Tropical Island Video Vault Draft - ROUND 20 - FINAL ROUND

[Jespher]

Sorry for the wait everyone. I was going back and forth on this one, but the classics hold up enough to make me nervous that someone may snatch them. I don't have a musical yet, though I do have many films where music plays a key role in the film. Here's another flick that is hard to believe slipped by both drafts until now. With my 11th round pick, I select:

The Blues Brothers (1980)

Trailer below: (as if you haven't seen this one...)

"It's 106 miles to Chicago, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark... and we're wearing sunglasses."
"Hit it."

"Illinois Nazis. I HATE ILLINOIS NAZIS!"

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

For this pick I’m going with another De Niro/Scorsese film, Taxi Driver. Simply one of the best characters studies I’ve ever seen. Great atmosphere in this one, too.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I'm presently enjoying a nice birthday stogie on the porch but I don't want to hold this up so...

Swingers - 1996
I think when this came out I resisted seeing it for a few months as I thought it would be about the other kind of Swingers or something lame. Of course it was really about a bunch of hipper than thou single 20 something Hollywood wannabes. And it was effin' brilliant. At the time I was living in Boston but within 2 years would move down to Santa Barbara and got my first taste of this up front. And by that time everyone had become wannabe Vince Vaughns which makes this one really resemble my mid to late 20s. Eventually I'd wind up in LA for a few years and even hit most of the spots in the flick.

Too many great one liners, catch phrases and funny bits to list and then there is the one scene that I consider the most painful scene to watch ever... the answering machine scene. Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau at their best and a young Heather Graham what's not to love?

Great flick that really takes me back in time 15 years to a great chapter in my life when the world seemed a lot more wide open so I've got to have it on my island.

 

[uolj]

I want something a little more fun and exciting and an Indiana Jones film seems perfect. It's funny, though, because for years I considered one of the ones still available in this draft to be my favorite. But the more I think about it, I think maybe that was just a childhood fascination with a beating heart and chilled monkey brains. After thinking about further, I think this film is actually more enjoyable, so I'm grabbing it for my island instead.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097576

 

[uolj]

By the way, I tried to send a PM to Spike but his mailbox was full.

So as a reminder, if you like getting the courtesy PM reminder make sure you've cleaned out your messages recently.

 

[Bricklayer]

I want something a little more fun and exciting and an Indiana Jones film seems perfect. It's funny, though, because for years I considered one of the ones still available in this draft to be my favorite. But the more I think about it, I think maybe that was just a childhood fascination with a beating heart and chilled monkey brains. After thinking about further, I think this film is actually more enjoyable, so I'm grabbing it for my island instead.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097576

jerk

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I have a soft spot for the one you didn't pick. It may have been the stupidest of the original trilogy but to me it was still pretty damned fun.

I didn't really enjoy Last Crusade when it came out but when it was released on DVD I thought whoah, Nazi chick is hot.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

I want something a little more fun and exciting and an Indiana Jones film seems perfect. ... After thinking about further, I think this film is actually more enjoyable, so I'm grabbing it for my island instead.

Agreed. I think Last Crusade gives Raiders a run for its money. It's the dialogue, really, which was unusually top-notch for a Spielberg film. But I'll say no more...

 

[uolj]

I have a soft spot for the one you didn't pick. It may have been the stupidest of the original trilogy but to me it was still pretty damned fun.

Seriously, for over 20 years I called it my favorite, and I still have a soft spot for it. It was only within the last couple days trying to adjust my list for this draft that I kept thinking about it, looking at it sitting there on the list, then thinking about Last Crusade and realizing that the dialog and interaction between Junior and his dad that made that film much better. Something I've believed to be true for so long has been turned upside down just because of this draft. Crazy.

 

[Bricklayer]

Seriously, for over 20 years I called it my favorite, and I still have a soft spot for it. It was only within the last couple days trying to adjust my list for this draft that I kept thinking about it, looking at it sitting there on the list, then thinking about Last Crusade and realizing that the dialog and interaction between Junior and his dad that made that film much better. Something I've believed to be true for so long has been turned upside down just because of this draft. Crazy.

