American Graffiti (1973)

Where Were You In '62? the poster asks us, a question which perfectly defines the nature of this film. This excellent tagline, along with the film itself, captures the innocence of what has been described as the last innocent time in American history. Long before we were nostalgic for the '70s (Dazed and Confused), the '70s was nostalgic for the doo-wop playing, drag racing, late 1950s era.

 American Graffiti tells the tale of a group of friends who have just graduated from high school. They begin doubting what their futures hold for them, and if it is what they want. This plot synopsis is purposefully generic, for it shows how this film could be about any teenager in any era. That is one of the beautiful aspects of this movie; it is timeless.

 Before George Lucas gained stardom for "Star Wars" (1977), and received a huge amount of backlash for the prequels to it, he was making small films. In my opinion, American Graffiti is his best film, due to the massive amount of heart it has. The time period alone makes viewers cherish every moment. The beautiful vehicles and the wonderful music makes one wonder why society had to change. And change it did.

 It is no coincidence that American Graffiti is set in 1962, the year prior to President Kennedy's assassination. The conflict in Vietnam also materialized around this time. Lucas set the film in '62 because it was the final year of what is considered the golden days of post-WWII America. This is rather evident within the film; despite its beauty there is always a sense of sudden closure looming over the characters.

 This is cemented by the final moments of the film, which inform the viewer what happens to each character in the years to come. Needless to say, the film captures the final night of their wonder years.

Any generation can relate to what the characters go through; Kurt and Steve don't know if they want to go to college, Toad just wants to finally get the girl, and John Milner attempts to avoid growing up as much as possible. American Graffiti is one of the greatest films ever made, and absolutely refuses to age.

Platoon (1986)

It goes without saying that this film and "Apocalypse Now" (1979) are the greatest Nam war flicks. The true debate would be which is superior. While "Apocalypse Now" perhaps delivers stronger performances and is more impressive from a cinematic standpoint, "Platoon" is a more accurate depiction of the war itself. The director, Oliver Stone, served in Vietnam, and uses his experiences within the film. Overall, it is my opinion that "Platoon" is the superior film.

 Chris Taylor has volunteered to fight in the war, because he wants to carry on his family legacy (father and grandfather had fought in previous wars). He is put in a platoon with a handful of unique characters, who have all in one way or another been damaged by Nam. He meets Sergeant Barnes, who is hell-bent on winning the war by any means necessary. He also meets Sergeant Elias, who couldn't be more different than Barnes. As the war progresses, these three men develop relationships that result in murder and betrayal.

 The shining performance of the film is Willem Dafoe as Elias. He is a truly phenomenal actor, and this may be his great performance (either this or Last Temptation of Christ). Tom Berenger also delivers a solid performance; a cold, calculating antagonist that you can't decide is wrong or right.

Say what you want about Charlie Sheen, but his performance in this film is quite exceptional. Following in his father's footsteps (who starred in Apocalypse Now), Sheen showed much promise as Christ Taylor. Unfortunately, after his success in "Wall Street" (1987), Sheen disappeared into comedic trash.

 The best part of this film, however, is its beautiful direction at the hands of Oliver Stone. This is the type of film that, while watching it, you can't help but think how beautiful and tragic a film can look. Creating beauty out of violence is incredibly difficult (visual beauty, not beauty in subject matter). Stone delivered his best film with "Platoon". It was very deserving of its Best Picture win that year.