My blogger buddy Chuck Miller has created this series about movies called Royale with Cheese. It’s films that EVERYBODY has seen, but he had not until, finally, he did. It’s named after a line from Pulp Fiction, the 1994 movie he watched in 2011.
What reminded me of this was the passing of Wolfgang Petersen. On the CBS morning show, the announcer said that “Everybody is saying, ‘Get off my plane'” as they showed a clip from Air Force One. Well, I wasn’t because I’ve never seen that movie, directed by Petersen.
It’s odd. From 1979, when I was dating a cinephile, to 2003, the year before my daughter was born, I saw LOTS of films. Indeed, I watched every single movie nominated for a major Oscar award (movie, actor, actress, director, and the two screenplays) that came out in 1997 except Ulee’s Gold with Peter Fonda.
So I’m going to make a list of films that came out between 1970, right before I graduated from high school, and 2019, just before the pandemic, that I managed to miss. I won’t pick movies I didn’t/don’t want to see for whatever reason.
Some films
Here are the qualifiers from the Top Lifetime Adjusted Grosses from Box Office Mojo.
Avatar (2009)
Incredibles 2 (2018) – I really liked the first film
The Lion King (2018) – I was curious whether it’d be any good
The Dark Knight (2008) – I have the graphic novel
Wonder Woman (2017) – my wife and daughter saw it, but I was busy
Aquaman (2018) – for a guy who used to work in a comic book store, I’m not faring well with these DC adaptations
Independence Day (1996) – the biggest film of that year
Inception (2010)
The Hangover (2009) – or the sequels
Maleficent (2014)
Shrek Forever After (2010) – but I saw the first two movies
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) or its sequels, although I did see Ocean’s Eight
Elf (2003) – in honor of James Caan’s passing, I may need to see it this Christmas season
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Lilo and Stitch (2002)
Ready Player One (2018)
Minority Report (2002)
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) – although I did see the sequel
On Golden Pond (1981) – Henry and Jane Fonda
So, opinionated people – this means you, Greg Burgas – suggest which ones of these ought I to check out first? And you are not limited to this roster of films or my cinematic timeframe.
Bwah-ha-ha! I was already thinking, “Dang, I have to tell him which ones to see!” and then I got called out by name! You know me too well, sir!
I would say, of those listed, Inception and Ocean’s 11 are the best ones. Inception is nice and weird but still mainstream enough that it’s not to opaque, while Ocean’s 11 is just a wildly fun movie with a bunch of actors at the top of their game (Roberts is the only one who doesn’t seem to be having much fun). Minority Report is pretty good, too. The others – I haven’t seen some of them, but I have seen most – are fine, I guess.
For my money, even my respect for James Caan would never be enough to sit through another showing of Elf. Ever. Perhaps it’s because I saw it nonstop while I was checked in at the Behavioral Unit of St. Joseph’s Hospital. If I hadn’t been having suicidal thoughts before then, the screaming cackles of my fellow inmates would have driven me in that general direction. I kid you not, it was a marathon around Thanksgiving, and even in another room, I couldn’t escape Will Ferrell.
Independence Day was, at one time, my favorite movie when I was out sick from work. There was something comforting about the references to Area 51, Jeff Goldblum’s geeking out. Now all I can see is Harvey Fierstein prancing, Judd Hirsch doing Borscht Belt schtick, Will Smith’s girlfriend being a pole dancer (with a kid and a heart of gold, because) and I’m embarrassed. Having said that, you should see it at least once. There are some memorable lines.
Minority Report is, IMHO, one of Spielberg’s best Sci Fi attempts. Even Tom Cruise can’t ruin it. Look for character actor Peter Stormare in a sequence that will turn your stomach but also made me laugh out loud. Samantha Morton is terrific.
Those are my suggestions. And love to Lydia!
Holy crap, Roger! I don’t know where to begin!! 🤣
Avatar is “a ride”; just enjoy James Cameron “wow-ing” us!😉😊
Independence Day: sooo many holes (we can’t get Mac to talk to Windows!, so how can THIS work??!!…), but it’s another “ride.”
Inception: fascinating…., but if you’ve seen Doctor Strange, it’s the same visual effects 🤔 😶. Another “ride”, IMHO.
Talladega Nights: I’m no Will Ferrel fan, but that movie is pass-soda-outta-your-nose FUNNY!!
Again, IMO, skip Ready Player One and read the book. The book really got to me; the movie did the best that it could😌
AIR FORCE ONE is not good. If you want to watch a Wolfgang Petersen film, make it IN THE LINE OF FIRE.
As for the list below…well, I like AVATAR more than most, and its visuals are astonishing, even now. You can watch OCEANS ELEVEN and probably not bother with the rest of the series, unless you really like heist stories. (I do, and even I found these a bit repetitive.) WONDER WOMAN is really good; I was less a fan of THE DARK KNIGHT. INDEPENDENCE DAY is one of those fun movies that manages to make you overlook the fact that several billion people die during its story. Of the rest, I don’t know, there are movies there that I like and movies I haven’t seen, but nothing that makes me say, “What, you haven’t seen THAT?!” So, I dunno. I guess the closest to a “Yeah, you should really watch that” one is ELF, and even that’s not a particularly strong feeling.
hey Roger here’s my thoughts –
You can skip Avatar (2009) it is visually great but not worth it.
Incredibles 2 (2018) didn’t see it, didn’t want to
The Lion King (2018) – a few great songs, that’s it.
The Dark Knight (2008)
Aquaman (2018)
Inception (2010)
The Hangover (2009) – or the sequels
Maleficent (2014)
Shrek Forever After (2010) – I saw the 1st 2 too, no interest in this one.
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Crazy Rich Asians (2018)
Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) too stupid for me
Lilo and Stitch (2002)
Ready Player One (2018) – like Leslie said – read the book, skip the movie
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
you should definitely see –
Wonder Woman (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
Ocean’s Eleven (2001) & its sequels, although 12 only needs to be seen to keep the continuity of the 3.
Elf (2003)
Minority Report (2002)
On Golden Pond (1981) – a MUST see
as for the rest see if you have nothing better to do.