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

[Eric S'ennui]

#24

Dog Day Afternoon

1148 points, 16 lists

"Attica! Attica!"

Box Office: 50-56M

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 86

Awards: 1 Academy Award and 5 nominations, 2 BAFTA Awards and 4 nominations, 7 Golden Globe Award nominations

 

Its Legacy: Considered one of the greatest anti-authority movies ever made. One of the first movies ever to have a bisexual male lead. Inspired the 1977 Italian film Operazione Kappa. Remade in Hong Kong in 1987 with People's Hero. Pacino's character influenced the voice for Moe on The Simpsons. Marcia Jean Kurtz and Lionel Pina reprised their roles in Inside Man. Referenced in All in the Family, Hill Street Blues, Kenan & Kel, Bob's Burgers, and Supernatural. Joined the National Film Registry in 2009. Gave John Cazale a paycheck.

 

Commentary: The wonderful Sidney Lumet has always been a director for the people. His films, known for their grit and realism, have always been about the working class, the people who deal with oppression, the people who dare to fight against the main authority. His greatest hits all feature these unique stamps, yet it’s perhaps Dog Day Afternoon that is his strongest in this regard.

 

A bank heist thriller where everything goes wrong, it’s an incredible acting powerhouse from Al Pacino, a satirical jab at the media who love to exploit others and their misfortunes, and a legitimately progressive insights into the lower rungs of LGBT folk that, frankly, has aged beautifully 5 decades later.

 

LGBT media always runs the risk of being not good enough representation or too dated, especially the farther you get, at a time when intersectionality was ignored and transgender issues were frankly not as widespread as they are now. Yet the story, about a man who robs a bank to pay for his partner Leon’s sex reassignment surgery, holds up extremely well. Not just because of the demonstrable costs it still takes to have trans folk live their life in the body they want, but just in how important Leon is to the narrative. She is very sympathetic throughout the picture, her conversation with Sonny in particular is gut-wrenching, and despite her limited screen time, she carries the film. She is the reason this film is so angry against the system and the world. She is the inciting incident that gets us invested in the drama.

 

I'd say Leon still holds up and would work well even in a modern-day LGBT film, which is a crowning achievement for both writer Frank Pierson and director Sidney Lumet. And yeah, this makes me love this great movie even more. There’s a lot more to say about this, yet I found this aspect to be the most compelling and wanted to highlight this aspect in particular. Just to show how resonant and prescient this film is today. Which frankly is the best thing you can say about any movie.

[DAR]

36 minutes ago, Eric the Turtle said:

#24

Dog Day Afternoon

1148 points, 16 lists

"Attica! Attica!"

Box Office: 50-56M

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 86

Awards: 1 Academy Award and 5 nominations, 2 BAFTA Awards and 4 nominations, 7 Golden Globe Award nominations

 

Its Legacy: Considered one of the greatest anti-authority movies ever made. One of the first movies ever to have a bisexual male lead. Inspired the 1977 Italian film Operazione Kappa. Remade in Hong Kong in 1987 with People's Hero. Pacino's character influenced the voice for Moe on The Simpsons. Marcia Jean Kurtz and Lionel Pina reprised their roles in Inside Man. Referenced in All in the Family, Hill Street Blues, Kenan & Kel, Bob's Burgers, and Supernatural. Joined the National Film Registry in 2009. Gave John Cazale a paycheck.

 

Commentary: The wonderful Sidney Lumet has always been a director for the people. His films, known for their grit and realism, have always been about the working class, the people who deal with oppression, the people who dare to fight against the main authority. His greatest hits all feature these unique stamps, yet it’s perhaps Dog Day Afternoon that is his strongest in this regard.

 

A bank heist thriller where everything goes wrong, it’s an incredible acting powerhouse from Al Pacino, a satirical jab at the media who love to exploit others and their misfortunes, and a legitimately progressive insights into the lower rungs of LGBT folk that, frankly, has aged beautifully 5 decades later.

 

LGBT media always runs the risk of being not good enough representation or too dated, especially the farther you get, at a time when intersectionality was ignored and transgender issues were frankly not as widespread as they are now. Yet the story, about a man who robs a bank to pay for his partner Leon’s sex reassignment surgery, holds up extremely well. Not just because of the demonstrable costs it still takes to have trans folk live their life in the body they want, but just in how important Leon is to the narrative. She is very sympathetic throughout the picture, her conversation with Sonny in particular is gut-wrenching, and despite her limited screen time, she carries the film. She is the reason this film is so angry against the system and the world. She is the inciting incident that gets us invested in the drama.

