#50: Fast and Furry-ous
1949
Back in the day, moviegoers were often treated to short films before the feature presentation. From 1933 to 1944, you could see Looney Tunes, Warner Bros.' classic animated comedy sketches, which introduced some of the greatest animated characters of all time including Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester, Tweety Bird, Marvin the Martian and Tasmanian Devil. These shorts were later be broadcast on television, which is how my genearation saw them. My favorite Looney Tunes are the ones with Roadrunner and Wile E. Coyote. Coyote was always trying to catch the Roadrunner in Death Valley using super-overelaborate plans and malfunctioning Acme contraptions. The duo's very first sketch, Fast and Furry-ous, is easily my favorite. It features so many classic gags, like Coyote painting a fake tunnel on a wall to trick the Roadrunner into running into it, who actually runs through the painting as if the tunnel were real. Then of course, when the Coyote tries it, he crashes into the wall. I love that goofy cartoon logic, like how an animated character can take a long walk off a short cliff without falling until they realize they're actually defying gravity. These shorts do piss me off though, as I was always rooting for the Coyote. His schemes were so clever, while that damned Roadrunner was such a cocky nuisance. Sadly, the predator never caught his prey, unless you count the end of Soup or Sonic, in which a shrunken Coyote catches the "giant" Roadrunner and is unable to eat him. It teaches kids a valuable life lesson: you will never win, so why even try?
#49: 龍爭虎鬥
(Enter the Dragon)
1973
WU-TAAAH! Bruce Lee was the iconic figure of the martial arts film, and Dragon was his opus. Lee plays a Shaolin martial artist hired by the U.S. government to enter a fighting tournament held on a private island in order to bust the island’s drug racket. He’s a kung fu master by day and a ninja by night -- how has this not been made into a videogame? For a Hong Kong action film, the writing is phenomenal! In other words, the script is almost good! There's actually a story, the dialogue isn't half-bad and the characters are somewhat developed! On top of that, the English voice-dubbing almost matches! But you'll forgive the shortcomings when you see the fight scenes, which, I assure you, are many of the best ever filmed -- all in one movie. Get this: Lee was so fast that the filmmakers actually had to slow down the frame rate just to capture his moves on camera, as opposed to many modern action films, where the action is sped up to make stunts appear more dangerous than they really are. The final boss battle takes place in a hall-of-mirrors, where Lee faces an opponent armed with a huge, metal claw (this was a year before the debut of the X-Men character Wolverine). Dragon gained enormous popularity in both Hong Kong and America, launching Lee into international superstardom. Bummer he didn’t live to see it hit theaters. At age 32, he died of mysterious causes. At least he was able to give such an awesome dying gift to the world.
#48: Young Frankenstein
1974
Mel Brooks is a very unique writer/director; all his films are parodies of other genres. He’s spoofed everything from silent comedies to historical epics. But it was his comedic spin on Frankenstein lore that became my personal favorite. If you liked the animated television sitcom, The Simpsons, back when it was in its prime, you’ll love Young Franky. It’s like, the exact same kind of humor. Gene Wilder is perfect as the title role, a descendant of Victor’s, who refuses to acknowledge his heritage -- “it’s pronounced FRONK-EN-SHTEEN!” Then there’s Igor, the goofy hunchbank, Inga, the busty assistant, The Monster, and a slew of funny supporting characters. Every cast member seems born to play the roles. The filmmakers wonderfully recreate the style of an old Universal horror film. The opening credits actually make you feel like you’re watching a movie from the 30’s. Brooks insisted they shoot in black-and-white, which was very rare for the seventies. Most of the equipment in the lab were even the same props used in the 1931 Frankenstein. I really dig the old-fashioned, gothic score. You may recognize a five-second segment of it from Dramatic Chipmunk. Even though this is a satire, I actually think it’s the best Frankenstein film out there. There was so much potential humor in the source material, and combining classic horror with classic screwball was a stroke of mad genius. Brooks stitched old, dead ideas together and brought them back to life again. The result is a riotous disasterpiece.
#47: The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!
