Your Top Ten Films... EVER. - Page 17

Like a lot of these lists, all the picks below in no particular order and are subject to daily change. Except the first one.

Black Belt Jones - obviously this is a pretty lousy film by pretty much any aesthetic criteria you care to apply, and yet it somehow manages to be one of the most consistently entertaining movies I've ever seen. Also, Gloria Hendry.

8 1/2 - I grew up with a film archivist, so I saw this projected on a bedsheet in 35mm when I was 12 or so, and it changed everything. Pure cinema.

The Miracle of Morgan's Creek - the funniest thing I've ever seen. Is Eddie Bracken an unrecognized genius? Discuss...

To Live and Die in L.A. - Petersen and Dafoe face off with Friedkin pulling the complex strings. Add a kick-ass score, beautiful cinematography and another brilliant car chase from the man who gave us The French Connection.

Touch of Evil - Orson in a fat suit, Mercedes McCambridge as a lesbian junkie biker, Marlene Deitrich as a broken down old madam and Charlton Heston as a Mexican cop. There's a lot more on offer here, but if that first sentence doesn't get your attention I'd like to direct your attention to the Adam Sandler thread...

Conan the Barbarian - how could any movie about chopping off peoples' heads, stealing jewels from giant snakes and sleeping with lots of whores not gonna have a lot going for it? Add the fact that it was written by John Milius and Oliver Stone and we have a one-of-a-kind classic.

Pat Garret and Billy the Kid - the restored version is the only way to go. This is a big, lumbering mess of camp-cooked western goodness, and distills Peckinpah's concerns down to a few well-chosen shots. There's a beautiful score by Bob Dylan, great leading performances from Coburn and Kristofferson and the best (and first) use of "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" in all of film.

Singin' in the Rain - one of the first movies I ever saw, the sheer joy and wonder of Gene Kelly persists to this day. And I stillv have yet to see legs to match those of Cyd Charisse.

The Haunting - a ghost story where the ghost remains off-screen, this is still the scariest movie I've ever seen. Dogs bark, statues move and doors bulge, and beneath it all pulses the wild river of frustrated female sexuality.

Vanishing Point - a chase movie written by Albert Camus. Examining the wreckage of the hippie era and the inevitable spiritual damage of the death of the revolution, there is nothing like this true oddity. Cleavon Little owns as Super Soul, and the sudden ending is a slap in the face.

My list

10 - Gremlins - Childhood fave that just never grew old for me.  If they ever try to remake it and CGI-it-up I'll die a little inside.

9 - Planes, Trains and Automobiles - Classic comedy starring two of my faves with a sucker punch ending that guts you every time.

8 - Children of Men - Pure awesome.  The one-take tracking shot near the end is possibly my favorite sequence in any movie I've yet seen.  The aging and decaying human civilization in this movie is one of the only movie apocalypses I totally and completely bought into.  Such an epic.

7 - Jaws - "Shooooow me the way to go home *bum bum bah* I'm tiiiiired and I wanna go to bed".

6 - A Simple Plan - Sam Raimis' best movie in my opinion.  Actually prefer this over 'Fargo' in the pantheon of 'schemes coming unravelled' flicks.

5 - Fellowship of the Ring - The best of the trilogy, and still incredible to this day.

4 - The Monster Squad - My number one "I know this is trash, but its such great trash" movie. "My name *cocks shotgun* is Horace".

3 - The Sandlot - Such great imagination and my all-time favorite 'kids on a mission' movie.  Its ghostly Babe Ruth who puts this one over the top for me.  "Remember kid, there are heroes and there are legends.  Heroes get remembered, but legends never die". Oh and Michael "Squints" Polidouris kissing Wendy Peffercorn.  He kissed her long, and he kissed her good.

2 - One Week - Road movie starring Joshua Jackson as he bikes across Canada trying to outrun having to face cancer.  So warm and uplifting, and the best travelogue of the great country I live in.  Not sure if it got a release in the States beyond video, but worth seeking out. 

1 - Field of Dreams - Stuffed with great moments and quotes.  Endlessly rewatchable, and the go-for-broke heartwarming finale. 

Always so hard to narrow it down. Hmm... In no particular order:

Out of Sight - I'm a Clooney apologist, but this is damn fine work. Soderbergh got rid of that head bob and everything came together here. The cast is great. The music is great. And of course, there's the trunk scene. One of the most criminally underrated films of all time.

