In honor of Coming 2 America‘s recent release, the SiftPop crew is counting down our favorite movies featuring a fictional country. Let us know @SiftPop what your ranking is!
I don’t think we talk enough about how great Aquaman was — the more time goes on, the more it grows on me. I initially liked it but I have recently grown to love it. Arthur Curry, born half Atlantean, half human, goes on a quest to stop the war between the ocean and land while also fulfilling his destiny to become king of Atlantis. Jason Momoa isn’t someone we all imagined playing as this character before the start of the DCEU, but I think that he’s fantastic. He brings a charm that makes it hard for me to imagine someone else in the role. Another great thing I love about this movie is the scale of its fight and battle scenes. Director James Wan knows how to make sure you’re able to keep track of large scale sequences while it’s moving at a fast pace. The third act has some of my favorites fight scenes in a comic book movie and if you happen to own it on Blu-Ray, you can even see these scenes in their proper IMAX aspect ratio. There’s not a whole lot else I can say about this movie other than it’s just a great time to sit through. (Alex Henderson)
After 33 years, who is ready to take a trip back to the African nation of Zamunda? With Amazon delivering the long-gestating sequel, this is the perfect time to go back and appreciate the original comedy classic, Coming to America. Eddie Murphy made a huge impression on me as a kid with films like The Nutty Professor because he could create so many great characters come to life. But where did he do it better? Coming to America follows the adventure of Prince Akeem and his loyalist subject, Semmi (portrayed by Arsenio Hall who also spreads his talent around), as they go to Queens so Akeem can find love. This endearing tale is filled with memorable performances from Murphy and Hall as they portray sassy barbers, old Jewish men, sexist preachers, and overly confident musical acts. Do you want to witness some genius comedic skills? Check out Coming to America. (Shane Conto)
Stardust is a story of adventure, magic, and fantasy. It’s one that shows the hero’s journey in such a new and interesting way and it’s one that has too long been put to the sidelines. Set in the bordering worlds of Wall and Stormhold you immediately know what you’re in for the moment those names are told to you. Taking the guise of a kind of Princess Bride-esque story, it’s truly one for the ages. Starring Daredevil’s Charlie Cox and Homeland’s Claire Danes, along with other big names like De Niro, Pfeiffer, and Gervais, this is a fun, crazy fairytale for the modern audience. If you haven’t had a chance to see it, definitely give it a go. I promise fun, great world building, silly antics, and impressive magic effects for its time. You won’t regret it! (Alice Micheli)
Very few films capture the essence of a place in such a powerful way as Themyscira did in 2017’s Wonder Woman. A fictional secluded Amazonian race of women who strive everyday to be the very best warriors they can be, it is awe inspiring to see the wonderful stunt work performed in the intro. While having some phenomenal world building experiences, this film doesn’t skimp in any of the other departments. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman is a joy to view on screen, as she brings the naive nature to the character while still feeling powerful. Chris Pine as Steve Trevor is superb in this supporting role and plays well off of Gadot. Largely the heart of the film is the relationship between these two and how they view the world. Wonder Woman is a film to revisit for the fully realized world and the characters that inhabit it. (Joe Vargas)
I don’t know where to begin, but I will say Black Panther is one of the greatest comic book films of all time (yes, I’m totally biased because I don’t know how many times this film was watched in my household). For the first time, we have black royals, and one of them happens to be a superhero. Black Panther tells the story of T’Challa taking over as king after the sudden death of his father and being challenged by his cousin Killmonger, who wants to begin a global revolution. It is the first superhero film to receive a Best Picture nomination and the first MCU film to win an Academy Award and it deserved all the awards (including the ones it won), as well as the praise it was given. The costumes, the direction, the story, the cultural significance, the score, (which I may or may not be listening to right now), the cinematography, the amazing performances by Michael B. Jordan, Danai Gurira, Lupita Nyong’o, Letitia Wright, and the great, late Chadwick Boseman as the eponymous hero, and of course, the fictional, uncolonized country of Wakanda. I remember the first time I saw this film and getting teary-eyed when we finally got to see the country for the first time — futuristic and rich in African culture, you would believe that this “world” is real, except for the invisible shield/entrance to keep the colonizers out. The fighting sequences during the ritual combat between T’Challa and M’Baku and the great mound battle at the end keep you at the edge of your seat and cheering on as if you were there. You have to at least watch this film once (or multiple times — I can’t tell you how to live your life) before you die. Black Panther isn’t old enough to be a classic, but one day it will be, and rightfully so. Also, we’ll never forget what Boseman gave to us as T’Challa. Thank you for being our King; Wakanda Forever! (Chantal Ashford)
