Ten Favorite River Phoenix Movies

(River Phoenix left behind a small filmography—only fourteen movies—but he was talented enough that I was able to produce a top-ten list without feeling the well had run dry. I’d say that numbers one through five, in particular, hold their own against any actor’s five best performances from that same time span. I’ve arranged the list in order of preference.)

 

  1. Running on Empty (directed by Sidney Lumet, 1988)

  2. Stand by Me (directed by Rob Reiner, 1986)

  3. My Own Private Idaho (directed by Gus Van Sant, 1991)

  4. The Mosquito Coast (directed by Peter Weir, 1986)

  5. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (directed by Steven Spielberg, 1989)

  6. Dogfight (directed by Nancy Savoca, 1991)

  7. Sneakers (directed by Phil Alden Robinson, 1992)

  8. The Thing Called Love (directed by Peter Bogdanovich, 1993)

  9. A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (directed by William Richert, 1988)

  10. Explorers (directed by Joe Dante, 1985)

— May 1, 2021


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