Fear and Loathing in MoFo... The Gunslinger45's Top 50 Favorite Films.

43. Tropic Thunder (2008) (R) USA
Comedy
Stiller

This is closer to my preferred blend of humor. In fact this is one of the funniest casts I have ever seen assembled. Jack Black, RDJ, Danny McBride, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T Jackson, Bill Hader,Tom Cruise and more made this film a laugh riot. Hell even Ben Stiller was funny in this film, and he is kinda hit and miss with me. Credit to him as a director as a lot of the best bits go to other actors. I love the concept of a Hollywood film going to hell and a hand basket Apocalypse Now style, but played for laughs. Loved the direction they went with the jokes, and credit to the balls with RDJ character. But as funny as RDJ was, my favorite character is still Alpa Cino played by Brandon T Jackson. Just a big barrel of laughs with a lot of really funny people. One of my favorite comedies and easily one of my favorite commentary tracks where like RDJ said in the movie, he does not drop character until the DVD commentary is done. So SGT Osiris / Kirk Lazarus did the commentary with Ben Stiller and Jack Black. Overall, just a really funny film.

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Fear and Loathing in MoFo... The Gunslinger 45's Top 50 Favorite Films

In the 10 Ring: Gunslinger45's reviews

42. Dogma (1999) (R) USA
Comedy
Smith

In terms of comedic directors, Kevin Smith stands as my all time favorite. I love his films, hell I even loved Tusk and liked Jersey Girl. He may not be the best comedic director (that award goes to Mel Brooks), but he is my personal favorite. And this little film in 1999 was the move that started my spiral down into the rabbit hole that is the View Askew-niverse. This film was written by Kevin as a way to work out issue he had with his faith. And at the time he wrote it he came to the conclusion that he believed in God, but was not really down with the dogma of it. And this film reflects that. We have a main character Bethany in a crisis of faith. But instead of some inward spiritual renewal, she gets tasked to stop two renegade angels from ending all of existence. And like his other movies she has help from others that include Jay and Silent Bob. Kevin created his own shared cinematic universe of slackers, crazy sidekicks, and loveable pot dealers long before Marvel Studios did. Then again he was inspired to make a shared universe by Marvel Comics. This began the start of a beautiful cinematic relationship between me and the director who came to define my teenage years. Thank God for Kevin Smith.

Don't think I have seen Tropic Thunder on any of these lists. I have only seen it once and liked it. I would need a revisit to know exactly how much though.

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Letterboxd

Tropic Thunder is one of my least favorite movies ever. Sorry Guns.

Oh well Raul. to each their own. I know Miss Vicky loves it.

Also weird thing happened. While searchin for GIFs for my Dogma post, the google search found the last gif I used from my previous top 50, AND named my list and movie forums as the source!

Liking this list so far! The King of Comedy is one I haven't seen but I know it's a must-see.

I haven't seen many noirs, in fact I think one of the only ones I've seen is The Maltese Falcon. Am interested in seeing more, and Double Indemnity is one I'll definitely consider!

I'm a fan of Frozen. It was in my top 100. Very fun with good music, a well done and original ending, and a surprising amount of that classic Disney charm.

The Exorcist is a great horror film, one of the best for sure.

2001 is a masterpiece and was well-deserving of being number 1 on the 60's list. It also doesn't hurt that Kubrick is my favorite director!

Casablanca is quite simply one of the GOATS and in my top 100. It's one of those very, very few films that are virtually flawless.

The Grand Budapest Hotel is great! Also one that was in my 100; love the style, the humor, the quirkiness, the cast, and the originality.

I've never seen Tropic Thunder but have always heard good things about it. Need to try and get around to that one.

Great job so far! I'll definitely be following!

Oh missed Dogma. Haven't seen it in a while but I remember it being a fun comedy. I'm a fan of the Kevin Smith style.

Not a big fan of Tropic Thunder but I liked Dogma.

