98. Yankee Doodle Dandy

Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, Richard Whorf
MPAA Rating: NR
Released: June 6, 1942
Running Time: 126 minutes
Gross Revenue: $4.8 million
Academy Awards

• Best Actor in a Leading Role
• Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture
• Best Sound, Recording
• Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Nominated)
• Best Director (Nominated)
• Best Film Editing (Nominated)
• Best Picture (Nominated)
• Best Writing, Original Story (Nominated)

The Basic Plot in 100 Words or Less

This is a biographical musical film (not actually a musical) about George M. Cohan, a patriotic Irish-American born to theatrical parents and raised on the stage.  His cockiness gets him (and his family) into some hard times, but ultimately it pays off.  He dupes his way into becoming a partner producer and gets his original work on Broadway.  He writes, directs, acts, choreographs, produces and becomes “Mr. Broadway.”  His patriotic songs, Yankee Doodle Dandy and Over There, bolster the nation during WWI.  And even though he parodies FDR on stage, he is still given a Congressional Medal of Honor.  

Buy It, Rent It, Don't Even Bother

Rent this one.  It was pretty fun with all the music and dancing, although I sat agape at the 10 seconds of black face as the movie portrayed the various forms of theatre the family participated in.  I really liked watching the grandiose shows and realizing that these huge casts and set designs and optical illusions were all created on stage a long time ago, but were still awe-striking.  I've always wanted to go to Broadway an seeing what it was like at the beginning of the 20th century is pretty amazing.  The Library of Congress called the film, "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".  And you can see that it is.  Worth seeing, but it could wait until the Fourth of July as more of a thematic movie while waiting for fireworks to start.

Trivia

George M. Cohan chose James Cagney to play him.

Many facts were changed or ignored to add to the feel of the movie. For example, the real George M. Cohan was married twice, and although his second wife's middle name was Mary, she went by her first name, Agnes. In fact, the movie deviated so far from the truth that, following the premiere, the real George M. Cohan commented, "It was a good movie. Who was it about?"

James Cagney broke a rib while filming a dance scene, but continued dancing until it was completed.

 

For more trivia go to IMDb.com.

99. Toy Story

Directed by John Lasseter
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
MPAA Rating: G
Released: November 22, 1995
Running Time: 81 minutes
Budget: $30 million
Gross Revenue: $362 million
Academy Awards:

• Best Music -- Original Song (Nominated)
• Best Music -- Original Musical or Comedy Score (Nominated)
• Best Writing -- Screenplay Written for the Screen (Nominated)

The Basic Plot in 100 Words or Less

It’s Andy’s birthday and new presents mean possible replacements for the toys.  Everyone’s freaked but Woody the cowboy.  But it’s Woody at risk of replacement by Buzz Lightyear the Space Ranger.  Buzz is the cool new toy and Woody’s left with “Laser Envy.”  Bad goes to worse when Woody tries to get rid of Buzz.  Everyone hates him and he and Buzz end up at Demon-Spawn-Neighbor’s house.  The two toys realize they must depend on each other to escape and finally catch up with Andy as he and his family drive the moving truck to their new place.

Buy It, Rent It, Don't Even Bother

If you have children, you've probably already bought this one.  And if you don't have kids, you'll buy it someday.  This was the first full length computer animated film.  A pioneer, if you will.  That alone makes it an amazing movie.  The characters are mostly toys, but they are more believable than many movies starring real people.  The story is sweet and there's plenty of humor throughout.  And the quotes.  So many familiar quotes: "You. Are. A. Tooooyyyyyy!!!" / "I'm Woody.  Howdy, howdy, howdy!" / "You are a sad, strange little man." / "That wasn't flying.  That was.... falling with style."  It's a great movie.  If you don't own it already, then your life is missing something.

Trivia

Andy's last name is Davis. Although this is never stated in the film, during the end credits, Laurie Metcalf (who voices Andy's mom) is credited as voicing "Mrs. Davis". (Andy's last name is also revealed in Toy Story 3 (2010).)

