it all: action, romance, humor and blends them well. Also, I think all of Fincher’s work has elements that can border on epic but this one actually pulls it off. Again, agree with me or not, the scale of the film and the breadth of the story is incredibly sweeping and engaging. I love it!

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Honorable Mention: The Dark Knight – It was a comment from Luke from CyniCritics that caused me evaluate TDK as a contender for this list. True, I think it has all the makings of an epic, but I wasn’t convinced it had enough (in terms of a lengthy or laborious time line) to reach that level of epic. So with that mindset, it just misses the list. Still, I agree, it’s a very solid movie, and one that is complex and involving. Also, it impressively explores the psychological levels of one of the world’s favorite comic heroes. Plus the way it was shot and the way it convincingly grounded the comic universe in the real world felt larger than life…especially on IMAX. So here sits TDK at a respectable 11.