Dirty Harry’s Place…

Isn’t any film with a turkey that doesn’t stop its story dead to lament our whipping of Indian butt a pretty conservative one? Thanksgiving is by its very nature a conservative holiday because it celebrates the last day of the Utopia that was North America before Western European Whitey began our rape and plunder. Because as we all […]

Some of you may have noticed that I’m a little burnt on the top fives. They will return soon, but a reader question in the An Unmarried Woman thread prompted this one.
There are quite a few films widely regarded as classics that I just don’t get. I want to get them. Some of them I […]

REPOSTED: We did this one back in July, but here it is again. My links go to the Youtube.
Thanks to Reader Amzarak for a great suggestion.
Ahh, the good old days when opposed to a jarring cut into the story, network television used to pause for mood and feel with at least an attempt at a nifty […]

Come on, fess up. Whatcha’ got picked? Here’s what’s coming soon to the Harry Household:
1. Two Lane Blacktop - never seen it
2. A Woman Under The Influence - never seen it
3. Silent Hill - never seen it
4. Something to Sing About - never seen it
5. Being There - Gee, why would I be at all interested in […]

Follow me here: 
So…
1. Today, Obama’s Distribution Of Wealth radio interview from 2001 is released and what happens? The news is snuffed out when a sitting U.S. Senator from Alaska — of all places! — is found guilty on seven counts.
2. Last week McCain gains some traction in the campaign narrative and in the polls and what happens? Obama’s […]

This one comes way of reader Wankette:
This is not about actor crushes (my top 5 would be all Errol Flynn anyway), but rather about that marriage of actor & role that makes you wish for some who LOOKS like that, and ACTS like that (since we know real life, not always so agreeable).
1. Rev. Frank […]

PerfectTommy sends this one in: 
1. Asta in “The Thin Man” (1934)- a fox terrier capable of providing laughs and sniffing out corpses. (Wiki tells me Skippy played Asta in the first two films and then the part was farmed out to a litter of canine actors)
2. Punxsutawney Phil in “Groundhog Day” (1993) - this spot […]

Not too long ago we did a list of our favorite Newman films, but today let’s focus on those all important moments, for it’s moments that define:
1. The Verdict (1982): Every circumstance builds to that moment when James Mason’s Ed Concannon offers Newman’s Frank Galvin a settlement check neatly divided by three — and Galvin […]

 
Reader Addison DeWitt offers up this one:
Top 5 Casting Changes.  Imagine you get to re-cast any movie you want with any actors you want REGARDLESS OF ERA!  Here’s my list:
1. Jack Benny and Groucho Marx in The Odd Couple
2. Burt Lancaster as Leonides in 300
3. Glenn Ford, Walter Brennan, and Olivia DeHavilland in Open Range
4. […]

Stella Dallas (1937) 
It’s time to admit that my top five lists are slowing down because after a couple hundred of them I’m running out of ideas. So thanks to Reader Sally for this fine submission in honor of Governor Palin:
1) Katie Coates, Old Yeller (1957). Dorothy McGuire has a core of steel beneath that lady-like exterior, […]

While it’s always interesting when an actor known for playing the good guy tries on a villain role, it also interesting, through rarely noted, when the opposite happens:
1. Edward G. Robinson - Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945)
2. Jack Elam - Support Your Local Sheriff (1971)
3. Ernest Borgnine - Marty (1955)
4. Jack Palance - City […]

These are films you go to that you know will do the job — will help you escape and make the world feel good again. These are special films because they also take hold and keep hold of your attention. Comfort movies suck you into the story and take you away. Not all films can […]

From Reader Elizabethe:
Hi Dirty Harry,
In honor of the Obama campaign, the increasingly juvenile and deranged MSM, liberal hollywood and the Dems in general, I vote we do top five high school movies next.  I mean, I do believe they just accused McCain of not being “with it” because he doesn’t email, and Obama said he wants government to be […]

Dr. Nic suggests … Best Weddings:
1. Spaceballs (1987) - fastest ceremony ever
2. In & Out (1997) - most sentimental vow renewal ever
3. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) - the one that most resembled my wedding
4. The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
5. The Princess Bride (1987) - even though they didn’t fomally exchange vows that Priest gets me every […]

This one comes from Reader Matt:
Top Five Introductory Shots of Characters:
1. John Wayne in Stagecoach (1939)
2. Frank Sinatra in Young at Heart (1954)
3. Robert Mitchum in Thunder Road (1958)
4. Orson Welles in The Third Man (1949)
5. James Stewart in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Good picks. My favorite — off the top of my head – Omar […]

Via Reader Mark:
1A. Stalag 17 (1953) - William Holden at his best, “Only in a democracy can a poor guy get his keister shot off with a rich guy.”
1B. Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) - William Holden (again!) and Alec Guiness in his best but not most widely known role today.
1C. The Great Escape (1963) […]

Reader K.D. offers up a list just in time for the Academy to listen up and make a smart decision:
1. Jerry Seinfeld - Do I really have to give a reason?
2. Billy Crystal - By the time he’s chosen, Bush will be out of office. He’s the greatest Oscar host of all time. Not a lot […]

 
From Reader Burtegel:
I’m thinking here of movies that contained technical innovations thus far not in use in a major motion picture, like:
Birth of A Nation (1915) - Too numerous to mention. See here: .http://www.filmsite.org/birt.html
Citizen Kane (1941) - Deep focus, optical printer, in-camera effects, etc.
Star Wars (the 1977 release) - Space ships, ray guns. light swords, etc.
Saving Private […]

There’s only one Sarah Palin. But via our own Sarah Palin-type — Steph — comes the closest Hollywood could come:
1. 300 (2006) - Queen Gorgo: “I am not here to represent Leonidas; his actions speak louder than my words ever could. I am here for all those voices which cannot be heard: mothers, daughters, fathers, sons […]

These are men still working regularly, in no particular order: 
1. Denzel (so manly, no last name’s needed)
2. Michael Caine
3. Gary Sinise
4. Jon Voight
5. Robert Davi
Thanks to reader Kit for the suggestion.

Worst films of the summer? 
1. Mummy 3 - bloated, no story
2. Pineapple Express - lazy
3. X-Files: I Want To Believe - boring
4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - lazy
5. War, Inc. - lame
Not as many to choose from as last year.

 
Perfect Tommy has a perfect idea – now that summer is officially over…

1. The Dark Knight
2. Iron Man
3. Prince Caspian
4. Man On Wire
5. Step Brothers
Tomorrow we’ll do worst five.
This was a much better summer than last year and those (mostly) awful threequels. And thanks to Iron Man, Dark Knight, and Prince Caspian, 2008 may be remembered as […]

Wasn’t Howard Hughes an adult? 
If only Scorsese would step away from the Leo. 
1. The Aviator (2004) 
2. The Departed (2006)
3. Bringing Out The Dead (1999)
4. Gangs of New York (2002)
5. Kundun (1997)
With absolutely no memory of The Last Temptation of Christ, I couldn’t include it in either list.

We’ll do a bottom five tomorrow.
1. Goodfellas (1990)
2. Taxi Driver (1976)
3. Age Of Innocence (1993)
4. Casino (1995) - never understood the hate for this one.
5. Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)
Ask me on the right day and I might include Mean Streets, but today is not that day.

 
This top five comes at the suggestion of Full Metal Deer Platoon:
1. Citizen Kane (1941) — Memories of a girl:
A fellow can remember a lot of things you wouldn’t think he’d remember. You take me. One day back in 1896, I was crossing over to Jersey on the ferry. And as we pulled out, there […]