By John Vogel
We, as a species, are pretty much story-based. Our cultures depend on it. Whether it be Grandpa explaining how you rouse Japanese soldiers out of the Philippine jungles, Grandma explaining how to train dogs to eat only the head of the squirrel after catching it, or your uncle explaining the bus schedule relative to where his bar is, stories are important. Pick your medium for this. Books are supposedly falling out of style, but now it’s considered hip to put your pronouns in your Instagram bio, so there’s that. Movies, on the other hand, are here to stay. Since talkies hit the eyes and ears of the world population, we can’t avert our attention.
I’m trying to avoid the cliches, but shit happens. Here are 5 movies to better your life:
Lawrence Of Arabia (1962). The mostly accurate story of Major T.E Lawrance of the British army and his mission of uniting the Bedouin tribes of Northern Africa to boot out the Turks during World War I. If you enjoy quality cinematography, insurgencies, and the unsettling feeling of sand in your shorts, this movie is for you.
Main takeaway: Humanity loves a hero, and heroes love adventure.
Drink with a cold glass of lemonade spiked with champagne. Measure and pour with your heart.
The Third Man (1948). An American Western writer accepts his friend Harry Lime’s request to meet him in Vienna right at the end of World War II, only to find out Lime has been killed. But the story doesn’t make sense, and no one can keep it straight. A mystery is set into motion in post-war Vienna to figure out where the hell Lime is.
Main takeaway: Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. And don’t trust government officials.
Drink with a Penicillian: Scotch, simple syrup, lemon juice, honey, and a splash of ginger beer. I only recommend this because morphine is hard to come by.
Giant (1956). Cowboys, Texas, Oil, and James Dean. This movie covers several decades of a family cattle operation that survives marriages, war, and changing times. The horsemanship featured is top-notch, and it’s hard to say no to one of Dean’s last movies.
Main takeaway: Time hath no mercy on ranchers or farmers.
Drink with a Ranchwater: Topo Chico, an overdose of lime, and tequila. Mezcal if you feel like it.
Bullitt (1968): San Francisco Lieutenant Detective Frank Bullitt is put on protection duty of a mob witness, only for everything to go to hell. Bullitt tracks down the mob hitmen responsible while trying to figure out how everything went sideways. Utilizing a 1968 Ford GT Mustang Fastback and an assortment of tweed jackets and turtle necks, Bullitt gets to the bottom of it. Honestly, it contains a masterful car chase worthy of Steve McQueen that tends to steal the movie.
Main takeaway: You don’t have to be a metrosexual in order to dress well.
Drink with an Old Fashioned. I will not elaborate further.
Legends of the Fall (1994): Jim Harrison’s novella got its due with this movie. Three Montana-born brothers must navigate the wilderness of the heart and mind as they enlist to fight in World War I, with one leaving a fairly attractive brunette behind with their jaded retired military dad. Politics, PTSD, love, and liquor end up splitting the remaining family apart, only to be reunited under the common theme of “screw the government.” It’s got something for everyone. Some will say the love story doesn’t belong, but without it, the movie would be 30 minutes long and would lack serious charisma.
Main takeaway: Sometimes grizzly bears make better company than women.
Drink with a beer (but don’t kill the bartender) or illegal Canadian whiskey, which really is just blended anyway.
Honorable mentions: The Searchers with John Wayne, The Wild Bunch directed by Sam Peckinpah, and Finding Forrester starring Sean Connery.