The toolbox on top of the milk crate that Woody is trapped in is a Binford, the same type of tool that Tim Allen used on his television show "Home Improvement" (1991).

Tom Hanks recorded his dialog during the breaks of Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and A League of Their Own (1992). He didn't want to record his dialog during the breaks of Philadelphia (1993) or Forrest Gump (1994) because he felt he shouldn't do comedic roles in between minutes of playing serious roles.

Billy Crystal was originally offered the chance to voice Buzz Lightyear, but declined. After seeing the finished film, he said the decision was the biggest mistake of his career. Upon learning this, Pixar offered Crystal the role of Mike in Monsters, Inc. (2001), which he readily accepted.

For more trivia go to IMDb.com.

100. Ben-Hur

Directed by William Wyler
Starring: Charlton Heston, Stephen Boyd, Jack Hawkins
MPAA Rating: G
Released: November18, 1959
Running Time: 212 minutes
Budget: $15 million
Gross Revenue: $90 million
Academy Awards:

• Best Motion Picture
• Best Director
• Best Leading Actor
• Best Supporting Actor
• Best Set Decoration
• Best Cinematography
• Best Costume Design
• Best Special Effects
• Best Film Editing
• Best Music
• Best Sound

The basic plot in 100 words or less

Judah Ben-Hur is a Jew that won’t betray his people to the Romans.  His Roman buddy Messala is mad so he arrests Judah’s mom and sister and sends Judah away to become a galley slave.  Judah escapes the boat and saves the Roman commander who allows him to go back to Judea.  Judah finds Messala, challenges him to a chariot race, kicks his can, and saves his mother and sister who contracted leprosy while in prison.  The Christ essentially heals the women, Judah accepts Jesus’ message of forgiveness, and Judah lives happily with his mom, sister, and new love.

Buy it, Rent it, Don't even bother

Buy it.  It'll be cheap.  The movie takes a year to watch, but it's old so it won't cost a lot.  It's one of those movies that everyone should see.  In fact, I don't think you're allowed to pretend to be a precocious movie watcher without some classic epics in your repertoire, and Ben-Hur is a good one to have.

The movie was made in 1959, so it portrays some of those lovable, obvious Hollywood-isms that we never see anymore: the 2-D backgrounds, the Technicolor, the cover-your-face-when-you-cry-so-no-one-can-see-you're-not-really-crying gag.  But there's really something to be said for the humanism of the film.  If you will only watch one part of the movie, watch the chariot race.  Nine chariots pulled by 4 horses each, lining the track.  It's pretty incredible to see.  No computers were used.  All of the hundreds of people are real, not generated.  It's honest to goodness real.  Watch when Messala comes to get in line for the walk out in front of the crowds.  The control over the horses is amazing.  Four horses tethered together and working flawlessly as one unit.  It's incredible.  And did I mention that it's not CGI?  Seriously.

So despite the movie being long, it's worth watching.  I'm glad I did. I can now say, without shaming my father, that I have seen Ben-Hur.  And I even liked it.

Trivia

The film used over 1,000,000 props.

Paul Newman was offered the role of Judah Ben-Hur but turned it down because he said he didn't have the legs to wear a tunic.

The chariot race segment was directed by legendary stuntman Yakima Canutt. Joe Canutt (Yak's son) doubled for Charlton Heston. During one of the crashes, in which Judah Ben-Hur's horses jump over a crashed chariot, the younger Canutt was thrown from his chariot onto the tongue of his chariot. He managed to climb back into his chariot and bring it back under control. The sequence looked so good that it was included in the film, with a close-up of Heston climbing back into the chariot. Canutt got a slight cut on his chin, but it was the only injury in the incredibly dangerous sequence. Stuntman Nosher Powell, who worked on the film, states in his biography, that Yakima Canutt went pale as a ghost when the chariot crashed. The crash was not planned, and everybody - including Yakima Canutt - believed that Joe Canutt had died.

For more trivia go to IMDb.com