Matt's Top 100 Movies: #1

1. The Lion King (1994)
Voices of Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones
Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff

And here we are. The countdown that was only supposed to take 3-4 months but instead took me nearly a year comes down to this post. As Luke told me last week, "the post that will define this whole countdown".

That's a big statement but hey, "Hakuna Matata".

I saw this movie in theaters at 7 or 8 years old. Saw it with my entire family and I still remember that day. I remember bobbing my head to the great music. I remember smiling, laughing, and getting close to crying at times. I remember leaving the movie thinking it was the best movie I had ever seen. And maybe most importantly, I remember the phrase "Hakuna Matata", a phrase sung in the movie that translates from Swahili as "There are no worries".

All 4 of those things I remember still stick with me to this day. The only difference is that instead of bobbing my head to the music, I sing the words. I'm a proud owner of the soundtrack and the trilogy of movies on DVD. And if you think I have any shame of admitting any of that, you don't know me very well.

I'm just going to assume anyone reading this has seen the movie. Nearly every kid does, whether born in 1986 or 2006. It's a movie that will never get old. In fact, even though it was 17 years old, Disney re-released the movie in 3D and it made $94 million, proving that the movie is a true American classic.

And it is one for many reasons. Reasons that sometimes are hard to describe. So instead, I'll say what I say to everyone when they ask me why is this my favorite movie.

It is the perfect combination of everything you want in a movie. Action (fight scenes), romance (Simba and Nala), comedy (Timon and Pumbaa), drama (Will Simba come back?), horror (Scar and his hyenas), tear-jerking moment (Mufasa's death), underdog story (Timon and Pumbaa being heroes), great music (seriously, buy the soundtrack), and an amazing ending (you know it). And the best part, it is enjoyable for everyone, no matter their age, race, gender, or culture.

And of course one of the biggest reasons why this is my favorite movie is because from it, I gained a personal life motto: "Hakuna Matata". The song says "it means no worries, for the rest of your days. It's a problem-free philosophy". Well, everyday, I try to live that exact way.

I'm a normally carefree, happy guy. It's not easy to rile me up and even harder for me to get angry. The phrase "Hakuna Matata" is exactly why. For me, it's the perfect mindset to get through the day in the best way. It allows for pleasant interactions with both friends and foes and keeps stress away at all times. It helps me keep a smile on my face, which I've been told, is much more attractive than my frown.

I wake up to that song every morning. No lie. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I am so fortunate to have seen this movie because in a way, I feel like it has guided my life. I don't have one tattoo on my body but if I ever do, you can bet that phrase from this movie will be it. It means that much to me.

So with that, I end my countdown with a movie that is not just funny, exciting, dramatic, thrilling, and downright entertaining, but a movie that has in a way, made me who I am. And THAT is why "The Lion King" is my all-time favorite movie.

TRAILER


FUN FACTS

One of the bugs that Timon pulls out of a knothole during Hakuna Matata is wearing Mickey Mouse ears.

There have been rumors that when Simba collapses on the cliff after talking with Timon and Pumbaa about stars, the dust that flies off the cliff forms the letters SEX. In fact it forms the letters SFX, the abbreviation of the special-effects team that worked on that portion of the film. For all subsequent releases more flowers and dust were added to the scene to avoid controversy.

Originally titled "King of the Jungle", it was supposed to be about African lions living in the jungle until the production team realized that lions don't live in the jungle.

The best selling home video of all time, with more than 55 million copies sold to date.

Pumbaa the Warthog was the first character in Disney films to exhibit flatulence (fart).

When Mufasa tells Simba about the Great Kings of the Past if you look at the stars in the wide shot you can see Mickey Mouse.

The lyric for the opening chant of "The Circle of Life" is: "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba / Sithi uhm ingonyama / Nants ingonyama bagithi baba / Sithi uhhmm ingonyama / Ingonyama Siyo Nqoba / Ingonyama Ingonyama nengw enamabala". This translates as: "Here comes a lion, Father / Oh yes, it's a lion / Here comes a lion, Father / Oh yes, it's a lion / A lion We're going to conquer / A lion A lion and a leopard come to this open place".

This is the second movie in which James Earl Jones (Mufasa) and Madge Sinclair (Serabi) perform together as an African King and Queen. Jones and Sinclair were also King and Queen of a fictional African nation in Coming to America.

Script writers envisioned Sean Connery as the voice of Mufasa. 


MEMORABLE QUOTES

Pumbaa: [about "Hakuna Matata"] It's our motto.
Young Simba: What's a motto?
Timon: Nothing. What's a motto with you?

