1. ACE VENTURA: All-righty then!
ACE VENTURA-PET DETECTIVE
Warner Bros., 1994Picking up the scent of missing pets, Ace Ventura gumshoes his way through an
ACTOR: Jim Carrey
SCREENWRITERS: Jack Bernstein, Tom Shadyac, Jim Carrey
DIRECTOR: Tom Shadyac
PRODUCER: James G. Robinson
2. SHERLOCK HOLMES: Elementary, my dear Watson.
THE ADVENTURES OF SHERLOCK HOLMES
Twentieth Century Fox, 1939After being acquitted of murder, Sherlock Holmes' (Basil Rathbone) cunning nemesis Professor Moriarty (George Zucco) hatches a plot to steal the famous Star of Delhi from the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. In order to distract the master sleuth from this crime of the century, Moriarty sends anonymous death threats to young socialite Ann Brandon (Ida Lupino in an early role), forcing Holmes and Dr. Watson (Nigel Bruce) to split up to protect the jewels and prevent her murder. Based on a stage play by William Gillette, this second of the 14 films starring the classic pairing of Rathbone and Bruce is arguably considered the series' finest.
ACTOR: Basil Rathbone
SCREENWRITERS: Edwin Blum, William A. Drake
DIRECTOR: Alfred L. Werker
PRODUCER: Darryl F. Zanuck
3. TERRY McKAY: Oh, it was nobody's fault but my own. I was looking up. It was the nearest thing to heaven. You were there.
AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER
Twentieth Century Fox, 1957In this legendary tearjerker, the world's most eligible bachelor (Cary Grant) is set to marry an heiress. But unfortunately for his bride-to-be, while he's traveling alone on a luxury liner he meets Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) and realizes he's engaged to the wrong woman--and she's engaged to the wrong man. They finally agree to spend six months apart; if they still love each other at the end of that time, they will reunite at the top of the Empire State Building. But the path of true love does not always run smooth, and tragedy threatens to tear the couple apart. Leo McCarey directed both the original (LOVE AFFAIR) and this remake, and viewers often amiably battle over which film is the more touching. This much-loved film features the Academy Award-nominated title song and a splendid supporting cast.
ACTOR: Deborah Kerr
SCREENWRITERS: Delmer Daves, Leo McCarey
DIRECTOR: Leo McCarey
PRODUCER: Jerry Wald
4. CHARLIE ALLNUT: A man takes a drop too much once in a while, it's only human nature.
ROSE SAYER: "Nature," Mr. Allnut, is what we are put into this world to rise above.
THE AFRICAN QUEEN At the start of World War 1, Charlie Allnut is using his old steamer, The African Queen, to ferry supplies to villages in East Africa. When the Rev. Samual Sayer dies, Charlie agrees to take Sayers' sister, Rose, back to civilization. taking on the Germans at the same time. ACTORS: Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn AIRPLANE! This is a spoof of the airport disaster movies. When the crew of an airplane are struck by some form of virus, the fate of the passengers depends on an ex-war pilot who is the only one able to land the plane safely! The passengers represent a selection of interesting wacky characters who seem to take every word for its literal meaning. ACTORS: Robert Hays, Leslie Nielsen AIRPLANE! Ex-Navy pilot Ted Striker has been nervous about flying ever since THAT incident during the war. He's on a flight which would cause anyone concern: he seems to be the only sane person aboard. Of course, everything that could possibly go wrong on this flight will go wrong...what do you expect with a co-pilot who doesn't realize he's a basketball star, and an air traffic controller with a substance abuse problem? ACTOR: Lloyd Bridges AIRPLANE! Ted Striker just got dumped by his long-time girlfriend Elaine Dickinson, who works as a stewardess at Trans American Airlines. In his wish to get her back, he follows her aboard the plane, although he has had a deep aversion against anything winged since he lost several men in the war. During flight, he tries to contact her again and again, but as the crew and many passengers get seriously ill due to a bad fish meal, he has no chance to get to her. In fact, Ted Striker seems to be the only healthy person aboard that has piloting experience. Now, it is up to him to get the bird down in Chicago safely, before the poisoning starts causing casualties. But Ted Striker's aversion really is a serious psychosis, which breaks open and needs to be cured—right now. ACTORS: Peter Graves, Rossie Harris ALIENS Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor from the original ALIEN, is awakened after 57 years of drifting through space, her stories disbelieved by Company executives who tell her that the alien's planet is now inhabited and colonized. When contact is suddenly lost with the colonists, Ripley returns to the planet with a squad of marines, an android (Lance Henriksen), and a Company executive (Paul Reiser) with a mission of his own. Once on the planet, no survivors can be found except for Newt, a little girl who awakens motherly instincts in Ripley just in time for the acid-blooded aliens to attack in what quickly becomes a one-sided battle for sheer