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What Are the Best Non-Franchise Movies? · Average Home Theater Reviews

• speaker-0: Hey, welcome in Average Home Theater. I am Nelson and Dominic is here. How was the trip? speaker-1: Dominic? Not bad, not bad. ⁓ It was a smoother trip. ⁓ speaker-0: Yeah, last time it was like, was it bad weather? speaker-1: Last time I believe it was pretty bad weather, but now this was a good smooth trip and ⁓ I'm back in the average home theater of all. speaker-0: Yeah, it's your first time you said since we painted it. ⁓ huh. So it looks a little different. speaker-1: Looks good. I feel like I'm in a movie theater. speaker-0: Whenever we're finished, I'll give you a demo of what the screen and everything looks like now that it's nice and dark in here. screen actually, it looks better. It's hard to explain, but once you see it, you'll know what I'm talking about. speaker-1: Thanks. Awesome. Well, yeah, I love the setup. It's nice. speaker-0: Yeah, we just had our Grove meeting. So Dominic and I are belly full of barbecue. It was delicious. And now we get to talk about some movies. And you came up with this idea. How did you come up with this idea? speaker-1: So I was trying to think of something different. Yeah. And ⁓ I have a tendency, you know, by default, I love franchises. I love things like that. But I'm like, let me get out of my comfort zone a little bit. Let's try to focus in on our favorite films that are not a franchise, don't have a sequel, don't have a prequel, don't have a remake, ⁓ and see what we can come up with. speaker-0: So, I likened that idea and it, was difficult, but then it wasn't. So at first I was kind of panicked because you had said five, right? We'll come up with five movies. And I was like, man, well, that's going to be hard just to do that. And then I started as I was going through my movie list, cause I have a CLZ movies. It's a, it's an app where you keep track of all of your physical media. You just scan the barcode and it keeps an inventory. So was going through that and I just kept, I was getting more and more, um, producer Nick gave me a couple of suggestions and I was like, Oh yeah, yeah. I forgot about that. I forgot about that. And, once I made my list, I was up to 15 is around where I stopped. Now there's many more that can go on this list and obviously different tastes would dictate what people say. And I had two rules when I made my list. One, it could not include Shawshank Redemption. Okay, because I thought that was a no brainer because in my opinion, that's like the greatest movie ever made. And it does not have a sequel. It's not in a franchise has no prequel has never been remade and it should never be remade. It stands on its own as one of the greatest movies ever made. So I put that one to the side. speaker-1: Mm That is a great. Kind like you did with Stand By Me, like coming age. speaker-0: Like I did with Stand By Me because I felt that was just too easy. Both Stephen King stories. And ⁓ neither one of them horror goes to show you. Yeah. His best stuff is not even horror. ⁓ And then my other rule was I wanted to stay away from comedies, especially kind of slapstick type stuff like wedding crashes. Wedding crashes is great. It's hilarious. Not in a franchise, no sequels or anything. but it's, a comedy and yeah, you know, it just, or liar, liar. love liar, liar, but it's a, it's a comedy, right? Like it just, it just didn't feel like it should be on this list to me. So I do have a comedy on this list, but when I get to it, it's a very smart comedy. Okay. and I'll explain when I get to it. So those are kind of my two rules that I went by. Yeah. speaker-1: And like I said, I was trying to make sure that it wasn't a remake because there's a lot of good ones out there that have remakes or like, for example, we talked about total recall. That would definitely be on my list had it not been for the remake they did. ⁓ so yeah, I tried to stick with that. And I also try to be true to myself, like things I really like, not just something I saw, but would qualify. speaker-0: years ago. Right. Yeah. And not necessarily that everybody or is known as movies, something that we feel is great. Like, you know, I don't want to say favorites because I don't want to steal from Jamie Ray, but it's just these are our top movies that we feel are they're the best that don't have sequels, prequels, remakes, not in a franchise, any of that just standalone movies that should stand the test of time and be left alone. Right. Basically. speaker-1: fall back on the word favorite though, cause Jamie Ray has trained me not to say top anymore. speaker-0: I know I hardly ever see speaker-1: I'm doing really good with just saying favorite. So there you go, Jamie. Thank you. speaker-0: There's your shout out, we're going to trample all over it. So, okay. Well, since you are the guest, I will let you go first. What is your, number 10? speaker-1: Well, we want to hit honorables. ⁓ thank you. Let's hit a couple of honorables. We do have honorables. speaker-0: I have four honorables. Okay. speaker-1: ⁓ so my, on my honorables, ⁓ I have pulp fiction. Okay. ⁓ very unique film. ⁓ if you would add to it, it would not do nothing but water it down. Right. ⁓ I like the various storylines. I like how it's all chopped up and you gotta watch it a few times to get it. I mean, Quentin Tarantino, ⁓ John Travolta, Samuel Jackson, Bruce Willis, like being Reims, it's a great movie and, ⁓ it stands by itself. So I had to include that one. And I also have on here, ⁓ V for vendetta. was, that was a cool comic book film. It's just, okay. Well, there you go. Producer Nick. ⁓ that's a cool comic book film. It stands on its own. ⁓ V is actually played by agent Smith from the matrix. and you know, it's a hit like a Hitler type of society and he's a speaker-0: Nick loves that movie. speaker-1: could be labeled a terrorist, but he's more of a freedom fighter because he lives under such oppression and he kind of unites the public to fight back against, you know, the big brother. So I wanted to include that and my last one on my list is really a Shawshank. Like I said, Redemption that was kind of an honorable for me, but I tried to be a little bit more specific with my other ones. So there you go. Okay. speaker-0: ⁓ so mine number four is true lies. love true lie. Loved it since it came out. ⁓ very disappointed in the 4k transfer, but I've already made a video on that. So we won't, we won't dwell on it, but true lies is so fun. It's Arnold's performances is great. It's one of his better acting performances. Yeah. speaker-1: That crossed my mind. I have I like how he's like a James Bond. speaker-0: I'm on. Yeah. Jamie Curtis, Tom. All right. It's just a great movie. So if you have never seen True Lies and there's something wrong with you, the Princess Bride, I love the Princess Bride. It's a comedy, but it's it's a fantasy story, right? That's being