 

I'd say Leon still holds up and would work well even in a modern-day LGBT film, which is a crowning achievement for both writer Frank Pierson and director Sidney Lumet. And yeah, this makes me love this great movie even more. There’s a lot more to say about this, yet I found this aspect to be the most compelling and wanted to highlight this aspect in particular. Just to show how resonant and prescient this film is today. Which frankly is the best thing you can say about any movie.

 

WTF guys

[DAR]

47 minutes ago, Eric the Turtle said:

#25

Ocean's Eleven

1135 points, 21 lists

"Tess is with Benedict now? She's too tall for him!"

Box Office: 450.7M

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%

Metacritic: 74

Awards: 1 Cesar Award nomination, 1 Critics Choice Award nomination, 1 Empire Award nomination, 1 Satellite Award nomination, 2 MTV Movie Award nominations

 

Its Legacy: Made Steven Soderbergh a household name. Boosted the popularity of the 1960 Rat Pack classic. Spawned two sequels, a spin-off, and an upcoming prequel. Features one of the worst cockney accents ever. Earned the biggest December opening weekend in history and the biggest Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts opening. Gave Carl Reiner a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Taking the classic Rat Pack film from the 60s and adding a new coat of paint, Steven Soderbergh made the ultimate heist movie. Not only does this boast an incredible cast who all understand the assignment, but it’s just a perfectly paced, incredibly taut thriller that has a goofy, breezy, self-aware attitude and infectious spirits that make the heist seem like a jolly good time with friends.

 

With all-stars like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner, Julia Roberts, Andy Garcia, and more, everybody is on their A-game, delivering fun characters who have a great screenplay full of witty dialogue and strong set pieces. It’s insanely memorable and snappy, and helped solidify a banner year for good ol’ Soderbergh. Two more movies would be made, alongside a Sandra Bullock-centered spin-off, and even a prequel starring the two actors currently appearing in WB’s biggest hit of the year in development. It’s a rare case where the remake is far more successful than its original. And frankly, it’s looking to still be a gold mine for Warner for decades to come, thanks to that classic Soderbergh magic and ingenuity.

 

25?

[DAR]

9 hours ago, Cap said:

I personally love people getting heated about the rankings. People work hard on presenting these lists. It’s nice to see folks engaging and commenting. And obviously 99% is people being silly to be silly. 
 

That said, some of you really need to watch TCM for a little bit. Like seriously. Or if you don’t have cable, drop your Netflix and get the Criterion Channel for a month. Suits will still be there when you come back. 😘

[4815162342]

Lego Movie at #27, TDKR at #29, etc, this list gets funnier and funnier 

[Cap]

1 hour ago, 4815162342 said:

Lego Movie at #27, TDKR at #29, etc, this list gets funnier and funnier 

I think Eric revealed it in reverse. The true Top 5 was:

 

1: East of Eden (1955)

2. White Heat (1949)

3. John Wick (2014)
4. Whatever Happened To Baby Jane (1962)

5. Rebel Without A Cause (1955)

 

[WorkingonaName]

Joker top 10 LETS GOOOOO!!!

[Ipickthiswhiterose]

How is it even worse than my mentally prepared "well at least it can't be so bad that....."?

 

And then it makes you double think. Like, why is Dog Day Afternoon the one that made it through?

 

I mean, I like Dog Day Afternoon, it was on my list and it's one of the only films that justifies its place but like ----- what is it about Dog Day Afternoon that it was spared where East of Eden and The Mission and the Devils and The Public Enemy and McCabe and Mrs Miller all got shunned? 

 

What's the Over/Under on Joker v Casablanca by the way. Anyone want to predict?

[baumer]

@Eric the Turtle you have put a lot of work into this and it's been a really enjoyable read thus far. So thank you for that. I learned a few things as well from reading all of this.

 

 

[4815162342]

8 hours ago, WorkingonaName said:

Joker top 10 LETS GOOOOO!!!

