Here are Nos. 6-10:
10. The Meaning Of Life
The timeless absurdity of Monty Python was honed to a sharp point by the time The Meaning Of Life came out in 1983. The Pythons always had an innate ability to step back and see the ridiculousness of human behavior and take it to its silliest extremes, and given a decent budget they did not hold back. It's justly remembered for the greatest vomit scene in movie history ("Better get a bucket. I'm going to throw up") and the Catholic theme song "Every Sperm Is Sacred," but there are a million moments in the movie that are not only laugh-out-loud funny but useful lessons for my daily life. I always ask doctors if they have "the machine that goes 'PING!'" especially if I've just eaten the salmon mousse. I've never filled out a liver donor card, and I also think people don't wear enough hats. Most importantly, I'm often warned of the importance of a kiss before I "stamped towards the clitoris." You see, movies can be educational, too!--CroutonBoy
9. Mr. Mom
It was the woobie that drew me in. I wasn't old enough to fully understand the themes and emotions of Mr. Mom, the story of a guy who after being downsized becomes a stay-at-home-dad while his wife's career takes off. But I did relate to the kid who carried around his security blanket for the whole movie. I loved Jaws the vacuum cleaner and I loved the chaotic house scenes. As I grew up, I would grow to appreciate writer John Hughes's fully fleshed-out characters and nuanced script. But as a kid, give me a baby-eating chili any day.--Daddy Geek Boy
8. Scarface
Something that I find really shocking about Scarface is the way that it seems to have permeated a segment of our pop culture. I have always thoroughly enjoyed the film in all of its bloody glory from the first time I saw it. It remains one of the most brutal films ever made, though, and I've always thought it stood right beside Trainspotting as one of the most blatant cautionary anti-drug films ever made.Yet, there seems to be this whole sub-culture that reveres Tony Montana and his world. I guess it's the whole idea of rising from a penniless guy on the street to a "respected" multimillionaire almost overnight that resonates with people but, damn! Did these people who think Tony Montana is the shit not see how the movie ended? I mean, seriously! If there's ever an ending to a film that more clearly says "being a drug dealer doesn't end well," its seeing the bullet-riddled corpse of Tony Montana falling from the balcony in his mansion and turning the water crimson in his "the world is yours" fountain. I think the movie is awesome... but I certainly never come away from seeing it thinking, "Tony Montana's lifestyle... gotta get me some of that."
Scarface fun fact: this movie was one of the first films that made such an extensive use of the word "fuck" in its script. Just for fun, a friend of mine and I decided to keep track of how many times the word was used (in any form) as we watched the movie, making a tic mark on a pad every time we heard it from any character. Our results: 247, plus or minus 10 (we left a margin of error because, in some of Tony's more spirited tirades, it's a little hard to keep track). If you've ever wondered, now you know.--Dave
7. Risky Business
How iconic is Risky Business? Pre-crazy Tom Cruise, dancing in his underwear to Bob Seger, is the image of youth from the '80s. It's quite a trick for a movie that deals with prostitution and morally ambiguous efforts to get into college should pulse with such energy and joy. The movie made Cruise a superstar, of course, and the juxtaposition between his glittering smile and his desperate need for acceptance resonate with anybody who grew up in the '80s. You can look at this movie as a parable for the delicate balance we all strike between the crystal eggs we are on the outside, and the cars spilling into Lake Michigan we are on the inside. Or you can just look at it as a great teen comedy/drama that permanently imprinted Rebecca De Mornay on my psyche. Either way, it's a great flick.--CroutonBoy
