The Top 100 English Language Films of All Time (With Commentary)

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coming soon!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

to a theater near us?

― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

golly!!

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:22 (twenty-two years ago)

okay, so i have #1-50 done...should i post them now or wait until i finish the whole list?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Smack it up flip it up rub it down OOOOH NOOOOOOO!

(translation: do whatcha gotta do jess)

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Post now. Reading the whole 100 at one time would fry my noggin.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

No. 1: Dude, Where's My Car?

― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

alright i'll do them in batches of 20 at a time:

20. Super Mario Bros. – This is like if they let the guy who directed Tetsuo: The Ironman make a Dig Dug or Bionic Commando movie.

19. Robocop – Best science fiction film ever. Also, best satire.

18. Night of the Lepus – GIANT FUCKING KILLER BUNNIES.

17. Body Heat – This film makes me hella uncomfortable: like your mom teaching 8th grade health class.

16. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Fizzactory– They were eating rotisserie chicken.

15. The Chase (1994)– Makes Bullitt look like Driving Miss Daisy.

14. The Hobbit (Rakin/Bass versh) – Classic children’s fantasy tale populated by Precious Moments figurines melted under heat lamps.

13. Clueless – The Birth of a Nation of my generation. To hell with poverty!

12. Tommy Boy – When big fat Brian Dennehey dies it makes me cry nearly every time.

11. Enemy Mine – White spaceman and Louis Gossett Jr. - looking like an Admiral Ackbar knockoff or Miles Davis with severe sunburn peel - on a desolate barren wasteland planet for two hours. Cue “The Living Years.”

10. DC Cab – Joel Schumacher should have killed himself after this. (Why was the word “Schumacher” in my Word spell check already?)

9. Disorderlies – The only good film ever made by rappers.

8. One Crazy Summer – Normally I loathe 80s “teen” movies (John Hughes is high on the list of people I would kill if the law allowed), and yet and yet. A film so inept it can’t decide for its duration whether or not it wants to be high satire or earnestly serious, landing it in this underpopulated interzone of honestly artistically conflicted C-level crap. Also, made by the guy who would go on to make Eek The Cat.

7. Good Burger – I have three rules for avoiding a film: 1. Dabney Coleman, 2. Sinbad, 3. Anything starring an 80s “female comedienne” (Rita Rudner, etc.) This film manages to violate one of those rules and still come away in the plus column.

6. MVP 2: Most Vertical Primate – Children’s entertainment so starched and sanitized it forgoes plot, characterization, wit, dialogue, the works. I’m not even sure if anything actually happens in this film. Also, skateboarding monkeys.

5. Gremlins 2 – Bleak and fearful of our mechanized future as Phil Dick or Will Gibson, in it’s way.

4. Troll – Possibly the culmination of all ancillary endeavor in the field of “horror.” Also: kindly midgets.

3. PCU – 2nd greatest collegiate film of all time. The textbook definition of “hospitable world.”

2. Hot To Trot – Greatest talking animal movie of all time (which should really make it the greatest film ever, but hey), with the two greatest comedic actors of my lifetime. (And Glbert Gottfried.)

1. Back To School – 1st greatest collegiate film of all time, as well as the most perfect film ever made. Not a second of film wasted, a model of tightly controlled narrative & character development and comedic timing. Also: cod new wave references, bar fights, deans who squeal like pigs, crusty old academic nemesiseses. So what? So let’s dance! They could uncover the fourth reel of the Magnificent Ambersons tomorrow and it still wouldn’t mean a goddamn thing with prints of this film still in existence.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

jess, "you look like the poster boy for birth control!"

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The only good film ever made by rappers.

So you don't consider Shaq a rapper?

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Tommy Boy is pretty darn affecting.

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:32 (twenty-two years ago)

(it's raining today, in case you couldn't figure that out. i'm still gonna try and venture outside for a while. more later.)

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

I so knew this was coming!

― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:34 (twenty-two years ago)

NEED MORE JESS...MORE!!!!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

IRONY IS GOING WAY TOO FAR, STOP THE MADNESS NOW. Except for the Back to School thing, I am all for supporting that.

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Ally, can you do the Triple Lindy?

