Bet it's Best

After a great round of comments on my last post, this post will tackle the fun topic of movies about gambling. There are many excellent films in this category and, as usual, some real stinkers. One of the hot recent movies on this topic was "21." Interesting results; lots of casual or non-gamblers liked it. Almost all the "real" gamblers I know thought it was hollow, silly and quite annoying. "Winner, winner, chicken dinner," sort of sums it up for them. The real story behind the movie did produce an excellent documentary that came out a few years ago and followed the book (Bringing Down the House) about the MIT ring that beat Vegas - for a while anyway. The History Channel documentary was called Breaking Vegas and was very well done.

On to the Top 10:

The Top Three on my list (and I would expect on many others) include:

The Cincinnati Kid - This movie made a big impression on me as a kid. It was my favorite movie for several years. The final scenes seem sort of obvious now after seeing SO MUCH poker on TV. But they pulled that last hand off well and ended the movie with the little extra twist with the kid on the street corner. It was many years later that I saw it again and it held up well. Without any recording devices we only ever saw movies once or maybe two times, except ones like Wizard of Oz, that mysteriously was on TV every spring; and A Wonderful Life & Miracle on 34th Street that, for some strange reason, always played at Hannuka-time

Rounders - Even before The Grave Wolf and his gang of merry men taught me all about Texas Hold 'em, I liked this movie a lot. Matt Damon is cast perfectly as is Edward Norton, Jr. I also liked Martin Landau as the Jewish law professor. The only weakness was John Malkovich trying to use a Russian accent. It sounded so weird; like he was short of a full deck. John Turturo, who I don't ordinarily care for was terrific as Knish - the Grinder. This is one of those movies I tend to always stop at for at least a few minutes when channel surfing.

The Hustler - I never liked The Jackie Gleason Show - at all, but Abe did, so we watched it. But boy was he great as Minnesota Fats. Paul Newman played Fast Eddie and the audience got some great pool scenes. George C. Scott was nominated for an Oscar for best supporting actor (as was Gleason) but he refused the nomination. West Side Story picked up four of the top six awards that year and the film only received two awards - both for B&W filming/cinematography.

Following that group - in order - are:

The Sting - Fantastic cast. Won seven Oscars (and nominated for three more). Paul Newman, Robert Redford together again. Add in Robert Shaw, Ray Walston and Charles Durning and you get a well done period piece that maintains suspense throughout and seems pretty authentic/realistic. Interesting that Redford and Newman are thought of as one of Hollywood's great pairs, yet they only ever acted together twice. Both were George Roy Hill films, this one and Butch Cassidy & The Sundance Kid.

Casino - Joe Pesci stole the show and, along with DeNiro, Sharon Stone (Oscar nomination) and James Woods made a great cast. Throw in some cameos - Dick Smothers, Don Rickles, Alan King - and all that Vegas action and you have an excellent movie.

The Color of Money - Paul Newman in his third film on this list (not a sequel to The Hustler but he plays the geriatric Fast Eddie with Cruise as his protege'.) Not a big Tom Cruise fan but he was the perfect conceited bad-boy for the role. Interesting that Newman won his ONLY Oscar for the lead in this film. He was nominated eight other times for Best Actor - and there is no way this was his best. Make-up call, maybe?

Casino Royale - Yes, a Bond film on the list. Daniel Craig pulls off all of the normal Bond acts, including dying and bringing himself back to life DURING the break of a monster Hold 'Em tournament with millions of dollars AND world peace on the line.

High Roller (The Stu Ungar Story) - (final scene, no trailer found) ; also called "Stuey" - Stu was played masterfully by Michael Imperioli ('Christefeh' from The Sopranos). Ungar was the only three-time winner of the World Series of Poker, and the only three-time winner of Amarillo Slim's Super Bowl of Poker - a truly amazing feat. Thought to be the best poker and gin player ever (he won his first gin tournament at age 10), Stuey was a tortured soul and died of heart problems due to drug abuse. Despite winning a reported $30MM during his short life, he died with a whopping $800 to his name.

