— For those who need a reminder of just how complex and full of intrigue the innocence of childhood can be, The Secret Garden. A lesson well worth remembering when we consider how little complexity we grown-ups seem willing to accept in an era when every issue is reduced to applause lines. Maybe our children know more than we do. (Runner-up: The Last Action Hero.)
— Next, just like last year, let’s add a small political collection, with the hope of helping those on either side of the ideological divide gain some further understanding of the other:
— Falling Down: A film conservatives should watch to understand how liberals think conservatives think. Middle-class white male gets angry, goes on rampage, but the triggering grievance is trivial. Worth seeing for the we’ve-all-been-there “That’s not our policy” scene.
— Dave: A film conservatives should watch to understand how liberals think liberals think. The government could do so much good (guaranteed jobs for all!) if only kind progressive people who care about other people were running things. A bravura performance from Kevin Kline, and a deliciously evil Frank Langella.
— In the Line of Fire: A film liberals should watch to understand how conservatives think conservatives think. Clint Eastwood, as an ageing Secret Service agent, is a stand-in for a generation determined to stick to the values it grew up with. (“The whole damn country was different.”) Intricate cat-and-mouse between Eastwood and John Malkovich, who plans to assassinate the president. (Trigger warning: Eastwood’s character intentionally mistakes a female Secret Service agent for a secretary, because “I just wanted to see if she had a sense of humour.”)
— Needful Things: A film liberals should watch to understand how conservatives think liberals think. If somebody promises to give you what you want free, chances are you’re not getting what you think. (Money quote: “Everybody is insane everywhere!”)
— Finally, for all of us, especially those who find the present moment so dreary that every day seems exactly the same, and see the era a winter dark and bereft of hope, Groundhog Day. The lesson is that we can emerge with joy, but to do so must seek truth and beauty in the small ... and within.
Honorable mentions: A Bronx Tale, Carlito’s Way, Farewell My Concubine, Free Willy, Life With Mikey, Mrs. Doubtfire, Sleepless in Seattle, The Age of Innocence, The Dark Half, The Firm, What’s Love Got to Do With It?
— Carter is a Bloomberg View columnist. He is a professor of law at Yale University and was a clerk to US Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. His novels include The Emperor of Ocean Park and Back Channel, and his nonfiction includes Civility and Integrity.
— By arrangement with Bloomberg View
Published in Dawn, ICON, April 1st, 2018