100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 70 ~ The Fugitive

To every armchair movie critic out there (myself included) who says:

"They need to stop remaking old television shows into movies...."

I give you: The Fugitive.

The exception that proves the rule.

Because for every 100 that suck, one comes along that makes you giddy and say, "Now THAT was a movie!"

And so it was with this one.

Andrew Davis, you remember him from Under Siege, decided to come back with a bigger budget and bring Tommy Lee Jones along to chew the scenery again.  This time, he plays a U.S. Marshal who is in hot pursuit of an escaped fugitive, Dr. Richard Kimble.  And if you can read that last sentence without hearing Tommy Lee Jones intone "escaped fugitive, Dr. Richard Kimble" then you are a better man than I am.

Technically, Marshal Gerard is the bad guy of the movie...

And yet...

It's hard to dislike the guy.  I mean, seriously, he's just doing his job.  As he says in the movie when Kimble professes his innocence... "I don't care."

But he will, don't worry.  And that is why the audience has a hard time rooting against him, while naturally rooting for the man we all know is innocent.

This tour de force of a role also earned Tommy Lee Jones an Oscar, as he stole the movie right out from under the hands of Harrison Ford.

So yes, onto Harrison Ford.  Andrew Davis had to give up something from Under Siege, so he traded in Seagal for Ford.  Good trade.  This is one of those roles where Ford excels best in:

He gets to act, while at the center of spectacular stunt pieces.

No offense to the guy, I love me some Harrison Ford... but the roles where he is a talking head... or just not involved in the action are often the snoozers in his career.  Call it typecasting, I don't care, I call them like I see them.

Yeah, this was a great movie, and while the sequel wasn't nearly as good, it was an admirable effort to bank on the likability of Tommy Lee Jones.  He just needed a Kimble that was directly in proportion to his screen presence.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 71 ~ Blazing Saddles

Mel Brooks finally lands on the list, with one of his two best movies.  Blazing Saddles, the send-up of Hollywood westerns.  If you've never seen the movie, you owe it to yourself to watch it.

You'd do it for Randolph Scott!

And then, that joke would make sense.

Plus a million others.  Mel Brooks and company were firing on all cylinders with this production.  The gags are fast and furious, and if you've only seen the edited version, you've never seen the movie.

The first time I saw it, was naturally on television.  Trust me, censoring this movie doesn't do it justice.  How else can a scene of enjoying dinner around the campfire make no sense without that added sound of what's taking place?

It just doesn't work!

Of course, there is that other thing.

You know, like Gabby Johnson announcing the arrival of the new Sheriff in town.

"The Sheriff is a N..<BELL GONG!>"

Yep, the N word flies fast and furious in the movie, but when viewed in context, ala Huck Finn, it works, and works correctly as a barometer for race relations and how far they've come...and how far they still have to go.

Cleavon Little carries the movie on his shoulders.  It would be hard to imagine anyone else handling the role.  I've heard they considered Richard Pryor for the role, but his style and delivery seem much harsher than what Little provided.

With a town full of Johnsons, a dippy Governor, Mongo and of course Heddy "That's Hedley" LaMarr, the cast if filled with irreverent screwballs.

It's a great film, and a shame that Brooks later parodies, while amusing, did not carry the laugh-out-loud moments of Blazing Saddles.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 72 ~ Stripes

If memory serves correctly, this was the first "R" rated movie I ever saw.  And no, I didn't sneak in, or catch it on cable.  Honest to goodness attended at a theatre with my parents in tow.  Not sure why we went, but I do remember seeing this one on the big screen.

It was awesome.

Pretty darn funny movie, for a 10 year old.  It got funnier as I got older and could appreciate more of the jokes.

It also helped cement my love for Bill Murray, and possibly began the string of seeing the Saturday Night Live performers up on the silver screen.

This was either the first, or second Ivan Reitman film I saw.  Great director who has been on the countdown already, and isn't finished just yet.  If this wasn't the first, then that honor belongs to Meatballs.  Murray and Reitman normally equals cinematic gold.

For those that haven't seen it, it's the story of a schlub who decides to join the Army.  He takes his best friend with him, and naturally gets put in basic training with a squad of all rejects.  Amazing how that happens.  The movie unfolds in two parts, the basic training, and then the top secret mission that these bumbling simpletons get picked for!

Among the supporting cast on this film are the always amazing John Candy as Ox, and Harold Ramis as Murray's best friend.  Ramis probably deserves more than his fair share of credit to how good this movie is, as he had a hand in drafting the screenplay.  Considering the other movies that he has worked on as a writer or director, the man has more hits than misses, and more credits than people probably realize.

Of course the movie undeniably belongs to Bill Murray.  With the lead in Meatballs behind him, and a memorable part in Caddyshack, this appears to be the movie that cemented the fact that Murray could headline a movie as the star.

His biggest hit would come when he reteamed with Reitman and Ramis, but that is a tale for another day on the countdown.

That's the fact, Jack!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 73 ~ The Replacements

At first I was afraid...

I was petrified.


So begins one of the many memorable sequences in today's installment, The Replacements.  Based on the strike season of the NFL, this picks a squad of replacements, or scabs, as they attempt to fulfill their dream to play in the NFL.

Naturally, these are the cast-offs, has-beens and never-was's of the sport who were given their one chance to shine.  And like the true story as it unfolded, nearly every single one of the players gave their all to live their one moment in the sun and show that they indeed had what it took to make it at the Big Dance.

