If Yesterday performs well, could we see an entire expanded universe full of
“What if (insert famous person here) hadn’t existed” movies? You laugh, but expanded universes are the hottest thing since sequels right now. In honor of Yesterday coming out, we set out to come up with our top 10 best ever…um…what was the theme again? Here are ten movies. They tie together somehow…I just don’t remember how exactly.
Adam Sandler movies tend to be more or less one-note. He does some goofy stuff, gets into shenanigans with his friends and assorted celebrities, and there is a fair amount of childish humor. But every so often, he is able to channel his comedic writing and acting skills into something meaningful. In 50 First Dates, he tones down his goofiness to bring to life a touching story about the lengths someone would go to not lose the love of their life. When he finds out that a girl named Lucy has short term memory loss, he commits to making her fall in love with him every day. It isn’t over dramatic or wacky; it’s sweet and touching. It is a beautifully personal story (never thought I’d say that about a Sandler comedy) that is as rewatchable as Lucy’s daily video. (Robert Bouffard)
It’s amazing how successful The Hangover bacame after it’s release over a decade ago. It boosted the names of it’s cast, while also spawning 2 sequels. The story is about 3 friends who accompany their good friend Doug for his bachelor party in vegas, but when they wake up the morning after with no memory of the previous night to realize Doug is now missing, they must follow a trail of minor things to find their friend before he’s late for his wedding day. I think this movie is easily one of the funniest of the 2000’s. This is the movie that brought us Ken Jeong (Mr.Chow), who would go on to do one of my favorite tv shows “Community” and really elevated Bradley Cooper into a household name. While the sequels may not be as great as this first movie, it’s hard to get me to not recommend this comedic gem. (Alex Henderson)
This may or not be a TOTAL cheat on this topic but the quest to forget an ex-girlfriend does really put the “forgetting” in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Is there actual loss of memory in this film? No…but it is truly a blast! Jason Segel embodies the sad nature of a break-up through his charming and sympathetic turn as Peter. Where else would be the perfect spot to forget an ex than Hawaii? Well unless they show up there with their new hubby too! Especially when that hubby is Russell Brand and he sings about being somewhere private…if you know what I mean? Segel, Brand, Kristen Bell and the whole entire cast bring their all to this fantastic comedy. Paul Rudd, Jonah Hill, and Bill Hader even get room to shine in minor roles. I have never felt the same about sweat pants and cereal containers since I have seen this film. That is how memorable and funny the film’s gags are. This is definitely one of those films I can watch everyday and would never want to forget its wonderful and endless charm. But I am still waiting in figurative line to get my tickets to Dracula the Musical whenever the hell it actually gets released. (Shane Conto)
You can’t talk about forgetting movies and… well… forget… to chat a bit about Jason Bourne’s journey towards remembering his super spy roots. It’s the movie that put Bond on blast that the spy game had changed and it better keep up. From the moment we fish Bourne out of the water we are led on a break neck, genre defining mystery of identity and purpose. Damon is great, and Liman showed he was capable of keeping butts teetering on the edge for the entire film. After several sequels it’s easy to forget how revolutionary the original was, so maybe give it another watch before it completely slips your mind. (Papa Sift)
Mulholland Drive is the perfect “rabbit hole” movie; one which lures you in with the tantalizing film noir premise of a woman stricken with amnesia one night in a car accident who befriends a struggling actress and searches for clues for her identity around a dreamlike Hollywood. But with every scene, we fall deeper into the rabbit hole of David Lynch’s bizarre mirror-dimension depiction of Hollywood, coming across inhabitants from sleazy business types to grotesque beasts. Yet nothing is ever as it seems in Mulholland Drive, a hazy noir-inspired mystery with deeper ties to Wizard of Oz than Touch of Evil. A film which has been picked apart and debated frame by frame ever since its release, symbolism and metaphor is intrinsic to Mulholland Drive’s appeal, yet its stream-of-consciousness narrative and dreamlike structure can be appreciated for its mood and atmosphere without diving into what everything means. In fact, David Lynch, the eternally enigmatic filmmaker behind the film (as well as the likes of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet), expects the audience to come out of his movies without answers; for it’s in the lingering emotions of confusion and disorientation, the lack of closure and a happy ending, where the true terror lies. Most scary movies escape your mind the moment you leave the theatre; but the final moments of Mulholland Drive will linger in the recesses of your memory long after the credits roll. (Devan Meyer)
There is one director who has proven that if you need a film centered around the blurred lines between imagination and reality and his name is Terry Gilliam. Throw in a healthy dose of distant and dreamlike childhood memories and you get 12 Monkeys! Based on the French film La Jatee, this remake (or reimagining if you prefer) is heavy on the sci-fi telling of a criminal who travels back in time to stop a virus from destroying humanity and pushing humankind underground. Or does he? Bruce Willis gives one of his finest performances and Brad Pitt is suitably unhinged as he portrays a psychologically disturbed son of a wealthy man. This puzzle of a film makes the audience guess along with Willis whether what he sees is madness or an unbearable walk through the past. What Willis forgets just might be the most shocking piece of all. Gilliam shines in this labyrinth of a film that balances science fiction, mystery, and thrills perfectly. Will you take the leap? (Shane Conto)
Steven Spielberg, Stanley Kubrick, Martain Scorsese, Alfred Hitchcock, James Cameron. All are Directors I consider to be the elite of the elite when it comes to filmmaking. After seeing 2010’s Inception, Christopher Nolan—who had been making a name for himself—was added to that list of directors. Christopher Nolan is a visionary filmmaker who can sell a film off his name alone (just look at his box office track record). But what sets him apart from the rest is the way he is able to blend practical and visual effects and bring larger to life stories to the big screen while also keeping his stories deeply personal and grounded. No other film in his filmography proves this more so than Inception. An original concept that was unlike anything I had seen before, but also a moving story that at its heart is about family. It is for this reason why this film earned a nomination for Best Picture at The Oscars (and should have won). (Ben Davis)