Ocean's Eleven (2001) - While I'm on the Clooney/Soderbergh pairing, I might as well mention this one. It's not a perfect film, but to me it's a perfect movie--just a great blend of popcorn fun and Soderbergh's indie sensibilities. I even dig the second one.

The Empire Strikes Back - When I was a kid, I never liked this one. I was a Jedi fan. But I think when I hit about, I don't know 15 maybe, I started to appreciate this for what it is--simply one of the darkest, best films I've ever seen.

No Country for Old Men - The Coen's are hit or miss for me. I love some of their work, not a fan of a lot of it. But this one was just perfect. There's not a wasted moment.

The Sting - Newman is probably my favorite actor of all time. He gave better performance for sure (The Verdict, Nobody's Fool, The Hustler, etc.), but this one is just so damn fun. 

The Two Towers - I love them all. And if I were to pick which one I thought was the best, I'd have to go with Fellowship. I tend to gravitate towards darker material, and Towers has that in spades. The scale, while not as big a RotK, is enormous. And it just did such an amazing job of raising the stakes. Plus, Viggo owns this.

Road to Perdition - Another dark one. Love Newman in this. Love Hanks against type. And I love the relationship between Michael Sr. and Michael Jr. Definitely and overlooked gem from 2002.

Superbad - I'm not a huge comedy fan. But this one is incredibly re-watchable. And I laugh my ass off every time. Every time I see Jonah Hill offering to buy liquor and awkwardly suggesting that his back/cock need some scratching... Great stuff.

The Third Man - This is the one that really got me interested in the art of film making. The cinematography is still some of the best I've ever seen. I've only seen it a handful of times, unlike the others on this list, but it's just film making excellence.

Unforgiven - I always forget how good this is until I watch it again. One of the best endings I've ever seen in any film. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by wd40 

D'ya like movies Mike Honcho?

Love 'em. As my wife says, I've got a problem.

In 09, it was this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arjen Rudd 


1. Goodfellas
2. The Big Lebowski
3. The Silence of the Lambs
4. Raiders of the Lost Ark
5. Die Hard
6. Henry V
7. Jaws
8. Ghostbusters
9. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
10. LA Story

Today:

1. The Shining - the scariest horror movie ever, and also the funniest. How's that work?

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark - It's burnished a bit by the excellence of the trilogy as a whole. 

3. L.A. Story - If I could pick a movie to live inside, it would be this one.

4. The Man Who Would Be King - the most underseen great film ever.

5. JFK - the single film that changed the way I think about films most. Wonky politics aside, it's a master class in the art of cinema. 

6. Goodfellas - same goes here. The most purely entertaining film ever made

7. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - It's really bizarre how completely this has become a comfort food movie. 

8. Henry V - the amount achieved in this movie is stunning, considering the budget and Branagh's age (28!). 

9. The Lord of the Rings - I count it as one movie, because I never watch just one of them. I usually watch all three in a day, generally once a year. It has to be planned out in advance and everything.

10. Starship Troopers - I truly believe this is satire on the level of Dr. Strangelove. Not just of wars and nation-building, but of propaganda films, war films, scifi films, and summer action films. 

The movies that dropped out, I don't love any less. They're just a bit overplayed for me right now. I'll come back to them, but I've gorged in the recent past. This list is fluid. Count them all as runners up, along with Inglourious Bastards, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, Shaun of the Dead, and the Name of the Rose.

Quote:

Originally Posted by majorgates 

 I'm a Clooney apologist

I wasn't aware Clooney had to apologized for. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bailey 

 

That would be a fun conversation:

Ed - GEORGE CLOONEY SUCKS!

Larry - What? Oceans Eleven and 13 were fun! 

Ed - HE WAS IN BATMAN & ROBIN!

Larry - He directed Confessions of  Dangerous Mind AND Good Night and Good Luck

Ed - uh, HE WAS IN BATMAN & ROBIN

Larry - He was nominated for an Oscar for his excellent work in Michael Clayton, Up in the Air, and The Descendants

Ed - He was in Batman & Robin? 

Larry - HE WORKED HIS ASS OFF TO STOP GENOCIDE IN DARFUR

Ed - Dude, now you're just being an asshole. Clooney sucks. 

