The Top 100 Movie List : Postponement

I have to go into work early today so today's entry won't be up until after five. Sorry. Until then, enjoy Ghost Love Score by Nightwish.

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 76-74

76. The Bad Seed (1956)
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Written by John Lee Mahin from the play by Maxwell Anderson
Starring Nancy Kelly, Patty McCormack, and Henry Jones
Oscar Nominations: 4

I must like movies featuring psychopathic munchkins because we have another movie featuring an evil little girl. It's a well-written movie about a mother who starts to suspect that her daughter is a killer. It actually seems like a plausible premise to me. One of the things that I really enjoy about the movie is that performance of Patty McCormack who plays Rhoda, the daughter. She is variably evil and sweet and always slightly creepy but only if you know that she's evil.  The thing that makes or breaks these kind of movies are the children actors. If they're terrible, it sinks. If they're good, it rocks.

75. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
Directed by Ang Lee
Written by Hui-Lee Wang, James Schaums, and Kuo Jung Tsai from the novel by Wang Du Lu
Starring Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, and Chang Chen
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscars won: 4 (Best Foreign Film, Cinematography, Score, Art Direction-Set Direction)

A feast for the eyes, one of the most visually beautiful movies I have ever seen. The thing that makes this movie as awesome as it is is that it's a feast for the senses. It's beautiful to look at, the music is very striking and serves the mood well. The other that makes it great is the romance between the lovers in the film. What could have been a quest movie for a stolen sword is a romance between two sets of lovers as well as a commentary on the battle of the sexes, literally in this case. The women in this movie kick as much ass as the men and so much so at times. The fight choreography is also very splendid with the use of wires actually good in this case.

74. Tootsie (1982)
Directed by Sydney Pollack
Written by Larry Gelbart, Murray Schisgal, Barry Levinson, Elaine May
Starring Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, and Terri Garr
Oscar Nominations: 10 Oscar won: 1 (Best Support Actress Jessica Lange)

The premise of Tootsie is brilliant. If an actor can't get work, how about an actress? I have always had a fascination with the movies about show business because it demands so much out of the actor. They have to be both a new character but if their character is an actor, they often have to be their character as another character.  Hoffman does a great job of it here. That is what makes this movie grand is that there are times that Dustin Hoffman's character, Michael Dorsey, disappears into Dorothy Michaels. The most grand part of the movie is as well the dialogue. The most important thing of a good comedy is dialogue. Slapstick only gets you so far, with crappy dialogue, it will fall flat eventually. Then again, I am a writer and I tend to place emphasis on writing.

Next Time: "It's against my programming to impersonate a deity." "Plastics" "Wow, this place is sure full of celebrities. I'm the only one in here I've never heard of."

Taking 20: Death of a Friend

I grew up in the 90's. It was a dark age to be a comic book fan. That said, there were bright light in those days and I hate it when one goes dark, especially when it's a character I grew up with, one who appealed to me as a right-brain thinker. More after the jump since spoilers ensue.

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 79-77

79. A Mighty Wind (2003)
Directed by Christopher Guest
Written by Christopher Guest & Eugene Levy
Starring loads of people. Just IMDB it, I can't single out 4.
Oscar Nominations: 1

The mockumentary is an art form. Nomrally with a movie, an actor just needs to convince the audience that they're playing a part. In the documentary, they have to convince us that they're something else that's worthy of being filmed. A heavy amount of improv ability is also often needed. Christopher Guest is a master of this. A lot of his work appears on this list. Anyway, what makes this movie truly great that in addition to being hilarious, the music is just phenomenal. I don't much care for folk but A Kiss At The End of the Rainbow is one of my favorite songs of all time. Once again, the actors do all of their own singing so that just makes it all the more awesome because there's no bad lipsyncing. We needs as little of that as possible.

78. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Directed and written by Nicholas Ray
Starring James Dean, Natalie Wood, and Sal Mineo
Oscar Nominations: 3

James Dean is a legend. The man did three films and none of them suck. He died young which ensures his legend lives on. Rebel Without a Cause cements that. The story of a troublemaker, his girl, and best friend is a classic. All three leads turn in some of their best performances and the best part is that they sound like real teenagers. Another note of comment is Plato, portrayed by Sal Mineo. Plato is one of the first gay characters to be portrayed with anything resembling decency in Hollywood. He's not a stereotype and the only real problem is that, like in The Children's Hour, he gets killed off. Still, it's all good.

77. Amadeus (1984)
Directed by Milos Forman
Written by Peter Shaffer from his play
Starring F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge
Oscar Nomination: 11 Wins: 8 (Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Actor F. Murray Abraham, Costumes, Art Direction, Makeup, Sound)

I like biopics. As said before, this is not one. That doesn't make it any less powerful though. For starters, unlike many films in the genre, it doesn't seek to put it's subject on a golden pedestal. Instead, it decides that the subject is a flawed human being who sins. A lot. More than that, Amadeus is a story about one man's descent into madness. Salieri is just an awesome character, an actors dream part due to the levels of complexity that he must send out. Another great factor to the movie is the use of Mozart's music. It is part of what makes the movie. Without it, the movie would mean so much less.

Next Time: "Children can be nasty, don't you think?" "A sword by itself rules nothing. It only comes alive in skilled hands." "I don't believe in hell. I believe in unemployment, but not hell."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 82-80

82. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
Directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wolfgang Reitherman
Staring the voices of Rod Taylor, Cate Bauer. and Betty Lou Gerson
Written by Bill Pleet from the novel by Dodie Smith
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frf0d2lFlYE (Couldn't find a video of the trailer that allowed embedding)
One of my favorite Disney movies and just goes to prove that a good villain can make anything better. Cruella De Vil is probably one of the greatest villains of all time and that gives me a great idea I'll have to use later. Anyway, the movie has a lot going for it outside of just Cruella. For starters, there are times that you forget that the dogs are actually dogs simply because of the way that they interact with one another. Another thing is the music. It has some of the best music from the 50's, 60's Disney Era outside of another pick further down the list but I digress. Great movie and it has some awesome moments with a great villain as well.

21. Get Shorty (1996)
Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld
Written by Scott Frank from the novel by Elmore Lenonard
Starring John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, and Danny DeVito

There's just something about this movie. I'm not a big fan of the Gangster movie but I am a big fan of great dialogue so I'll cut this movie some slack. Besides, it has great acting and one of the best long-cons in a movie that I've seen in recent history.Travolta made good use of his Pulp Fiction career revival with this one where he plays a gangster trying to bust into the film producing business, a more legal form of crime. Special note should also go to Gene Hackman's producer character who tries to hard half the time.

80. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Directed by Frank Oz
Written by Howard Jones from his stage play
Music Composed by Howard Ashman
Staring Rick Morranis, Ellen Greene, and Vincent Gardenia
Oscar Nominations: 1 Oscar Wins: Best Visual Effects

Yes, I like weird movies. I get that. There's something about a musical about a giant green plant from space trying to take over the world that I think rocks. The music is some of the best from 1980's musical theater and Mean Green Mother has a habit of coming up on my iPod a lot for some weird reason. The acting is great and they can sing. Ellen Greene is one of those actresses that I've always liked despite something that makes me think I shouldn't. Her role here as an abused shop worker is one of her best. The same can be said for Rick Morranis, who I can't help but wonder whatever happened to. Seriously, when's the last time anyone has seen him in anything?

