Movie #5: Forrest Gump

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Forrest Gump


Date Watched: 05/30/24

Format: Streaming on TV via Fandago at Home

Going into the challenge, it was only a matter of time before we ran into a movie like Forrest Gump.  There are a few movies on this list that I already consider perfect.  Obviously, they still deserve another watch which I will happily do.  The true task will be when I try to rank these "perfect" movies of mine.

Directing (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Rural and costal Alabama.  Washington DC.  The Vietman war.  Hospitals, plantations, shrimp boats, and cross country trips.  Robert Zemeckis had to do it all with this movie and I feel he executed perfectly.

Writing (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Like Zemeckis, the writing had to cover so much ground.  You had to grow with characters and their environments across three very unique decades.  The humor was on point and did not distract from the emotional rollercoaster of this great film.

Acting (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Unlike a lot of other features I have watched so far where we had either a great supporting cast or a great main cast, Forrest Gump gave us both.  Tom Hanks is synonymous with a lot of roles, but Forrest Gump will always be the first in everyone's mind.  Sinise, Wright, and Fields all stepped up their game for this film.  Truely enjoyable actors to watch.

Wildcard (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐):

Music.  Forrest Gump was the first movie soundtrack I ever bought.  Those two discs got listened to a lot.

Hound Dog
Blowin in the Wind
Fortunate Son
I Can't Help Myself
Sloop John B
California Dreamin
What the World Needs Now Is Love
Break on Through
Mrs. Robinson

...and that is just disc 1.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda:

I will go into more detail at some other time about my love for the year 1994.  A lot of films could have won Best Picture.  Shawshank Redemption, Pulp Fiction, and the Lion King are generational films in themselves.  There were a ton of other films like The Crow, Speed, Clerks, Dumb and Dumber, and True Lies that I still watch to this day.  I am not going to argue for any movie here.  No matter who won there are going to be camps saying the Academy got it right and tons of others saying they got it wrong.

Ranking:

1) Forrest Gump (Movie #5) 20⭐

2) Gone with the Wind (Movie #1) 17⭐

3) On the Waterfront (Movie #3) 16⭐

4) Amadeus (Movie #4) 13⭐

5) Shakespeare in Love (Movie #2) 13⭐

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