These next five films were all in the running for the top-ten but ultimately just fell short. If I had to do it all over again (and I will) I still wouldn't put any of these in the prestigious final ten. But don't think for one second any of them would move down either. They are outstanding movies and ones that will be on my list forever.
Enjoy.
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate and Steve Carell
Plot: "Ron Burgundy is San Diego's top rated newsman in the male dominated broadcasting of the 1970's, but that's all about to change when a new female employee with ambition to burn arrives in his office."
Stock: Holding
"I love poetry. And a glass of Scotch. And, of course, my friend Baxter here."
Kevin, myself and some girls were hanging out at Jared Rosenberger's graduation party. After getting some food and socializing a bit we decided to leave and go watch a movie. We were planning on seeing Spider Man 2 but when we got to the theatre we had a change of heart and settled on Anchorman. It's one of the best decisions of my young life.
I've never had a better time in a movie theatre. I've never laughed so much and so loud either. Watching that movie with Kevin had me in serious pain. When Baxter was punted off the bridge I fell out of my seat. The girl I was "seeing" had a dog very similar to Baxter and since the punt came out of nowhere I lost all control.
Anchorman found the top-20 when I reached Athens and found all the guys at WOUB (Mark Bruce, Keith Cawley, etc) were quoting the movie as much as Kevin and I were. I can vividly remember Bruce asking the entire newsroom, "What did Ron say after bark twice if you're in Milwaukee?" Of course Hunt had the answer right away, "Is this Wilt Chamberlain?" Anchorman resonated with me and my group of college friends so much because we were all in that profession. That and we all had a similar sense of humor.
The quotability of this film is what makes it so special. There's never been a film where almost every line is one you can recite and laugh at later. It's without a doubt the best Will Ferrell movie and performance I've seen but what's scary is I don't think he's the funniest character in it. That would go to Steve Carell as Brick Tamland, the dimwitted weatherman.
Ron Burgundy is also my favorite Will Ferrell character. He's got a lot of Robert Goulet in him and just enough of that obnoxious stereotypical anchorman. Everything he says or does I find funny. Even just a picture of Rob Burgundy will cause me to smile.
As you can imagine, they had so many outtakes from the making of this film that they actually had enough to literally make another movie. Which they did.
Anchorman is one of those unique films that will have me laughing just as hard the 100th time watching it as the first. Well except for when Baxter gets punted, now that I know it's coming I don't almost throw-up from laughter.
Memorable Quotes
"You've got a dirty whorish mouth." - Ron Burgundy.
"Ribs. I had ribs for lunch, that's why I'm doing this." - Ron Burgundy.
"I wanna say something. I'm gonna put it out there; if you like it, you can take it, if you don't, send it right back. I want to be on you." - Ron Burgundy.
"It's so damn hot... milk was a bad choice." - Ron Burgundy.
"I have no idea where he would have gotten a hold of German pornography. But you and I are mature adults; we've both seen our share of pornographic materials. Oh, you never have? Of course you haven't, how stupid of me. Neither have I. I was just speaking in generalities. Right. I'll stop by the school a little later, Sister Margaret. Bye." - Ed Harken.
"Where'd you get your clothes... from the... toilet store?" - Brick Tamland.
Director: Gus Van Sant
Starring: Robin Williams, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck
Academy Awards (2): Won Best Supporting Actor (R. Williams) and Best Writing. Nominated seven more times (including Best Picture, Best Director/G.V.Sant, Best Actor/M. Damon, Best Supporting Actress/M.Driver, and Best Music).
Plot: "Will Hunting, a janitor at MIT, has a gift for mathematics but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life."
Stock: Down
"I had to see about a girl."
Barnes put this movie at #38 which was a nice surprise because I had no idea he had seen this one. As for me, well as you can clearly see I liked it a little more than my list-maker partner-in-crime. Barnes hints that this movie is inspiring and he couldn't be more right.
It's a little ridiculous to think that this was Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's first crack at writing a screenplay. They did a phenomenal job as evidenced by the Oscar they took home for Best Writing.
The plot line on IMDB couldn't be more underwhelming. Yes it is a story about Will Hunting, a genius janitor who needs direction, but the movie is so much more than that. It's about relationships. It's about friendship. It's about suffering. It's about life. It encompasses more themes and issues than probably any film on this list. It's one every English or Psychology class should watch. You can learn a lot from Good Will Hunting.
Robin Williams won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his portrayal of Will's psychologist/friend. I was rooting for him to win because Robin is a great actor who is much more than an over-the-top comedian. His depth and range are both on display in this movie.
Good Will Hunting has more memorable scenes than just about any movie on this list as well. Scenes such as "How Did You Know," "Idiosyncracies," "How Bout Them Apples?" "Suffering," and "By The Park" are ones that will have trouble escaping your memory.
What I take away from Good Will Hunting is that life gives you both advantages and disadvantages. It's how you are able to mold your advantages and learn from your disadvantages that will determine your life's wealth. Will Hunting was an incredible genius, but he was a troubled kid. He had no direction. He was probably too smart for his own good. But, with some help, he got a new lease on life. In the end, he just had to see about a girl.
Memorable Quotes
"Real loss is only possible when you love something more than you love yourself." - Sean.
"You're legally allowed to drink now, so we figured the best thing for you was a car." - Billy.
"You're not perfect, sport, and let me save you the suspense: this girl you've met, she's not perfect either. But the question is whether or not you're perfect for each other." - Sean.
"Fuck you, you don't owe it to yourself man, you owe it to me. Cuz tomorrow I'm gonna wake up and I'll be 50, and I'll still be doin' this shit. And that's all right. That's fine. I mean, you're sittin' on a winnin' lottery ticket. And you're too much of a pussy to cash it in, and that's bullshit. 'Cause I'd do fuckin' anything to have what you got. So would any of these fuckin' guys. It'd be an insult to us if you're still here in 20 years. Hangin' around here is a fuckin' waste of your time." - Chuckie.
Director: Todd Phillips
Starring: Zach Galifianakis, Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms
Plot: "A Las Vegas-set comedy centered around three groomsmen who lose their about-to-be-wed buddy during their drunken misadventures, then must retrace their steps in order to find him."
Stock: Holding
"Well tell that to Rain Man, he practically bankrupt a casino and he was a re-tard."
Before watching The Hangover I had a slight suspicion it was going to be a really funny film, but I wasn't 100% sure. Went to the theatre with Woody, Katie and Hunt where Woody came up with the genius plan of bringing a flask just in case the movie wasn't that good. Turns out it wasn't good ... it was terrific.
As this list unfolds you will find that this is the last straight-up comedy. Which means that currently, The Hangover is my all-time favorite funny film ... and I'm completely okay with that.
Zach Galifianakis (spelled correctly the first time without looking it up thank-you very much) has his break-out performance as Alan. I knew Zach was really funny before The Hangover as I was a fan of his comedy show on VH1 and I loved his stand-up the few times I'd seen him. But the rest of the world didn't know how hilarious Zach was as evidenced by the quick cancellation of said VH1 show and his obscure status in the comedy-world. How quickly all that changed.
The premise of this film is really simple. Four guys go out to Las Vegas for a bachelor party, but due to obsessive partying, they lose the groom-to-be and spend two days looking for him. In the process they retrace their steps from the previous drunken night and find they got themselves into a bunch of trouble.
But this movie isn't about the plot (although using Las Vegas as a setting certainly didn't hurt), it's about the moments created. What makes The Hangover unique is that it makes you laugh in different ways. Unlike Anchorman which was a quote-fest, The Hangover gets you to laugh with physical humor, awkward situations, and it's own fair share of quotes. If Old School and Swingers had a baby, it would be The Hangover.
This movie did so well in the box office that the producers decided to make a sequel. And while The Hangover 2 certainly made me laugh, it didn't have the staying power of the original ... which is usually the case with sequels.
I've re-watched this movie more than any other the past two years. It's a great drinking film as all you have to do is take a drink every time someone says a curse word.
Memorable Quotes
"So long, gay boys!" - Mr. Chow.
"Would you please put some pants on? I feel weird having to ask you twice." - Phil.
"I look like a nerdy hillbilly!" - Stu.
"Remember, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Except for herpes. That shit'll come back with you." - Sid.
"In the face! In the face!" - Officer.
Director: Roberto Benigni
Starring: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi and Giorgio Cantarini
Academy Awards (3): Won Best Actor (R. Benigni), Best Music and Best Foreign Film. Nominated four more times (including Best Picture, Best Director/R.Benigni, and Best Writing).
Plot: "A Jewish man has a wonderful romance with the help of his humour, but must use that same quality to protect his son in a Nazi death camp."
Stock: Up
"Buon giorno, Principessa!"
All credit to this film goes to Mr. Siguenza, our religion teacher my first two years of high school. He showed us this movie and while I figured it was going to a typical boring film, it turned out to be one of my all-time favorites.
While Life Is Beautiful was originally made in Italian, the dubbed English version doesn't detract at all from this movie. In fact, the first time I watched it I had no idea they had dubbed it at all. It was that close.
By now you should realize that I love movies that showcase outstanding acting and tell a great story (who doesn't?). Life Is Beautiful has both and using the words "outstanding" and "great" are probably an understatement.
If you thought Will Smith did a lot for his son in The Pursuit of Happyness then you haven't seen anything. Roberto Benigni (who deservedly won the Best Actor Oscar) gives absolutely everything for his son and for his wife. Even though his son is stuck in one of the worst situations possible, Roberto acts as a shield for his little boy. And even though his wife is also in an inhumane position, Roberto makes sure he lets her know how much he loves her.
I just got done saying that The Hangover was the last straight-up comedy on my list, but don't get that confused with me saying the last 12 films don't have any funny aspects at all. Despite using the Holocaust as the background, Life Is Beautiful is able to find plenty of humor, which just goes to show that life surely is beautiful.
Life Is Beautiful will make you cry, make you think and make you laugh ... Jimmy V would approve, and so do I. This is a must-watch.
Memorable Quotes
"You can lose all your points for any one of three things. One: If you cry. Two: If you ask to see your mother. Three: If you're hungry and ask for a snack! Forget it!" - Guido.
"How ridiculous. They were just teasing you! There are wood ovens, but there are no people ovens. Putting people in ovens creates too much smoke." - Guido.
"If you speak my name, I vanish. What am I? Silence." - Guido.
"You are such a good boy. You sleep now. Dream sweet dreams. Maybe we are both dreaming. Maybe this is all a dream, and in the morning, Mommy will wake us up with milk and cookies. Then, after we eat, I will make love to her two or three times. If I can." - Guido.
"This is my story. This is the sacrifice my father made. This was his gift to me." - Giosue.
"Nothing is more necessary than the unnecessary." - Eliseo
Director: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Maggie Gyllenhaal
Academy Awards (2): Won Best Supporting Actor (H. Ledger) and Best Sound Editing. Nominated six more times (including Best Cinematography and Best Makeup).
Plot: "Batman, Gordon and Harvey Dent are forced to deal with the chaos unleashed by a terrorist mastermind known only as the Joker, as he drives each of them to their limits."
Stock: Holding
"Why so serious?"
Two reasons and two reasons only ... Ledger and Nolan. Period.
If I were ranking my all-time favorite acting performances then Heath Ledger's portrayal of The Joker would be right up there at the top. He was phenomenal, exceptional, brilliant, and every other positive adjective you can come up with. It's the #1 reason The Dark Knight nearly cracked the top-ten.
Every scene Ledger is in, he steals. You forget there are other actors and actresses in the movie. All of your attention is directed on Ledger and posthumously or not, he was going to (and did) win the Best Supporting Actor award. It's a tragedy that Ledger passed away soon after this film was released because Christopher Nolan definitely had plans to use Ledger again in the upcoming "The Dark Knight Rises."
The second reason had to be the directing of Christopher Nolan. Whether or not the statistics compiled at the end of this list determine he's my favorite director, let the record clearly state ... he's my favorite director. He takes a cartoon movie and puts a real-spin on it. He makes it have depth and makes you forget there's a guy out there fighting crime in a bat suit.
The Dark Knight has some of the best action sequences I've ever seen. They are effective without being over-the-top. Nolan is able to use the action in this film to help tell the story ... something most action movies struggle with.
While Batman Begins was a good movie and The Dark Knight Rises will probably be the same, The Dark Knight stands alone. RIP Heath. You are gone, but never forgotten.
Memorable Quotes
"You crossed the line first, sir. You squeezed them, you hammered them to the point of desperation. And in their desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand." - Alfred.
"I believe whatever doesn't kill you simply makes you ... stranger." - The Joker.
"I took Gotham's white knight and I brought him down to our level. It wasn't hard. You see, madness, as you know, is like gravity. All it takes is a little push!" - The Joker.
"Do you want to know why I use a knife? Guns are too quick. You can't savor all the ... little emotions. In ... you see, in their last moments, people show you who they really are. So in a way, I know your friends better than you ever did. Would you like to know which of them were cowards?" - The Joker.
"You'll hunt me. You'll condemn me. Set the dogs on me. Because that's what needs to happen." - Batman.
"You have nothing, nothing to threaten me with. Nothing to do with all your strength." - The Joker.
"You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain." - Harvey Dent.
And that does it for this week. We are down to just ten movies. Barnes and I will unveil one movie a week for the next ten weeks as we finish up this ridiculous adventure. Hope you're having as much fun as we are.
Until next time, "read it, roll it, hole it."
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