Tag: Top Ten

Top Ten Tuesday: Friendly Ghosts

From Japanese ghost stories such as RINGU (1998) and JU-ON (2002, remade as THE GRUDGE) to modern revisionist ghost stories such as Brad Anderson’s SESSION 9 (2001) and Ti West’s THE INNKEEPERS (2011), cinematic specters have nearly always been evil, or at the very least, malicious. Scary movies have long held the belief that ghosts should frighten us, and Hollywood had lined their pockets with that notion, but is it possible to make a good movie about “good” ghosts? We think so, and here’s our proof… our Top Ten Movies About Friendly Ghosts.

10. HEART AND SOULS (1993)

heart and souls

Anything starring Robert Downey, Jr. is worth checking out in my book, but this comedy was surprisingly enjoyable. Downey plays a guy used by four ghosts to reconcile their lives before moving on into the afterlife. The catch is, Downey is less than enthusiastic, but finds himself the catalyst for something bigger than himself and goes along for the ride. The cast is comprised of several well-known actors making the film that much more enjoyable.

9. TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY (1990)

truly madly deeply

The 1991 charming, English love story of a woman, Nina, (Juliet Stephenson) who’s inconsolable with grief over the death of her lover and cellist, Jamie (Alan Rickman). Just when Nina thinks she’ll never recover from her loss, Jamie’s ghost returns and, much to her dismay, begins to muck about in her daily life, which includes bringing other ghosts along to watch, of all things, videos to pass the time. TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLY was Anthony Minghella’s (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, THE READER) directorial debut, universally loved by the critics, and was called the British version of GHOST.

8. THE CANTERVILLE GHOST (1944)

The popular short story by Oscar Wilde came to life in 1944 when Charles Laughton stepped into the role of the ghost of Sir Simon de Canterville. Cursed to roam an English manor until a descendant can redeem the family name through an act of bravery, the character is one for the ages, and Laughton’s interaction with co-star Robert Young is timeless. The first of eight adaptations of the story for film, THE CANTERVILLE GHOST is a timeless comedy that is just as beloved now as it was nearly 70 years ago.

7. FIELD OF DREAMS (1989)

field of dreams

“If you build it, he will come.” The ghosts of the Chicago Black Sox in FIELD OF DREAMS aren’t, exactly, bad, but that voice the serves as their prelude has got to go. Creepy as it may be, it, and the ghosts themselves, help Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) rekindle that loss feeling of youth and helps subside that foreboding feeling he has that he is turning in this father. The ending of FIELD OF DREAMS would make a grown man cry, and I’m sure it’s done just that time and time again. You’ll never look at playing catch with your father the same way twice.

6. THE FRIGHTENERS (1996)

frighteners

Not only was this a pivotal film as director Peter Jackson’s American breakout film, it was also one helluva funny good time! Michael J. Fox plays a guy who develops the ability to see and talk to ghosts, working with them to con unsuspecting suburbanites into paying for spirit extractions. The ghosts may have the act down in this film, but they were anything but mean… more like completely harmless.

5. THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947)

THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947) is the impossible love story between a young widow, Mrs. Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) and deceased Sea Captain Daniel Gregg (Rex Harrison, in one of his most colorful roles). Being a penniless widow, Mrs. Muir, along with her young daughter Anna (Natalie Wood), move into Gull Cottage on the English coast only to discover that it’s haunted by the previous owner, a loud-mouthed ghost reluctant to entrust it to a woman. The two form a friendship (with Lucy being the only one who can hear and see the Captain) and when seeing that she’s in need of money, the captain persuades “Lucia” to be the ghostwriter for his memoirs in the book Blood and Swash and they end up falling in love. With a great, moody score from Bernard Hermann and the Oscar nominated B & W cinematography from Charles Lang, THE GHOST AND MRS MUIR is one of those entrancing ghost stories and a fan- favorite.

4. BEETLEJUICE (1988)

Tim Burton’s dark comedy about a married couple who die and come back as ghosts is one of the most enjoyably original films from the last three decades. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are confined to their earthly home as a rich, dysfunctional family moves in and begins changing everything, leading the nice couple to employ the not-so-nice tactics of Michael Keaton’s “Beetlejuice” to scare them off.