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

ommission of Half-Baked = unforgiveable

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:47 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm not being ironic!!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Whatever.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

sir i direct you to reconsider your ommission of HALF BAKED!

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:51 (twenty-two years ago)

That's why it's gone too far, jess.

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:52 (twenty-two years ago)

If you're not being ironic, I have to assume you've only seen 50 movies.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Best list evah.

― Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:53 (twenty-two years ago)

give jess some credit, at least he didn't list Star Wars #1, like so many feebs of our generation.

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

amateurist we can't all appreciate art made by our grandparents more than that made by our peers

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

best mood ever!!

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Jess Tears Down Canon, Western Civilization with Daring Trash-Oriented List of His Favorite Movies
http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/39027000/jpg/_39027407_abfab-bbc-203index.jpg

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

is this thing ON? the discussion seems to be moving further from Half Baked every minute.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I have to admit though, I had never heard of MVP 2 and just thinking about it frightens me.

― Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:56 (twenty-two years ago)

People who like the Bizkit and Good Charlotte are making fun of Back to School?!

― Ally (mlescaut), Thursday, 17 April 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

OFFICE SPACE RULES U ALL!!!!!

― SplendidMullet (iamamonkey), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

movies that I know I like on that list:

Back To School (it's GREAT! I know, Ally! I'm a big fan of the dude that played his son. In Dressed To Kill he had my haircut, and NOBODY has my haircut)
the flashback to Freshman year scene in PSU
John "Clamp" Glover in Gremlins 2
Clueless
a scene or two in Tommy Boy
Robocop

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:05 (twenty-two years ago)

PCU not, PSU. And hair, not haircut.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

The wittle alien in Enemy Mine is so cute! Best use of Louis Gossett Jr. in a movie yet.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:07 (twenty-two years ago)

fine.

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:08 (twenty-two years ago)

and Hot To Trot SUCKS. I rented that on an ironic whim a couple years ago. It's hell. It even has "Shooting Dirty Pool" by the Replacements in it, reaffirming its assyness.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:09 (twenty-two years ago)

I've just called Blockbuster and had them reserve me a copy of MVP 2 which I'll pick up on the way home. I bet they're laughing right now..."DUDE! Somebody just called to reserve MVP 2!!! Muahaha!"

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:12 (twenty-two years ago)

jess's lame film school-y "acceptable" top 20 for amateurist:

20. Empire Strikes Back
19. Ladri di bicicelette (you get extra points if you use the original language titles...take note all you collegiate types)
18. Terminal USA
17. Glengarry Glenn Ross
16. Do The Right Thing
15. Casablanca
14. The Conversation
13. Silence of the Lambs
12. Meet John Doe
11. Goodfellas
10. The Apu Trilogy
9. Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?
8. Goldfinger
7. Blade Runner
6. Touch of Evil
5. 8 1/2 (or La Dolce Vita...i can't decide)
4. Raging Bull
3. Pinocchio
2. Ikiru
1. The Rules of the Game

see, boring!! yes, yes, i can say that most of these films are better "made" and more "valuable" to humanity than my other list, but i don't want to WATCH them as often, so how is my first list any less "true"?

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:14 (twenty-two years ago)

what no regle du jeu?

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

The Five Movies I Watch Most Often:

1. Rounders
2. Dave
3. All the President's Men
4. Raising Arizona
5. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:18 (twenty-two years ago)

The Apu Trilogy is not boring! And some of those movies would definitely be laughed out of any "serious film school" discussion.

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry mark, i wussed out of going to imdb and looking up the french

anyway, i really hate movies and it's an effort to even get me to watch most of them

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Your list just reminded me of someone shooting their dad in the eye with a squirt gun to get attention.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:20 (twenty-two years ago)

anyway, i really hate movies and it's an effort to even get me to watch most of them

this, more than any other reason you may bring up, is why spending $80K on film school was a bad idea.

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Fletch and Fletch 2. I watch them constantly.

― Jeanne Fury (Jeanne Fury), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:21 (twenty-two years ago)

jess, I think there's a fertile middle ground between your list and 'amateurist's' list. Such as, Raising Arizona, Airplane, Trading Places, Mr. Mom, etc.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

it wuz film school whut did this to me!!

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

and REAL GENIUS!

