I think this is my first Harrison Ford movie on this list, so let’s do a double feature! In my younger years, I used to put a lot of stock in both the Oscars and the AFI, and I would look at winners and nominees on their lists and watch them to see what all the fuss was about. I’m glad I had this experience because it means I got to watch a lot of good movies (as well as some head-scratchers) because of it. One such movie was The Fugitive. An action-thriller nominated for Best Picture? Tommy Lee Jones only Oscar-winning performance? Color me intrigued. I wasn’t old enough to have lived through the show the film is based on, so my entire degree of interest was based on the above specs and the fact that it starred Indiana Jones (Han Solo, for all you plebeians).

Dr. Richard Kimble is falsely accused and convicted of his wife’s murder, and is sentenced to death. Tough break. On his transport to Death Row, his fellow inmates on the bus initiate an escape, causing the bus to fall down a ravine and on train tracks. Kimble rescues the corrections officer just before a train plows through the bus. Deputy Marshal, Samuel Gerard, arrives on the scene and learns that Kimble lives. They hurriedly begin a manhunt for Kimble, but Kimble sneaks in and out of a hospital to treat his wounds and alters his appearance. He makes his way down a storm drain, but Gerard follows him down, losing his gun in the process. Kimble picks the gun up and points it at Gerard, leading to the most famous exchange in the movie:

Kimble: I didn’t kill my wife!

Gerard (with his hands in the air): I don’t care!

Instead of shooting Gerard, Kimble jumps out to the spillway below, escaping. Kimble returns to Chicago and, through some financial help from his friend, Dr. Charles Nichols, begins his hunt for the real killer. Having witnessed the killer escaping, Kimble is aware that he only has one arm, and so he begins at the hospital, looking into patients who needed a prosthetic arm. While at the hospital, he corrects a misdiagnosis, saving a patient’s life. Kimble follows his leads, eventually checking out the apartment of Frederick Sykes – a former cop who now runs security for a pharmaceutical company that’s pushing a new drug called Provasic. Kimble had previously investigated Provasic, discovering that it caused liver damage…which would prevent it from getting FDA approved. He also finds evidence, proving Sykes as the killer, and that his friend, Dr. Nichols, switched the bad samples with good ones to get Provasic FDA approved and ordered Sykes to kill Kimble. It was merely circumstance that he killed the wrong Kimble. Now, Dr. Kimble must find a way to take down Nichols and Sykes while being pursued by Gerard.

Bonus Review: Witness

It’s another Harrison Ford thriller that I discovered through its recognition at the Oscars. Witness is a fantastic look at the clash between cultures. The majority of the film takes place in an Amish community and with a plethora of Amish characters, and much time is spent analyzing and admiring the Amish way of life. It’s a very informative film because of it, as well as a crime drama and romance. The performances are very visually focused with some scenes containing no dialogue at all but still saying so much, so while it still has its thrilling moments – especially the climax – the film is surprisingly quiet and subdued.

Rachel and her son, Samuel Lapp, temporarily leave their Amish community and travel to visit Rachel’s sister after her husband and Samuel’s father passes away. Their train stops in Philadelphia, and while they’re waiting for a connector, Samuel goes to the restroom and witnesses a murder. Sergeant John Book interviews the child and asks him to look at a lineup of suspects, but Samuel does not see the killer among them. While at the station, Samuel points out a newspaper clipping of officer James McFee and quietly confirms he’s the killer. McFee works in Narcotics and Book deduces that he stole police evidence to distribute to drug dealers. He goes to Chief of Police, Paul Schaeffer, who tells Book to keep it quiet until they figure out what to do. Book is shot by McFee in a parking garage soon after, confirming Schaeffer’s involvement and corruption. Book takes Rachel and Samuel home and decides to stay with them until his partner can destroy the Lapps’ files at the precinct and can get more info for him. Later, Book calls his partner and finds out he is dead. Schaeffer and McFee, as well as another cop, Ferguson, locate Book and go to the Amish community where he is hiding. Because of the Amish way, Book is unarmed and must sneak around and take out the corrupt cops one by one in order to survive and protect Rachel and Samuel.