Leonard Bernstein's hit musical updating the story of Romeo and Juliet to the mean streets of New York. The fusion of music, dance, and story is fantastic. 10 Academy Awards. Don't overlook a splendid biography - "Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note" that gives some wonderful background into the making of "West Side Story" and his other musical "On the Town.

The Wizard of Oz" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" are in a class by themselves. And their special effects are still dazzling decades later. The "Wicked Witch of the West" has become one of the most recognized icons in American culture...see, for example, her reappearance in Tim Burton's animation fantasy "The Nightmare Before Christmas.

You can taste the sand on your teeth in this one. A cargo plane crashes in the vast Sahara and 11 survivors desperately seek a way to find water and escape from the merciless heat. Amazing cast.

A biography of the (two) ballet troupes that carried the flame of Russian ballet after Diaghilev's death. Even today, old age does not stop the dancers from contributing to their art. I thought the film made a more convincing statement of "living for art's sake" than even the better known "Red Shoes.

A parable about friendship and transformation between two unlikely acquaintances - lost and forgotten in the gritty underbelly of New York City.

Astonishing - visually and musically...Other dazzling animation are "Igor Stravinsky - The Soldier's Tale" (Russia), "The Book of the Dead" (Japan), "Old Man and the Sea" (Canada), "Sita Sings The Blues" (India), "Persepolis" (Iran), "Lady and the Tramp" (USA), "Princes et Princesses" (France), "Fantastic Planet" (Czech), "Mary and Max" (Australia), and "Raining Cats and Frogs" (France)

As tensions mount about nuclear escalation, the Vatican elects a Russian Pope. Balancing religion and politics, the Pontiff tries to use the prestige of his office to avert world disaster.

One of the most inspirational films you will ever see. In the battleground that is "the Middle East", a world-renowned symphony conductor creates a young people's orchestra of Israelis and Arabs to allow them to work harmoniously towards a common goal. Daniel Barenboim is one of those rare persons who knows how to break down walls between adversaries. The other side of the coin is "The Lemon Tree.

A compelling human drama of the high seas. It was praised for its hot, intense portrait of a man damaged by war - a soul in distress - through the brilliant performance of Humphrey Bogart as the unstable captain. Another fascinating film of a command breakdown at sea is Charles Laughton's "Mutiny on the Bounty.

Each of these films is essential viewing for creating a socially just world..."A Face in the Crowd" is a scathing movie about media manipulation. But don't overlook "Bad Day at Black Rock" which is a superbly directed suspense drama. Controversial classics that ought to be in this collection are "Elmer Gantry, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dr. Strangelove, and (of course) Rebel Without a Cause.

An essential story of science fiction that, for the most part, has accurately predicted a future where people do not read. In this culture, owning and sharing books is illegal...but a few dissidents try to resist.

War helicopters against an orange sky - the smell of napalm - chaos midst ancient temples - this is the quintessential film of America in Vietnam Regarding the colossal political blunders of getting involved in these conflicts, I can do no better than to recommend "The Fog of War" or "In the Loop.

Ethiopia, drought 1980's. In the war-torn country a mother - who is Christian - instructs her son to masquerade as a Black Jew so that he can be airlifted to safety into Israel. Haunted by the past, loved by different mothers, the boy struggles with his "identity" and the meaning of his mother's last command "go, live, and become." A very powerful ending.