2. Amadeus

Director: Milos Foreman


Year: 1984

Actors: Tom Hulce, F. Murray Abraham

Plot: A biopic of the great Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart told by his envious peer, Antonio Salieri... Set in 1700s Vienna, the film depicts the rise and fall of Mozart in a very artistic and poetic manner...

Music: The classical works of Mozart... Relaxing, beautiful, and masterful compositions...

Why:

• Watched it many times as a kid; gained an appreciation for classical music, especially for Mozart
• Great historical story about the life of Mozart
• Artistic, Poetic, and Passionate visual of music
• Extravagant opera performances... incredible cinematography by Milos Foreman
• Beautiful setting of 1700s Vienna, the city of Music
• Great acting by Tom Hulce and F. Murray Abraham

Key Moment: Inside a mental-house with a priest by his side, Salieri begins to reminisce on the first time he heard Mozart's music, a piece called the Serenade for Winds... As the song plays he describes it with such passion and admiration... It is a masterful scene with a beautiful track, poetic words, precise editing, and an incredible performance by F. Murray Abraham.