My Top 10 Movies You Have To Watch Before You Hit the Big One.
Upon making this list I realized that I am extremely immature and need to develop some sophisticated taste ASAP. Well, hold on let me explain... I know that The Matrix is better than Romy and Michele's High School Reunion don't get me wrong. But, I chose the movies that I personally can watch over and over... I mean sure I love They Live... but I can only watch that movie once a year tops. So here is a list of my personal favorite top 10 movies of ALL time. Don't knock this list till you've watch every single one of the damn movies, got it?
10. Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
I don't know what it is but I have a thing for movies that don't have a serious purpose, as you will probably be able to tell going down this list. I like when movies don't really make sense, but at the same time tells a story... yea, okay that didn't make sense itself. But, if you know what I mean then you know... and I have to say, I really miss those movies, they stoped making them somewhere around the mid 00's. Anyhow, this one is about two best friends who have been buddies since high school, the two hear about their upcoming ten year high school reunion and are reluctant to go since the pair were kind of dorks back then... and still feel they haven't amounted to much. They come up with a plan to say that they are the inventor of post-it notes, thinking that it would impress the whole school, however it backfires in the funniest way. The movie is a mash up of flashbacks and dream sequences with hilarious puns throughout. This comedy gave me one of my favorite lines for getting out of an uncomfortable conversation which is, "Would you excuse me? I cut my foot before and my shoe is filling up with blood," no, I've never used that before actually... I included my favorite scene below, I don't want to explain whats going on just in case it makes you want to watch it more not knowing.
9. The Muppet Movie
Well, another thing you will be able to tell from my movie choices on this list is that a bitching soundtrack is also extremely important to me. I mean Kermit singing Rainbow Connection on a log in a swamp makes my heart flutter. I can't tell you how obsessed I was with this soundtrack after I first saw the film. Movin' Right Along being my favorite track, of course. This musical is about Kermit making a cross country road trip to Hollywood in search of stardom, meeting many other muppets along the way who join Kermit as they all share the dream of being stars. Doc Hopper, an evil restaurant owner, is chasing Kermit across the country trying to force him to become the spokes person for his frog leg restaurant business. This is what I mean when I want non-serious story telling, it makes you laugh and just feels pleasant to watch.
8. Josie and the Pussycats
Wait a second, I know what you're thinking. Wait though, you literally have to give this movie a second chance. It is seriously goofy... But, I don't know if it's just one of those things when you see a stupid movie as a kid and became obsessed with it. My husband has that plague him when it comes to the film Kung Pow. Well, there's a small chance that I am under that spell with this one. But, I do know though that EVERYONE I make see this movie always fights it and doesn't want to watch it at first... then they end up loving it and laughing the whole time. So, really if you are judging this you need to give it another shot. This one follows a band around, The Pussycats obviously, who is struggling for money and desperately wants to be discovered. So, when a mysterious man offers them a record deal without ever even hearing them play they decide not to question it too much and immediately they take the deal. It turns out to be an evil record label that puts subliminal messages inside the pop music they produce. When the girls find out they... well, get into a rumble? Look, just trust me... its goofy and hilarious... you got to watch it when you have a chance.
7. Young Frankenstein
Everyone has seen Young Frankenstein by now right? Well, I hope so. It has been a staple in my house since I was a child. Funny side note... My mom once had to catch an iguana that was going crazy in the backyard and got stuck in the shed (it's a long story). Well, she turned to my cousin and told her that once she was in the shed to not open the door no matter how much she screamed or pleaded for help, thinking my cousin had seen Young Frankenstein and would get what she was saying. Well, once my mom went into the shed she found out that their was like 15 huge ass iguanas ready to slice her with their giant tails. My cousin, not knowing my mom was just telling a joke before, held my mom in the shed like the strong woman she is and I mean... its hilarious to think about but was probably terrifying to live... sorry I lost my train of thought. Oh, yes... this movie, which was directed by Mel Brooks, follows the descendent of Dr. Frankenstein who is a physician and professor. He hates when anyone brings up his great grandfather, calling him a mad scientist who lied about creating life. When all of a sudden he learns of the passing of his grandfather he realizes that he has inherited his estate, so he heads to Europe to check out the property. I mean long story short he ends up reanimating a corpse just like his grandfather after finding his grandfather's writing and evidence. I can not stop laughing start to finish with this movie and you need to give it a watch if you haven't already. As for the story about my mom before hand, here is a clip from the movie for reference.
