Eddie Murphy in Ghostbusters, Chevy in Animal House, Travolta in a number of Richard Gere hits in the 1980s, Will Smith as Neo, David Schwimmer in Men in Black, Nicolas Cage as Superman.....the list is endless

 

Also, the Axel Foley character was dramatically rewritten after Sly dropped out.  It wouldn't have been the same movie remotely

That's my point.  I think you were SUPPOSED to start getting a sense of that change in II... even I to an extent, but HC was just that awful.  He did nothing to sell that character and McGregor simply overshadowed him throughout.

 

I agree with all points. The only thing that I disagree with is that the script accomplished what you were supposed to sense. If I read the scripts of the three movies without any visual interpretation I think at the end of III I'd still be scratching my head. But I have itchy scalp, so maybe that's the problem.

^ Agreed. I'm not a big fan of HC, but Lawrence Olivier himself couldn't have pulled that part off. The storyline was terrible. According to I-III, Darth Vader was a whiny brat, not sinister and evil.

 

I am not sure that the right actor wouldn't have given a much different spin on Anakin.  The whiny brat impression I think is all HC.

 

Think about it for a minute.  Let's just assume that the first choice for each of these roles actually came to fruition and how different those movies would have been:

 

Back to the Future - Marty Mcfly - Eric Stolz

 

 

That would have been a disaster. No way in hell Bill Murray could have pulled off Forrest Gump. I completely agree. I like Bill Murry's dry humor. I was cracking up, watching Groundhog day. Classic movie, that is. He also did good in Lost in Translation, I think. That movie was kinda dreary and depressing but I enjoyed it a lot.

 

 

I probably would have preferred Viggo in Dances (in that I might have actually seen the movie). Kevin Costner sucks the life out of every movie he's been in. Yes I've seen Untouchables.

Sadly, I have also seen that poor excuse for a movie. Not only is the casting and acting horrible, but the music doesn't even match what is going on in the film, not that you can really tell what is going on because the writing is almost as bad as the acting. Kevin Costner has ruined so many movies with his horrible acting (like this The Untouchables as well as Thirteen Days) and I don't understand how he ever made it in Hollywood/acting in general.

 

That would have been a disaster. No way in hell Bill Murray could have pulled off Forrest Gump. I completely agree. I like Bill Murry's dry humor. I was cracking up, watching Groundhog day. Classic movie, that is. He also did good in Lost in Translation, I think. That movie was kinda dreary and depressing but I enjoyed it a lot.

I don't find Bill Murray to be that great of an actor, which is why I avoid most of his movies (or rather, movies that he is in).

I like all actors; I don't think there's really an actor I don't like, other than Nicolas Cage. He has no personality, no charisma, he's hardly ever funny and he's not at all a versatile actor. I digress; I've already talked about how I think Nicolas Cage shouldn't be famous and the fact that the only reason he is famous is because of his connections to Hollywood (Francis Ford Coppola - a TRUE legend, is his uncle).

 

The way I look at it, movies are art. Art is a reflection of society and the human condition. In this world, people boil down to a few specific clear-cut archetypes. You ever meet people and think, "I know someone who looks, acts and thinks just like this person.." Isn't that weird? Most actors/actresses I think fit archetypes, even if they're pretty versatile. To me, Bill Murray is the typical guy who is droopy, mopey-depressed, cynical, apathetic but kind of makes up with all his dry humor. If it weren't for the humor, he wouldn't be worth watching. If you think about it though, we all know at least one person who acts exactly like that so why shouldn't someone like him be in movies?

 

I think my favorite movie with him in it is Groundhog Day; the worst would be The Life Acquatic. I know the types of people who post on this forum (they think The Office is the most amazing thing ever) and probably would disagree but Life Acquatic was one of the worst movies I've ever seen. I think that's one of only two movies at which I literally just f-ing left after like 20 minutes into it. I like to stick around at bad movies, at least so I can make fun of the movie later but it was just so damn boring and I said something to my friend about it and they felt the exact same way, so we all just up and left! I really hope that movie bombed because I don't ever want to accidentally watch something that similar and terrible.