read. So it's one of the most quotable movies ever. I think any nerd that's like my age. Sure. I mean, did you watch it growing up? speaker-1: It was a little bit before me, but I'm familiar with it. It's in my peripheral. speaker-0: So yeah, The Princess Bride, fantastic movie. Frailty. ⁓ I love frailty. Have you seen that? speaker-1: I haven't, but I've heard a lot about it. That's McConaughey, right? speaker-0: Yes, Matthew McConaughey's in it. Bill Paxton wrote and directed it. It's some of his best work. It is my opinion, one of the better horror movies around very underrated, probably one of the most underrated movies that people just don't speak about. ⁓ But a great movie nonetheless. And then bright burn. Now this movie almost made it to my to my list. But all these others I really enjoy a little bit more than than bright burn but Okay, I had to mention it because it is a great. What if Superman was bad movie? I haven't seen it. speaker-1: Okay, I've heard of that. haven't seen it. I haven't seen it. Sorry. ⁓ speaker-0: Thanks for joining us. speaker-1: But I've heard of you. I know. Burn. OK, it's on the top of the list. speaker-0: Love super has never seen right. Jamie Fuss at you for cause Jamie Ray loves this movie too. speaker-1: Well, I need to watch it before I go back on his show. speaker-0: ⁓ He did it in the coming of age stories. speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, that's right. Yeah, I need to watch it. speaker-0: I'm sorry, Jamie. I don't know where I found this guy. anyway, so now we can start with the list. Now that we got the honorables out of the way. All right. Out the way. Go ahead. Your number. OK. speaker-1: I wanted to start the list off kind of fun. Okay. I went with days to confused It's a fun hangout movie. ⁓ It all takes place on the last day of school. Everybody knows that feeling when you're finally done with school ⁓ and you know being free so to speak and I mean There's so many actors in here before they hit their prime, you know Ben Affleck Parker Posey McConaughey speaker-0: ⁓ okay. speaker-1: creating the all right all right all right like that whole thing ⁓ they never they never made a sequel to it or nothing but it's just ⁓ live tyler yes and it's like a perfect capsule in time it was made in the 90s but it's supposed to reflect the 70s ⁓ and it's just a feel-good chill movie kind of a comfort movie i it's one that i like speaker-0: Lift highlars and then, huh? I've only seen it once. My wife made me watch it and I really enjoyed it. Yeah. But it's just not one of it. I guess because I didn't watch it when it first came out. Yeah. Because I would have been what? When did it come out? What year? speaker-1: Nah, you were, ⁓ was mid 90s. speaker-0: I 15 years ago. My wife is five years older than me. So that was like perfect for her. Oh, yeah. 20s or whatever. So it just it didn't quite hit with me. I got speaker-1: it for me it was mcconaughey in it like i know he's cheesy and stuff but it's you can't crack a smile well not you know watching that so he says speaker-0: in ⁓ the Texas chainsaw massacre movie too. But anyway, so anything else that's all you want to say about it? Yeah, that's okay. Well, my number 10 I just mentioned this with Jamie Ray and that in our coming of age stories, Road to Perdition. excellent movie. One of my favorite if not my favorite Tom Hanks performance as Michael Sullivan. ⁓ He goes on the road with his son because speaker-1: you go. With that, that's a good one. speaker-0: He's being hunted down by the boss's son because of things that happen. And it's just, it's so well directed and written. It's, it's not like an action movie or anything like that. It's, just, it's a coming of age story is what it is. And a bonding between Michael and his son, Michael and man, what's his name? Paul Newman. That's right. He's, he's the speaker-1: Yeah, he's the boss. speaker-0: the mafia boss, the mob boss and his son is 007 Daniel Craig. Craig. Yeah. And he kind of messes everything up. Early that pretty early. Yeah. Because the movie was made in 2003. I think. Yeah. Really? speaker-1: you Early Daniel Craig. It was I saw it my dad at the theater. saw that movie at the theater. That was a fun movie at the theater. speaker-0: Yeah. So yeah, that's my number 10. It's I can watch it anytime. ⁓ I don't have to be in a certain mood. If somebody suggested let's watch it. I'm all about it. speaker-1: That's a good one though. like that one. speaker-0: So all right, back to you. Number nine. speaker-1: Let's do it. ⁓ Okay, this one, ⁓ I didn't realize it was a flop because it's one of those ones I just discovered on video. ⁓ Sphere. speaker-0: ⁓ man, I love sphere. speaker-1: ⁓ OK, OK. I like it a lot, too. But apparently it's not like received. Well, a lot of people don't remember it. speaker-0: The movie is not nearly as good as the novel. And it was highly anticipated because of Jurassic Park and all of that. And I remember when I read it, my buddy Jonathan let me read it. And I was like, dude, this would make an awesome movie. And like less than a year later, the movie was. Wow. And I remember being disappointed because like the first half of the movie is like spot on. OK. But then it just kind of a lot of the choices they make are. and not as good as what happens in the novel. maybe that's kind of what happened. don't still enjoy the movie. I love Dustin Hoffman in it. speaker-1: Okay. That must be. ⁓ was great in it. Samuel Jackson. Yeah, him. And the lady is Sharon Stone. Sharon Stone. Yes. And I guess why I don't carry a lot of that baggage with that movie is I just discovered it on video like in the late 90s or early 2000s, whenever that was. And I was like, dang, it's like, it's kind of like alien where they're in like, you know, a tight environment, but they're under the water set up in space. And it speaker-0: Yeah. speaker-1: plays on their imagination and like the theme basically is we're not ready to handle what the sphere would have revealed to us. And I like the ending like not to give it away but it it's like whoa they kind of survive but somewhat you know what I mean? speaker-0: I ⁓ don't remember if that's what happened in the novel or not. I just remember there were lots of things in the novel that they changed and it wasn't quite as good. But I don't remember if the ending was the exact same. speaker-1: Huh, that's interesting. But yeah, it's like I said, it's one I discovered on video and I've always liked it. Like it was cool and like not a lot of people talk about it. So ⁓ that's on my list. speaker-0: Cool. Well, that's a good movie. like it. Dustin Hoffman is funny in it. But he, he writes, he writes the brief. What's the brief called? U L F. speaker-1: Something like that, speaker-0: call. And he said, that's something I wrote for the Bush administration. And he's like, well, that's our by Peter Coyote. Yeah, that's our Bible here. And then later on, Samuel Jackson, like, how