 

27 minutes ago, Ipickthiswhiterose said:

How is it even worse than my mentally prepared "well at least it can't be so bad that....."?

 

And then it makes you double think. Like, why is Dog Day Afternoon the one that made it through?

 

I mean, I like Dog Day Afternoon, it was on my list and it's one of the only films that justifies its place but like ----- what is it about Dog Day Afternoon that it was spared where East of Eden and The Mission and the Devils and The Public Enemy and McCabe and Mrs Miller all got shunned? 

 

What's the Over/Under on Joker v Casablanca by the way. Anyone want to predict?

 

Joker already showed up in the 90s iirc

[Noctis]

12 hours ago, Eric the Turtle said:

#28

A.I. Artificial Intelligence

1074 points, 17 lists

"So David went to sleep too. And for the first time in his life, he went to that place... where dreams are born."

Box Office: 235.9M

Rotten Tomatoes: 75%

Metacritic: 65

Awards: 2 Academy Award nominations, 1 BAFTA Award nomination, 4 Empire Award nominations, 3 Golden Globe Award nominations

 

Its Legacy: A tribute to the Kubrick film that never was. Continued Haley Joel Osment’s success as a child actor. 83rd best movie of the 21st century according to a BBC poll. Earned major critical reevaluation years later. Was parodied on The Simpsons. Gave Chris Rock a paycheck.

 

Commentary: Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi rendition of Pinocchio is an odd beast. One that confused and baffled viewers back in 2001. Originally, this was a Stanley Kubrick production that was designed to be sensitive and sentimental like a Spielberg movie. Then Spielberg took over once Kubrick died and tried to add his sensibilities of eerieness and coldheartedness into the movie. To pay tribute to an all-time director and a great friend.

 

It worked for some, but it was considered too weird and disjointed for others, especially with its controversial ending. Yet that also made it one of the more unique pieces in Spielberg history and perhaps one of his most fascinating to analyze. There's a strong undercurrent of sadness and terror in every moment. From the opening where David is a mere pest to the tragic separation between him and his mother to him realizing his own life is meaningless, all the way to finding comfort in a world that is as artificial as him and learning what truly makes him unique and wonderful.

 

It's really the best of both worlds. The eerie atmosphere and complex ideologies of Kubrick meshed with the incredible visual stylings and emotional resonance of the crowd pleaser icon. If anything, it's aged even better, since...well, the future of A.I., a dying world where the people in power would rather use technology for sport and personal pleasure...that's us. Right now.

 

And as we deal with this dying planet, with no hope for our future, we just have to be our best, find the people who love us, and hold on tight to them. Show them how much we care for them and why they are so important to us. Because you never know how long you'll have them around.

 

Spielberg's gem. Criminally underrated.

[Noctis]

Interstellar and PoA better be in the top 10.

[Cap]

2 hours ago, Ipickthiswhiterose said:

What's the Over/Under on Joker v Casablanca by the way. Anyone want to predict?

 

Based on What's Left**, I would guess the rest of the list is going to look like:

 

Spoiler

23. The Iron Giant

22. Unforgiven

21. The Exorcist

20. The Aviator

19. Insomnia

18. The Prestige

17. Gravity

16. Casablanca

15. Superman

14. Batman

13. Shawshank Redemption

12. Blade Runner

11. Harry Potter: POA

10. LOTR: TTT

09. Interstellar

08. LOTR: FOTR 

07. Goodfellas

06. Batman Begins 

05. LOTR: ROTK

04. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Matrix

02. Inception

01. The Dark Knight

 

**did a quick skim, one of these might've already showed up, not going back to check lol.

[4815162342]

4 minutes ago, Cap said:

 

Based on What's Left**, I would guess the rest of the list is going to look like:

 

  Hide contents

23. The Iron Giant

22. Unforgiven

21. The Exorcist

20. The Aviator

19. Insomnia

18. The Prestige

17. Gravity

16. Casablanca

15. Superman

14. Batman

13. Shawshank Redemption

12. Blade Runner

11. Harry Potter: POA

10. LOTR: TTT

09. Interstellar

08. LOTR: FOTR 

07. Goodfellas

06. Batman Begins 

05. LOTR: ROTK

04. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Matrix

02. Inception

01. The Dark Knight

 

**did a quick skim, one of these might've already showed up, not going back to check lol.

 

The LOTR movies were not eligible. You also forgot Heat (and at least a couple of these already showed up)

[Cap]

11 minutes ago, 4815162342 said:

 

The LOTR movies were not eligible. You also forgot Heat (and at least a couple of these already showed up)

 

Cause it was New Line?  I assume that's why 2001 won't show up either.