Speaking of Life Aquatic, I have found that the later Wes Anderson movies have ruined the earlier ones for me too (except for Rushmore, mostly because of Jason Swartzman). I liked the Royal Tenebaums when it came out but I tried to watch it a few months ago on Netflix, and got annoyed because Wes Anderson just makes the same detached, slightly wacky stylistic, irony filled movie over and over. The plot changes but the characters are always caricatures and are mostly unlikable. I guess what seemed fresh ( the Royals, which I believe was movie #3 after Bottle Rocket and Rushmore) when it came out seems stale after seeing the same product made over and over....

 

I had a get together this weekend with my friends from HS, for whatever reason we had a conversation about Nic Cage and all the horrible movies that he has made just to get a paycheck. Good Nic Cage movies we came up with were Raising Arizona, Gone in 60 secs, and the first National Treasure. Maybe Leaving Las Vegas. The rest are crap or mediocre at best.

Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, and Con-Air were all successful in the box office.  "Acting" is a bit overrated for me.  The question I ask is "did I enjoy the movie"?  Those were 3 Nicholas Cage movies I enjoyed that came out right ina  row.  Then he was in a few movies I didn't like, gone in 60 seconds I liked, and then that was about it.  He's not winning any Oscars, but neither is Rambo but I still liked those movies.  It's like Keanu Reeves - he was in some movies I really like, but everyone rips his "acting".  Who cares...I enjoyed the movie.

Don't forget faceoff

Leaving Las Vegas, The Rock, and Con-Air were all successful in the box office. "Acting" is a bit overrated for me. The question I ask is "did I enjoy the movie"? Those were 3 Nicholas Cage movies I enjoyed that came out right ina row. Then he was in a few movies I didn't like, gone in 60 seconds I liked, and then that was about it. He's not winning any Oscars, but neither is Rambo but I still liked those movies. It's like Keanu Reeves - he was in some movies I really like, but everyone rips his "acting". Who cares...I enjoyed the movie.

 

100% agree.  If Point Break comes on I know I'm watching it.  "You gotta go down.  it's gotta BE that way!"  Makes me laugh everytime.

Oops! Forgot the Rock and Con-air. Those were considered "good "movies too. I agree Face/off was enjoyable too...

 

and Captain Correlli's Mandolin, too  :P

100% Pure Adrenalin agree.  If Point Break comes on I know I'm watching it.  "You gotta go down.  it's gotta BE that way!"  Makes me laugh everytime.

 

Fixed that for you. The best damn Surfer-Bank Robbery movie ever made!

Costner is a horribly overrated actor.  He will never live down Waterworld.... and he couldn't hold an english accent to save his life in Robin Hood.  That said, Field of Dreams and Bull Durham are both classics in my book and I thought he played those roles very well.  Maybe he should just stick to baseball?  Also.... I'm probably gonna get blasted for this,  but he did surprisingly pull off the bad guy in 3000 Miles to Graceland.  And, oh yeah, he deserved an oscar for his role in the Big Chill ;)

 

Speaking of sports movies, what does everyone have on top.  The Natural, Hoosiers, and Any Given Sunday come to mind for me if you break it down by sports...... and Slapstick, of course, but it doesn't have much competition from other hockey movies.

Speaking of sports movies, what does everyone have on top. The Natural, Hoosiers, and Any Given Sunday come to mind for me if you break it down by sports...... and Slapstick, of course, but it doesn't have much competition from other hockey movies.

 

the only two hockey movies that come to mind are Slapstick ... and Sudden Death.  There has to be more solely because I dont want to think of Sudden Death as the 2nd best hockey movie.

Mighty Ducks was the only other one I could think of.  Regardless, it would be tough to top Slapstick.

Sure there are lots of Hockey movies like ...Slap Shot and ummm.. the Mighty Ducks? I don't even know Sudden Death. Oh wait there is also Miracle the 80' US olympic team movie.

Sports movies...speaking of Kevin Costnar, I love Tin Cup.  Great drinking movie...

 

Major League I think I would rank #1 for me, although its ties to Cleveland probably bias my opinion.

RUDYYYYYYY!!!!

 

 

Best boxing movie is still Rocky. If you don't shed a tear at the end when he's crying out for Adrian, you're not human.

Rocky 4 or Major League

Field of Dreams.  I'd give anything to have one last catch!

 

Anyone read  Malamud's "The Natural"?  Very good book, but nothing like the movie.

