46. This is Spinal Tap (1984)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by and starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, and Rob Reiner
You will believe a man can burn up from the inside. The father of all mockumentaries and still one of the best. The deception is near total to the point where I forget it's not a documentary at times. The characters have the awkwardness that you often see in a documentary which helps the illusion. Another thing that helps the illusion is that the actors have done so much to help keep it going. They've released freaking albums since the movie came out. Like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the movie has gone beyond film and become phenomenon. Much of the movie is also ad-libed and that is often what makes it hilarious. The songs also really help everything along and, yeah, sorry, I'm really all too in love with this movie. Oh well. It's one of these movies that's hard to talk about. Really, watch for the cameos, be prepared to laugh like mad, and make sure you have a drummer on tap, seriously, have one handy. You'll need it.
45. Minority Report (2002)
Directed by Stephen Spielberg
Written by Scott Frank and Jon Cohen from a short story by Phillip K. Dick
Starring Tom Cruise, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, and Max Von Sydow
Oscar Nominations: 1
Minority Report is one of those action movies that makes you think. It's all about free choice. In a world where you can get arrested for what you might do, you have no choice but to think happy thoughts. You won't hear me say this, but Tom Cruise was freaking spectacular in this movie. His role as Precrime Chief John Anderton has so many things going for it: tragedy in the form of dealing with the death of his son, drive to prove his innocence, and a desire to fight the system later. The visuals are also just amazing. It captures a futuristic world but it also isn't too far forward where it's a world we can't recognize. The other thing that really rock in this movie is Samantha Morton's psychic character. She's a sad person alternatively with cryptic. My favorite moment is when she tells someone, just a random person, "Don't go home. He knows." You don't know what it means but it has potential and makes the movie larger than it is.
44. A Night at the Opera (1935)
Directed by Sam Wood
Story by James Kevin McGuinness Screenplay by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind
Starring Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, and Margaret Dumont
One of the smartest and Funniest of the Marx Brothers' films. We do have the thing that often drags down the Brother's movies (Romantic Couple) but it doesn't quite bother me here. The couple actually works and there isn't the focus on them to the point where they are the main focus of the plot like in a couple of other movies. Instead, we have a manic film, anarchy bound, captured, and forced to work. The problem with moth Marx Brothers films is finding that balance and why A Night At The Opera works is that it find it. There are also a number of great scenes. The Stateroom scene and the ending scene at the Opera are two of the best in the history of the Brothers. The problem with Marx Brothers movies is that it's hard to talk about them because so much is visual humor and quick witted one liners. I guess I'll settle for really going in depth on them when I get to the Top 10.
Next Time: "All it was, was a bunch of people walking, three movies of people walking to a f***ing volcano."
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