Box Office Theory Forum's Top 100 Warner Bros. Movies

Eric Prime · July 22, 2023

#80

South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut

505 points, 15 lists

"Remember what the MPAA says; Horrific, Deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don't say any naughty woids!"

Box Office: 83.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%

Metacritic: 73

Awards: 1 Academy Award nomination, 3 Annie Award nominations, 1 MTV Movie Award.

Roger Ebert's Review: "A lot of the movie offended me. Some of it amazed me. It is too long and runs out of steam, but it serves as a signpost for our troubled times. Just for the information it contains about the way we live now, thoughtful and concerned people should see it. After all, everyone else will."

Its Legacy: Part of the long-lasting animated series. The highest-grossing R-rated animated movie until Sausage Party in 2016. Features the most swearing ever in an animated movie. Parker and Stone were given a picture of Saddam Hussein by US soldiers in 2006 because of this movie. Led to Trey and Matt dressing in drag while on LSD at the Academy Awards. Considered one of the greatest animated movies of all time. Gave George Clooney a paycheck.

Commentary: What exactly can you say about South Park? It’s been on for so long, with so many specials, video games, merchandise, and tons of rip-offs and copycats, that we kind of take this show for granted now. Some of us still watch it, and once in a while it gets itself into controversy, but we kind of take for granted just how groundbreaking it was. How distinct it was from everything else on television, how many boundaries it pushed, how vulgar and crass it can truly be. And two years into this iconic show’s run, we had, in many ways, the peak of South Park as a franchise.

Bigger, Longer and Uncut was unbound by the limitations of television censorship. And while it didn’t have the biggest budget, it certainly had enough where Trey Parker and Matt Stone could do whatever they wanted. And what came of it was, simply put, a masterpiece of trash. Trashsterpiece? It’s a film that mocked itself and the backlash it received. It made fun of all the moral panic nonsense conservative parents had against the original series, it spoofed the Disney musicals into the most disgusting iteration it could possibly be, and was more than happy to show that Satan and Saddam Hussein were in fact a gay couple. That’s not something you see in every movie.

Alongside a slew of celebrity cameos and bombastic animation set pieces, this was the ultimate South Park package, and is arguably one of the main reasons the show has lasted as long as it has. And while there have been countless specials and 3-parters, there has never been anything like Bigger, Longer, and Uncut. And while rumors of a sequel or new theatrical movie have been around for ages, I think it’s for the best we all have this one singular movie to enjoy and laugh at. One that, frankly, is still relevant and hilarious, despite being in a genre that, frankly, doesn’t always age the best.

Eric Prime · July 22, 2023

#79

Swordfish

512 points, 10 lists

"Don't confuse kindness with weakness."

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Box Office: 147.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 25%

Metacritic:

excel1 · July 22, 2023

forgotten classic

47.4k · July 22, 2023

7 hours ago, Eric Bainbridge said:

#79

Swordfish

512 points, 10 lists

"Don't confuse kindness with weakness."

Box Office: 147.1M

Rotten Tomatoes: 25%

Metacritic:

This better be a troll by Eric because if not we can bust up this list permanently

And assuming it is a troll he didn't even wait for #69 smh

Edited July 22, 2023 by 4815162342

Eric Prime · July 22, 2023

Wow guys. I had the weirdest dream last night. I had a dream that Swordfish was in the top 100 at 79. Which is crazy. Because it’s definitely not 79 on the list. But good thing I wouldn’t do something like that.

Eric Prime · July 25, 2023

#79

The Green Mile

512 points, 10 lists

"We each owe a death - there are no exceptions - but, oh God, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long."