The Croupier - This was the first film I saw with Clive Owen and I really liked him. The film was a bit off beat - taking place at a London gaming club as an ordinary Joe takes on a second job as a croupier and then it takes him over.

Honorable Mention:

The Cooler - William Macy was great. And Alec Baldwin showed his evil side quite well. But, the film overall was kind of depressing and slow at times. Paul Sorvino in this as well (boy, does he look old).

Ocean's 11 - the original from 1960 (not any of the three with George Clooney), with the Rat Pack plus. Great scenes from "old" Vegas' big five hotels of the day (I think only two remain - the Flamingo and the Sahara).

The Gambler (opening scene) - James Caan, Paul Sorvino (boy, does he look young) and Lauren Hutton; Caan shows way too much chest hair (and Hutton not nearly enough), but it's a pretty suspenseful film. Dick Schapp, Chick Hearn, Stuart Margolin and James Woods all with bit parts.

Breaking Vegas (the first 10 minutes of the film; full film available on YouTube) - Made for TV so doesn't really count; but worth the watch. This is the actual story that 21 was based on - the MIT crew that inspired the book Bringing Down the House.

Hard Eight (also known as Sydney) - John Reilly stars with Phillip Hall, support by Samuel Jackson, Gweneth Paltrow and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Slow at times but some excellent casino scenes. Reilly well cast as the pawn.


Next Post - Back to Prison(s)!

Unsung Comedies

Lots of great movies never see the light of day. Or, they are missed by the next generation of movie watchers because the only movies that get real play are the most recent. Did you know that over 80% of Blockbuster's fees are generated from the 20 "new" movies each week? So, this week's post will feature 20 hilarious (it ended up being 21) movies that I will bet many of you have never seen - and are not on the B'buster top rentals. This post provides a season of laughter.

I do not pretend that this is a list of the TOP comedies of all time. In fact, many of those are not on my list - like: Groundhog Day, Ghostbusters, Caddyshack, Ferris Bueller, The Blues Brothers, Big, Monty Python or the Life of Brian, Something About Mary, Annie Hall, Princess Bride, Back to the Future, Trains, Planes and Automobiles, Throw Momma from the Train, etc. Instead I have tried to identify films you might not have been exposed to. By the way - if you missed any of those listed above you could always add those to the list as you place your next NetFlix order.

Number one on this lengthy list is:

Harold & Maude (1971) - If you haven't seen it you should IMMEDIATELY go out and rent it. See it tonight. Don't wait. This movie is such a cult classic that it played at a theater around the corner when I was in college for all FOUR YEARS. Music by Cat Stevens, stars Bud Cort (19 years old) and Ruth Gordon (79 years old). Very hard movie to characterize but there was enough comedy to make it in this category. It is also a love story, coming of age story, tragedy, drama and more. Those of you who are There's Something About Mary fans recall that Mary's favorite movie of all time was H&M.

Punchline - Very early Tom Hanks (1988), and a comedic role for Sally Field. She is amazingly versatile and they are both incredible together. This movie gives a great view of what it's like to be a stand-up comic. John Goodman in a supporting role. Some of the best comic routines you will ever see.

Mr. Saturday Night (1992) - If you like/appreciate Jewish humor you will absolutely LOVE this movie. Billy Crystal has been terrific in lots of films but I think this was his crowning achievement. There is a tragic side to this film but Buddy Young (Crystal) is funnier than almost anyone. His biting satirical style just cracks me up.

The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) - Richard Dreyfuss stars, also in a movie requiring an appreciation for Jewish humor. He plays a hustling brash young player who cannot seem to get enough. Dreyfuss was very young, one year following his role in American Graffiti and he played the part to the hilt. (No trailer, selected scene only)

The Gods Must be Crazy (1980) - This one is pretty different. A Coke bottle arrives in the Kalahari Desert. Amazingly funny result. This is unlike any movie you have ever seen. Highly recommended. You won't be able to resist laughing... a lot.