Give credit to the Replacements...and the timing of the playoffs.  Had both not been as good, and as close, in the season, that strike could have lasted longer, and it's quite possible that the league would have just continued to use the replacement players for an extended period.

The fans just want to enjoy the game, and if the players are giving the effort, who cares if they were drafted # 1, or walked in on an open tryout?

Heading up the cast is Keanu Reeves.  He's got a bit of personality in the film, but is easily overshadowed by the band of crazies that surround him on the sidelines.  Some notable favorites of mine, Orlando Jones who steals the show whenever he's given the chance as a receive who can't catch.  Jon Favreau as a corrections officer who gets to showcase his natural crazy drive.  Plus, who can forget Rhys Ifans as Nigel "The Leg" Gruff.

"I'm wiry."  Yeah, that's him.

Then you fill the cheerleading staff with some local strippers, and you've got the makings of a playoff contender!  Presiding over the craziness, Gene Hackman as the Coach who manages to make something special from this rag-tag assemblage of players.

So enjoy the spot on the countdown!  The only NFL related movie to make the list, is easily the best of the bunch.

Sorry Jerry Maguire.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 74 ~ Desperado

Desperado.

Why don't you come to your senses?

Wait a second, wrong Desperado!

Welcome to today's installment, which brings the story of El Mariachi to the big screen in a remake/sequel to Robert Rodriguez' indie flick, El Mariachi.  This time, he gets a bigger budget and some bigger stars.

Except...

Really, at the time, at least in America (which is all that truly matters, right?) the biggest star in this film was probably Cheech Marin!

No, instead we are treated to that rare movie that gives you not one star-in-the-making, but two!

First, Antonio Banderas slides into the title role, and owns the picture.  He's got the presence and ability to carry the movie on his charisma alone.

Matching him note for note in looks and ability, Salma Hayek was offered up to audiences in her first feature film role.  A memorable scene involving a car crash underscored the beauty and talent that were unfolding on the screen for audiences.

Naturally, putting all this together and making it work, you have to give credit to Robert Rodriguez.  Able to craft a small story on a little budget, he was then offered a big budget ( a few million ) but made Desperado look like a 50 million dollar Hollywood blockbuster.  Check out the director's commentary track to see how he did it, it's a very good listen!

Otherwise, buckle up and enjoy the action adventure tale, and realize it's a very cool snapshot in cinema history as literally some cinematic stars were born right before our eyes.

After seeing Desperado, I was sold on all three talents.  While I haven't seen every movie that all of them have worked on since that point, I've seen a good majority.  Over 20 years later, Banderas and Hayek would smolder on the screen again with their chemistry.

The movie?

Puss in Boots.

Yep, the magic was still there, for a whole new generation of fans! : )

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 75 ~ Happy Gilmore

It was only a matter of time, really.

With the array of stars that have graced this countdown so far, you knew Adam Sandler had to make the list, right?

And here he is, in possibly his greatest role, ever.  Yes, it was hard to choose between the Holy Trinity of Sandler movies (Waterboy and Billy Madison making up the others) but ultimately, Happy Gilmore wins out.

Whenever I hear people say they don't find Sandler to be funny, or they hate his movies, I figure they've never seen Happy Gilmore, or they have no sense of humor whatsoever.  Either way, like politics and religion, I'm not here to change anyone's mind, just presenting my opinion and moving along.

So what makes Happy Gilmore so great in the annals of cinema history?

Could it be the fish out of water story of a hockey player who turns to golf?

That certainly helps. 

Personally, as I mentioned in a previous review, a hero is only as good as his villain.  And that's why Gilmore makes the cut over the other 2 titles.

Shooter McGavin!

How can you not love to hate that creep?  Christopher McDonald owns the role and played the perfect foil to Sandler.

However, if that wasn't enough, you have the throwdown between Sandler and Bob Barker, which is pure cinematic gold.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 76 ~ Grease

I've got chills.

They're multiplying.

Say it ain't so...

A musical?!?!

Of course a musical!!

That's right, apparently family members that grew up in the 50s broke into song and dance routines at the drop of a hat.  Genetics skipped a generation or two, because teenagers stopped doing that until the advent of High School Musical.

But yes, apparently the 50s were the place to be!

The acting was superb.  The story, so simple, and yet so fun.

Boy meets Aussie.  Falls in love.  Then the summer is over, and it's back to school where Danny (John Travolta) is the B.M.O.C.  Complications arise though when the summer fling transfers to his High School.  There's Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) but Danny has a reputation to uphold.

So he's basically a big dick whenever his friends are around.  But in those moments where it's just Danny and Sandy.. he's so sweet and charming, proof that the guy she fell for truly exists.

But without that conflict, you can have no story, and that would be bad for business.

There is plenty of drama to go around in the story, after all, it takes place in high school.  There's career choices to be made, pregnancy scares, racing for pinks...

The usual stuff that kids still do today.

Grease however will be remembered for the songs.  Almost every song is a belt out of the park.  I would say the lamest of the bunch is "Stranded at the Drive-In".

If your feet don't tap during the rest of the movie, there's something mechanically wired wrong on your part, and you might need to see a doctor about it.

The songs are straight-up fantastic, and whenever they play on the radio, much to the horror of my family...