Box Office: 286.8M

Rotten Tomatoes: 79%

Metacritic: 61

Awards: 4 Academy Award nominations, 1 DGA Award nomination, 1 Golden Globe nomination, 1 MTV Movie Award nomination, 2 People's Choice Awards, 3 Saturn Awards and 2 nominations, 2 SAG Award nominations

Roger Ebert's Review: "I have started to suspect that when we talk about "good acting" in the movies, we are really discussing two other things: good casting and the creation of characters we react to strongly. Much of a performance is created in the filmmaking itself, in photography and editing and the emotional cues of music. But an actor must have the technical and emotional mastery to embody a character and evoke him persuasively, and the film must give him a character worth portraying. Tom Hanks is our movie Everyman, and his Paul is able to win our sympathy with his level eyes and calm, decent voice. We get a real sense of his efficient staff, of the vile natures of Percy and Wharton, and of the goodness of Coffey--who is embodied by Duncan in a performance that is both acting and being."

Its Legacy: The breakout role of Michael Clarke Duncan. One of the highest-grossing Stephen King adaptations of all time. The second-highest grossing movie of 1999 in Japan and one of the biggest movies in general for 1999. Considered one of the most emotionally touching movies of all time. Criticized by Spike Lee for its Magical Negro stereotypes. Earned James Cromwell a paycheck.

Commentary: While we associate Stephen King for his stories diving into terror and fantasy, some of his most famous work come from the world of drama. Which, when you think about it, contains some of the strongest terrors of all. The Green Mile, a dramatic tale about the evils of death row and its senseless killings, is perhaps one of King’s most treasured works. And much of that comes from its Warner Bros. film adaptation.

The spiritual successor to the Oscar-nominated Shawshank Redemption, it’s an utterly devastating epic about the wrongfulness of the death penalty, its abuse towards people who don’t deserve it, and how easy it is for some, particularly if you’re Black, to be wrongfully framed and depicted in society.

Tom Hanks is of course doing great work, but what most people remember is the heartbreaking performance of the late Michael Clarke Duncan. His breakout role as John Coffey was emotionally stirring and is still talked about long after the film’s 1999 release and the man’s death in 2012. And just like Coffey, Duncan put a spell on viewers for years to come. And with death row still a discussed and debated subject, that will not change any time soon. And while a movie can’t change everything, hopefully this still left an impact for many to try and stop such an evil practice from happening.

Eric Prime · July 25, 2023

#78

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

516 points, 8 lists

"I hope that was an empty bottle, George! You can't afford to waste good liquor, not on YOUR salary!"

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Box Office: 33.7M

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 75

Awards: 5 Academy Awards and 8 nominations, 3 BAFTA Awards, 7 Golden Globe Award nominations, 1 Grammy Award nomination, 1 National Board of Review Award, 1 WGA Award

Roger Ebert's Review: N/A

Its Legacy: Created New Hollywood itself. Helped establish the MPAA film system. Gave Elizabeth Taylor her second Oscar. The first film from iconic theatre director Mike Nichols and far from his last. The first film where its entire credited cast was nominated for acting Oscars. One of only two films to be nominated in every eligible Academy Awards category. Ranked #67 on AFI's 2007 iteration of 100 Years, 100 Movies. Considered one of the greatest, most important film dramas ever made. Submitted into the National Film Registry in 2013. Gave George Segal a paycheck.

Commentary: There are films that leave an impact. There are films that leave an influence. But there are only a few films, a few special, unique films, that change the whole industry itself. Films that were unlike anything else that came before, influence and reshape the medium of film itself, and, frankly, giving audiences something they didn’t even know they wanted in the first place. You can only point to a handful of films that have this kind of distinction. And one of those was the beloved classic Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Based on the play written by Edward Albee, Virginia Woolf was already controversial in its original form. The film’s heavy subject matter of infidelity and heavy usage of profanity already turned heads on Broadway. But there was no way that the conservative Hollywood would ever let this happen. We were still in the Hays Code era. Films weren’t allowed to have touchy and controversial subjects. Movies weren’t allowed to have foul language. Movies in the 1960s were all about being big and grand and epic. So having a film take place in a couple locations was not going to fly. There was no way this would ever happen.