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

And how the hell could you leave off Airborne? Studly surfer comes to Ohio and teaches the bullies to love through rollerblading. C'mon now.

(Yes, hstencil, YES)

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:23 (twenty-two years ago)

naw, jess, it's not film school's fault. Hell, I know people who work in the film industry who still love movies, and the industry's like a bazillion times more exasperating/depressing than film school.

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:24 (twenty-two years ago)

(hoops, are you about to show your o face?)

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

Right so my squirt gun scenario is about accurate.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:25 (twenty-two years ago)

except that that is a funny and interesting list of films (the first one) (the second one is so-so)

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:27 (twenty-two years ago)

YES HSTENCIL YESSS!

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

(I really have no excuse for posting this, but, well...)

http://www.virtualurth.com/pages/cez/lebowski2.gif

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I'm gonna add a letter to my name ea week until CAN'T THINK/ NICK'S POST PUT ME IN A TRANCE

― hoops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:30 (twenty-two years ago)

anyway i am off to watch peewee and xu: warriors (#3 and #2 in a sane world)

― mark s (mark s), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't debate that, Mark. (It being funny that is.)

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:31 (twenty-two years ago)

hoops, I just now had this funny idea: what if ILXors had sex, then called out each other's ILX handles during orgasm?

mebbe that's more appropriate for the orgasm thread.

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:32 (twenty-two years ago)

hstencil: WORST. IDEA. EVER.

― rosemary (rosemary), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:38 (twenty-two years ago)

It's rude to call someone out on having love handles during intercourse.

― hoops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:40 (twenty-two years ago)

fin du cinema

― s woods, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:43 (twenty-two years ago)

rosemary, I wasn't thinking of any ILXors in particular.

― hstencil, Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:50 (twenty-two years ago)

i am most pleased with this thread

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:52 (twenty-two years ago)

has a deaf person ever played a person that can hear in a movie?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm still waiting to find out where "Barb Wire" places on Jess's list.

― Chris P (Chris P), Thursday, 17 April 2003 19:58 (twenty-two years ago)

except that that is a funny and interesting list of films (the first one) (the second one is so-so)

especially the "English language" part

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

jess can we add to the list, cause i've got some.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

especially the "English language" part

Felicity Ikiru was a placeholder--Jess is awaiting the remake with Tom Hanks.*

*I am not making this up.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey we should totally remake "Rules of the Game" as an 80's North suburban Chicago period piece where they go skiing in Wisconsin for a weekend! Let's do it!

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Anything with Billy Zabka must be recognized. He was the best bully on film evah! I loved when he and the Cobra Kai kicked Ralph Macchio's ass.

Here he is out of villian mode with Joey Lawrence in 1985.

http://www.kvflipside.org/images/16-nov85-10.jpg

― Cub, Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:15 (twenty-two years ago)

felicity: it would have to have all the cusacks.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:20 (twenty-two years ago)

yanc3y's list is better.

― RJG (RJG), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:25 (twenty-two years ago)

That would be awesome! We should do it! You can play the Jean Renoir character if you like.

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm going to mention Logan's Run like I do on every other film thread.

Logan's Run.

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

it would have to have all the cusacks.

...which means Jeremy Piven is on board, too, right?

― jaymc (jaymc), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:27 (twenty-two years ago)

21. Cruel Intentions - scrumptiously overwrought teen drama where adults attempt to play kids attempting to be adults, this movie takes itself so seriously you can see them trying not to giggle
22. Changing Lanes - Affleck recants his chauvinist entitlement mindset as a dress rehearsal for dating Jenny-from-the-block
23. Friday - "all day long, foot up the ass, cause that's my PLEJZ-AH!"
24. Reanimator - he kills people. when he reanimates them in his lab, they keep trying to kill HIM, but he's almost perfected the formula, he's almost got it right, so... (repeat.) hilariously disgusting catalogue of compulsion in the face of disaster
25. Young Doctors in Love - St Elsewhere lampoon, should have been a TV series!!
26. Sorry, Wrong Number - every scene takes place on the telephone, memories and stories telescoped and sent thru the phone wire; silence isn't golden, it's DEATH—like dead air on the radio the chatter reminds our irritating protagonists they're still alive.
27. To Live and Die in L.A. - I can't remember a single thing about this movie except that it freaked the hell out of me. And it made me want to be a counterfeiter.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:30 (twenty-two years ago)

jeremy piven can play gaston, renamed "gary" in our version.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:33 (twenty-two years ago)

(otm re Cruel Intentions: Selma Blair's perfomance as sexmad 14 y/o is nearly mime-like in its seamlessness.)