Yeah, I crank it up.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 77 ~ Bruce Almighty

This movie deserves to make the list on the sole merit that Morgan Freeman as God is the kind of genius casting you get once in a lifetime.

Amazingly, the rest of the movie holds a candle to that casting coup as well.

Jim Carrey plays himself, as he always does: a manic nutjob.  In many  movies, this works, in others, it becomes tired cliche.  Thankfully, this is one where it works, and works extremely well within the confines of the script.

Bruce gets angry with God.  God offers Bruce a taste of being God for a week, to see how Bruce does.

Naturally, when given God's abilities, mayhem and revenge are at the top of the list of the many things man would do with it.  And Bruce does...

And then he realizes that there are strings attached.  Being God is no easy feat.

Plus, right in the middle of the comedy lies the secret of why religion works for some, and not for others:  Free Will.

If God forces you to love and accept Him, then what is the point of the relationship?

Bruce figures this out, the hard way, and has to make some tough decisions that will have important ramifications on his life when all is said and done.

Carrey's supporting cast is superb, and I would be remiss to not mention the hilarious, star-making turn for Steve Carell.  To this day, I cannot watch this movie without laughing hysterically as Evan Baxter butchers the news report.  While most will disagree with me, I also thought Evan Almighty was a worthy sequel to the franchise, and I enjoyed that one quite a bit as well.

And that's the way the cookie crumbles!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 78 ~ Under Siege

Ah, don't let that hat and smile fool you, Steven Seagal will kill you, 8 ways to Sunday.  Welcome to today's installment, Under Siege.

The premise:

It's Die Hard...on a boat!

I'm pretty sure that was the marketing pitch, and with the success of Die Hard, this, and countless other pretenders to the throne were launched.  In a twisted sense of Hollywood irony though, several of them were pretty good on their own right.

Under Siege falls in that category.

To say it is Seagal's best movie in his career (should I quote "career" on Seagal?) is a limb I'm willing to climb out on.  The fact that it's the Seagal movie where he has the least amount of screen time...

I chalk that up to coincidence!

Instead, we get a boatload of terrorists out to steal the warheads from the Navy.  Led by the scenery chewing antics of Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones, Seagal really did just pop in as required to save the day.

However, the formula worked perfectly.  Seagal played his part to perfection, but didn't overpower the movie with how awesome he is, which is what grinds most of his other movies to a halt.

That, and the fact they were really cheesy. : )

His other best film, Above the Law, was helmed by Andrew Davis, so perhaps he was onto something with how to harness the talents of Seagal to perfection?

Mr. Davis will be back on the countdown later, harnessing the power of another great performer, pushing him all the way to an Academy Award.

But that's for another day.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 79 ~ Major League

Should I begin today's look at the Top 100 with a confession that I don't even like baseball?  I can appreciate the sport.  Heck, I can appreciate just about any sport, I just choose not to watch most of them.  Baseball tops that list.  And no, golf and tennis are not sports, they are pastimes.

Perhaps if baseball was simply as entertaining as it seems to be in the movies, I would be more interested.

I do know, that baseball movies are vastly more entertaining than just about any game I've ever watched.

So moving on to today's movie, we start with one of baseball's best:  Major League.

The tale of the beleaguered Cleveland Indians, who are so bad, they're Cleveland.  Well, apparently they have been so bad for so long, that the newly appointed owner can get out of their lease and move the team to a bigger market if they continue to be a lousy team.

Soooo...

She works long and hard to ensure that she gets her way, and cuts costs, players and does whatever it takes to make the team as awful as possible.

But a funny thing happens on the way to the ballpark...

With an on-field lineup of Tom Berenger, Corbin Bernsen, Charlie Sheen, and Wesley Snipes among the starting lineup, it's one classic gag after another as the team goes from bad, to awful, to wait just a minute...they're winning!

Despite, and to spite, everything that the owner throws their way... the Indians start to mesh into a real team and begin to thwart the plans of their evil owner.

The sequels never quite recapture the charm and magic of the original, but they are all worth a spin.  You've definitely seen worse.

Especially if you've sat through any real baseball game.

Zing!!

: )

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 80 ~ Unaccompanied Minors

The Christmas movie.

It was only a matter of time before this genre showed up on the list.  This is the first.

It definitely won't be the last.

So let's see, this title made it's way to me a few years ago, as I was looking for Christmas movies we hadn't seen yet.  Gave it a whirl on Netflix, and naturally, since it's on the list...

We loved it.

It's the tale of a group of children, stranded at an airport run by Lewis Black.  These are all children that are flying alone for the holidays due to their less than ideal family situations.  Well, as luck would have it, a snowstorm hits and all the kids are trapped in the Unaccompanied Minors room.  Except for a few who decide to break out and be free.

They spend the rest of the movie, Home Alone style, running from the security guards and Lewis Black.  The kids are out to ensure that a good Christmas is had by the little sister who is worried that Santa won't find her.

Along the way, they may just provide a better Christmas to more than the little girl, and discover a few things about themselves along the way.

Very funny movie, and it will be played without fail sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas every year.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 81 ~ The Incredible Hulk

Hey, that's a pretty nice poster.  Very reminiscent of the classic Romita Spider-Man cover.

: )

Marvel Studios hits the list with their first entrant onto the Hot 100!  It won't be their last entry, I assure you.  So why this one?

Well for starters, it wasn't the version that was done by Ang Lee.  Aside from the inspired casting of Sam Elliot as General Ross, that movie blew, big time.

