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My top 100 movies: #1: E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1 Viewer)

#35 - Fargo

Everything about this movie is funny, starting with the title. The Cohens thought it was funnier than Brainerd.

Carl and the Swede for some reason drive to Brainerd before they go to The Cities. The first is east of Fargo on Hwy 10, the second southeast on I94. That's really out of the way.

I've parked in the lot where Carl & Wade shot it out. I ate at the Embers shown. 

And as much as people don't like to admit it, the movie absolutely nails who we are as Minnesotans - naive but not dumb. Just like Marge. Even the accent is right - I know a guy that looks and sounds EXACTLY like the guy that "called it in...sooo...end of story".

Marge Gunderson: I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work, there, Lou.

Trivia:

The Coens have described Minnesota as "Siberia with family restaurants."

The scene where the couple tries to make a deal with Jerry is based on Ethan Coen's real-life encounter with a car salesman. "[It's] almost a verbatim transcript of my experience."

Frances McDormand accidentally left her pregnancy suit in her trailer one night. The silicone breasts in the suit froze, and one of them exploded the next day on set.

 
Fargo is a masterpiece.  

I get why some native Minnesotans aren't fans - I vividly remember the KQRS Morning Show gang just livid about it and trashing the film all morning after seeing an advance screening of it the previous night - but I thought it captured the accent and rhythm of Minnesotan talk better than anything this side of Prairie Home Companion.

Frances McDormand deserves all the praise she gets here, but I want to give shout-out to William H Macy as Jerry.  Just a perfectly-baked loaf of Hennepin County white bread in over his head.  

 
Andy Dufresne said:
In the area? I grew up and my parents still live in Moorhead. I'll have to check out the woodchipper along with the Hjemkomst Center.
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I've visited it passing through.  They have a nice collection of Fargo memorabilia there including the chipper.  They have a nice little Walk of Fame there too.

Big yellow replica chipper sits out front.  Cant miss it.  Actual one is inside.

 
BroncoFreak_2K3 said:
I've visited it passing through.  They have a nice collection of Fargo memorabilia there including the chipper.  They have a nice little Walk of Fame there too.

Big yellow replica chipper sits out front.  Cant miss it.  Actual one is inside.
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Fargo walk of fame must be about six steps long with two steps reserved for Carson Wentz.

 
Never understood the love for Fargo.  A few scenes were good but overall... maybe I just didnt "get" it.  Just never found it worthy of a 2nd viewing.

 
B Maverick said:
Never understood the love for Fargo.  A few scenes were good but overall... maybe I just didnt "get" it.  Just never found it worthy of a 2nd viewing.
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It's a dark comedy and character study - specifically Marge.

As I said earlier, the theme is that Minnesotans/Midwesterners might be naive but they're not stupid.

The key scene, IMO, is the one with Mike Yanagita. Up until then Marge is willing so take everyone at their word. But after she finds out that Mike lied to her, the lightbulb turns on and she realizes Jerry did too. 

It's significant that she's from Brainerd and not Minneapolis. The idea is that the simple people can still hold their own against those more "worldly".

Take this exchange:

Airport Lot Attendant: There's a minimum charge of four dollars. Long-term parking charges by the day. 

Carl Showalter: I guess you think you're... you know, like an authority figure, with that stupid ####in' uniform, huh buddy? King clip-on-tie there, big ####in' man, huh? You know these are the limits of your life, man! The rule of your little ####in' gate here! 

[gives the attendant the money]

Carl Showalter: Here's your four dollars, you pathetic piece of ####!

The ticket taker is a simpleton and Carl gives him hell...But he ends up paying what he owes.

Plus, it's wickedly funny. But humor is subjective so... :shrug:

 
#34 - Robocop

Saw this with a friend as a double feature with Beverly Hills Cop 2. It was some sort of sneak preview for Robocop and we thought it sounded really stupid but hey...free movie so what the heck? What a surprise when we quickly realized we were seeing awesomeness.

