Lawrence of Arabia, dir. David Lean

The Wiz RECOMMENDS Lawrence of Arabia Lawrence of Arabia is one of the few films that you can just watch 30 seconds of the film and go "ohh, this is on a whole different level of filmmaking". David Lean's grand desert epic has some of the most exquisite production you could ever see in a film. Cinematography and visuals are astounding especially the way it uses space and the environments to tell a story. The music is also incredible to listen to. The blend of both classical and music from the region fits incredibly well to make the audience feel every scene. And two performances are also outstanding. Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali is a great performance, even when compared to legends like Alec Guinness and Anthony Quinn. And the performance by Peter O'Toole gets better and better as the film goes forward, from the charismatic leader to the person who is exhausted and broken from all the time at war. But as beautiful as the film is, the near four hour length definitely gets felt after the intermission. Pre-intermission, it's an incredible war story that excites and feels satisfying as it concludes. Post-intermission, it's good, but it does feel overlong and feels like it should have been its own film. Lawrence of Arabia is a film I am glad I finally experienced and it's evident as to why it's so beloved. It's a great movie that, despite it being a little too long for me, is something I'd love to experience again.