 

 

Have not read it.... but I hear the ending is very different from the movie.

 

One thing about the Natural one of my english profs always used to talk about is how Roy Hobbs is the poster boy for an American protaganist.... a humbe guy who is from "nowhere special".  This is the same prof, of course, that I talked about upthread who had this thing against Forest Gump because he thought the movie was taking a shot at the baby boomers and how they "sold out" after the 1960's.

 

hat I talked about upthread who had this thing against Forest Gump because he thought the movie was taking a shot at the baby boomers and how they "sold out" after the 1960's.

 

Funny I always thought that Forrest Gump was a big wet sloppy kiss on the collective Boomer's A$$.

Sure there are lots of Hockey movies like ...Slap Shot and ummm.. the Mighty Ducks? I don't even know Sudden Death. Oh wait there is also Miracle the 80' US olympic team movie.

 

You forgot the greatest hockey movie of all time...Youngblood!

 

The ice... The fire... The fight... To be the best.

 

To Youngblood, winning wasn't everything - proving himself was.

 

 

Sure there are lots of Hockey movies like ...Slap Shot and ummm.. the Mighty Ducks? I don't even know Sudden Death. Oh wait there is also Miracle the 80' US olympic team movie.

 

You forgot the greatest hockey movie of all time...Youngblood!

 

The ice... The fire... The fight... To be the best.

 

To Youngblood, winning wasn't everything - proving himself was.

 

 

 

Best post apocalyptic roller hockey movie..."Soalrbabies"...does that count? With a tagline of " Who will rule the future?" it's so bad that it's good. OK maybe I just had a thing for Jamie Gertz growing up...

 

Jason Patric, was in it too. I am guessing that is how they both ended up in Lost Boys together.

 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091981/plotsummary

Bringing this back because my friends and I were debating our top 10 lists for funniest movies of all time.  We took slap-sticks out of the equation (so no Blazing Saddles, Pink Panther, Airplane, Naked Gun, etc).  Those are hard to compare to the other comedies.  Here was my (very loose) list:

 

Animal House

MASH

Hangover

The Big Lebowski

Old School

Slap Shot

There's Something About Mary

Trading Places

Step Brothers

Super Troopers

Friday

Bringing this back because my friends and I were debating our top 10 lists for funniest movies of all time.  We took slap-sticks out of the equation (so no Blazing Saddles, Pink Panther, Airplane, Naked Gun, etc).  Those are hard to compare to the other comedies.  Here was my (very loose) list:

 

Animal House

MASH

Hangover

The Big Lebowski

Old School

Slap Shot

There's Something About Mary

Trading Places

Step Brothers

Super Troopers

Friday

 

So outside of Mash and Slap Shot, nothing before the 80s.  tsk..tsk..tsk.

metropolis

speedy

the women

casablanca

the maltese falcon

cry danger

mr. smith goes to washington

twelve o'clock high

auntie mame

any marx brothers movie

the asphalt jungle

the high and the mighty

international hotel

grand hotel

just about any "noir" film

^^Such as?  I would've put Blazing Saddles and the Pink Panther movies in there, but we excluded slap-stick comedies.  I'm open to suggestions of what to check out, but am probably not interested in anything from your generation...... I never had much interest in silent films.

^^Such as?  I would've put Blazing Saddles and the Pink Panther movies in there, but we excluded slap-stick comedies.  I'm open to suggestions of what to check out, but am probably not interested in anything from your generation...... I never had much interest in silent films.

 

Definitely agree....also the original Producers

How about This is Spinal Tap, I'm Gonna Git you Sucka, Hollywood Shuffle, Overboard, One Crazy Summer, 16 Candles, It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, Office Space, The Jerk, and Anchorman

The Hard Way and Sometimes a Great Notion. I could watch those everyday.

I really like Hot Fuzz, but opinions differ on that one.  I agree with most of Hts121's comedy list although I would nominate Blues Brothers and a couple of Monty Python pix for it.

^^Such as?  I would've put Blazing Saddles and the Pink Panther movies in there, but we excluded slap-stick comedies.  I'm open to suggestions of what to check out, but am probably not interested in anything from your generation...... I never had much interest in silent films.

