16. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Year: 1964
Director: Stanley Kubrick
There are very few films I find as well written or beautifully acted as Stanley Kubrick's masterpiece, Dr. Strangelove. I wrote about Peter Seller's masterful performances as three different characters in my Favorite Lead Actor Performances entry (http://goo.gl/mdwiWd), so I won't go into that aspect again. The rest of the main cast is great as well, but if anyone were to steal the spotlight from Sellers, it would be George C. Scott as General Buck Turgidson. His performance is dynamic and hilariously over the top. It's been rumored that Kubrick tricked Scott into giving this performance, reportedly telling the serious actor that he wouldn't use these comical takes. If that's the case, it only further cements Kubrick's genius in my mind. He got the exact performance he wanted and it turned out to be one of the best I've ever seen. Dr. Strangelove is a perfect example of how to a write satiric and witty screenplay that still rings true 50+ years later. I also love the beautiful black and white cinematography and use of music. Dr. Strangelove is a film that has worked its way up through my favorites list ever since I first saw it in high school and today it is firmly entrenched in my Top 10.
17. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Year: 2004
Director: Michel Gondry
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind isn't a film for everyone. In fact, about a third of the people I know in real life who've seen it, can't stand it. I'm can't quite understand why as I have loved it since I first saw it in the theater and appreciate it more with each viewing. It's funny and heartwarming, but also has the power to break your heart and make you question your own life choices. Jim Carrey has never been better and he makes his character of Joel Barish seem like a regular guy, someone you'd run into and not think twice about. When we meet him he seems sad and lonely, but then he meets Clementine (played by the radiant and intriguing Kate Winslet) and his life is turned upside down. As the plot progresses, both Carrey and Winslet get to showcase the full depth of their talents and both of their characters are fully realized and compelling. The stunning screenplay by Charlie Kaufman is a byzantine maze of memories and love and regrets. The supporting cast (including Tom Wilkinson, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, and Mark Ruffalo) is excellent, as well, and they all work marvelously together. As I'm writing this, I'm getting more and more in the mood to watch it again.
18. Get Shorty
Year: 1995
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Being a big movie fan, I tend to enjoy films about the movie industry. The Player, The Bad and the Beautiful, and Boogie Nights all come to mind as excellent films in this sub-genre, but my absolute favorite is Get Shorty. The film centers around a movie obsessed mob enforcer (John Travolta) who goes to Hollywood to collect a debt. Once there he gets involved with a low rent producer (Gene Hackman), an actress (Rene Russo), a mega star (Danny DeVito), and a whole lot more nefarious characters. Pretty much everyone in the cast, including all the supporting players, turn in engaging and interesting performances, but it's Hackman who outshines them all. His shady producer is just a joy to watch. The writing is sharp and witty and the story moves at a crisp pace - it seems like there's a moment of hilarity or suspense or action during every minute. Barry Sonnenfeld isn't a terrific director, but you can tell he had a tremendous amount of experience as a cinematographer before moving onto directing. Get Shorty is a well shot and composed film, with each scene and frame drawing in your eye. There was real potential for a sequel to be an interesting project and it was too bad that Be Cool (released a decade later) was what we fans ended up getting.
19. Gladiator
Year: 2000
Director: Ridley Scott
Gladiator has been one of my very favorite films since the first time I watched on its opening weekend in May of 2000. I watched two more times that weekend and probably another half dozen or so times in the years since and it has never failed to enthrall me. Everything about the film, from the writing, directing, editing, and cinematography to the performances, score, special effects, and overall "epicness" is just sublime. Russell Crowe is one of my favorite actors and he gives a truly mesmerizing performance as the noble General Maximus, who is sentenced to death for a crime he didn't commit, sold into slavery, and eventually becomes Rome's most famous gladiator. With a different actor in the role, Maximus might have become a simple action hero, but Crowe has too much skill to let that happen. Instead, he plays him as a subtle and layered individual who just happens to control an army and then become a gladiator. Joaquin Phoenix plays Commodus, the spoiled and whiny son of the emperor, who steals the throne. Phoenix is one of the best actors of his generation and he really shows his chops here. Again, Commodus could have been a run of the mill character, but Phoenix elevates him into one of the best villains in recent film history. I really can't say enough about how much I love Gladiator.
20. Good Will Hunting
Year: 1997
Director: Gus Van Sant
A lot of the entries on this "Favorite Films" list are from directors who I really admire. Directors who have made numerous films which I greatly love. Good Will Hunting is in a completely different position. Gus Van Sant has made sixteen feature films, but I have only seen five of them. I haven't seen more because I despise two of them, dislike two of them, and only love Good Will Hunting. I'm convinced it's a film saved by the script and performances. The two guys responsible for a lot of the film's charm and appeal, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, just happened to blow up into mega stars following the release of the film and have continued to provide me a lot of great entertainment in the years since. They wrote a fantastic script and give very good performances, as does the entire cast. Robin Williams, in particular, is exceptional. I think his work as Dr. Sean Maguire was the best of his entire career. Good Will Hunting is an emotional, funny, and touching film and I think it gets better with each viewing.
Well,
there's part four of this ten part series. I hope to have inspired at
least one person to check out one of these films and I hope to read some
comments down below. Do you like any of these films? Hate any of them?
Let me know, please!
Coming up next Friday: My Favorite Animated Films.
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