7. Gorillas In The Mist (Dian & Digit)
Gorillas in the Mist is very much a Hollywood movie about animals. Having said that, it very much gives the audience an idea of how profound the experience of bonding with gorillas must be. Sigourney Weaver brings raw, unapologetic passion to the role of Dian Fossey, and her relationship with all of the gorilla characters is wonderful to watch. But it's her bond and reaction to the fate of one of her closest companions, Digit, that winds up carrying the ultimate torch of the film. This is a story where one character inspires a close companion not even of the same species, and it leads to very real-life, intertwined consequences. Looking into an animal's eyes is a lot different than writing one off in a news article about rainforests, and Dian interacts with the gorillas beautifully. There are moments that are constructed with perfect empathy, compassion, and simplicity. Moving images of an animal, or interactions with one, have a way of bringing what we take for granted to the forefront of our minds. Gorillas in the Mist forces us to consider, in moments wonderful and traumatic, the glimpses it offers into larger pictures.