― g--ff c-nn-n (gcannon), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:35 (twenty-two years ago)

What's Up Doc?

written/directed: Peter Bogdanovich

Remake of Bringing Up Baby, sort of. One of all time five best comedies.

― Skottie, Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Wait a minute, Rosemary's Baby!!!!! Surely this takes all prizes.

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:44 (twenty-two years ago)

The Top Ten Most Underrated Supporting Actors of the 80's & 90's:

1. Billy Zabka
2. Jeremy Piven
3. Valeria Golino
4. Jack Nance
5. Keith David
6. Jeffrey Jones (very creepy)
7. Michael Rooker
8. David Patrick Kelly ("Warriors, come out and play!")
9. Illeana Douglas (the definitive saucer-eyed actress)
10. Brad Dourif (of Raymond in Blue Velvet fame)

― Cub, Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:46 (twenty-two years ago)

No Curtis Armstrong?

― felicity (felicity), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Top Five overrated supporting actors/actresses of the 80s & 90s:

1. Christopher Walken
2. Kathy Bates
3. Judi Dench
4. Steve Buscemi
5. Harvey Keitel

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, shit. I left out Lance Hendrickson and Ernie Hudson.

― Cub, Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:57 (twenty-two years ago)

That's Sir Judi Dench to you, Mr. Yanc3y!

― Skottie, Thursday, 17 April 2003 20:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Thank god someone motherfuckin mentioned Billy Zabka. He was also the bully in "just one of the guys."

Movies I watch a lot

1. Career Opportunities
2. The Stoned Age
3. Making Mr. Right
4. Super Fuzz

I think Jess's list is okay. But it's missing 'CAN'T BUY ME LOVE.'

― Mandee, Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I know, Billy Zabka even carried around some weightlifting gloves to kick some nerd ass in Just One of the Guys.

But Zabka always lost in the end. Tis' a pity.

― Cub, Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't Buy Me Love is AMAZING!!! Patrick Dempsey needs more love! CBML and Loverboy were the two most important movies to me when I was 12. I wanted to be a pizza delivery guy cuz of Loverboy ("and extra anchovies!").

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Best trilogy of the 80s: The William Zabka asshole trilogy. As seen in Karate Kid, Back to School and Just One of the Guys. You HAVE to read whateverdude.com's tribute to William Zabka. I e-mailed the writer to let him know that Zabka also played an asshole on Gimme A Break when he was Sam's boyfriend and was mooching off her and then ran off with her life savings and in European Vacation as Audrey's asshole boyfriend. Zabka actually e-mailed the writer back to express his thanks. I luv the internet! T

― Carey (Carey), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Add the "Woowoo Kid" w/ Dempsey and we have another trilogy winner!

I want a Yanc3y with exxxxtrrrraaaa anchovies.

― Carey (Carey), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Woowoo Kid? Whaz that?

Carey yr making me blush!!!

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:13 (twenty-two years ago)

It's also known as "In The Mood". True story of this teenager that ran off with like 3 married womenin the 40s maybe. Beverly D'Angelo and some others in it. They do not I repeat they do not do the African Anteater Ritual dance in it.

― Carey (Carey), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:17 (twenty-two years ago)

jess, I'm waiting...

― shoops (Oops), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:18 (twenty-two years ago)

The women are in their 40s or it's set in the 40's?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:18 (twenty-two years ago)

it's set in the 40s.

THe William Zabka tribute: www.childrenofpain.com/london/zabka.html

― Carey (Carey), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:30 (twenty-two years ago)

jess has earned my eternal respect for including Gremlins 2:The New Batch, tho it should be at #1 No, I haven't seen the other four before it, but really, what could they possibly offer that's better than "I want to.....discuss"? Little green monsters doing everything we WANT to do but know we shouldn't/can't; it never gets old.

