100 Favorite Character’s In Film

Heather’s List

Part 1: 100-81

100. Shrek played by Mike Myers (Shrek Trilogy)

• “Ogres are like Onions”
• The name Shrek means “fear” or “terror” but this animated character was far from terrifying.  With a rough and scary exterior Shrek proved it didn’t matter what was on the outside, but what was on the inside that mattered, but in a most unconventional way.  The reluctant hero is both funny and sweet.

99. The Crow played by Brandon Lee (The Crow)

• “Guess it’s not a good day to be a bad guy, huh, Skank?”
• The Crow is a man who was been brutally murdered who comes back to life as an undead avenger who won’t stop till those responsible pay.  In Brandon Lee’s final performance, it becomes a memorable role that has ensued a strong cult following since it’s release in 1994.

98. The Drunken Master played by Siu Tien Yuen (The Drunken Master)

• The Drunken Master is a master of Drunken Fist Kung Fu and basically needs to get hammered to fight effectively.  His character mastered Jackie Chan’s character, and become both hysterically funny while simultaneously delivering some pretty wicked martial arts at the spry age of 66 years old.  His character is one of my favorites in the Kung Fu genre.

97. Wall-E voiced by Ben Burt (Wall-E)

• “Eeeee… va? “
• Wall-E is probably in my top ten animated character’s of all time.  He barely even speaks and yet can emote more feelings threw his soft sounds and reactions than some live action actors could do on their best day.  The sweetness of Wall-E is positively delightful and impossible to forget.

96. John Malkovich played by John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich)

• “I have seen a world that NO man should see!”
• Directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufman Being John Malkovich is a peculiar, yet brilliant movie where people take a portal into John Malkovich’s head.  Malkovich is played by himself, but acting with other people in his body, and at one point he jumps into the portal himself where one of the greatest scenes in movie history occurs.  John Malkovich as himself is so utterly ridiculous and brilliant it becomes one of the greatest roles ever created.

95. Morpheus played by Laurence Fishborne (The Matrix Trilogy)

• “There is a difference between knowing the path and walking the path.”
• Morpheus is probably the most complex character from the Matrix and one of the most intriguing.  The idealist in a world that is a facade for a giant computer decieving the human species, he is the one who believes in Neo and winning the war.  The hope and dedication of his character makes him memorable beyond his stylistic outer strength.

94. Penny Lane played by Kate Hudson (Almost Famous)

• “I always tell the girls, never take it seriously, if ya never take it seriosuly, ya never get hurt, ya never get hurt, ya always have fun, and if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends.”
• Kate Hudson burst into Hollywood with her most profound performance as Penny Lane, the tragic, almost magical character that broke her own rules and fell in love with a rock star.  Her free spirit, zest for life, and kind heart make her unforgettable in cinema history.

93. Billy Madison played by Adam Sandler (Billy Madison)

• “You’re not cool, unless you pee your pants!”
• It seems impossible to like a character that is basically an over-indulged rich kid who’s never bothered to grow off, but Adam Sandler not only made Billy Madison hilarious, but incredibly sweet as well.  Billy captured the genius of being young at heart, while still encouraging the desire to be smart, while still indulging all of our personal depravity.  He is a classic comedic character.

92. Wolverine played by Hugh Jackman (X-Men Series)

• “What do they call you? “Wheels”? This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Students.”
• Wolverine is one of those larger than life character’s that walks the line of good guy and bad guy precariously.  In the end he comes through as the good guy but is still a rebel.  Hugh Jackman made this part come alive and made the X-Men series something to get excited about.  We’ll all be there for Wolverine: X-Men Origins, because we can’t get enough of this character.

91. Blade played by Wesley Snipes (Blade Trilogy)

• “How do you think that we fund this organization, huh? We’re not exactly the March of Dimes.”

• Born Eric Brooks, his mother was bitten by a vampire while he was in the womb giving him all a vampires powers but none of their weaknesses.  Snipes makes him the most compelling vampire hunter ever in film.  His charisma, brilliant one liners, dark persona and his insane martial arts makes Blade infamous in fiction.