Whoa.  That wasn't really the point.  (I just wanted to post that gif.)  But almost every big time actor has a few films to apologize for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chavez 

 

 

That would be a fun conversation:

 

Ed - GEORGE CLOONEY SUCKS!

 

Larry - What? Oceans Eleven and 13 were fun! 

 

Ed - HE WAS IN BATMAN & ROBIN!

 

Larry - He directed Confessions of  Dangerous Mind AND Good Night and Good Luck

 

Ed - uh, HE WAS IN BATMAN & ROBIN

 

Larry - He was nominated for an Oscar for his excellent work in Michael Clayton, Up in the Air, and The Descendants

 

Ed - He was in Batman & Robin? 

 

Larry - HE WORKED HIS ASS OFF TO STOP GENOCIDE IN DARFUR

 

Ed - Dude, now you're just being an asshole. Clooney sucks. 

Don't forget that he won the Oscar for Syriana.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

Don't forget that he won the Oscar for Syriana.

FUCK YOU, HE WAS IN BATMAN & ROBIN

My top ten in no particular order:

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial

Psycho

Boogie Nights

Back To The Future

La Dolce Vida

There Will Be Blood

Robocop

Goodfellas

The Right Stuff

Pulp Fiction

I can tell you all, that this thread has exponentially increased my "must-see" list.  It makes me hang my head in shame at how predictable mine is :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chavez 

 

 

FUCK YOU, HE WAS IN BATMAN & ROBIN

Why can't Clooney just freaking die already then? One less terrible actor on the planet! That'd teach him for being the lead in a bad Batman movie!

Quote:

Originally Posted by wd40 

I can tell you all, that this thread has exponentially increased my "must-see" list.  It makes me hang my head in shame at how predictable mine is :)

Eh, I suppose a list with Casablanca, Lawrence of Arabia, Seven Samuria, Pulp Fiction and The Godfather (not sure what your actual list is, but for argument's sake) would be "predictable" - it would also be a list with some really fucking awesome movies on it. 

My soul is heartened by the love for The Right Stuff I'm seeing here. Did this movie get revived somewhere or is it one of those "shit, forgot about that one!" that get put into your list after you see someone else mention it? 

You definitely can't argue with the source material (Tom Wolfe), the director (Philip Kaufman), or the cast (where to start? - Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Fred Ward, Dennis Quaid, Pamela Reed, Sam Shepard, Scott Wilson...)....my only mild complaint is that it at times comes across as a "John Glenn for President!" promotional film, whereas Wolfe's book had a more wry, semi-satiric bent to it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Renzella 

 

3 - The Sandlot - Such great imagination and my all-time favorite 'kids on a mission' movie.  Its ghostly Babe Ruth who puts this one over the top for me.  "Remember kid, there are heroes and there are legends.  Heroes get remembered, but legends never die". Oh and Michael "Squints" Polidouris kissing Wendy Peffercorn.  He kissed her long, and he kissed her good.

 

Damn right he did, they ended up married! Good on you, Squints! 

I always felt that this movie EASILY could have fit into the world of "A Christmas Story" - at times it seems to be overly self-conscious about mimicking Jean Shepherd's tone. Which is not a bad thing - ACS does a note-perfect job of catching that sense of almost-out-of-childhood - the kids are cute, but they're also have a streak of little bastard in them.  The Sandlot probably comes closest to conjuring up that perfect blend of naivete/bastardry. 

That's my favourite movie about a group of kids too. It doesn't have the popularity or status in pop culture of "Stand By Me", or "The Goonies", which I also like, but personally I like it even more than those. Admittedly, I'm biased. Of the three, it's the only one that came out when I was old enough to have fond childhood memories of seeing it.

Also, I love baseball, so there's another thing that puts it above others for me. I had a roommate in college who once got impatient with me and started yelling "You're killing me, Smalls!" and I was so happy. I wish this movie had more fame in pop culture so people quoting it like that would be more common.

Another great line was Squints'(?) reading of "FORRRRRRRRRREEEEVVVVVER!". I love the thing with Wendy too. She yells, "Little pervert!" after the kiss, but smiles when he's ogling her later on. And yeah, the narration about how they ended up was marvelous.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

Why can't Clooney just freaking die already then? One less terrible actor on the planet! That'd teach him for being the lead in a bad Batman movie!

FUCK YOUR "GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK" AND "O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU" AND "OUT OF SIGHT" BULLSHIT, BATMAN MOVIES ARE THE ONLY MOVIES THAT ACTUALLY MATTER!!!!!