Double Indemnity's one of my favorite movies, specially glad to see it do well with all the noir you've been watchin. Edward G Robinson nails it as Barton Keyes. You know i'm right there with ya on The Exorcist and Casablanca. Party on Gunman 🎉

41. Gran Torino (2008) (R) USA
Drama
Eastwood
Theater (Original Release)

I have love Eastwood as a director and as an actor. And he does both to great effect in this film. Here he plays Walt Kowalski; a Korean War vet who lives in the Detroit area. And the old neighborhood is no longer White working class, and is now full of Hmong families. Walt is another one of Eastwood hardass characters he played so well, but this film shows Walt’s transformation from angry, bigoted, and isolated widow, to crotchety old man who still uses lots of racial slurs. But now he has a very close relationship with one of the families who live next door. It is a very nice farewell to Eastwood’s tough guy characters. And who have been the perfect send off to his acting career had he not done Trouble with the Curve. Then again I liked that movie too.

40. The Godfather (1972) (R) USA
Drama
Coppola
New Hollywood
Theater

If I were to do an objective “greatest movie ever made” list, expect this one to be much higher on the list. But still making my Top 50 is no easy task. Francis Coppola made his bones with this film. Creating a crime epic that not only made the critics sing praises and put black ink in the Studios books, it really let said studios give a lot of freedom to a new breed of filmmakers. Where Bonnie and Clyde and Easy Rider started New Hollywood, this film showed how high the ceiling could go. At least at that time (Jaws and Star Wars changed that too). What stood was a cinematic wonder. A young Al Pacino starred as Michael Corleone, and was surrounded by some of the greatest actors of that day. James Caan, Robert Duval, Abe Vigoda, Diane Keaton, Sterling Hayden, and maybe the greatest movie actor ever in Marlon Brando were all in prominent roles in this film. The plot was an intricate, the pacing was perfect, and Michael’s slow fall from war hero to head of the family was perfectly shown and capped in the final scene. Full of montage and cross cutting. This is one of the all time greats. And should be seen by everyone.

I really liked Gran Torino. Haven't seen it since it came out though.

Edit: Because The Godfather

39. Goodfellas (1990) (R) USA
Drama
Scorsese

Now I just sang the praises of The Godfather as one of the greatest films of all time. But in terms of gangster pictures, I just love Goodfellas more. Where The Godfather was a story about family, duty to one’s family, and a slow decent into evil; Goodfellas was quite the contrast. The was no slow decent for Henry Hill. The opening line “As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster” pretty much sums that up. Henry was rotten from the start. His story starts as a cheap wanna be punk, his rise to a prominent gangster, his associations with Jimmy and Tommy, his marriage to Karen, his eventual fall, and when ends up in his life as a “schnook.” And having just seen Force of Evil recently I can see the parallels between these films. Both deal with crime syndicates yes, but they also comment on the corruption in these societies, and how they crumble and eventually fall in on themselves. Leading to their inevitable destruction. So in short, Goodfellas is another of the all time greats. Most high end professional critics prefer The Godfather to Goodfellas, but I am in that minority that opts for the Copacabana and crazy Tommy to leaving the gun and taking the cannolis.

Rep for The Godfather, Goodfellas, Double Indemnity and The Exorcist. I have the first three on my own 100 and The Exorcist I'm always in favour or promoting.

The rest I've either not seen (and with the exception of The Grand Budapest Hotel) have no interest in seeing or simply don't like.

Keep 'em coming, GS.

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5-time MoFo Award winner.

I've not seen Dogma yet, and I'm not yet a fan of Frozen or 2001, but obviously there's something there since I'm in the minority. Everything else I really like or love, especially The Exorcist, The Godfather, and Goodfellas.

Great list GS!! Not really of fan of Dogma or Budapest but Goodfellas, Casablanca and the like are all amazing choices.

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Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

Couldn't love Godfather and Goodfellas more. I can imagine people not liking yhese films but I can't imagine anyone liking crime films an not holding these up as a standard.

Damn, this was started less than a day ago and I missed out on so much already!

Anyways, just caught up with it. Some AMAZING choices so far, Guns! good fun little write-ups too, I hate list which are just thrown out there, this is simple but well made definitely.

Looking forward to more!

Gran Torino and Goodfellas both are awesome. Those are both in my top 100 certainly. The Godfather is a good film but I also am not its biggest fan. Haven't seen it in awhile though.

These write-ups are great, love The Godfather and Goodfellas and you describe them perfectly. Not sure which film I prefer but they're both brilliant.