Zazu: Checking in with the morning report.
Mufasa: Fire away.
Zazu: Well the buzz from the bees is that the leopards are in a bit of a spot. And the baboons are going ape over this. Of course, the giraffes are acting like they're above it all... The tick birds are pecking on the elephants. I told the elephants to forget it, but they can't. The cheetahs are hard up, but I always say, cheetahs never prosper... 

Pumbaa: It's times like this my buddy Timon here says: you got to put your behind in your past.
Timon: No, no, no. Amateur. Lie down before you hurt yourself. It's "You got to put your past behind you."

Matt's Top 100 Movies: #2

2. Hardball (2001)
Starring Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, John Hawkes
Directed by Brian Robbins

Yep, that's right. My second favorite movie of all-time is this movie from 2001 that many of you either have never seen or maybe even heard of. But before you judge my decision here, hear me out.

I'm not a fan of sports movies. Never have been and probably never will be, especially ones based off a true story. I just don't like how they manipulate the truth of what happened just for the movie's sake when sports in and of themselves are great drama, action, and comedy.

This movie though is not based off a true story. Instead, inspired by one so it has a chance to really spread its wings. And I think it does in many ways.

Quick plot synposis. Keanu Reeves is a gambling addict. Needs to pay off a huge debt so he goes to his friend for a loan. To get his money, he has to coach the little league team the friend is supposed to coach. This is no regular little league team though. This is an inner-city team with  undisciplined players who have filthy mouths considering their age. It takes a while for Reeves to gain their trust but eventually he does...and well, I could go on, but I don't wanna give it away.

First thing you notice about this movie, the acting. I know I know, Keanu Reeves is a bad actor. In fact, I think he's one of the 5-10 worst in my generation. He just has this way of never showing any emotion and when he does, it looks so forced. But his character in this movie is one of a guy disconnected with the emotions of others. So as he bumbles his way through acting, he actually is spot on with how his character feels. In other words, there may not be a better actor to play this hapless guy thrown into a tough situation but grows from it with each day and new experience with his young team.



The other stand out acting comes from the young actors playing the baseball players. None of them were household names then and none of them are now, which is a shame because many of them are pretty damn good actors. For all I know, how they act in this movie resembles their real lives so it wasn't hard. Whatever it was, they were great. Honestly, they steal the movie, especially in the following clips.





But it's more than acting. It's the story. I'm a sucker for underdog stories. Many of us are. Well, this is one of them. It's not just the team that's an underdog. It's also Keanu Reeves too, who many gave no chance to coach this team and also, get the girl (Diane Lane, who plays a teacher at the school all of the kids go to).

As the movie progresses, you see this team go from being frustrated with themselves and each other to a team that realizes that if they just relax, have fun and trust each other, they can achieve great things.

Now many of these underdog movies follow the same storyline. They stink, they get better, they win the whole thing. Oh, but don't forget the obstacles thrown at them as they travel that road to success. This movie does follow that storyline but one obstacle thrown their way comes so far out of left field (pun intended) that makes this movie so special to me.

I'll be honest. It is the only movie that consistently make me cry. I won't give away what brings on the tears but it does. And how the movie goes through that scene is well done. It is powerful, emotional and inspiring.

By no means did this movie deserve an Oscar or Golden Globe. I'm not an idiot. But I think it deserves the respect of people. Get past the fact Reeves is in the movie and look closer. This is inner-city Chicago. Life is not easy there for anyone, but especially kids who are tempted to join gangs at young ages and threatened/beat up by those same gangs. I know this is a movie but there are kids now who live that life everyday. The scenes where you really get a feel for how tough life can be in violent environments...they're tough to watch. But you gain such an appreciation for each kid and how they approach life....by living it to the fullest and "showing up".

I love this movie and ever since I saw it for the first time, it's been my second favorite movie. It's gonna take something really, really good to change that too.

TRAILER



FUN FACTS

Before the film was released in 2001, posters and ads reflected the rating as R before it was re-edited to dub over the kids using the "f" word. Despite quite a bit of profanity remaining, the film was then released with a PG-13 rating.

All of the league's team names are taken from tribes in Africa.

