Top 300 with Book Notes
My upcoming book about life will be based on my ranking of the top 300 movies ever made.
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- DirectorGarry MarshallStarsRichard GereJulia RobertsJason AlexanderA man in a legal but hurtful business needs an escort for some social events, and hires a beautiful prostitute he meets... only to fall in love.Most men want to be successful and have a beautiful woman by their side when they walk into a corporate business deal. There is something magical about a women’s touch on anything corporate with lots of money to spend on cool stuff.
- DirectorRowdy HerringtonStarsPatrick SwayzeKelly LynchSam ElliottA bouncer hired to clean up the baddest honkytonk in a Missouri town. Armed with a black belt in karate and a degree in philosophy, Patrick Swayze sets out to tame the Double Deuce for its owner.Most men want to be successful and a hero to the woman they love. This movie gives the viewer both of those while providing a club like experience in the movie. You actually feel like you are going to the club and having fun alongside the characters within this movie.
- DirectorPaul Michael GlaserStarsD.B. SweeneyMoira KellyRoy DotriceA temperamental figure skater and an arrogant former hockey player attempt to win the Olympic Gold Medal as a figure skating pairs team.There are a lot of people in the world that would love to be an Olympic gold medalist in any sport. This movie takes the viewer into that world of hard and dedicated training. Along with the extra bonus of having a partner that they actually enjoy being around fifteen hours each day with. Then ultimately, fall in love with them, while winning the gold medal together to share for the rest of their lives. Very romantic!.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsJim BelushiKelly LynchAlisan PorterA homeless man and his young companion, who survive by conning people, meet a woman who may need them even more than they need her.This one is a little interesting. Its not your typical western America type of family film. I guess what draws me to this film, time and time again, is the good faith and nature of human beings when faced with those that are underprivileged. Somehow their guilt takes over, and they think, why do I get all the breaks? Why do I get all the good things in life while others have to suffer the hardships of living on the streets? This is a film about faith and what good comes to those who are patient, decent and generally care about one another to want to help those in need.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsEmilio EstevezJudd NelsonMolly RingwaldFive high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought.I graduated from high school in 1986. This movie was my life and represented the entire generation. I knew every character within the movie script in real life at my high school. One of the best parts of this film is the scene in which all characters sit in a circle on the floor within the library and tell stories about why they were in detention because that scene was not scripted. Writer and director John Hughes told them all to ad-lib that scene.
- DirectorHoward DeutchStarsEric StoltzMary Stuart MastersonLea ThompsonWhen Keith goes out with Amanda, the girl of his dreams, Amanda's ex-boyfriend plans to get back at Keith. Meanwhile, Keith's best friend, tomboy Watts, realizes she has feelings for Keith.In the 1980s most males wanted to date the most popular girl in their school. Being "unpopular" in high school typically posed one of the biggest fears adolescents faced en route to adulthood. Let's face it, you may hate popular girls but there were benefits to why most boys wanted to date them. Hygiene was important. Looking nice for her made you feel nice. Getting to know her friends made you popular too. If her friends liked you, you were halfway to winning her heart. Everyone loved her, you loved her, and you thought you were just the average person she would never give a glance towards. In other words, most guys thought she was out of their league.
- DirectorNorman TaurogStarsElvis PresleyJuliet ProwseRobert IversTulsa McLean, a soldier with dreams of running his own nightclub, places a bet with his friend Dynamite that he can win the heart of an untouchable dancer. But when Dynamite is transferred, Tulsa must replace him in the bet.I lived in West Germany when I was six years old and attended an American school for three years in Heidelberg, Germany. Then I attended an all German school for three years in the West German town of Kitzingen. The West German people are very beautiful and I miss them very much. I have a lot of Elvis movies in my top 200 list because these 1960s movies are so much fun to watch and listen to when you're feeling sad and blue. When you need a great pick me up watch one of these movies and you are back on top of the world again. G.I. Blues, "Girls, Girls, Girls", Blue Hawaii, King Creole and Viva Las Vegas. These movies left a lasting impression on 600 million fans worldwide including me.