― Daniel_Rf (Daniel_Rf), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:37 (twenty-two years ago)

i watch rounders all the time too, and it's horrible. best film not yet mentioned on this thread - cabin boy.

― dan (dan), Thursday, 17 April 2003 21:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I left a cabin boy and came back a cabin man!
have never seen this movie although when I was in Jr. High I was way into Dave Letterman and Chris Elliot and thought it was going to be a spectacular flop, in a good way.

― Carey (Carey), Thursday, 17 April 2003 22:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Yay! This Zabka revival warms my heart. Last time I talked about the Cobra Kai everybody acted like they did know what I was talking about.

― Nicole (Nicole), Thursday, 17 April 2003 22:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I want a Cobra Kai karate suit.

― Cub, Thursday, 17 April 2003 22:52 (twenty-two years ago)

i am going to be a shower for next halloween.

also, jess have u seen "toy soldiers"?

― Aaron Grossman (aajjgg), Thursday, 17 April 2003 22:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Do not make me start a "Barb Wire" thread.

― Chris P (Chris P), Thursday, 17 April 2003 23:09 (twenty-two years ago)

40-21, no comments

40 Red Dawn
39 Project X
38 Barb Wire (for Chris)
37 Ghost Dad
36 Darkman
35 The Stoned Age (Fuck snotrag, get us some talls!...okay, one comment.)
34 Predator II
33 Stargate
32 Real Genius
31 Ladybugs
30 Death Becomes Her
29 Pet Semetary
28 Dave
27 The Dark Crystal
26 Addams Family Values
25 Karate Kid II
24 Poltergeist II
23 Braveheart
22 Ghostbusters
21 Ghostbusters II

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 23:37 (twenty-two years ago)

i spelled cemetary wrong...i feel they would want it this way

― jess (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 17 April 2003 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

There needs to be some more non-Caddyshack Rodney Dangerfield:

I nominate Easy Money and Ladybugs.

jess, at least one of these dystopian gems must be in the Top 100:

Rollerball (1975)
Death Race 2000
The Warriors
No Escape
Prayer of the Rollerboys
National Lampoon's Last Resort

― Cub, Friday, 18 April 2003 00:30 (twenty-two years ago)

What he's actually missing is Spice World.

― Ally (mlescaut), Friday, 18 April 2003 00:45 (twenty-two years ago)

While a freakish strange world, I wouldn't call that dystopian, Ally.

Prayer of the Rollerboys

Clearly the best film ever.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 02:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Richard E. Grant: What the hell?

― Ally (mlescaut), Friday, 18 April 2003 02:41 (twenty-two years ago)

Thank you. But Barb Wire is so much better than the Dark Crystal that it makes your whole list suspect.

― Chris P (Chris P), Friday, 18 April 2003 02:44 (twenty-two years ago)

The Stoned Age is great! I didn't like Death Becomes Her or Pet Sematary. I haven't seen any of the others. (I've seen a few on the film school list.) And Half-Baked sucks.

― sundar subramanian (sundar), Friday, 18 April 2003 02:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm really glad that Dave got some recognition on this thread from someone other than me. Kevin Kline's a Komedic Kgenius. "All hail the chief cuz he's the one we hail to..."

Rounders is a horrible movie, but at the same time, it's the greatest movie ever made. Ya know?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 03:02 (twenty-two years ago)

But Barb Wire is so much better than the Dark Crystal

You sick bastard.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 03:15 (twenty-two years ago)

It's the god's honest truth, Ned. My bandmate and I will make you watch it next time we're spending so much time together that it makes sense to watch "Barb Wire" instead of, you know, anything else.

― Chris P (Chris P), Friday, 18 April 2003 03:16 (twenty-two years ago)

17. Glengarry Glenn Ross

"Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you, go home and play with your kids! You wanna work here...close."

― Joe (Joe), Friday, 18 April 2003 04:05 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm not being ironic!!
That's pretty funny. )-;

― nathalie (nathalie), Friday, 18 April 2003 07:48 (twenty-two years ago)

17. Glengarry Glenn Ross

actorly macho bullshit masquerading as critique of something or other. (ok, great actorly macho bullshit, but i'll take swimming with sharks). what am i missing? also, only one "n".

