MovieBUFFering's 101 Favorite Movies - 2019

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93

Animal House - 1978



"What? Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no!"
The movie to set the bar for all other comedies like it to follow from Old School, Wedding Crashers to American Pie. It's amazing how many comedy career's National Lampoon and Doug Kenney launched. John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Bill Murray and many others can credit their start to National Lampoon, who SNL hired/stole away, depending on your perspective. But Belushi is the real breakout star in this movie. He plays the dim witted drunk or has no fear of consequences. Pretty much copied a million times since to varying degrees of success.

This comedy was way ahead of it's time. A crude comedy like this is common place now a days. The soundtrack of this movie is aces. It also produces many iconic scenes that bleed over into real life. Toga parties became common place at colleges. Made food fights cool. And set the pace for all fraternity houses for the next decade. Always a soft spot for this film for me because it still resonates today but it will always be towards the end of my countdown.

Director - John Landis
Best Performance - John Belushi as John "Bluto" Blutarsky
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 92%
Factoid - John Belushi's performance in the cafeteria scene was entirely improvised. When he began piling food on his tray, Director John Landis urged the camera operator to "stay with him". The infamous "I'm a zit" gag was also improvised, and the reaction from the cast is completely genuine.
Factoid #2 - This is Kevin Beacon's first role in a movie.
Stock In Countdown - Neutral


Memorable Scene
lol they always use to play this scene at Orlando Magic games in the 90s when my dad would take me and they were losing big going into the 4th. Use to crack me up even at a young age. P.S. Damn you Shaq for leaving.
__________________
I came here to do two things, drink some beer and kick some ass, looks like we are almost outta beer - Dazed and Confused

101 Favorite Movies (2019)



92

Gladiator - 2000



"Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?"
I have a confession to make. I have never sat down and watched this movie all the way through on one seating. I have seen the whole movie many times, just not all at once. It came out when I couldn't handle all the blood and gore in these types of movies. I was like 13. I have just never got around to space out a singular time to watch it from beginning to end. But I have seen it all though. Definitely the last 3/4s of the movie a ton. Saw it about a week ago on AMC. Probably the closest I have been to seeing it all at once, almost from the start.

But anyways my 2nd Ridley Scott movie already on the countdown. Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix is a tough one for best performance. They were both so damn good and memorable. I edged it to Joaquin just a hair. I think Crowe's performance maybe more memorable but Phoenix's might be just a bit better. Also Connie Nielsen might be the sexiest woman to ever roam Hollywood. She is breathtakingly beautiful in this and just as sexy in Wonder Woman at 50. Also her performance in this was outstanding. Scott directed this splendidly. Between the visuals, the performances, the story and the execution it is entertainment at it's peak and his best movie, in my opinion, in his impressive filmography.

Every time I see the film it rises. It just started out in such a big hole because of my juvenile prejudice to the film. It might be in the 60s or 50s if I do this in like 5 years.

P.S. I was on IMDB doing research on this and they are doing Gladiator 2? uh oh. Let's hope they do it justice, which i doubt. Scott is directing. We will see.

Director - Ridley Scott
Best Performance - Joaquin Phoenix as Commodus
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 76%
Factoid - Mel Gibson was offered the lead role. He turned it down. At forty-three, he felt he was too old to play Maximus.
Stock In Countdown - Riser


Memorable Scene



I have a confession to make. I have never sat down and watched this movie all the way through on one seating.
Dude, what?

I've no idea how many times I've seen it but the first five times were in the theater. Also very disappointed that it's in the 90s.



Dude, what?

I've no idea how many times I've seen it but the first five times were in the theater. Also very disappointed that it's in the 90s.
hahaha I have to get over my prejudice I had for it when I was 13. I wasn't allowed to see it in theaters when it came out lol. I think if it came out 10 years later when my movie taste started to take a more mature shape I would have a better affinity for it. It goes up every time i catch it if it's any consolation.

I was just relieved it was coming up soon so you saw a movie that was in my countdown.



2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ
My first top 100 here compared to my last one I did has really shown my film taste to have evolved, even if I have a long way to go still.



91

Moneyball - 2011



"How can you not get romantic about baseball?"
I remember seeing this when it first came out and enjoying it. I don't remember loving it. Saw it again recently and it really aged well for me. A baseball move about analytics and roster moves shouldn't make you emotional but at the end it might get you. This is one of Brad Pitt's best performances. He just turns the charm all the way up to 100. Charisma in spades. Jonah Hill has a muted performance but its appropriate and well done. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is in it, one of his last roles, and this is the movie that literally started Chris Pratt's ascent in Hollywood. (Small role but he had to get in shape).

The movie shouldn't be as entertaining as it is but everyone involved elevates the material. Pitt's character's relationship with his daughter isn't a huge plot but it really adds the emotional heft the movie needed. Plus I love the song she sings in this movie, my favorite part. I remember when the A's went on this run back in the early 2000s. Bet they never thought it would be made into a movie. Every time I see it I like it more and more.