did you come up with this team of, you know, for people to meet aliens? He goes, I made it up. It sounded good. speaker-1: It's so real the way he comes across. And then I like at the end, like he's like, they're in panic mode and he says, I'm an atheist, but flexible. speaker-0: ⁓ yeah. And then he noticed something on the sphere how it's not reflective. Yeah. And says, hate to be the only non-scientist to get this guy. Yeah, he's really good. speaker-1: He is good and that's a fun, fun movie. speaker-0: Well, my number nine is not as much fun. It's actually quite a downer, but with everything that's going on right now with AI and stuff, it's like, Hmm. And that is ex Machina. Ooh, that movie is fan. Fantastic. Have you ever. speaker-1: I need to revisit it. It's all. Yeah, I need to revisit it. speaker-0: so good Oscar Isaac and the little redhead guy the other one from Star Wars I forget his name he played Huck ⁓ in the later in the yeah in the sequel trilogy which we don't speak of ⁓ yeah good movie it it's a character study basically on how we would react with artificial intelligence like would it outsmart us would it really speaker-1: ⁓ yes, I know who you're talking to. speaker-0: basically take over almost like it's almost explaining could terminator to happen or terminator happen. That's what I'm saying. Yeah, it's basically I mean spoiler alert. If you haven't seen X Machina, you might want to fast forward about 10 seconds, but she manipulates him and into getting out. So it's a yeah, I don't know. I love it. I think it's great. I think the directing is it's ⁓ The guy who directed Civil War and stuff like that, did it, I forget his name, Alex something, but great, great movie. speaker-1: and a little bit ahead of its time kind of. speaker-0: Yes, probably about 10 years. Yeah. 10 years ahead of its time. Who would have known that we'd be where we are right now. Spending all this money on AI to make funny videos. Right. Yeah. speaker-1: yeah That's how it always starts. Then later there's yelling. speaker-0: And there's yelling and running and screaming and nuclear war. Okay. Yes. X Machina. If you haven't seen it, definitely watch it. speaker-1: Nice. ⁓ My next one I have on here is Walk the Line. speaker-0: Never seen that. I own it on DVD. I've never watched it because I'm not that interested in Johnny Cash. speaker-1: It's it's a great the acting in it is really good. Like Phoenix and Witherspoon, they do a great job acting off each other. It's probably one of my favorite films about like a musician. It kind of made me a Johnny Cash fan because it came out like in the early 2000s and it made me dive in more into Johnny Cash and like have more of our appreciation. But it's really well done because I mean, it kind of goes through his whole life. And then, you know, the good and the bad and It kind of sums it all up. And ⁓ it's really cool. Like from when he was doing gospel to like when he got into his later stuff and his ups and his downs with June Carter and and it's they've kind of left it alone. And he like sung a lot of the songs and all that. So ⁓ I wanted to include something more like a biopic on here. So ⁓ it's a fun one. It's worth checking out, I would say. Yeah, I guess I need to. Dad is the T 1000. speaker-0: to sum up the courage. ⁓ really? ⁓ Patrick. I did not know that. ⁓ huh. I love Robert Patrick. Met him once. He was great. speaker-1: Robert Patrick's in it as Johnny Cash's father. ⁓ yeah, forgot you said yeah. Yep. But no, that's it. speaker-0: Cool. Walk the line. Well, my number eight, ⁓ you and I both love this movie. We did a video on it and that is the prestige. So the prestige is, I can't say enough about it. It's, it's probably my favorite Christopher Nolan movie. Now I haven't seen every Christopher Nolan movie. ⁓ what's the one in space that interstellar interstellar. I haven't seen that one and I hear it's great. ⁓ speaker-1: We have a match. It's on by those two. speaker-0: And I didn't see tenant. Yeah. speaker-1: ⁓ I haven't seen Tenet either, but obviously I've seen Understeller. speaker-0: But anyway, I think that the prestige is some of his best work, if not his best, from what I've seen. ⁓ I love the dark night trilogy and all of that, but this is just, and Christian Bale is much better in this than he is in the dark night trilogy. He's great. Yeah. But he, yeah, he's more suited for this. Yeah. ⁓ what's his name? Wolverine huge. speaker-1: He has more nuance. Jack Jackman is grading it to my speaker-0: I cocaine ⁓ all of them just it is just a fantastic movie. speaker-1: And so rewatchable. It's got a huge rewatchability factor. And I like the ending is great because it's very ambiguous. They're he's ⁓ Hugh Jackman's up then Christian Bale's up and he they're going ping pong and back and forth. And the ending is ambiguous. And if they ever did anything with it, it would mess it up. Yeah. speaker-0: I started reading the novel. never finished it. It's, pretty good. ⁓ but I need to finish it. I like to know exactly the, know it's a lot different, so I want to, I want to see what the differences are. But, ⁓ yeah, the prestige. knew you would like that. I had a feeling you might have it on your list too. speaker-1: That's definitely a match we both have. My next one I have on here is Disturbia. speaker-0: ⁓ Shia LaBeouf? Yeah. speaker-1: My brother-in-law actually had introduced it to me years ago. ⁓ And I was kind like, okay, I'll try it out. But it was actually a fun movie and I liked it and I've gone back to it a lot because I don't know like growing up in the 90s early 2000s. This movie reminds me of growing up like his room and like the way he responds to things that kind of reminds me of a little bit when I was in school and I like that aspect but with the mystery of what if there was a killer next door. you know, because these killers live next door to somebody. And you know, the mystery of it. And then it's also a little bit of coming age because he has a crush on the girl next door. ⁓ It's right around that time. it might have been after the first one, but it but it was like right around that time early 2000s. But it's a fun it's a fun little speaker-0: Is this before Transformers or after? speaker-1: Little ride and like I said the guy I can't remember the guy's name that plays the killer he's in a lot of stuff, but it's well done and It's fun. It's a lot of fun speaker-0: Well, I have only seen it the one time. So. speaker-1: ⁓ huh. speaker-0: I remember liking it. Yeah. But I don't even really remember. You said it was about possibly killers next door. said, don't even remember. Oh, yes. It's the guy from the green mile. Yes. The big guy. Yeah, yeah. forget his name. speaker-1: Okay, the blonde headed guy. Yes. And, ⁓ you know, it's kind of got a lot in it. Because like I said, it's kind of like a coming age, but then it turns into a thriller. Yeah, where they're just trying to survive at the end. And Trinity