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).