Next time: "There's a kiss at the end of the rainbow, More precious than a pot of gold." "Every day I look in the mirror and say 'What? You still here?'" "I speak for all mediocrities in the world. I am their champion. I am their patron saint."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 85-83

85. Terminator 2:Judgement Day (1991)
Directed by James Cameron
Written by James Cameron and William Wisher Jr.
Starng Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong, and Robert Patrick
Oscar Nominations: 6 Oscar Wins: 4 (Best Visual Effects, Best Sound, Best Make-up, Best Sound Effects Editing)

I'll get it out of the way: Yes, I like the occasional dumb action movie. Let me follow up that with a resounding affirmation of this not being a dumb action movie. In addition to plenty of explosions, this is a movie about thinking., namely about the nature of fate. A major part of the movie is the repeated phrase, "The Future is not yet set." Obviously if it was, evil AIs wouldn't be sending robots into the past. Instead, we get a movie which the message of is that we make out own fates. Another thing the movie touches on is what I call, "The Hitler Time Travel Paradox." Mainly, if you went back in time, would you kill Hitler's mom, a woman who's only fault was birthing a monster, just to change the future. Does saving millions of lives justify cold-blooded murder? The scene between Linda Hamilton's Sarah Conner and Joe Morton's Miles Dyson really drives that point home. So, we have an action movie that's kinda cool and has some things that make you think.

84. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (1999)
Directed by Trey Parker
Written by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Pam Brady
Songs by Trey Parker and Marc Shaiman
Staring the Voices of Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Mary Kay Bergman, and Issac Hayes
Oscar Nominations: 1

Yes, this movie, like the series that spawned it, is crude. I will not dispute that in the least bit. That said, like the previous film, it uses that pretense to pull in the audience and then say something, in this case talking about censorship and people taking responsibility rather than blaming everything on someone else. The movie doesn't shy away from being obscene but it also admits itself for being what it is: Foul but sweet underneath. The music is some of the best Shaiman has written with La Resistance being very reminiscent of Les Mis at times. I recommend this movie but also know it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

83. Wonder Boys (2000)
Directed by Curtis Hanson
Written by Steven Cloves from the novel by Michael Chabon
Staring Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, Frances McDormand, and Robert Downey Jr.
Oscar Nominations: 3 Oscar Wins: 1 (Best Original Song)

I am a writer. Above all I am a writer. That said, this movie speaks to me as one who has a vague case of writer's block for the past year or so. It happens. Anyway, Michael Douglas's character is a novelist with issues. His most recent book is currently sitting at about 2000 odd pages and no where near done. He's sleeping with his bosses wife. A student is following him around. Complete chaos. The movie is funny and touching at both times and I truly believe Douglas should have been nominated for this movie, if not won. A movie for writer's, the book is better, but still worth a rental and a trip to the library.

Next Time: "I live for furs, I worship furs." "Movie stars never pick up the check. They have no idea what things cost. Most of them don't know their zip code and a lot don't even know their own phone number." "Wait for me, Audrey. This is between me and the vegetable!"

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 88-86

88. Chasing Amy (1997)
Directed and Written by Kevin Smith
Starring Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams, and Jason Lee

I like Kevin Smith. I really do. What he did here was a very personal film that is both emotional and funny. That and it has a bit to do with the comic book industry which, if you know me, I am primarily a comic book geek but I digress. This movie works on multiple levels. It works as a character piece, studying human sexuality. It works as a comedy, with stuff that anyone could laugh at. It works as a human drama about two people falling in love. I don't know, there's just something about this movie that keeps me interested.

87. The Omen (1976)
Directed by Richard Donner
Written by David Seltzer
Starring Gregory Peck, Lee Remick, David Warner, and Patrick Troughton
Oscars Nominated: 2 Oscars won: 1 (Best Score)

Here's the difference between horror movies then and horror movies now. Now, we get blood, gore, carnage candy. In the 70's on the other hand, it was all psychological. Evil was not just something attacking us from the outside, it's something that attack within at anything, including our children. That is why The Omen is such an effective horror movie. We get tons of hints that Damien is evil but he's also a little child so he seems innocent. He couldn't be. Another great part of the horror is that Damien never directly kills anyone. Everything is an accident. True evil doesn't leave evidence. In fact, in the series (there were two more movies in the franchise) Damien only directly murders about one or two people. Anyway, the movie is helped along by using great actors like Gregory Peck who turn in performances that really enhance the feeling of dread that the audience should be experiencing. The final image of the film is a killer.