Robocop as a character just says a lot and only Paul Verhoeven could have made this movie. Not only is he the result of corporate greed but also a corporation that has infinfiltrated the public realm. What an American and human nightmare.

The craftsmanship that went into doing Murphy's murder is amazing. Today you'd just CGI it but back then they had to create an incredible mannequin, around which they did a tracking shot to show the back of his head being blown off. 

And the final showdown with Clarence's gang, especially where Emil gets liquefied, is kick ###.

Trivia:

Because the hands of the RoboCop suit were made of foam rubber, the car keys would bounce off of Peter Weller's hand every time he attempted to catch them. The production took up to 50 takes and an entire day's worth of filming before finally getting the shot right.

In the hostage scene, as RoboCop is walking toward the room where the former councilman is holding the mayor hostage, the infrared heat vision mode was actually executed using fluorescent body paint on the (nude) actors and a black light. Paul Verhoeven says that he thought this technique would be cheaper than getting an actual infrared spectrometer camera.

Secretary "Barbara" is  Kurtwood  Smith's real-life wife.

 
Andy Dufresne said:
#34 - Robocop

Saw this with a friend as a double feature with Beverly Hills Cop 2. It was some sort of sneak preview for Robocop and we thought it sounded really stupid but hey...free movie so what the heck? What a surprise when we quickly realized we were seeing awesomeness.

Robocop as a character just says a lot and only Paul Verhoeven could have made this movie. Not only is he the result of corporate greed but also a corporation that has infinfiltrated the public realm. What an American and human nightmare.

The craftsmanship that went into doing Murphy's murder is amazing. Today you'd just CGI it but back then they had to create an incredible mannequin, around which they did a tracking shot to show the back of his head being blown off. 

And the final showdown with Clarence's gang, especially where Emil gets liquefied, is kick ###.

Trivia:

Because the hands of the RoboCop suit were made of foam rubber, the car keys would bounce off of Peter Weller's hand every time he attempted to catch them. The production took up to 50 takes and an entire day's worth of filming before finally getting the shot right.

In the hostage scene, as RoboCop is walking toward the room where the former councilman is holding the mayor hostage, the infrared heat vision mode was actually executed using fluorescent body paint on the (nude) actors and a black light. Paul Verhoeven says that he thought this technique would be cheaper than getting an actual infrared spectrometer camera.

Secretary "Barbara" is  Kurtwood  Smith's real-life wife.
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As a youth, the scene of Murphy's murder still remains one of the most disturbing movie scenes I've ever seen, given my age & resultant context... (& I've watched quite a bit of weird ####)

 
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Kafka said:
As a youth, the scene of Murphy's murder is still remains one of the most disturbing movie scenes I've ever seen, given my age & resultant context... (& I've watched quite a bit of weird ####)
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Really the only thing I don't like about the movie is the graphic violence. The rest of the movie is great.

 
Kafka said:
As a youth, the scene of Murphy's murder is still remains one of the most disturbing movie scenes I've ever seen, given my age & resultant context... (& I've watched quite a bit of weird ####)
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Have you seen it on DVD recently? The stuff they cut to bring it from an X to R rating is included. Murphy's murder is MUCH more graphic.

https://youtu.be/z38tZPxDekw

 
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Andy Dufresne said:
Have you seen it on DVD recently? The b stuff they cut to bring it from an X to R rating is included. Murphy's murder is MUCH more graphic.
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It's probably more disturbing to me because it was the first time I saw the "good guy/protagonist" get murdered on screen.   Graphic violence to me now is like  "meh, that's lazy".  "To Live & Die in LA" is another example that shook me up then...we didn't have HBO or cable TV (ever), so it was a whole new experience to me.  Christ, we barely had a TV, because my parents insisted on books & reading.  Philistines!

 
#33 - Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

This is how you do an adventure movie. Multiple locations, a beautiful girl, humor, good guys versus bad guys...and a traitor!