survival. Considered by many to be the best of the series, ALIENS is a fast-paced, high-intensity thrill ride that set a new standard for action films and cemented director James Camerons status as one of Hollywood's leading directors following the success of THE TERMINATOR. Weaver received an Academy Award nomination and became a feminist hero for her strong, sensitive performance as the survivor Ripley, while costars Reiser, Henriksen, and Bill Paxton all give career-making performances in this landmark sci-fi extravaganza. ACTOR: Sigourney Weaver ALL ABOUT EVE Given that she throws tantrums, gets intoxicated, and pushes people away when she needs them the most, it's a wonder New York theater star Margo Channing has any true friends. But when Eve, Margo's young and innocent-seeming protege, schemes to gain both the affection of Margo's friends and a starring role originally written for Margo, the actress discovers just who is in her corner--and who is not. Released in 1950, ALL ABOUT EVE's power radiates undimmed through the years. The role of aging stage star Margo Channing is considered by many to be the best of Bette Davis's career, as Davis reveals and conceals Margo's vulnerabilities with a skill seldom seen onscreen. Anne Baxter is also marvelous as the subtle Eve, whose glowing enthusiasm masks a cold, calculated ambition. Both actresses garnered Best Actress Oscar nominations, and the film in its entirety took 14 nominations, winning seven of them, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay. George Sanders was awarded Best Supporting Actor for his biting portrayal of potent, nasty theater critic Addison DeWitt. Consistently listed among the best films of all time, director-writer Joseph L. Mankiewicz's ALL ABOUT EVE shouldn't be missed; the acting, writing, and directing are unequivocally brilliant. ACTOR: Bette Davis ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT Lewis Milestone's adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's anti-war novel is a masterpiece whose power to disturb remains undiminished by the passage of time. The film stars Lew Ayres as the young Paul Bauman, who, along with a group of his teenaged classmates, are conscripted into the German army during WWI. The youths quickly realize that the patriotic hogwash they had been fed by their schoolmaster has absolutely has nothing to do with the horror they observe and experience on the front lines. ACTOR: Lew Ayres ALL THAT JAZZ Bob Fosse's semi-autobiographical film celebrates show business stripped of glitz or giddy illusions. Joe Gideon (Roy Scheider) is at the top of the heap, one of the most successful directors and choreographers in musical theatre. But he can feel his world slowly collapsing around him—his obsession with work has almost destroyed his personal life, and only his bottles of pills keep him going. As he struggles to right his relationships with his ex-wife, his lover, and his daughter, he also has to cope with his failing health. Soon it's clear he'll have to make a choice: his art--or his life. A talented director and choreographer of both film and stage, Fosse was perhaps best known for helming the film version of CABARET and creating the musical CHICAGO. ACTOR: Roy Scheider ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN Covers the period from 1972-1974; Produced and released in 1976.
With ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, director Alan Pakula adapts the best-selling book by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. Pakula created a film that takes its place among such important conspiracy dramas as THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR and THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH. The focus is on the 1972 investigation of the break-in to the Democratic Party headquarters, otherwise known as the Watergate burglary. Through a complicated web of intrigue and secrecy that eventually involves the highest levels of government, hungry young journalists Woodward (Robert Redford) and Bernstein (Dustin Hoffman) of the Washington Post aggressively examine the incident, uncovering information that ultimately leads to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. Exceptional performances by Redford and Hoffman are complemented by Jason Robards as the dubious but supportive executive editor at the Post, and Hal Holbrook's celebrated characterization of mysterious informer Deep Throat. The pacing of the film is quick and exciting, drawing viewers into the action of one of the most intriguing mysteries in all of American political history. ACTOR: Hal Holbrook AMADEUS Antonio Salieri believes that Mozart's music is divine. He wishes he was himself as good a musician as Mozart so that he can praise the Lord through composing. But he can't understand why God favored Mozart, such a vulgar creature, to be his instrument. Salieri's envy has made him an enemy of God whose greatness was evident in Mozart. He is set to take revenge. ACTOR: Jeffrey Jones AMERICAN BEAUTY Lester and Carolyn Burnham are on the outside, a perfect husband and wife, in a perfect house, in a perfect neighborhood. But inside, Lester is