The soundtrack for this movie includes "Big Poppa" by Notorious B.I.G., "Where The Party At" by Jagged Edge, "Hardball" by Lil' Bow Wow, Lil' Wayne, Lil' Zane and Sammie and "The Storm Is Over Now" by R. Kelly

MEMORABLE QUOTES

G-Baby: "All right, let me break it down to you right quick. Andre says he can catch any pop-up anybody can throw. Kofi say "That's bullshit. You a busta.". Andre say "Roll up, bitch". Kofi say, "I'll give you all my gum if you can catch this ball.". He threw the ball. Andre caught it. Andre say "Pay me my money". Kofi say, "You a cheatin' bitch.". No wait. Kofi say, "You a motherf - "

Raymond 'Ray Ray' Bennet: Coach Conor? You're not really trying to get Ms. Wilkes, are you?
Conor O'Neill: No.
Raymond 'Ray Ray' Bennet: Good. 'Cause I already tried and she ain't havin' it.
G-Baby: Yeah, me too. 

Kofi: It was booty. That girl Meg is dumb. Thinkin' her fathers comin' back from wherever. That's stupid to believe in. That girl and her mom are both trippin'. Cuz where I'm from... don't nobody's father come back.

TEASE FOR #1

If you need a tease for my favorite movie, you either don't know me very well or are not very good with the concept of context clues. 

Matt's Top 100 Movies: #3

3. Forrest Gump (1994)
Starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright Penn, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Directed by Robert Zemeckis

There are very few movies, especially non-action movies, that can hold your full attention for 2 hours and 20 minutes, while at the same time, make you laugh, cry and smile numerous times through the movie. There also very few movies that are written and acted as well as this one.

I was just a wee 8 years old when this movie came out and if I remember right, I saw it in theaters with my family. And despite the graphic nature of some parts, I don't think there is any part of my parents that regret taking me to see it at that age. It was just one of those movies with such a strong message, not to mention it was a great U.S. history lesson.

The movie begins and ends with just your love of the main character Forrest Gump. I don't see how you can't enjoy his character. He's a true underdog from the start with a kind heart, absolute innocence and a little bit of stupidity. But as the years go on, he goes from underdog to one of the guys to genuine hero. But what never leaves him is that kind heart, innocence and yes, the stupidity.



As you can see in that clip, this movie does an amazing job adding Forrest into historical scenes. It may not seem like much but it's cool to see things like that, especially as a young kid who doesn't know any better.

I think one thing people don't know is that Forrest Gump is slightly based off a true story. Well, at least parts of it. For instance, the scene where he gets shot while trying to save Bubba in Vietnam is true. I know this because the guy actually came to my first news station and did an interview.

But anyways, back to the movie. Another thing I love about this movie are the relationships Forrest has with various people. There's the one with his mom, the woman he reveres so much and quotes constantly even as he grows older. There is his friendship with Bubba, one struck by happenstance on a bus. It's a friendship so loyal that he not only risks his own life to save Bubba's but also takes on Bubba's lifelong dream of being a shrimp boat captain and when successful doing it, makes sure he gives money to Bubba's family. There's also his relationship with Lieutenant Dan. It starts rocky as one might expect with a commanding officer but the respect Lt. Dan gains for Forrest after he saves his life and subsequently takes on Bubba's dream is a great sight to see.

But the relationship that the whole movie seems to really focus on from beginning to end is Forrest's love for his childhood friend Jenny. She doesn't live the American dream sort of life and many times, seems to be the complete wrong fit for a clean cut guy like Forrest. But thanks to a great screenplay, you find yourself rooting for the two to work the entire time, even as it seems like her life is flying off the rails.



Simply put,this movie is maybe the ONLY movie that no matter what I'm doing, I stop and watch the rest of it. I've said that about other movies on this list but I know for a fact, this is the one where I have lost many a minutes and hours of studying in college watching. And I don't mind that one bit.

There is a reason this movie won the Oscar for Best Picture (over the likes of Shawshank Redemption and Pulp Fiction) and Tom Hanks won Best Actor. It's because this movie is about as flawless as any movie can be when it comes to entertaining an audience from start to finish.

TRAILER



NOTABLE QUOTES

Forrest Gump: "My momma always said, "Life was like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."

Forrest Gump: "And cause I was a gazillionaire, and I liked doin it so much, I cut that grass for free."

Bubba: "Anyway, like I was sayin', shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey's uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There's pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that's about it." 

FUN FACTS


Bill Murray, John Travolta and Chevy Chase turned down the role of Forrest Gump. Travolta later admitted that passing on the role was a mistake.

David Alan Grier, Ice Cube and Dave Chappelle turned down the role of Bubba. Chappelle thought the movie would bomb, and has since admitted to deeply regretting not taking the role.