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6. Planes Trains and Automobiles
This movie is so sweet, oh gosh. I love love love this story, people have been trying to redo this story in different ways now a days, with movies like Due Date... but, no one can remake these two and their dynamic. This movie is a classic John Hughes movie which follows Steve Martin as Neal Page who ends up meeting a shower curtain salesman named Del Griffith, played by John Candy. Neal can't get a plane home and is worried he won't be able to make it home for Thanksgiving. These two team up to drive cross country with only 3 days to Thanksgiving, trying desperately to reunite Neal and his family for the holidays. The ending to this movie breaks my heart, I won't include the ending here because it's sort of a twist. I love that this movie throws in the most unexpected edits, has a goofy story, but still makes you cry and have all the feels, not to mention this movie is one of the most hilarious films I've ever seen. I wish these two got to do more together, BUT at least we have this masterpiece. I think this scene perfectly incapsulates the goofiness of the movie, if you just wanted to get a feel for it before checking it out.
5. Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
I don't care what anyone says, this movie is one of the best movies ever. It is beautiful, hilarious, goofy, makes no sense, and is kind of dark. I always dreamed of having Pee-Wee's house and bike and have often asked my husband "If we ever became millionaires could we live in a remake of Pee-Wee's house?" He is completely against it. I like all versions of his house throughout all of his stories but my dream Pee-Wee house is the house he had on his HBO tv show Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Well, anyway back to the topic, this movie follows Pee-Wee after his beloved bike is stolen, he hopelessly tries to recover his most prize possession and is pushed into a cross country road trip on the hunt for his bike. Wow, a lot of cross country road trips on this list, huh? Well, he ends up meeting a convict who has just escaped from prison, a truck driving ghost who haunts the highway, a group of dance loving bikers, and a bunch of Texans... to name a few. I love this movie and I think it is beautifully shot with great sets and filming locations. If I had to pick one scene that I loved from this film it would have to be Large Marge... that used to be my name on twitter until I realized it probably wasn't the most attractive label to give myself.
4. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
This movie goes in like 3 different direction and is nonstop jokes, the ending is my favorite ending to any comedy movie... I think. Well this film follows two scam artist that are fighting each other for the wealthy women in their area, constantly trying to out do the other. Finally, the two decide it would be better to join forces and take rich women for all they are worth. The big scheme that turned out to be most successful was one of them pretending to be in love with the wealthy women and ready to marry while the other pretends to be his slow brother, Ruprecht played by Steve Martin, to whom every women can not imagine a life with Ruprecht in it. The two collect lump sums of money but eventually end up budding heads and decide to make a bet, setting their sites on a rich heiress who's new in town. I mean, I can't say much more about the plot than this because the movie has a big twist ending... Just know that it is that goofy movie that goes in a million different directions but somehow comes together to make a great well rounded story that I love and have talked nonstop about this whole list. I know it isn't the most mature scene in cinematic history, but here is one of my favorite scenes from the film... when Ruprecht, goes to the bathroom, enjoy!