- DirectorAlan ParkerStarsEddie BarthIrene CaraLee CurreriA chronicle of the lives of several teenagers who attend a New York high school for students gifted in the performing arts.After seeing this movie for the first time in 1980 I knew I wanted to be on the Broadway stage. There was something magical about how all of these talented kids came together and made magic on screen by telling their life stories alongside their dream stories. American western culture was struggling with interracial couples, abortion and all the adolescent type storylines depicted within this film. The way they all struggled through four years of school and became best friends was the goal of most Generation X teenagers in the 1980s for sure.
- DirectorHerbert RossStarsKevin BaconLori SingerJohn LithgowA city teenager moves to a small town where rock music and dancing have been banned, and his rebellious spirit shakes up the populace.The 1984 release is way better than the 2011 release. Out of professional courtesy, I believe the 2011 release should have been named Footloose II. That would have been better received by Generation X movie goers. The 1984 release plays into that 1980s high school domain, of wanting to break out of the 1950's traditional mold of western civilization thinking, with regard to dance moves that were way to seductive for the Baby Boomer generation. We did not care, and loved to dance to all the same moves you see in this movie along with others that became popular dance films of the 80s and 90s.
- DirectorRandal KleiserStarsJohn TravoltaOlivia Newton-JohnStockard ChanningGood girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they're now in the same high school, will they be able to rekindle their romance?The main conflict of the movie has to do with Danny’s true sensitive self conflicting with his masculine self. The entire plot of the movie could not have existed if Danny cared slightly less about his friends. Rizzo is judged by women and men in the movie for her promiscuity. However, I see a troubled girl trying to gain the confidence of her friends by showing she is one tough cookie. Sandy’s transformation highlights a message that sometimes people need to change themselves to get the person they want to love them back. Some critics argue that Sandy’s transformation is her becoming her true self.
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsEddie MurphyDan AykroydRalph BellamyA snobbish investor and a wily street con artist find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.This film script touched the hearts of millions of generation Xers that wanted fame and fortune by way of the New York Stock Exchange. The Dukes and Winthrope's high society friends represented every thing nasty about being wealthy or entitled through family inheritance. When the Dukes lost their seat on the New York Stock exchange that was pay back for millions of Americans fighting for the little guy. Half the Duke's margin call was $197 million USD. That means they had a long position of one hundred thousand OJ Contracts and fifteen thousand pounds of OJ to be delivered to warehouses in Florida, New Jersey, and Delaware.
- DirectorHerbert RossStarsMichael J. FoxHelen SlaterRichard JordanA talented young man can't get an executive position without rising through the ranks, so he comes up with a shortcut, which also benefits his love life.Like the Dom Pérignon brand of vintage Champagne, this film script is based on making it to the top of the executive office. We taught Generation X and Baby Boomers that the secret to success was making it from the mail room ground floor to the executive level in the c-suite. Graduating from high-school and going to a top business college was all the hype back in the 1980s.
- DirectorHoward DeutchStarsDan AykroydJohn CandyStephanie FaracyA Chicago man and his family go camping with his obnoxious brother-in-law.John Hughes strikes again with this great comedy about going on a family camping vacation with multiple members. The good news is going camping has not lost its appeal spanning multiple generations. Family trips like this one can provide lifelong memories for decades, good and bad.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsSteve MartinJohn CandyLaila RobinsA Chicago advertising man must struggle to travel home from New York for Thanksgiving, with a lovable oaf of a shower-curtain-ring salesman as his only companion.This John Hughes film script is a Thanksgiving holiday classic every year in the United States. Most people love going home for the holidays because it gives them a much needed break from the corporate office. Kids have special on stage or holiday choir productions to show their parents and grandparents alike. This film deals with the “what if I don’t make it home for the holidays in time anxiety attack”.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsJohn CandyMacaulay CulkinJean Louisa KellyLaid back commitment-phobe Buck babysits his brother's rebellious teenage daughter and her cute younger brother and sister.The Uncle Buck! This John Hughes film script deals with family matters of the heart. When troubles set in most family members will run. The ones who stay and help are the ones who truly know the meaning of family.