slipping deeper and deeper into a hopeless depression. He finally snaps when he becomes infatuated with one of his daughters friends. Meanwhile, his daughter Jane is developing a happy friendship with a shy boy-next-door named Ricky who lives with a homophobic father. ACTOR: Wes Bentley ANIMAL CRACKERS Captain Spaulding, the noted explorer, returns from Africa and attends a gala party held by Mrs. Rittenhouse. A painting displayed at that party is stolen, and the Marxes help recover it. Well, maybe 'help' isn't quite the word I was looking for--this is the Marx Brothers, after all... ACTOR: Groucho Marx ANNA CHRISTIE It has been 15 years since Chris has sent 5 year old Anna to live with relatives in St. Paul, and now she is coming back. Anna needs rest and a place to stay so Chris moves Marthy off his barge. One night, going down the coast, they rescue 3 survivors of a boat sinking. The big strong Scot, named Matt, takes a liking to Anna and they go to Coney Island when they get back to land. Matt decides that he will marry Anna but Chris says no - as does Anna. Every male member of Chris's family has died at sea and Chris wants Anna to have children and a house on land. This causes friction between Chris and Matt so Anna sits them down and tells both of them the truth about her miserable life in Minnesota and the secret she has been carrying. ACTOR: Greta Garbo ANNIE HALL After breaking up with his girlfriend Annie Hall, neurotic comedian Alvy Singer goes on a stream of conciousness journey through his memories of their relationship, trying to find out what caused them to part ways. He often breaks the fourth wall, speaking to the camera, entering peoples' stories, and even using animation. ACTOR: Diane Keaton ANNIE HALL ACTOR: Woody Allen ANNIE HALL ACTOR: Woody Allen THE APARTMENT C.C. Baxter, insurance clerk and only a face in a crowd of 30,000 employees, has a little problem: He can't use his own apartment. Since he once lent out his key to one of his superiors and his mistress, this custom has spread ever since. Now, different superiors from different departments take his place for their tête-à-têtes. Being promised not to be forgotten when it comes to shifts in personnel, C.C. Baxter swallows his anger - until he finds out that the mistress of Mr. Sheldrake, the company's boss, and his recent flame, Fran Kubelik, are the same person. And they are using his apartment! Although Baxter has not been forgotten personnel-wise, the attempted suicide of Fran in his very own bed makes him think. ACTOR: Shirley MacLaine APOCALYPSE NOW Based on Joseph Conrad's Heart Of Darkness, this is a controversial addition to the multitude of Vietnam war movies in existence. Set in 1969 Vietnam, we follow U.S. Special Forces Captain Willard on his mission up a river into Cambodia to assassinate a renegade Green Beret who has set himself up as a God among a local tribe. ACTOR: Robert Duvall APOLLO 13 Based off of real events of one of the worst NASA tragedy's. In 1971, NASA plans to send out people to the Moon for a lunar mission. They have chosen astronauts Jim Lovell, Frad Haise, and Jack Swigert. They have launched into outer space successfully, however, a slight fault from inside the space module caused an explosion that turned the exploration into a test for survival for the crew of Apollo 13. While Loveel, Haise, and Swigert try to survive in space. The workers at NASA (including Ken Mattingly) try to figure out a way to get the astronauts home safely. ACTOR: Tom Hanks ARSENIC AND OLD LACE Mortimer Bruster is a newspaperman and author known for his diatribes against marriage. We watch him being married at city hall in the opening scene. Now all that is required is a quick trip home to tell Mortimer's two maiden aunts. While trying to break the news, he finds out his aunts' hobby; killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar. It gets worse. ACTOR: Cary Grant ARTHUR Arthur is a happy drunk with no pretensions at any ambition. He is also the heir to a vast fortune which he is told will only be his if he marries Susan. He does not love Susan, but she will make something of him the family expects. Arthur proposes but then meets a girl with no money who he could easily fall in love with. ACTORS: Dudley Moore, John Gielgud AS GOOD AS IT GETS Melvin Udall, a cranky, bigoted, obsessive-compulsive writer, finds his life turned upside down when neighboring gay artist Simon is hospitalized and his dog is entrusted to Melvin. In addition, Carol, the only waitress who will tolerate him, must leave work to care for her sick son, making it impossible for Melvin to eat breakfast. ACTOR: Jack Nicholson
United Artists, 1951
SCREENWRITERS: James Agee, John Huston
DIRECTOR: John Huston
PRODUCER: S. P. Eagle (Sam Spiegel)5. TED STRIKER: Surely you can't be serious.
DR. RUMACK: I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.
Paramount, 1980
SCREENWRITERS: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
DIRECTORS: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
PRODUCERS: Jon Davison, Howard W. Koch6. STEVE McCROSKEY: Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop sniffing glue.