Ick. That felt awful to even say jokingly.

Back on point: looking over my prior two attempts at lists here I also neglected to even so much as mention a MAJOR one for me: Jacob's Ladder. Fuck. I may need to go over this again...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaquio 
I may need to go over this again...

Yeah, I posted mine last week and immediately remembered 15-20 other movies I wanted to add.

Maybe does it help to approach the list as a desert island kind of cliche?  If you could only bring ten movies to watch forever, would it be fair to say they are also your favorites?  I bet my list would change if I approached it that way...

Quote:

Originally Posted by wd40 

Maybe does it help to approach the list as a desert island kind of cliche?  If you could only bring ten movies to watch forever, would it be fair to say they are also your favorites?  I bet my list would change if I approached it that way...

Pretty neat desert island that lets you hook up a TV and DVD player.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Naisu Baddi 

That's my favourite movie about a group of kids too. It doesn't have the popularity or status in pop culture of "Stand By Me", or "The Goonies", which I also like, but personally I like it even more than those. Admittedly, I'm biased. Of the three, it's the only one that came out when I was old enough to have fond childhood memories of seeing it.

 

Also, I love baseball, so there's another thing that puts it above others for me. I had a roommate in college who once got impatient with me and started yelling "You're killing me, Smalls!" and I was so happy. I wish this movie had more fame in pop culture so people quoting it like that would be more common.

 

Another great line was Squints'(?) reading of "FORRRRRRRRRREEEEVVVVVER!". I love the thing with Wendy too. She yells, "Little pervert!" after the kiss, but smiles when he's ogling her later on. And yeah, the narration about how they ended up was marvelous.

I've seen t-shirts that say "You're KILLING me, Smalls!"; it might be a little more prevalent in pop culture than you might think. 

As far as the Wendy thing....I didn't think he was ogling her after his stunt at the pool, I think he was looking back like "man, she's REALLY mad!"; and the best way I can relate Wendy's reaction is that, as a parent, sometimes your kids do something that is absolutely hilarious, but it's also something they shouldn't do, so you have to choke back the amusement and punish them. I think Wendy was REALLY mad at first, but geniunely liked Squints too, so after she cooled down her reaction was a bit of a loving "you damn kid."

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

Pretty neat desert island that lets you hook up a TV and DVD player.

The island I plan on being deserted on was once inhabited by a group of hippies known as Dharma. 

I am also going to track down The Sandlot.  I think it's just outside of my childhood, so my memories of it are pretty indifferent. Is it one of those "you had to be there" kind of movies?  It's pretty hard to get an adult to enjoy a trip down nostalgia lane if they are just then seeing it for the first time.  I am reminded of Monster Squad.  I eagerly bought it when it finally hit DVD, and proceeded to show three people that hadn't seen it.  None of them liked it in the slightest.  Granted, I loved it as a kid and it didn't remotely hold up for me, so I don't blame them. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by wd40 

Quote:

 

The island I plan on being deserted on was once inhabited by a group of hippies known as Dharma. 

 

I am also going to track down The Sandlot.  I think it's just outside of my childhood, so my memories of it are pretty indifferent. Is it one of those "you had to be there" kind of movies?  It's pretty hard to get an adult to enjoy a trip down nostalgia lane if they are just then seeing it for the first time.  I am reminded of Monster Squad.  I eagerly bought it when it finally hit DVD, and proceeded to show three people that hadn't seen it.  None of them liked it in the slightest.  Granted, I loved it as a kid and it didn't remotely hold up for me, so I don't blame them. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts....The Sandlot was released in 1993, at which point I was well on my college career of drunken debauchery/worthless degree, and I pretty much feel about the same now as I did back then - trying a little too hard to be a summertime version of A Christmas Story but definitely a fun, well-crafted movie that is balls-deep in charm. 

Bottom line is if you watch it and HATE it, you have no soul. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

Pretty neat desert island that lets you hook up a TV and DVD player.

Hand-cranked radio with USB charger output.

My wife says that frequently, which means that I now it say it frequently...I have yet to watch The Sandlot.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Savage 

Right, now I've find the right thread...



10. Hot Fuzz: Perhaps it's because I'm not such a big Zombie nut but I prefer this film to Shaun. I also suspect a lot of it has to do with the fact that it's set in Gloucestershire and filmed in Wells making it the only "local" film I can think of.

