Lurker > BetrayedTangy

Yes

Hades
Finch

WazzupGenius00 posted...

ain't no way you're beating gym leader castle with only rentals without being extremely lucky

I actually tried to do this a couple of years ago. I managed to get through the GLC eventually, but that damn Pika Cup is where I had to draw the line. So I'm looking forward to save stating my way through this one haha.

Dangan
Disco

Belle
Almost There
Remember Me
Be Prepared

Xeno
-

Dark Souls

Souls

Spider
Cup

Yes

Gotta go with the Whopper if only for the veggies. I don't get the appeal of just onions and pickles, then on top of that the grease that leaks out of it is super slimy for some reason.

plasmabeam posted...

I echo this. Thanks so much for running this project, Tangy. Probably never would've watched my #1, 3, 5, 7, 8, and 9 without it.

It was an absolute honor and thanks to everyone that participated. This was an incredibly fun project and I enjoyed reading everyone's write ups!

plasmabeam posted...

Hey, Tangy, do you have a complete list of the final rarks? Would like to copy/paste and send them to a friend.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1-oAuyWta4tKegMcPgNyV89-88R_GMlONKFQhTSzBr2M/edit?usp=sharing

Evil
Star

Final Outlier Ranking

Mythiot: 241
Suprak: 223
forty: 181
John: 179 +
Plasma: 174 +
GavsEvans: 173 -
Karo: 165 +
Vis: 155 -
Poke: 148 -
Tangy: 139

1. Airplane! (1980)
Directed by Jim Abrahams
Score: 60

Poke: 1
GavsEvans: 1
Karo: 3
Plasma: 3
Forty: 3
Vis: 4
Mythiot: 6
Tangy: 7
Suprak: 11
John: 21

1. Gavs
Several subjects have been spoofed on this list so far, but this film is notable as the first one to have a detrimental effect on its inspiration (in this case, the star-studded disaster movies of the 1970s) that meant audiences could no longer take the genre seriously. Watching this film, its easy to see why.

The rapid-fire comedy means theres never a dull moment, with almost every frame containing some sort of joke, be it a deadpan witticism, a surreal sight gag, physical slapstick, innuendo or something else entirely. Even the disaster is funny in how mundane and unflashy it is by the standards of the genre. As silly as the film is, the actors dont go over the top, none more so that Leslie Nielsen, who plays his characters absurdity entirely straight faced, and subsequently launched his acting career into a new phase.

The advantage of rapid-fire comedy is that if a particular joke doesnt land, you arent given much time to dwell on it before another one comes along. In this case, its a moot point because I found this film so funny, I was laughing pretty much throughout. Young Frankenstein may have had the funniest individual scene, but this is the most consistently funny film so far.

3. Karo
A planeful of strange passengers is stranded at high altitude when the flight crew fall ill in this wonderfully weird pinnacle of absurd non sequitur comedy.
All the people on the flight are delightful, even those who only appear for a few seconds like the extremely mature children or the incorrectly subtitled jive people.
If there is a thing I didnt like, it is that the protagonist's flashbacks are dull and uninteresting, something the movie itself acknowledges, in that whenever he talks about his tour in 'nam the person sitting next to him commits suicide in an exaggerated manner.
It just works in a way I find hard to quantify where similar movies crash and burn. It is as if the producers have somehow tapped into the cosmic source of all humor and the world is richer because of it.

3. Plasma
Airplane! is a miracle. There are so many moving parts here that this movie shouldnt work at all. Im not sure how the writers managed to cram all these absurd, deadpan storylines into one film, but somehow they did it, and holy shit the whole thing is hilarious. Prior to watching this one, I was beginning to wonder if this satire project wasnt for me, but Airplane! put those worries to bed. This movie oozes originality and hilarity, and its a masterclass in using the Rule of Three (I picked a bad week to quit smoking/amphetamines/sniffing glue.)

My only gripe is that the climax didnt have the punch I wanted. Neither funny nor impactful. Plane shouldve exploded or something. A

3. Forty
Joey, have you ever been in ain a Turkish prison? If someone could only watch one spoof movie and told me to pick it, I would tell them Airplane! Its the pinnacle of taking a situation that is seriously potentially disastrous and making it completely silly. It might be the most quotable movie on the list, the jokes coming rapid fire and delivered by a dead pan Leslie Nielsen and company. I think hes one of the most underrated actors, and I know hes beloved by many but doesnt seem to get enough credit as a comedic genius. The Olivier of spoofs as Roger Ebert called him. Its the furthest thing from scathing social commentary, but for puns, non-sequiturs, and slapstick, its the absolute king. Surely, there is no funnier movie.

4. Vis
Going into this watchthrough, Airplane! was probably the biggest-name film I hadnt seen before. And this is the kind of movie that makes me really glad for these projects, because I never wouldve found the time to watch this otherwise, and it was great. Knowing that the script for this film was basically taking a 1950s disaster movie and adding jokesit makes it THAT much better. You NOTICE how straight theyre playing the whole movie, expect when youve got little background moments that you might not even be paying attention to sometimes. Leslie Neilsen has been in a lot of Scary Movie sequels, but hes always playing a goofball in those, whereas here, hes taking the role extremely seriously, and it makes the jokes land THAT much more. Its just a really funny film, and the fact that they use sight gags, and wordplay, and legitimate jokes, and its not just one style of comedy makes it all the better.

6. Mythiot
The second most ridiculous movie that takes place on a plane that Ive ever seen and certainly the funniest. A comedic remake of a forgotten disaster film called Zero Hour that uses some of the most ridiculous lines word for word, Airplane is a blast. The story is a well-engineered rapid-fire joke telling machine where even if a joke doesnt land, another will follow a couple seconds later, and most of them are pretty hilarious and stupid in the best possible sense. The whole thing wouldnt work nearly as well if the characters didnt seem like they wholly believed in the seriousness and danger of their situation even as they say and do the most ridiculous things possible.

7. Tangy
This movie never ceases to entertain me. Deadpan comedy is always a delight to see and this movie not only elevated it, but also perfected it. I also think its interesting that a film like this couldve only really come out of the era. Nowadays comedy is a lot more in your face and most films often bring in people known for their comedy. Here though its actual dramatic actors playing it seriously, I think I even remember Peter Graves being really unsure of his scenes in the cockpit, despite them being some of the funniest moments in the history of cinema. Anyway Airplane! is a classic thatll never get old for me.

Biggest Laugh: I dont even know, I am incredibly fond of the Kareem Abdul Jabbar sequence though.

21. John
There's a pretty reasonable argument to be made for Airplane! as the most quotable movie on this list. I don't think I've ever heard a single dad joke repeated more than "Surely you can't be serious." As a whole, Airplane! is good, not great, except for the moments that are absolutely hilarious. It feels like they took basically every joke they could possibly think of and squeezed them into less than 90 minutes, and hey, props enough for that. I don't think anything landed for me as much as Leslie Nielsen coming into the cockpit mid-crash landing to repeat, straight-faced: "Good luck, we're all counting on you."

2. Young Frankenstein (1974)
Directed by Mel Brooks
Score: 78

Suprak: 1
GavsEvans: 2
Tangy: 2
Mythiot: 5
John: 6
Vis: 8
Plasma: 9
Poke: 9
Forty: 11
Karo: 25

2. Gavs
I was all set to make a Dr Doofenshmirtz two nickels reference here, but this isnt a Frankenstein movie, its a Fronkenshteen movie. Totally different thing!

I can describe this film as being hazardous to my health. I was sick when I watched it, which caused me to suffer long and painful coughing fits whenever I laughed for longer than a moment. After this happened twice in the opening scene, I had to try and watch the rest without laughing. Easier said than done!

Like the original Dr Frankenstein, Frederick is driven to madness by his work, although here that madness manifests differently. Frederick is prone to violent mood swings, and even at the best of times, theres a barely restrained rage bubbling under. His attempts to control his temper are funny already, so its even funnier when he inevitably loses it.

Despite being a parody of the Frankenstein story, this film does have a bit of tragedy of its own, in the spirit of the source material. Frederick doesnt want to follow in his grandfathers footsteps, but some light nudging from Frau Blucher (NEIGH!) piques his curiosity. Likewise, the creature is reformed, but this ends all too soon through no fault of his own. Both creator and creation are forced to become what others see them as against their will.

The most important thing here is that this film is very funny indeed. There are humorous twists on scenes from the source material, such as the little girl being catapulted away, or the blind man inconveniencing the creature. There are lots of memorable characters, each with their own comedic quirks, such as Igor with his moving hump, Kents thick accent and wooden arm, and Frau Blucher (NEIGH!) having a thing for her former employer. Of course, theres also the big set-piece dance that I would be remiss not to mention as the funniest part of the film, and of the list so far. It will take some doing to top this!

2. Tangy
Between the critical acclaim of Blazing Saddles and the casual appeal of Spaceballs, Young Frankenstein often gets sidelined in terms of Mel Brooks movies. However I think I like it a great deal more than both of them. The main appeal of Young Frankenstein is Brooks attention to detail. He couldve made this just a straight up sequel to Frankenstein and I have no doubt it would be great, which makes the comedy work so much better. The way it alternates between telling a serious story and throwing absurd jokes at you is such a unique form of comedy that I dont think any other movie on this list does as well. So massive props on originality there. Then of course theres the master of acting himself, Gene Wilder, whos great in literally everything.

Biggest Laugh: Goodnight Frau Blucher *Neigh!*

5. Mythiot
A gleefully silly love letter to Universal Classic Horror starring Gene Wilder as the original Dr. Frankensteins embarrassed grandson who insists on going by Fronk-un-steen, until hes seduced by the secrets hidden within the impressively crafted set pieces of his family estate in Transylvania that he recreates his grandfathers mad experiments with hilarious results. As great as Gene Wilder is here, the supporting cast, particularly Marty Feldman as Eye-gor and Peter Boyle as Fronkunsteens monster really steal the show.

6. John
I absolutely love Gene Wilder. Blazing Saddles landed near the top of my Western list, primarily for Wilder's performance. The original Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory has always been one of my favorite movies, and again, it's almost entirely because of Gene Wilder. All it comes down to is that he's just a hilarious personality that commands every scene he's in. Mel Brooks' humor has always itself been kind of hit or miss for me, and that continues here, with scenes like Puttin' on the Ritz and the spinning bookshelf cracking me up, while stuff like the blind man (and really most scenes not involving Wilder) didn't click as much. Still, it's consistently an enjoyable watch.

8. Vis
Now THIS is what Im talking about. We hit the 70s and we start to get more into my style of humor. Young Frankenstein was just funny from beginning to end, taking the classic story of Frankensteins monster and basically maintaining the same beats, but with a turn towards the comedic instead of towards the ghastly and gruesome. Gene Wilder is a treasure as always, playing an exasperated and neurotic Dr. Frankenstein (grandson of THE Dr. Frankenstein), but even better is Peter Boyle, who largely spends the film conveying emotion purely through facial expressions. Throw in a cavalcade of wacky extra characters, and you wind up with an extremely enjoyable film overall.

9. Plasma
Enjoyed the hell out of this one. Though the movie was never laugh-out-loud funny, I was amused the entire time by Dr. Frahn-ken-steen and his quirky crew. Bonus points for going black-and-whiteit added just the right touch of old-school horror atmosphere. B-

11. Forty
Give my creation liiiiiife! Few things are more entertaining to me than watching Gene Wilders manic performances. Even when hes saying things that arent inherently funny, the way he transitions from calm to raving lunacy and back again is always super funny. Theres no one like him and hes perfectly suited to the role of the half mad Dr. FRAH-KEN-STEIN. Some of Mel Brooks humor misses the mark for me (the constable with the arm for one), but he does a great job of paying homage to the old classic monster movies while adding his trademark silliness. Puttin on the Ritz is one of the most iconic moments in comedy history and its easily one of the best and most influential examples of horror comedy.

25. Karo
Dr. Frankenstein's grandson heads to Transylvania in order to follow in his predecessor's footsteps and do unsafe things with electrical current.
What follows is a plodding and unmemorable slog that is rarely funny. Corny old monster movies should be a ripe target for satire, but instead of really subverting anything they just play it mostly straight with a few dirty jokes and some random weirdness.
I didn't care about any of the characters, the story is one I've seen before, and just... why does this exist?
Mel Brooks should have gathered a bit more power before throwing the switch on this movie, because this is definitely not alive.

Persona
Ori

I expected either GQ or Jojo to take first, but I think the Top 5 overall is pretty solid.

Outlier Ranking

Mythiot: 233
Suprak: 212
forty: 179 +
GavsEvans: 173 -
Plasma: 165 -
John: 155
Vis: 146
Poke: 141 +
Karo: 140 -
Tangy: 133

10. Mythiot
Very thankful for these rankings for making me watch this for the first time, because it was an absolute delight. Brilliant premise of having a group of aliens mistake a Star Trek knock-off for being real and beaming aboard the actors who are jaded from years of attending conventions and having them face a real galactic threat. The aliens themselves are great, these octopus-like creatures who take awkward human forms and dont know how to emote with them properly. The impressive cast of actors, including Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, led by a surprisingly great Tim Allen all sell their situation well. I do wish they went a little further with the premise, maybe have them meet a United Federation of sorts, but I really enjoyed what we got.

12. John
I'll be fully honest, I was kinda dreading watching this one. I've never had any interest in like Star Trek or that type of space sci-fi that this is specifically a love letter too. I've also never really cared for Tim Allen in anything outside of Toy Story. That being said, this movie landed for me way more than I would've ever expected. I didn't realize the all-star cast it was going to have; I knew going in that it was starring Allen/Weaver/Rickman, but I absolutely didn't expect Sam Rockwell to show up and completely steal the show, as well as small first-role appearances by Rainn Wilson and Justin Long. The premise is fairly simple but the movie kept me legitimately laughing throughout.

24. Forty
Never give up. Never surrender. Im pretty lukewarm on Galaxy Quest, mainly because Ive never been too into Star Trek. Ive enjoyed a bit of TNG and the 2009 movie but definitely wouldnt be considered a Trekkie. I like Sci-Fi well enough though, so I dont really have anything bad to say about GQ. Its fun, lighthearted, and genuinely exciting at times when the crew has to deal with space problems like alien monsters or magnetic minefields. Whereas some parodies make fun of the source material (e.g Spaceballs) Galaxy Quest is more of a love letter to the genre and its fans. While I dont quite get the near universal adoration (90% on Rotten Tomatoes if you put stock in that) I did think it was an enjoyable adventure.

3. Galaxy Quest (1999)
Directed by Dean Parisot
Score: 79

Vis: 1
Suprak: 2
GavsEvans: 3
Plasma: 4
Tangy: 6
Karo: 7
Poke: 10
Mythiot: 10
John: 12
Forty: 24

1. Vis
I had a smile on my face for the entire runtime of this movie. Its amazing. Yes, you should have a basic understanding of some cliches and conceits from Star Trek (specifically the original series), but even then, you can follow a plot that is basically some washed up actors from a sci-fi show get teleported into space to play their roles for real and the jokes still make sense. Thats the thing: this is a genuine sci-fi movie that happens to have a comedic tone because the main characters are NOT sci-fi characters. Theyre normal humans who have been sucked up into a fish-out-of-water situation, but the aliens (as quirky as they are) feel real in their alien mannerisms. Everything in the plot is sincere, and the comedy comes specifically from the characters driving the action.

Its crazy to look at this cast and see how stacked of an ensemble it is. Tim Allen in his prime, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman (R.I.P.), Tony Shaloub, Sam Rockwell, and others. You have Tim Allen as the Shatner-like captain who gets into this strange plot strangely fast, and he plays the conquering hero with all the hammy goodness youd expect. Weavers sex symbol character pokes fun at how useless her character was on the show itself, taking to her job on the real ship and just generally hating the writing that brought her into this situation. Rickman is, of course, playing a character far beyond his Shakespearean talents, and that hatred and general malaise informs every aspect of his character (with his sad sack performance making some of the best quotes in the movie). Tony Shaloubs character being constantly high, and thus totally cool with all the alien shit, is great. And Sam Rockwell is a goddamn star, poking fun as the random redshirts who serve one purpose on a Star Trek show, and that sorta shit is terrifying when youre really in that situation.

The whole movie is great; I just want to highlight a few of my favorite quotes:

I know! You construct a weapon. Look around you. Can you form some sort of rudimentary lathe?

What is this thing? I mean, it serves no useful purpose for there to be a bunch of chompy, crushy things in the middle of a hallway! ... No! I mean, we shouldn't have to do this! It makes no logical sense! Why is it here? ... Well, forget it! I'm not doing it! This episode was badly written!

"I see you managed to get your shirt off."

Lets get out of here before one of those things kills Guy!

By Grabthars hammer, what a savings."

3. GavsEvans
It would have been easy to make this film a mean-spirited spoof, but Galaxy Quest resists that temptation in favour of being an affectionate homage to its inspiration. Theres a clear appreciation and passion of Star Trek tropes and archetypes, and yet it remains accessible even if youre unfamiliar with Star Trek. There is plenty of comedy here, but that isnt all this works as a genuine sci-fi movie as well, with excitement and emotional moments as well as laughs. The heroes using the minefield to their advantage in the climax is a cheer-worthy moment for me which could have been from a serious sci-fi film.

Alan Rickman steals the show as Dr Lazarus, who especially resents that he is recognised only for Galaxy Quest, and not the roles that he is prouder of, with the resulting typecasting leaving him unable to find work. His delivery of almost every line is steeped in exasperation at his unsatisfying career and the fans, especially the ones who recite his dreaded catchphrase. The scene towards the end where Lazarus says the catchphrase with the utmost sincerity is a scene that manages to be funny, heartwarming, emotional and awesome, all at once! There were definitely goosebumps from at least one of those emotions, though Im not sure which.

Im not a Trekkie, but I still enjoyed this one a lot. Perhaps the added context would have been enough to push this up to number 1? Tellingly, Trekkies love this film so much that they have adopted it as an unofficial Star Trek film. That its inclusion in the Star Trek canon continues the even numbers good, odd numbers bad film curse is an added bonus. Never give up, never surrender!

4. Plasma
Entirely amazing. Ive never watched an episode of Star Trek in my life, yet I found this movie full of clever ideas, well-drawn characters, and tons of heart. Every character serves a purpose and has an arc, and there are some great feels at the end. A

6. Tangy
At this point, Ive seen more Star Trek homages than I have any actual Star Trek. Which is one of the things that makes this movie so delightful. The homages are less about the show itself and more about low budget tv series in general. While I may not have seen any Star Trek, I loved me some Power Rangers growing up and seeing the same corniness in the costumes, set design dialogue and archetypes was an absolute treat. Then the film takes it to another level and has the retired actors themselves be in charge of where this particular episode goes and instead of the characters overcoming trials, its the actors that do.

I also think the movie has a ton of heart. When it comes to fame, most people think of the celebrity life and tons of money, but this movie is a great reminder that none of that actually matters, its actually the impact you can have on others is what matters at the end of the day. I also think this was the point in my rankings where I could switch around the rest of these and it would make sense for me.

Biggest Laugh: Sam Rockwell's entire character arc. Not only was it played for laugh's very well, but he also manages to be one of my favorite characters as a result.

7. Karo
The actors in a TV show that is totally not Star Trek get mistaken for actual interstellar heroes by naive aliens and hilarity ensues. This motley crew of incompetent space sailors has to work together to save the galaxy and become the heroes they pretend to be in a plot that is quite predictable but still fun.
It is such a brilliant satire of the elements of the classic series that even someone like me who has only a passing interest in the Trek series can find it hilarious.

Yes
Definitely
Absolutely

Outlier Ranking

Mythiot: 226
Suprak: 211
GavsEvans: 173
Plasma: 164
forty: 158
John: 147
Vis: 144
Karo: 136
Poke: 134 +
Tangy: 130 -

12. Gavs
The first film on this list had a duck in the title, so its fitting that the final film should have a rabbit in it. Jojo is a ten-year-old boy who is a fully indoctrinated card-carrying member of the Hitler Youth, despite him being a sweet-natured kid deep down. Jojos prejudices are challenged as he gradually bonds with Elsa, the young Jewish girl his mother is harbouring.

The gimmick that sets this film apart from other Holocaust / World War II themed films is that Jojo is a Stand user, and his Stand is none other than the Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler himself! Although he doesnt have any powers besides, you know, being Hitler. Hes basically the Stand equivalent of the little boy from X-Men 2 who can change TV channels by blinking. Setting aside the lack of powers, this is Hitler as youve never seen him before, a quirky father figure, albeit one with the familiar menace lurking beneath the surface. Taika Waititi is able to become quite menacing as Jojo becomes less fanatical and the Fuhrer shows his true colours as he tries to regain Jojos adoration. He eventually falls victim to the greatest cinematic kick since King Leonidas shot the messenger, figuratively speaking. Literally, Leonidas kicked him.

Speaking of Taika Waititi, while his trademark quirkiness is here, its reined in a bit from usual, given the subject matter. There is plenty of comedy despite that. Its often understated, but its a welcome inclusion nonetheless. Jojos misconceptions about the Jews are funny in their exaggeration. There are also performances from actors known for primary comedic roles such as Rebel Wilson and Stephen Merchant who get to play against type, more villainous but still funny.

The emotional core of the film is Jojos mother Rosie, who laments the loss of her son to Nazi ideology and tries to redeem him while she helps the resistance. Luckily, Jojos friendship with Elsa means she is able to finish what Rosie started. I was a little concerned about this film, but I was pleased to see that this film knows when to be serious.

14. Plasma
When I watched 2019s Oscar nominees a few years ago, I ranked Jojo Rabbit dead last because I thought it was a total slog.

Needless to say, I came into this rewatch with putrid expectations. But when I actually sat down again with this one, I noticed the movies interesting family dynamic. Its fun to see how Jojo fills the shoes left behind by his father and sister. The former is replaced by an imaginary Adolf Hilter (and a Nazi solider who later saves Jojos life in a surprisingly emotional scene) while the latter is replaced by a Jewish girl who Jojo cant bring himself to hate. Throw in a rebellious, scrupulous mother played by Scarlett Johansen, and youve got a compelling domestic scenario.

Though I loved the family dynamic, the story itself still dragged for me during my rewatch. Part of the problem is the humor being hit-and-miss, while the other part is the lack of immediate stakes. I never got the sense that anyone was in serious danger until the Nazis visited Jojos house. And while I was surprised by the mothers death as a consequence of that search, the rest of the movie dragged for me (I mean, come on, by that point its obvious that Jojo isnt going to report or kill the girl). There really isnt much left in the tank once the mother dies, and while there are some heartstring-plucking moments near the end, the drama mostly dies with the mother. C+

14. Forty
Youre my second-best friend. First place is reserved for the Fuhrer. So, unless youre Hitler hiding in a fat little boys body, Id be happy with second place. Easily the film with the darkest underlying tone, JoJo Rabbit mixes Taika Waititis signature fun humor with the deadly serious nature of WWII Germany. It starts out as a fairly routine silly comedy and slowly evolves into something pretty powerful and at times heart wrenching. I will be interested to see where this one falls in the rankings mainly because of the glaring tonal clashes. One moment youve got imaginary friend Hitler prancing around saying goofy things, and the next our young, brainwashed friend is hugging the hanging legs of his executed mother. I found it exceptionally unique, and the subject matter well handled. Excellent performances top to bottom (particular shoutout to JoJos friend who was the BEST) with a cast that really delivered, from the hilarious to the poignant. The whole point of satire is to deliver a powerful message (in this case the absurdity of war and hate) under the guise of comedy, and this one does it really well.

4. Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Directed by Taika Waititi
Score: 93

John: 2
Karo: 5
Vis: 6
Tangy: 9
Suprak: 9
Poke: 11
Mythiot: 11
GavsEvans: 12
Plasma: 14
Forty: 14

2. John
Thor: Love & Thunder almost made me forget for a moment how incredible Taika Waititi is when he really puts his heart into something. Jojo came out the same year as Marriage Story, which got all the Scarlett Johansson Oscar press, but for my money her appearance in Jojo Rabbit is legitimately just better. She balances trying to teach Jojo how to be a caring and compassionate person while also trying to protect him from the government and society surrounding him who would have him dead for showing those exact values. And then we see her gone for it, just by her dangling shoes. There's a moment earlier in the film where she's dancing up on a curb, which we see from the perspective of Jojo down below with only her shoes in on the top corner of the frame, and on a rewatch the shot is like a gut punch. This film is also a large part of what put Thomasin McKenzie on the map, and she's proving to be one of the best young actresses working now. But really every single actor just kills it here. Even Rebel Wilson manages to be almost tolerable.

5. Karo
The misadventures of a young boy in 1940s Germany and his imaginary friend... Hitler?
So Jojo is a good little white supremacist up until he meets a little Jewish girl hiding in the walls of his house and their odd relationship begins to change his views on the world.
It is cute and weird in the usual manner of Taika Watiti, and while it certainly isn't the best outing from the talented director, I did greatly enjoy it.

6. Vis
This was a good movie to round out my watchthrough with. Its not the funniest movie I watched for this, but that wasnt really the point. The Taika Waititi version of Adolf Hitler was the major source of comedy in the film (and Rebel Wilson for some reason), but he was just meant to represent a childlike adherence to societal normsand in this case, the society in question is Nazi Germany. But really, this movie has a lot more heart than I expected, to the point where I think this was the only movie out of the entire thirty that actually made me tear up a few times. Its just really well-done for what it is: discussing the general mindset of a child living through the Nazi rule of Germany and all of the propaganda hes been taughtonly for it to come crashing down as hes basically forced to grow up SUPER fast, both by his Hitler Youth organization, and then his familys role in hiding away a Jewish girl, and his mothers death at the hands of the regime. It all just works as a really well-written movie.

Finally, I cant end this without highlighting Sam Rockwell, who does an amazing job. You think hes just some joke character, meant to represent the misplaced machismo of Nazism, but then he gets demoted for incompetence in letting Jojo blow himself up with a grenadeand youd think this sort of thing, particularly in a comedy about Nazism, would make him an easy goof character. Yet as the film goes onhe turns out to be one of the best humans among the Nazi organization. Not only does he look out for Jojo (rather than resenting him), but he covers for Jojo and Elsa when the Gestapo comes to search the house. And when it looks like Jojo is gonna face a firing squad, Sam pulls off his Nazi jacket and spits on him to make the soldiers think Jojos not a Nazi. He saves his life, and Jojo has to watch a sort of surrogate father figure sacrifice himself for him. I think a lesser actor couldnt have threaded the needle that Sam Rockwell did, but he was my favorite character.

9. Tangy
I like Jojo Rabbit well enough. The concept is fun, while still being appropriately dark and theres some really good heart at the center of the film with the relationship formed between Jojo and Elsa. Theres also Sam Rockwell who always manages to provide an automatic boost to any movie I see him in. Despite all the positives, I cant help but feel like there was more potential with this concept and as a result, I can rank it as highly as other films in my Top 10. Everything above this manages to feel more unique and honestly more clever. That said, I do still enjoy the film as it stands.

Biggest Laugh: Probably the comedically repetitive salutes in the Gestapo scene

Wilds
Splatoon

Spuls

Fantasy
Knight

Souls

Outlier Ranking

Mythiot: 219
Suprak: 206
GavsEvans: 165
Plasma: 154
forty: 148 +
John: 145 -
Vis: 142 +
Karo: 135 -
Tangy: 128 -
Poke: 127

14. Gavs
Call centre employee Cassius Green initially struggles at his job, until he is advised to make himself sound white on the phone. This technique enables him to quickly score a promotion while his colleagues go on strike for better pay and working conditions. From there, things get weird

This office based satire distinguishes itself from Office Space with the setting. Whereas that film was squarely set in our world, Sorry to Bother You instead goes with a sci-fi interpretation. This world is more technologically advanced than ours, but its also more dystopian, as people are forced into miserable, unsatisfying jobs for mega corporations, and struggle with living conditions, with only demeaning reality TV shows as entertainment. Cassius phone calls are presented in a visually interesting way, as he and his desk warp into the room with the person hes calling. Theres also his white voice, which makes him sound more assertive, but is also done in a weird way which creeps out other characters, sounding like an entirely different voice rather than Cassius doing an impression.

The white voice is the key point of the films racial satire. Cassius has to hide his true self to get ahead at work, which doesnt make him popular with his colleagues as he continues to work while theyre on strike. In addition to hiding his identity, hes selling his soul to the corporation, and humiliating himself when he raps at a work party. Without saying too much, once Cassius learns the truth, he volunteers to get himself beaten up live on TV to get the truth out, and it ends up being all for nothing as the corporations stocks actually increase. Thats a good twist, as its not one you see very often in stories like this, and it works with the films dystopian setting.

16. Forty
Second one, and I want you to remember this: youre gonna have a horse cock. The first part of this movie is solid. Unique, pretty funny, and super stylish. Thought-provoking in the issues it explores like racial inequality, workplace exploitation, and the mindless consumption of dumbed down media. Then the last half hour goes so bizarrely off the rails by introducing a concept I never anticipated writing about: Equisapien Martin Luther King Jr. The whole thing is kind of like an acid trip that slowly kicks in and things go from weird to really weird. I feel like I still need to process what I watched a bit, but I think I loved this exceptionally surreal trip of a movie.

26. Vis
On the one hand, I GET the message this film was going forbut on the other hand, it didnt land with me at ALL. I will fully acknowledge that I am a white person, and while certain aspects of the films theme can apply to anyone whos worked for big corporationsthe racial component to that theme REALLY comes out in some absolutely cringe-worthy scenes regarding the use of white voice to perform better as a telemarketer, and then the EXTREMELY uncomfortable scene of a room full of white people asking the main character to rapto which he just starts shouting the N-word in a gangsta voiceto much jubilation (and repetition). It was just a little uncomfortable for me to watchas was Tessa Thompsons weird performance art. Like I said, I GET itbut it just left me feeling a little off.

Then the last third of the movie goes insane, and suddenly the plot turns into a rich company owner literally selling slaves, and converting people into horse-human hybrids (with big dicks, as he cites as a positive) to make them stronger and more obedient. Itsinsane. Like, for a movie that was relatively grounded in a racially-charged theme, its fucking crazy to suddenly introduce HORSE-HUMAN HYBRIDS as a major plot element. And Im a FURRY saying this. Its SO weird, and the strange thing is that THAT satire (a rich guy introduces some horrific shit and the news praises him for the scientific breakthrough) was just more enjoyable to me than the more straight-forward stuff. God, writing this whole write-up makes me sad.

5. Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Directed by Boots Riley
Score: 111

Tangy: 1
Karo: 2
John: 3
Mythiot: 4
Plasma: 7
GavsEvans: 14
Forty: 16
Suprak: 17
Poke: 21
Vis: 26

1. Tangy
I first watched STBY about a year ago, I found it relatively interesting at the time and was in no way expecting it to be my number 1 for the list and yet here we are. Maybe the fact that I watched it while I was at work has something to do with it.

I think what makes this film so good for me is our protagonist, Cassius Green. Hes a great representation of how America not only treats POC, but the general workforce as well. No matter how hard you work, no matter how you degrade yourself for others, theres always going to be someone above you pulling your strings.

I also find the brand of comedy to be remarkably unique, its not as in your face as something like Popstar or Monty Python, but it more so focusing on taking everyday situations and exaggerating them to the point of extremity. This movie fully takes advantage of the medium and shows it. Most other filmmakers would take the easy route. Seeing things like the calls Cassius makes or the horse people or the humiliating reality tv shows. All of it is played up in a way that shows exactly how ridiculous this country is and Im not going to deny the impact this movie had on me.

Biggest Laugh: Nothing really got me to burst into laughter, although Tessa putting on the helmet for her second performance caused a solid chuckle during both of my viewings.

2. Karo
In the near future, a young telemarketer's rises through the ranks to become a legendary 'power caller', and his bizarre journey challenges his own greed and morality. It also features horse cocks.
The whole WorryFree angle was especially brilliant, the logical next step of corporate america maximizing profits at the expense of workers is of course just straight up fucking slavery. Its funny because its true.
It is an impressive and excellent outing from a newbie director, and I can think of few parts of the film that are not both engrossing and hilarious. It's very good.

3. John
I absolutely adore magical realism. So much so I plan for a list entirely for that at some point down the line, and may or may not include this one at that point, as it's definitely been a standout of the last few years. Lakeith Stanfield has been one of my favorite actors of the last decade, between this and Atlanta and Get Out and Judas and the Black Messiah. David Cross as his "white voice" is a stroke of genius casting. The callers appearing directly in the homes of the people being called never failed to crack me up, and the film is shockingly good at balancing being hilarious and dark with actually making really powerful points

7. Plasma
Brilliant, stupid, and everything in between. STBY probably wouldve worked better as a TV miniseries because theres a TON going on here. It starts off looking like a sequel to Office Space, then it turns into Eyes Wide Shut before morphing into Animal Farm and concluding with a final act that is a flaming mess. So, yeah, its all over the place, but Im not complaining because I was hooked the entire time.

These days, a lot of anti-capitalism movies come off as ham-fisted, but this one oozes with enough creativity to keep things from feeling preachy. The intro scene won me over with Cassius embellishing the hell out of his resume to obtain the pettiest of jobs, and then we see him waking up in a garage, getting nagged by his landlord/uncle about the rent, etc. Lots of fun stuff early on, but what really dazzled me were those trippy in-house phone calls scenes. And although White Voice is nothing new, it worked well here (shame we didnt get more of Danny Glover btw).

My biggest problemother than the sloppy final actwas Cassius lack of agency. This guy feels like a generic WRPG protagonist who does whatever the supporting cast tells him to do (Use your White Voice. Join our union. Become a Power Caller. Rap for us. Snort this coke.). I get that hes supposed to represent the average American worker who gets caught in the rat race, but there was never a moment when it felt like the guy was driving the plot. Instead, he basically gets passed around like a soccer ball for ninety minutes until he hits rock bottom and has no choice but to fight back against the Power Callers. And when a guy spends the entire movie reacting rather than acting, its hard for me to buy into the idea of him becoming a rebellious MLK-figure toward the end. He needed more character growth.

And that final actyikes. Theres the battleground scene, then Cassius gets captured, then hes rescued by horse-people, and theneverything kinda sorta goes back to normal? Really? I suppose that reflects reality, but given the explosiveness of the climactic scenes, I expected things to change more significantly. That said, I did like the ending when Cassius moves back into his garage with his newfound luxuries before turning into a horse-man. Great way to hammer home the fact that his earlier choices corrupted him.

I could probably ramble on for a dozen more paragraphs about this one. It has plenty to offer, and even as I criticize parts of it, I find myself liking those weak spots more because they do reflect issues in our world. I love this movie for being ambitious and creative, but I also wish it were more polished. B+

I also started with Castti, Mix is much more useful in dire situations. Giving her the Warrior subclass also helps since you also have access to Latent Power Plus

Virtue
Celeste

_stingers_ posted...

Like I just couldn't see Minecraft or Fortnite doing well here even if they deserve a spot on the list in all likelihood

I definitely would've supported Minecraft

Dark Souls

Just a quick update. The Top 5 will start tomorrow, I just had a busy weekend and there's a lot I need to catch up on.

Dark Souls

Blood
Pokemon

Waluigi is an S tier Mario character and needs his own game.

Dark Souls

Outlier Ranking

Mythiot: 218
Suprak: 194
GavsEvans: 156 +
Plasma: 152 -
John: 143
forty: 137
Karo: 132
Tangy: 124 +
Vis: 121 -
Poke: 111

13. Tangy
There were a lot of ways this movie couldve gone horribly wrong, but its saved by its fantastic cast. When majority of your characters are anti-heroes at best and villains at worst, you need to find a way to make them fun to watch and thankfully everyone from Aaron Eckhart all the way to Rob Lowe are incredibly quick witted and just fun to watch to matter how important their part was. Of course Macy was the standout to me. He always brings the most to every role and seeing him as this smarmy politician was an absolute delight. I also loved how absurd his assassination attempt was, just slapping a bunch of nicotine patches on someone? Thats freaking hilarious and its made all the more funny when Nick actually survives and thanks smoking (haha) for it. Absolutely ridiculous.

That said, I think the movie is overall a little too douchey for my tastes. I can get behind some dark comedy, but the whole appeal of Nick Naylor is tied to the fact that hes doing it for the mortgage and yet all of the antagonists are basically punished for doing the exact same thing? I get that the movie is also attacking virtue signaling from journalists and politicians, but cmon. That little ending montage of them getting their comeuppance felt really out of place in comparison to the overall tone of the movie.

Biggest Laugh: Naylor waking up in the hospital and JK Simmons being ready to get some good publicity out of it.

14. John
Thank You For Smoking served as kind of my balancing point for the list. Everything above it I enjoyed a good bit, everything just below it was good but could definitely use some improvement. This is just a solid 2000s comedy led by Aaron Eckhart in what isn't his best but probably is his most Aaron Eckhart role to date.

23. Gavs
This satire takes us back to the 90s and sees a tobacco lobbyist arguing on behalf of the tobacco industry in various situations, such as pushing for cigarette product placement in an upcoming movie, or trying to keep additional health warnings off cigarette packaging. The latter serves as a reminder of this historical context, as here in the UK we have had plain packaging and large health warnings on packs of cigarettes for a few years now, and as a non-smoker myself, its already difficult to remember a time when cigarettes boxes didnt have pictures of cancerous tumours or dead babies on them.

Aaron Eckharts performance here is very charismatic and suave. His silver-tongued lobbyist could convince anyone to do whatever he wanted if he so desired, which makes him an intriguing screen presence. I also liked William H Macy as the anti-smoking senator who is a little overzealous in his opposition to tobacco, and the Mod Squad were always fun, with their weekly lunches providing the comic relief of the film.

This film seemed rather disjointed and episodic overall, with Nick meeting with his various clients and persuading them to his point of view. There is an emotional throughline of Nick wanting to set a positive example for his son, and Heathers incriminating article does reference some of the earlier clients, but I do think the connection could have been a little stronger. There was the odd loose end here and there too, like the kidnapping. The conversation between the senator and his aide in a later scene implies they might be connected to it, and it would make sense since Nick has been a persistent thorn in their side, but unless I missed it, I dont think theres an explicit confirmation, which is a little odd considering this was a pivotal scene that changed the films trajectory.

Fun fact: this is the second film in a row on this list where smoking saves a characters life!

6. Thank You For Smoking (2005)
Directed by Jason Retiman
Score: 115

Plasma: 1
Vis: 5
Suprak: 6
Poke: 7
Karo: 9
Forty: 10
Tangy: 13
John: 14
GavsEvans: 23
Mythiot: 27

1. Plasma
Absolutely brilliant. I love when a movie makes me empathize with a character I should hate, and somehow TYFS pulled off a miracle by convincing me to root forof all peoplea Big Tobacco lobbyist.

The opening scene sets the tone here by showing how good Nick Naylor is with his verbal ninja skills. He can spin anything, and even with a livid studio audience glaring at him, he keeps his cool and talks his way out of it. Thats a skill I envyusing strategy and rhetoric to escape a situation thats brutally stacked against youand when he worked his magic, I got heavily invested in this one. That opening scene is, without exaggeration, one of the best Ive ever watched.

Of course, Nick Naylor is still an asshole lobbyist, and the movie acknowledges this by showing how he negatively impacts the people around him, as well as society as a whole. The corrupt mentor segments with his son add lots of tension and emotion to the story, while the lunch meetings between Nick and the Alcohol/ATF lobbyists are always darkly comical.

But what makes this movie so compelling is the way it seeks truth. A lesser story wouldve presented a one-sided argument against Big Tobacco. TYFS, however, doesnt go for the easy layup. Instead it portrays almost all the major characters as corrupt scumbags who are doing it for the mortgage. Everyone gets roasted for their self-serving attitude, and it was refreshing to see a movie that doesnt lionize journalists and well-meaning politicians.

This is one of those rare movies that explores the truth between two extremes rather than taking a side. It raises so many interesting questions Yes, tobacco is bad for you, but what about alcohol, weapons, Vermont cheese, video games, social media, etc.? Should we ban all of those? Who decides what gets banned? How does individual freedom factor in?

I could continue rambling on, but Ill wrap things up by saying that everythingthe characters, pacing, humor, theme, and emotionwowed me here. Even the ending was surprising and fantastic. Best movie on this list in my opinion. I cant wait to read the novel its based on. A+

5. Vis
Id heard about this movie before (though I cant remember where, and its killing me that I cant remember), and I heard it was a solid film, and after watching it, I have to agree. Its not the funniest movie on this list, but its very thoughtful in its subject matter. I think it takes a lot of skill to craft a movie, told from the perspective of a corporate lobbyist from the tobacco industry, and make him the good guy. Long before Jeff Winger pushed his style of law and debate on Community, Aaron Eckhart was basically teaching us that the best way to always be right is to shift and deflect until you can paint the people defending a childhood cancer victim as monsters. That happens in the very first scene: Eckhart makes the case that the cigarette companies are the GOOD GUYS, because they dont want kids to die from lung cancer, but the anti-smoking advocates do, because it gets them more money. Its just a really interesting way of twisting words and reframing the debate towards an angle that isnt normally explored. Plus, Eckhart is just so charming and charismatic, and he always finds a way to wriggle out of any hole he finds himself in. Its great.

9. Karo
A satirical look at the tobacco industry featuring a big tobacco lobbyist who can put a positive spin on the even the most grim situations.
The lead character is the big star here, the dark hilarity of everything he does really carries the movie. Be it blowing off the dangers of cigarettes to a room full of schoolchildren or his weekly meetings with alcohol and firearms lobbyists so they can all brag about how many people they are killing, it never ceases to entertain. It is funny because it is true.

10. Forty
My point is that you have to think for yourself. If your parents told you that chocolate was dangerous would you take their word for it? So perhaps instead of acting like sheep when it comes to cigarettes you should find out for yourself. First off, the title sequence of this movie is amazing. As a graphic designer I really appreciate how they make the names of cast and crew look like labels on different brands of cigarettes. The song to go with it is great too. Anyway, as far as the movie itself, its equally as awesome. As far as satires go, this one pulls no punches, taking aim at the unscrupulous lobbyists whose job is to defend American staples like cigarettes, booze, and guns (with brief appearances by fast food, big oil, and big pharma). Aaron Eckhart is a perfectly charming sleazeball, and oddly, one that you actually find yourself rooting for. I think its because he doesnt come off like a bad guy, even if he is a self-styled and unapologetic merchant of death. Hes mostly a nice guy and he does have principles despite the nature of his work. He believes everyone has the right to be defended, that truth is a matter of opinion that can be manipulated, and that ultimately everyone should have freedom of choice. Hes surrounded by an excellent cast of oddballs and assholes, the script is tight, and it has a lot of style. All in all, a very good watch thats funny and thought-provoking.

Bleach

Dark Souls

Outlier Ranking

Mythiot: 197 +
Suprak: 194 -
Plasma: 147
GavsEvans: 139
John: 135
forty: 133
Karo: 129
Vis: 120
Tangy: 117
Poke: 110

14. Tangy
Dont get me wrong I love Office Space, but dear god did they botch the final act of this. The jokes are fantastic, its a perfect reflection of all kinds of toxic work environments and all the characters manage to strike a balance between fun and realistic. So my question is why did they turn Peter into a complete asshole out of nowhere? All of his motives were pretty justifiable and the embezzling scheme wasnt even really his idea to begin with. So I dont know why all of a sudden hes getting all paranoid and everyone starts shunning him. Dont get me wrong theres definitely potential for a story about how promotions can corrupt your ideals (more on this in Sorry to Bother You), but this wasnt the movie for it. Or at least with how it was set up. To be fair I really dont have too many ideas on how to fix it, but the comedy is honestly funny enough that the typical 3 act structure couldve been skipped entirely and this movie wouldve been a blast to watch.

Biggest Laugh: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jq6e8s1sik

15. John
Milton is by far the best part about the movie, which I'm sure isn't a particularly unpopular opinion, but Stephen Root is just too good. Really all the cast is pretty great, though it admittedly falls into the trap of the main character being the most boring person on the cast. The humor of the movie kind of comes and goes in waves, but the highs are just downright hilarious. While its core plot doesn't really do a lot to distinguish it from the average "lazy guy going about life" comedies that were everywhere around the early 2000s, it's the little things that make it so easy to see why this movie became such a cult hit.

17. Forty
"I Did Absolutely Nothing, And It Was Everything I Thought It Could Be!" I knew right off the bat that Office Space would be great. Not just because it was Mike Judge, creator of my beloved Beavis and Butthead, but the opening scene is so relatable. From time to time, Ive been the nerdy looking white guy stuck in traffic blasting gangster rap. The relatability continues throughout for anyone thats had a job that feels like its sucking the life out of you. With the proliferation of quiet quitting nowadays, its more relevant than ever. Its as if Judge has an uncanny way of predicting the future, as he did later with Idiocracy. The characters dont get a whole lot of depth and theyre pretty much caricatures (the dream girl, the inept co-worker, the heartless boss) but that doesnt matter because they fit within the context of the movie. The ending isnt great but the journey getting there is terrific and for me its the cultyist of cult classics.

18. Karo
An unhappy office drone has an epiphany when his hypnotherapist dies of a heart attack, and decides to basically not do his job. Like at all. He is then considered as a candidate for corporate management as a result. Ha ha.
It does a good nob of satirizing white collar office work, but it doesnt seem like there is a whole lot of story to go around and it ends up having to rely on random plot points like the cyber heist to fill out a feature length runtime. I feel it would have made a much better TV series in the vein of Mike Judge's most famous work.
Also, there was some uncomfortable mocking of disabled people that seemed really not cool. Although it is true the character in question did get to have the last laugh, I pretty much got ready to cringe every time I saw him appear on camera.