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 18 April 2003 10:42 (twenty-two years ago)

If you want to see actorly macho bullshit, you must check out Hurly-Burly.

― s1utsky, Friday, 18 April 2003 14:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Rounders is a horrible movie, but at the same time, it's the greatest movie ever made. Ya know?

Showgirls rules that genre. (honorable mention: Center Stage)

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Center Stage IS great! Showgirls I've never seen. I'll catch it one of these days...

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Arrrgghhhh Showgirls is by no means "horrible"! I've never seen Rounders.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Arrrgghhhh Showgirls is by no means "horrible"!

If you accept the fact that it's a genre film limited by the problems of such a self-conscious construct, then I think you can try and make that argument.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Rounders -- Classic or Dud?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Galaxy Quest is a great movie.

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:56 (twenty-two years ago)

My friend is in Galaxy Quest! (he's the dorky kid who saves the day; he's also in the NBC show Ed) And yes, it's great.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 14:57 (twenty-two years ago)

After I saw that movie about the host of the Gong Show who was also in the CIA, it took me forever to remember what else I had seen Sam Rockwell in. Then it hit me...the character from Galaxy Quest who doesn't have a last name and will therefore die. That movie rules. When they're pulling the spaceship out of the docking bay and it scrapes along the side for like 20 minutes - nevermind that there's no sound in space - it cracks me up.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:00 (twenty-two years ago)

If you accept the fact that it's a genre film limited by the problems of such a self-conscious construct

Huh? Genre is a limitation on form and style, not quality. And how is a genre film any more selfconscious than a non-genre film? I don't grok you at all, Ned.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, Sam Rockwell's great in it. Best part tho: Tony Shalhoub as the stoner crew member.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Some genre films = The Searchers, Meet Me in St. Louis, Scarlet Street, A Star Is Born

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:07 (twenty-two years ago)

Tony Shalhoub is always a treat (and watched Center Stage again last night, v. enjoyable)

― H (Heruy), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:10 (twenty-two years ago)

Most underrated supporting actor ever = Stephen Tobolowsky (Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, Sammy Jankis in Memento, etc.)

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Movie I shoulda listed under my "Most Watched Movies" list:

Out of Sight

Actor that should be added to the "Underrated Supporting Actors" list:

Steve Zahn

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:12 (twenty-two years ago)

...Heat, The Thin Red Line, An Angel at My Table, Running out of Time...

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:13 (twenty-two years ago)

does Steve Zahn count as underrated?

― H (Heruy), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Since I don't think Sarah is reading this thread, I'll just say that Sarah McLusky's mom went to school with Stephen Tobolowsky. They were on the debate team together.

― Nick A. (Nick A.), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:15 (twenty-two years ago)

You might be right, H. Maybe he's passed underrated and ventured into rated. He consistently makes me laugh, even in horrible movies (ahem... Saving Silverman?), and he's fantastic in Out of Sight.

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:16 (twenty-two years ago)

In this sense more than anything else -- a 'genre' film (like a genre book or whatever) is usually/automatically seen as somehow inferior to the vaunted 'tales of real life' that are the standard by which everything else is measured. Showgirls isn't a 'fantasy' film or a 'mystery' film or the like as defined by the mainstream but it is part of a particular genre/subset of films and stories -- breathless ingenue tries to make it big (A Star is Born is one take on it, certainly) -- that is often seen as its own dumb cliche. I'm not trying to say I agree with this take, but it is the kind of kneejerk response that can happen and does happen.

In the case of this film in particular, I seem to remember you arguing that Verhoeven/Eszterhas knew the genre and its cliches well and were trying to subvert it -- personally I think that's reading too much into it and it's just an extremely dumb movie (and entertaining on that level because it's so bad) made by people who regard themselves as smarter than the material (though in this case I find the blame will always lie with Eszterhas more). So maybe I wasn't initially clear with my point, but I think we both agree that Showgirls's story is generic and that the creators knew it was generic, and that dismissing the film as horrible because of its genre would be a bad move.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Sarah McLusky's mom went to school with Stephen Tobolowsky.

That totally rules!

