Baumer's ridiculous, uninformed, stupid list of MY BEST 105 FILMS EVER , FULL LIST PG 42

[baumer]

Okay, I admit, you completely surprised me with this one.

 

"You'll find I'm full of surprises."

 

[Kalo]

65) The Princess Bride (1987)

Rob Reiner

 

 

Every word in this movie is the right word. Not a single character is made to be stupid for the sake of being easily dealt with; even the most incidental villain is clever, requiring the heroes to be more clever. Casting is inspired, with Robin Wright Penn as princess-ly as any woman has ever been. Andre the Giant getting my award for best performance ever by a professional wrestler, and Mandy Patinkin so perfect in action, look and word. This film has strong life lessons seamlessly built in: Grace under pressure, honor in all dealings, skepticism without cynicism, and the real power of faith and love are among the many plot underpinnings making "Princess Bride" perhaps the best movie for the whole family to watch together.  

 

 

And of course, let's say it all together:

Inconceivable

My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

 

Trivia:  In a 2012 interview in New York Magazine, Mandy Patinkin said that his most famous line from The Princess Bride (1987) ("Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.") gets quoted back to him by at least two or three strangers every day of his life. Patinkin told the interviewer that he loves hearing the line and he also loves the general fact that he got to be in the movie.

 

When asked what his favorite thing about making this film was, André the Giant replied, without skipping a beat, "Nobody looks at me." He felt treated as an equal, without people staring at him because of his grand height.

 

Mandy Patinkin claims that the only injury he sustained during the entire filming of this movie was a bruised rib due to stifling his laughter in his scenes with Billy Crystal. His attempt at holding back his laughter is obvious from his facial expression during his line, "This is noble sir."

   

[Ethan Hunt]

65) The Princess Bride (1987)

Rob Reiner

Every word in this movie is the right word. Not a single character is made to be stupid for the sake of being easily dealt with; even the most incidental villain is clever, requiring the heroes to be more clever. Casting is inspired, with Robin Wright Penn as princess-ly as any woman has ever been. Andre the Giant getting my award for best performance ever by a professional wrestler, and Mandy Patinkin so perfect in action, look and word. This film has strong life lessons seamlessly built in: Grace under pressure, honor in all dealings, skepticism without cynicism, and the real power of faith and love are among the many plot underpinnings making "Princess Bride" perhaps the best movie for the whole family to watch together.

And of course, let's say it all together:

Inconceivable

My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die.

Trivia: In a 2012 interview in New York Magazine, Mandy Patinkin said that his most famous line from The Princess Bride (1987) ("Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.") gets quoted back to him by at least two or three strangers every day of his life. Patinkin told the interviewer that he loves hearing the line and he also loves the general fact that he got to be in the movie.

When asked what his favorite thing about making this film was, André the Giant replied, without skipping a beat, "Nobody looks at me." He felt treated as an equal, without people staring at him because of his grand height.

Mandy Patinkin claims that the only injury he sustained during the entire filming of this movie was a bruised rib due to stifling his laughter in his scenes with Billy Crystal. His attempt at holding back his laughter is obvious from his facial expression during his line, "This is noble sir."

Another one which all my friends talk about...

[baumer]

63) Christmas Vacation (1989)

Jeremiah S. Chechik

Written by John Hughes

 

Christmas time is a time for giving, not receiving. It is a time to share with family and friends. It is a time to...well, let's face it; Christmas can be quite the hassle. But if you think that you have it bad, sit back and enjoy a real Christmas extravaganza. It's time for the Griswald Family Christmas!

In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, we reunite with our favorite dysfunctional family, the Griswald's! Clark Griswald (Chevy Chase)will surely make this holiday season one to remember. Although his practices may seem unorthodox, he is just trying to make everyone happy, which isn't an easy thing to do. His parents and his in-laws will be spending the holiday's with Clark and his family, and all hell is about to break loose.

Clark's passion for the holidays goes hand in hand with his obsession for over the top decorations. With his house drenched in lights and a Christmas tree too small for Paul Bunyon's living room, he's ready for St. Nick's arrival...but not cousin Eddy's. Randy Quaid rejoins the cast as the lovable, hillbilly relative. Like the three wise men, he comes bearing gifts: a full septic tank, his dog Snotts, and charisma that could charm a cobra.