Yes, I'm still bitter.  I disliked it so much, I wanted a refund!  And this, by getting it for free by buying cookies and crackers from Nabisco.  That was the only upside, I assure you...

Instead, Marvel Studios stepped in, and relaunched the franchise, replacing Eric Bana with Edward Norton.  The movie was leaps and bounds better, and quickly put any memories of the first Hulk movie in the distant past.

More importantly, it proved that the monumental success of Iron Man was not a fluke on behalf of the newly christened Marvel Studios.

Of course, Norton's version of the Hulk has now been replaced by Mark Ruffalo.  However having seen the Avengers, I don't think anyone has any fears that he will be able to carry the next Hulk movie.  Plus, if they played their cards right, they just generated automatic fan interest in the further adventures of Marvel's Jade Giant.

Bring on the sequels!!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 82 ~ Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star

For those keeping up with the list so far, it should really come as no surprise that a movie starring David Spade has made the Top 100.

It may even be more shocking to find out, it's not the only time he'll hit the charts!

The question I had to ask myself, which David Spade entry makes the list here.  Would it be Dickie Roberts, or would it be Joe Dirt?

Yep, there was a David Spade debate over which movie would make the charts!!!  Film-lovers everywhere would have a melt-down.  Fighting over a David Spade movie, and yet Citizen Kane doesn't make the list? Sacrilege!!

Oops.

I should have put a spoiler. 

Yes, for those expecting to find Citizen Kane anywhere on the list, you will be disappointed.  Not only do I not own it, I've never seen it.  Not only that, but at this point in life, I really don't want to see it, as I find the over-inflated cinematic greats often come up short.

But I digress, we're talking about Dickie Roberts here.  It is the Citizen Kane of David Spade roles.  There, that's a nice segue.

So what you have is a tale of Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.  He grew up on tv and was in a smash television show.  It went off the air, and now Dickie is a has-been.  As we'll find out, it's not the money and fame he misses, as much as it being in the public eye and cared about.

Yep, it's one of those sweet morals buried under a mountain of slapstick.

Naturally, he has his eyes on making a comeback in a movie, but he doesn't have the life experience to play the part, so says director Rob Reiner.

Of course, not to be deterred, Dickie hires a family to give him a life experience.

Then, naturally, everyone is going to learn a little something from their encounter together.  The movie is really funny, really sweet, and I cannot hear the song "Ride Like the Wind" by Christopher Cross without thinking of this movie.

And that's a good thing.

I think in the end, what wins Dickie a place over Joe Dirt...


The inclusion of Jon Lovitz.  It's like a Hollywood formula.  To make a good movie better, add Jon Lovitz.

Don't believe me?

Try watching A League of Their Own and delete his part in the story.

zzzzZzzZZzzzzZZzz

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 83 ~ Mr. Holland's Opus

Behold...

The power of a teacher.

To sum up the importance of teachers in the lives of their students, you can look at a myriad of movies both fictional and based on true stories.

Mr. Holland's Opus is perhaps my favorite.

This would explain why it is on the list, and we are not discussing Lean on Me, or Stand and Deliver, or...well, you get the point.

Amusingly, Mr. Holland (Richard Dreyfuss) never wanted to be a teacher.  No, he had designs and dreams to be a composer!  However, there isn't much money to be had being a composer of music, until you are already rich and famous, so the poor guy has to do something to make ends meet.

Enter: High School Teacher.

And so begins his odyssey as reluctant teacher to generations of students.  He is good at what he does, and he makes a change in the lives of many of the kids that pass through his classroom over the decades.  As the movie singles out a few select stories, you see how Holland bonds with his students, and grows to be a great teacher, who never wanted to teach.

Of course, Mr. Holland has a wife and son, and we see their bond through the years, and the difficulties he has with his son who is deaf.

The movie is at turns hilarious, heartwarming, and heartbreaking.

And when it's time for Mr. Holland to call it a career...

Yeah, well it still gets me everytime.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 84 ~ Undercover Brother

You weren't expecting Eddie Griffin to have the most movies on the Top 100, were you?

Well, here he is, back already with another picture, this time as the movie's star!

With Undercover Brother, you have a tour de force of humor as Undercover Brother is recruited by the B.R.O.T.H.E.R.H.O.O.D. to take down... "The Man".  It seems that they will be putting mind control in the ingredients of fried chicken which will cause black people everywhere to become more...

White!

Sterotyping. Racist. Hilarious.  It is all of that, and more.  It will poke just as much fun as blacks/whites as they can in 90 minutes.  And the jokes hit way more often than they miss.  Neil Patrick Harris tags along as the token white guy, and as usual, steals the movie every chance he gets.

Weird, a white guy stealing from a black guy?? .. that seems so backwards.

: )

Come on folks, watch the movie and laugh a little.

Hopefully in this day and age, your skin can be any color, and you can appreciate how funny this movie truly is.

Of course, seeing the news, I know this is not true.  Which is why I avoid the news, and stick to movies.

I'm a sucker for happy endings.


And apparently, Eddie Griffin.

You mess with the 'fro, you got to go!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 85 ~ Ruthless People

Heh.

Ruthless People.

Where to begin on this one?

Let see, there is the dialogue, which is hilarious from top to bottom.  Infinitely quotable, albeit you have to make sure what you're quoting either gets changed slightly, or you better be in really good company.

