Rocks that Move

25. DAYS OF THUNDER (1990)
directed by Tony Scott
starring Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, John C. Reilly, Nicole Kidman, Cary Elwes

I wish hockey had a movie like this; one that captures the true feel of the sport. The oil, the grime, the smoke, the sound of metal scraping metal... it is just like you are on the race course, only not so hot and stinky. This movie does for NASCAR what Top Gun did for the Navy, only with more class. To top it all off, it was nominated for an Oscar! Best sound, and it deserved it. I still can't believe it lost to "Dances with Wolves." "Dances with Wolves" did NOT make me feel like I was right there on the open range. "Days of Thunder" DID make me feel like I was right on the racetrack.

What really makes this movie a great one, however, are the characters. Tom Cruise is at his best: cocky and arrogant. Cary Elwes plays his foil, doing his best Cruise impersonation: cocky and arrogant. Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, and John C. Reilly are cocky and arrogant as well. That about sums up the racing circuit. You have to be cocky and arrogant to be successful, and this film demonstrates that in an exciting way. Case in point: the scene where Cruise and Elwes are in the hospital. They end up racing each other in wheelchairs; their competitiveness is so strong.

That is the key to a movie like this. You have to feel the emotion and effort the characters go through. You have to FEEL like you are in the pit. You have to FEEL like you are in the driver's seat. You have to FEEL your bones twist and crunch when they slam into a wall, and FEEL the burn as their car torches into a giant fireball. Ouch. Maybe you do not really need to feel those last parts. In fact, it might be better if you do not.

24. INDECENT PROPOSAL (1993)
directed by Adrian Lyne
starring Woody Harrelson, Demi Moore, and Robert Redford

Prior to this film, Adrian Lyne did the amazing fantasy-horror film, "Jacob's Ladder." Since then, he has not done much. I guess he had his time in the sun. "Indecent Proposal," in a way, is also a fantasy-horror film. It asks an important question: would you sleep with someone for a million bucks if you were already married, even if your spouse said it was ok? Of course! Who wouldn't? BUT... what if that person was an old, nasty-looking, pock-marked, wrinkly Robert Redford, some 20 years past his prime? Then the question gets a little more murky and difficult to answer.

The key to this film is realism. You cannot ask a question like this and make it too simple or answer it incorrectly. You need to confirm the truth that lies in all of us: a million dollars is a lot of money, and you could really use it! So what would YOU do? The fact that Demi Moore is pretty skanky anyway adds to the realism. You really feel like, if she were not already a rich actress, she probably WOULD say yes and do it. Maybe she would anyway. Most importantly, however, the reaction of her husband (Woody Harrelson) is spot on. She goes through with the act, and it nearly tears their relationship apart.

Sometimes it is difficult to watch a movie like this that is about "real" kinds of people; the kind you know or run into on the street. It is like "Ordinary People," a movie I still cannot believe won best picture, where you feel like you are simply watching your neighbors. It is boring. A movie like this actually NEEDS a gimick to make it interesting. It is probably not a coincidence that Robert Redford agreed to do this film. Afterall, he did direct "Ordinary People" and needed to make up for it.

23. CITY OF ANGELS (1998)
directed by Brad Silberling
starring Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan, that fat guy from NYPD Blues

This movie is essentially a remake of the films "Wings of Desire" and "Far Away, So Close." Those were German movies about angels that watch over us, recording our deeds and actions, and being with us during the hard times, even though we are not aware of it. They are movies full of compassion, and they were works of art. The only problem was that they were kind of dull and slow-moving. Hence, "City of Angels" was created. This film takes the original movies, eliminates the drudgery and tedium, and creates an entertaining version of the art.

One of the keys to the success of this film is the casting. Who else for a romantic story than Meg Ryan? Who else for an angel than... Nicolas Cage? Ok. That is kind of a weird pick, trust me, it works! The contrast of a character that is perfect for the part and a character that is a little... off, is what makes this movie unique and exciting. There is a chemisty here that you just didn't get in "Wings of Desire," where every character was so unique that you just didn't feel anything for them. In "City of Angels," you really feel for the characters, and even hope that Meg Ryan will die so that she can become one of the angels. What happens instead is a surprise... unless you saw "Wings of Desire."

The concept of this these films about angels interacting with us was first developed by the German poet, Rainer Maria Rilke early in the 20th century. His "Duino Eligies" were written around the time of World War I, a time when Germans were suffering great strife. The idea that the angels were watching us, but could not or would not help us is a striking image in that context. Shortly after Rilke was summoned to the army, and his experiences almost ended his career as a poet. I think he would be proud to know that his ideas now live on in American film.

22. CONAN THE DESTROYER (1984)
directed by Richard Fleischer
starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Mako

"Conan the Destroyer" was the sequel to the 1982 film, "Conan the Barbarian." Both tell a fantastical adventure story of Conan that include sorcerers, demons, and monsters of all sorts. It is your typical "Dungeons and Dragons" kind of fare... only with Ah-nold. The problem with the original film is that it took itself too seriously. "Conan the Detroyer" almost comes across as a spoof, both of the original film, and the "DandD" game. In fact, Conan goes so far as to enlist a fighter, wizard, and thief to come along on his adventure. It almost makes you want to roll a 20-sided die before each scene. Essentially, what you have is a comedy... even if it wasn't supposed to be. Check out some of the lines from the film:

Jehnna: I suppose nothing hurts you.
Conan (in that great Ah-nuld voice): Only pain.

Malak: Why are they trying to kill us?
Conan: Maybe they want to capture us, and torture us to death.

Jehnna: Conan! There are six of them against her!
Conan: One, two, three... I think you're right!

Ladies and gentlemen, I present... the Governor of California.

The original writers of the film were deeply displeased with the results of this film, going on to write a graphic novel in 1990 called "Conan, The Horn of Azoth." The irony is that had the film been what they wanted it to be, it likely would not have been as good. It is campy, but it is so much fun.

21. CADDYSHACK II (1988)
directed by Allan Arkush
starring Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Jackie Mason, Robert Stack

There are not a lot of comedies on my list. I guess I am just hard to please when it comes to comedies. The ones I love, however, I really love. This is one of those. It is not the highest rated comedy on my list, but it might be the funniest.

Perhaps the two things that make this film so great is that more emphasis is put on two of the best characters from the original film: Chevy Chase's character, and the gopher. The gopher is pretty much the star of the film, perhaps winning my vote as best puppet in movie history. "Caddyshack II" is definitely more about the gags and gimicks than the original, and that leads to more laugh-out-loud situations. The gopher is the key part to most of the best gags. The second best part is Chevy Chase and all his one-liners. The guy should have been given his own talk show.

In addition to there not being a lot of comedies on my list, there are really not that many sequels. It is an interesting coincidence that there are two of them on this group of five. Only once in a great while does a sequel exceed its predecessor. "Conan the Destroyer" is one of those exceptions. Is Caddyshack II? You'll have to wait and see if the original is on my list, too!