1988
In this hilarical mix of slapstick, screwball, spoof, dark and absurdist humor, Leslie Neilsen is detective Frank Drebin, a deadbrain detective full of deadpan one-liners, OJ Simpson (yeah, that OJ) plays his accident-prone yet death-proof partner, Ricardo Montalbán is the way-too-serious villain and Priscilla Presley is the sexy sex-joke device. The plot revolves around a plan to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II during a baseball game in the States, but I’ll be honest. The paper-thin story is nothing more than groundwork for the high-speed, no-brakes, endless barrage of jokes. This movie must have about a thousand of them. Most of them will make you chuckle, some are so bad you’ll laugh at them anyway, and some are so hysterious you’ll have to pause the film to recover. After the movie, I immediately Youtubed the short-lived television series it was based on, Police Squad!, which was cancelled after only six episodes due to how much audience attention it required to pick up on all the dry and subtle humor. Some people just don’t know when to laugh without a laughtrack. The film’s a little more flamboyant -- in a sex-scene that satirizes the AIDS scare of the 80’s, the characters put on full-body condoms. Hard to miss that. However, those paying attention will notice plenty of jokes that the idiots and multi-taskers are sure to miss, like the way Frank’s rank is constantly changing, sometimes mid-sentence, or how he walks around the walls of sets instead of through the doorways. Naked Gun isn't my favorite comedy, but it definitely gets my vote for the funniest. I’ve never laughed more or harder during a movie.
#46: Les Diaboliques
(The Devils)
1955
BrrRRRrr! What a chiller! After a dirty principal starts having an open affair with another teacher, his wife and mistress join forces to murder him and dump his body in the school’s swampy swimming pool. But when the pool is drained in the Spring, the body is gone. And that’s only the beginning of the eerie events that haunt the school. Henri-George Clouzot’s new wave French horror film is one of the most disturbing and unnerving films ever made. Unlike modern horror films, nothing pops out at you and there’s no gross-out gore; The Devils relies on creepy, mysterious occurrences to slowly build genuine terror. Instead of making you jump, it will make you shiver. It will make you cry instead of scream. It will elicit verbal responses like “no way,” “ohmygod,” and “That’s it. Turn off the movie and turn on the lights!” It was a major influence on Psycho, which came out five years later, which, spookily, was also the same year one of the Devils stars died the same way they die in the film! Beware: I don’t recommend seeing this one unless you’re really ready to get freaked. It’s the kind of film that generates paranoia that will continue long after you see the film, like Jaws or, to a lesser extent, The Truman Show.
#45: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
1989
In Indy’s third adventure, the whip-cracking, daredevil archeologist races the Nazis for the legendary Holy Grail. Crusade was my least favorite of the first three. I found it to be too preachy and too similar to Raiders, recycling the same villains, Nazis, and the same mythology, Christianity. Other than that, it’s still a hell of a film. The action scenes are spectacular, including a boat-chase through Venice, a biplane dogfight over Berlin, a motorcycle chase through Berlin and a tank battle in the Hatay desert. The finale pits Indy against a series of puzzles in a trap-filled dungeon. It’s all very videogame-esque. Sean Connery was brilliantly cast as Indy’s father, who makes a great side-kicking side-kick. When it comes to writing characters, opposites attract audiences. The Joneses are a great example. They’re constantly bickering when they should be cooperating, adding a whole new layer of excitement to already-exciting scenes. The Indy films were synonymous with great opening sequences. Here, River Phoenix plays the teenage Indy in a flashback that shows how the character acquired his iconic hat, whip, fear of snakes and even the chin-scar that Harrison Ford's always had from a car accident. Crusade was a great ending to a great trilogy. That’s right, I don’t count that crappy fourth film made in 2008. Although the filmmakers finally realized the importance of having fresh villains and mythology like Temple of Doom had, the magic was long gone. I’m kind of sad they didn’t keep the series running with new actors like the Bond franchise. After all, Indy did drink from the Grail, so it would only seem fitting for his character to live on forever. Oh well. We'll always have the first three.
#44: To Kill A Mockingbird
1962
Everybody’s seen this one -- probably as an alternative to reading the novel in high school. Atticus Finch is a small-town lawyer who chooses to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman… in 1930’s Alabama -- you know, back when there was still racism in the South. Meanwhile, his children, Scout and Jem, become fascinated with a mysterious neighbor they’ve heard many a strange story about though have never seen. Part courtroom-drama, part coming-of-age story, Mockingbird is one of those adaptations where everything came together perfectly. Like Harper Lee’s novel, it captures the time and place so well, you’ll feel like a Maycomb resident yourself. The film always gives me a temporary hick accent and IQ reduction. It has superb direction, moody cinematography and a tightly adapted screenplay. The performances are knockouts, not only from Gregory Peck and the kids, but from all the supporting roles as well, including Robert Duvall’s screen debut as Boo Radley and Brock Peters as the “innocent” Tom Robinson. Yeah, I’m still pretty sure Tom was guilty. One advantage films have over books is the music, as Elmer Bernstein’s evocative score proves thoroughly. Atticus is one of the great movie heroes -- a justice fighter, a smart lawyer and the best dad ever, teaching his children (and the audience) the importance of doing the right thing, no matter what the consequences.