Well, WB took a gamble, thanks in part to the all-star cast and cheap production budget, and it paid off tremendously. Audiences were enthralled at the story, the dialogue, the acting, and the provocative subject matter. If anything, considering how stodgy and old-fashioned Hollywood movies were thanks to the Hays Code, people were genuinely excited to see a movie that actually focused on real issues that people actually went through. And sure enough, both audiences and Hollywood gave Virginia Woolf the respect it deserved.

Not only was it a box office success and an awards darling, being the second film (the first being Cimarron) to get a nomination in every eligible category, but it influenced the trajectory of Hollywood itself. New Hollywood was spawned by this, alongside another Mike Nichols favorite with The Graduate. And sure enough, we saw an incredible era of filmmaking all throughout the 1970s, where the filmmakers took charge, were given carte blanche, and had a chance to tell darker, more dramatic, more timely stories that captured the anxieties and frustrations people had.

People didn’t want escapist fare, but movies that reflect reality, which is still and always will be an important thing to have in cinema. We need movies like Virginia Woolf, and while they can’t all be as expertly directed, sharply-written and perfectly cast as this, they can, at the very least, come close.

Eric Prime · July 25, 2023

#77

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

518 points, 10 lists

"Why spiders? Why couldn't it be 'follow the butterflies'?"

Box Office: 879.8M

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%

Metacritic: 63

Awards: 3 BAFTA Award nominations, 1 Grammy Award nomination, 1 Hugo Award nomination, 1 MTV Movie Award nomination, 6 Saturn Award nominations, 1 Stinkers Bad Movie Award nomination

Roger Ebert's Review: "The first movie was the setup, and this one is the payoff. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" leaves all of the explanations of wizardry behind and plunges quickly into an adventure that's darker and scarier than anything in the first Harry Potter movie. It's also richer: The second in a planned series of seven Potter films is brimming with invention and new ideas, and its Hogwarts School seems to expand and deepen before our very eyes into a world large enough to conceal unguessable secrets."

Its Legacy: Established Harry Potter was more than a one trick pony. Introduced Lucius Malfoy and Dobby to the film series. The final Potter film directed by Chris Columbus. Established the darker tone the franchise would be known for. Set the franchise for massive rewards. Gave Jason Isaacs a paycheck.

Commentary: We all know and recognize Harry Potter now as an epic movie series that had lasted for a decade and changed millions of lives. But in 2002, Harry Potter was only two movies in. And in a way, Chamber of Secrets was the most important sequel to release out of all these movies and the film that helped give us the long-lasting franchise we have today.

Philosopher’s Stone of course had to establish the tone and world and characters, but Chamber of Secrets had to show that this could last for more than one movie. That this was a world and story that could successfully be expanded upon. And while us book readers knew that the story could last long, it could have easily been lost in translation despite Chris Columbus’ return. If this sequel sucked, then what would that mean for the other movies? Would audiences even care?

Thankfully, this didn’t happen. Chamber of Secrets was warmly-regarded. Not only because of all the great new characters introduced, expertly performed by Jason Isaacs and Kenneth Branagh, but also the film had better effects, better action, great setpieces, and a warm and powerful performance from Richard Harris, in what would sadly be his final performance, passing away a month before release. And alongside its darker story, though plenty of levity was in there, it showed Harry Potter could be more than a silly kids adventure and showcase the harsher aspects of reality.

With Chamber of Secrets being so good, we didn’t get all the great adventures released over the next few years...so maybe that wasn't a good thing. Please donate to the Los Angeles Trans Center. Trans rights are human rights. https://lalgbtcenter.org/social-service-and-housing/transgender/donations-for-trans-community

Human · July 25, 2023

The only Potter film I put on the list. By far the best one. Best comedy, music, fights, and twists in the series.