[Eric S'ennui]

59 minutes ago, Cap said:

 

Based on What's Left**, I would guess the rest of the list is going to look like:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

23. The Iron Giant

22. Unforgiven

21. The Exorcist

20. The Aviator

19. Insomnia

18. The Prestige

17. Gravity

16. Casablanca

15. Superman

14. Batman

13. Shawshank Redemption

12. Blade Runner

11. Harry Potter: POA

10. LOTR: TTT

09. Interstellar

08. LOTR: FOTR 

07. Goodfellas

06. Batman Begins 

05. LOTR: ROTK

04. Mad Max: Fury Road

03. The Matrix

02. Inception

01. The Dark Knight

 

**did a quick skim, one of these might've already showed up, not going back to check lol.

A few of those have showed up and a few of those aren't even eligible. Not gonna say what of course. 🤫

[Jake Gittes]

4 hours ago, Ipickthiswhiterose said:

I mean, I like Dog Day Afternoon, it was on my list and it's one of the only films that justifies its place but like ----- what is it about Dog Day Afternoon that it was spared where East of Eden and The Mission and the Devils and The Public Enemy and McCabe and Mrs Miller all got shunned? 

 

It's a movie that inspires passion more easily than any of those thanks to its energy, relevance, unique premise etc., hence it gets more recommended and seen. 

[Bob Train]

On 8/13/2023 at 1:42 PM, Noctis said:

 

Not well enough lol

 

DH1 being the lowest is shocking. How the FUCK did Chamber of Secrets pass DH1 and GoF?

 

DH1 is underrated, has the best character moments of the whole series, and I like the slower pacing a lot.

[Eric S'ennui]

#23

The Fugitive

1152 points, 20 lists

"I didn't kill my wife!"

Box Office: 368.9M

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 87

Awards: 1 Academy Award and 6 nominations, 1 BAFTA Award and 3 nominations, 1 Golden Globe Award and 3 nominations, 2 MTV Movie Awards and 2 nominations

 

Its Legacy: The definitive adaptation of The Fugitive franchise. Earned the biggest August opening weekend in history. Was #1 for six weeks in a row. The first Hollywood film to release in China since First Blood in 1985. #33 on AFI's Top 100 Thrills. Remade twice in India. Earned a spin-off, U.S. Marshals, in 1998. Gave Andreas Katsulas a paycheck.

 

Commentary: It’s a premise that, frankly, is impossible to mess up. A man convicted of a crime he didn’t actually commit, trying to clear his name and find out who actually murdered his wife, while avoiding the feds, is an immediately compelling premise that is hard to mess up. All you need is a good director who can add style to the storyline and great actors to tie everything up in a good bow. And when you have a great action director like Andrew Davis of Under Siege fame, and your lead actors are the icons Tommy Lee Jones and Harrison Ford...I mean, that’s how you get to #23 on this list.

 

It’s a fast-paced thrill ride right from the beginning of the film’s giant bus crash and the epic monologue of Jones’ menacing Deputy U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard. And from then on, the movie doesn’t stop, with a new action setpiece and chase scene always around the corner. Still, the film knows how to use its assets wisely. Ford has always been a great everyman protagonist, so it’s easy to empathize with his plight right away. Helps also we know he’s totally innocent.

 

Then of course there’s Sam Gerard who TLJ does incredible work for and steals the show whenever he’s on screen. This sure enough led to him getting his own spin-off movie in 1998 with Wesley Snipes and Robert Downey Jr. I’m pretty sure this is the first time many of you even knew that was a thing that happened. Still, he does awesome work.

 

The Fugitive would very quickly break box office records, with the biggest opening and gross for an August movie until The Sixth Sense, and is still a favorite. And speaking of, don’t forget to vote for it in @Cap's 30 for 30 1993 retrospective.

[Reddroast]

20 hours ago, WorkingonaName said:

Joker top 10 LETS GOOOOO!!!

Joker is at 94 lol