Jon Favreau names his five favourite movies of all time
At one point a burgeoning name in indie cinema in the 1990s, Jon Favreau has since gone on to become one of the most important names in the contemporary industry, transforming the financially lucrative Marvel Cinematic Universe. A Hollywood professional as well as an underrated creative mind, Favreau has been a part of some of modern cinema’s greatest action flicks and comedies.
His career began back in the 1990s, taking minor roles in TV, where he appeared in the sitcoms Seinfeld and Friends, all whilst starring in some of the industry’s most creative low-budget dramas, including the 1996 film Swingers. Middling Hollywood roles followed after, including the 2003 superhero flick Daredevil, the Christmas favourite Elf and the loveable 2004 rom-com Wimbledon.
But, it was in 2008 that Favreau would change his own life and the industry on the whole, releasing Iron Man, the first major film in the MCU. Sticking Robert Downey Jr in the starring role, a choice that would resurrect the Hollywood actor’s career, Iron Man became a phenomenal success and was filled with the same vibrant creativity that would make the MCU such a significant success.
Also starring in the film was Gwyneth Paltrow, with Favreau sitting down with the actor shortly before the release of Iron Man 2 in 2010 to talk about his favourite movies of all time.
The first film on his top five list is the Mark Osborne and John Stevenson Dreamworks animation Kung Fu Panda. “My seven-year-old son said Iron Man was his second favorite film last year. This one was his first,” the director stated about the movie, with the first instalment sparking a beloved franchise that was followed by two sequels and a third to come.
The classic action film Seven Samurai is the second movie to take a spot on Favreau’s list. Helmed by the iconic Akira Kurosawa, Seven Samurai is considered a seminal drama among countless filmmakers, with Favreau stating: “Kurosawa’s masterpiece. A real study in storytelling and cinematography. Remade into The Magnificent Seven and later Roger Corman’s The Last Starfighter. Three hours and you never check your watch”.
Moving away from conventional narrative filmmaking, Favreau’s third pick is the documentary Visions of Light by directors Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy and Stuart Samuels. Speaking about the 1992 film, the filmmaker added, “A wonderful overview of the history of cinematography with a who’s who of interviews and great clips in context. Perhaps my favorite documentary. I watch it every few years”.
The final film to make his list is the Michael Crichton sci-fi Westworld, adapted from the book of the same name written by the filmmaker. “Great concept. Great violence. Yul Brenner created the paradigm for Jason and the Terminator,” he said regarding the movie that would later be turned into an award-winning HBO TV series starring Jeffrey Wright, Ed Harris and Anthony Hopkins.
Though Favreau doesn’t stop there, even adding in his favourite TV show for good measure, it might not be the one you’d expect. His pick is the reality cooking show Top Chef, with the Iron Man filmmaker stating: “I downloaded the whole series, and the L.A.-to-Europe flight was over before I knew it”.
Jon Favreau’s five favourite movies:
- Kung Fu Panda (Mark Osborne, John Stevenson, 2008)
- Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)
- Top Chef (Paul Starkman, 2006 -)
- Visions of Light (Arnold Glassman, Todd McCarthy, Stuart Samuels, 1992)
- Westworld (Michael Crichton, 1973)