Eric Prime · July 25, 2023

#377 - Scooby-Doo and the Witch's Ghost (50 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #10)

#376 - Lady in the Water (50 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #8)

#375 - The New World (50 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #6)

#374 - Splendor in the Grass, The Terminal Man (51 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #50)

#373 - Seargeant York, Death in Venice, The Outsiders, Time After Time (53 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #48)

#372 - The Legend of Tarzan (54 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #47)

#371 - Kimi (56 points, 3 lists, avg. ranking #82)

#370 - Storks (56 points, 3 lists, avg. ranking #57)

#369 - War Dogs (56 points, 2 lists, avg. ranking #72)

Eric Prime · July 25, 2023

#368 - The Replacements (56 points, 2 lists, avg. ranking #41)

#367 - Oh, God! (56 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #45)

#366 - Tom and Jerry: The Fast and the Furry (56 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #18)

#365 - The Blind Side (57 points, 2 lists, avg. ranking #52)

#364 - Femme Fatale (57 points, 2 lists, avg. ranking #50)

#363 - Twilight Zone: The Movie (57 points, 2 lists, avg. ranking #34)

#362 - Empire Records, Independence Day (1983) (57 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #44)

#361 - Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (58 points, 3 lists, avg. ranking #72)

#360 - King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (58 points, 2 lists, avg. ranking #72)

#359 - Rosewood (58 points, 1 list, avg. ranking #43)

Human · July 25, 2023

Getting that Tom and Jerry representation.

The Panda · July 26, 2023

A major blow to the list for both Femme Fatale and Swordfish to miss.

Eric Prime · July 26, 2023

1 hour ago, The Panda said:

A major blow to the list for both Femme Fatale and Swordfish to miss.

Hold your hourses mah boi. I never said Swordfish missed the list.

Eric Prime · July 26, 2023

#76

The Conjuring

520 points, 13 lists

"The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow."

Box Office: 319.5M

Rotten Tomatoes: 86%

Metacritic: 68

Awards: 1 Critics Choice Award nomination, 1 Empire Award, 1 MTV Movie Award nomination, 1 People's Choice Award nomination, 1 Saturn Award

Roger Ebert's Review: N/A

Its Legacy: Revived the horror genre from found footage silliness. Showed the value of horror as a worldwide franchise. James Wan's biggest box office hit at that time. Spawned The Conjuring Universe, the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time with consistent hits. One of the biggest hits of Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga's careers. Gave Wan gigs for Furious 7 and Aquaman and a powerhouse producer for major horror hits. Gave Joey King a paycheck.

Commentary: James Wan’s career is something to behold. Not only did he direct the highest-grossing films of two major movie franchises, but he created three of the most popular and iconic horror franchises of all time. And the biggest of them all comes from Warner Bros., in a film that, in a way, saved horror films.

In 2013, the horror genre was plagued with low-budget found footage silliness. They were made for pennies and made a profit after opening weekend. Sometimes they were good, but mostly they were schlocky, mediocre garbage that was rushed out to get teenagers who wanted cheap scares. So in a way, The Conjuring was a breath of fresh air. A film with money put behind it, with actual star power in front of and behind the camera. It was handsomely-made, well-shot, well-choreographed, and that was all you needed for the film to stand out as something exciting and new at that time. Plus the film had a cool true story angle, looking into the real-life couple Ed and Lorraine Warren, and was hyped up as being so scary that no cuts could have given it a PG-13.

And sure enough, people loved it. To an absurd degree. It had one of the biggest horror openings ever, legs were impressive, and both horror fans and general audiences had a great movie they could all get behind. With it earning worldwide records, The Conjuring not only established the groundwork for future blockbuster hits like Get Out, A Quiet Place, and most notably It, but also created a massive shared universe. So many sequels and spin-offs were made off this humble little movie. And with over $1 billion in box office grosses, it’s the biggest horror franchise in history and has shown zero signs of slowing down anytime soon. We’re getting The Nun 2 in a couple months from this writing and Conjuring 4 is now in the works.

And it was James Wan’s distinct vision and understanding of good scares that gave us such a landmark title within the horror community. One that is still shaping and influencing things a whole decade later...weird to say this movie is a decade old now.