3. GHOST (1984)

ghost

The late, iconic Patrick Swayze stars in the dramatic love story as a man who returns as a ghost in an attempt to protect Demi Moore, his wife, from impending danger with the help of a reluctant psychic, played by Whoopi Goldberg. The film is a staple for many women, but is also a great film on it’s own merit, earning Goldberg a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

2. TOPPER (1937)

You need only take a gander at the cast list for TOPPER to realize there’s no nefarious dealings with the ghosts involved here. Cary Grant and Constance Bennett as George and Marion Kerby, respectively, are among some of the more memorable “good” ghosts around. Granted, they are charged by the minions of Purgatory to do one good deed, but that deed comes easy, and it is to the benefit of all that these wayward souls find their ultimate path to redemption. TOPPER is a laugh-riot classic. The characters and those who play them are among the main elements that make it so.

1. THE SIXTH SENSE (1999)

sixth sense

The big reveal of M. Night Shyamalan’s THE SIXTH SENSE is that Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis) is in fact one of the ghosts that little Haley Joel Osment sees. This was not only a huge kick in the gut for audiences, but also cemented the fact that the film was one of the best modern ghost stories, period. Willis’ performance might be one of the strongest and most emotionally resonant of his career. While the ending is memorable, the ghostly leading man in THE SIXTH SENSE is what makes the picture enduring, even after you’re in on the twist.

Top Ten Tuesday: Best of 2011

Another year has come and gone and with it passes another year of movies, good and bad, but today we focus on the best films to have hit theaters in 2011. Of course, the very phrase “best of…” is subject to widely varying opinions, which is why we choose to do things a little differently. While we do consider these the best films, that’s merely how they’re seen in our eyes. You may, heck… we even encourage you to disagree. For what it’s worth, here’s our Top Ten list of the Best Films of 2011.

How it works: We five Movie Geeks each have compiled our own lists of the top ten films of 2011. From these lists, we’ve tabulated votes based on a point system, resulting in our Movie Geeks Top Ten Films of 2011. Each of the individual geeks’ lists can be found at the end of our compiled list. *Our lists are based on the selection of films released theatrically in Saint Louis during the 2011 calendar year. (*This is why you will not see SHAME represented on our list.)

Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: Best of 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: The Best of Michael Fassbender (So Far)

Michael Fassbender is perhaps the most talented, fastest rising international star. Originally born in Germany, Fassbender has grown rapidly from being primarily a television actor into a worldly thespian of staggering proportion, garnering ecstatic praise both in Europe and the United States for his unflinching, intense performances in roles that are often controversial and extraordinarily demanding. Fassbender has received some of his breakout roles in genre films, a cinematic place that only rarely produced tremendous genre-spanning talent.

In honor of this tremendous new acting force, we’ve compiled our list of Top Ten performances from Michael Fassbender. His latest role may prove to be his most stellar, even controversial one yet. Appearing in his second film directed by Steve McQueen, SHAME has Fassbender portraying a sex addict. SHAME is opening soon, with dates varying depending on your location.

Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: The Best of Michael Fassbender (So Far)

Top Ten Tuesday: 2011 Holiday Movie Geek Gift Guide

Welcome to the 2011 Holiday Movie Geek Gift Guide! What is this? No, it’s not my personal gift wish list made public in hopes that readers will bury me in their affection — although, I wouldn’t be disgusted if you did — no, this is guide to finding that perfect, special gift for the Movie Geek in your life. You know who I mean. We all have at least one friend who obsesses about movies, someone who spouts a movie quote or a director factoid every other breath. What does one buy a person so firmly entrenched in the culture of movies? I hope this guide helps you with your shopping ideas, but don’t expect to find the typical, no brainer ideas — such as gift cards — on this list. Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: 2011 Holiday Movie Geek Gift Guide

Top Ten Tuesday: Special Edition THE MUPPETS Hall of Fame

Once upon a time not long ago, in a living room not so far away, was a television set that opened up a magical, comical, crazy world filled with fuzzy, funny make-believe characters too great to simply be called puppets. No, these were The Muppets, and we loved them completely. Great thanks goes out to Jason Segel for making his dream of a Muppets return come true this Wednesday, but most importantly, boundless thanks should be given to Jim Henson himself, creator of The Muppets, on the holiday of gratitude. We Are Movie Geeks would like to extend our own thanks, and in doing so, presents out Top Ten MUPPETS Hall of Fame. Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: Special Edition THE MUPPETS Hall of Fame

Top Ten Tuesday: Our Man Clint!

