Every week at SiftPop.com, we challenge our writers to choose what they think is the best movie under a certain topic related to a recent release. So this week, with the release of Halloween Ends, we’re counting down our favorite movies starring Jamie Lee Curtis, the longtime star of the franchise! Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
My Girl is that type of film that takes you back in time. But in this instance, it takes you back twice, both to the 1970s (when the film takes place) and 1990s (when it was made). Both seem idyllic, mainly due to the fact you are seeing the world through kids’ eyes. And in My Girl’s case, it is through a tiny Anna Chlumsky. And what a talent she was and still is. My Girl is a delightful and quirky film to watch, and it holds up even today because where else do you get Dan Aykroyd running a funeral home from his own house? I don’t care if this was legal; it just didn’t feel right. Also, we have the charismatic Jamie Lee Curtis, who might be the best potential step-mom ever. The movie became known for its ending (not going to spoil it, but you could say Macaulay Culkin wasn’t beehaving smart), but it is so much more than that. It is a slice-of-life film that captures how certain people viewed the suburban USA in the 1970s. It is a charming little film about how difficult growing up can be, especially for a young woman without a mother figure. And it’s a good reminder that Anna Chlumsky was a great actor from her debut. My Girl isn’t a film that will rock your world, but it will charm you for 90 minutes, and sometimes that is more than enough. (Luke Burian)
Right after Jamie Lee Curtis’s breakout role in Halloween ‘78 she once again partnered with the legendary John Carpenter for The Fog, a supernatural horror film that brought pirate ghosts to life. It was Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, but decades earlier, and with a lot more horror, and a lot less action and quippy jokes. The simplicity of this story, an eerie fog that brings in century-old dead mariners to pillage a town, allows for Carpenter to build great tension and instill great fear. From the original score, to the makeup and costume design of these zombie sailors, to the practical effects showing the fog roll in, and having a haunting light envelop parts of the town, it will all send chills down your spine. Curtis herself does a great job as she desperately tries to get to the bottom of this curse in an effort to stop the bloodshed and survive the night. If you’re looking for another classic Carpenter horror, or Curtis once again proving why she’s the ultimate “Scream Queen,” then The Fog might just be for you. (Heath Lynch)
For those of us of a certain age, our introduction to the iconic “Scream Queen” was less horrific and more comedic — although, for a teen and her mother to be forced to body swap is a certain form of horror. For the 2003 remake of the Jodie Foster ‘70s film, Freaky Friday, Jamie Lee Curtis swaps places with her daughter, played by Lindsay Lohan. Both Curtis and Lohan seem to embrace having to inhabit the other in their performances and the fun opportunity it provided. I’m sure the fondness with which I recall the coming-of-age flick has a tinge of nostalgia boosting it, but it’s a timeless tale for a reason. (Jake Bourgeois)
Cheese, cheese, and more please! True Lies is 1990s action at its absolute peak. A muscled out action star, crappy one-liners, and secret enemies. If that was all this movie had, it would be a bit disappointing. But it’s also a romantic comedy about couples lying to each other and coming back together through some extreme circumstances. While Arnold Schwarzenegger is the established superspy star here, Jamie Lee Curtis fits into this world perfectly. Her character’s lack of experience and knowledge of this espionage world is what brings most of the laughs. When you combine that with Arnold’s excellent action star persona and his delivery of those insane lines like, “you’re fired,” you can’t help but love this movie. (Sam Nichols)
If you asked me what comes to mind in 1997, I think of the Vols winning the SEC (Beat Bama). If you asked John Carpenter back in the ‘80s what came to mind in 1997, he’d think of New York as a maximum security prison. Yes, this week I crossed yet another film off the list of shame with Escape From New York, starring Kurt Russell as Snake Plissken, a man everyone seems to think is dead. Now you may be wondering where Jamie Lee Curtis appears in this movie, and for your fun fact of the day, she serves as the narrator and computer voice in this one. Overall, I gotta say I like how well this one flows. For an hour and a half, you have to be efficient with your time, and Carpenter nailed it here. Every moment feels like it flows perfectly, and you’re not once allowed to dwell too much on any scene. While it would be easy to linger too long on one shot, this movie keeps the action flowing and is very entertaining, even if it absolutely missed the mark on the future. So if you are like me and hadn’t had the chance to see it, give it a watch… just be careful if Lee Van Cleef gives you an offer. (Joseph Davis)