plays his mom. ⁓ And, ⁓ you know, his, his room in his everyday life is relatable. ⁓ So that had to be on the list. speaker-0: Okay, hang on a second. I'm getting a text message here. You're good. ⁓ Okay, so that was your number seven, right? So my number seven, I just got the 4k disc two days ago. Okay. And I've been waiting for this because I only had a DVD copy. And I think it is one of Al Pacino's greatest performances, even though a lot of people don't recognize it as such. And that is the devil's advocate. Ooh, I speaker-1: Ooh. speaker-0: can watch this anytime. I don't need to be in a certain mood. And it's because mainly because of Al Pacino. Yeah. Cause whenever you watch this movie, you don't see Al Pacino. Like he's the devil. Yeah. Okay. Like there's no ifs, ands or buts about it. I mean, spoiler alert. I mean, if you don't know that Al Pacino is the devil in this movie, then I don't, I don't know where you've been, but ⁓ speaker-1: get in it. Right. speaker-0: man is he good. He really has you convinced the whole time that it's the devil at work and how he uses the speaker-1: law, which is what you think the devil would do. Right. ⁓ It makes sense the way he approaches everything. speaker-0: uses the law to infiltrate and to do what he's doing and try to, ⁓ finally get the anti-Christ and he's had so many children. Keanu is just one of, know, he's tried thousands of times or whatever, and he can't get it right. And, he's really close. speaker-1: Uh-huh. But what's interesting about that is you don't know all that upfront and it's very, it's supernatural more towards the end. In the beginning, it feels very straightforward. It doesn't feel supernatural in the beginning. And Keanu Reeves is like in and out of his faith. He's in over his head. And then it's slowly reveals all the supernatural stuff, but it all fits together. speaker-0: Yeah, because it's like, is it a horror movie? Is it not? mean, it it not it really isn't. But there's a couple of like freaky parts. I remember my wife watching it. And, know, we are very devout Catholic. So my wife, she ain't watching that. That's the devil. You know what saying? She's not going to watch it. So it's but it's just such a fun movie. And it's mainly because of Al Pacino. mean, everything else is great. Charlize her little descent into madness. She's slowly going crazy. yeah, all of it. It's just how, how the devil manipulates people, which is what he does. It's, don't know. It's just, it is a great movie that does not get enough credit. speaker-1: Yeah, you're right. When it's brought up about opportunity, you hear about Godfather star. You don't hear speaker-0: Yeah. Yeah. You don't hear about the devil's advocate. And it is just it's super. speaker-1: that one scene that creeped out is I remember towards the beginning, that girl smiles and then her. ⁓ speaker-0: ⁓ yeah, yeah, she's changing. She's putting on a blouse and she looks at her, smiles at it and just turns it to a demon. speaker-1: That was and that was part of the movie where he hadn't really start slowly showing that part of his family. Yeah, because you don't expect it. But no good pick. You make me want to revisit some of these two. speaker-0: that freaks out my wife. Yeah. ⁓ Boom, boom, that's the point, baby. speaker-1: My next one's gonna be Commando. Is that on your list too? Yeah, I so. speaker-0: One of my favorite auto movies by the speaker-1: And one of the few ones he didn't make a sequel to, you know, I did. speaker-0: That didn't even, I didn't even think about that, that there's not even a sequel or remake of Commander. speaker-1: I was trying to write. was like thinking about it and it's a perfect setup. He's retired and his daughter gets kidnapped and he's brought back into the fold. He's blackmailed. He has to go back into it, pull out his old tricks and eliminate his enemies one by one. It's almost like a video game style. beats one. speaker-0: Right, he's blackmailing. they're to blackmail him right but it never even i mean he doesn't he's like no i'm just gonna kill everybody speaker-1: come to yeah, and one by one and ⁓ it's perfect. You know, he gets his kid back at the end. And if you were if they had ever added to it, it mess it up because like the missions over he got her back. What are you going to take her? That's what kind of messed up the taken movies. You know, the taken movie was really good. But then after I was like again, with Commando, it's better on its own as much as I love franchises. That's one that is good on its own. speaker-0: Should've just been one. Yeah. I love them. speaker-1: Yeah, that's a fun one. And you met the actor, the big bad. speaker-0: I met Vernon Wells twice. Actually, he was at two different conventions that I went to and they were about seven years apart. And I showed him the picture. I was like, look, this was us seven years ago. And he goes, Ooh, because he aged quite a bit in those seven years. You know, he changed a lot, but that was about two years before the fires and he lost everything. He was one of the celebrities that they interviewed. And he said, speaker-1: dang. ⁓ speaker-0: He basically left his house. They had to evacuate with just the clothes on their back. Wow. He lost all of his everything he's collected over his career from his movies and whatnot. His awards that me have, it's all gone. speaker-1: lots of armor especially the stuff that's your not speaker-0: But man, one of my favorite celebrity actors that I've met, mean the nicest guy, I love him. He's jerk on any, any plays a bad guy almost every movie. Yeah. But he is, he's awesome. He's, I really like him. there you All right. So the next one number six on my list is my only comedy and speaker-1: And he's such a and really hams it up like work. we go, good acting. Cool. speaker-0: When I say it's smart, it's because not only is it hilarious and I think it's one of the funniest movies ever made, but it's a courtroom drama as well. And it's very accurate. Okay. And that is my cousin Vinnie. Okay. Joe Pesci is peak Joe Pesci in my opinion. So yes, I love tough guy. Joe Pesci. Okay. I love him as a gangster. Sure. I love him as the tough. speaker-1: Cool. ⁓ speaker-0: but dumb ⁓ burglar in Home Alone. Yeah. But my cousin Vinny is it's one of the funniest movies ever made. Like I just said there, I'm pretty sure in my was it Nick and I that did funniest movies ever made video a couple of years ago. I know it's on that list. Okay. Because anytime I think of what's one of the funniest movies ever, it's my cousin Vinny. There's like 92 or 93. speaker-1: It was early 90s, right? Yeah. That's when he was doing a whole. speaker-0: ⁓ yeah. Marissa Tomei won best supporting actress for that role. It's ⁓ the courtroom procedures and the terminology used is all accurate. The director was a lawyer. So it's just, it's a smart movie yet hilarious. And it's not in a slapstick funny way. speaker-1: Hey, yeah. see why you included it