I still use "it's so big and impressive" all the time.  It goes over the head of just about everyone I say it to, but the description usually fits, so I'm pleased.

"More!" Check.

"Give the bag to bozo."  Check.

I've never used the "wrong number" story... but it's tempting sometimes.  >: )

The story: Danny DeVito wants his wife, Bette Midler, dead.  Then he can inherit the rest of her fortune.  As luck would have it, Judge Reinhold and Helen Slater kidnap her.

Perfect!  All he has to do is not pay the ransom, and these Ruthless People will kill his wife for him.

Except...

Well, they aren't quite as ruthless as he had hoped.

Along the way, Midler gets into shape, using her captivity like a spa experience.  Then the kidnappers and their victim bond...

And then DeVito is going to pay...

Big Time!!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 86 ~ Shanghai Noon

Nothing like a good "Buddy Picture" to hit the 100 Best titles.  In fact, this will be one of many that make the list.

Bringing Jackie Chan to the list for the first time was no easy task.  The star of over a hundred films, it took him until 1995 with Rumble in the Bronx to make a name for himself in America.  With the success of Rush Hour in 1998, he was cemented as a bona fide Hollywood Star. 

So in 2000, he teamed with Owen Wilson for the hilarious fish out of water Western, Shanghai Noon.  Chan, a member of the Imperial Guard is on the hunt for a kidnapped Princess.  His adversary and ally, a charismatic Western outlaw in the form of Wilson.

As with all buddy films, they fight at first, then eventually realize that the complement each other perfectly before teaming up to solve the problem.

Set forth in the form in a Western gave the formula a nice twist, and a lot of fun was had along the way.

As for me, yep, I'm a huge fan of Jackie Chan.  The dude is amazing to watch on screen.  He's fun, but can kick butt with the best of them.

As for Owen Wilson, I realized when listening to the commentary for this film that I like when directors and writers make things funny for Wilson that he doesn't "get".  He didn't understand the humor of the movie when he was making it.  However he found his parts in Bottle Rocket or the Royal Tennenbaums to be hilarious.

As those are two of the hardest movies I've ever sat through, both easily making the 100 Worst Movies I've Ever Sat Through...or Turned Off! list, I realize that Owen Wilson isn't as funny as I think he is.

: )

The movie however is totally enjoyable.  The sequel, Shanghai Knights isn't as much fun, but by no means is it not worth watching.  Neither does it taint the legacy of the original (see # 100, Star Wars for how that can irritate me) film. 

And yes, I'd saddle up for a 3rd installment if the stars are willing.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 87 ~ In the Line of Fire

Time for Clint Eastwood's turn on the list.  As I mentioned before, he just missed making the list with Kelly's Heroes.  Also falling on the other side of 100 movies would have been the very fun (and a little sad) romp, Space Cowboys.

But here, Eastwood plays a Secret Service Agent who gets another crack at protecting the big guy.  Apparently he wasn't so successful back in the day, as Kennedy fell while on his watch.

Oops!

But now, he's older..maybe wiser...but definitely older.

However, not so old that Rene Russo doesn't fall for the guy. 

Naturally, the awesomeness of a thriller often is in direct proportion to how villainous the bad guy is.

Who better to chew scenery against Eastwood than John Malkovich, the deranged looney who is out to kill the President.

Will Eastwood save the day this time, or will a second President fall during his tenure?

You'll have to watch to find out, and it's a great chance to see Eastwood at the top of his game, a place he's been for a few decades now.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 88 ~ Ocean's Eleven

For starters, yes, it's the remake, not the Rat Pack "Classic".  Can that movie really be defined as "classic"?  I'm thinking classic = old, then yes.  Otherwise....not even close.

But, every good list needs at least one slick heist movie.  This list almost wound up with 4.  Just missing the cut were: Kelly's Heroes, The Thomas Crown Affair and The Italian Job.

Again, remakes for the last two.

And yes, I can hear you now saying, "but wait, any of those three are way better than anything Rob Schneider has ever done..." and I simply say:

You are entitled to your incorrect opinion.  Had it been 125 movies, they would have all made the cut.

However, desperate times call for desperate measures, and believe me, I'm already upset that I think this list is going 100 movies deep without a Jason Statham appearance, which is borderline criminal.

: (

But back to the heist...

It's slick and engaging.  You see it coming, and yet you don't see it coming, all at the same time.  Even upon repeat viewings, you can smile at how clever the movie was without being a "we're way too clever for the audience" which comes across as annoying.   Nope, this one strikes you more of "that was fun" experience.

Which in essence, is much of the basis of this entire list.

The cast is pitch-perfect with all of the leading men, and supporting actors.  You can dislike Clooney or Pitt to your hearts content, but this movie, they simply click in their roles.  In fact, the weakest link in the entire movie comes from the most experienced actor at the time of the movie:

Julia Roberts.

Now, I've never made it any secret that I find her anything less than a "Pretty Woman" but come on, the scene where she plods down the stairs and stomps across the floor when we first meet her?

HahahahahAhahaAHHahaha.

Outrageous.

She is supposed to be sleek and elegant, and I've seen more grace on a football field tackling a running back.  She looks stilted and awkward, and I just find it hard to believe that anyone would go for her to the extent that Ocean does.

Ah well, I continue to suspend my disbelief every time I see it. : )

Merits of the sequel... Oceans 12 was bogged down by a bloated casting decision that sucked the charm from the first.  They redeemed themselves with 13, though I don't own that one.   Perhaps someday?