J. EDGAR opens in theaters this Friday and it is the 33rd film directed by Clint Eastwood. Beginning with the thriller PLAY MISTY FOR ME in 1971, Eastwood has directed  westerns, action films, comedies, and dramas. From the very early days of his career, Eastwood had been frustrated by directors insisting that scenes be re-shot multiple times and perfected, and when he began as a director in 1971, he made a conscious attempt to avoid any aspects of directing he had been indifferent to as an actor. As a result, Eastwood is renowned for his efficient film directing and to reduce filming time and to keep budgets under control.

As seen through the eyes of Hoover himself, J. EDGAR explores the personal and public life and relationships of a man who could distort the truth as easily as he upheld it during a life devoted to his own idea of justice, often swayed by the darker side of power. Academy Award nominee Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the title role. J. EDGAR also stars Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts as Helen Gandy and the screenplay is by Oscar winner Dustin Lance Black (MILK)

Here are, according to We Are Movie Geeks, the top ten best films directed by Clint Eastwood

10. A PERFECT WORLD

A PERFECT WORLD was Eastwood’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning UNFORGIVEN and was a complex, fascinating essay on the irreconcilable tension between being drawn to someone with charisma and being repulsed by someone, sometimes the same person, who is evil. Clint took a back seat to star Kevin Costner who played smart and charming as an escaped con/kidnapper. The little boy who he snatches grows to like his abductor, but the guy is a violent criminal. The ending was tough, because the movie is showing us the nastiness the guy is capable of and it’s hard to take. But it’s true to the lesson here: we admire people for their charms not their morals.

9. BRONCO BILLY

BRONCO BILLY is Clint Eastwood’s loving tribute and sly send up of the western movie heroes he grew up watching as a lad( and perhaps a parody of his own early film cowboy image ). This 1980 from from a script by Dennis Hackin stars Clint as the owner star of a down-on-its-luck traveling wild west show. although he can’t afford to pay them, his crew is fiercely loyal especially Doc Lynch( the delightful Scatman Crothers ). Along the way they are joined by a now penniless spoiled, rich gal played by Clint’s frequent co-star Sondra Locke. Of course she falls for the gruff, no nonsense cowpoke and becomes part of the trick shooting act( after the regular girl quits after Billy botches the trick in a very funny opening scene ). In another memorable sequence Billy foils a bank robbery after one of the robbers breaks the piggy bank of a young boy. This film didn’t fare well at the box office perhaps because movie audiences wanted to see Clint blow away the bad guys with his magnum or punch them out with the help of his orangutan pal, Clyde, but it’s gained a reputation as an almost Capra-like love letter to the myths of the  old West.

8. GRAN TORINO

“Get me another beer, dragon lady. This one’s empty!” is my favorite of many great lines from GRAN TORINO and the one that I growl at my wife daily. GRAN TORINO manages to list seemingly every slang word for every ethnic group that there is (it avoids the N-word, choosing “Spooks” instead). It has themes similar to Clint’s THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES in that both movies deal with an angry, lonely man gradually allowing people back into his life after bottling up his emotions for a long time following a trauma (both characters also spit beef jerky constantly and have to deal with a cantankerous old woman who doesn’t like them very much). It’s also a kind of urban Western update of THE SHOOTIST (directed by Clint’s old friend and mentor Don Siegel and John Wayne’s last movie) in that Clint’s dying character Walt Kowalski picks a fight with the evil local gang in the hope he’ll catch a bullet and go out in a blaze of glory rather than succumb to the slow agony of cancer (just like John Wayne did). If it’s his last acting role, like he’s said, Clint will have gone out with a blaze of glory himself.

7. LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA

When Clint Eastwood announced that while he would be making the film version of FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS by James Bradley and Ron Powers he then stated that he would also be working on a film which would tell the story of the battle from the Japanese side called LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA. this news caught many film-goers by surprise. This major World War II battle would be brought to the screens twice and the great All-American director Clint Eastwood would devote one version showing the view of our Pacific enemy. Not many thought he could pull this off, but FLAGS and LETTERS opened within months of each other in 2006 and while both enjoyed terrific notices, some critics and academy members thought that LETTERS was the superior film.

LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA focuses on the weeks leading up to and the days after the allied forces invading the island occupied by the Japanese forces. The conflict is seen primarily through the eyes of lonely soldier named Saigo (Kazunari Ninomiya) who just wants to return to his life at home as a baker and commanding officer General Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe) who spent time in the United States. The General has been given the hopeless task of defending the island after his superiors inform him that no food, or troops will be sent to help. He and his men are expected to die for the honor of Japan. The film shows the great importance of honor to these people. The soldiers are taught that being captured alive would bring shame to their family. In a horrific scene several soldiers discharge grenades they are holding rather than be taken. While sending letters back to his family, the General tries to stop some of the brutal measures inflicted on the foot soldiers from the other officers. As the end nears, Saigo will do anything to survive while the General reflects on the happy times he spent with the people who are now his enemy. This is a rare film about World War II told from a perspective not often presented and Clint Eastwood showcases his superb filmmaking skills in telling this engrossing story.

6. MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is one of WAMG’s top ten picks for a number of reasons. First off the film has an amazing cast; Kevin Spacey, John Cusak, and Jude Law. It was produced and directed by Clint Eastwood in 1997. John Kelso (John Cusak) is sent to write a magazine story about a prominent Savannah citizen, Jim Williams (Kevin Spacey), Christmas party. Kelso attends the party and is intrigued with Jim Williams and other people at the party, especially Williams’ young and violent lover, Billy (Jude Law). Later, Billy is found dead and Jim Williams is accused of the murdering him. Kelso decides to stay on in town to cover the murder trial and the ensuing characters that he meets along the way makes for an interesting journey through the streets and alleys of Savannah. Clint Eastwood does a great job of showcasing the city of Savannah; it too has a starring role in the film. I love this movie because of its overall beauty in an otherwise ugly situation. The characters are believable and interesting. No matter how many times I have watched this film, I never grow tired of it.

5. THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES

“Well, you gonna pull those pistols or stand there whistling Dixie?” Eastwood starred in and directed, THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES in 1978 and his direction shows him at a sort of tipping point between Sergio Leone and Eastwood’s own later films. Gigantic close ups of wet faces and glistening teeth alternate with grandiose high shots of galloping horses. Eastwood’s Josey Wales is his familiar Western figure, taciturn, slightly mean, given to spitting tobacco juice on dogs, full of provocative lines; Bounty Hunter: “A man’s got to make a livin” Josey: “Dying ain’t much of a living, boy”. When he tries to speak in ritualized and poetic English to the Comanches, while making a peace proposal, he fails. Perfumed speech is not his forte. And when he rides off into the sunset, it’s without any suggestion of remorse for the hundred or so dead bodies he’s left in his wake.

4. MILLION DOLLAR BABY

One of the great qualities of Clint Eastwood’s directing career is his way of surprising moviegoers. A case in point can be found in 2004’s MILLION DOLLAR BABY. The screenplay by Paul Haggis based on the short stories of F.X. Toole seems to be the standard rags to riches sports flix this time set in the world of woman’s boxing. Clint gets some terrific performances out of Hilary Swank as the plucky, determined boxer Maggie Fitzgerald and Morgan Freeman as wise, world-weary ex- boxer Eddie “Scrap Iron” Dupris. Both actors were awarded Oscars for their work. Even with his great work behind the camera, Clint gives one of the best acting performances as Maggie’s tough, grizzled coach Frankie Dunn. Maggie works hard to finally convince Frankie that’s she worthy of his mentoring. After Frankie finally agrees there’s the expected grueling training sequences inter-cut with scenes of the two getting to know and respect each other. It’s shown that Frankie is estranged from his own children while Maggie’s family is un-supportive and highly dysfunctional. Soon Frankie and Maggie’s relationship grows into a father-daughter bond. As the film builds to the boxing movie cliche finale of the win at the big championship bout it takes a completely unexpected tragic turn and the bond between Frankie and Maggie is put to the ultimate test. MILLION DOLLAR BABY takes the sports movie and turns it into a tender, family drama and is one of Clint Eastwood all-time great cinema triumphs. BABY joined THE UNFORGIVEN as an Oscar winning Best Picture and another well deserved Best Director award winner for Eastwood.

3. HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER

HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER is probably Clint Eastwood’s darkest western and that’s saying a lot. The hero is a mysterious, ghost-like figure and he fights against the evil and corruption that infests a small town in the middle of nowhere. Eastwood is fighting a lone battle , and his only sidekick is the midget Mordecai, while almost all other inhabitants of the town of Lago are corrupted or/and cowardly. This is Clint Eastwood’s first Western film that he directed, and it’s clear and evident that the guy not only loves the genre that made his name, but he also knows what makes it work. When working for Sergio Leone, Eastwood was obviously taking notes because HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER oozes the mythical aura of many of Leone’s finest genre offerings

2. MYSTIC RIVER

3 childhood friends, Jimmy, Dan & Sean, drifted apart after a terrible tragedy & grew up in the same city. Destiny pitted them again & it’s brutal tragedy again. Jimmy’s 19 year old daughter murdered & Dave is the strong suspect. Sean is a cop trying to solve the crime before something unusual done by uncontrollable with situational fix. Its superb script & screen play & I must praise Dennis Lehane for it. But the real laudable act is done by old macho cowboy named Clint Eastwood. This is Clint Eastwood’s finest achievement as a director along with his other Oscar winning nuggets like Unforgiven & Million Dollar Baby. With awesome cast & finest performances of Sean Penn, Tim Robbins &Kevin Bacon he shapes a master crime thriller. Robbins and Penn both recieved Oscars for their roles. Marcia Gay Harden has done amazing justice to her role as psychologically confused wife of Tim Robbins. A must-see modern Greek tragedy.

1. UNFORGIVEN

In many interviews Clint Eastwood has said that UNFORGIVEN is his Western swan song, and it’s that’s the the case heâ’s left the genre with an all time classic. Clint plays an outlaw named Bill Munny who has given up that life for his late wife and is struggling to make a go out of farming and raising his two children.When a group of prostitutes in the town of Big Whiskey offer a bounty on a cowboy who cut up one of their own, Bill feels he must take up his guns again. Picking up his old partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) rides into the town, meets a young upstart named The Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolett), and incurs the ire of the town sheriff Little Bill Dagget (an Oscar winning performance by Gene Hackman). “Little” Bill has no tolerance for bounty hunters and demonstrates by brutally beating English Bob in the town square. The script by David Webb Peoples is a thoughtful meditation on the consequences of revenge and violence. In one memorable scene Munny and the Kid have gunned down several of the thugs from the brothel incident. Gasping and shaking the Kid says,”They had it comin!” to which Munny soberly replies, “We all got it comin’, kid.” At the end of the movie, Clint dedicates the film to his two cinema mentors, Sergio Leone (FISTFUL OF DOLLARS) and Don Siegel (DIRTY HARRY). The Motion Picture Academy thought this film was in the same class as the films of those two great directors and awarded Clint a well deserved directing Oscar along with Best Picture.

Top Ten Tuesday: Slay It Again, Sam!

There’s a lot of evil out there! Disposing of the nasty creatures, monsters, zombies, witches, vampires and the like is a dirty job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Remakes of FRIGHT NIGHT and CONAN THE BARBARIAN will splatter evil blood all over screens this week when they open in theaters on Friday, August 19th, so here’s a look at our favorite monster killers from the movies.

Now, before we get started… a list like this really needs to be defined, so here are those pesky rules that govern who makes the cut and who gets cut:

  • You must have multiple kills! One and done is not enough.
  • You must be a full-time monster hunter. None of this part-time, moonlighting crap!
  • You must actually “kill” the monsters. Sorry, but The Ghostbusters don’t make the cut.

Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: Slay It Again, Sam!

Top Ten Tuesday: Tony Todd

Horror fans may have mixed feelings about the ongoing Final Destination franchise, but with FINAL DESTINATION 5 fated to make it’s stand in theaters on Friday, August 12th, one thing we can count on is a roller coaster of death-defying thrills. Actor Tony Todd also returns as the mysterious Mr. William Bludworth, a mortician with an unusual knowledge of death and the rules of the fabled Grim Reaper. In honor of the talented character actor, I present my Top Ten list of favorite Tony Todd roles.