Wayne's World (1992) - Even if you never saw the skit on Saturday Night Live, this is one funny movie. Mike Meyer's (Austin Powers, Shrek) and Dana Carvey star. Another successful set of x-SNL comedians who have made it big. What a great long list of talent that show has produced! Among others, this show has produced: Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Eddie Murphy, Gildna Radner, Al Frankin, Andy Kaufman, Joe Piscopo, Phil Hartman, Will Farrell, and who can ever forget Tina "Palin Fey. There were only a couple of really good movies that came directly from SNL - The Blues Brothers and this one. Some very classic sayings flowed like: "No Way...Way," "Schwing," and "Yeah, and monkeys might fly out of my butt!"

Stripes (1981) - Bill Murray might be the funniest of all the former SNL comedians to make it big in the movies. And, this movie has some of the funniest scenes ever. Here's one. Harold Ramis made a perfect straight man for Murray and John Candy was outstanding as "Ox." Warren Oats was also great at Sgt. Hulka.

Arsenic & Old Lace (1944)- Cary Grant, Raymond Massey and Peter Lorre star in this delightful comedy. A Frank Capra (It's a Wonderful Life) film - called a screwball comedy in the day. Clearly Grant's best/funniest role. John Alexander stole the show as crazy uncle Theodore. This will be one of the oldest films to make one of my top 10 lists. It was made in 1944 and is still hilarious today. Don't let its age fool you - this movie is still hysterical.

A Thousand Clowns (1965) - This is another classic comedy (also with a bit of the tragic thrown in). Jason Robards stars with Martin Balsam (who won the Best Supporting Oscar). Also nominated for Best Picture. Excellent dialogue, keeps you in stitches. Robards plays the "middle-aged kid" better than anyone.

Eating Raoul (1982) - An off-beat (also called black) comedy starring no one you have ever heard of. Paul Wartel and Mary Woronov (both cult-filmists) starred and directed. About a swinger couple who invite guests over and then the fun begins. Shocking subject matter handled in a way that will leave you laughing.

MASH (1972) - The TV show ran for 11 years and the final episode is still the most watched TV show EVER (105 MILLION viewers). The movie was LOTS better. The only crossover actor from the movie to the TV show was Radar O'Reilly. Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Sally Kellerman and Robert Duvall star. Duvall's Frank Burns is so superior to the TV portrayal that they cannot be compared on any scale. At the time Lt. Dish was everyone's crush.

Airplane (1980) - The movie stars Robert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Leslie Nielsen, Robert Stack, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. There is actually a plot but it is secondary to all the jokes and gags. This movie keeps the laughs coming and coming.

The Marx Brothers - I think their best film was Duck Soup (1933) although I also loved Horse Feathers and A Day at the Races. Groucho plays Rufus T. Firefly - one of the best ficticious names of all. And, as usual Margaret Dumont plays his female foil. She must have had an incredibly thick skin. The best scene - having to choose one - is Harpo and Groucho and the mirror. The scene was replayed years later by Lucille Ball and Harpo on I Love Lucy and was almost as funny. To have a comedies list and not include the Marx Brothers would be like a Florida day without oranges (or is it Sunshine?).

Animal House (1978) - The best of John Belushi, from 1978. This time he is John "Bluto" Blutarski. What a loss. The only one of the National Lampoon-made movies that was any good - and this was great. Donald Sutherland with a bit part - but very well played. Good soundtrack as well. College life has never been funnier. I love the scenes of Belushi stealthing across campus. And of him in the food fight scene, among others.

Blazing Saddles - From 1975, a Mel Brooks classic with Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn and of course, Mel Brooks. And, Alex Karas as Mongo. Many, many hilarious scenes. A bit slapstick at times, but still some classically funny scenes.