ZeeSoh · July 26, 2023

One of my favourite horror movie of all time. Glad it made it

Eric Prime · July 27, 2023

#75

After Hours

526 points, 12 lists

"What do you want from me? What have I done? I'm just a word processor, for Christ sake!"

Box Office: 10.6M

Rotten Tomatoes: 89%

Metacritic: 90

Awards: In Competition for Palme D'Or and Best Director win at Cannes, 1 Golden Globe nomination, 1 BAFTA nomination, 2 Independent Spirit Award wins and 3 nominations

Roger Ebert's Review: ""After Hours" approaches the notion of pure filmmaking; it's a nearly flawless example of -- itself. It lacks, as nearly as I can determine, a lesson or message, and is content to show the hero facing a series of interlocking challenges to his safety and sanity. It is "The Perils of Pauline" told boldly and well."

Its Legacy: One of Martin Scorsese's few forays into comedy. First De Niro-less picture of Scorsese's since Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. Features a jamming soundtrack with Joni Mitchell and Robert & Johnny. Later became the title of a Weeknd album. Gave Griffin Dunne a paycheck.

Commentary: Gotta be honest, I didn’t expect this to rank so high here. When I did my Scorsese countdown, it was on the lower end of the totem pole. Yet now, without giving too much away, it got ahead of a few notable Scorsese WB productions...though not all of them of course. And you can probably guess what movies still got ahead of it. But yeah. After Hours.

This famed comedy of errors from Martin Scorsese was not a hit when it first came out and was often ignored within Scorsese’s greater canon. But a film this bizarre and hilarious was bound to get a following. And sure enough, it has. It’s a simple story about a guy trying to get back home after a long day at work. But what follows is screwball shenagians, madcap insanity, and sharp satire about the evils of capitalism, all framed around a peculiar protagonist played by Griffin Dunne.

Perhaps since my 2021 Scorsese countdown, After Hours has earned an even bigger audience than before. Those who respond to the film’s insights into the working man and the wacky screwball situations. And while it will never be on the level of Wolf of Wall Street, After Hours will always be appreciated as a classic and a wonderfully bizarre and unique piece of Scorsese canon.

Eric Prime · July 27, 2023

#74

John Wick: Chapter 2

538 points, 13 lists

"You wanted me back... I'm back!"

Box Office: 174.3M

Rotten Tomatoes: 89%

Metacritic: 75

Awards: 1 Golden Trailer Award and 1 nomination, 1 Empire Award nomination, 1 Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Award nomination

Roger Ebert's Review: N/A

Its Legacy: Elevated John Wick from cult classic to major action franchise. First of the series to feature Laurence Fishburne. Continued Keanu Reeves' resurgence in popularity. Gave Lance Reddick a paycheck.

Commentary: Again, this was distributed by WB in the UK. It counts. My countdown, my rules.

After John Wick proved to be a solid hit in theaters and on home video, a sequel was set for release. And with Lionsgate impressed by what they saw, they offered Leitch and Stahelski more money and greater opportunity to expand the world and characters only teased in that first movie. And it paid off tremendously. Not just at the box office, which doubled from its predecessor, but also creatively.

With more money put into the production, this allowed grander setpieces, slicker action, and a slew of awesome character actors, including Common as a hitman against John Wick who frankly steals the show. There’s also Laurence Fishburne for that oh so sweet Matrix connection, Italian actor Franco Nero, and Swedish actor Peter Stormare. And also Ruby Rose I guess. All of this meant we got a dynamite actioner that took everything great about John Wick and made it bigger and better than ever.

From there, you know the rest of the story. Two more sequels, tons of spin-offs all in the works, and John Wick as a franchise becoming one of the most popular and iconic franchises in action movie history. And Chapter Two played a crucial part in all this happening. Showing there was more to the concept than the one movie and even today many fans cite Chapter Two as the best of the franchise. I was one of them at least until Chapter 4 released, but I still love this movie either way. And so do many, many more.