― jaymc (jaymc), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I never made the argument you mention, Ned. In fact I'm typically pretty averse to any analysis that involves the word "subvert" in some fashion.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I feel like I'm getting carciatured as Mr. Film Studies, which is funny since I never went to film school nor did I major in film as an undergrad. First Jess draws up some imagined list of what I would endorse as the greatest movies of all time (about which I could care less) and now I'm being credited with some asinine Film Studies 101 argument about Showgirls being "subversive" that I never made.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:25 (twenty-two years ago)

In the words of Xenia Onatopp, "Stop it -- you're like boys with toys!"

If you would all write in the active voice and leave the straw men at home you would get into fewer of these arguments.

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I never made the argument you mention, Ned.

Hm, in that case I do apologize, because I thought you had done something similar on a previous thread. I was not trying to put words in your mouth! I only recalled that being your take.

leave the straw men at home

But they are friends! I create armies of them and they follow me around. It's a pity when they get wet in the rain, though.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

ha ha!

They really are like some of our best friends sometimes.

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I feel that Jess and Ned are caricaturing me as Mr. Film Studies. I think Showgirls is a good film (not great) not because it subverts the conventions of the girl-makes-it-big genre but because it applies them so faithfully to the milieu of Las Vegas and does so with remarkable visual panache. I think that Film Studies prizes altogether to much the idea of "subversiveness" without being clear on why that should be a prized value, or without even having much sense of what it is they want to subvert and why.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I might have set up Jess as a straw man. I'm sure he does enjoy the film she listed and for the reasons he mentions. I guess I just felt that titling the list "The Top 100 English Language Films of All Time" smacked of adolescent provocation but the fact that I was provoked (even mildly) says more about me than it does about Jess, perhaps.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:42 (twenty-two years ago)

film she = films he

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Felicity you keep me honest.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

The straw men are like what Barry Sobel describes in LA as what you have instead of friends: "people who are like, your friends."

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:43 (twenty-two years ago)

Has anyone else noticed the biggest omission from this list?

Jaws.

― j.lu (j.lu), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Because we're all ghosts in the machines, Amateurist. ;-) Anyway, if the key point is that it's a 'faithful' reapplication, then I'm just not seeing that particular virtue. Subversion may be overrated but conscious recreation/reapplication could be its equally overrated counterbalance in the end, at least for me. As for 'panache,' eh -- not in this case. But someone like Baz Luhrmann, say, probably would have made it all the more skullpoundingly crazy, and not necessarily for the better. Again, I just think it's a big bad dumb movie, and that's reason enough to enjoy. ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Ned if you continue with the smiley faces I will strangle you.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:49 (twenty-two years ago)

It's like you're not confident in your own arguments.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Uh, no, that's not the case. I'm just terribly and possibly obnoxiously self-amused.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Sorry I'm so testy today.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

The smileys are like, the straw men, agreeing with Ned.

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 15:59 (twenty-two years ago)

No worries, Amateurist. We all have those days!

The smileys are like, the straw men, agreeing with Ned.

Yay! My army of pixels!

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

THIS IS MY STRAW MAN SHOW ME YOURS :)

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.illlogic.net/images/japan2002/a-big-big-straw-man-6-18.jpg

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 16:02 (twenty-two years ago)

― felicity (felicity), Friday, 18 April 2003 16:03 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE!

Felicity in Bevan-avatar shockah! ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 18 April 2003 16:14 (twenty-two years ago)

maybe all you knucklebrains who are actually trying to "argue" my list should get your own thread to be boring in

― jess (dubplatestyle), Friday, 18 April 2003 18:06 (twenty-two years ago)

I own 0 movies, but If I could only own one it would be Kingpin. Or maybe Cannonball Run. Or Dazed and Confused. Donnie Darko is my other favorite movie, but I wouldn't really need to see it again.

― Kris (aqueduct), Friday, 18 April 2003 18:20 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm sorry for interrupting the self-satisfaction [/self-satisfaction]

― Amateurist (amateurist), Friday, 18 April 2003 18:24 (twenty-two years ago)

Who is this bitch likes 13 Ghosts?! Eh?!

― Ally (mlescaut), Friday, 18 April 2003 18:36 (twenty-two years ago)

I am that bitch.