The Frisco Kid (1979) - Still another Gene Wilder movie. Here, he plays Avram, a Polish rabbi crossing the US during old west days on his way to the Orthodox community in San Francisco. Harrison Ford in a very early role as the real cowboy. Wilder is one of a handful of actors who makes me laugh just waiting for him to open his mouth.

Young Frankenstein (1974) - Gene Wilder is always funny. Another Mel Brooks film (1974). This list could be made just of their movies. Add in Peter Boyle as the monster and Marty Feldman as Igor (pronounced EYE Gor), and this in one rib-splitting movie. Madeline Kahn in this one too. Another film enhanced significantly by being filmed in B&W. Feldman stole the show.

Sleeper (1973) - (and Bananas [hilarious scene] and Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex) - Woody Allen was amazingly funny in his early movies. He was still neurotic and, well, Woody, but the movies weren't ONLY about him and all his relationship issues. Another of many Allen/Keaton combinations. This one is about a man who wakes up after being "frozen" for 200 years. The best scene has to be the one around "the Orb." One of the funnier scenes of all time.

The Apartment (1960) - This is a very sad film with some very funny twists. Jack Lemmon and Shirley McClain (as Miss Kubelik) were both fantastic and even Fred MacMurray played his bad guy role very well. Billy WIlder directed (Some Like It Hot - another classic comedy) The film won five Oscar's and was nominated for five more. Filmed in B&W - and again this helped to "make" the film. A true classic - not to be missed

FINALE
Rounding out the list of 20 Great Unsung Comedies is a classic SILENT FILM - Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush (1925). Set in Alaska, the little tramp becomes potential food when he is stranded in the wilderness. One of the all-time funniest scenes in the history of film is performed by Charlie with two forks and two rolls - known as the Table Dance. Hilarious.

One More that I just can't leave off the list:

Putney Swope - The following clip is one of the commercials made by the ad agency featured in this parody. So many great lines. Cult classic. The ad starts about 25 seconds in:

"Laugh and the world laughs with you."

Ella Wheeler Wilcox
from the poem, Solitude

My All American List

When I started making various lists for this blog it occurred to me that there are a significant number of films with the word American in the title. It turns out that in all there are almost 100 such films. Interesting to see the comparison to any other nationality in film names: (again someone out there has a ton more time than me). Before reading further think of how many (or how few) you can name.




So here is my list of a few outstanding ones, including one of my Top 10 favorite overall movies - American Beauty. Sometimes a movie just hits all the right chords and even when you see it a second or third time it is still as good - or maybe even better. This was Kevin Spacy's finest work (one of the best actors in the last 15 years) and although Annette Benning's character is really despicable you just love her in the part. Lots of favorite scenes, but I will go with the one at the drive-up window at the fast food place.

There are some really bad movies in this category - like American Virgin (stars the hottie - Mena Suvari - from American Beauty who also played in American Pie and American Pie 2 - obviously an All-American girl), The American Mall or American Ninja but for the most part if you put the word, "American" in the film title the movie ends up being at least watchable. Not sure there is any correlation but that has been my experience with the category. On the other hand, one of the worst rated movies I can find (and I have not seen it) is Proud American, given a 1.4 (out of 10) on IMDB. I guess I won't be tracking that one down.

The Top Ten includes a few absolute all-stars. There are three that stand out for me.

1 - American Beauty - Won five Oscars - Best Actor, Best Picture, Best Director, and nominated for three more. One of my top 10 films all-time. There is at least one day in everyone's life when we feel like Lester Burnham. A comment that sums up this film, "This is definitely a knife-to-the-heart movie -- the kind whose potent effect is easy to feel yet hard to describe." A great write-up in a prior post by Mark Pickett

2 - American History X - Along with Kevin Spacey I really enjoy Edward Norton, Jr. movies. I haven't see the Incredible Hulk yet and I can hardly imagine him in that part but he was terrific in this one. As great as Spacey was in Beauty, Norton was as great in this. The subject matter isn't easy - Neo-Nazism - but this is a really well acted film. The mixed use of B&W and color works very well. You really want Derrick to convince Danny (wonderfully played by Edward Furlong) but you sorta know it isn't going to happen. The movie has been criticized for being too Hollywood with a very tough issue and being too much of an "emotion jerker." Some might even say formulaic (Marquis?). To me the words that describe it are powerful and hard to forget. Very watchable film.