86. Gosford Park (2001)
Directed by Robert Altman
Written by Julian Fellowes
Starring Way too many people. Check it's IMDB page. Maggie Smith and Helen Mirren rock in it though.
Oscar Nominations: 7 (Including Best Picture) Oscars Won: 1 (Best Original Screenplay)

I love Robert Altman. He's one of those director's that is truly an actor's Director. What he does here is epic. There are about 10 subplots going around an hunting weekend at a pre-WW2 British Manor when someone gets murdered. What makes this movie remarkable is that the movie is really about the servants. There is not a scene in the movie without any of the servants at least in the frame. This is a movie that demands to be watched with the subtitles on. You don't and you might miss a piece of dialogue here or there. The best part is you expect the movie to be snobby and intellectual but there is some terrific humor in it. Maggie Smith's character probably deals out enough one liners that I have troubles picking out one I like the most. The movie gets extra points because who did it isn't going to necessarily be evident upon watching it the first time but that's what makes it awesome because it all makes sense.

Next Time: "There's no fate but what we make for ourselves." We must blame them and cause a fuss/Before somebody thinks of blaming us!" "Trust me, James, when the family pet's been assassinated, the owner doesn't want to hear one of her students was the trigger man."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 91-89

First off, made a change so one of the hints yesterday no longer means anything. No biggie. Anyway, here we go.

91. Ghostbusters (1984)
Directed by Ivan Reitman
Written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd
Starring Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, and Sigourney Weaver
Oscar Nominations: 2

One of the all time greatest comedies and best contributions to cinema from the eighties. I personally love Ghostbusters mainly because it's silly but it's also good science-fiction. I personally think the movie is helped by the fact that it is well-acted, has some great one-liners, and is also very intelligent at times. I dunno what it is about the movie that makes me think of it as being as awesome as it is. I would have to guess it's just that we don't get movies this good anymore that can scare you one moment and make you truly laugh the next. Plus, it has one of the few genuinely good sequels to ever come along.

90. Clue (1985)
Directed and written by Jonathon Lynn
Starring Tim Curry, Madeline Khan, Martin Null, and Michael McKean

I grew up with Clue and it's one of those rare movies I can watch and repeat every line. I know. I've done it. The writing is very sharp and it is one of those great send-ups of the closed circle mystery movie. The novel part is when you would go to see the movie in the trailer, you would end up watching one of the three endings at random. We're spoiled because the home video release includes all three and even tell you which one is the most likely but still, all could work with minimal plot holes. Once again, the one liners are the key here. They just work well between the ensemble cast and none of them seem particularly forced.

89. Carrie (1976)
Directed by Brian De Palma
Written by Lawrence D. Cohen from the novel by Stephen King
Starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Betty Buckley, and John Travolta
Oscar Nominations: 2

Carrie isn't just a movie about a telekinetic teenager who kills everyone at her high school prom. It's a movie about a girl becoming a woman, it's about a teenager who is physically abused by her mother, and it's about growing up. It just happens to involve mass murder as well, but oh well. The performances by Spacek and Laurie are some of the best I've ever seen in a horror movie, in particular Piper Laurie's but then again, she is one of my favorite actresses so who knows, I might be biased. It gets bonus points for inspiring the musical that came after that is infamous for a reason.