9. Lost in Translation: this was the film that truly opened my eyes to what cinema was truly capable of and I love it to this day,

8. The Empire Strikes Back: the best of the Star Wars films, need I say more.

7.Commado: What can I say, for me it's the perfect 80's action flick. Sure I know there are better ones but I can't help loving it.

6. The Incredibles: Over time I have come to the decision that this is the best Superhero movie ever made, Pixar and Brad Bird bought their A game here.

5. Inception: I don't think this should come as any surprise and I'll go out on a limb and say it's one of the best movies ever made.

4. Jaws: The first of three Spielberg’s on this list. There is nothing to hate about this movie it's just damn perfect.

3. Jurassic Park: Ranking this above Jaws almost seems wrong but despite it's flaws this flick holds firm as a film I can watch and enjoy anytime.

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark the best adventure movie ever made.

1. Ghostbusters: I seriously doubt this will ever fall out of favor with me, It's been a part of my life since I was 8 years old.

So that was then, this is now....

10. Hot Fuzz

9. The Incredibles

8. The Goonies

7. X-Men First Class

6.  The Avengers

5. Jurrassic Park

4. Commando

3. Jaws

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark

1. Ghostbusters.

I think this one is a more honest reflection of me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nagboy92 

My Current Top 10 No particular order.

 

Boogie Nights-Been my number one for a while and I don't see it moving anytime soon. Simply a flawless masterpiece. I love all of Anderson's films but I don't think he'll ever top this.

 

Zodiac-I think this may be Fincher's best film. So rich.

 

Point Blank-Most stylish crime film ever.

 

Used Cars-One of the funniest movies ever made. Kurt Russell can do no wrong.

 

Local Hero-Such a heartfelt film, makes me want to live in Scotland.

 

Pulp Fiction-Can really add much more than what has already been said about this film.

 

After Hours-Has quickly became my favorite Scorsese.

 

Dazed and Confused-To quote Tarantino the ultimate "hangout" movie.

 

Heathers-The perfect dark comedy. 

 

Melvin and Howard-Probably Demme's best and the script by Bo Goldman is aces. 

 

Others considered:

 

Lord Love a Duck

 

Greenberg

 

Over The Edge

 

The Graduate

 

The Thing

 

Assault of Precinct 13

 

Dawn of the Dead

 

Cliffhanger

 

Mean Streets

 

Who's That Knocking at my Door

 

Heat

 

The Long Goodbye

 

The Long Good Friday

 

Caliber 9

 

Something Wild

After watching the American Graffiti blu-ray I picked up last week, It is now my number 1. Such a great movie, it had been a few years since I last saw it but damn what a perfect film.

Yeah, The Sandlot for me has that perfect combination of baseball and fantasy.  Nothing in the movie is overtly fantasy-based, but it just has this mythical quality to it that brings me back again and again.  I love baseball on an almost pathological level, but I'm not a stats guy.  I love the history of the game, and the great stories.  Ken Burns Baseball gets yearly spins at my house as well for this reason.  That's why stuff like Field of Dreams, The Sandlot and The Natural all have a fond place in my heart.  They are movies that are more interested in the mythology of the sport.  I wish there were more to add to this list, but it seems like this kind of movie isn't being made all that often anymore.
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Renzella 

Yeah, The Sandlot for me has that perfect combination of baseball and fantasy.  Nothing in the movie is overtly fantasy-based, but it just has this mythical quality to it that brings me back again and again.  I love baseball on an almost pathological level, but I'm not a stats guy.  I love the history of the game, and the great stories.  Ken Burns Baseball gets yearly spins at my house as well for this reason.  That's why stuff like Field of Dreams, The Sandlot and The Natural all have a fond place in my heart.  They are movies that are more interested in the mythology of the sport.  I wish there were more to add to this list, but it seems like this kind of movie isn't being made all that often anymore.
 

How about For Love of The Game? I've seen it a dozen of times but I'm always at the edge of my seat to see if Chapel gets his Perfect Game.

I love baseball movies so much more than actual baseball, mostly because it's so often invested with a mythic, cathartic power the actual game rarely if ever has. It becomes full blown supernatural half the time. And it's potent, and easy to tap into. Even Angels in the Outfield pulls it off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

How about For Love of The Game? I've seen it a dozen of times but I'm always at the edge of my seat to see if Chapel gets his Perfect Game.