― Tep (ktepi), Friday, 18 April 2003 18:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Yanc3y, I love your friend from Galaxy Quest! He's so cute.

I liked Python a lot. Point Break was pretty good despite the prescence of Lori Petty and Anthony Keidis. Love Times Square, obviously. Foxes and Starstruck, too.

Lori Metcalf was so great in Making Mr. Right. Why'd she have to go and waste 10 years on Roseanne? That is all.

― Arthur (Arthur), Friday, 18 April 2003 20:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Center Stage woooooooooooooooo! I actually rented this dvd with a friend while in San Fran (and I watched the director's commentary). We tried to play a drinking game where we would drink when an eating disorder is mentioned, drink when Peter Gallagher's eyebrows do something weird, drink when someone says "dream". Oddly enough the word "dream" is only said 1-2 times near the end. And we absolutely chugged during the ballet porn-lite.

― Carey (Carey), Friday, 18 April 2003 20:10 (twenty-two years ago)

this thread makes me wanna dig my nails in to my face and pull downward. only because none of yers are in reach. arrrggh!!!!

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Friday, 18 April 2003 20:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh wait, that is not all. I forgot to mention that my friend Victor worked on Stargate and he told me that Jaye Davidson's character (the alternate reality Egyptian hermaphrodite deity) was originally supposed to speak English but Jaye kept nodding out so they dubbed in some alternate reality Egyptian hermaphrodite diety lingo. I really, really miss Jaye Davidson. Even though he was horrible to me when I was a bartender.

― Arthur (Arthur), Friday, 18 April 2003 20:17 (twenty-two years ago)

eight months pass...

The top 5 worste movies between 2000-2003 :
1.freddy vs jason it was a dissapointment
2.daredevil it was not like the old comixs
3.the matrix reloaded compared to the matrix it sucked
4.the hulk it was so dumb
5.jason x it made no sense

― Ryan Skinner, Thursday, 15 January 2004 03:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree with Anthony's comment three up... but fwiw, at least I didn't have to get through another list thread that had, y'know, lists in it.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Thursday, 15 January 2004 05:50 (twenty-one years ago)

i can't understand how Ghostbusters 2 can be considered better than Ghostbusters

― ryan (ryan), Thursday, 15 January 2004 05:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree, that is preposterous.

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 06:01 (twenty-one years ago)

um, hello...vibrating gelatin that reacts to emotions!

― fiddo centington (dubplatestyle), Thursday, 15 January 2004 06:03 (twenty-one years ago)

“Vhy em I dreeping vit goo?”

"Janusz," Ghostbusters 2

― s1ocki (slutsky), Thursday, 15 January 2004 06:06 (twenty-one years ago)

"On Our Own" = better than anything on the GB1 sdtk. (... except "Magic").

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Thursday, 15 January 2004 06:59 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

Coming back to this one (God help me). I don't care if this list is ironic (which it is, and I need to see you make a list of Top 100 Non-English Language Films before I'll think otherwise), genuine, anti-amateurist or what-evah. All I can say with total and utter honesty is:

Anyone who thinks Poltergeist II is better than Poltergeist = one dumb fucking bitch.

― Eric H. (Eric H.), Saturday, 31 January 2004 01:52 (twenty-one years ago)

this thread just keeps on giving.

― strongo hulkington (dubplatestyle), Saturday, 31 January 2004 01:59 (twenty-one years ago)

two weeks pass...

this thread is classic.

yanc3y, who does yr friend play in 'ed'? they show tht during half-term here, ch4, I remember enjoying it.

― cozen (Cozen), Friday, 20 February 2004 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

enemy mine is a wierd, heavy movie.

― f--gg (gcannon), Tuesday, 8 March 2005 10:23 (twenty years ago)

one month passes...

Henry & June

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 02:55 (twenty years ago)

“Vhy em I dreeping vit goo?”

― s1ocki (slutsky), Friday, 29 April 2005 04:06 (twenty years ago)

"oh, pussywillow..."

― miccio (miccio), Friday, 29 April 2005 06:17 (twenty years ago)

My anger over Poltergeist II has surprisingly not muted one bit in the interim.

― Eric von H. (Eric H.), Friday, 29 April 2005 09:13 (twenty years ago)

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