Elsa: What's this? 

Indiana Jones: Ark of the Covenant. 

Elsa: Are you sure? 

Indiana Jones: Pretty sure.

Trivia:

Most of the uniforms worn by the Nazis in the Berlin book burning scene are authentic WW2 uniforms and not costumes. A cache of old uniforms was found in Germany and obtained by costume designer Anthony Powell to be used in the film.

Sean Connery and Harrison Ford wore no trousers during the shooting of the entire Zeppelin sequence (mainly because it was filmed in a very hot studio and Connery didn't want to sweat too much).

 
Andy Dufresne said:
#34 - Robocop

Saw this with a friend as a double feature with Beverly Hills Cop 2. It was some sort of sneak preview for Robocop and we thought it sounded really stupid but hey...free movie so what the heck? What a surprise when we quickly realized we were seeing awesomeness.

Robocop as a character just says a lot and only Paul Verhoeven could have made this movie. Not only is he the result of corporate greed but also a corporation that has infinfiltrated the public realm. What an American and human nightmare.

The craftsmanship that went into doing Murphy's murder is amazing. Today you'd just CGI it but back then they had to create an incredible mannequin, around which they did a tracking shot to show the back of his head being blown off. 

And the final showdown with Clarence's gang, especially where Emil gets liquefied, is kick ###.

Trivia:

Because the hands of the RoboCop suit were made of foam rubber, the car keys would bounce off of Peter Weller's hand every time he attempted to catch them. The production took up to 50 takes and an entire day's worth of filming before finally getting the shot right.

In the hostage scene, as RoboCop is walking toward the room where the former councilman is holding the mayor hostage, the infrared heat vision mode was actually executed using fluorescent body paint on the (nude) actors and a black light. Paul Verhoeven says that he thought this technique would be cheaper than getting an actual infrared spectrometer camera.

Secretary "Barbara" is  Kurtwood  Smith's real-life wife.
Click to expand...
"#####es leave"

 
James Daulton said:
"#####es leave"
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While filming Bob Morton's death scene, Miguel Ferrer and Kurtwood Smith began cracking up because while directing the scene, Paul Verhoeven referred to all the actors in-character. This meant he addressed the actresses playing the prostitutes as "#####es".

 
Andy Dufresne said:
#33 - Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade

This is how you do an adventure movie. Multiple locations, a beautiful girl, humor, good guys versus bad guys...and a traitor!
Click to expand...
I have to admit that from start to finish I like this movie better than Raiders.  Raiders is very good but the last 20-30 minutes (after the truck chase) just drags.

 
#32 - Glory

Standout performances by the cast, a terrific score (ridiculously snubbed by the academy), and several memorable scenes add up to a great movie.

"If you men will take no pay...then NONE of us will!"

"Give 'em hell 54th!"

"...you ain't careful that's all you ever gonna be."

"How many are left...glory hallelujah!"

End credits score.

Trivia:

The real Colonel Shaw was witnessed releasing his horse before leading the suicidal charge on Fort Wagner, as depicted onscreen. 

As already mentioned: Shaw's body was thrown into a mass-grave with his black soldiers as an insult by the Confederate Commander after the battle. Robert Shaw's father, however, felt that his son's burial alongside his troops was a very fitting tribute:

"We would not have his body removed from where it lies surrounded by his brave and devoted soldiers. We can imagine no holier place than that in which he lies, among his brave and devoted followers, nor wish for him better company. - what a body-guard he has!"

In the attack on Fort Wagner nearly half the regiment was killed, wounded or captured. For his bravery in the battle, Sergeant William H. Carney became the first African American to earn the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. However, the award was given to him 37 years later.

 
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Andy Dufresne said:
#33 - Glory

Standout performances by the cast, a terrific score (ridiculously snubbed by the academy), and several memorable scenes add up to a great movie.

"If you men will take no pay...then NONE of us will!"

"Give 'em hell 54th!"

