Paris, Texas (4K Restoration)

Pioneer of the New German Cinema, Wim Wenders (Der Himmel Über Berlin) brought his keen eye for landscape to the American Southwest with Paris, Texas, a deeply moving character study penned by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Sam Shepard. Set to a now-iconic score by Ry Cooder, Paris, Texas follows mysterious loner Travis (a haunting turn by Harry Dean Stanton, whose face is a landscape in itself) as he attempts to reconnect with his young son, who lives with his brother (Dean Stockwell) in Los Angeles, and his missing wife (Nastassja Kinski). From this seemingly simple premise, Wenders and Shepard create a gripping look at unwritten codes of masculinity and the myth of the American family, as well as an exquisite visual exploration of a vast, crumbling world of canyons and neon (shot through the idiosyncratic lens of Dutch master cinematographer Robby Müller). Paris, Texas won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 1984 Cannes Film Festival exactly 40 years ago and is widely regarded as one of the greatest classics of contemporary cinema.