Dumb & Dumber (1994) - #244

Empire top 301: #244
IMDb top 250: -

Rating 6/10

"Just when I thought you couldn't possibly be any dumber, you go and do something like this... and totally redeem yourself!"

Director: Peter Farrelly
Writers: Peter Farrelly, Bennett Yellin & Bobby Farrelly 
Starring: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels & Lauren Holly

Harry (Daniels) and Lloyd (Carrey) are two brainless losers who try to return a suitcase full of money to its pretty owner (Holly). After a journey full of accidents they arrive in snowy Aspen, Colorado and try to find her. But will they succeed?

In 1994 I was 10  and when my parents finally let me watch this movie when I was a couple of years older, I thought it was one of the funniest things I'd ever seen. Myself and my siblings watched it over and over again and we always found it hilarious. Now 20 years later after watching again, I can still say it's a very funny movie. My humour over those years has changed so there are several moments in the movie which no longer make me buckle over with laughter. However, Lloyds fantasy over Mary and Harry's toilet scene still make me roar and I still find Harry's reply to the cop's calling of "pullover" with "no it's a cardigan but thanks for noticing" absolute genius. 

Both Carrey and Daniels are very funny in the movie, especially Jeff Daniels who plays stupid really well. Terri Garr is criminally underused and I would have liked to have seen more of her character. Lauren Holly's deer in a headlights acting, wears thin on me now and I find her character rather irritating. 

Dumb & Dumber has become a cult classic, but of all the Farrelly brother's comedies I'd have liked to have seen in the top 301 it would have been There's Something About Mary which I feel is much better and funnier than this. 

Good Will Hunting (1997) - #117

Empire top 301: #117
IMDb top 250: #133

Rating 8/10

Director: Gus Van Sant
Writers: Matt Damon & Ben Affleck
Starring: Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgård, Casey Affleck & Cole Hauser

"You'll have bad times, but it'll always wake you up to the good stuff you weren't paying attention to."

South Boston laborer Will Hunting (Damon), a genius who, as part of a deferred prosecution agreement after assaulting a police officer, becomes a patient of a therapist (Williams) and studies advanced mathematics with a renowned professor (Skarsgård). Through his therapy sessions, Will re-evaluates his relationships with his best friend (Affleck), his girlfriend (Driver), and himself, facing the significant task of thinking about his future.

In the wake of the sad news of Robin Williams' passing I had to watch one of his movies. It was too soon for Mrs Doubtfire, Jumanji or Jack, as I would have been a sobbing wreck by the end, so I opted for Good Will Hunting, a movie I had not yet seen. I grew up with Robin Williams movies, the aforementioned and Hook, Aladdin and Patch Adams. He was a massive talent and an actor who could pull of comedic and dramatic roles with such ease. He will be missed. 

His performance in this picture is exceptional. He breathes life into Damon and Affleck's beautiful script and I found myself filling up during the scenes where Sean talks about his late wife. Williams thoroughly deserved his Oscar. Matt Damon is equally as impressive and their scenes together are stunning.

The writing from Affleck and Damon is fantastic. It's poignant and clever and at times very, very funny. It was a bit of a task trying to decipher what Ben Affleck was saying in parts, due to the strong Boston accent but as the movie progressed I got used to it. 

Gus Van Sant's direction was good, however the slow motion fight scene at the start of the movie was a bit silly and looked very fake. Had he actually slowed down the footage itself it might have been passable but having the actors act out the fight in slow motion themselves just made it look bad. I also loved Danny Elfman's score, it fitted the tone of the movie perfectly.

A really good film, made even better by the late, great Robin Williams. May he finally find peace!! 

Network (1976) - #271

Empire top 301: #271
IMDb top 250:

Rating 6/10

Director: Sidney Lumet
Writers: Paddy Chayefsky
Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch, Robert Duvall, Ned Beatty & Beatrice Straight

"I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!"

Howard Beale (Finch) has been the longtime anchor of the UBS Evening News. He suddenly learns from his oldest and best friend Max Schumacher (Holden) that he only has two weeks left on air, due to declining ratings. During his next broadcast Beale tells the nation that he will commit suicide live on air during his final broadcast. Beale is fired but given the opportunity to go out gracefully and apologise for his outburst. When next on air, Beale apologises but then proceeds to rant that life is bullshit. This second outburst sees a spike in the ratings and led by the head of the network's programming department, Diane Christensen (Dunaway) they decide to capitalise on the success of Beale's rants and keep him on air. Eventually, giving him his own show where he is hailed as "the mad prophet of the airwaves".

Network was another film I had never seen and was really looking forward to. It regularly shows on "greatest movie moments" TV shows and it's performances, Peter Finch's in particular, are always praised. Whilst I agree there are some great acting scenes in this picture by the end of the movie I just felt like I'd been shouted at for the last 2 hours. Every actor in this piece has a "screaming" moment, whereby they chew the scenery and yell their lines at their co-stars.

I found the characters in the film really interesting, even though they were all pretty loathsome. But unfortunately I couldn't connect/appreciate them because of the constant screaming of the actors.

The writing is excellent and the premise of the movie - allowing a man to have a breakdown live on air for viewing figures - whilst not completely shocking now, must have been rather uncomfortable viewing back in 1976.

Whilst I'm glad I've now finally seen it, I can't say I'll be recommending it. I'm not sure I get the fuss.