Best Movie Ever!

[Winslow Leach]

Oh, how could I possibly forget Dragnet with Dan Aykroyd (who's Canadian, by the way) Tom Hanks, and Harry Morgan? Now there's a funny movie! And Harry Morgan still didn't look a day older than when he first stepped onto the set of M*A*S*H as Colonel Potter.

Yep, Dragnet's a classic. Tom Hanks almost steals the film from Aykroyd. Harry Morgan was Dragnet creator Jack Webb's partner on the second incarnation of the series in the 1960s.

 

[Speed Tracer]

Done!

Would you like a Wayne & Wanda or Speed Racer engraving?

Ooh, thats a toughie... Probably Speed Racer. He's a part of me and always has been. Wayne and Wanda are kind of flakes.

Don't tell them I said that.

 

[D'Snowth]

Yep, Dragnet's a classic. Tom Hanks almost steals the film from Aykroyd. Harry Morgan was Dragnet creator Jack Webb's partner on the second incarnation of the series in the 1960s.

Coolio! I love Harry Morgan, he's such a great actor, and has that "grandfather figure" thing about him.

 

[Winslow Leach]

That Thing You Do! (1996) Tom Hanks's feature directorial debut is a loving tribute to garage bands everywhere, about a group called the Oneders (not the O-Need-Ers, the One-Ders) who record a peppy, uptempo song ("That Thing You Do!"), have their name changed to the Wonders, and become overnight successes. The cast includes Jonathon Schaech, Steve Zahn, Tom Everett Scott, Ethan Embry, Liv Tyler, Charlize Theron and Hanks himself. The soundtrack consists of original mid-60s-era tunes that are instantly catchy. I bought the soundtrack on CD when the movie came out, and these songs are embedded in my brain! A fun, nostalgic film. One of those flicks I could watch anytime, no matter what mood I'm in, and feel good afterward.

Rio Bravo (1959) Director Howard Hawks was disgusted with High Noon (1952). He thought it was a slap in the face to the Western genre, with the townspeople shunning sheriff Gary Cooper in his time of need (a gang of notorious gunslingers are coming to town, and no one wants to help Coop). Hawks also didn't care for the ending, in which Cooper throws his badge in the dust. So he set out to make what would become an influential classic of the genre, one where bonding and friendship was the key (a recurring theme in Howard Hawks movies). The result was Rio Bravo, the relatively simple story of Sheriff John T. Chance (John Wayne) who arrests a man who has killed in cold blood (Claude Atkins), and finds his jail (and the town) surrounded by the killer's men. The only allies Chance has are a drunk former deputy (Dean Martin), a young gunslinger (Ricky Nelson) and a crabby old coot (Walter Brennan). The film is an excellent character study, and everyone has a chance to shine, including a pair of married, feuding hotilers and a leggy chorus girl (Angie Dickinson) who takes a shining to Chance. Dean Martin, in one of his first dramatic roles, is excellent as a once able gunslinger, now a hopeless drunkard, who gets the shakes whenever a drink isn't nearby. Rio Bravo was influential on many future filmmakers, particularly John Carpenter, who based his Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) around the same basic story: a police station is under siege by a group of snipers, while a small crew inside try to defend themselves. Carpenter again used the story in his remake of The Thing (1982).

 

[Speed Tracer]

Both of those have received pretty great special edition DVDs this year. Have you picked them up yet, Winslow?

 

[SarahOnBway]

OMG I love Noises Off! Such a great cast--what's not to like?

And I'm surprised so many people love Phantom of the Paradise. I was incredibly freaked out by it. Of course, I'm coming from a traditional Phantom of the Opera world, but I saw it on sale and bought it. I've only watched it twice, but I wasn't that into it. Then again, that probably has nothing to do with the actual merits of the film itself. Like I said, I watch all these Phantom adaptations while constantly comparing them all to the Phantom in my head, noting all the changes to the story, etc... I mean, obviously this wasn't a straight-forward adaptation, it was a glam-rock version, but I was too weirded out to really like it. But Paul Williams did a really good job, both as a composer and an actor. Of course there is that one scene with all the girls... That's all I'm going to say on this family-friendly forum...

You guys have listed really great films. Some of my favorites (in terms of enjoyment, not THE GREATEST MOVIE EVER MADE) are:

Back to the Future. An 80s classic and probably the ultimate time travel movie, in my humble opinion. Marty McFly was my first crush EVER. It's just one of those movies I could watch over and over.

Jurassic Park. The ultimate blockbuster, in my opinion (well, JP and Titanic, that is). It's just SO GOOD. Spielburg. Dinosaurs. The enigma known as Jeff Goldblum. More dinos. It's just awesome.

Okay, this is stretching it a little, but Pride and Prejudice, the 1995 miniseries with Colin Firth may not be an actual theatrically-released movie, but it's of film quality and the best adaptation of Jane Austen ever.

For the GREATEST FILMS EVER MADE, I would have to include Casablanca, E.T., and To Kill a Mockingbird as three of my all-time favs.

And for recent movies destined to be classics... The Departed, all the way. I am in love with every aspect of that film. As an audience member, I become so emotionally involved with it the entire time... Everyone who worked on it is just amazing. I'm so happy it took home the Oscar--it was definitely the most deserving. Now are people going to stop saying that Leo can't act?

 

[SSLFan]

South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut ( a.k.a the movie)

Has anyone seen this movie yet?

 

[Speed Tracer]

Yes... seven years ago.

I'm watching Lilo & Stitch right now... what a great movie. I don't know anything of the TV show or sequels, but I do know that this is one of my absolute favorite movies of all-time. There's really nothing not to like.

 

[MrsPepper]

Yes... seven years ago.

I'm watching Lilo & Stitch right now... what a great movie. I don't know anything of the TV show or sequels, but I do know that this is one of my absolute favorite movies of all-time. There's really nothing not to like.

I love the nice watercolour backgrounds, and the way the characters are proportioned... **drools**

 

[Kiki]

It's coming.

An Official Merit Badge to Kiki for Reading Leach's Movie Posts

How'd ya like a Sgt. Pepper badge?

Ooh that would be smashing, fankew. *Pins it on proudly*