RECOMMENDATION: MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO

My Own Private Idaho is Gus Van Sant's masterpiece. Loosely based on Shakespeare's plays Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 & Henry V, the film tells the story of two hustlers/friends on a journey of self discovery. However don't let the intimidating Shakespearean play titles put you off watching the film, with only a few lines of original Shakespeare quotes in the film, it is truly its own piece of art, digressing from the original plays and becoming absolutely stunning in its own right.

River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves are perfect as their characters. The chemistry is evidently there when needed and in scenes where the two best friends are not feeling so close, the acting of both is superb in creating a hostile and tense environment.
The cinematography is beautiful also and combined with a breathtaking landscape (just watch the first 10 minutes to get an idea of what i'm talking about), the audience is left feeling the isolation and emotions of the characters as if it were themselves experiencing them.

With the content of the film being extremely dependent on the character's emotional states, the film is one that is likely to make you upset. We become attached to these two main characters and when their friendship is tested we feel uncomfortable and protective over them. I believe that this film is truly a groundbreaking piece of art for the early nineties. It has stood the test of time in my eyes, with numerous re-watches having taken place and the meaning and beauty of the film has never withered.