In the 1988 movie Punchline, Sally Field plays a love interest for Tom Hanks's character; in this movie, released six years later, she plays his character's mother.

TEASE FOR #2


The movie that no one besides a couple people know I even like. It stars one of the worst actors of our time and is a sports-ish movie, two things that normally don't mix but in this case, it does.

Matt's Top 100 Movies: #4

 

4. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy (2004)
Starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd
Directed by Adam McKay

After a 5 month hiatus, I am back to finish off this list. I know people don't really care too much about this list besides myself and Luke. I also know a lot of people though will agree with where this movie ranks among my top 100 movies.

Not many movies can make laugh like this movie. In fact, no other movie can as this movie ranks as my highest comedy (spoiler for the top 3). Nearly every line is a great one-liner, probably ad-libbed and sure to make me if not laugh out loud, at least chuckle and make some weird noise that makes people think I'm choking a kitten.

I'll be honest though. When I first saw this movie, I wasn't a huge fan. I liked it, thought it was decently funny, but nothing special. It took the second showing for me to really love it...and now, every time I see it, I love that much more. It all begins just with the start of the movie that is so random and so hilarious, you;re only scratching the surface of the comedy to come.



What I think really makes this movie great is the cast. First off, it may not get any better in comedy than Will Ferrell. He just knows how to strike the right tone with just about any character. And with Ron Burgandy, that is confidence, arrogance, but also a bit of vulnerability. Yeah, big words but then you remember, his lines are hilarious. Then you have a guy like Brick (Carell) who is well, as dumb as a brick but incredibly lovable. You've got Champ (David Koechner), who is the cocky, dumb jock-ish sports guy who doesn't really care about anything. And Brian Fantana (Rudd), the ladies man who plays it cool. Combined they form what seems like a comedy superhero troupe that is only rivaled by The Hangover trio I think.




What I also love about this movie is that it deals with the profession I am in. If you didn't know (which is unlikely), I work in television. And while there are many scenes that in no way mirror what we do on air these days, there are some instances. Those moments are ones I truly enjoy. For example, the fake talking until you go off the air. This movie finds a way to make a mundane 5-10 seconds on local TV everyday and turn it into one of the funniest moments of the movie.



Honestly, I could post 50-60 more scenes here that I am sure will make you laugh. but I think if I post anymore, I'll have to just watch the movie right now and not finish the 3 movie posts I have left. So I'll stop here.

Of course, it is now official there will be an Anchorman 2. When I first heard of it, I was lukewarm to the idea. I hate to see great movies be ruined by mediocre sequels. The Hangover almost did that. Speed 2 did just that. But I'm fairly confident McKay, Ferrell and company won't mess this up. I'm encouraged by the fact that all the main players are returning. That's huge actually. Now let's just hope the movie lives up the hype that it will surely get until its release.

TRAILER




NOTABLE QUOTES

Ron Burgandy: "What? You pooped in the refrigerator? And you ate the whole... wheel of cheese? How'd you do that? Heck, I'm not even mad; that's amazing. How 'bout we get you in your p.j.'s and we hit the hay."

Brian Fantana: "They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time, it works every time"

Brick Tamland:" LOUD NOISES"

Ron Burgandy: "Hello? Who's there, I'm talkin? Hello? Who is this? Baxter... is that you? Baxter! Bark twice if your in Milwaukee... Is this Wilt Chamberlain? Have the courage to say something! Hello?"

FUN FACTS

The first draft of the screenplay included suggested actors for various roles:

• Champ Kind: John C. Reilly
• Brick Tamland: Chris Parnell
• Brian Fantana: Ben Stiller
• Ed Harken: Ed Harris
• Garth Holiday: Dan Aykroyd
• Frank Vitchard: Alec Baldwin

The Mexican restaurant Veronica visits with the girls from the station is named "Escupimos en su Alimento". In Spanish, that means, "We spit in your food".

TEASE FOR #3

He is not "the most interesting man  in the world" in the commercials but if he were real, he sure would be heavily considered for it.

Matt's Top 100 Movies: #5

And here we are...the top 5 movies I have seen in my life. When I was making my list, these top 5 were the easiest ones to rank. They are the same 5 movies I had when I ranked them in 2008 but I did shuffle them a bit. For instance, this movie, was #3 when I made that list in 2008. But since it has "fallen" to 5th.

5. Independence Day (1996)
Starring Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman
Directed by Ronald Emmerich

I can still remember seeing this movie for the first time. Either the week or week after it was released. It was the talk on TV for months before it was even in theaters and once it came out, it was the only movie me and my friends would talk about. It was the original summer blockbuster and will forever be my favorite summer blockbuster unless something amazing comes around.

