6. The Purple Rose of Cairo
Over the years Woody Allen has directed over sixty films, and I would argue that this late eighties gem is one of his five best. Purple Rose stars Mia Farrow as Cecilia, a struggling waitress during the Depression. One night after losing her job, Cecilia goes to the movies to see Tom Baxter, the heartthrob of the time played by Jeff Daniels. The film takes a turn towards magic realism as Baxter steps off the screen and into the real world. Allen's romantic look at a time of great emotional strife is a beautiful and intimate film. Daniels and Farrow have wonderful chemistry as the leads, and Allen's writing is in top form here.