If you want to watch complex characters roam through the beautiful fictional country of Zubrowka, The Grand Budapest Hotel is the perfect choice. As the plot unfolds, the viewer gets to see more and more of the mountainous land. Each new setting enhances the pace of the plot as you follow Zero and M. Gustave as they work to clear their names. As the characters race around the map, everything starts and ends with The Grand Budapest Hotel, that seemingly magical resort that brings all of the subplots together in a crescendo of storylines that you will not want to miss. The entire journey is pulled together by several terrific performances by Ralph Fiennes, Saoirse Ronan, Jeff Goldblum, F. Murray Abraham, and more. The film never rests and will have you on the edge of your seat. It’s an exciting adventure that is a joy to watch unfold before you. (Kaleb Wolters
Transporting viewers to both the mythical underwater kingdom of Atlantica and some vague European kingdom, The Little Mermaid is the Disney classic heralded for bringing about the renaissance of the famed animation studio. Though perhaps slightly upstaged by the other classics that came after it, it’s obviously still a classic in its own right. The animation still holds up, even over 30 years later, but what really made this one sing was the music. Wall-to-wall classics, courtesy of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, will have you singing along in no time, regardless of how long it’s been. It had been a while since I’d seen it a couple of years back when I went to a student theater performance of the musical version. I immediately downloaded the soundtrack for the way home and was smiling ear to ear—rumors that I am currently listening to said soundtrack while writing this entry are unsubstantiated. The reimagining of a classic fairytale was a successful formula for Disney, and one they’d go back to for future classics. It’s pure magic that can’t fail to produce smiles—as long as you don’t go searching for the Hans Christian Andersen tale it’s based on. (Jake Bourgeois)
We interrupt your romp through largely comic book films and comedies for a film about Nazi Germany calling attention to the persecution of the Jews as it was happening. There’s really nothing subtle about the film’s titular dictator Adenoid Hynkel of Tomania, Mussolini stand-in Benzino Napaloni of Bacteria, or any of the Nazi-inspired imagery used in this 1940 classic. Charlie Chaplin plays both dictatorial Hynkel and a Jewish barber with a striking resemblance to the Tomanian leader. I remember watching a video from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (The Oscars and the Holocaust) last year discussing Hollywood’s portrayal of the Holocaust while conversations were happening around Jojo Rabbit. The video pointed to this film as an important outlier at a time when Hollywood largely avoided criticism. Having watched the movie for the first time myself just last month, it’s striking how much is referenced—including concentration camps. The film is a two-hour plea for humanity, with dashes of classic Chaplin humor tossed in occasionally, and one of cinema’s greatest speeches. We now return to our regularly-scheduled programming. (Jake Bourgeois)
You don’t have to worry about calling the brute squad on me this week, because I have seen The Princess Bride multiple times (it would be inconceivable for me not to), and it is one of my all-time favorite films. It follows our band of heroes in the Kingdom of Florin against the evil Prince Humperdinck and his plans revolving around his bride, Princess Buttercup. This movie has many iconic lines and scenes, with great performances by the likes of Carey Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, André the Giant, and Billy Crystal (who coincidentally shares my birthday. Happy early 73rd Billy). What works best for this movie, however, is the fact that it’s not told as a direct story, instead opting for a backdrop of a grandfather reading the book this film is based on to his grandson. This helps give the movie a heart to it that many book adaptations can only hope to reach. If you want a good story with plenty of heart and many iconic moments, The Princess Bride cannot be recommended enough. (Joseph Davis)
Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is an epic that succeeds in a way very few franchises can claim. Three films, all telling their own story but playing their roles in a larger more epic scope than has ever been attempted in film. It spans an entire continent of fictional lands encompassed by kingdoms and countries. More than that, it makes you understand the different races and the dynamics between them. It’s a living, breathing world, and Return of the King is the climax that brings it all together. The intent is clear through the use of music giving each region its own motif that represents its people. There is never any doubt where the characters and countries are represented from The Shire, to Rohan, Gondor, and Mordor (just to name a few). The acting is amazing and the scale truly makes this fantasy epic feel larger than life, yet doesn’t lose its meaning. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King is the crowning achievement of a franchise that was once considered unfilmable and 20 years later still holds up as an outstanding achievement. (Evan Lucken)
The Princess Diaries
I do not believe I would have been able to forgive myself if I had not taken the opportunity to discuss the absolute CLASSIC that is The Princess Diaries. Of all the live action Disney movies to come out in the last 25 years, this is easily one of the most fun and charming. It is directed by the iconic Garry Marshall and features not only the legendary Julie Andrews giving one of her funniest performances, but also Anne Hathaway in her debut movie performance! Her performance as Mia Thermompolis Amelia Mignotte Thermopolis Renaldi, Princess of Genovia (yes, I pulled that from my memory) is still remembered as one of her most iconic roles in a career filled with fantastic ones. The chemistry between the cast is magnetic with some of the absolute best moments coming from when Hathaway and Andrews are on screen together. Hector Elizondo and Larry Miller, two staples from the era, also show up and are having a ton of fun. Yes, the movie is a G-rated Disney flick that is paint-by-numbers and silly, but the movie is worth a watch purely to hear Julia Andrews say, “Shut up.” (Nashua Doll)
6 Underground
Snarky SiftPop Contributor Frank here. Now after my submission last week of Michael Bay’s Transformers: The Last Knight and a week in the basement pit I have learned the following: here at SiftPop, and especially with these BECs, we need to write about movies we believe in. So here I am talking about… Michale Bay’s 6 Underground. Yes, I am generally a fan of Michael Bay and I actually like 6 Underground. Bay is back in his element of his signature Bay-hem with an elite special ops type team (that’s not called the A-Team) trying to overthrow the evil leader of the fictional country of Turgistan. With plenty of stylized action scenes and the ever-charming RyRey (that’s Ryan Reynolds for you non-cult members), there is a lot here to be enjoyed. Now for the RyRey Cult members, don’t forget the meetings have been moved to Papa John’s on Wednesdays and the password is Ruccolo. (Frank Kemp)
Southland Tales
If there is one thing I love about the art of filmmaking, it is the ambitious risks filmmakers will develop for an audience, and the 2000s saw a plethora of imaginary worlds audiences can get lost in. However, if there is one film that I believe puts them all to shame, it is Richard Kelly’s sophomore feature titled, Southland Tales. The film is Kelly’s Star Wars, acting as his response to the big blockbuster boom in the 2000s by making a big, expansive, and crazy, hyper-realistic world about election anxiety. Taking place in modern America where the country is on the brink of collapse during an election between T.S Elliot and Robert Frost, the cast includes: Dwanye Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sean William Scott, Mandy Moore, Wallace Shawn, Amy Poehler and so much more — what a cast! This film will forever be in my top five films of all time: a true show-stopping masterwork that, on every rewatch, I keep wondering about its existence. The film is a marvel in itself — it was booed at Cannes, it was despised by critics, and it even had its own director (after coming off with the cult classic Donnie Darko) disappear from the film world. The film throws so many ideas at the wall from quantum teleportation to the war between neo-marxist movements and is a big and audacious spectacle that many should watch. The film’s “Cannes Cut” was recently placed on Arrow Video’s blu-ray and I believe the Cannes Cut is the definitive way of watching. If there is one film that will always pioneer my love for filmmaking, it is Richard Kelly’s masterwork Southland Tales! (John Bizub)
Also See: The BFG, Commando, Despicable Me 3, The Phantom, Raya and the Last Dragon, The Expendables 3, The Dictator, The Chronicles of Narnia