3 - American Graffiti - One of the greatest movie depictions of a time period (the 60's) ever made. Music of the day was used beautifully. Has been called the movie that launched a thousand careers. Directed, somewhat surprisingly by George Lucas. Starred Richard Dreyfuss (he looks SO young - this was a year before his best film, The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz), Ron Howard (he had already been Opie), Cindy Williams and MacKenzie Phillips. Other bits by Harrison Ford (great hat), Joe Spano and Suzanne Sommers. I saw this again recently and really enjoyed it.

The next group are quite good but not spectacular - (and are not in any particular order):

American Gangster - A Denzel film. One of our neighbors worked in Harlem for the NY City schools during this time period and knew some of the people portrayed in the movie. He says it was pretty authentic. I thought it was entertaining. Russell Crowe and Chiwetel Ejiofor co-star. Ejiofor is a relative unknown who starred in an excellent off-beat movie called Dirty Pretty Things about the illegal organ trade in London.

The Ugly American - Some say Brando's best film but I think it was Bedtime Story, which was the original Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (he plays the Steve Martin part - never thought of him a comedic actor but he is brilliant). Should have made my Political Thrillers list in hindsight.

The American President - Sappy and silly, but Michael Douglas and Annette Benning make this a very fun and enjoyable movie. As "ugly" as she was in American Beauty, she is just that cute and adorable in President. Douglas comes across as fairly presidential. A Rob Reiner Film. Martin Sheen makes a great chief of staff.

An American Crime - Disturbing but well executed "true story" of suburban housewife Gertrude Baniszewski and the murder she committed. Not for the faint-hearted.

Everybody's All-American - Excellent cast - Jessica Lang, Dennis Quaid, John Goodman, Timothy Hutton. Quaid played the x-jock part really well. Set in Louisiana. Aaron Neville has a bit part as "the man with the gun."

An American In Paris - Fred Astaire was considered first for the part but it went to Gene Kelly instead. He then discovered Leslie Caron to be his co-star and this musical went on to win Oscar for best picture. George Gershwin did the music. The film ends with a 17 minute dance routine said to be among the best ever on film.

An American Tail - Fievel at his finest. The animated story of Russian Jewish mice who immigrate to America to find a new better life, believing the streets are lined with cheese and that there are no cats in America. Ha! Loosely based on the graphic novel, Maus. Spielberg (director) was accused of plagiarism as a result. This was his first animated film.

In the Honorable Mention Category go two excellent documentaries, and one biopic.

American Drug War: The Last White Hope. Tracks the longest war in US history; and I don't think we are winning.

American Movie - Very funny (and sad) documentary about a guy trying to make an extremely low-budget horror film.

American Splendor - The biography of Harvey Pekar, played ably by Paul Giamatti..

Not on my list but still decent films:

The Quiet American - either of them; the one with Audie Murphy & Michael Redgrave or the newer one with Brendan Fraser and Michael Caine.

An American Werewolf in London - John Landis film (Animal House). Not that funny but still good.

Knute Rockne: All American, Jim Brown: All American and Jim Thorpe: All American - All good Saturday afternoon TV football films. Pat O'Brien as Knute (with Ronnie Reagan as The Gipper) and Bert Lancaster as Thorpe. Loved both as a kid. Jim Brown was directed by Spike Lee.

American Pie. I don't know about the sequels b/c I didn't see AP II or AP III (also called American Wedding). The best part of the original was a bit part for Eugene Levy - one of those guys you start laughing at just when you see him.

American Gun - with Forrest Whitaker, Donald Sutherland. About guns' effects on various lives.

Next Post - Unsung Comedies - a library full