 

So what makes complete anarchy the perfect Christmas movie? Well, aside from the laugh-out-loud comedy, the message is clear: to get through the holidays in one piece, you have to overcome adversity and be thankful for what you have. Clearly, the comedy takes over the subtly message, but all together this is a quality film. Chase is absolutely hilarious as the fumbling, smart ass Clark. He and his wife Ellen (Beverley D'Angelo) make a nice on-screen couple that seems realistic enough.

I have to admit, this was my late mother's favourite Christmas movie.  We used to watch it together every year.  She laugh hysterically and those memories will forever be etched in my mind and heart.  My mom, and now me, are Griswald when it comes to Christmas decorations, so much so that I used to get into arguments with my ex-wife because I wanted so many Christmas decorations up.  I love this film for so many reasons, my mother is a big one, of course.

 

 

Trivia:

 

The Griswolds' neighbor's house is the same house Murtaugh and his family lived in all the "Lethal Weapon" movies. The houses on this street are on the Warner Brothers Studios back lot.

 

Final film of Mae Questel, whose film career began in 1930 as the voice of Betty Boop.

 

As Griswolds are putting up the tree, the film It's a Wonderful Life (1946) is showing on the television. That film was directed by Frank Capra. Capra's grandson, Frank Capra III, was assistant director on this film.

Edited March 2, 2015 by baumer

[Kalo]

Okay this countdown Just got amazing. Christmas Vacation is my family's #1 christmas movie to watch every year.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Kalo

[Kalo]

Another one which all my friends talk about...

have you not seen it? that better be the case.. otherwise.. and if you haven't seen it get off the computer and watch it right now.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Kalo

[baumer]

Okay this countdown Just got amazing. Christmas Vacation is my family's #1 christmas movie to watch every year.

 

It's such a terrific film.

[baumer]

62) True Lies (1994)

James Cameron

Produced by Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna

 

 

The first James Cameron film on this list.  It won't be the last.  I'll keep this brief.  This is one of the most audacious action films ever made.  It has a brilliant cast, tight direction, one of the best scripts ever written and Bill Paxton.  And when you can write a line like, "she even took the ice cube trays.  What kind of a sick bitch takes the ice cube trays?" you're in for a treat of a film.  True Lies is exactly what an action film should be.

 

 

Trivia:  

 

When Arnold Schwarzenegger rescues wife Jamie Lee Curtis from an airborne chopper, he grasps her by her arm just as the chopper heads out over the water. The woman you see dangling below the chopper skid is no body double, but Curtis doing her very own stunt work. At her insistence, director James Cameron agreed to let her perform this scary spectacle. According to Jamie Lee Curtis, on the TV special promoting "True Lies", it was Cameron's idea for her to do the helicopter work; she said, "Oh, yeah. And just where are you going to be while I'm dangling way up there in the air, Jim?" And, according to her, he said, "Hanging out the door filming you with a hand-held camera." So she decided that if he was willing to do that to get the shot, she could stand to do it, too. Curtis did the helicopter stunt on her birthday.

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger's biggest challenge for the movie was not doing all the physical stunts, but dancing a tango. He had to take dancing lessons to realistically perform the dance.

[Ethan Hunt]

have you not seen it? that better be the case.. otherwise.. and if you haven't seen it get off the computer and watch it right now.

That is the case, I have not seen it.

[baumer]

61) Groundhog Day (1993)

Harold Ramis

 

 

"Groundhog Day" is a rare case of audiences actually being ahead of the critics. When this superficially simple tale of a self-obsessed weatherman (Bill Murray) who is forced to relive the same day over and over again was initially released, most critics, even the best, completely missed this movie's subtle and intricate take on the vagaries of life. They followed only its simple premise, slapstick humour and the great, sarcastic shadow of Bill Murray, who, as always, dominates every scene. Audiences, however, immediately took to it. Despite being released (appropriately) in February, the famine period of the movie calendar, "Groundhog Day" went on to gross over $70 million and became a sleeper hit later on video. Soon, the phrase "It's like Groundhog Day" began passing from mouth to mouth as a descriptor for any number of human situations, and Groundhog Day was better recognised as a metaphor than as a holiday. Today, "Groundhog Day" is recognised by the AFI and the Writer's Guild of America. 