"...you ain't careful that's all you ever gonna be."

"How many are left...glory hallelujah!"

End credits score.

Trivia:

The real Colonel Shaw was witnessed releasing his horse before leading the suicidal charge on Fort Wagner, as depicted onscreen. 

As already mentioned: Shaw's body was thrown into a mass-grave with his black soldiers as an insult by the Confederate Commander after the battle. Robert Shaw's father, however, felt that his son's burial alongside his troops was a very fitting tribute:

"We would not have his body removed from where it lies surrounded by his brave and devoted soldiers. We can imagine no holier place than that in which he lies, among his brave and devoted followers, nor wish for him better company. - what a body-guard he has!"

In the attack on Fort Wagner nearly half the regiment was killed, wounded or captured. For his bravery in the battle, Sergeant William H. Carney became the first African American to earn the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award. However, the award was given to him 37 years later.
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I love the music.

 
#31 - The Neverending Story

You don't have to keep your feet on the ground. Fight against The Nothing, not just for your own sake but for others as well.

 Never give up and good luck will find you.

Great fantastical characters and G'mork is a scary villain. And I think there's plenty of evidence today that The Nothing is winning.

One of my dad's favorite movies - and he doesn't really like movies.

Trivia:

Noah Hathaway was hurt twice during the making of the movie. During his horse riding training he was thrown off a horse which then stepped on him. Then during the shooting of the drowning sequence in the "swamp of sadness" his leg got caught on the elevator and he was pulled under water. He was unconscious by the time he was brought to the surface.

According to the filmmakers, the roiling storm clouds were not meant to actually be The Nothing, but rather an indication of its presence, as The Nothing is an invisible force.

 
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Really liking this list.  The Neverending Story is a great selection.

Two scenes from the book were written in the script but ultimately scrapped due to special effects limitations. The first was the initial appearance of Falcor, where Atreyu rescues him from Ygramul the Many, a swarm of poisonous wasps taking the form of a giant spider. This is where Bastian's scream being heard by the characters in the book was to have taken place, and also explained why Atreyu and Falcor are later seen being given medicine by the Gnomes. The second cut scene involved Atreyu and Falcor encountering the Wind Giants, giant creatures made of clouds, and being caught in a fight between them. This was re-edited into their close encounter with the Nothing before Atreyu falls into the sea.

Noah Hathaway almost lost an eye during the fight-scene versus Gmork. One of the claws on his giant paws poked him in the face. The robot was also so heavy that he lost his breath as well when he was hit to the ground by it. They only made one shot due to the risk that he would get seriously wounded.
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#30 - Spider-Man 2

This is still the best superhero movie ever made. Most of the genre has the problem of highlighting the superhero-ness, making the movie be about the powers. Or, they're just silly.

SM2 does neither. The powers are complimentary to the story. And the villain is truly one that you sympathize with (thanks in no small part to a tremendous turn by Alfred Molina).

No other superhero movie has as terrifying of a scene as the tentacle attack in the hospital and it makes viewer feel that something is at stake in the movie.

The train battle is incredible and the physics of Spidey's swinging are finally nailed and not distracting.

It's just a terrific movie.

Trivia:

According to Stan Lee, Spider-Man wears a mask so his enemies couldn't see his fear.

Approximately $54 million was spent on digital effects alone.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

 Doc Ock's lair is meant to reflect a warped version of Dr. Octavius's old lab and express how his life had collapsed and grown more monstrous, evoking Fritz Lang's work and the film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920). The set was 60*120 feet long and 40 feet high, and took 15 weeks to build. A quarter-scale miniature was built for its collapse.

 
Andy Dufresne said:
Well, since this is just my list, I'm not going to say that some or even most of the films "ranked" higher than these are better films. The ones higher are just the ones that I've grown to love over time or are ones that I'm most excited about recently.

Chinatown is undoubtedly better than The Karate Kid, but I grew up with the latter so it's more of a favorite.
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