Tag: Lists

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #80

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, Tommy Boy1 Comment

#80: Tommy Boy (1995)

Tommy Boy
Director: Peter Segal
Starring: Chris Farley, David Spade and Rob Lowe
Plot: “An incompetent, immature, and dimwitted heir to an auto parts factory must save the business to keep it out of the hands of his new, con-artist relatives and big business.”
Stock: Up
Previous Ranking: NR

“Brothers don’t shake hands. Brothers gotta hug.”

After completing the first edition of this list in 2011 I felt pretty good. I was especially satisfied with my top ten, felt my favorite actors/directors were validated and didn’t think I forgot a single movie.

Two out of three ain’t bad.

Tommy Boy was – at least to this point – the only film I forgot to include the first time around. There really isn’t any explanation other than it simply got lost in the shuffle. I even went back to review my notes from four years ago to see if I had wrote it down at all, but I couldn’t find a single trace of it.

While Tommy Boy may have been forgotten it has found its home now.

Chris Farley shows why he was the funniest guy on SNL in the 90s, and on the short-list of funniest SNL cast-member of all-time with his leading-man performance. He dominates every single scene with his sheer physicality, his relentless fearlessness and his unparalleled sense of humor.

Despite his shortcomings, David Spade is the perfect compliment to Farley. They play off each other beautifully and with the fluidity of a seasoned comedic duo.

While Tommy Boy was a long ways off from a blockbuster hit at the movie theaters, it has developed into a cult hit due to Farley’s tragic death and the multitude of re-runs on TBS. Unfortunately that happens too often in life, we don’t recognize greatness until it has passed.

Fun Fact: On the list showing the exam grades of the students at the beginning of the movie, look at the bottom. One of the names is Helen Keller, who scored an F.

Fun Fact #2: Rob Lowe played the supporting role of Tommy’s stepbrother and is uncredited. The reason for this is because Rob was contractually obligated to Stephen King’s The Stand (1994) at the time, so he took the part simply as a favor for friend Chris Farley.

Hint for #79: Film based on the poem “The Odyssey.”

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #81

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, Saw1 Comment

#81: Saw I (2004)

Saw
Director: James Wan
Starring: Cary Elwes, Leigh Whannell and Danny Glover
Plot: “Would you kill to live? When a madman tries to teach how much life is worth, two men find themselves in a room with no idea how they got there or why they’re there.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #40

“Live or die, make your choice.”

Typical “horror” films usually result in me laughing. I never seem to get too scared or frightened by scary movies. It’s one of the reasons why you haven’t seen too many “scary” flicks on my list.

Saw I is not a typical horror film by any stretch of the imagination. It’s not predictable at all and actually puts the viewer on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

I’ve actually seen this movie in the theatre twice mainly because the ending comes completely out of nowhere and I wanted to watch it again. I was utterly shocked at the finale, didn’t see it coming at all, and had me leaving the theatre with a huge smile on my face.

Another compelling element of Saw are the complex traps that “Jigsaw” sets up. It forces you to put yourself in the traps and ask how you would escape. It’s not a movie for the faint of heart.

Saw continued to pump out movies once a year for the next seven and I viewed the first couple before finally giving up on the series. I was tired of trying to keep up with the plot lines which were getting more and more confusing as the series went on. But the first one was simple and so great it lands a spot here.

UPDATE

Saw is a psychological thriller powerhouse of a film. The sequels went further away from that aspect and relied on grossing the audience out. But the original – while gruesome in certain aspects – is set apart with its simple, yet deep story-line. Throw in an outstanding ending, and you get a great way to spend 90 minutes.

Fun Fact: The entire movie was filmed in 18 days.

Hint for #80: Sandusky, Ohio is the setting for this comedy.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #82

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, The Wrestler1 Comment

#82: The Wrestler (2008)

The Wrestler
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Starring: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood
Academy Awards: Nominated twice. Mickey Rourke for Best Actor and Marisa Tomei for Best Supporting Actress.
Plot: “A faded professional wrestler must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle.”
Stock: Down
Previous Ranking: #58

“The only place I get hurt is out there. The world don’t give a shit about me.”

Sometimes a movie can be decently written and tell an okay story yet still be a great film because of the acting. The Wrestler fits that description. It centers around Mickey Rourke who gives one of the best acting performances of my lifetime.

It comes off as a documentary because of how good Mickey portrays Randy “The Ram” Robinson. I had never heard of Rourke prior to The Wrestler but it’s been labeled as a “comeback” for Mickey. Make no mistake, after watching The Wrestler, Rourke became one of my favorite actors and had me very excited for his Iron Man debut the following summer. He was that good as Randy.

Besides Rourke’s spectacular job, the ending of this film is perfect, there’s just no other way to describe it. Randy is dealing with several issues, both mental and physical, and the ending magnificently chronicles all of his decisions with one single shot.