What has always stood out to me about this movie first and foremost has been its special effects. Along with "Jurassic Park" (1993), it is the movie that I most remember being wowed by what I was seeing. Aliens seemed lifelike. Spaceships looked real. The explosions were extraordinary. It was truly a sight to be seen, especially on the big screen and at just 9 years old.



The plot of the movie is one that of course is not believable but that's the joy of a summer blockbuster. It is not meant to make you emotional or leave thinking deeply. Instead, it is all about entertaining and that's exactly what this movie does.

Right from the start, you get a feel for the main characters and what you like and don't like about each of them. You know their family connections and important relationships that help add a bit of levity to the whole situation that ultimately occurs in the movie. And we're not just talking one or two relationships. There are easily 5-6 different situations that are going on at the same time during this movie, helping to bring so many different perspectives to every event that happens.

From the start too, this movie understands that comedy is going to be important to keep this movie from being too serious. In a situation like aliens trying to destroy the Earth, it is easy to forget that humor can help keep a person sane. Well, in the case of this movie, the humor is not only well-written and well-timed but allows the movie to appeal to a much broader audience that is not looking for EXACTLY what America would do in the very small chance aliens decide to invade our planet.



It was never the acting that made this movie great but it doesn't hurt it either. Lots of big names are in this film and that's not a bad thing. You get quite the variety of comedic and dramatic actors who play to their strengths but also tap into their weaknesses with success. For me though, there are two standout performances, and neither are Will Smith or Jeff Goldblum.

The first is Bull Pullman. When I first watched this movie, I had no clue who he even was. I mean not even a clue. But from the start, I bought him as a U.S. President. I thought of him as a JFK type. Young and extremely confident. Throughout the movie, I found myself trusting him and clinging to his every word knowing it would be his orders that would decide the fate of the nation and in a way, the movie. The scene with his daughter after his wife dies is also one that really pulls at the heart strings, especially since you see this strong character show some real emotion. But that still is not my favorite scene of his. No, instead it is the speech that has been made fun of for now 15+ years but one I would like to think any President would do spontaneously if aliens decided to battle on July 4th.



Randy Quaid is one of them, playing a seemingly always drunk father of 3 who volunteers to fly one of the fighter jets in the epic battle at the end. Throughout the movie, Quaid never gives you a sense he understand the enormity of the events going on around him. So when he decides to make the ultimate sacrifice at the end, it quickly became one my favorite endings ever to a movie because it was truly unexpected on so many levels. Oh, and leave it up to this movie to again, make it memorable with another great line.



I know I've said this a lot but this another movie that every time it comes on, I simply can't turn away. There's no slow point in the movie, despite its 145 minute run time. It does such a nice job progressing the story, a story that only spans 3 days. And if you've read my countdown, you know how much I like a movie that begins and ends in a short span because it is so different than other movies.

I used to always tell myself I would watch this movie every July 4th or as close to the day as possible. Alas, that has not come to be. But every time I even hear the phrase Independence Day, I smile a bit. Simply a great movie that came at a great time in my life.

TRAILER



FUN FACTS

The final sentence of the President's speech was not in the original script and was added at the
last minute for dramatic effect in an effort to convince 20th Century Fox not to avoid a legal battle to earn the right to name the film "Independence Day."

Fox first wanted to open the film on Memorial Day and change the name to 'Doomsday' to avoid the fierce competition on July 4th.

Shot in 72 days, an unusually short period of time for such a big blockbuster.

NOTABLE QUOTES

Julius Levinson: If I had known I was gonna meet the president I would've worn a tie. Look at me, I look like a schliemiel.

Russel Casse: I picked a hell of a day to quit drinkin'.

General Gray: Mr. President, I'd sure like to know what you're doing.
President Thomas Whitmore: I'm a combat pilot, Will. I belong in the air.

TEASE FOR #4: This 2004 funny flick was pitched 20 times to the studio that made it before finally being picked up...and it paid off handsomely.

Matt's Top 100 Movies: #6

First off, my sincerest apologies for the more than 3-month delay in finishing this list. About the time I finished writing #7, my computer began acting up. After numerous attempts to work through the problem, I gave up, got it fixed, and now have it back and working. Thanks to Best Buy and my bowling teammate Josh Gillespie for their hard work in bringing it back to working condition and allowing me to complete this countdown.

