Happy Hanksgiving: Top 10 Tom Hanks Performances

Happy (T)hanksgiving!

In order to celebrate the annual day of giving thanks for the things that truly matter in life, such as America's national treasure T. Hanks, I've listed my favorite performances from the immeasurably lovable actor.

Here are my honorable mentions: Multiple Roles in The Polar Express (2004), Robert Langdon in The Da Vinci Code (2006), Sam Baldwin in Sleepless In Seattle (1993), Woody in the Toy Story franchise (1995-2019).

10. Carl Hanratty in Catch Me If Your Can (2002)

In this thrilling Steven Spielberg flick, Hanks plays an remarkably cold role when compared to how amiable and warm his characters often are. As the FBI officer chasing the film's main criminal Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio), Hanks's character Carl Hanratty is the de-facto 'good guy' in the film's story, yet he is also the antagonist since the story is told largely from Abagnale's perspective. He walks this line well, making for a very memorable and solid performance.

9. Captain Richard Phillips in Captain Phillips (2013)

Hanks pulls off a very intense performance as real-life merchant mariner Richard Phillips in this thrilling film about an infamous hijacking. The actor goes into all-out survival mode in his gripping performance, as his character's ship is hijacked by Somali pirates and he must find a way out of the predicament. Hanks carries the lead role with grace, adding to his legacy of playing heroic characters in tough situations.

8. Charles Wilson in Charlie Wilson's War (2007)

For this Aaron Sorkin -written political drama, Hanks was cast into a role very much out of his comfort zone: a douchebag. Sure, the film paints congressman Charlie Wilson as an ultimately redeemable and good-hearted man, but his flaws are very prominent throughout the film. One has seen Tom Hanks in so many lovable good-guy roles, that it's weird to see him as an arrogant womanizer - but being the skilful actor that he is, he does a great job with the role. Charlie Wilson's War makes for a nice and different addition to the actor's impressive filmography.

7. Viktor Navorski in The Terminal (2004)

Sure, one could raise the question of why Steven Spielberg didn't cast an Eastern-European actor in the role of an Eastern-European lead character who is supposed to have a strong accent. Maybe he just had such a strong vision of Tom Hanks in such an amiable and heartfelt role that he couldn't picture anyone else pulling it off. Whatever the reasons for this slightly unusual casting, Hanks does a wonderful job as Viktor Navorski in this heartwarming film.

The actor's comedic chops are at the top of their game, he gets to show some emotional range towards the end, and even the accent is delightfully credible. All in all, a very solid performance in what I consider to be a vastly underrated Spielberg flick and one of my favorite comedies.

6. Paul Edgecomb in The Green Mile (1999)

A heartfelt performance for a tragic film. In this Stephen King adaptation, Hanks plays prison guard Paul Edgecomb, who develops a bond with death row inmate John Coffey (Michael Clarke Duncan). It's an emotionally raw performance, as Hanks's acting range plays well with the movie's grim setting. His facial expressions and emotionally charged lines towards the end of the film are heartbreaking, making the lead performance one of the best aspects in this all-around great film.

5. Captain Miller in Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Even in a cast consisting entirely of awesome talent from Matt Damon and Giovanni Ribisi to Barry Pepper and Edward Burns, Hanks manages to outshine his castmembers to provide the best performance in a movie filled with great performances. Hanks plays the role of an archetypical high-ranking soldier, as his character Captain Miller has his doubts about his mission but still carries through and encourages his frustrated team to do the same. The emotional power of his famous "Earn this. Earn it" line is delivered with perfection, and is definitely one of the most impressive moments in Hanks's career.

4. Josh in Big (1988)

This goofy feel-good film may not quite have the cinematic value of Saving Private Ryan or The Green Mile, but acting-performance-wise, Hanks does an even better job in this late 80's classic than in the aforementioned films. The film is all about a teenage boy who wishes to be an adult - and to his amazement, the wish comes through. Hanks plays the adult body that little Josh is transported into, and playing the role of a kid living in a grown-up body is a tough job.

Hanks not only manages to get the job done, but very much proves to be the best possible actor for the job. The childlike enthusiasm and body-swapping confusion of the character come across brilliantly, making for a fantastic performance that earned Hanks the first of his many Oscar nominations.

3. Chuck Noland in Cast Away (2000)

I knew quite a lot about this film through pop culture references before I actually saw it. I was therefore surprised to see how much runtime is dedicated to Tom Hanks's character not being stranded on an island - we spend a lot of time getting to know him before the plane crash happens, and not spoil any specifics, but a lot of aftermath to his survival story is also followed. In a way, this makes his powerhouse performance even more impressive, because the film isn't just about him trying to survive on a deserted island - it's a full-fledged character-driven story, where a complex character is established and who then undergoes changes through a life-changing event. Following his character development is fascinating.