Well why the hell did you have to go and turn things upside down??? Rightside up them I say! Nobody has picked after you -- still time to get it right and go with the one you've loved for 20 long years rather than this Johnny come lately!

 

[uolj]

Sorry... I don't think I could handle another change of heart so quickly. I've got to let this sit for a bit. You're just going to have to be content with going Indy-less.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

Why don't you pick the other one Brickie, could net you two votes if you match up right in the voting rounds

 

[GoGoGadget]

To the one being so carefully spoken around I say: ugh. I'd sooner pick Shia's Tarzan moment.

Yeah, seriously.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I've deliberately not seen that. When friends that work on films tell me their own project blows they've yet to be wrong.

 

[GoGoGadget]

I've deliberately not seen that. When friends that work on films tell me their own project blows they've yet to be wrong.

(I actually didn't hate it as much as everyone else did, but one viewing was plenty and it's far, FAR below the standard set by the best of the series. I just happen to have a particular dislike for Kate Capshaw's screaming.)

 

[pdxKingsFan]

She has to be better than whatever CGI monstrosity ruined the new one... I should double up my last statement by saying when a VFX artist tells me the CG in a movie has ruined it, I just don't know what to say. I expect people outside the industry to bash CG work but not people who pour their entire life into it and know what's what.

 

[Spike]

Huh. I guess I'm the only one who has this one on his list. (And no, I'm not picking that one, even though I already have one.)

I feel the need...

...the need for speed!

Top Gun (1986)

 

[Warhawk]

Good pick Spike.

I have William Blake's choices while he is out.

Boogie Nights (1997)Your typical rise-and-fall (and them maybe rise again) 2+hours long drama. Basically a Goodfellas set in the porn industry, with a strange mixture of cult actors (William H. Macy, Philip Seymour Hoffman), youngsters who produce one the few worthwile acts in their careers (Wahlberg, Heather Graham) and of course Burt Reynolds.

pm sent

 

[pdxKingsFan]

youngsters who produce one the few worthwile acts in their careers (Wahlberg, Heather Graham)

As much as I hate to admit it, Marky Mark turned into a friggin' solid actor. Hardly one of few worthwhile acts.

He'll still always be that dorky white boy singing Good Vibrations and the younger brother of a New Kid though.

 

[uolj]

As much as I hate to admit it, Marky Mark turned into a friggin' solid actor. Hardly one of few worthwhile acts.

He'll still always be that dorky white boy singing Good Vibrations and the younger brother of a New Kid though.

Yeah, I don't know about that. I don't usually notice different levels of acting, but it's not good when all you can think of is Andy Samberg's impression ("say hello to your mother for me") when you watch him act. That might have been on purpose in The Other Guys, but in the Fighter it really stuck out.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

I actually quite liked him in The Fighter. Completely overshadowed by his co-star who was a much more interesting character in the story. But he was playing Mickey Ward. I bought it.

 

[Capt. Factorial]

For my next selection I choose Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1990, PG).

I nearly tipped my hand on this one when discussing "Last Crusade" - the great dialogue in that movie was written by the (uncredited) playwright Tom Stoppard. Stoppard, of course, wrote and directed Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, a nifty little existential piece that shows Hamlet from the point of view of two minor characters who suffer from an odd form of amnesia. I know, it sounds weird. But I've never known a person who has actually seen the movie who doesn't love it. The dialogue is sharp throughout and the performances by all three leads (Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, and Richard Dreyfuss) are fantastic.

Clip in spoiler:

Spoiler

"You can't not be on a boat!"

 

[Superman]

Yeah, I don't know about that. I don't usually notice different levels of acting, but it's not good when all you can think of is Andy Samberg's impression ("say hello to your mother for me") when you watch him act. That might have been on purpose in The Other Guys, but in the Fighter it really stuck out.