now because it's more the way the people act and the situation. It's not slot. Yeah, it's like just up there telling jokes or going off of a right speaker-0: It's not toilet humor or anything like that. It's just they are like fish out of water. Yeah. People from was it Jersey or New York? And all of a sudden they're in Alafrican Bama. You killed a good old boy. There is no way this isn't going to trial, you know. speaker-1: I think it was Jersey. That's good. And it's the characters that are funny, like just the way they are. It's not like my brother saying speaker-0: My brother's one of his favorite parts is he's going in to visit them in the jail and the guard opens the door, lets him in and Vinnie pulls out a dollar and gives him a tip, gives the prison guard a tip for letting him in. mean, you know, just little things like that. Just it's brilliant. It's such a well written and directed and acted movie that it had to be included on here because it stands the test of time. It's just as funny now as it was. speaker-1: character moments. speaker-0: when it speaker-1: nice well good that's a good another good pick ⁓ okay my next one is also it's a little bit lesser known ⁓ kind of like how i felt about sphere maybe even less so frequency i've never seen frequency speaker-0: I don't know if I've seen that one. speaker-1: It's Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviecel. ⁓ speaker-0: Oh yeah, I've never seen that one. I just kind of think so. speaker-1: saw it in the early 2000s. I think it was 99 or 2000. It was early on. And basically, this Jim Cavie, so gets a hold. His son kids are playing and they get a hold of this old ham radio that he had when he was a kid. And he starts playing with it. But when he's playing with it, that's when the Northern Lights the Aurora borealis is happening in the sky. Okay. And his dad died when he was a kid. But through the ham radio, he's able to commune with his dad. speaker-0: ⁓ I see. It's almost like a wormhole. speaker-1: It's like a wormhole yet and it's it's you know, it's sentimental. It's cool. And it's taking place like in the late 90s. But then, you know, his dad is living in the 60s and they start talking and communicating. But then they accidentally start messing up time where because he starts telling his dad stuff and it's cool. It's like a cool little nugget. If you never saw speaker-0: That was going to be my next question. Yeah. Do they know who that it's father? speaker-1: First, the father doesn't believe him. But then he starts telling him stuff that only he would know. OK. And then they start to exchange messages. And this happens early on. He basically he tells his dad to avoid because his dad's a firefighter to avoid the situation that kills him. So then his dad doesn't die. Then he dies later. Stuff. Yeah, they start messing up, messing stuff up, kind of like Back to the Future. ⁓ speaker-0: Okay. It's like Biff taking the DeLorean back. speaker-1: And but then there's also a killer. So there's like a thriller element to it because there was this serial killer going around at that time. And since his dad survived that one situation, his mom was in a different place. And then his mom gets killed by the serial killer. Oh, wow. So it's and there's more than that. But then it starts to it's cool, man. And when I discovered it, when I was like 16, I was like, this is amazing. You know, so it's a fun movie. Yeah. It's a fun little. speaker-0: I might actually have. I knew it had something to do with the radios and him communicating, but I don't have no recollection of it being his dad. So that's kind of. Okay. Well, my number five is ⁓ one of my favorite alien movies, not alien as in Sigourney Weaver alien, but extraterrestrial movies. Okay. ⁓ speaker-1: Yeah, it was cool. It's a fun one. speaker-0: Filled with tension. You don't really see the aliens a whole lot. And it's more of holy crap. What do we do? Okay. And that is signs. such a brilliant movie with, and the term signs has multiple meanings. It's not just the alien signs in the, the cornfields and whatnot. It's also speaker-1: have another match. speaker-0: signs from God and, just different little nuggets happening for a reason. It's a movie about faith or a man who lost his faith. Some I've even heard some people say, and I don't know if I quite agree with it, but kind of, it's almost like the exorcist, you know, a preacher who loses his faith type thing. So, know, maybe kind of a little bit, but either way, such a good movie. speaker-1: Everything happening for a reason. Yeah, it does have that and I'm just thinking about it, you know, like it's almost like his belief in aliens brings them back to his faith in God because that happening proves that things happen for a reason because his wife told him to swing the bag away tells him. Yeah. speaker-0: And the fact that the girl wouldn't drink the water. is what hurts the A's. And so he and because the boy had ⁓ asthma, his lungs kind of seized up so he didn't breathe in the. Yeah. So all of these things kind of bring him back around. So just a phenomenal movie. It's it's ⁓ Night's best movie. It's great. There's no there's no comparison. No other ⁓ Night Shyamalan movie compares to this. speaker-1: poison And I obviously love the faith stuff. I love the sci-fi stuff, but it also has one of the best jump scares ever. ⁓ video footage and I remember I saw this one in the theater with us and I saw this one in the theater too with my dad. I think it was like 2001 or 2002 and when you see that video footage and the alien turns and looks it's like what? speaker-0: Creeps me out. But you know, when I was in it, I've told this story before in the theater, watching it, I was with my girlfriend and I don't remember if producer Nick and his girlfriend was there at the same time. Because we used to double date all the time. ⁓ I was definitely there with the girl I was dating at the time and the entire theater screamed when Mel Gibson was in the cornfield and he sees the old. Yeah, I just got chill bumps thinking about it. Yeah. It freaked everybody out. Yeah. speaker-1: leg yeah speaker-0: ⁓ like it's one of the few movies that and the conjuring are the only two movies that I've been in where people screamed in the theater. Yeah. ⁓ and that, that part is just because I know I would have had a mess in my pants. If I would have been. speaker-1: if you were in his position absolutely. speaker-0: first of all, will say, okay, I was in the military and I was a police officer. I ain't going in the cornfield. Okay, by myself that whenever there's suspicious things, it's not happening. Okay, so I wouldn't have been in that situation to see a green light. Okay. But yes, great movie. I love it's one of my favorites. speaker-1: night. In another case of less is more, because had you been inundated with all this stuff, the leg and the turning wouldn't have been as effective. speaker-0: Yeah, you just see the leg. You