Jason Momoa’s five favourite films of all time
Ever since his memorable performance in Game of Thrones, Jason Momoa has been experiencing a steady rise within the industry. While he has appeared in several interesting projects over the years, the role that has significantly contributed to his global status came courtesy of the superhero genre. Known for his rendition of Aquaman in the DC Universe, Momoa has also diversified his portfolio by venturing into other genres as well.
Currently, Momoa is preparing for the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is set to hit theatres later this year. Due to the complications caused by the pandemic and the high-profile legal dispute between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, the production process experienced a lot of hiccups, but it’s finally on its way. If you can’t wait for Momoa’s upcoming outing as Aquaman, it’s the perfect time to revisit some of his favourite films.
During a conversation with Rotten Tomatoes, Momoa opened up about the cinematic masterpieces that impacted him the most. He began with Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining: “I’m a huge Jack Nicholson fan. He’s obviously… Everything from Five Easy Pieces, another one that’s just phenomenal to me… Yeah, he’s a god to me. I love him. I don’t know how to properly explain why, but he’s just fantastic. His sense of humour, his intensity, his charm, you know. There’s only one Jack. I love him.”
While looking back on his magical relationship with movies during his childhood, Momoa also named Last of the Mohicans among his favourites. He said: “Last of the Mohicans was like my childhood favourite. I love that movie. The soundtrack to that is probably one of my favourite in the world. My favourite movie is probably the life of Daniel Day-Lewis. If you watched Gangs of New York, it sucked, but then you see him as Bill the Butcher, it’s unbelievable.”
Momoa even cited the brilliance of Terry Gilliam as a source of inspiration: “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is one of my favourites. I love the book. Terry Gilliam is phenomenal. I love Terry Gilliam, I just love his mind. I love that, you know, he doesn’t even do drugs. The guy’s just f***ing crazy. Absolutely mad genius, and I love him to pieces. So, Fear and Loathing, to make that book come true, I mean, I can’t think of another book that would be harder.”
Check out the list below.
Jason Momoa’s favourite films
- The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
- A Streetcar Named Desire (Elia Kazan, 1951)
- The Last of the Mohicans (Michael Mann, 1992)
- Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (Terry Gilliam, 1998)
- Midnight Express (Alan Parker, 1978)
Momoa’s selection is impressive, featuring undisputed classics that are regularly cited as some of the most interesting films that the 20th century produced. The actor concluded his list with Alan Parker’s incredible 1978 prison drama Midnight Express, a powerful chronicle examining the dehumanising prison industrial complex.
When asked about it, Momoa compared it to John Cassavetes’ A Woman Under the Influence: “That and A Woman Under the Influence were the first two movies I ever watched, and went, ‘That is not a movie.’ You do not see anyone going, ‘Cut! I’ll be in my f***ing trailer!’ You watch that shit, and you are like, you are in that. So Midnight Express; that is really great filmmaking.”