So with that out of the way, it's good to be back and unveiling the top 6 movies in the countdown. It is quite the collection of movies and I don't envision any of these moving from their slots anytime soon. A really great movie would have to unseat them.

6. The Truman Show (1998)
Starring Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, and Laura Linney
Directed by Peter Weir

I used to remember when I was little, what if I was on TV 24 hours a day and just didn't know it? I know, a crazy thought but when you're young, your imagination runs wild like that. If God and Santa both knew if/when I was being naughty or nice, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that there was simply a camera following me at all times.

As I reached double digits, this thought slowly began to fade away as I started to realize that it just simply wasn't realistic. But then came this movie to rekindle those feelings and once I saw the trailer, I knew IMMEDIATELY that I was going to love this movie.

For one, it had Jim Carrey, who had become one of my favorite actors after watching him in "Ace Ventura", "The Mask" and my 44th ranked movie "Liar Liar". He had proven his comedic chops could go past his "In Living Color" days on TV. More than though, I knew I would like it because of the premise. It was something never seen on TV or the big screen before.

The plot is incredibly simple but also very complex. It's a TV show that follows Truman Burbank, starting from his birth. He lives in a bubble, literally and figuratively, as they have created this large domed soundstage that he knows as the world. Everyone he meets is an actor playing the role of someone any other human being would encounter in the "real world". His parents, his wife, his neighbors, his boss, his co-workers, everyone. Just actors. Literally thousands of cameras follow his every move, including sleeping, all for a worldwide audience to watch on TV 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.



Without getting too much into the details of the movie, what makes this movie great is just the progression of Truman as he slowly discovers that his every move is being watched and that life is not as real as it should be. Sometimes, the clues are obvious. Other times, it is a bit more subtle.



The way this movie weaves around the all the things that come with putting on a TV show of this magnitude is just amazing. The product placement, the manufactured relationships, the timing, the lighting, the weather, everything. It is simply extraordinary.

But along with that comes the great acting that goes with it. Let's start with Carrey, who is a bit of an interesting choice for this kind of role. Before this movie, he never really showed much depth in his acting. Instead, always opting for the physical comedy. But he really shows his depth here. His comedic background comes into play numerous times during awkward conversations or situations with his "friends" who squash his dreams. It also helps when he is making his great escape from the only world he knows. But Carrey also displays a guy who is truly torn inside on whether to accept the "perfect" life he lives now or to take a real risk and see what else is out there for him. It's a performance to be remembered, especially since Carrey is playing someone we aren't used to seeing him play.

Maybe an even better performance though is Ed Harris' role as Christof, the director of the show. Through him, you get a look at the inner workings of a reality television show. Yes, this movie came well before "Jersey Shore" or "The Bachelor" but it gives you a great idea of how those directors feel about their jobs. Harris values the show more than moral values. Cares more about ratings than the feelings of his cast. His intense personality and frank dialogue makes it easy to figure out who is the villain in this battle over pleasing millions of viewers or pleasing the life of Truman. The final scene feels more like a showdown between the two men. If you haven't seen the movie, don't watch this but if you have, re-live it now.



Unlike some of the movies in my countdown, I will make no excuses for why this movie makes my top 10. I still think this movie doesn't get the credit it deserves. The story is one of its kind. The acting is impressive and award-winning (Carrey and Harris won Golden Globes for their performances). The score is perfect for nearly every moment in the movie (also won a Golden Globe). And above all, it raises the question of what is the ideal world. In Truman's world, everything was ideally perfect. But ironically, it wasn't perfect for Truman.

TRAILER



FUN FACTS

Dennis Hopper was originally cast as Christof, but walked off the set after his first day. Ed Harris replaced him and went on to win the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actor and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Every street name in Seahaven refers to a movie actor, e.g. "Lancaster Square" or "Barrymore Road." All of the "cast" members are likewise named after movies stars - Meryl, Marlon, Lauren, Kirk, Angela, etc.

In an early scene on Truman and Meryl's kitchen table is a bottle of vitamin D - needed for those without exposure to the (real) sun.

NOTABLE QUOTES

Truman: Good morning, and in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

Sylvia: Look at what you've done to him!
Christof: I have given Truman the chance to lead a normal life. The world, the place you live in, is the sick place.

Network Executive: For God's sake, Chris! The whole world is watching. We can't let him die in front of a live audience!
Christof: He was born in front of a live audience.

TEASE FOR #5: This 1996 movie amasses more than $817 million worldwide and includes one of the more memorable speeches in movie history (in my opinion).