3. Grease
There was one point in my life where this movie reined supreme, and obviously it still means a lot to me. I think I am blameworthy, once again, of seeing a movie as a kid and never letting go of the film, no matter how much my taste has changed. I don't know what my deal is with this one but I love this soundtrack and have big crushes on pretty much every guy in this movie except for one. You know who you are. Danny Zuko has one of the best voices ever to me, and I don't mean his singing voice, just John Travolta talking. It's like funny and cool? You know what I mean right? Well this musical starts with a summer fling between Danny and Sandy, both of which can't stop thinking about their summer romance. Sandy gets transferred to a new school and surprise surprise it's Danny's school! *insert shocked gasp here* Since Sandy is... like I guess a really hot nerd or something Danny doesn't want to be seen with her but is also jealous and wants to be loving on her at the same time. Danny thought he was too cool for her and I really don't know why he treats her so bad at the beginning of the school year, but eventually the two try dating and both change to suit the other. Then they fly away in a car while the whole school is broken out in a musical number... I remember the ending always confused the hell out of me as a kid. Nevertheless, the movie is shot beautifully with so much thought about color and lighting for every scene, I really love it. Here is my personal favorite scene from the flick.
2. Pootie Tang
Can a brother D? Am I right? This one I think I truly laughed more than in any other movie I have ever seen. I mean like I said before, it shows how immature I am. This film was adapted from a sketch that once was on The Chris Rock Show, written by Louis C.K. I know that Louis like... made women watch him masturbate and everyone has denounced him and his work. But, I can't... I love this movie and always will. It follows a big star, Pootie Tang, whose speech is ineligible to the audience of the film but every character in the movie can clearly understand him. Pootie fights for the people, kids, and his community. He can do anything, he even released an album with no sounds and it went straight to number one on the charts, everybody loves him. It isn't until someone steals his belt, which holds all of his power, that Pootie loses it and leaves the city to try and make it as a farmer. Meanwhile, back in the city a big conglomerate is using Pootie's image to sell fast food, cigarettes, and alcohol. They had hundreds of Pootie doubles that no one could tell were imposters, so people believed Pootie had turned for the worse. Finally, Pootie realizes that the powers he held were not in the belt... and never were in the belt... they were in here. *points at heart sentimentally* He goes back and has a brawl thats like 250 fake Pootie's vs. 1 true Pootie... of course Pootie takes down the man and saves his image. Yippee! Here is my all time favorite scene from Pootie Tang.
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1. The Jerk
Can you tell that I am Steve Martin's biggest fan yet? I mean I know pretty much everything you can know about this guy, I've read a couple of his books, including Born Standing Up... which I loved and you have to give it a read if you're interested in his life at all, if not then it's the actual opposite book you'd want to read. I don't know what it is about this guy but I am truly a huge fan. This film was branded in a way that was trying to make Steve the new Charlie Chaplin. I think it said something in the old trailers that was like "You know The Tramp, well now get ready for The Jerk." Maybe they wanted this to be a franchise character?
Well, I do want to point out that I feel like this is one of those movies that may be canceled pretty soon because it could be seen as a bit weird to those who don't finish the film, so go grab your copy of the film ASAP. Well, how can I get started with the film... It stars Navin, played by Steve, who was born a poor black child... as he puts it, but was actually just adopted by a poor African American family. He loves his family but decides to leave them in search of a better life. He goes though all these shenanigans but eventually gets a job at a gas station where he meets a man and gives him an idea for a design of glasses. The man decides to take the idea and in exchange will gave Navin 50% of the profits if the invention goes anywhere... to which Navin agrees. I mean this movie goes in about 50 different turns, it's kind of hard to explain. But, he becomes a millionaire and of course sends money back to his family before continuing to live his new luxurious life, which he is completely clueless about and pretty much just goes with the flow. Long story short, he loses his fortune and his girlfriend and has to live out on the streets. Homeless and alone Navin accepts his bitter end... until finally his family shows up with his ex girlfriend to bring Navin home! It turns out the family invested the money that Navin would periodically send home during the movie and the family has become wealthy themselves, saving Navin and reuniting him with the love of his life. Hooray! This film is perfect. It is kind of put together like Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, just lots of random characters, silly jokes, and goofy situations. Below is the best scene in the film... when Navin beats up the racists, you're welcome!
What did you think of my list? A bit too goofy for your taste? Let me know in the comments below!