Other than the obvious, do you know what I find extremely difficult to do? When someone asks me “What is your favorite movie”, I can’t give just one answer. It’s practically impossible!
I know, most people find it pretty easy and can just spin it off the tip of their tongue. You might hear “Oh yeah, I love “Star Wars”, it set the tone for every science fiction movie that followed it”. Some will say “The “Godfather”, has there ever been a better gangster film”? Some may say “The Exorcist”. “Scared the living shit out of me!” they’ll opine.
They’re all good movies. Maybe even great movies. But I just cannot narrow it down to one single flick.
Not that you asked, but I’ll give you two from each of my top 5 genres.
Action: “The French Connection”. The best car chase in film history. And has Gene Hackman ever been better?
“North by Northwest”. My favorite Hitchcock film.
Suspense: “The Third Man”. Where is Harry Lime?
“Vertigo”. Is there any movie character more sexually obsessed than Jimmy Stewart is about Kim Novak? (And who could blame him?)
Film Noir: Probably my favorite genre. “D.O.A”. When Edmund O’Brien walks into a police station and says “I want to report a murder. Mine”, about his own poisoning, if you don’t live and die with him in his search for his killers, you don’t have a pulse.
“Touch of Evil”. Orson Welles performance as a corrupt police captain makes you want to take a shower and wash off the grittiness when the ending comes.
Gangster: “White Heat”. Cagney. “Top of the world, Ma!”. Nuff said.
“The Public Enemy”. Cagney (again). Mae Clarke and the grapefruit.
Drama: “12 Angry Men”. You can’t ask for any better performances form 12 actors. With Henry Fonda as the liberal voice of reason.
“The Caine Mutiny”. Humphrey Bogart as the ships’ captain, descending into insanity, with the strawberry obsession as the focal point.
Hmm. “The Caine Mutiny. Now, where am I seeing that played out now. Wait. That’s right! The Trump administration! Lies, deception, insanity, paranoia, everything that the movie offers. Can “The Caine Mutiny” be any more relevant than in this place and time?
Let’s set the cast and plot.
Trump as Captain Queeg! (Although a shitty actor compared to Bogie. Or anyone). Queeg covers up incidents that should have gotten him court-martialed. The crew, (played by the normally complacent media), nicknames him “Old Yellowstain” for his acts of cowardice. Queeg becomes completely paranoid when he discovers that someone has eaten the strawberries.
Trump has experience with paranoia (actually believing that former President Obama has bugged Trump tower), so he’s perfect for the part.
Mike Pence as Lieutenant Keefer, who talks tough but is himself a coward. Has an opportunity to prove how much he loves his country by exposing the administration, but fails.
You know what? I’m having a difficult time placing anyone else in this administration in the heroic roles, so maybe I’m casting the wrong movie.
Maybe I should be looking at “Judgement at Nuremberg”.
Lights, camera, action!
Never normalize this asshole.
Resist!
One Angry Liberal 