90. Brodie Bruce played by Jason Lee (Mallrats)

• “Breakfast, shmreakfast. Look at the score, for Christ’s sake. It’s only the second period and I’m up 12 to 2. Breakfasts come and go, Rene, but Hartford, “the Whale,” they only beat Vancouver once, maybe twice in a lifetime.”

• Every sense of logic should tell us to hate Brodie, being the depraved, sexist, underachiever that he is, but Jason Lee plays this character with such brilliant comic timing that he is not only funny but likable.  Brodie might not be a guy you’d like to be every day but it sure would be a treat to be him for at least one just so we could say the things he says without suffering the consequences.

89. Doc Holiday played by Val Kilmer (Tombstone)

• “I’m your Huckleberry……”

• The hot headed Dentist with Tuberculosis Doc Holiday was the most memorable of the crew from Tombstone that ran with Wyatt Earp.  Kilmer interpreted this true historic figure depicting his tragic illness, while still being one of the toughest character’s to ever grace the big screen.  His reputation was deadly and his intelligence was quicker than his draw and Kilmer potrayed that perfectly making Tombstone a movie worth watching over and over again.

88. Dr. Evil played by Mike Meyers (The Austin Powers Trilogy)

• “It’s Dr. Evil, I didn’t spend six years in Evil Medical School to be called “mister,” thank you very much.
• Dr. Evil might be the villain to Austin Powers, but he’s so funny you almost don’t want his mischevious plans to be foiled.  He is easily one of the most quotable character’s in movie history, and will make you uncontrolably on a regular basis.  He is truly one of my favorites.  Dr. Evil is deliciously maniacal.

87. Mary Poppins played by Julie Andrews (Mary Poppins)

• “A spoon full of sugar helps the medicine go down!”
• Mary Poppins is a childhood character of magic and delight that everyone who has seen will never forget.  She makes all kids want to have a magical nanny to take care of them.   From her witty songs to her sweet disposition, she is supercalifregolisticexpealadocious.

86. Han Solo played by Harrison Ford (Star Wars Original Trilogy)

• “I love you.”-Princess Leia  “I know.” -Han Solo
• Harrison Ford’s crooked grin became historic as Han Solo became a character everyone loved when Star Wars was released.  This character made Ford a star and gave Star Wars a dynamic character that will be forever idolized.  He may have been a scoundrel but he was a scoundrel the women loved and the men wanted to be.

85. Anne Of Green Gables played by Megan Follows (Anne Of Green Gables Trilogy)

• “Diana Barry, I believe we are kindred spirits.”
• Megan Follows made Anne Shirley come to life in her perforamance in the films trilogy.  Very seldomly has a character from literature been so magnificently represented as Anne.  She can make you laugh and make you cry just as easily as the other.  Her imagination, passion for life, and romancing everything is plain and simply inspiring.

84. Mr. Pink played by Steve Buscemi (Reservoir Dogs)

• “And I’m very sad about that, but some fellas are lucky, and some ain’t.”

• Mr. Pink is by far the most notable character from Reservoir Dogs which was a film littered with memorable actors with great performances.  Buscemi as the paranoid, negative, and always resourceful Mr. Pink, who’d rather be Mr. Purple or Mr. White is plain and simply a great character. I think he made it with the diamonds.

83. Annie Hall played by Diane Keaton (Annie Hall)

• “Sometimes I ask myself how I’d stand up under torture.”
• Annie Hall almost had to be the inspiration for Eternal Sunshine of A Spotless Mind.  The character of  Annie Hall was ditsy, funny, sweet, and midly strange but she will ultimately be just as memorable and poignant in our memories as she was in Alvy Singers.

82. Achilles played by Brad Pitt (Troy)

• “Everything is more beautiful because we are doomed.”
• The film of Troy itself was a good movie but it’s worth watching because of Brad Pitt as Achilles.  He plays the ancient greek hero and takes his performance to a level beyond what the film may have even deserved, and made for one of the most interesting, and powerful performances in Pitt’s already colorful career.

81. Forrest Gump played by Tom Hanks (Forrest Gump)

• “I may not be a smart man, but I know what love is.”
• Forrest Gump captured the hearts of the world in the early nineties, with his character that may have been a little slow, but made up for it by having a heart the size of Mississippi.  This is a beloved character that will be remembered for a hundred different reasons making Forrest Gump a classic movie.

Marc’s 50 Favorite Characters In Film

First – a Preface. (Redundant? – oh well, on with the show.)  I label my list as my ‘Favorite’ 50 and not the ‘Best’ 50 as this is my personal opinion, and not as a definitive statement on Cinema.  Where movies are concerned I am a buff, maven, admirer, aficionado and occasional addict but not a scholar.  It’s safe to say I’ve watched less than 50% of the films available either in their initial releases or on home video.  At that rate I don’t deem myself qualified to pen a ‘Best’ rouster, rather to put forth my favorites.

Anyway, enough qualifiers and blathering, on with the list.

50 – Godzilla – Toho Productions – Godzilla VS XXX.

“Raaaaaargh……..”

What more could I say here.  He’s spawned more feature films centered on a single character than anyone else in history.  (Sorry Bond, your 22 can’t top his 28 as of 2009.)  From his cerebral beginnings as a commentary on the horrors of Atomic weapons, to his role reversal as the Earth’s biggest baddest Junk Yard Dog, fighting for his territory against a rogues gallery of opponents, he’s been a 50 year plus presence in Cinema and one I look forward to enjoying with my son.

49 – Jeffrey Goines – Brad Pitt – 12 Monkeys.

“Wiping out the human race? That’s a great idea. That’s great. But more of a long-term thing. I mean, first we have to focus on more immediate goals. “

This guy saved 12 Monkeys for me.  I can admire the sociological commentary, the Sci-Fi trimmings, even the acting by Willis is in his upper 50% tier, but Pitt as Goines draws me into the world of the film tightly and completely every single time.  It’s an absolutely riveting performance where a man considered to be in the top 10 of the worlds sexiest men can be so off-putting and simultaneously enthralling.  Had the film not had a well thought out ending with good resolution to their world setting I’d gladly watch 13 Monkeys where him, George Clooney and Matt Damon do One Flew Over The Cookoo’s Nest Circa 2011.

48 – Dorothy Gail – Judy Garland – Wizard Of Oz.

“I didn’t mean to kill her. Really, I didn’t. It’s just that he was on fire.”

By now the stories of the studio wanting Shirley Temple, the battles over Judys weight, etc. etc. are well known.  All that drama aside, for me, simply put, Judy Garland as Dorothy is the only reason this film works.  Anyone else in that role would have produced a Technicolor wonder that would have been a box office success, then faded into near obscurity.  Judys presence and performance brought just enough attractiveness to be engaging without being glamorous and familiarity to be identifiable without being commonplace.  Like other young actors, her early career peak is as tragic as it is common, but she found a place in Cinema history with her performance here.

47 - Katsumoto – Ken Watanabe – Last Samurai.

“The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life.”

Watanabe as Katsumoto saves this film for me, much as Pitt via Goines earlier in the list.  There is a regal, studied and scholarly air to Katsumoto.  He elevates what could have easily been a trite ‘white man comes into enlightenment via foreign culture Tom Cruise vehicle’ and delivers a nuanced and layered treatise on history versus progress, tradition versus the future and honor versus practicality.  He exudes stoicism without coming across as stubborn or implacable, and his scenes with the young and flawed Emperor are my favorite.

46 – Dumbo’s Mom – Disney Production Team – Dumbo.

“From your head to your toes – You’re not much, goodness knows – But you’re so precious to me – Cute as can be, baby of mine.”

