(For an explanation of this, read the Introduction.  Other posts in this series can be found here.)

Movies We Still Care About

• Beetlejuice
• Big
• Bull Durham
• Die Hard
• Rain Man
• The Naked Gun
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Other Notable Movies

• They Live
• A Fish Called Wanda

Best Picture Nominees:

• Rain Man (Winner)
• The Accidental Tourist
• Dangerous Liaisons
• Mississippi Burning
• Working Girl

Top Grossing Films (US)

1. Rain Man
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
3. Coming to America
4. Big
5. Twins
6. Crocodile Dundee II
7. Die Hard
8. The Naked Gun
9. Cocktail
10. Beetlejuice

Rotten Tomatoes Top Movies

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (98%)
2. Big (97%)
3. Bull Durham (97%)
4. Midnight Run (95%)
5. Heathers (95%) – Note: Rotten Tomatoes lists this as a 1988 movie, even though it was released in 1989.
6. A Fish Called Wanda (93%)
7. Die Hard (92%)
8. Rain Man (90%)
9. Cinema Paradiso (90%) (This was released in the US in 1990.)

Movies We Still Care About

The Naked Gun

I was ten when Naked Gun came out, and to a ten-year-old, it was the funniest movie ever.  I’d still say it’s one of the best spoof films.  Even though most of the jokes were recycled from the short-lived series Police Squad that Naked Gun is based on.  But one original bit was the national anthem scene:

It does have the unfortunate cringe factor of co-starring a pre-murdery OJ Simpson.  But at least you get to see him get brutally maimed.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit

One of the rare films that creates a pioneering visual effect and uses it to create an innovative story.  Though animation and live action had been combined before in films like Mary Poppins and Song of the South, this was the first movie to fully integrate them into a cohesive and complete world.  Also notable for working out the legal issues involved in combining classic Disney and Warner Bros. animation:

My personal favorite is the weasels dying laughing scene:

Other Fond Memories

(These are movies that fit the category of “Movies We Still Care About,” but for which I personally can’t think of anything interesting to say. Please don’t take a movie’s inclusion in this category as any sort of criticism.  You are encouraged to voice your thoughts on these films in the comments section.)

• Rain Man

Other Notable Films

A Fish Called Wanda

Still popular as a cult movie.  It somehow finds a tone that is halfway between Monty Python and Wes Anderson.  You wouldn’t think that would work or make any sense, but somehow the film pulls it off.

They Live

I’m just including this because it contains what I believe to be the all-time cheesiest action movie line that wasn’t uttered by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

– – – – –

Do you disagree with any of these choices, or think that I missed something?  Leave a comment below.

(For an explanation of this, read the Introduction.  Other posts in this series can be found here.)

Movies We Still Care About

• Beetlejuice
• Big
• Bull Durham
• Die Hard
• Rain Man
• The Naked Gun
• Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Other Notable Movies

• They Live
• A Fish Called Wanda

Best Picture Nominees:

• Rain Man (Winner)
• The Accidental Tourist
• Dangerous Liaisons
• Mississippi Burning
• Working Girl

Top Grossing Films (US)

1. Rain Man
2. Who Framed Roger Rabbit
3. Coming to America
4. Big
5. Twins
6. Crocodile Dundee II
7. Die Hard
8. The Naked Gun
9. Cocktail
10. Beetlejuice

Rotten Tomatoes Top Movies

1. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (98%)
2. Big (97%)
3. Bull Durham (97%)
4. Midnight Run (95%)
5. Heathers (95%) – Note: Rotten Tomatoes lists this as a 1988 movie, even though it was released in 1989.
6. A Fish Called Wanda (93%)
7. Die Hard (92%)
8. Rain Man (90%)
9. Cinema Paradiso (90%) (This was released in the US in 1990.)

Movies We Still Care About

Beetlejuice

The most Tim Burtony Tim Burton movie.  It established all of the Tim Burton tropes that we know and love.

Here’s the Banana Boat Song scene:

Big

A coming of age story in the literal sense.  It works on a wish-fulfillment level for children who think that being an adult would be awesome.  At the same time, it appeals to adults that wish they could regain a childlike enthusiasm.

Bull Durham

To be honest, I just don’t care about baseball, which means that I never cared about this movie.  But I acknowledge that a lot of people consider to be one of the best ever sports movies, and I would be remiss in leaving it off this list.  Those of you who love it are welcome to discuss your reasons in the comments.

Die Hard

One of the best action movies of all time.  It didn’t invent the concept of an ordinary man in the wrong place at the wrong time having to battle an overwhelming force, but it executed it so well that ever since every other film like that has been described as “Die Hard in [context].”

Fun fact: Due to contractual obligations, the role of John McClane was initially offered to a then 72-year-old Frank Sinatra.  Thankfully he turned it down.  Otherwise, it would have been known as either an embarrassing joke, or as the film that killed Old Blue Eyes.  The lead was then offered to Arnold Schwarzenegger, with the idea that Die Hard would be a sequel to Commando.  When that didn’t work, they eventually chose Bruce Willis, who was known as a sit-com actor from Moonlighting.  And Di Hard instantly turned him into one of the biggest action stars around.

Anyway, here’s one of the best action sequences ever put on film:

And one of the best action movie lines of all time:

And because it’s okay to affectionately mock something you love, here’s the CinemaSins episode on Die Hard:

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Do you disagree with any of these choices, or think that I missed something?  Leave a comment below.