Paramount, 1980
SCREENWRITERS: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
DIRECTORS: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
PRODUCERS: Jon Davison, Howard W. Koch7. CAPT. OVEUR: You ever been in a cockpit before?
JOEY: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
CAPT. OVEUR: You ever seen a grown man naked?
Paramount, 1980
SCREENWRITERS: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
DIRECTORS: Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker
PRODUCERS: Jon Davison, Howard W. Koch8. RIPLEY: Get away from her, you bitch!
Twentieth Century Fox, 1986
SCREENWRITERS: James Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill
DIRECTOR: James Cameron
PRODUCER: Gale Anne Hurd9. MARGO CHANNING: Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night.
Twentieth Century Fox, 1950
SCREENWRITER: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
DIRECTOR: Joseph L. Mankiewicz
PRODUCER: Darryl F. Zanuck10. PAUL: and our bodies are earth. And our thoughts are clay. And we sleep and eat with death.
Universal, 1930
SCREENWRITERS: George Abbott, Maxwell Anderson, Del Andrews
DIRECTOR: Lewis Milestone
PRODUCER: Carl Laemmle, Jr.11. JOE GIDEON: It's showtime!
Twentieth Century Fox/Columbia, 1979
SCREENWRITERS: Robert Alan Aurthur, Bob Fosse
DIRECTOR: Bob Fosse
PRODUCER: Robert Alan Aurthur12. DEEP THROAT: Follow the money.
Warner Bros., 1976
SCREENWRITER: William Goldman
DIRECTOR: Alan J. Pakula
PRODUCER: Walter Coblenz13. EMPEROR JOSEPH II: There are simply too many notes.
Orion, 1984
SCREENWRITER: Peter Shaffer
DIRECTOR: Milos Forman
PRODUCER: Saul Zaentz14. RICKY FITTS: Sometimes there's so much beauty in the world I feel like I can't take it, like my heart's going to cave in.
DreamWorks, 1999
SCREENWRITER: Alan Ball
DIRECTOR: Sam Mendes
PRODUCERS: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks15. CAPT. JEFFREY T. SPAULDING: One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don't know.
Paramount, 1930
SCREENWRITER: Morrie Ryskind
DIRECTOR: Victor Heerman16. ANNA CHRISTIE: Give me a whisky, ginger ale on the side. And don't be stingy, baby.
MGM, 1930
SCREENWRITER: Frances Marion
DIRECTOR: Clarence Brown
PRODUCER: Clarence Brown17. ANNIE HALL: La-dee-da, la-dee-da.
United Artists, 1977
SCREENWRITERS: Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman
DIRECTOR: Woody Allen
PRODUCER: Charles H. Joffe18. ALVY SINGER: I don't want to move to a city where the only cultural advantage is being able to make a right turn on a red light.
United Artists, 1977
SCREENWRITERS: Woddy Allen, Marshall Brickman
DIRECTOR: Woody Allen
PRODUCER: Charles H. Joffe19. ALVY SINGER: Don't knock masturbation. It's sex with someone I love.
United Artists, 1977
SCREENWRITERS: Woody Allen, Marshall Brickman
DIRECTOR: Woody Allen
PRODUCER: Charles H. Joffe20. FRAN KUBELIK: Shut up and deal.
United Artists, 1960
SCREENWRITERS: Billy Wilder, I. A. L. Diamond
DIRECTOR: Billy Wilder
PRODUCER: Billy Wilder21. LT. COL. BILL KILGORE: I love the smell of napalm in the morning.
United Artists, 1979
SCREENWRITERS: Francis Ford Coppola, John Milius
DIRECTOR: Francis Ford Coppola
PRODUCER: Francis Ford Coppola22. JIM LOVELL: Houston, we have a problem.
Universal, 1995
SCREENWRITERS: William Broyles, Jr., Al Reinert
DIRECTOR: Ron Howard
PRODUCER: Brian Grazer23. MORTIMER BREWSTER: Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.
Warner Bros., 1944
SCREENWRITERS: Julius J. Epstein, Philip G. Epstein DIRECTOR: Frank Capra
PRODUCER: Frank Capra
24. ARTHUR BACH: I'm going to take a bath.
HOBSON: I'll alert the media.
Warner Bros., 1981
SCREENWRITER: Steve Gordon
DIRECTOR: Steve Gordon
PRODUCER: Robert Greenhut25. MELVIN UDALL: You make me want to be a better man.
TriStar, 1997
SCREENWRITERS: Mark Andrus, James L. Brooks
DIRECTOR: James L. Brooks
PRODUCERS: James L. Brooks, Bridget Johnson, Kristi Zea