Many movies set out to answer a question, but that question is typically more on the philosophical side of things. For example, Remember the Titans sets out to answer the question “Can a small town football team overcome their differences, play as one team, and win together?”. This week, we are coving the other side of the coin with movies that set out to answer a literal question. As the cast of Where’d You Go, Bernadette sets out to find her, we have set out to bring you the top 10 movies that also set out on a quest to answer a defined, central question.
I watched this before I knew how cool Ice Cube was. Now that I’ve aged and seen how legit he is from watching his story in Straight Outta Compton, I can only assume that a rewatch of this movie would be even funnier. I mean, Ice Cube is on a horse at one point as he sets out to safely transport two kids across the country. Is this the best comedy you’ve ever seen? No way. But if you are looking for an easy watch with a super relatable concept, this will do the trick. (Blake Hodges)
The 2004 version of this film isn’t too far removed from the original’s premise in just about every way. John Clark (Richard Gere) is bored by the mundaneness of his career as an Estate Lawyer, but his attention is piqued when he notices the striking Dance Instructor Paulina (Jennifer Lopez). He decides to take dancing lessons at her studio in order to grasp onto something real and possibly improve his relationship with his wife, Beverly (Susan Sarandon). Richard Gere as John is charming and you can tell in his performance that there is a void in his life that needs to be filled. The viewer gets to see his transformation as he brings dance into his life and you begin to see his demeanor change. Jennifer Lopez as Paulina is charismatic and this is something well in her wheelhouse due to her professional dance background. There is genuine chemistry between the two and there are great moments between them throughout the duration of the film. The main focus of the film is the interactions between John and Paulina, mostly how she makes him open up through the expression of dance. This film makes for a great date movie with that very special someone. (Joseph Vargas)
Behind one of cinema’s biggest rivalries (between screen legends Bette Davis and Joan Crawford) emerged director Robert Aldrich’s unsettling and entertaining 1962 psychological horror-thriller, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, which is based on the novel by Henry Farrell. The story follows two sisters, Jane (Davis) and Blanche (Crawford), the former of whom watches over her paraplegic sister in an old mansion in Hollywood. From there, we descend into a sibling relationship that’s frightening, malicious, and, in the end, heartbreaking. Davis and Crawford create endless fireworks as the leads, but it’s Davis who explodes the screen with her unforgettable portrayal of her unhinged and tragic character, which delivered her a tenth Best Actress nomination. With the story focusing on the lives of two actresses who are out of the spotlight, there’s an extra level of potency because of how this parallels Davis and Crawford’s real-life struggle of being two former stars and having this movie made at a point in their careers where the film industry seemed to push them aside because of their age, despite their talent and previous decades of success. After you finish the movie, be sure to check out the addictive 2017 miniseries, “Feud: Bette and Joan,” which dramatizes the two actresses’ notorious rivalry and stars Susan Sarandon as Davis and Jessica Lange as Crawford and tells one of the most intriguing stories of Hollywood’s golden age. (Vincent Abbatecola)
When someone will asks me about Dude Where’s My Car? and the plot, I always give them the same answer: imagine if The Hangover was made by a bunch of 13 year-olds, and all realism was thrown out the window. Dude Where’s My Car? is about two friends Jesse (Ashton Kutcher) and Chester (Sean William Scott) who go on an adventure to retrace their steps from the epic partying they did the night before all because they lost their car. This movie came out at just the right time, as the new wave of comedies within this genre were fading away. While I’ll admit that it’s fun to revisit this sort of movie, not all jokes land within today’s culture. Some of the the humor can miss easily because of the great writing we have in today’s films. While this type of “dumb humor” can be a turn off for some people, I hope you’ll give it a shot. All I can say is that if you do miss early 2000’s humor, then this is sure to land. (Alex Henderson)
We drop in on Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfieffer as a couple who are experiencing a strange haunting in their home. But this haunting is a personal one. You have infidelity, writings on the mirror, murder, and the supernatural. While Robert Zemeckis directed this film, you can feel the influence of Alfred Hitchcock in many ways. This isn’t the typical horror flick, but it does have its goosebump inducing scares and jumps. Did I mention this has Ford and Pfieffer? I shouldn’t have to sell you any more now that you know that! (Chantal Ashford)
When Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was broadcast in cinemas in 1988, it’s safe to say that audiences were amazed by its audacious nature. Not only was it a wily detective comedy set in Hollywood, it was a story populated with both live action actors and animated characters – together! Very rarely done before, this was a whole other beast, with the movie incorporating personas that everyone has seen and loved before such as Bugs Bunny and Mickey Mouse, as well as creating new personalities such as Jessica Rabbit and the aptly named Roger Rabbit. A buddy cop comedy with a twist, every scene has a thousand Easter eggs that any cinephile would relish discovering. It’s also amazing to note the effects that were done so seamlessly in a time before some major effects houses were just a glint in their founder’s eyes. However, after all that, the real wonder is that the movie managed to get both Disney and Warner Bros. to collaborate and lend their icons for bit parts in this adult-angled action comedy. Any film that is able to do that, deserves a spot on everyone’s watch list. (Alice-Ginevra Micheli)
This is a personal story about a young man who just wants to escape from the clutches and doldrums of his current reality where he never gets the credit for all he does for his family. He feels empty, trapped, and under appreciated. This is an incredibly powerful and subtle performance from Deep early in his career where he was trying to shake his heartthrob stigma. This was also what I believe to be Leonardo DiCaprio’s breakout role as Gilbert’s brother, Arnie. DiCaprio is almost unrecognizable in the role and earned himself his first of six Oscar Nominations (which I think he should have won that year). The relationship between Gilbert and Arnie is the heartbeat of this moving tale that I hope you take the time to sit down and watch. (Ben Davis)
Yes, it’s a stretch. But declarative statements that infer an answer are often considered questions. The truth is the title being a question is as debatable as whether or not this movie is as progressive and meaningful as it intends to be. The movie’s message about interracial marriage can come off as wanting credit just for presenting the surface topic without really taking time to dig underneath and explore. Where the movie really succeeds is it’s cast and the superb performances they lay in here. Sidney Poitier, Katherine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy are all stunning in their roles. There’s a reason Hepburn won her second of an eventual four Best Actress Oscars for this role, she’s absolutely captivating and believable. While the approach to the subject matter may feel timid to a modern audience. there’s still plenty to enjoy if you decide to pick up “dinner” tonight. (PapaSift)
I feel very confident that I can speak to the enjoyment I have for this film as I watched it for the first time ever last week! I have always been a huge fan of Mr. Bill Murray. Who can say no to the beautiful art of being a complete asshole yet so incredibly hilarious with perfect dry humor? I would say this kind of film is in the same vein of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. That is a very strange comparison you say? Murray’s character of Bob and Richard Dreyfuss’s Leo are both terrible people. Yet you want to keep watching the whole time. One is a manipulative jerk who needs to fill his own enjoyment and the other is a smug and self-centered man in a field that is about helping people. I could not look away from this hilarious train wreck of a vacation getaway! I feel this film truly lives and dies by the manic and unstable performance of Murray. It can be the feel bad comedy of your summer! (Shane Conto)
Who would ever come up with a Depression era tale about escaped convicts set in the deep south but also heavily influenced by the plot of The Odyssey? Well the Coen Brothers of course! The Coen Brothers are some of the most unique and talented writer-directors of their generation. They mix unexpected and shocking violence with a gambit of humor ranging from the driest of dry wit and absurd slapstick to perfection. This film follows the wonderful trio of John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and the extremely hilarious and charming yet slimy George Clooney. This just might be my favor Clooney performance as he loses that leading man swagger in exchange for fast talking and slick conman whose use of big words can only be matched by his pure love for Dapper Dan products. They meet the Oracle (a blind black man on a push cart who spouts wisdom), the Cyclops (a larger than life Joh Goodman who is truly intimidating), and the Sirens (with voices of angels as they sing their bluegrass tunes). This film was revolutionary as Roger Deakins created cinematography history by color adjusting the whole film in post. And not many films can boast that they were responsible for reviving the bluegrass musical genre for a whole new generation. (Shane Conto)