Director - Bennett Miller
Best Performance - Brad Pitt as Billy Beane
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 94%
Factoid - When Chris Pratt auditioned for the role of Scott Hatteberg, he was told he was too fat. Pratt decided to lose weight before the role was cast. "I'd check, maybe, once a week," he recalls. "I'd say, 'They cast it yet?' And I would just keep working out. Finally I got in good enough shape that I took a picture of myself and sent it to my agent." He won the role.
Stock In Countdown - Riser


Memorable Scene



90

Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery - 1997



"Who does Number 2 work for? Who does Number 2 work for?"
Either this hits your funny bone or it doesn't. I have enjoyed this movie since I was a kid. It really is just a parody on the old Bond movies. I didn't realize that when I was younger I just thought it was funny and I still think it's funny today now that I know. First movie that really featured Will Ferrell in anything meaningful. Seth Green got his start here. And of course Elizabeth Hurley was a fox and still is. But Mike Meyers makes the whole thing work. He played both Austin Power and Dr. Evil and both become iconic in pop culture. This was sort of the peak of his career and he never quite achieved the same level of success. (probably why he is trying to make a 4th). Sequels were ok but not on the same level.

I always enjoy seeing it on tv and it makes me laugh every time I see it. It's just a stupid comedy that works for me. Think my favorite scene is with Tom Arnold and "who does number 2 work for?" So many great lines. I think it's a classic comedy you don't have to haha.


Director - Jay Roach
Best Performance - Mike Myers as Austin Powers and Dr. Evil
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 70%
Factoid - Mike Myers originally wanted Jim Carrey to play Dr. Evil, but Carrey eventually passed, due to scheduling conflicts with Liar Liar (1997). Myers then took the iconic role himself.
Stock In Countdown - Neutral


Memorable Scene
(Lot funnier scene to choose from but this sums up why I like this movie so much. Feels like I wrote this little sequence)



89

Spotlight - 2015



"You guys gotta understand. This is big. This is not just Boston. It's the whole country. It's the whole world. And it goes right up to the Vatican.?"
On paper I shouldn't like this movie. But in reality this movie is really damn good. McCarthy handled this movie with a deft touch. A movie about the uncovering of child abuse should not be rewatchable or entertaining. However the movie is actually an easy watch. Everyone is on their game from Schreiber to Ruffalo to McAdams and Keaton. There isn't one stand out memorable performance but I'd edge out Keaton as the best, just because he has the most I suppose.

It is sort of refreshing in this current climate of media to watch a group of journalists taking their time to get a story's facts right before rushing to publish. It is all just opinion now, people shouting on tv. Sort of crazy how much media has changed, for the worse, in 20 or so years. This was set around 9/11, it was in the movie. This movie was handled with such care and craft it's worth a view. Hate that the movie had to be made but since it did I am glad they did it right.


Director - Tom McCarthy
Best Performance - Michael Keaton as Walter "Robby" Robinson
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 97%
Factoid - In the baseball game scene, the real Michael Rezendes, Sacha Pfeiffer, and Walter Robinson can be seen in the background.
Stock In Countdown - Neutral


Memorable Scene



88

Inside Out - 2015



"Do you ever look at someone and wonder, "What is going on inside their head?"
Well my first animated film. Pixar is always strongest when they have an original film. First off whoever cast this movie needs a raise and to cast a lot more movies. Bill Hader as Fear, Amy Poehler as Joy, Lewis Black as Anger, Phyllis Smith as Sadness and Mindy Kaling as Disgust are all flawlessly cast. Could really go with all of them as best performance but I went with Amy since she was given the most to do.

The movie is about a 13 year old girl and her emotions during a cross country move. The movie was funny, moving and entertaining. There not much else to say but it's usual Pixar stuff. It's for adults and kids alike. I think that's why Pixar is so great when they go original. They have something to say and they don't dumb it down for kids. Just feels like you got your money's worth. Feels about right on my countdown. If I had watched it recently it might be a few ticks higher.


Director - Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen
Best Performance - Amy Poehler as Joy
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 98%
Factoid - The writers considered up to 27 different emotions, but settled on five (Joy, Sadness, Disgust, Fear, and Anger) to make it less complicated. Some of the major emotions that ended up being cut included Surprise, Pride, and Trust.
Stock in Coutdown - Neutral

Memorable Scene



87

The Jerk - 1979



"Lord loves a working man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it."
Well this movie probably wouldn't get made today. I got to be honest I haven't seen this movie in quite some time but damn does it still make me laugh to think about it. I have such an affinity for it because it is one of my dad's favorite movies. I believe it was Steve Martin's first starring role and he wrote the screenplay. There are just some absolutely classic comedy scenes in this movie. "The phonebooks are here!". The guy shooting the cans. His dog being named "sh*thead". The most iconic scene is probably when he is leaving the house and he grabs everything in his path on the way out. "That's all I need." I still act that out sometimes when I leave places

Anyways it might be higher if I had seen it recently. I can't remember the last time I saw it. Just writing about the scenes brings me joy. This movie kind of reminds me of a classier Joe Dirt. Anyways if you are in the mood for a good laugh and aren't a sensitive SJW you should like this movie too. Still my favorite Steve Martin movie.

Director - Carl Reiner
Best Performance - Steve Martin as Navin R Johnson
Rotten Tomatoes Score - 81%
Factoid - Stanley Kubrick was a big admirer of this film. He would often recite lines from the film to cast and crew on his films and he once invited Steve Martin over so they could play chess.
Stock in Coutdown - Sinker (Just haven't seen it in awhile)

Memorable Scene



Inside Out is the only one of yours I've seen so far, and I totally agree. Inside Out is great.