10. THE ROCK (1996)

“I’m not a soldier, Major. The day we took hostages, we became mercenaries. And mercenaries get paid. I want my fucking money!”

In Michael Bay’s entertaining action-thriller, Tony Todd plays Captain Darrow, a military officer now loyal to Brigadier General Francis Hummel (Ed Harris) who seizes Alcatraz and holds tourists hostage as he plans a homegrown terrorist plot for the sake of his fellow fallen soldiers. Captain Darrow and Major Tom Baxter (David Morse) are devoted to Hummel’s cause, even once he begins to show signs of remorse, but for different reasons. Todd gives Darrow a calm, cool confidence that contrasts Morse’s more traditional, rigid military persona.

09. FINAL DESTINATION (2000) / FINAL DESTINATION 2 (2003)

“In death there are no accidents, no coincidences, no mishaps, and no escapes.”

Mr. William Bludworth is a mysterious man, a mortician with an uncanny knowledge of Death and the rules of fate. This is something the “spared” victims of a devastating plane crash discover as Death creatively picks them off, one by one. Tony Todd plays Bludworth with an ambiguous creepiness. Tony Todd returned in FINAL DESTINATION 2, but was limited to portraying the voice of the “Devil” in FINAL DESTINATION 3.

08. HATCHET (2006) / HATCHET II (2010)

“I had a tour group, out in the swamp, last Halloween. It was the mist of night, and there was this kid, who looked kind of like you, he was spooked by something in the marsh. He saw two eyes staring at him from the woods, it chilled him to his very marrow. He wanted to get off the boat in a hurry, and he had his foot dangling over the edge.”

Tony Todd had merely a single scene in HATCHET as Reverend Zombie, an eccentric voodoo character sought upon by the vacationing youngsters for a haunted swamp tour. Unfortunately, Zombie’s little business was shut down due to insurance costs. Fortunately, Reverend Zombie returns with a bigger role in HATCHET 2.

07. PLATOON (1986)

Oliver Stone’s PLATOON marks one of Tony Todd’s first two feature films (both in 1986) and his first big break, appearing alongside a tremendous cast of young, yet to be acknowledged stars including Johnny Depp, Forest Whitaker, and Kevin Dillon. PLATOON also put Todd in the presence of veterans Tom Berenger, Kieth David, and Willem Dafoe. Todd plays Sergeant Warren, the Bravo squad leader, wounded in battle during the “church ambush” scene.

06. BIRD (1988)

Tony Todd plays Frog, a musician and friend to Charlie Parker in Clint Eastwood’s biopic. Todd based his performance on Coleman Hawkins, a real-life friend to Parker, who was played by Forest Whitaker in BIRD. Todd loves music, and went through saxophone training for the film, despite not being a musician. Todd appeared in two scenes, but any screen time in such a significant film from such a great filmmaker is a testament to one’s talent.

05. HEART OF THE BEHOLDER (2005)

Writer/director Ken Tipton’s indie film HEART OF THE BEHOLDER is an under-appreciated drama-thriller shot in my hometown, based on a true story about a family that opens the first video cassette rental stores in St. Louis in 1980. The story is wrought with controversy, included but not limited to the fundamental “VHS versus BETA” question. While Tony Todd performance as the iconic Chuck Berry is only a cameo, his few minutes on screen is not just enjoyable, but also adds a quality touch to a scene thick with racial tension.

04. THE MAN FROM EARTH (2007)

“There’s absolutely no way in the whole world for John to prove his story. Just like there’s no way for us to disprove it. No matter how outrageous we think it is, no matter how highly trained some of us think we are, there’s absolutely no way to disprove it! My friend is either a caveman, a liar, or a nut. So while we’re thinking about that, why don’t we just go with it.”

Jerome Bixby had a long and fruitful career in science-fiction writing and with Star Trek, which probably had some influence over Tony Todd in his decision to take the role of Dan, a college professor and friend to the mysterious John Oldman. This dialogue-driven film is a heavily philosophical but enjoyable experience, a smart but accessible inquiry into the nature of faith and knowledge. Todd is wonderful as the level-headed and open-minded voice of reason amidst Oldman’s friends, as the group come to terms with the shocking revelation laid at their feet by the enigmatic John Oldman.