Next time: "If this is a crush, I don't think I could take it if the real thing ever happened." "It's all for you!" "Aw, it's a pity, really. I thought it was a good idea to have someone in the house who is actually sorry he's dead."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 94-92

94. Misery (1990)
Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by William Goldman from the novel by Stephen King
Starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, and Richard Farnsworth
Oscar Nominations: 1 (Best actress, Kathy Bates. Won)

This why I am scared of ever being successful: That someone would kidnap me and keep me locked up in their house. Based off of one of Stephen King's less supernatural novels, the fear here is very human, very base.James Caan is a writer who has killed off he heroine of his best-selling series and just wrote his first novel he's really proud of. His car goes off the road and he's "rescued" by Kathy Bates, his number-one fan. One of the reason I really love this movie is Kathy Bates' performance. On one hand, she is a psychopathic murder. On the other hand, her tone of voice when it comes to her craft is just beautiful. The suspense is another plus. There are a number of scenes where you don't know what's happening but the sense of dread just builds rapidly. The ending is a little over the top but understandable.

93. The Hours (1992)
Directed by Stephen Daldry
Written by David Hare from the novel by Michael Cunningham
Starring Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, and Meryl Streep
Oscar Nominations: 9 Wins: 1 (Best Actress, Nicole Kidman)

A woman's life in one day. Three different women, three different time periods. all of their lives connected by Virginia Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway". Nicole Kidman is the suicidal author of the novel. Julianne Moore is a depressed 1950's housewife reading the novel. Meryl Streep is a modern lesbian in New York living the novel. All three put in great performances deserving of awards. The three performances are what make this movie and, partially, what make this so depressing (The Phillip Glass soundtrack is depressing and beautiful most of the time as well.) There are some moments of the Meryl Streep portion that seem kinda iffy but overall, the themes of what a woman's life is run deep through the story and while a large part of the movie has to do with suicide, it is also a hopeful movie at times.

92. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Directed by Jim Sharman
Written by Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien from his Stage Play, The Rocky Horror Show
Starring Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick

What is there to say about The Rocky Horror Picture Show? It's one of those movies where you either love it or don't but it definitely isn't boring. It's the grandfather of all midnight movies and should be thanked for that. The movie stars Curry as a mad scientist from the planet Transylvania on the night he makes his creation, Rocky, a muscular blond Frankenstein. Sarandon and Bostwick are a couple who's car broke down and they get drawn into matters. All of the songs are catchy, my favorite being the ending Floor Show.

Next time: "Who you going to call?" "Thanks to the silver screen your neurosis has got style." "They're all gonna laugh at you."

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 97-95

97. Heathers (1989)
Directed by Michael Lehmann
Written by Daniel Waters
Starring Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty

A fantastic black comedy about high school love, life, and suicide. It feels like a John Hughes movie if it was directed by Tim Burton and there are plenty of moments where you feel guilty for laughing but at the same time, why bother. The basic premises is Ryder's character is a part of the most popular clique is school, the Heathers, named so because with the exception of Ryder's character, they're all named Heather. Winona accidentally kills one of them and she and her boyfriend make it look like suicide. This sets off a chain of events leading to other deaths and one of my favorite lines in a movie ever, "I love my dead gay son!"

96. The Children's Hour
Directed by William Wyler
Written by John Michael Hayes from the play by Lillian Hellman
Starring Audrey Hepburn, Shirley Maclaine and James Garner
Oscar Nominations: 5

For me, this is one of those movies I can watch when I want to feel something. It's incredibly emotional and demonstrates something of Hollywood's "morality" before the 70's. The movie is about two college friends who start a private school. A bratty girl gets angry with them and starts a rumor that the two are involved in a relationship with each other. The rest of the film is the deterioration of their lives because of a single lie. The ending really hits you and embodied the trope of Bury your Gays.

95. Repo: The Genetic Opera (2008)
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich
Starring: Anthony Stewart Head, Alexa Vega, and Paul Sorvino

What we have here is if Saw and Moulin Rouge had a baby and it didn't suck. A post-apocalyptic rock opera about organ failure, some of the moments are very iffy at best but it's made up for by the performances by it's leads and their voices. This is another hard to describe plots because there are about four plot threads running through but oh well. Look it up on wiki.