I wouldn't say he's a solid actor. I'd probably say he doesn't totally suck, which is a compliment, considering.

 

[Warhawk]

OK, need more comedy on "Action Island" - think I'm gonna go with....

My Cousin Vinny

Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei in particular were fantastic in this movie. Very funny stuff.

Looking at Wiki, I also saw this:

Pesci and Tomei received vast critical praise for their performances, and Tomei won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Fred Gwynne also received critical acclaim for his performance as Judge Chamberlain Haller. In the August 2008 edition of the American Bar Association Journal, My Cousin Vinny was rated #3 in their cover story listing of "The 25 Greatest Legal Movies", after To Kill a Mockingbird and 12 Angry Men.

pm sent

 

[Spike]

What's a yoot?

 

[Warhawk]

What's a yoot?

Vinny Gambini: Your Honor, may I have permission to treat Ms. Vito as a hostile witness?
Mona Lisa Vito: You think I'm hostile now, wait 'til you see me tonight.
Judge Chamberlain Haller: Do you two know each other?
Vinny Gambini: Yeah, she's my fiancée.
Judge Chamberlain Haller: Well, that would certainly explain the hostility.

 

[Löwenherz]

SLC Punk! - 1998

Bit of a story behind this one. My first roommate in college was a punker.

This kid showed up with green hair, announced he had been a member of the "We Hate Football Players Club" in high school (particularly unnerving for me as my jersey hung on the wall) and with this film as his only contribution to our shared room. I envisioned the worst - a montage of screaming, incomprehensible music juxtapose to scenes of violent chaos designed to shock and disgust main-stream society. Ugh.

After months of the box art glaring at me from a shelf across the room, little more than morbid curiosity compelled me to pop it in and see just how bad it could be.

And it was hilarious, smart and perfectly entertaining.

Matthew Lillard (yes, Shaggy of the live action Scooby-Doo) is just awesome as Steve-O - a hyper-intelligent punk trying to understand the end game to his own rebellion against Regan-era Salt Lake City.

Steve-O delivers a Goodfellas inspired narration throughout with quick, snappy dialogue that really needs to be shown to appreciate. Unfortunately, not a single scene would really make it past the censors to post here.

 

[Bricklayer]

Okay, well after yet another out of left field sort of selection I thought I too should go with something all edgy and indie and obscure:

The Lord of the Rings -- The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) PG-13

Oh, and unless there are any reasonable objections I'll take the Extended Version and get something like 4 hours worth of movie for my island. Two movies worth. This was dictated a little bit by my last draft when I took The Two Towers (which I always liked for the Rohan/Helm's Deep sequences). With The Return of the King already taken, and The Two Towers burning up one of my 5 repeat pick slots (I've already used 3) this was the choice, especially with certain jerks who's names shall not be uttered without profanity stealing away Indiana Jones swashbucklers) Some good nostalgia with it anyway, as in a fairly rare event for me I saw this in the theater first week and it was quite the event and very exciting from the opening flashback sequence when you realized Jackson was going to get it mostly right. The whole standing ovation at the end of the movie thing is a cliche, and a claim that is flat out made up 90% of the time by people to try to support the movies they like, but it actually happened with this one.

 

[pdxKingsFan]

SLC Punk! - 1998

I really like this movie but over the years the resolution has grown to not sit so well with me. When it came out I was kind of in the crossroads the character was (having completed college but trying to balance my punk rock/inner child with a professional life). Funny thing is that as I've advanced in life I've actually regressed back to the idealistic punk kid, with a firm dose of reality in check whereas you get the impression that Lillard's character eventually becomes his dad. "I didn't sell out, I bought in."

The very end scene where they are playing D&D in the basement and listening to Rush and Bob introduces him to Gen X though is one of my favorite movie moments of the decade, perhaps because I went through my own little Rush phase in life and perhaps because in 1998 I had a coworker who was a major Rush head.

This could have been on my list if I didn't already have something else in mind.

 

[kingsnation]

Pick coming..