see the video from the party and you see the hand. ⁓ And that's all you see until the very end. And then you mostly see a reflection in the TV. That's effective. Yeah. So yeah, just fantastic movie. I love it. Yeah. speaker-1: great one. Let's see what I have. ⁓ that that was signs was my next one. four. Yes, signs was my next one. Go ahead. speaker-0: I'm your number four. Well, my number four is, ⁓ It's another courtroom movie. Okay. Coincidentally, I didn't do it on purpose, but, This is probably. It's more if I put in the greatest movies of all, I think it is in my list that I did with Donovan. OK. But I'm struggling for words to describe how good it is, and I think most people know, but a few good men. the performances, obviously Jack Nicholson. That's what. Yeah. Tom Cruise, Kevin Bacon. Not he isn't given enough credit for his role in this movie. Demi Moore, Moore. Yeah. Even though I don't really think she's a great actress per se. think she's one of those. She's good. She was really great in the substance, but she for the type of character she was playing in this, she was perfect. Yeah. The, she wants to be, she wants to be much better than she really is, you know, but she just has the drive. ⁓ Kevin Pollock as the kind of, I don't know. I don't know. We should do that. Okay. The skeptic or whatever. Just speaker-1: ⁓ huh. speaker-0: Everything about it is is great. And I can watch it anytime there. do not have to be in a mood. I don't have to say, ⁓ if somebody puts it on, if I'm visiting somebody's house and they're flipping through the channels and they put on a few good men, I'm going to watch the whole damn thing. speaker-1: I haven't seen it in years. I want to go revisit it now. You give me some more homework. speaker-0: It's so good. Yeah. Rob Reiner. mean, his, uh, what do you call it? His, um, library is just, the man was great. I'm completely not on board with his politics, but as far as his talent and what he did for a living, I mean, the dude was just one of the best to ever do it. There's just no doubt. mean, I have princess bride as an honorable mention. then now I have a few good men. I mean, we could have thrown misery in there. You know, it's just he's so good. But this is some of his best stuff. speaker-1: Well, and I feel like if you that's I'd say like that would probably be on a lot of people's lists of like some of the best 90s movies, you know, ⁓ I hear that one come up. So that that's yeah, that's an admirable choice. All right. My next one is the prestige. OK. And we already covered that one. ⁓ Do you want to go for your third one? speaker-0: Of it is, it's mine. Okay. Number three, didn't do this on purpose, but I mean, the man is good. And I did mention it earlier, probably the best cops and robbers movie ever made. Okay. And that is heat with ⁓ Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Danny Trey. not Michael Mattson. The other one. ⁓ speaker-1: Okay. ⁓ Okay. Ooh, yeah, that's a good one. about Kilmer. speaker-0: man, I can't think of his name, but such a good crime drama type movie. Michael Mann is a great director, of course. I also thought about, this probably should be an honorable mention, Collateral was kind of on my short list, another Michael Mann movie, great performances. But yeah, this is my favorite cops and robbers movie. speaker-1: it's it's a layered movie. There's so much to it. I mean, you spend a lot of time and Al Pacino is a good guy in it. Like that that's different. And you spend so much time with Pacino but also De Niro on their own in their own element. You know, like when you kind of see Robert Nero's kind of day to day when he goes to that bar and stuff like you get a chance to really see these characters breathe. There's so many speaker-0: in it that yeah because you got Val Kilmer and his wife having their issue. De Niro is falling for the actress that plays judging Amy. can't remember her name. Yeah, but he's falling for her. So you have you have love stories. Oh, you have Al Pacino and his wife having their issues with Natalie Portman as a stepdaughter. So and then all the while you got the bad guys being chased by the good guys and outsmarting each other and and speaker-1: I say they're in. speaker-0: Look, it was a huge deal for me because, well, it was a huge deal for everybody, but I was at the ripe old age of like 15 or 16 when this came out. And it's like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on screen together for the first time ever. Yeah. Such a big deal to get those two guys on screen talking to each other on opposite sides, you know, cause they both usually play like, um, speaker-1: was so it was a lot of times. speaker-0: the mafia type people. So such a groundbreaking movie, you have the shootout, which everybody knows you just call it, you know, the shootout. It's one of the best shootouts in cinema history. Yeah. speaker-1: I have the blu ray too. It's pretty good. Yeah. And just mentioning Christopher Nolan again, that was one of his big inspirations for the Dark Knight, like the crime element in that movie. He that he labels that as like one of his ⁓ inspirations with how speaker-0: Really? Yeah. Well, if you think about it, yeah, the opening, it's very kind of similar to the heist in heat. Right. Yeah. speaker-1: Okay. With the Joker. Yeah. So no, that was, that's a great pick. And especially for the time, you know, cause if it but it's Okay, so I'm glad you brought that movie up now because they are making a sequel, but it hasn't happened yet. speaker-0: And I knew that when I was making my list. I'm like, yeah, but it's got to be on the list because there is no sequel yet. Yeah. And I think who did they tap to do it? speaker-1: Last time. I don't know, but it has a humongous cast. Kylo Ren is in it. speaker-0: Is it ⁓ what's his name that just did the running man? Is it him? speaker-1: Maybe it's ⁓ But it's it's got I remember seeing the cast list and I was like, ⁓ my gosh, it's like 15 people, like a lot like big names. speaker-0: I wonder if it's going to be like characters that are related to this one or if it's just going to be came alone, just the same type of story. speaker-1: ⁓ and name alone. I bet you they, and I'm just speculating, they probably do a little bit of both where there's like one or two characters tied to previous. speaker-0: about Kilmer's son because remember he had yeah his son's name was Dominic right no I'm thinking I'm thinking of kindergarten cop speaker-1: ⁓ yeah, yeah, no. You're thinking a kindergarten cop. Which yeah, that one they made a sequel to two years later. speaker-0: Yeah, with dolphin and it's probably terrible. Probably terrible. So your number. speaker-1: Number two. My number two, Goodfellas. That's probably one. Oh, well, I it's one of those ones I read. I discovered it when I was like 18. And it's one of those ones I go back to at least once a year. Such like when I think of like a real movie, I think of that