Golden Globes tonight and the subject comes up: what are your Top Ten movies of the year?
As a former movie critic (if you want to see one heck of a review of Spider-Man 2, check out mine at Movieweb.com) I still get the question. But now my interest is in how my favorite movies help you to write yours.
Here are my Top Ten Most Helpful Examples Of Good Movies To Learn From for 2005
1. 40 Year Old Virgin. Why? Degree of difficulty. This “Fool Triumphant” could have been crass and turned out to be sweet — with a GREAT “Pope in the Pool” moment BTW. Ten points to the person who can tell me what that moment is!
2. Capote. Beat for beat a texbook example of the BS2 and a classic “Golden Fleece” in which what we think the goal of the journey is, turns out not to be at all. A GREAT “Theme Stated” moment right there in minute 5. Take a look when it comes out on DVD.
3. Cinderella Man. Despite the terrible title (why doesn’t anyone ever call me about these things?!) a wonderful, deep and moving example of the “Superhero” genre.
4. Crash. Yes, despite it’s ensemble form, it too has a clear cut BS2 including a great synthesis moment at the end.
5. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. Must give kudos to Shane Black and at the same time advise everyone else: No breaking of the fourth wall please. When you create a worldwide, billion dollar hit franchise– then we’ll talk.
6.Upside of Anger. Mike Binder directed this “Rites of Passage” tale and gives us one of the best portraits of alcoholism in main characters Kevin Costner and Joan Allen.
7. The Constant Gardener. “Dude With A Problem” Indeed. An ordinary man, who likes it that way, is drawn into an extraordinary world by the death of his wife.
8. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Surely the best family film of the year, eh, and a comic “Whydunit?”
9. Wedding Crashers. A “Buddy Love” and a $200 million hit because we knew going in what it was about just from the poster! Also ties with 40 Year Old Virgin for “Best Title.”
10. King Kong. No, not a “Monster In the House” A love story. And I for one loved the fact they took their time getting there.
So you see, there are examples of winning movies in almost every one of my ten movie genres. If you are working on a genre that matches one of these films, take a look — and stay tuned for the Golden Globes!
Blake Snyder
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Great top 10 list! The ones I haven’t seen are now on my rental list for when they come out on DVD. I loved both The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Cinderella Man.
Love the site! Can’t wait for your Chicago trip!
:) K
…with a GREAT “Pope in the Pool†moment BTW. Ten points to the person who can tell me what that moment is!
When they’re in back of the store and smashing flourescent lights?
Bing-bing-bing-bing-bing…. Ten Points for Christina Ferguson!!!! Absolutely 100% correct-o-mundo! The smashing lightbulbs scene in 40 Year Old Virgin “buries the exposition” with something that takes our minds off it!! Congratulations!!!
This isn’t actually on the topic of the Golden Globes. It’s just that the mention of the Pope in the Pool moment reminded me of something.
I went to a meeting at a friend’s house a couple of weeks ago, and when I arrived his very young daughter was watching Disney’s Cinderella. I got caught up in the storytelling. And was fascinated that when the Duke comes to the house to test the glass slipper on the ladies of the house, there’s a perfect Pope in the Pool moment. While he’s reading the proclamation (basically explaining the stakes), we’re watching the two mice try and get the key out of the stepmother’s pocket. Lots of nice suspense in the moments too!
Really good point, Sarah! Know that scene but never thought of that. You’re right. Why not make this a Pope in the Pool roundtable. Any more examples? Let’s hear ’em.
I had a “save the cat” moment the other night…I went to see “Brokeback Mountain”, and found myself chuckling at a scene early in the film in which the two cowboy protagonists, in moving a herd of sheep across a river, both assist baby sheep over the water. The Jake Gyllenhall character is carrying one on his shoulders; the Heath Ledger character gently carries one in a pouch of some kind (and even attends to the babe a bit several times during the trek across).
Not sure if having the cowboys assisting the helpless babies over the water was an intentional device on the writer’s part, but even if it wasn’t, I think it definitely worked to get the audience sympathetic to the heroes early on in the film.
Nice to see that someone had “Upside of Anger” on their top ten list! I thought it was superb (and apparently very underrated, based on the lack of Globes/Oscar buzz). Certainly one of Costner’s best performances, and Allen is always amazing. And great acting and directing by Mike Binder.
I agree about Upside of Anger. I thought it was great, and underrated.
I saw this movie once where the pope was swimming in a pool, and…oh never mind. ;-)