03. THE CROW (1994)

“So, kill the crow… and destroy the man.”

Alex Proyas brought James O’Barr’s fascinating graphic novel to life in THE CROW, having the incredibly bittersweet experience of directing Brandon lee in his final film. The perfectly cast film packs a gritty atmosphere, enhanced by gritty performances. Amongst these is Tony Todd’s performance as Grange, a cold and calculating, well-dressed and intelligent right-hand man to Michael Wincott’s frighteningly psychotic crime boss Top Dollar. Todd enjoys a pivotal moment in the film, which spells the unfortunate end to Eric Draven’s vengeful spree of criminal cleansing.

02. NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990)

“This is something no one’s ever heard about, and no one’s ever seen before. This is hell on earth.”

In my opinion, Tony Todd was sort of a given choice for the role of Ben in Tom Savini’s remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. His first starring role, Todd gives a commanding performance as the African-American man who helped define horror as social commentary in George A. Romero’s 1968 original. Shot in color and with the added detail of Savini’s special effects skill, NOTLD ’90 is an enjoyable film that brought a classic story to a new generation of genre fans.

01. CANDYMAN (1992)

“They will say that I have shed innocent blood. What’s blood for, if not for shedding?”

Based on Clive Barker’s short story The Forbidden, director Bernard Rose’s CANDYMAN was the film that truly made Tony Todd a household name. Todd portrays Daniel Robitaille, a slave who is brutally murdered for having a relationship with a white woman. As a result of his agonizing death, Robitaille evolves into the supernatural spirit of vengeance known in legend as “The Candyman” by those who would use his story as a cautionary tale. As the story goes, if his name is spoken five time into a mirror, he will appear. This is something Virginia Madsen learns the hard way, starring as the woman who would become The Candyman’s horrifying love obsession. Todd clearly delved deep into this role, a rich character that became a genre icon, steeped with texture and an essence of classical folk lore.

Top Ten Tuesday: Crossover Westerns

In many ways, the western is a dead genre, but I like to think of it as the genre that just won’t die. Like trying to put down the toughest, meanest gunslinger in the old west, the western film keeps popping back up in the least expected times and places… but, not always in the traditional style we’re used to seeing. Call it survival of the fittest, but the western is far from dead, as is apparent with Jon Favreau’s new COWBOYS & ALIENS, which opens this Friday, July 29th, combining the western with the science-fiction, creating a crossover with twice the fun. In honor of the opening of this rare hybrid, we’re looking at our favorite Western Crossover films this week in Top Ten Tuesday.

Honorable Mention: THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE WEIRD

This modern ode to the western from Korean filmmaker Jee-woon Kim is less of a hybrid than an over-the-top, good time cinematic high that doesn’t quit. Just about every element of this film is derived from the handbook for making western films, but injected with enough steroids to make the average bat boy a contender for breaking Hank Aaron’s homerun record. Horse chases, gun fights, speeding locomotives and thieving outlaws, everything you want in a western is here for the taking, with a generous bonus of Asian action-adventure flair.

10. PAINT YOUR WAGON

Go ahead and laugh, mock it if you will, but the truth is… PAINT YOUR WAGON isn’t as bad as everyone makes it out to be. While some may run away screaming at the idea of hearing Clint Eastwood sing, there are far worse voices in the music industry. This western musical is more western than musical and co-stars Lee Marvin (DIRTY DOZEN) and Jean Seburg (BREATHLESS). While there were other musicals such as OKLAHOMA and SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS that employ the old west, they’ve all been light on the elements that make great westerns. This is where PAINT YOUR WAGON takes its place above the rest.

09. BACK TO THE FUTURE, PART III

Mix sci-fi and western – with a dash of comedy thrown in – and you come up with the perfect cowboy movie in BACK TO THE FUTURE, PART III. This time director Bob Zemeckis has Marty McFly and Doc Brown travelling from 1985 to 1885 for one last round-up. McFly faces Biff Tannen’s ancestor, Buford “Mad Dog” Tannen, in a final showdown while Doc finds true love with a pioneer woman who loves Jules Verne. While you may feel at times like you’re watching John Ford’s STAGECOACH, Part 3 is deftly filled with nods to both genres with names like Clint Eastwood, the town saloon and a runaway steam locomotive that transforms into a hover-train.

08. MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR

A shotgun wielding hero, the frontier settlers and a band of baddies who gallop into town encapsulates everything a classic western should be… except that George Miller’s MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR is set in a bleak wasteland where the villains are bikers trying to take over the oil fields from the settlers and Mel Gibson’s Max, “a man who wandered into the wasteland,” rides in to save the day on his Pursuit Special vehicle. Can’t you hear the twangy sounds of Clint Eastwood’s HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER resonating throughout?

07. RANGO

How many animated westerns are there to choose from? Exactly. Not many. However, RANGO doesn’t make this list on technicalities. Surprisingly, this was one of the best animated films I’ve seen in recent years and definitely captures the essence of some of the best and most unique western films. Filled with stylistic influences and homages to the greats, RANGO takes a lost pet chameleon and throws him into a strange scenario reminiscent of The Man With No Name.

06. EL TOPO

Mexican writer, director and star Alejandro Jodorowsky truly puts the weird in the western with EL TOPO, creating a journey of one legend and his six-year old son. El Topo is on a quest to become the greatest fighter, as he confronts the warrior masters, each one with a unique specialty. This odd-ball twist on the western has the taste of so many old school martial arts films, creating one of the most bizarre and surreal cult spaghetti westerns of all time.

05. RED SUN

With extraordinary connections like SEVEN SAMURAI inspiring THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, it was only a matter of time before someone melded the samurai film with the western. RED SUN is just that very brilliant melding. Director Terence Young places the western icon Charles Bronson and the eastern icon Toshiro Mifune on the big screen together, a meeting of two cultures toward a common goal against a common enemy. Gunslinger ans samurai paired in a way that is as bold as it is unexpectedly natural.

04. WESTWORLD

“Why don’t you make arrangements to take our hovercraft to Medieval World, Roman World and Westworld. Contact us today, or see your travel agent. Boy, have we got a vacation for you.” However, not quite the one the guests of the DELOS Resort had in mind. Michael Crichton’s WESTWORLD pits vacationer Richard Benjamin against Yul Brenner’s “Gunslinger” in the ultimate gun fight. A premise that’s not entirely far-fetched, this twist on the classic westerner embodies a futuristic, adventure crossover. This time, the conflict is between Cowboys and Robots.

03. SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO

Japanese filmmaker Takashi Miike takes blending the east and the west one wild step further with SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO. Directly inspired by Sergio Leone’s spaghetti westerns, a stranger crosses paths with two rival clans, both seeking fortune in a small town. The mysterious gunslinger offers his services to both sides, planning to take advantage of the situation the entire time. Being Takashi Miike, he adds his own trademark flair in both the characters and the visual style.

02. SERENITY

There is no shortage of fandom for this contemporary classic, spawned from Joss Whedon and his TV series Firefly, but its reputation is well-earned. Those who haven’t seen SERENITY would not understand, but this affectionately coined “Space Western” teleports the trademark elements of a good western and character traits into a science-fiction adventure story in space. The heroic cowboy, the bounty hunter, the frontier settlers, the dangerous uncharted territories, the (deadly) damsel in distress… its all there and tons of fun.

01. BLAZING SADDLES

Mel Brooks’ comical parody of the old west may seem like an unlikely choice, but its so pitch-perfect and hilarious that it had to be the top pick. BLAZING SADDLES has every necessary element of a classic western, but Brooks turns it all into a farce, pushing boundaries and poking fun at the inherent flaws of the genre. Cleavon Little plays the black sheriff Bart, while Gene Wilder plays Jim, his cowardly deputy. The top notch comedic cast runs away with their exaggerated stereotypes while delivering dialogue that is often politically incorrect, but intelligently appropriate.

Top Ten Tuesday: Movie Weapons

Yet another superhero movie opens this week. But, this isn’t just any superhero. CAPTAIN AMERICAN: THE FIRST AVENGER opens nationwide in theaters on Friday, July 22nd. Complimenting his enhanced strength, speed and overall badassness, Captain America sports a nifty cool indestructible shield, which he uses both for defense and offense. In honor of this classic character’s triumphant debut on the big screen, here’s my list of the Top Ten Coolest Movie Weapons. Continue reading Top Ten Tuesday: Movie Weapons