one, like how they glamorize the mob life at the beginning, like how he's able to go into the restaurant and the tables ready for him and they're serving them. And you could see how the girlfriend is like, oh, my gosh, this is amazing. speaker-0: ⁓ okay. That didn't even cross my mind. speaker-1: And they're doing great for a while. Then it shows you the dirty side when they get involved in the drugs and the crime. And it's a true story. Yeah. And, you know, they never did another part of it, but it really did encapsulate the good and the bad of the mob life. And it's so rewatchable and Pesci's in there too. And ⁓ poor guy. I mean, he thinks he's going to be a made man. He's like, I made it, mom. He's good. speaker-0: it's a true story. speaker-1: And then they just off and then they start cannibalizing each other, start killing each other all over the place. ⁓ But it's such a fun one to watch. speaker-0: And I think that's why I don't rewatch it a lot is because the second half of the movie, when things start to unravel, it's not as much fun to me. I really love the beginning whenever they're like kind of rising. mean, the first line of the movie is what ever since I was a kid. Yeah. So such a good opening line, but it's very similar to. ⁓ speaker-1: I know it's it's it's split. I always wanted to be a gangster. speaker-0: casino. Yes. And that's actually a true story as well. Well, based on a true story. I'm a score says he but it's kind of the same thing. It shows their rise when they're at their peak and everything like Joe Pesci says and in the end we have that all up. So it's but yeah, good choice. speaker-1: both squircese too. Yeah, they're good. And I like both of those, but I prefer Goodfellas more. just De Niro with Leota and Pesci. It's like, you know, you you want to hang out with them, even though you may not make it through the night. speaker-0: the scene where the what what do mean I'm funny yeah that whole scene where at first you're like oh crap because you believe that Joe Pesci is being serious uh-huh and even Ray Liotta is like Henry Hill's his name oh I just mean you're uh you know you're a funny guy what does that mean do I amuse you you know that type speaker-1: Yeah, funny how. Henry Hill, great scene and so memeable for a reason, know, like when Ray Liotta's laughing and all that. speaker-0: ⁓ yeah, yeah. Where he's like this. Yeah. speaker-1: I've used that meme so many times. man, if you just want to escape for a couple hours and watch someone's life story, watch that one. Yeah. Even though I know Hollywood, like they say, Henry Hill wasn't as appealing as he comes off in the movie or as good looking and things like that. I mean, it's a fun ride regardless. speaker-0: Good choice. Yeah. my number two is a true story as well. ⁓ I think this is a near perfect movie. It's high on my list. Great performances. One of the greatest directors of all time in this theater. It sounds fantastic, which I forgot to mention that the prestige sounds amazing in here. But Apollo 13. ⁓ I love this movie. speaker-1: Okay. speaker-0: It makes me proud to be an American, know, as you as you're watching it, you're like, yeah. speaker-1: I saw that in the theater too. speaker-0: I did too as well. saw it at the, ⁓ the Westwood theater, which used to be, it was, ⁓ it was just one screen and it was an oversized screen. ⁓ okay. But it doesn't exist anymore. But I saw it there. ⁓ Ron Howard, of course, is who I'm speaking of as far as one of the greatest directors, Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Gary Sinise, Bill Paxton. Yeah. All-star cast, all-star cast, great performances. even I've probably seen the movie. Let's if I got to throw a number, I'm going to say 30 times. Okay, I've seen that many times. And every time I watch it, I'm like this. Like, like, as if I don't know, they're gonna make it back. So good. And what they were able to do to get those guys back is nothing short of a miracle. mean, they what they did is just one of the greatest accomplishments, even though it was speaker-1: Bye. speaker-0: I think he even describes it as it's one of the most successful failed missions of all time or something like that. That's right. They, didn't complete their mission. They completely failed, but it was absolutely successful because they got these guys home when they probably shouldn't have. You know, so such a great movie. And if you haven't seen it because you're young and this movie came out in 93, go watch this movie. It's, it's a piece of American history. speaker-1: It's a good way to just. speaker-0: And it's just a fantastic watch. speaker-1: And it has good pacing too, because you know, when when they're just kind of floating around trying to figure it out, Sunnys is back on earth, like going through modules, trying to figure out as if he was up there, like, you know what I mean? That keeps it from being slow and some of the slow. speaker-0: But had he not, they thought he was going to get the measles and had he been on the spacecraft, they probably wouldn't have been able to, cause he was the reason why they were able to get the guys back. Cause he's figured out on earth. If he'd have been up there, he wouldn't have been able to figure it out. So they may not have gotten home. So it's just everything had to happen the way it did for these guys to get back. And it's just a fascinating story to watch. speaker-1: Mm-hmm. because he's figuring it out on Earth. That's a good point, Yeah, you make me want to rewatch it because I haven't seen it in a while and it's a great 90s. Yeah, do have it on 4k? Yeah. speaker-0: And the DTS X mix. Yes. OK. And the but the audio mix is just phenomenal. Now you feel like you're in that damn spacecraft the whole time you're watching the movie. Wow. It's great. And another Ron Howard movie that I was going to put on the list, but then I found out they made a sequel to it or it was considered to be on the list was backdraft. Excellent movie. And it sounded like it's like. speaker-1: Nice. You showed me that one on here. Yes, I think I did. They just filmed it. Yes. speaker-0: So I guess Ron Howard is very much a stickler to how his movies sound because that's two DTSX mixes that are just fantastic. speaker-1: Nice. Very good. ⁓ My last one is involving space as well. This one is fictional, but I'm going interstellar. ⁓ Well, we talked about prestige and yeah, we mentioned interstellar. Yes, I mentioned it. ⁓ So yeah, interstellar. ⁓ Great cast. ⁓ McConaughey, ⁓ Damon ⁓ and Hathaway's in it. ⁓ speaker-0: we just talk about there. speaker-1: Alfred what's his name Michael Kane and ⁓ the guy from from dune when he was younger the main guy from dune and to me shaman he's in it but he's a lot younger ⁓ yeah speaker-0: My cocaine. Timothy Shalaman. place his son, right? speaker-1: And, ⁓ gosh, the, redheaded lady, Jessica Chastain, I think, ⁓ she plays the daughter as she's older. ⁓ this one is another one that I go