Taylor Sheridanis among the most respected and admirable writers and directors in Hollywood. The modern-day maestro of the Western genre, he has established himself as an excellent storyteller by weaving tales that captivate audiences and critics alike. From his gritty crime drama,Hell or High Water, to the high-octane thriller,Wind River,Sheridan has delivered hits one after the other.
But it is his work in television, particularly the belovedYellowstoneseries and its spin-offs, that renewed his status in the entertainment industry as a force to be reckoned with. Sheridan’s love affair with the Western genre is no secret. He’s channeled his passion for unforgiving landscapes and complex characters into his body of work. And he’s won accolades for the same. So it is no surprise that his opinions on the best movies of all time carry a certain weight. When asked about his favorite movies byRotten Tomatoes, Taylor Sheridan dropped the names of the following six.
6’In the Heat of the Night' (1967)
In the Heat of the Night
On a humid night in Mississippi, Virgil Tibbs, an African-American detective visiting town from Philadelphia finds himself mistakenly arrested for the murder of a wealthy industrialist. Once his identity is revealed, he is reluctantly enlisted by the prejudiced local police officer, Gillespie, to help solve the case. But during the investigation, Tibbs only faces racial hostility and resistance, which leads him to unravel crimes that extend beyond the town’s power dynamics.
A Collision of Racial Tensions and Seeking Justice
Starting with a shocking murder, each step toward the truth inIn the Heat of the Nightchallenges societal norms, and soon, the case becomes less about murder and more about serving justice in an unjust world. Few films have the ability to balance the tension and sincerity demanded by the subject. Stirred by electric performances from Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, the film thrives on the clash between its protagonists, whose mutual disdain softens just enough for real progress and respect for one another.
For Taylor Sheridan, it is Norman Jewison’s cinematic direction and overall storytelling, which does not shy away from real-world issues, that’s simply flawless. About the film, he says:
“I thinkIn The Heat Of The Nightwas one of the most influential films on me. Looking back now, I can see how influential it was on my screenwriting, because here you have what looks to be a crime procedural, and it’s actually a study in race and loneliness, and a perception of an era. So, I think that, that was one of the most influential films.”
5’The Godfather' (1972)
The Godfather
Who doesn’t love Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece,The Godfather? Be it a filmmaker, writer, movie enthusiast, or a casual viewer, the movie has etched itself in our collective subconscious. It takes place in the shadows of post-war America,where the Corleone family has complete controlover the underworld of power and vengeance. When an assassination attempt shakes the Italian-American family’s foundation, Michael Corleone, a reluctant heir and outsider, is forced to take over, and soon, he’s navigating a treacherous landscape of betrayal, alliances, and calculated violence.
Sets the Benchmark for Storytelling
Coppola’s direction, coupled with the ensemble’s unforgettable performances, creates something that isn’t just a gangster film or a saga of the rise of a crime lord, but a Shakespearean tale of how power corrupts an individual. An exploration of one’s destiny and how it is shaped by the choices they make. Marlon Brando’s iconic portrayal of Don Vito Corleone and Al Pacino’s nuanced transformation, laced with perfect dialogue and a score that still reverberates, make it one of the greatest movies ever. In Sheridan’s words,
“The Godfather is such an interesting film in that it does a lot of things to establish character in place in a way that’s so economical. You don’t realize that you’re being given information; you don’t realize that you’re learning. It was one of the best-directed films of all time.”
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4’Kramer vs. Kramer' (1979)
Kramer vs. Kramer
One of the earliest, most widely acclaimed movies to address America’s rising divorce rates, this legal drama follows Ted Kramer, a career-driven man whose world turns upside down when his wife, Joanna, unexpectedly leaves him and Ted is left to raise their young son, Billy, on his own. At first, he is overwhelmed by fatherhood, but he gradually forms a loving bond with Billy and begins to understand the meaning of responsibility. Just when he’s found some balance in life, Joanna returns seeking custody of their child.
Redefines Family Dramas with its Profound Depth
Kramer vs. Kramerunfolds as a legal war between Ted and Joanna tests their limits and forces them to confront the devastating reality of choices. Deftly written and directed by Robert Benton, the movie is both intimate and expansive as it focuses on the everyday moments in family life that end up carrying monumental emotional weight in hindsight. The narrative captures parenthood and personal growth with honesty, and that is exactly what resonates with Taylor Sheridan, who eloquently states,
“Kramer vs. Krameris one of my favorite films, where you have a story that really juxtaposes a lot of ideas that we have about family, and about parenting. Again, an incredibly simple plot that allows for really rich exploration of character, and one of the best screenplays I’ve ever read.”