#43: Casablanca
1942
You must remember this. A film is just a film. Reviews are just reviews. No fundamental truths apply, but as time goes by, Casablanca is among the most consistent entries on everyone’s list. It’s the perfect movie to watch after you've been dumped, especially for guys. Anyone who’s had their heart broken badly can totally empathize with Rick, a cold, cynical nightclub owner who acquires the only plane tickets out of occupied Nazi-Morocco. In walks Ilsa -- the reason for his emoness -- with her new boytoy, desperate to flee the country. It's a great "love and war" drama that depicts those horrible feelings oh so wonderfully -- the way Rick can’t stand their old song yet still yearns to hear it, his disinterest in everything from other women to the War, and in his opening shot, what is he doing? Playing with himself. Granted, it’s a game of chess, but that’s about as suggestive as you could get in the forties. It was a very topical film (released less than a month after Allied Forces entered WWII) that had a huge impact on the nation, reflecting America’s shifting attitudes about the war and even inspired intervention. But personally, what I found to be the most influential thing in the film was the incredible amount of smoking and drinking. Sure, cigarettes were common in old movies because it looked so cool in B&W, but holy Marlborough! Try playing the drinking game during this movie. I dare anyone to take a shot every time a character takes a drink or a drag. You’ll pass out before Ingrid Bergman even enters the picture.
#42: The Terminator
1984
This was the iconic 80’s film. Robots, time-travel, car chases, gunfights, techno, miniatures, big hair… Terminator’s got it all! Two warriors from the future warp back to 1984: one is a cyborg assassin sent back to murder Sarah Connor, whose son will go on to lead a war against the machines in the post-apocalyptic future; the other is a soldier sent back to protect her. Terminator mixes action, sci-fi and horror into a gripping thriller that grabs you right from the start and only squeezes tighter and tighter. It was the breakthrough film for James Cameron, who would later make some of the most expensive films ever made. But I don’t give two shits about 3D movies if the characters in it are all one-dimensional. Terminator has a superb script that boasts strong characters, thought-provoking concepts and clever twists. Arnold Schwarzenegger is perfect in the title role, a single-minded, endlessly persistent, practically invincible hunter, one of the greatest screen villains of all time. Ahnold is so buff, it hurts just looking at him. The human soldier sent back to stop him doesn’t stand a chance, which is what makes the battle so exciting. The oldschool, low budget special effects are bound to elicit one of two reactions: "So fake!" or "So dank!" As a child, I thought that metal endoskeleton was the coolest monster ever. I would draw him all the time. Now that the effects have aged and I can tell it's all puppets and stop-motion, I think it's even cooler! Somehow, knowing how they did it engages me in the film even more. The only problem with the movie is it suffers from having the greatest sequel of all time. I’ll be back to review that one someday!
#41: Old Yeller
1957
I hate this movie, but it was an obligatory inclusion. In 1860’s Texas, young Travis becomes the man of the family farm after his father goes on a three-month cattle run. When a troublemaking stray dog appears, Travis wants nothing to do with it… but the mutt slowly grows on him. Yeller was the quintessential dog movie: a coming-of-age story filled with charming “boy and his dog” scenes, great animal stunts, and (SPOILER ALERT!) a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, tear-jerking climax that caused many parents to shield the ending from their children. There was a Friends episode where a shocked Phoebe finally saw the real ending on TV, as her mother had always turned the movie off early, tricking her into thinking it had a happy ending. This was actually common practice in many households. Audiences in '57 didn’t even know what was coming. It was quite daring of the filmmakers to throw such a curveball ending on an otherwise lighthearted Disney western-family film. However, I think the film should be mandatory viewing for all dog owners. Strap the kids down and tape their eyes open. They gotta learn that Sparky ain't gonna live forever. At least the film has an uplifting resolution. This is more than just a movie; it’s a rite of passage.
And I'm just getting started. Click here for Part 2.
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