back and I kind of discovered, I discovered it on video. I didn't see it at the theater, but there's so much to it. They really play Christopher Nolan really plays on this mystery aspect to it all because you know, it's like a sect of NASA working on eventually getting, trying to get astronauts off the earth to eventually like colonize another land in the event that the earth doesn't make it. Okay. So that's kind of the premise, but they're working under the radar and McConaughey gets involved because they start to notice these tremors in the ground and like there's a scientific aspect to it. But regardless, they eventually get involved. He has to leave his family to go on this desperate mission and they play with, you know, the whole thing. Like, okay, you can go to this planet. and scout this one out. But the way time works when you get back, for you, it's going to be a few hours for you, but it's going to be 10 years for the crew. They play with that a lot. So like you have characters aging while other ones just went on a mission. ⁓ And then it's a whole movie. He's trying to get back to his daughter while saving the planet. And I don't want to give away what happens, but it's a fun science fiction movie. speaker-0: How much time has passed? speaker-1: And it plays a lot like they think this one planet is very mountainous because they have like the sonar readings. But then when they get to the planet, it's a big tidal wave. But it looked like it was mountainous on the radar. But they get so they basically lost years for going down there for no reason. And the guy, you know, so it's really interesting. It's very. Do you ever see the Martian? Yes. OK. It kind of has like that realistic feel like that did. but like a little bit more sci-fi and it's a fun movie. ⁓ I try to watch it at least once a year. ⁓ speaker-0: I've seen the memes of like Matthew McConaughey crying. ⁓ speaker-1: Yeah. ⁓ But no, it's a good one. I don't want to give too much away, but it's speaker-0: Yeah, because I want to watch it. And speaking of the Martian, they're doing Project Hail Mary, which is the same guy that wrote The Martian. Yeah. speaker-1: That's with what's his name. ⁓ speaker-0: That's the running man, right? ⁓ Ryan Gosling. Yeah. speaker-1: No, Ryan Gosling is the running man is the top gun guy, Glenn Powell. speaker-0: Yeah, Glenn Powell. Okay. So my number one, and this is what, and I put it number one, because I think it's one of the greatest movies, not in a franchise of all time. And if you disagree with me within, I don't know what else to tell you. But that is the 1986 gym maximum overdrive. speaker-1: All right, I'm excited. speaker-0: That's a joke. No, it is. It doesn't have a it doesn't have sequels or prequels or remakes or whatever. So it's one of my honorable mentions, but I thought it would be funny to say that it's one of my greatest because ⁓ it's one of my favorite movies of all time and it's terrible. But it's ⁓ it's great at the same time. Like I just released a couple of shorts from our. We made you. So, no, actually, my number one was Pulp Fiction. ⁓ OK, Pulp Fiction was a speaker-1: saw that, yeah. speaker-0: groundbreaking movie. It kind of changed cinema, to be honest with you. I know movies had been done in that vein before where it was at different times. But I think Quentin Tarantino. I mean, I know he did it with reservoir dogs, but he really perfected it with this movie, where, know, the timeline is or the movie is not told in sequential order or whatever. ⁓ but it is, it's a masterpiece. is widely considered one of the greatest movies ever made. And there's no doubt about that. So, yeah, I had to, I had to just put it at number one because it's just one of the best. one of the greatest. speaker-1: And it's rewatchable too, because like you said, the movie's not in order. And I love how in that movie, you know, you, you have like the hit man going on a mission, but they're talking about like, what's a pilot or, know, like I love Tarantino's way that he can like the important things happening over here. Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Or even in the, even in dust, tell Donnie does that. speaker-0: talk about foot massages. Have you ever given a guy foot massage? speaker-1: They're arguing if he's crazy or not while the freaking gas station's blowing up. know, ⁓ good, man, we had more crossovers there than we've ever had. So we both had pulp fiction. We both had. Signs. We both had a prestige and then we both had space movies. So. speaker-0: side. Yeah. Pulp fiction is just, it's no doubt. It's one of his, his best works. mean, of course his dialogue is what makes his movies. There's no doubt. Sure. Even if it's not necessarily realistic sometimes. I think that Quentin has a hard time with women's dialogue because if you watch death proof, I think the biggest problem with that is that doesn't feel like natural for the women dialogue doesn't feel natural because now look, I'm not saying women don't speak that way, but I think most women don't speak to each other that way. They don't, they don't converse in that manner. Yeah. It just didn't feel natural. speaker-1: Rosario Dawson and then then Kurt Russell is the bad guy. speaker-0: Yes. speaker-1: That was an interesting one. That was one of his grind house. speaker-0: I love the movie, but, it just gets kind of hard to watch sometimes because some of the, dialogue with the girls just doesn't seem natural. It seems a little, it seems more like conversation men would have boys would have than girls. anyway, ⁓ normal crime dialogue though, it seems to be his strong suit. It's just fun to watch. ⁓ So yeah, Pulp Fiction, it was a game changer. It kind of changed cinema. And so it had to be number speaker-1: Yeah, I'll start cast. If you're any kind of, you know, cinephile, that's one that should be on your list. You know, like no brainer. speaker-0: So, well, if you want to put in the comments how great my list was and how Dominic's was okay, feel free to let us know which ones you agree with for Donovan, Dominic and not. And did I say Donovan earlier? I think I said Donovan. I'm in Dominic. I need different names because it's too close. It's a tongue twister when I try to say all names. But yeah, please give us your list. Let us know what you think we missed. Now, look, there's plenty more movies. I mean, we could have. spit out deliverance and just all these other movies. But to try to make it a list of 10 was difficult and we had to go with what we enjoy watching and can watch anytime basically. speaker-1: and without strings attached as far as sequels and remakes and all that. As much as I like some movies like that, was a good exercise to kind of make myself find ones that were more obscure than that. speaker-0: So cool deal. All right. Well, thanks for joining. speaker-1: Always, always a pleasure. speaker-0: And like, subscribe, tell your friends and we'll catch you on the next one.