7) Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade
Not as iconic and roguishly enjoyable as Spielberg’s original Raiders of the Lost Ark (but then again, what is?), Last Crusade is still a marked improvement on the previous entry in the franchise, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Unlike the self-consciously dark Doom, Last Crusade gets the mix of thrills, humor and genuinely scary B-movie myth-making just right.
The third Indiana Jones film also adds a crucial new element: Sean Connery, wonderfully salty as Indy’s father Henry Sr. Connery and Ford make an effective double act, bringing warmth to a story that once again features Nazis, evil collaborators and historical artifacts that bring violent death to all those stupid enough to toy with them.
6) The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
It’s ultimately let down at the end by Peter Jackson not knowing when to cut off (there are about five separate moments at the climax of Return of the King where you think it’s going to end – and doesn’t), but elsewhere, King is as assured as the rest of Jackson’s epic fantasy saga. Bigger than Fellowship and The Two Towers put together, The Return of the King nevertheless delivers on a smaller-scale emotional level as well.
There are scenes here that’ll send shivers down your spine: Sam refusing to leave Frodo’s side as his friend succumbs to the dark power of the ring; Pip singing a haunting ballad for Denethor as the king sends his own son to his likely death in battle; Gollum finally reclaiming the ring only to die horribly for his addiction. The Return of the King may outstay its welcome in the end, but you won’t care a jot when the journey to get there is so powerful.