That "Groundhog Day" works on all the levels it does is not necessarily due to conscious action on the part of the writers (Harold Ramis and John Rubin), who focus primarily on delivering a sharp and witty script that fully explores every comic (and later, tragic) outcome of its premise, but because its premise, so utterly simple, is also marvelously applicable to an almost endless array of life experiences. In that sense, it is like a fairy tale or a myth: a universal story that manages to capture something essential in the human experience. For example, there is very little overt religious symbolism in the film, and yet representatives of several entirely different religions have drawn parallels between the story and the tenets of their faith. Buddhists see Murray's character's dilemma as a representation of the cycle of rebirth, while Catholics see it as Purgatory. In truth, as the film itself notes, *everyone* feels trapped in an endlessly repeating cycle of identical days for at least part of their lives, and so is free to read it as applies to them. 

Beyond this though, it really is quite astounding how perfect this little film is; how annoying characters we wouldn't give the time of day to in the street suddenly become fully fleshed out comic creations, simply because we took the time to see them properly. How every bland suburban street reveals turn-of-the-century architectural gems that our eyes would have passed over on first viewing, and how beautiful the sky can look on a cold February morning.

 

 

Trivia:

 

According to director Harold Ramis, most of the times when he tried to explain a scene to Bill Murray, Murray would interrupt and ask, "Just tell me - good Phil or bad Phil?"

 

Chosen to be preserved by the National Film Registry in 2007.

 

Director Harold Ramis originally wanted Tom Hanks for the lead role, but decided against it, saying that Hanks was "too nice".

[Empire]

Groundhog Day is such a great movie! One of my all-time favorite comedies!

[baumer]

60) Armageddon (1998)

Michael Bay

JJ Abrams (screenplay)

 

Might as well end the night with a film I love and most hate.

 

 

Not going to get into why this makes my list, all that much.  But briefly, it has some of the best direction I've ever witnessed.  The script is hilarious and emotional.  The cast is epitome of perfection and as mentioned about the script, I laughed until my sides hurt in some scenes and then wept in others.  I could watch the scene where the boy's mom tells him that's not a salesman, that's your daddy, every day and still get emotional every time.  Armageddon is what is right with movies.  It's loud, boisterous, ballsy and entertaining from start to finish.  Most disagree.  But this isn't their list.  

 

 

Trivia:  

 

After Rockhound gets space dementia, the shuttle crew wraps him in duct tape, which is, in fact, NASA protocol for immobilizing a crazed crew member.

 

Director Michael Bay had the actors write their list of demands on the papers that Bruce Willis read from.

 

Rockhound's line about sitting on a million pounds of fuel in a rocket built by the lowest bidder is a variation of an actual radio transmission by Mercury astronaut Alan Shepard, just prior to lift-off.

 

According to the Criterion Collection commentary, many of the errors found in the film were acknowledged by the director and known even during filming/production and were left in deliberately (such as fire in space). Michael Bay said, "It's a movie and not many people know about it", so they were kept in for entertainment value.

[Kalo]

Baumer you are on a role tonight. Armageddon is another great film!

[baumer]

Baumer you are on a role tonight. Armageddon is another great film!

 

It seems most don't share our love of Armageddon.

[Kalo]

It seems most don't share our love of Armageddon.

it's not in my all time favorites, but I still think it's a pretty damn good movie.

[4815162342]

 

65) On Golden Pond (1981)

 You will never see a performance better than the one Henry Fonda gives in this one. 

 

 

That's a tall order compadre

[baumer]

That's a tall order compadre

 

But these are my opinions.  And that review was written 15 years ago (parts of it).  So yes, there are performances that are just as good, no doubt.

[#ED]

Armageddon felt like a masterpiece when I saw it as a kid. I recently went back and watched it.

Horrible.

[Kalo]

Armageddon felt like a masterpiece when I saw it as a kid. I recently went back and watched it.

Horrible.

Well phooey on you. 

[Noctis]

Armageddon gets a D- from me.