Underrated movie....I think that FLotG basically plays as The Natural without the magic realism.

What the hell. Usual disclaimers about the list subject to change at author's discretion. Also: I have hopelessly middle of the road tastes. 

In no particular order:

1. Casablanca
2. The Last of the Mohicans
3. Ben-Hur
4. To Catch A Thief
5. Out of Sight
6. The Fountain
7. The Dark Knight
8. The Thing
9. Tombstone
10. The Adventures of Robin Hood

Honorable mentions: Jaws, Dan in Real Life, The Matrix Reloaded, The Fellowship of the Ring, Inglourious Basterds, It's A Wonderful Life

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelM 

Dan in Real Life

:raises eyebrow:

Actually, I don't really have any severe problem with it, I'd just  like to hear your reasoning on this (with the caveat that I wholeheartedly admit that "Top Ten" is a very nebulous criteria)....I liked the movie well enough, but I would never have imagined it popping up on someone's honorable mentions. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chavez 

 

Actually, I don't really have any severe problem with it, I'd just  like to hear your reasoning on this (with the caveat that I wholeheartedly admit that "Top Ten" is a very nebulous criteria)....I liked the movie well enough, but I would never have imagined it popping up on someone's honorable mentions. 

For me, it was the perfect combination of elements. A dad, in his late 30s or early 40s, with only daughters. Autumn setting. Impeccable casting*. Solid writing - good characterization, good laughs, other than the situation set up, everything else felt natural and unforced. I love the music, love the awkwardness in the story, and the tons of little moments in the film. I don't have a large, close family like that, so there's probably some wish fulfillment going on, but so what? I don't think it really breaks any new ground, but I think it takes an old formula and makes it feel fun to watch and be interested in the how as opposed to the what. (That old saying that it's not the kind of story you tell, but how you tell it that matters.)

Dunno. I get that it's too nice and easy for a lot of folks. I think if you're a single/divorced dad over the age of 30, it's going to really hit home though.

*Yeah, Dane Cook. He's the weak link. But I don't think his character is meant to be all that likable, and Cook's..um...limitations work for the role.

1. A Few Good Men - Jack Nicholson's speech at the end left me with a "gott-Damn" feeling. Amazing.

2. Ed Wood - Martin Landau's Bela Lugosi is the stuff of legend. "Karloff doesn't deserve to smell my shit!"

3. Superman - Superhero with a cape, John Williams, nuff said.

4. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan - perhaps the greates sci-fi movie ever.

5. Sleepers - Those kids went through alot, and got retribution at the end.

6. Wizard of Oz - A movie that gave me nightmares as a kid stands out as an acheivement in color and mood.

7. Purple Rain - Being a huge Prince fan I couldn't have a top 10 list without him in there somewhere.

8. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter - of the Friday movies, this one got it all right.

9. Scent of a Woman - Al Pacino is going to forever be one of Hollywood's greatest actors. This movie proves why.

10. Nosferatu - The effects, mood, and storytelling by the director make this an all time classic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelM 

 

For me, it was the perfect combination of elements. A dad, in his late 30s or early 40s, with only daughters. Autumn setting. Impeccable casting*. Solid writing - good characterization, good laughs, other than the situation set up, everything else felt natural and unforced. I love the music, love the awkwardness in the story, and the tons of little moments in the film. I don't have a large, close family like that, so there's probably some wish fulfillment going on, but so what? I don't think it really breaks any new ground, but I think it takes an old formula and makes it feel fun to watch and be interested in the how as opposed to the what. (That old saying that it's not the kind of story you tell, but how you tell it that matters.)

 

Dunno. I get that it's too nice and easy for a lot of folks. I think if you're a single/divorced dad over the age of 30, it's going to really hit home though.

 

 

 

 

*Yeah, Dane Cook. He's the weak link. But I don't think his character is meant to be all that likable, and Cook's..um...limitations work for the role.

I agree the cast was good. I really liked it, my main problem is that of the 3 principals (Carrell, Binoche(?), and Cook), Cook is actually the person who is behaving LEAST like a douche - I mean, really, as an adult, once you find out who the other person IS (brother's girlfriend/boyfriend's brother), don't you just kinda go "Yeeaaaahhhh we're gonna table this until a later date." 