 

^^Such as?  I would've put Blazing Saddles and the Pink Panther movies in there, but we excluded slap-stick comedies.  I'm open to suggestions of what to check out, but am probably not interested in anything from your generation...... I never had much interest in silent films.

Cat Ballou?

Greaser's Palace?

The Loved One?

A lot of the silent comedies tended to be kinda slapstick anyway.

12:08 East of Bucharest is pretty good

Big Tits Zombie is hilarious but I think it would fall under slapstick or maybe splatterstick - actually there seems to be a genre of Japanese jiggle/horror/comedy/splatter movies that crack me up - probably not for everybody, tho.

 

Chinatown, The Grapes of Wrath, Office Space, The Life of Brian, Midway, Avatar, The Right Stuff, ...

Ok, those are my favs. There were a few problems with the story in Avatar, but the way they wrote the twist on militarism was exquisite.

Sharknado.

Mr Man, have you seen Sharktopus?

exquisite.....

deepest, bluest, my head is like a shark's fin.  :mrgreen:

 

 

Sharktopus!!!

Bringing this back because my friends and I were debating our top 10 lists for funniest movies of all time.  We took slap-sticks out of the equation (so no Blazing Saddles, Pink Panther, Airplane, Naked Gun, etc).  Those are hard to compare to the other comedies.  Here was my (very loose) list:

 

Animal House

MASH

Hangover

The Big Lebowski

Old School

Slap Shot

There's Something About Mary

Trading Places

Step Brothers

Super Troopers

Friday

 

Animal House is as good as it gets.

 

Boogie Nights is under rated. A really good movie. Multiple actors should have received more nominations from that movie.

Burt Reynolds was nominated for best supporting. The scene with Wahlberg, John Reilly, and Thomas Jane where they go to the house

of the drug dealer (Alfred Molina) is a classic. The cast that was put together for that movie was about perfect.

 

 

I'm going to cross reference the cultural blasphemy thread, and throw out that, while I enjoy Animal House, it's not in my top ten. Not even close. It's highly quotable, and it's certainly a hallmark of 1970's era comedies, but I've never once laughed out loud during the movie. My enjoyment has always been on a more cerebral, 'Ah, yes, that Belushi, quite a rogue. Brilliant!' level (monocle, and uppity New Englandy accent, is optional).

 

I think because 'everyone' has told us that Animal House is the pinnacle of comedy, that there's an obligation to comply with that opinion. Again....quite humourous. Indubitably.

I'm going to cross reference the cultural blasphemy thread, and throw out that, while I enjoy Animal House, it's not in my top ten. Not even close. It's highly quotable, and it's certainly a hallmark of 1970's era comedies, but I've never once laughed out loud during the movie. My enjoyment has always been on a more cerebral, 'Ah, yes, that Belushi, quite a rogue. Brilliant!' level (monocle, and uppity New Englandy accent, is optional).

 

I think because 'everyone' has told us that Animal House is the pinnacle of comedy, that there's an obligation to comply with that opinion.

 

Actually, I find that overhyping a movie only has a negative effect.  If my expectations are too high, the movie won't seem as good as it is.

 

It seems that Animal House is indeed in most people's list of top comedies of all time.  And it is highly quotable.... perhaps overplayed ad nauseam by a few.  But you can't hold the movie responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals.  For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole movie fanbase? And if the whole fanbase is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our film industry in general? I put it to you, AJ - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America!

If you like vampire/zombie genre, Stake Land is a pretty dam good flick.

 

http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/stake-land-2011

 

 

Review by Andrew L. Urban:

Mister (Nick Damici) is a man of few words but plenty of action as he makes his way north through a post apocalyptic America towards New Eden - used to be called Canada. Armed with wooden stakes, often rubbed with garlic oil ("doesn't hurt") with which to smite any of the vamps (vampire zombies) who come too close, Mister is a taciturn hero in the classic mould.

 

After saving Martin (Connor Paolo), the son of a couple preparing to flee their home from a vamp attack, Mister takes him along in his beaten up old Chevvy convertible and fights his way towards a land where food and safety await. They hope.