3’Platoon' (1986)
Directed by Oliver Stone and loosely based on his own experiences as a soldier,Platoonis set during the height of the Vietnam War. It follows a young recruit named Chris Taylor, who is not only thrust into the brutal reality of combat but also torn between his Platoon Sergeant and his Squad Leader, both of whom have opposing philosophies. One is a ruthless warrior and the other is a morally grounded soldier. As the platoon trudges through the war, they witness horrors and are stripped of their innocence.
Vietnam War’s Unfiltered Truth
The Vietnam War was a daunting conflict, and it has captivated the minds of filmmakers for decades, resulting insome of the most complex and visceral depictionsin movies. Stone’sPlatoonis no different in portraying the unflinching realities of a war that was as much about survival and strategy as it was about the erosion of humanity itself. Charlie Sheen plays Taylor, a character whose descent into the moral chaos of Vietnam mirrors the collective trauma of an entire generation. The cinematography adds to the tension, with mud-soaked trenches and bullet-ridden landscapes making every scene more authentic. Sheridan, who was 15 or 16 when he first watchedPlatoon, was “riveted” by it.
“When I sat down, I had no idea what I was about to see. Again, it was a deconstruction of the war film, the antithesis of John Wayne’sThe Green Berets.”
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2’Unforgiven' (1992)
Unforgiven
Clint Eastwood’sUnforgivensees the actor-director play William Munny, once a ruthless outlaw, who now lives a quiet life as a widowed pig farmer. He’s left his violent past behind, but when a young gunslinger, The Schofield Kid, seeks his help to claim bounty on the two men who assaulted a sex worker, Munny is reluctantly pulled back into the very life he swore to stay away from. With his old friend Ned Logan, he rides in the town of Big Whiskey and faces the brutal sheriff, Little Bill Daggett.
Deconstructs the Old West Storytelling
Unforgivenstrips the traditional Western down to its raw bones. There is violence and heroics, themes of vengeance and redemption surface, but for the most part, the movie focuses on the grim realities of consequence. Eastwood’s direction reshapes the genre with a narrative that raises many questions. Each character, from Munny to Ned to Little Bill, is crucial to the film’s confrontations. Sheridan, a self-proclaimed devotee of the Western genre, hails Unforgiven as his favorite. To quote him directly,
“What about it, is simply the way that Clint Eastwood demystified and destroyed our notion of a Western. I mean, demolished the genre; he turned it upside down. It was marvelous acting, and at times, his use of monologue and dialogue — that doesn’t ever take place in Westerns. He just took a baseball bat to the genre, and it was just incredibly profound to me.”
1’The Insider' (1999)
The Insider
The Insideris Michael Mann’s Best Picture nominee from the year 1999, and it is no surprise that Taylor Sheridan is a fan of the director’s work. The story revolves around Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, a respected scientist who decides to expose the truth about a powerful tobacco corporation and how it manipulates the addictive properties of cigarettes. His decision to become a whistleblower puts him in direct conflict with corporate giants, leading to severe threats and personal ruin. Investigative journalist Lowell Bergman fights to bring his story to light.
Riveting Thriller With Real Stakes
Man takes Marie Brenner’s 1996 Vanity Fair article and turns it into a pulse-pounding tale like no other; a gripping examination of the personal and professional sacrifices one makes tostand up for their beliefs and convictions. The movie builds tension at a decided pace but never sensationalizes the subject. Russell Crowe delivers one of his finest performances as Wigand, while Al Pacino’s relentless drive for justice as Bergman keeps the narrative sharp. Sheridan observes the movie from a filmmaker’s perspective, saying,
“To study it from a filmmaker’s standpoint, he does things in there, breaking rules, and usually if you’re going to employ a method of camera operation, you’re going to employ that throughout. But there’s one scene where he brings in a Steadicam, and he does shots with that thing that are just incredible. And you don’t even recognize that’s what you’re watching! When it’s usually one of the most telling methods of operating a camera, and one I don’t personally like.”
