140.
Groundhog Day - Pittsburgh weatherman Phil Connors (Bill Murray) lives the same
day over and over and over again until he gets it right with Rita Hanson
(Andie McDowell). The great Harold Ramis directed this comedy classic with a
masterful performance from the groundhog. What if there were no tomorrows?
139.
Go - A
series of wacky, sometimes raunchy, intertwining stories revolve around grocery
clerk Ronna (Sarah Polley) needing to find a way to make some money to pay her
rent. Pre-Cruise Katie Holmes produces her best performance while Jay Mohr and
Scott Wolf show up as squabbling gay lovers. Tim Olyphant also shines as a
heady drug dealer.
138. Top Gun - The iconic 1986 film was one of
Tom Cruise’s first big roles as he plays Maverick, a reckless but talented
Naval aviator. Cruise’s battles with Ice Man (Val Kilmer) and the forbidden
courtship with teacher (Kelly McGillis) are classic. The music pushes the
intensity of the movie, especially Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone.”
137. Better off Dead - Sure, it is somewhat formulaic and Siskel & Ebert hated it, but this zany 1985 romantic comedy still makes me laugh. John Cusack plays Lane Meyer, a man "who knows how to ski" but develops a death wish after his girlfriend Beth dumps him. French exchange student Monique (Diane Franklin) tries to save Lane, but can't help when the paperboy stalks him. Two Dollars!
136. Saving Private Ryan - I am not a huge fan of war movies, which pushes this down the list a bit, but the first half hour of this film depicting the Invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach was very powerful. Tom Hanks goes in search of Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers had already become casualties of war. Steven Spielberg won Best Director in 1998 for the film, which lost out to “Shakespeare in Love” for Best Picture.
135. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - Stoners Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) get a hankering for some tasty sliders late at night and enjoy quite a journey in the 2004 film. They encounter pretty British girls with stomach problems, a cheetah, the police, some bullies, an odd couple and drugged-out Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) before reaching their destination. I enjoyed a few White Castle burgers in Lexington, Ky. once and they were pretty, pretty good.
134. An Officer and a Gentleman - The 1982 romantic drama was somehow not even nominated for Best Picture, which was later won by "Ghandi" over "ET." Richard Gere or "Mayo-Naise" falls for a local girl (Debra Winger) at boot camp and is worked into shape by drill sergeant Louis Gossett Jr., who won Best Supporting Actor. The ending is triumphant and emotional.
133. Truth - I rated this movie only 12th in the best year of movies in my lifetime (2015), but after buying it I could not stop watching it over and over. Cate Blanchett plays Mary Mapes with vigor and Robert Redford portrays Dan Rather in a film about the controversy surrounding the 60 Minutes report on George W. Bush’s military service, which gets tangled in a web of corporate scum and partisan politics. Blanchett’s pulsating speech, defending journalism, at the end is one of my favorite scenes of all time. FEA!!
137. Better off Dead - Sure, it is somewhat formulaic and Siskel & Ebert hated it, but this zany 1985 romantic comedy still makes me laugh. John Cusack plays Lane Meyer, a man "who knows how to ski" but develops a death wish after his girlfriend Beth dumps him. French exchange student Monique (Diane Franklin) tries to save Lane, but can't help when the paperboy stalks him. Two Dollars!
136. Saving Private Ryan - I am not a huge fan of war movies, which pushes this down the list a bit, but the first half hour of this film depicting the Invasion of Normandy at Omaha Beach was very powerful. Tom Hanks goes in search of Private James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), whose three brothers had already become casualties of war. Steven Spielberg won Best Director in 1998 for the film, which lost out to “Shakespeare in Love” for Best Picture.
135. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle - Stoners Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) get a hankering for some tasty sliders late at night and enjoy quite a journey in the 2004 film. They encounter pretty British girls with stomach problems, a cheetah, the police, some bullies, an odd couple and drugged-out Doogie Howser (Neil Patrick Harris) before reaching their destination. I enjoyed a few White Castle burgers in Lexington, Ky. once and they were pretty, pretty good.
134. An Officer and a Gentleman - The 1982 romantic drama was somehow not even nominated for Best Picture, which was later won by "Ghandi" over "ET." Richard Gere or "Mayo-Naise" falls for a local girl (Debra Winger) at boot camp and is worked into shape by drill sergeant Louis Gossett Jr., who won Best Supporting Actor. The ending is triumphant and emotional.
133. Truth - I rated this movie only 12th in the best year of movies in my lifetime (2015), but after buying it I could not stop watching it over and over. Cate Blanchett plays Mary Mapes with vigor and Robert Redford portrays Dan Rather in a film about the controversy surrounding the 60 Minutes report on George W. Bush’s military service, which gets tangled in a web of corporate scum and partisan politics. Blanchett’s pulsating speech, defending journalism, at the end is one of my favorite scenes of all time. FEA!!
132. Beneath the Planet of the Apes –
Tough choice between this one and Conquest, which was the first movie I ever
saw at the Norwich Drive-In in Connecticut almost 50 years ago. Beneath was a strong follow up to
the original classic as James Franciscus, Charlton Heston and the beautiful Nova (Linda Harrison) encounter an
underground race of men worshiping an atomic bomb. There is plenty of
symbolism in this one and a strong plot that provides a powerful ending.
131. Shut Up and Sing - Terrific 2006 documentary about how a portion of the American society over-reacted to a simple anti-war statement by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chucks at a 2003 concert in London (Sarah Palin said far worse things about President Obama in Europe in 2005 and no one in Red State America said boo). The controversy led to death threats, a backlash from country radio stations and corporations, and spawned a powerful album with songs about the trio's ordeal called "Taking the Long Way." With how divided we are, it might not change anyone's mind, but an open-minded music lover should enjoy it.
131. Shut Up and Sing - Terrific 2006 documentary about how a portion of the American society over-reacted to a simple anti-war statement by Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chucks at a 2003 concert in London (Sarah Palin said far worse things about President Obama in Europe in 2005 and no one in Red State America said boo). The controversy led to death threats, a backlash from country radio stations and corporations, and spawned a powerful album with songs about the trio's ordeal called "Taking the Long Way." With how divided we are, it might not change anyone's mind, but an open-minded music lover should enjoy it.
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