What a hilarious movie, and yet, I don’t think Trading Places gets enough credit for what it did for Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd. Trading Places is about two wealthy businessmen who decide to see if people who are born under rich circumstances could survive on the streets, and vice versa, with a poor man being able to thrive in high society. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Ophelia, a prostitute who helps Aykroyd’s Louis Winthrop when he loses everything. It’s a bit of a twisted game that the Duke Brothers (Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche) play on these two people, but it just shows how little the rich and powerful think of other people. I’d argue this is a precursor to how the ultra wealthy treat people today. Dare I say, Trading Places was ahead of its time in terms of wealth disparity and classism. Is it a little far-fetched of a scheme, and a little on the crazy side? Absolutely. But what we ultimately get is a funny and engaging movie that has a lot to say and a ton of laughs. (Mike Hilty)
You can’t beat a stacked cast, can you? Obviously, there are many pieces that go into a film, but if you have the right cast to make the most out of the material, you can have yourself a stellar comedy. When it comes to A Fish Called Wanda, it takes four. Each of these incredible performers bring their energy and talent together to pump out endless laughs. This British comedy is full of crime, grifting, and laughs, making for a darkly funny and iconic experience. Each piece does their job so well. Jamie Lee Curtis is the titular lynch pin who pulls it all together. Her sex appeal, intelligence, and seduction pull her trio of colleagues into the fray. Kevin Kline offers up a high-energy and manic performance as the charming and hilarious, Otto. Michael Palin (my favorite of the old Monty Python troupe) is the oddball, Ken, who brings plenty of strange choices to the table, yet they all land in an offbeat kind of way. But of course, we have the dry and straight man of the equation, who anchors it all down with John Cleese and his barrister Archie. If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing these four geniuses at work together, then go check out A Fish Called Wanda right now. (Shane Conto)
One of the best movies of 2022, and one that should be an award contender, is the best multiverse film, Everything Everywhere All At Once. Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) is forced into an insane adventure where she alone can save the world by traveling through various multiverses. That is literally all I can say without spoiling this amazing movie that I am definitely glad I got to watch in theaters. Jamie Lee Curtis serves as a secondary antagonist, Deirdre Beaubeirdre, and does a fantastic job with her role, giving 110%. This film also serves as Ke Huy Quan’s first major role in 20 years. Directors Daniels Kwan and Scheinert bring some of the best work out of all the actors involved with some amazing camera work. The visuals are some of the most trippy and insane things you will see. This film is one that has to be seen to be believed. (Austen Terry)
When the title “Scream Queen” is mentioned, that moniker is synonymous with one individual — that would be none other than Jamie Lee Curtis. The film that truly cemented this was the 1978 horror/slasher classic directed by John Carpenter, Halloween. This would be the first of many entries that Curtis would star in as titular “Final Girl,” Laurie Strode. Every horror film needs a notable antagonist, and one who still strikes fear in the hearts of viewers is the expressionless mask-wearing, psychopath dubbed “The Shape,’’ but who is just as well known as Michael Myers. His mask alone is the stuff of legends: a modified William Shatner mask has become a thing of nightmares. Even with the film being largely bloodless, the cinematography, atmosphere and moody synth score by Carpenter have made it stand the test of time. If you are preparing to watch Halloween Ends, this will be an essential viewing, and if you’re a longtime fan, this is always a great film to revisit. (Joe Vargas)
Jamie Lee Curtis is at her best leading a star-studded supporting cast in Knives Out, as Linda Drysdale, the eldest child of the treacherous Thrombey family, and the only one with redeeming qualities despite still being terrible. This of course excludes family patriarch Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), who we find dead in the opening scene, but thankfully get plenty of through flashbacks. His tough love and selfless acts propel the movie, and his friendship with Marta Cabrera (Ana de Armas) is beautiful. De Armas shines in her breakout performance as the pure and snidely charming nurse thrust into a murder mystery. She also develops a delightful pairing with the eminently curious and confident detective, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Craig’s strong Southern accent could easily have drifted over the top, but he tiptoed the line and never crossed it. They drive the story, but Curtis steals the show with several of the best lines, including accusing Marta of “boinking” her father, telling the lawyer where he can shove the will, and responding to the question of, “How was it?” with, “The party? Pre my dad’s death? Oh, it was great.” Knives Out is immensely funny and clever — it revitalized the murder mystery and is one of the best comedies of the past decade. It excels at the concept of “show, don’t tell;” clues are hidden in plain sight to solve a unique twist on the format, as you see the death play out early and gradually uncover the mysteries behind it. (Jason Mack)