She loves her son enough to know that her place can no longer be his home, so he must be sent away.  Before he goes, she indulges in one last embrace, gently swinging him from her trunk back and forth.  In those few minutes she recalls their short time together and makes crystal clear that these are a real mother and a real son parting ways.  One of the sequences that cemented Disney as the primier animated story teller for so many years.  How far they’ve fallen in recent decades aside, this will always be one of the greatest expressions of a mother’s love, animated or not.

45 – Jonathan Fuerst – Jack Nicholson – Carnal Knowledge.

“You want a job? I got a job for you. Fix up this pigsty! You get a pretty Goddammed good salary for testing out this bed all day! You want an extra fifty dollars a week, try vacuuming! You want an extra hundred, make this Goddammed bed! Try opening some Goddammed windows! That’s why you can’t stand up in here, the Goddammed place smells like a coffin!”

An absolute bastard, nearly void of any redeming qualities, and utterly mesmerizing. Jack as Jonathan *IS* this film.  His dynamic with Ann Margaret as Bobbie is perfection.  I’d love to have seen a paired down, stage play framed version of this story with just these two characters in a room for 80 minutes.  You know you *can’t* like him, but you love watching him.

44 – Dr. Frankenstien – Gene Wilder -Young Frankenstien.

“Hello handsome. You’re a good looking fellow, do you know that? People laugh at you, people hate you, but why do they hate you? Because… they are jealous. Look at that boyish face. Look at that sweet smile. Do you wanna talk about physical strength? Do you want to talk about sheer muscle? Do you want to talk about the Olympian ideal? You are a God. And listen to me, you are not evil. You… are… good.”

Exaserbated deturmination, in spades.  Our good Doctor starts out wishing nothing more than to distance himself from the tainted legacy of his father.  Though the prodding actions of others and his own decisions he ends up emulating him.  The entire time dancing the fine intersection of farce, drama, sexual comedy and action.  Gene Wilder came to the roll with the look and hair of a mad doctor, but put his own stamp on the genre that endures to this day.  The ‘Horror Spoof’ performace that all other leads are judged against to this day.

43 – William Hunting – Matt Damon – Good Will Hunting.

“Marky, Ricky, Danny, Terry, Mikey, Davey, Timmy, Tommy, Joey, Robby, Johnny,
and Brad. “

Everyone has lied about themselves at one point or another, about one thing or another.  Few characters do it as well yet at the same time hiding so much of value as Will.  Much has been made of the terrific flow of dialog in this movie, and how Damon and Affleck wrote it originaly for a play.  Others focus on the dynamic between Damons and Williams characters.  I find Wills lies, the details and the depth the most interesting.  He’s constantly recreating himself in every situation he finds himself in, and although the impact fades on repeat viewings, it’s still my favorite aspect of the movie.

42 – Albert Goldman – Nathan Lane – The Birdcage

“Oh yes, another jive, another joke at my expense. You were probably laughing at me with Katherine, too. Well, why not? I’m not young, I’m not new, and everyone laughs at me. I’m quite aware of how ridiculous I am. I’ve been thinking that the only solution is to go where no one is ridiculous and everyone is equal. Goodbye, Armand. “

How close this role came to any personal experience of Lanes we’ll never know.  But from the thousand dollar wigs to the designer shoes Nathan Lane fills out every molecule of Albert’s neurotic, needy, and loving persona with viggor and sincerity.  Albert loves his lover Armand and Armands son Val very much.  It’s this love that first stings as he’s asked to leave for appearances sake, then fills him with resolve to somehow make the evening work.  Every line, every performance in a performance in a performance is comedic and dramatic perfection.

41 – Blondie – Clint Eastwook – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly.

“Put your drawers on, and take your gun off.”

The Spaghetti Westerns have been discussed at such great lengths I doubt I’ll be able to add anything original.  Eastwood as Blondie in this, the best of the three linked Sergio Leone, perfects his squintty eyed slow burn.  Simply moving a chewed cigar from one side of his mouth to the other conveys more thought and menace than an entire Mexican army.  Unshakeable under any circumstances, and always one step ahead of his competeiton both physically and mentally, he cooly rides the epic scope of the film as a master rides a horse.

Popularity: 9% [?]