Still, the very best part about this performance is the vast majority of the film that takes place on the island. I'll say the same thing I said about Leonardo DiCaprio's performance in The Revenant (2015) - no matter how interesting the premise, the film would be inescapably boring unless there was a truly great actor playing the role. Having only one actor on-screen for such a long duration is a major risk to take, but Hanks manages to play the role in such an interesting and complex fashion that boredom never even enters the equation. His survival is thrilling and fascinating to follow, proving that he truly was the right man for the job once again.

2. Forrest Gump in Forrest Gump (1994)

Tom Hanks has many strengths as an actor, but I'd say his foremost one is the sheer heart he puts into his performances. With the exception of a few villainous roles, he mostly plays extremely amiable characters with a heartfelt energy that you can't help but love - and that is at its very best in Forrest Gump, for which the actor won his second Academy Award. He plays title character Forrest Gump, a mentally challenged and good-hearted man, with grace and aplomb.

An appropriate amount of humor is mixed into the performance, as Forrest winding up in numerous historical events is quite amusing to follow, but he also plays the hell out of the more serious and dramatic sequences. It is certainly one of the most lovable acting performances of all time, and a perfect example of a lead actor really bringing a script to life.

1. Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia (1993)

The very first thing to applaud concerning this critically acclaimed performance is the mere fact that Hanks took the job - back in 1993, homophobic attitudes were all the rage in society, and it took some guts for America's most beloved actor to play the role of a gay man suffering from AIDS, knowing that some demographics would lose respect for him in the process. I'd like to think that there were more people who saw the film and re-evaluated their values because of it, than people who simply turned against Hanks because of the role.

Anyways, role-picking courage aside, the performance itself is absolutely mesmerizing and certainly deserving of the Oscar that Hanks won for it. In many ways, he plays the very representation of the marginalized groups that the film tried to destigmatize: a kind, good-hearted man, who is in trouble because some bigots can't see past his orientation.

Watching him play such a likable person who undergoes so much suffering is absolutely heartbreaking, and Hanks's emotional range is fantastic throughout the film. The scene where he dances by himself to opera music is a beautiful moment of self-expression, that will certainly resonate with a lot of viewers. There aren't many actors who have as many amazing performances on their resumé as Tom Hanks, but even with so many to choose from, I can easily say that Philadelphia is the actor's finest hour.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next Thursday for my list of the top 10 greatest Finnish films of all time, in celebration of our upcoming Independence Day!

Top 10 Animated Children's Movies

Greetings, reader!

The original Toy Story (1995) turns 25 years old this week. What better way to celebrate than with a list of the greatest animated children's movies of all time! This was a particularly difficult list to make, as films that were a part of my childhood are hard to compare to similar movies that I only saw at an adult age and could thus appreciate them in a significantly different way. Still, after a lot of thought and a lot of re-watching (thanks, Disney Plus!) I was able to rank these favorites based on how much they mean to me and how much I appreciate them, in one way or another. I hope you enjoy!

Here are my honorable mentions: Frozen (2013), Moana (2016), My Neighbor Totoro (1988), The Incredibles (2004), Wall-E (2008).

10. Dinosaur (2000)

Watching this film coincided beautifully with the dinosaur-obsessed phase of my childhood. I absolutely love the magical opening sequence, where the unlikely journey of an Iguanodon egg is followed as it is taken through a majestic landscape in a thrilling chain of events. From there on out, Dinosaur is filled with fun scenery and intriguing prehistoric creatures. The film's sense of adventure had me in awe as a child, and it has a special place in my heart to this day.

9. Spirited Away (2001)

If the general lack of Hayao Miyazaki's films on this list concerns you, my explanation simply is that I didn't watch his films as a child, and have only come into contact with them during the last few years. While the films are quite awesome, they hardly to compare to many of the Disney films that were an active part of my childhood, as that is when such films have the most impact. Even so, this Miyazaki gem made it here - one of two children's films so great that they made it to my top 10 even though I saw them after my childhood and therefore can't fully appreciate their value.

Spirited Away is a profound adventure filled with memorable characters, fantastic imagery and important life lessons. Studio Ghibli's animation is top notch, as the film's creative locations and characters come to life with a unique and magical atmosphere.

8. The Emperor's New Groove (2000)

As a child, I hugely enjoyed this film for its exotic atmosphere and silly characters. Upon re-watching it at my current age, I found a whole new level for my appreciation of the film - it has a very important message that we could all benefit from. This stems from the character Pacha (John Goodman), who plays a central role in the redemption arch of main character Kuzco (David Spade).