- DirectorChris ColumbusStarsMacaulay CulkinJoe PesciDaniel SternAn eight-year-old troublemaker, mistakenly left home alone, must defend his home against a pair of burglars on Christmas Eve.This is a coming of age story for Christmas holiday specials in 1990. I love the way the mom struggles through many challenges while trying to make it back home to her son. A brilliant line in the film is “This is Christmas, the season of perpetual hope!” Family time during the holidays make the best memories for years to come.
- DirectorJohn HughesStarsAnthony Michael HallIlan Mitchell-SmithKelly LeBrockTwo high-school nerds use a computer program to literally create the perfect woman, who promptly turns their lives upside-down.The intriguing aspect of this film is that Kelly LeBrock’s character, Lisa, is guiding Gary and Wyatt on how to become popular in the challenging world of high school. Of course, the purpose of school is to acquire knowledge, and indeed, Lisa is an attractive lady. However, in most western societies, it is widely recognized that high school education encompasses much more than simply acquiring knowledge from textbooks in subjects such as science, technology, language, arts, finances, and business communications. The majority of teenagers spend a significant portion of their high school years socializing with peers, attempting to navigate their place in the grand scheme of life. The film’s main character is attempting to convey to teenage boys that having a girlfriend doesn’t require popularity. However, my argument would be that she strategically places them in situations that enhance their coolness, resulting in them attracting amazing girlfriends and becoming popular in school, both in real life (for Generation X fans) and in the movies. In the film, they can be observed sporting stylish attire, impressive hairstyles, and luxurious vehicles. Wyatt’s character lives in a luxurious mansion in a highly desirable neighborhood.
- DirectorTony ScottStarsTom CruiseTim RobbinsKelly McGillisAs students at the United States Navy's elite fighter weapons school compete to be best in the class, one daring young pilot learns a few things from a civilian instructor that are not taught in the classroom.This movie came out in 1986, which was the same year I finished high school. My next move was to enroll at the University of Southern California for college. But, deep down, I couldn’t stop thinking about this mesmerizing movie set in San Diego, California, at a Navy Fighter Pilot School, with Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, and Val Kilmer as the main cast. When the opportunity presented itself, I decided to join the United States Navy, and my first assignment was on a Naval Aircraft Carrier, reminiscent of the ones depicted in that popular 80s movie. Clearly, the film revolves around the conflicts faced by the US Navy in international waters. However, what sets this movie apart and earns it a spot among the top 200 films of all time is its incorporation of genuine US Naval anecdotes, mirroring my own journey in the Navy.
- DirectorEddie MurphyStarsEddie MurphyRichard PryorRedd FoxxDuring the 1930s, a New York City illegal gambling house owner and his associates must deal with strong competition, gangsters, and corrupt cops in order to stay in business.Sure, this classic movie contains legendary actors like Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Della Reese and Michael Lerner. However, the script is just as legendary in the context of how Harlem was organized into social groups during the roaring 1920s and 1930s. It was a time of owner positioning within the entertainment, security, bar, gambling and music businesses, all wrapped up in a tight bow. This movement was happening in Harlem, Chicago, New Orleans, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco. The fashion industry was so popular that the dress up themes still resonate one hundred years later for New year’s eve parties, Halloween parties, award shows and any black-tie affair.