Was I rooting for Rourke to win the Academy Award he was up for?? You better believe it. Was I bitter when Sean Penn won for Milk?? None whatsoever. That’s a great aspect of the Oscars, sometimes it’s just as important that you get nominated as it is that you win.

UPDATE

Yes, Rourke is excellent, but the rest of the movie isn’t outstanding in any particular way. The cinematography is well done, but the script leaves a lot to be desired. Because of the poor writing, it drops The Wrestler a couple of spots and will make it interesting to see if Rourke can continue to carry this film to a top-100 spot moving forward.

Fun Fact: The film reportedly moved wrestler Roddy Piper so much, he broke down and cried after a screening.

Hint for #81: The actor who got sucked up by a tornado in #83 loses a foot in #81.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #83

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Lists, Movies, Twister1 Comment

#83: Twister (1996)

Twister
Director: Jan de Bont
Starring: Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton and Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Academy Awards: Nominated twice. Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.
Plot: “Bill and Jo Harding, advanced storm chasers on the brink of divorce, must join together to create an advanced weather alert system by putting themselves in the cross-hairs of extremely violent tornadoes.”
Stock: Up
Previous Ranking: #97

“You’ve never seen it miss this house, and miss that house, and come after you!”

Epic movies in the 1920s look different from epic movies in the 2000s. Technology plays an important role in how those titanic-like films are made. But make no mistake, epic movies – no matter what generation – are still just that … epic.

Twister was an epic 1990s movie. It had drama, suspense, and earth-shattering images that at the time were unprecedented. It made you feel as if you were right there with the tremendous tornadoes bearing down on towns, destroying everything in their way.

I thoroughly enjoyed putting this list together for various reasons. A small reason why was because I liked thinking back to when I first saw a particular film and who I watched it with. Sometimes who you are watching it with creates a shared experience that makes a film more memorable than if you were just watching it by yourself.

I first watched Twister during a sleepover with my two best friends. Not gonna lie, I was a little frightened when I first saw those massive tornadoes. But it made for a memorable experience, one that certainly help it crack this list.

UPDATE

What people tend to forget in Twister is how good the supporting cast was. Besides Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton, this film had a strong ensemble. Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Cary Elwes, Jami Gertz, Alan Ruck and Jeremy Davies help round out a terrific group of actors.

Twister is definitely a film on the rise in this list. It was a last second add back in 2011 and since then is steadily moving up. Wouldn’t be surprised at all to see it in the top-sixty four years from now.

Fun Fact: A recording of a camel’s moan was slowed down and used as the sound of the tornado.

Hint for #82: Scott Hall saw this film, probably at least twice.

Peace Be The Journey.

Luke’s Favorite Films Take Two: #84

On By Luke FlorenceIn Favorite Films, Field of Dreams, Lists, Movies1 Comment

#84: Field of Dreams (1989)

Field of Dreams
Director: Phil Alden Robinson
Starring: Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones and Ray Liotta
Academy Awards: Nominated three times. Best Picture, Best Writing and Best Music.
Plot: “An Iowa corn farmer, hearing voices, interprets them as a command to build a baseball diamond in his fields; he does, and the Chicago White Sox come.”
Stock: Holding
Previous Ranking: #29

“If you build it, he will come.”

When my brother and I were growing up I would often hide and try to whisper that line to him in an attempt to scare him and entertain myself. My success rate mirrored the Cleveland Browns winning percentage of the last decade.

Field of Dreams is full of memorable scenes and memorable moments. Between Kevin Costner playing catch with his dad, to Ray Liotta standing out in the middle of the dark baseball field, to the line of cars making their way to Costner’s farm. The imagery, the music, and the acting all combine to make this an all-time great movie.

Field of Dreams is one of those special films that evolves with age. It can mean different things to the viewer depending on when they are watching it. For a young boy it’s a story about baseball. For others it’s a story about remembering their father. And for some it’s a story about life after death. And the best part is that they are all right. It completely encapsulates all of those ideas.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen Field of Dreams and that’s a shame. It should be one of those movies I watch every year during Spring Training. Or at the very least whenever I am lacking inspiration. The tag-line to this movie is dead on. “If you believe the impossible, the incredible can come true.”

Words to live by.

UPDATE

Preferences and tastes change all the time. Field of Dreams is a great example of this. Back in 2011 I had it ranked inside the top thirty. Now, just four years later it is outside the top eighty. And you know what, four years from now it could be back in the top thirty.

It speaks to not only the constant flux in preferences but to also how dynamic this film is.

Fun Fact: Tom Hanks was originally offered the role of Ray Kinsella but turned it down.

Hint for #83: Sharknado would have been a love-child between Jaws and this film.

Peace Be The Journey.