| Earlier today, I wrote about my Top 15 films of all time — films I love, revisit, and carry with me. But no one ever really asks the question this way: Which films stayed with you? Because cinema isn’t about quantity. It’s not about how many films you’ve seen. It’s about which ones linger — the ones that alter your emotional weather, challenge your sense of right and wrong, or quietly take up residence in your thinking long after the screen has gone dark. Some films entertain. Some impress. And then some films mark you. So instead of “best”, I want to ask a different question: Which films stayed with me — and why? These aren’t necessarily films I revisit often. Some I’ve only watched once — because once was enough. Films That Stayed With Me (in date order) Duel (1971) A masterclass in tension and vulnerability. The idea that danger doesn’t need a face — or an explanation — unsettled me deeply. Deliverance (1972) A brutal reminder of how thin civilisation really is. It stripped away comfort, leaving something raw behind. Jaws (1975) Not just fear, but atmosphere. It taught me that restraint, patience, and suggestion can be far more potent than excess. The Elephant Man (1980) This stayed with me because of its humanity—dignity in suffering, kindness in cruelty — and the quiet ache of compassion. Gallipoli (1981) A film about friendship and futility: its ending didn’t shock me — it hollowed me. The Entity (1982) Disturbing because it offered no safety, no justice, and no reassurance. Trauma without metaphor. The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) Political awakening and moral responsibility wrapped in personal consequence. A sense that silence is never neutral. The Killing Fields (1984) I could only watch this once. It wasn’t entertainment — it was witnessing—friendship tested by history’s darkest moments. Stand by Me (1986) A gentle, devastating reminder that growing up means leaving pieces of yourself behind — often without noticing when it happens. Glory (1989) Dignity, recognition, and sacrifice. It stayed with me because it treated courage as something earned rather than celebrated. Jacob’s Ladder (1990) Psychological disintegration, grief, and trauma blurred into something haunting. A film that made uncertainty feel personal. Schindler’s List (1993) One of the few films that feels morally necessary. It reinforced my belief that individual choices matter — even in the worst of times. Erin Brockovich (2000) Persistence, empathy, and standing your ground. It stayed with me because decency and determination win without cynicism. The Pianist (2002) Survival stripped bare—no heroics, no speeches — just endurance, silence, and the will to remain human. Contagion (2011) Chilling because of its plausibility. A film about systems, responsibility, and how fragile normality truly is. Gorillas in the Mist (1988) I’ve only ever watched it once. It saddened me profoundly—love, devotion, and loss without comfort or reward. Why these films stayed with me What connects these films isn’t genre or era — it’s honesty. They didn’t offer easy answers. They didn’t soften the consequences. They trusted me as a viewer to sit with discomfort, grief, and moral ambiguity, and unresolved emotion. These films helped shape: My sensitivity to human dignity My discomfort with the abuse of power My belief is that silence and inaction are choices My respect for quiet courage My understanding is that some stories aren’t meant to be rewatched — only remembered They didn’t just entertain me. They stayed with me — sometimes uncomfortably, sometimes painfully — but always meaningfully. And perhaps that’s the objective measure of cinema: Not what you enjoyed in the moment, But what you carry forward. So now I’ll ask the question properly: Which films stayed with you — and why? |
Films That Impacted Me
Earthly Comforts 