Anytime Movies week #3

An Anytime Movie is a movie you can put on at anytime and be perfectly content. They are movies that do not depend on mood. You do not worry about how long they are, or anything else. They suit you at anytime. They are rainy day movies, or I-am-not-doing-anything-else movies. They are go to standards. This collection does not represent my all time favorite movies, but the movies I can put on and be immediately happy I did. Yes, two are featured in my all time favorites, but that is not the point. These are the movies that do something to me every time. Movies I never tire of. I have 25 of these movies and for the next five Sundays I will be rolling out 5 of them. They will be semi-grouped into genre or have a connection in some way.

Obviously, this is not happening on Sundays anymore.

For this third batch of Anytime Movies, I have more comedies, but they do not really fit together. A few are straight comedies and one is a more serious comedy (I know that is a contradiction of terms). So, I tried to find a grouping, but I was not successful. What I have is five movies that make me laugh in different ways. As is the norm with Anytime Movies, these are in no specific order.

1. An American President- It is not my favorite Romantic Comedy, nor is it my favorite Aaron Sorkin movie, but it is something I can always watch and if it is on television I always check it out for a while. The combination of a fun romance, amazing dialog, a wonderful Michael J. Fox performance and that killer Michael Douglass monologue towards the end, will keep this movie in constant rotation. It has wonderful lines, interesting politics and a delightfully spunky little girl, which is all wrapped up in this beautiful little Aaron Sorkin bow!

2. O' Brother Where Art Thou- For most people The Big Lebowski is the classic Coen movie, but for my money, nothing beats "O' Brother." It is silly, interesting, smart and has 3 great performances at the core, with equally great supporting performances. And the music, oh the music. I do not normally fill my iPod with Country Bluegrass, but the music in this one fits in every way. I have seen the movie countless times and I crack up just as much now as the first time. It is also the only movie I have ever known my father to see more than twice at the theater. It is kind of a Hadley family movie, which makes it more appealing. I find the movie to be totally quotable, but in a funny way, not an annoying way like Anchorman.

3. Clerks 2- To take absolutely nothing away from the minimalist genius of Clerks, Clerks 2 is faster, funnier and more complete. However, when it comes down to it, Clerks 2 also has a nice heart hidden behind the vulgar sex jokes, Star Wars Vs. Lord of the Rings jokes and Kevin Smith-isms. The script is beyond hilarious and full of great pop culture skewering and adding Rosario Dawson to the mix was a nice touch. I have watched the DVD many times and still find myself catching new jokes I missed from laughing too much earlier. What makes the movie infinitely watchable, though, is the final 10 minutes or so. Smith is a big softie at heart and this movie shows it off with feeling like it is pandering. The acting is not that good, but it almost adds to the charm.

4. Galaxy Quest- This is another full on Hadley family movie. That is reason enough to have this on the list. It is a movie that caught my whole family by storm, to the point we still reference it and to the point where Sam Rockwell will always be Guy. In fact, Guy has become something I say in my life for anyone who just looks like "some guy." Tim Allen has never been funnier, or boozier, and Alan Rickman's deadpan voice, delivery and presence bring some gravitas to the whole thing. If you have not seen it, you are really missing out. It is a wonderfully funny movie that the whole family can enjoy. The story gets just the right amount of out-of-hand and the convention scene alone is worth the price of admission.

5. Garden State- This is the one that really does not fit, but it is funny enough for me to consider it a comedy, just a downer comedy. Zac Braff wrote, directed, chose the music and starred in a comedy about feeling, or not feeling. Then, he went and cast Natalie Portman in the most adorable role ever. She is totally cute, weird, funny and distant and they have this very natural easy chemistry. Braff has yet to make a second movie, but I am anxiously waiting for it because of how much I still enjoy this one. To some, it might be too much of a downer to watch it anytime, but I think the fact that it blends the comic and the tragic so effortlessly makes it so watchable.