 

On the way they rescue a nun who they simply call Sister (a grey haired Kelly McGillis) and kill the two men who raped her, but her sister has been vamped and in one of the film's standout scenes, they have to kill her. It's a standout for the fact that it introduces some of the ethical dilemmas that most zombie movies don't deal with; the separation line between humans and ex-humans, the zombies. Sister stays with the men - where is she going to go, asks Martin in the voice over.

 

They hit big trouble when they are captured by the Brotherhood, a religious cult whose leader, Jebedia (Michael Creveris) is the father of one of the rapists Mister killed.

 

Director Jim Mickle and writer Damici give horror fans all the juicy, showy, bloody zombie killing stunts they can handle in what is a first rate genre piece with great production values and great dry, dialogue. They also take care to include lots of little touches that add texture, from radio broadcasts to hand scrawled signs that hint at the horrors around them.

 

Mickle invests in his characters and makes us care for each of them, elevating the film to the best of its genre potential, with as much human drama as zombie horror and Jeff Grace provides an outstanding score, plucking the emotional strings.

 

The Road on supernatural steroids, the New York Times called it, and that's a pretty good short handle for it.

 

 

http://www.urbancinefile.com.au/home/view.asp?a=17975&s=Reviews

Actually, I find that overhyping a movie only has a negative effect.  If my expectations are too high, the movie won't seem as good as it is.

I think this might be one of the things appealing about low budget horror - you go in expecting it to be bad to horrible and, if you can make it to the end, even if you're laughing, you are delightfully surprised.

I love the newly satiric nature of this thread!

I'm going to cross reference the cultural blasphemy thread, and throw out that, while I enjoy Animal House, it's not in my top ten. Not even close. It's highly quotable, and it's certainly a hallmark of 1970's era comedies, but I've never once laughed out loud during the movie. My enjoyment has always been on a more cerebral, 'Ah, yes, that Belushi, quite a rogue. Brilliant!' level (monocle, and uppity New Englandy accent, is optional).

 

I think because 'everyone' has told us that Animal House is the pinnacle of comedy, that there's an obligation to comply with that opinion.

 

Actually, I find that overhyping a movie only has a negative effect.  If my expectations are too high, the movie won't seem as good as it is.

 

It seems that Animal House is indeed in most people's list of top comedies of all time.  And it is highly quotable.... perhaps overplayed ad nauseam by a few.  But you can't hold the movie responsible for the behavior of a few, sick twisted individuals.  For if you do, then shouldn't we blame the whole movie fanbase? And if the whole fanbase is guilty, then isn't this an indictment of our film industry in general? I put it to you, AJ - isn't this an indictment of our entire American society? Well, you can do whatever you want to us, but we're not going to sit here and listen to you badmouth the United States of America!

 

I see where you went with that.

 

Maybe it's just too cerebral for me. My tastes fall more toward the 'Ha ha...fatty fell down" category. John Candy in Delirious, perhaps?

A compilation of the worst death scenes.

I've seen worse & I've only seen a few of these

Basket Case, Black Sheep and, I think, Circle of Iron?

The Ultimate Terrible Death Scenes Compilation

bloodsport is the best drinking movie off all time...or the worst. if you drink every time they say "kumite" or van damme does the splits, you'll be down for the count in 15 minutes lol. but seriously, i just love that movie. the only movie partly made in kowloon walked city, so its historic too.

^ Is that the one where he gets drunk and then beats up the bar while dancing? Oy, it's so awful. I'm watching it tonight!

 

That said, it's no Lionheart. LIONHEAAAAAART!!!!

No.  The drunk bar fight was Kickboxer.  Bloodsport was the one with Bolo Yeung, the "Chinese Hercules".... who also played a villian in Enter the Dragon. 

I'm going to cross reference the cultural blasphemy thread, and throw out that, while I enjoy Animal House, it's not in my top ten. Not even close. It's highly quotable, and it's certainly a hallmark of 1970's era comedies, but I've never once laughed out loud during the movie. My enjoyment has always been on a more cerebral, 'Ah, yes, that Belushi, quite a rogue. Brilliant!' level (monocle, and uppity New Englandy accent, is optional).

 

I think because 'everyone' has told us that Animal House is the pinnacle of comedy, that there's an obligation to comply with that opinion. Again....quite humourous. Indubitably.

I'm with you. I didn't hate the movie or anything, but I wouldn't consider it amoung the best movies I've seen.