Next time: "I'm your biggest fan." "Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself." "Don't dream it, be it!"

The Top 100 Movie List (A Very Biased List): 10-98

100. Election (1999)
Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, and Chris Klein
Oscar Nominations: 1 (Best Adapted Screenplay)

Election is a perfect satire of the American Political system and psychotic, single-minded obsession. The movie speaks to me mainly for those reasons. Reese Witherspoon, an actress I am usually uncaring about, puts in a great performance as Tracy Flick, a single-minded high school senior who just wants to win student council president at any cost. Matthew Broderick is the teacher trying to stop her, in this case banking on the people to vote for the stupid, popular Chris Klein. It's far from a perfect movie but it's still rather funny and a good send-up of over-achievers and their place in our culture.

99. Immortal Beloved (1994)
Directed and written by Bernard Rose
Starring Gary Oldman and Jeroen Krabbe

This movie is not very historically inaccurate but neither are most biopics. Instead, it's a gorgeous use of Beethoven's music and well acted to boot. The main premise is a man's search for the "Immortal Beloved" a figure who appears in a few love letters penned by the master. What ensues is also mystery and romance. I could go into it further but that entails spoilers and there are only a few movies that I'm going to do that here. Worth a rental.

98. What's Up Doc? (1972)
Directed by Peter Bogdanovich
Written by Peter Bogdanovich, Buck Henry, David Newman, and Robert Benton
Staring Barbra Streisand, Ryan O'Neil, and Madeline Khan

A send-up of the screwball comedies of the golden age of Hollywood. It also features my diva but that's beside the point. A genuinely hilarious film, the plot is hard to synopsize because it goes all over the place because of some of the conventions it indulges in including mistaken identity, romance, and musical rocks. Seriously, it is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen and definitely a treat. Another important note is that includes the first major motion picture appearance of Madeline Khan, a woman that left us too soon. But more on her later.

Next time: Teenage Suicide, Don't do it; One of the worst children in cinema history; and something that comes in a little glass vial.

Bardic Knowledge: Love Never Dies

First off, a reminder that I will be starting my top 100 list tomorrow. That is something that I am going to try to stick to and it should be up sometime in the afternoon at the latest.

That said, a rant. I am a fan of musicals. I am gay after all, it's hardwired in there plus I do have a past in theater. That said, sequels tend not to be so good in the theater world. So, hearing that a truly great musical like Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera is getting a sequel, Love Never Dies. Really? Yeah, it's happening. After close to a a decade of threats, it's finally happening in 2010.

The plot follows something like this: The Phantom has escaped to New York where he has basically became the designer of Coney Island's many famous attractions. The Giry's are also there for no good reason. Anyway, The Phantom lures Christine, Raoul, and their son to New York and hijinks ensue. Now, I have problems with this plot. First off, let's assume Christine is still one of the leading Divas of the Opéra Populaire. Why would she do a gig at a relatively unknown overseas landmark? She can do much better, at least doing The Met.

I have some problems with Lloyd Webber overall. The man ruined Broadway for many years and his works are kinda overrated. I am a huge fan of Phantom and Sunset BLVD. but the second one is partially because of my feelings on the source material. Other than that, they helped set in place the British mega-musical where spectacle was always a good substitute for a great show. This feeling has continued to this day. Even great musicals like Wicked have gimmicks. When you think of Phantom, you think of the Chandelier, Miss Saigon had that helicopter, Wicked has the Time Dragon, and Les Mis had the spinning wheel of actor nausea.

Overall, Andrew Lloyd Webber has been going down hill for a few years. None of his shows have lasted all that long since Phantom. Sunset was the last one to actually experience a realm of critical success. Overall, it's kinda annoying to me that a man can be treated like a success all these years when he has a few huge successes then the second half of his career has been rather unremarkable *cough*Coppola*cough*. Where was I? Oh yeah, anyway, I'm reserving judgment on this piece of something but I'm not going to be counting on something perfect.