That was really the hurdle for me, but as for the rest, totally want to be adopted by that family. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chavez 

I agree the cast was good. I really liked it, my main problem is that of the 3 principals (Carrell, Binoche(?), and Cook), Cook is actually the person who is behaving LEAST like a douche - I mean, really, as an adult, once you find out who the other person IS (brother's girlfriend/boyfriend's brother), don't you just kinda go "Yeeaaaahhhh we're gonna table this until a later date." 

 

 

That was really the hurdle for me, but as for the rest, totally want to be adopted by that family. 

Yeah, I can get that. As with most rom-coms, good or not, if you don't buy the premise, it usually all falls apart under any kind of distanced, objective examination.

And to use another (and truly great) rom-com's approach as a defense:

 love don't make things nice - it ruins everything. It breaks your heart. It makes things a mess. We aren't here to make things perfect. The snowflakes are perfect. The stars are perfect. Not us. Not us! We are here to ruin ourselves and to break our hearts and love the wrong people and *die*. The storybooks are *bullshit*. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelM 

 

For me, it was the perfect combination of elements. A dad, in his late 30s or early 40s, with only daughters. Autumn setting. Impeccable casting*. Solid writing - good characterization, good laughs, other than the situation set up, everything else felt natural and unforced. I love the music, love the awkwardness in the story, and the tons of little moments in the film. I don't have a large, close family like that, so there's probably some wish fulfillment going on, but so what? I don't think it really breaks any new ground, but I think it takes an old formula and makes it feel fun to watch and be interested in the how as opposed to the what. (That old saying that it's not the kind of story you tell, but how you tell it that matters.)

 

Dunno. I get that it's too nice and easy for a lot of folks. I think if you're a single/divorced dad over the age of 30, it's going to really hit home though.

 

 

 

 

*Yeah, Dane Cook. He's the weak link. But I don't think his character is meant to be all that likable, and Cook's..um...limitations work for the role.

For me, Dan In Real Life and the other Carell starrer Crazy, Stupid Love felt like the John Hughes movie for adults, She's Having A Baby. Not great. not bad, just cute and inoffensive and kind of just there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cameron Hughes 

For me, Dan In Real Life and the other Carell starrer Crazy, Stupid Love felt like the John Hughes movie for adults, She's Having A Baby. Not great. not bad, just cute and inoffensive and kind of just there.

Obviously, a huge draw for me in those two Carrell flicks is that, in both films, he plays a guy pretty much my age going through similar situations as myself, and does so keeping things funny without sacrificing the humanity of his character.

YMMV, and all that.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fat Elvis 

 

1. THE RIGHT STUFF

2. PULP FICTION

3. WHITE LIGHTNING

4. THE ROAD WARRIOR

5. THE BIG COUNTRY

6. BODY DOUBLE

7. THE DRIVER

8.THUNDERBOLT & LIGHT FOOT

9. THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR

10 FREEBIE & THE BEAN

1. THE ROAD WARRIOR

2. PULP FICTION

3. WHITE LIGHTNING

4. THE RIGHT STUFF

5. THE BIG COUNTRY

6. BODY DOUBLE

7. SOUTHERN COMFORT

8.THUNDERBOLT & LIGHT FOOT

9. BIG WEDNESDAY

10 FREEBIE & THE BEAN

11 RED RIVER

12 BLUE COLLAR

Yer goddamn RIGHT, Red River.

I could easily fill my Top 10 with just Hawks and Walter Hill.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nagboy92 

 

 

Current Top 10:

 

1.Boogie Nights

2.Jackie Brown

3.American Graffiti

4.Melvin and Howard

5.The Fog

6.Speed

7.Raising Cain

8.The Entity

9.Poltergeist

10.Fandango

1.Over the Edge

2013 Edition!

10. Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

9. The Wizard of Oz

8. The Adventures of Robin Hood

7. The Truman Show

6. Ed Wood

5. The Living Daylights

4. The Terminator

3. Superman

2. Gremlins

1. Halloween (1978)

Especially fond of Superman and Robin Hood these days. Also, the end of Star Trek VI (a fond farewell complete with signatures scrawled across the stars) makes me smile like few films can.

Return of the Living Dead

Creepshow

Gremlins

Carnival of Souls

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Terminator 2

Blood Feast

Corpse Grinders

Goodbye Uncle Tom

Water Power

Great call on Addio Zio Tom. Essential viewing for everyone on the planet.