If I had a nickel for every time I watched this in class in high school, I could buy that fish tank that wraps around your ceiling that I’ve always wanted. There is a reason this movie is often regarded as the greatest Pixar film. Well actually there are many: spectacular voice over performances, beautiful animation, heart clinching moments, clever character pairings, comedic timing. Honestly, that list could go on even longer. However, I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know or haven’t already heard. By some insane chance you haven’t already seen this, grab it this weekend and strap in for a delightful streaming experience. (Blake Hodges)
Sci-Fi-Rom-Com? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a forgetting movie that is so compelling because for once the forgetting is not an accident, but a very conscious choice made. Amnesia is a plot element that sometimes feels overused, but how about memory loss that you deliberately choose? We all have painful memories we wish we could get rid of and most of us probably have a person that fits in that category. But would you actually go through with getting rid of their memories? Jim Carrey is at his Truman Show best and there are several scenes guaranteed to break your heart where Carrey watches a fond memory vanish. But this movie is also full of charm, whit, and surprises backed up with an incredible supporting cast! And, more than any other movie, given its plot, you watch a relationship in reverse and are so disgusted with two characters, it’s kind of a miracle that you get to the point that you can’t help but root for them to make it by the end. If you’re into sci-fi, this is a movie for you. If you’re into Rom-Com’s, this is a movie for you. If you like Jim Carrey, Mark Ruffalo, Kirsten Dunst, Kate Winslet, or other great actors, this is a movie for you. If you’re looking for a date night, but not another Nicholas Sparks movie, then this certainly is a movie for you. (Aaron Schweitzer)
When most people think about Christopher Nolan they think about his tentpole films such as his Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Interstellar or most recently Dunkirk. For many cinefiles the film that really comes to mind is a small, gritty , yet complex film entitled Memento. The titular character Leonard (Guy Pearce) suffers from short-term memory loss after taking a massive blow to the head from one of his attackers. The last thing he can remember is the murder of is wife at the hands of the remaining attacker that got away. Driven by the sole memory of his wife’s murder, he attemps to string details together with various unorthodox methods to avenge her death. One part of the film is being told in a traditional linear fashion while parallel to that the story is being told backwards with intricate details being slowly revealed to the audience. The best movies that have the central figure having memory loss, allow the viewer to step into that characters shoes and slowly have information fed as if they are inhabiting the body of said character. Chris and Johnathan Nolan do a fantastic job of stringing the viewer along and keeping them intrigued until the film hits the credits. With each revelation and fragments of information provided by supporting characters as well as the voice over delivered by Leonard, the audience sinks deeper into the narrative that is being constructed. A film as intricate as this can’t be done with the script alone, but by great talent in front of the camera and Memento shines here as well. Guy Pearce is supported by the talents of Carrie Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano and Mark Boone Junior just to name a few. They add texture to the world building and help project this dirty and seedy feel to the film. Memento is a film that will never hold your hand and want you to feel just as helpless as it’s forgetful protagonist until it’s shocking climax. (Joseph Vargas)
Honorable Mentions
Overboard
Is this movie super problematic? Absolutely; but, it’s one of my favorite films from growing up. Staring Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn at the height of their powers in Hollywood, this film pits them together as rivals at first when Dean—played by Kurt Russell—calls Joanna—played by Goldie Hawn—out for being stuck up and snobbish. On one faithful night, she falls out of her yacht and gets a case of amnesia. Dean takes this as his opportunity to come in and claim her as his wife so she can raise his four hellish children. Again, this film is super problematic, but what this film is able to capture is a tremendous sense of heart and is carried by the performances and charisma of its two stars. Russell and Hawn come across incredibly realistic and you really believe in their love for one another once they fall in love. (Ben Davis)
Total Recall
In 1990, director Paul Verhoeven used a short story by Phillip K. Dick to build a memorable Sci-Fi/Action Film. When an average construction worker named Quaid becomes discontent with his life on Earth, he seeks the services of Rekall Inc. to go on a virtual thrillride he soon won’t forget. Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has a constant suspicion that he was meant for so much more and the planet Mars calls to him on a deep level that he is unable to shake. During his visit to Rekall something goes horribly awry and Quaid is starting to have his repressed memories bubble up to the surface as he violently thrashes around. The sleek direction of Paul Verhoeven mixed with a synergistic cast are able to blend Sci-Fi Action, humor and ultra violence into a film experience that isn’t easily replicated (As Hollywood found out much later). The direction of this film is spectacular and once again showcases the satirical and cynical humor that is commonplace in Paul Verhoeven’s films. To the average viewer his films can be harsh, cruel and sometimes vulgar, but they always have an underlying messages or themes. Total Recall is no different in this respect and takes shots at corrupt Agencies, terrorism, propaganda, capitilism and the over reliance on technology. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivers a charismatic performance as Quaid/Hauser and he truly becomes the viewers avatar through the various twists and turns that the narrative provides. The viewer is there with Quaid with each new development that is made by our unsuspecting protagonist. The world of Mars is brilliantly constructed through beautiful matte paintings, stellar miniatures, superb prosthetic make-up and animatronics that make the viewer do a double take. These techniques are seldom used in film anymore due to the advent of CGI. This gives the movie a sense of depth physically due to nearly everything being in camera. The combination of all of these elements make for a memorable viewing experience that keeps the audience second guessing themselves even long after the conclusion of the film. (Joseph Vargas)
Also See:
Trance, Regarding Henry, Spellbound, Dark City, Hancock, The Majestic, The Island