Julia Roberts - 1
Jason Statham - 0

Somehow this list already feels wonky.

: )

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 89 ~ Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo

So, you see the title of today's movie, and think to yourself:

"Look, I think there's been a mistake.

Did you say steak?

No, mistake.

Oh see, now you got me all excited."

And I can't tell you the number of times that gag gets used by the wifey and me in conversation, but it's a lot.

And that's what Deuce Bigalow brings to the table.  Goofy, R-Rated fun.  And sometimes, you just need a movie that isn't suitable for the kids to veg out in front of.

And Deucey (with my Eddie Griffin accent) fits the bill to a "T".

To be quite honest, I was nervous when I watched Deuce for the very first time.  I have made it a habit in my movie watching career to be loyal (to a fault sometimes) of watching the graduates of Saturday Night Live as they embark on their silver screen careers.

I've enjoyed far more than I've hated, which is a good thing overall.  I want them to succeed.  Case in point: Adam Sandler.  Yes, he'll make this list.  Are all of his movies the best?  Nope.  He's had several clunkers.  But, for the most part, they were all worth the 90 minutes I spent being able to laugh while watching it.

So here comes one of Adam's close friends, Rob Schneider.  I find him to be hilarious.  In fact, The Hot Chick is another movie that came THIS close to making the list.  Yeah, the kids love that one.  And yes, we let the kids watch that one.

Don't judge me.

But back to Deuce...

So the movie begins to play, and I don't remember if mama was sewing, crafting or doing whatever... but she was in the room watching.  I was nervous...

Have I mentioned that she hates like EVERY movie I ever rent?  True story.

And then she laughed.  And laughed some more.

Yep, she LOVED it! 

The amusing thing is, whenever she's doing crafts and the kids are all in bed, or we're upstairs unwinding with a movie and she is going to craft up there, she enjoys having a movie on that we've seen so she doesn't have to watch, but instead gets some background noise.

Amusingly, EVERY time this movie is selected to play... over the next 90 minutes, she gets NOTHING done. So I now have that movie banned from playing during her craft time.

Of course, no plot summary or explanation can sway those that hate Schneider or his ilk.  That's not my job to try.  It's simply to tell you that you're all mistaken. : )

Such is the power of the gigolo!

Giga-who?

Deucey!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 90 ~ The American President

The American President rounds out my 3 favorite political movies.  Directed with the usual confidence and competence of a Rob Reiner film (his first on the list, and he has several others that missed the list by...that much...and one more coming way later) and written by the always gifted Aaron Sorkin.

The cast is impressive from top to bottom.  Michael Douglas gives a great performance as the sitting President who just happens to be a widower...and realizes THAT may have been the sympathy card that was played that got him into office in the first place.  Because when he begins to fall for a political activist, played by Annette Bening, his approval ratings tank and the staff goes into crisis mode.

Naturally, it's an election year, and Richard Dreyfuss will be the Republican who is chomping at the bit to replace the President.

It does offer up some food for thought when it comes to a President having a life outside of his job.  We've never had a President that didn't have a First Lady... so who can begrudge the President if he falls in love?  Of course, when the lady in question has a job that's political in nature...

Well, therein lies the problem, and the heart of the movie.

I of course would be remiss if I didn't mention the outstanding support that Martin Sheen gives as the President's right hand man.  I'm pretty sure that The West Wing was developed as a pseudo-sequel to this movie, and Sheen got his chance to shine as the President.

Tomorrow?

A radical departure as we shift from Presidents, to prostitutes!

Hmm.

Perhaps that's not as radical of a shift as I had first thought.

: )

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 91 ~ Dave

Another day, another foray into politics.

Dave has ambitions to be a politician.  Only he is one that cares about the people and doing right by them.  He also happens to look JUST LIKE THE PRESIDENT!

You can see where this fish out of water story is heading.

That's right, the President's health takes a turn for the worse, and the cabinet grabs the impersonator to buy a little time while they sort out what to do.

However, a funny thing happens...  Dave is actually a pretty good, if unpredictable, President.

This of course is not good for his handlers, who have to figure out a way to deal with the faux Pres.

Oh, and of course, along the way the First Lady meets her "husband" and wouldn't you know... she falls in love all over again.

It's an Ivan Reitman film through and through, which is a good thing.  In fact, it's the first of 3 Reitman films, so I'll go out on a limb and say it's his third best film. : )

The entire cast is extraordinary, but an enormous amount of the credit to this film has to go to Kevin Kline.  He carries the weight of the movie on his very talented shoulders, and shines at every turn.  It's my favorite role that he's ever starred in, and just a fun movie to watch every so often.

Plus, it's way better than anything you'll see from any party in office, ever.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 92 ~ My Fellow Americans

For those that have paid attention to anything I've written over the years, it's that I tend to avoid political discussions like the plague.  Much like religion, all it boils down to is one side trying to convince the other side that they are wrong.

So yeah, not a whole lot gets accomplished.

I've served under Democrats and Republicans, and I can say, without hesitation that they both suck.  Some more than others on issues, but really, the two party system is forever broken beyond repair.

Which leads me to a very funny movie about 2 ex-Presidents that have to learn to co-exist because their very lives depend on it.

When a scandal erupts in the White House, the current administration plans to pin it on the former Commander  in Chief. The problem is, he didn't do it.  And both of the former heads of state know this to be true.  Soon, people start turning up dead, as they become the targets of an assassination attempt.