- DirectorOz ScottMichael SchultzStarsRichard PryorCicely TysonAngel Ramirez Jr.Failed parolee Joe Braxton has one last shot at redemption: by driving school kids from Philadelphia to Washington State.According to movie enthusiasts, this film revolves around a criminal who transports school children across the United States using a school bus. The script delves much deeper into the individual stories of each underprivileged child on the bus. Ms. Vivan, their school teacher, not only takes care of them in their time of need but also embodies a heroic nature. They become family on a cross-country road trip of salvation while learning how to live life in an unforgiving world. The movie script depicts how compassionate and selfless adults can be when they genuinely understand the impact of unfortunate situations on children. Ultimately, children from all walks of life need to have an adult that has their back through every stage in life.
- DirectorAlfonso ArauStarsKeanu ReevesAitana Sánchez-GijónAnthony QuinnPaul Sutton, a young married soldier, befriends a pregnant lady who is petrified her father will disown her, and agrees to pose as her boyfriend. As time passes, they start growing fond of each other.This movie is definitely one of the best romantic films ever made, in my opinion. The chemistry between Keanu Reeves and Aitana Sanchez-Gijon is overflowing with romance. The character development of the mother, father, and grandparents portrayed by Giancario, Angelica, Anthony Quinn, and Evangelina adds an extra layer of romance to this movie. The Latino family, workers, and community breathe life into the romantic era of the rancheros from the 1800s. Amazing 360 degree chemistry on the screen from start to finish. In this drama romance story, a soldier returning from World War II pretends to be the husband of a pregnant woman in order to protect her from her father’s wrath, but that’s only half of the plot.
- DirectorAndrew BergmanStarsNicolas CageBridget FondaRosie PerezA police officer promises to share his lottery ticket with a waitress in lieu of a tip.During the release of this movie, a significant portion of the X-generation had reached their mid-twenties and were classified as young adults. Millions of Americans were thinking about getting married, starting a family, working multiple jobs, and trying to buy a house. Many movie fans consider making a movie that focuses on the story of someone who becomes a multimillionaire through winning the lottery. It’s hard to believe that anyone would pass up on the opportunity to receive free money that can be spent on a house, paying bills and supporting their family.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsJames StewartDonna ReedLionel BarrymoreAn angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed.Throughout the filming process, James Stewart grappled with PTSD and depression because of his time in World War II. Stewart’s acting became notably darker after the war as he knew he had killed civilians in Germany and occupied Europe. This movie influenced and shaped the attitudes of both Baby Boomers and Generation X. The film’s plot resonates with young adults who become parents and have to provide for all their children every day of their lives. Life is already tough, and having kids increases the complexity. This amazing screenplay reminds us that their survival relies on you, particularly during the holiday season.
- DirectorJohn LandisStarsEddie MurphyPaul BatesGarcelle BeauvaisAn extremely pampered African prince travels to Queens, New York and goes undercover to find a wife that he can respect for her intelligence and strong will.The remarkable aspect of this movie script is that it portrays African Americans in affluent roles, which were not common in cinema between 1920 and 1980. Prior to that point in movie history, Sidney Poitier was the lone actor who showed any form of affluence. Thus, this script demonstrates the status of African Americans who possess wealth in American society.
- DirectorNora EphronStarsTom HanksMeg RyanRoss MalingerA recently widowed man's son calls a radio talk-show in an attempt to find his father a partner.Fairy tale romance was the essence of Generation X. By the time this movie hit the streets of Hollywood, we all were in our mid twenties thinking of marriage and having children. The Baby Boomer generation was exposed to numerous Hollywood romance films that often portrayed unrealistic relationships. All movies were censored by the government, and surprisingly, films from the 1920s to the 1970s were rated G. How can one create a strong romantic foundation for marriage with such a wholesome rating? It is not possible. Many romance movie scripts in the late 1980s and 1990s started to make movies more realistic like this movie. It is indeed possible to meet someone and instantly fall in love. What makes this film truly remarkable is its captivating portrayal of a Hollywood love triangle like in the movie “An Affair To Remember (1957)”. In Sleepless in Seattle, one of the main characters yearns for a love story similar to the romance between Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr.