#26 - TEEN WOLF

Plot: Michael J. Fox discovers he has inherited a werewolf costume from his father, and just in time for the big school basketball match! Gee whiz!
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
This blog has generally focused on movies that have been released during the 2000 era, because modern filmmaking clearly eclipses any petty attempts at grandeur from yesteryear. But every so often, I remember a true classic. A movie far ahead of it's time and resonates even despite being from the primitive, much more rudimentary age of filmmaking in the 1980s. Teen Wolf is such a classic. Rod Daniel's eclectic combination of the Hollywood monster spectacle with high-school pubescence is one of those strokes of genius that comes along once every fifteen years or so. This is a werewolf movie that both defied traditional depictions of werewolves and defined the way they would be depicted for the new generation. Michael J. Fox became the flagbearer for the new public perceptions on werewolves in literature; car-surfing, disco-dancing, slam-dunking... all the major werewolf taboos were shattered in an instant. Unfortunately, the large amount of thunder this film has was stolen by the release of fellow Michael J. Fox starrer Back to the Future back in 1985, but do not let that overrated snore-fest mar the successes of Teen Wolf. It's a pioneer of its field and a must-see for anyone who has, is or was a teenager. Also recommended viewing for very hairy people.
Best scene: I know I couldn't have been the only kid to directly relate to Teen Wolf's dilemma of deciding whether to win the basketball game as a wolf or a human. Life sometimes feels like a choice between werewolf empowered basketball skills and humanity to a teenager.

The moment anthropomorphism got with the times.

#25 - BAD BOYS

Plot: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence star in this hard-hitting exposé of the ongoing incompetence of the Los Angeles police department.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
I've made no secrets towards my gushing love for Michael Bay in the past, and while I still think his best films are ahead of him, that should in no way smear his past work. Bad Boys is the movie where people officially took notice of him as a filmmaker that deals with issues and not just pyrotechnics (though he still does the latter like noone else). Bay stretches his vision out here; what is essentially a buddy cop movie becomes an alarming look at the lack of ability, training and comic timing of the average LA police officer. At times, it is uncomely viewing - Bay doesn't hold back in depicting Smith's Matt Lowery and Lawrence's Marcus Burnett as the most incapable and unprofessional men of law in recent times - to the point that it begins to feel overly defamatory and embellished. But you should never forget that this is a movie after all, and hiring comedians fresh from their own sitcoms to be the lead actors, Bay must have known the scathing commentary would come through extra potent. Tea Leoni's independent damsel adds a slight distraction from the heavy stuff, and Tchéky Karyo's is one of the best of Michael Bay's staple villains with a European accent. Rest assured though, this is a Michael Bay film. If all you want is slick gunplay, explosions and pan-shots of sunsets, needless to say it still delivers that too.
Best scene: The back-and-forths of the lead actors that play out like Abbott and Costello routines, had Abbott and Costello written sexist, self-obsessed, homophobic, borderline dyslexic routines.

Bad Boys. A title with a thousand meanings.

#24 - MAMMA MIA!

Plot: An airy, yet wholly sinister examination of a family crisis revolving around a wedding on a Greek island. The film also raises various questions destined to be answered in the sequel.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
This is a movie that falls into the category of being so weird that its good. And make no mistake, this is a weird film. First we have the overly optimistic veneer that plasters the entire movie, emphasising saccharine performances and syrupy cinematography of the Greek locales to the maximum. Even though you can never shake the feeling that it's all a bit tongue in cheek, there's also one more element that distinguishes this film from any other. The cast all seem to suffer random schizophrenic episodes that take the form of recitations of ABBA lyrics in unison. If it sounds bizarre, that's because it is. And a lot of people just won't be able to grasp such an unconventional approach to otherwise overtly conventional material. But part of the fun of this movie is trying to figure out why these characters weave in and out of possession. And why ABBA? Are ABBA involved in this conspiracy? Could it be the work of aliens? Well, for anyone who has seen the Mamma Mia 2 stageshow, as I have, you'll know the delirious singing is a result of a brain-scrambling radio transmission emitting from a long-lost Russian nuclear submarine wrecked just off the coast of the island the movie is set on, though that is never indicated in this movie. And for those who have seen the Mamma Mia 2 stageshow and are expecting this film to be similar, just know that the first Mamma Mia! has fewer character deaths, fewer giant action set pieces and far fewer nuclear explosions, but it does serve as a fairly strange, yet necessary prelude to the sequel. At the very least, Mamma Mia! is suspense writing done to perfection. It just feels a little naked and offbeat without all the added dimensions of its inevitable companion piece, the currently-in-production film adaptation of Mamma Mia 2, titled Mamma M.I.A. (or Mamma Mia: Dead Tide as it will be called in some European territories). The full cast from the first movie have reportedly signed on.
Best scene: All eyes should be on Pierce Brosnan, whose mind is warped to the level of utter incoherence amidst the fluttering chords of 'SOS'. How he was overlooked by the Academy, I will never begin to fathom.

One question remains, how do ABBA fit into all of this?

#23 - THE FOG

Plot: A fog drifts over a coastal town, obscuring the vision of everyone in it. A hapless group of the town's residents must brave the fog before the fog sets its sights on enveloping the globe in a veil of eternal fogginess.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
I like the title. The Fog. The film itself I have some problems with. But the title is my favourite of all time. For this reason, it is one of the best movies ever. It starts off reasonably well; Tom Welling returns to his town and revisits old flames and old memories, both good and bad. Maggie Grace is also quite fine as Welling's second half, but as soon as the titular sea-mist rolls in, the drama and tension of the narrative is lost. The fog's main way of killing people is to make them unable to see past half a meter in front of them. You might think that this horror mechanic could be used to create all sorts of situations and creative ways to dispose of expendable characters. Unfortunately, most of the time it just causes people to walk right into killer ghosts. Not only is that overtly random (why are there killer ghosts in the town in the first place?) but it's also too farfetched for my liking. I like my supernatural horror movies to be a little more believable than The Fog.
Best scene: Even Selma Blair's radio broadcaster character isn't immune from the unspeakable horror of limited ability to see into the distance.

Doesn't live up to the potential of its title. But then, what could?

#22 - THE SCORPION KING

Plot: The Rock wrestles his way across pre-dynastic Egypt in the origin story that made origin stories cool.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
Did you ever get to the end of The Mummy Returns and think, hang on... I want to know more about the secondary villain whom has little to no impact on the plot and is killed relatively quickly? Well then this movie is for you. As a humongous wrestling fan, it's definitely a dream come true when real-life wrestlers make their way into films (my other main love in life). And The Scorpion King was the one, for me, that broke through the barriers and told the world that wrestlers are just as legitimate toward the label of entertainers as singers or actors. Not only does the Rock kick ass in this movie, he actually brings a few well-performed, dare-I-say poignant moments to the character. This isn't just The Rock roleplaying in a swords and sandals epic. The Rock BECOMES The Scorpion King. He takes the character to his own unique and interesting level, bringing to life a charming, ruthless assassin that not only serves the film indubitably well, but it also strikes a chord with both the fanbase of The Rock and The Mummy. Elsewhere in the movie, Michael Clarke Duncan fits the crossdressing barbarian role like a glove, the smoking hot sorceress is played with venom by Kelly Hu and Steven Brand proves his worth as the zealous Alexander the Great wannabe. A fine ensemble to be sure, but with such WWE royalty in their midst, I believe they would have expected some overshadowing. Overall, this is the direction that The Mummy franchise should continue in, without mummies or Brendan Fraser or The Rock being killed. I have a feeling this site hasn't seen the last of this movie series.
Best scene: The Rock vs Vikings. Enough said.

This is not some terrible Conan the Barbarian clone. It's much better.

#21 - OVER HER DEAD BODY

Plot: Eva Longoria dies on the day she is to marry Paul Rudd. And wouldn't you know it, now she's a ghost hellbent on keeping her ex-fiance single by haunting a potential girlfriend, who also happens to be a psychic... You just can't make this sort of stuff up.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
First of all, a word to Paul Rudd. Give your agent a RAISE! Never do I recall an actor in so many likable, versatile and above all funny movies as Mr. Paul Rudd. Kudos sir, kudos and may your roles be as prosperous in the future as they are today. Aside from singling out Paul Rudd, I also have to commend everyone else in this fabulous production. Not only Eva Longoria's outrageous take on a sassy poltergeist, Lake Bell and Jason Biggs are also marvelous additions to the cast and bring much warmth and enthusiasm to their quirky yet believable characters. It's clear that a lot of thought went into the casting of this film, as the comedic timing has been crafted to absolute perfection all across the board. There's a real winning formula at play in Over Her Dead Body, a black yet cheerful comedy that had me crying both in laughter and in joy. It's just such a shame I don't hear many people talking about this one at all. I truly believe people are missing out on one of the greatest little comedies to come out of Hollywood in the last ten years. I mean, it has ghosts AND Jason Biggs in it. What more could you possibly ask for?
Best scene: Eva Longoria's tongue-in-cheek, hilariously exaggerated comic death. She gets raped and garotted by a escaped mental patient running amok. It's a scream.

Spread the word. Over Her Dead Body is awesome. Tell your friends!

#20 - TRANSFORMERS

Plot: Shia Lebouf and Megan Fox choose sides in the ultimate battle between good and evil and the destruction of Planet Earth. A big cube, magic spectacles, Jon Voight and massive alien robots are also involved.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
From the opening action scene set in the Middle East, you can tell that this latest blockbuster by immortal auteur Michael Bay is going to be a politically conscious film that takes itself seriously. That's not to say that it isn't fun; on the contrary, Transformers is one of the most rollicking summer movies in years. But Bay has taken a much more cerebral approach to his explosion-ridden trademark. From obvious allusions toward situations in Iraq and 9/11, to some very funny lampooning of then-US president George W. Bush. While many may balk at the loose premise of the movie, the ingenuity of the film is in the details. Yes, the film contains very flashy robots that look amazing and exude a ton of charming, hilarious personality. Yes, Shia Lebouf is the next Nicolas Cage in the making, with this performance showcasing he has everything it takes to fill those shoes. And yes Anthony Anderson, who is quickly becoming one of my favourite actors working today, also deserves a shout out for his relatable renegade videogame player whose amateur-hacking abilities are required to break into secure American military intelligence servers. But the heart of the movie lies in the fact that it's really a coming of age tale with a whole lot of cool stuff and CGI heaped on top to make it that much more appealing. Clearly, everything is handled with wit and precise writing so as nothing appears schmaltzy. Instead, Transformers stands for everything a summer blockbuster should be. It should be a symbol of our times, and if that were all Bay set out to do, then he did a hell of a job. Further more, he has crafted one of the greatest visual displays one can ever hope to experience from cinema, and with this movie has defined himself as one of the most important and skilled storytellers of this generation. Simply, you must see this film.
Best scene: Try not to split your sides laughing when Shia Lebouf's parents give their son a talk about sex, masturbation and how it's okay to be gay, whilst giant robots hide outside and Megan Fox hides in the closet. Talk about embarassing!

Shia. Isn't he just the greatest of all?

#19 - ROGUE ASSASSIN

Plot: Jet Li is a rogue assassin. Jason Statham is an FBI agent. Things develop from there.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
Simply (and unimaginatively) titled War in the US, Rogue Assassin is all about the action. I believe there was a story in amongst the action somewhere, something about drug smuggling I think, my memory is a little fuzzy. But let's face it, you don't go into a movie entitled Rogue Assassin for adept storytelling. You go for some rogue assassination, baby! Of which there is very little of in this movie, so in a way it is a massive disappointment. But instead of leaving shortchanged, the movie does have a secret weapon up it's sleeve. Dynamic tension! I'm telling you, Jet Li and Jason Statham are the best action duo since Eddie Murphy and Robert de Niro in the all-time classic Showtime. Yes, they are that good. Even better. If there were an Oscar for best dual performance... well, these pair would probably get overlooked by the Academy just like everything else that is awesome. Regardless, you've never seen antler-clashing quite like the display on offer in this slick, unpredictable popcorn action flick. Jet Li, who is at the best of times mute and at the worst of times utterly indecipherable, is the perfect chaser to Statham's stressed, consistently whispered delivery of the prose-like dialogue in Rogue Assassin. In truth I don't remember a whole lot about this movie, but I do know that I relished in every moment of it. Highly recommended for those who don't like a movie to last with them for weeks, or even days, afterward.
Best scene: Devon Aoki proves her ferociousness is only outmatched by her hideousness.

See what I mean. Dynamic tension!

#18 - THE UPSIDE OF ANGER

Plot: While investigating the disappearance of her husband at an archaeological dig in Syria, Joan Allen accidentally breaks an ancient biblical artefact, effectively unleashing a satanic army of ungodly proportions.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
This is quite a difficult film to describe. The first half hour is mildly interesting exposition and context, whilst the remaining hour and a half is literally just Joan Allen fighting through wave after wave of zealots and various devils in a poorly-lit subterranean temple. Unprecedented in both the level of gore and unrelenting action, this is a film even fans of the genre might turn their nose up at. This is an excessive movie, to be sure, but an absolutely spectacular one. Despite not much happening besides Joan Allen constantly shotgunning hordes of monsters, there is always something new to see. The visual effects are absolutely phenomenal, more than deserving of the Oscar back in 2006, and it goes without saying that everything still looks as good as they day it was released. Never before, and not yet since, have so many CGI characters appeared on screen at once, and for such an enormous stretch of film time. Not for one moment do the geniuses over at Industrial Light and Magic let up and give us more than enough whiz-bang eye-candy to send us into severe overload. And this would not be a worthy review without calling attention to Joan Allen's tour-de-force performance throughout the entirety of The Upside of Anger. Drenched in litres of blood and viscera for the majority of the film, screaming almost all of her lines both in triumph and desperation, convincingly massacring countless thousands of minions of Hell without restraint. By the time it's all over and Allen wades through the mountains of corpses she has created, the audience feels just as exhausted as her character. You don't just watch The Upside of Anger, you experience it. It changed my life.
Best scene: It's too hard to segregate specific scenes because they all run together into an almost balletic frenzy of death. But highlights include Mike Binder's truly sinister Lucifer, Evan Rachel Wood and Alicia Witt's formidable succubi and of course the showstealer, a fully-realised Cerberus played in motion-capture by Keri Russell.

And the CGI Kevin Costner is so freaking lifelike, too.

#17 - 2001 MANIACS

Plot: Teens come face to face with the authentic horrors of the American Deep South whilst on Spring Break.
Why is this a contender for Best Movie. Ever?
Time and time again, we hear a tagline for a horror movie boasting that it is inspired by true events. This one doesn't, but then, this one isn't like all the others. Even though it doesn't make such a claim, the real breakway element for this film is that the events in it COULD happen. I have been to the American South, and the atmosphere and nature of the people of that region of the world is definitely captured accurately here. Hellbent, blood-thirsty twisted, incestuous, cannibalistic; it's all represented. They even got the shapeshifting demon bit right. The plot follows some familiar conventions of the slasher genre, but it's kept chilling through it's grounded focus on bringing to light some of the offsets of a dark chapter in American history; a people a country have found it necessary to deny knowledge of. What would happen if a group of horny kids stumbled across them? I imagine it would play out exactly as we see here, and that in itself is true horror.
Best scene: A gay spring-breaker is impaled, anus first, with a pointed pole as onlookers cheer.

I didn't say the film was classy. Only plausible.