And to echo a line from the movie... who tries to kill a former president anyway?

So they run for their lives and hilarity ensues.

The laughs generate mostly due to the actors involved.  Jack Lemmon plays the former Republican while James Garner fills in as the Democrat.  These are two of Hollywood's finest paired in their only co-starring film.  Reading Garner's autobiography, he dismisses the film because it could have been much better...

So I will heap the praise on the two stars for making something out of nothing.  They work great together, and show they truly have it in terms of comedic timing.

Tomorrow...more of the same.  Sorta.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 93 ~ The Chase

Before Charlie Sheen went crazy...

Maybe...

The Chase = Pure movie fun.

A wrongly convicted man tries to escape the law, and winds up kidnapping an heiress with a candy bar!  Sounds far-fetched...

You won't care!

Sheen and Kristy Swanson spend the majority of the movie bantering back and forth as they attempt to escape to Mexico.  In pursuit are some of California's finest...and not-so-finest lawmen and other mercenaries.

Along the way, he attempts to prove he's innocent (a plus) and the girl he's kidnapped begins to fall for him (major plus!).  All that remains by the end of the film is to find out if they'll make it, and if they can prove that he's innocent.

Released in 1994, the movie's epic car chase, filmed by helicopters along the way would play out in real life a few months later when O.J. Simpson attempted a similar stunt.  His chase however was much slower, and way less exciting.  Plus, he was really guilty.

The Chase... not guilty... or at least... one of my guilty pleasures to watch on DVD!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 94 ~ Sky High

Come on, remember?

I told you it should come as no surprise that there would be superhero movies on my list.

This one, however, could be considered a surprise, especially when you see the movies that don't make the final cut.

But, back to Sky High...

This movie was a lot of fun.  Where do superheroes go to school to learn how to be superheroes?  There's the premise right there.

The movie follows Will Stronghold, the son of Commander Stronghold and Jetstream (Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston) two of the best superheroes, ever.  Unfortunately, Will seems to be be unlucky enough to have ZERO superpowers to his name.

So where do the non, or lamely powered heroes go?  The school naturally is segregated into the heroes, and hero support, ie: Sidekicks.

So when Will finds himself on the outside looking in, all of his friends are sidekicks, and here he is, the best of the best because of his lineage about to disappoint his father...

And then trouble rolls in as Will gets his very own archenemy!

Yeah, you thought your first day of school was bad?!

It's a very cool coming of age story, set to the backdrop of superpowers.  I think it's one of the more underrated superhero movies ever made, but in this house, it rates much higher than most.

Congratulations Sky High, glad to have you onboard!

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 95 ~ Stranger Than Fiction

Okay, so the Johnny Knoxville and Dane Cook joke has been played back to back.  Really, it should not come as a surprise to find a Will Ferrell on a top 100 list.  It also shouldn't be too surprising to find him making the list more than once, but it will be awhile before we hit his next entry.

No, instead the argument could be which movies best represent the former Saturday Night Live funnyman who has amassed a nice array of Hollywood hits since striking out for the big screen.  Many of his films are cult classics, often quoted and laughed about to this day.

And then there is Stranger Than Fiction, a comedic drama...or dramatic comedy... or indescribable mash-up of genres from 2006.

For those that haven't seen the film, it centers on Harold Crick, a run-of-the-mill IRS auditor who wakes up one day to hearing voices in his head.  It turns out, he is the subject of a novel.  He is hearing the narrator.  Everything she says begins to come true for poor Harold.

So is he a work of fiction?  Or is he very much real, and in dire straits as the novelist prepares for his doom?

Ferrell does a tremendous job of playing the object of fate's affection.  Surrounded by a stellar cast including Dustin Hoffman, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Emma Thompson, the acting is first-rate across the board.

This could be considered that "Will Ferrell movie for people who hate Will Ferrell." as he isn't doing his crazy comedy schtick.  Similar to Everything Must Go, but just an overall better story.  And if you're a big fan of Ferrell and haven't seen it yet, give it a try, it might surprise you at the actor's versatility.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 96 ~ The Ringer

If you had said that a movie starring Johnny Knoxville...

Too soon?

Well here it is.

The premise:

To make some much-needed money, a man pretends to be handicapped so that he can participate in the Special Olympics, figuring he can win, bets can be collected, and everybody wins!

However, a funny thing happens on the way to the finish line....

"Jeffy" meets a girl, falls in love, and comes to realize that the Special Olympians that he is mocking are actually...

Pretty Darn Special.

The brilliance of the movie was hiring actual handicapped actors and athletes to basically...be themselves.  The charm, heart and warmth (and hilarity) shine through on the screen.  In fact, Knoxville often gets to play the straight man and  and wisely let's the Olympians steal the show.

Where the movie should seem crass and insensitive, and I'm sure there are people out there that were outraged over the whole premise of the movie, it wears a heart on its sleeve, so big, that you can't help but enjoy the spectacle of it all.

So congratulations to Mr. Knoxville.  While you didn't finish on the podium, unlike a lot of movies, at least you placed on the list.

100 Greatest Films of All Time...That I Own. # 97 ~ Employee of the Month

Dane Cook.  Jessica Simpson.  Dax Shepard.

If you had told me that those 3 would star in one of my favorite movies of all time, I would have told you that you need your head examined.

Okay, with the exception of Dax Shepard.  That dude is always hilarious.

Yet somehow... the perfect storm happened, and there you have a movie starring Dane Cook, who for me, is a "leave it" in the "Take it or leave it" category with his stand-up, and all of his other movies fall short in charm and humor.

But Employee of the Month is non-stop hilarity throughout.

And really, you can only root for the hero as much as you want to root against the villain.

And Dax pretty much steals the movie as the rival for everything Dane Cook hopes to attain.  With each comeuppance, you simply laugh that much harder.

I mean, price check on a Honda POS?

Hilarious.

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 98 ~ Batman Begins

Really...

What were the odds that a superhero movie wouldn't wind up on my list, right?

And here it is, the first.  It won't be the last, by any stretch...

But it WILL be the only entrant from DC.

Shocked? Amazed? Outraged?

What about "Superman: The Movie"? you say. 

Well... it's still a fun film to watch, but it seems rather stiff and dated.  Plus, I've always hated Margot Kidder as Lois Lane.  So sue me.  Besides, I much preferred the action of Superman II...which I do not own.  So with all respect to Richard Donner (see # 99), he didn't cut it.

This of course rebooted the Batman franchise, blown up and left for dead after Joel Schumacher got his hands on it.  Now, under the helm of Christopher Nolan and with the lead performed admirably by a grunting Christian Bale, the ship had been righted, and all was well with the comic universe on the big screen.  The weakest link in the movie was Katie Holmes character, and just like Tom Cruise, they dumped her when they got the chance.

The sequel of course was wonderful.  Heath Ledger killed (no pun intended) as the Joker, but with the franchise movies, the first will likely be the one that gets the nod to get on the list.  There are simply too many good movies for a list like this, that if sequels were all listed, a lot of stuff would be left off.

Of course when Avengers 2 comes out... this policy could be revisited.

: )

100 Greatest Movies of All Time...That I Own. # 99 ~ Ladyhawke

Where do you begin when describing Ladyhawke?  Let's see... it's a medieval love story about a man with a thing for a bird...

No wait, a lovely princess who loves a wolf.

No wait, it's about a couple that share a bond with a horse.

No wait...

At it's heart, it is indeed a tale set firmly in medieval times.  Set in the town of Aquila (cue the music) we are introduced to Ferris Bueller in prison.  Except he wouldn't be Ferris for another year...  A young Matthew Broderick will serve as the narrative device so that we can share the story of Captain Navarre, who has been chased from Aquila by the evil Bishop who lusted for Lady Isabeau, and cursed the lovers to be separated for all eternity!

So by day, Navarre rides the countryside with Isabeau at his side, in the form of a hawk.
At night, the curse switches, and Isabeau comes back, and Navarre turns into a very protective black wolf.

Sound far-fetched?  That's because you've never watched it.  Under the direction of Richard Donner, who will revisit this listing another time or two, the movie moves along at a glorious pace that keeps ratcheting up the tension as the fates of the lovers and Phillipe the thief are intertwined.  It was with Ladyhawke that a young me decided that Richard Donner must be one of my favorite directors of all time.  Superman, Superman II and yes... The Toy.  Hey, to a kid, that was funny.  Richard Donner was responsible for these cinematic gems. 

Years later, that fact still holds true.  The Toy...not so much.

It introduced me to Matthew Broderick, who was great in his role as Phillipe.  Again, he would impress the following year with Ferris Bueller, but his role as Phillipe will always remain a favorite.

Of course, a teenage boy can't help but notice Michelle Pfeiffer.  It was my first glance of this lovely actress, and she was picture perfect as the damsel in distress.

However, one cannot overlook the complete bad-ass-ness that is Rutger Hauer.  As Navarre, Captain of the Guard, he is simply one of the best screen heroes of any movie, ever made.  He owned the role with equal parts of bravado, charisma, charm, humor and pain.  Without a doubt, his best role ever.  And when I think of swashbuckling butt-kickers, Hauer's Captain Navarre is always near the top of that list.

Ladyhawke has it all, and that earns it a spot on the Top 100 of All Time!

100 Greatest Films of All Time... That I Own. # 100

A Long Time Ago...

Let's kick off this highly controversial list with a movie that almost didn't even make the cut.  Star Wars.   Not Episode IV.  Not Greedo shooting first Star Wars...

So you can see why it almost didn't make the list.  It's been so tampered and changed over the years, it's almost a shell of what it used to be.   The 3 prequels have sucked all of the mystery and mystique from the story.

But ignoring all of that... the original story is a lot of fun.  An homage to the Saturday morning serials, it's the timeless story of good versus evil.  I'd say boy meets girl... but eww... we know how that turns out.

While it may be the story of Luke Skywalker, everyone with half a brain gravitates to the cocky smuggler, Han Solo who steals the movie, and launched the career of Harrison Ford.  It also introduced the world to the coolest looking villain of all time, Darth Vader.

Honestly, the criteria for this listing is a movie that provides such great enjoyment, that at any time if someone says, "hey, let's watch this...." I'm ready, willing, and able!  To be honest, looking over the list again, I could easily remove this one, as I just don't get that feeling anymore.

But, for the sake of starting over and finding another movie to replace this one, this will stand as # 100.  However, the grasp on this list is tenuous at best for this movie, and if I were to couple it as a franchise, there's no chance it would make it when adding in the first 3 films.