When Kuzco is turned into a llama and must find his way back to human form (don't we all sometimes?), Pacha agrees to help him even though Kuzco had been very inconsiderate and mean to Pacha and his family. The character exhibits inspiring patience, as he doesn't answer fire with fire but rather shows Kuzco that being nice and empathetic pays off by being those things towards him. It takes a while, but the lesson cements itself, leading to the film's satisfying ending. In today's societal climate, many of us could take a page from Pacha's book and combat hate with love instead of furthering the cycle of hatred.

7. Shrek (2001)

This film is just a whole bunch of fun. Featuring insanely hilarious voice performances by Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy, a whole bunch of meta humor as the film plays with the tropes of cliché fairy tales, and a kick-ass soundtrack that has a very special place in my heart as it introduced me to the Smash Mouth masterpiece All Star, this film is an absolute delight. Shrek is filled with memorable dialogue and hysterical moments, and it is fun to watch for children and adults alike - much like ogres and onions, this film has layers.

6. Inside Out (2015)

Inside Out is the higher-ranked one out of the two films on this list that I saw for the first time at an adult age. I'm sure I would've loved it as a kid, but I think this film has to be either watched or re-watched at a more mature age in order to fully appreciate it - it's definitely the deepest Disney film I've seen, while also having a whole bunch of zany silliness to it.

The film's central characters are the central emotions of a young girl - a majority of the film takes place inside her head, as we follow Joy (Amy Poehler), Sadness (Phyllis Smith), Anger (Lewis Black), Disgust (Mindy Kaling) and Fear (Bill Hader) while they try to navigate the girl through various challenges. The film deals with the heartbreaking side of growing up, as the girl has a difficult time adjusting to her new school and letting go of childhood memories. There is some surprisingly well-written psychology weaved into the film's plot, while there's also a lot to simply enjoy in its creative portrayal of the wonders of the human mind. The film will very likely make you cry, but it will leave a smile on your face when all is said and done.

5. The Toy Story Trilogy (1995-2010)

Yes, I know that it's a bit of a rule-bender to include this trilogy as one film on my list. But all three films (I haven't seen the fourth one yet) are so good individually that they all would've made it to my top 10, so including them as one left room for more variation within the list. All three films are very special and important to me, each in a slightly different way.

Toy Story (1995) is the one that started it all, and in many ways the most classic one. The humor and storytelling of the franchise are at their best in the original film. Toy Story 2 (1999) is the first film that I saw from the franchise (for some reason), so I have the fondest childhood memories from that deeply nostalgic film. Toy Story 3 (2010) deals with the same issues as Inside Out - one's childhood coming to an end, and moving on from that phase of life.

The third film's release coincided perfectly with my own process of growing up, as I was twelve years old when I saw it - just around the time when little Veikko was moving on from playing with his own childhood toys. The truth is, even though I've heard good things about Toy Story 4 (2019) and I'm sure I'll see it eventually, I haven't felt very motivated to watch it simply because the third film felt like such a great and closure-filled ending.

4. The Iron Giant (1999)

If you're able to watch this film without shedding a tear, I don't trust you as a person. The directorial debut of Brad Bird (who would go on to make action thrillers like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011)), this Warner Bros. cult hit follows a young boy (Eli Marienthal) who befriends a robot from outer space (Vin Diesel). Their connection is unique and sweet, while the film's fast-paced plot provides a lot of thrills and entertaining moments. Without spoiling the ending, I'll say that it is an emotional powerhouse of the highest order. My heart aches just thinking about it. At least the very last scene will help you wipe away your tears with its smile-worthy epicness.

3. Ice Age (2002)

Although the franchise has produced remarkably many solid sequels, there's no beating the original. With a zany and adventurous soundtrack, an amazing group of major characters, beautiful scenery and some great running gags (the sabre-tooth squirrel Scrat and his acorn are some of the funniest content humanity has come up with), Ice Age has all the makings of a childhood favorite. The story does a fantastic job balancing the historical intrigue of the era with some straight-forward adventure, and the film's humor is top notch. All in all, an extremely nostalgic classic.

2. Finding Nemo (2003)

I've always found the oceans of the world, with all their depths and mysteries, to be one of the more epic and fascinating things in this world of ours - and come to think of it, this movie should probably be thanked for that. The expert job of the film's creative animation department, coupled with Thomas Newman's curiosity-fuelled soundtrack, manages to personify the mysterious milieu of the ocean with perfection.

No other film felt quite as magical and atmospheric to watch as a child - for the longest time, I avoided re-watching this film as an adult due to a fear that it would've lost some of its magic when not viewed through a child's eyes. A few months ago, I decided to face my fear and watch the movie again - and it felt just as I had remembered, to my great delight.

1. The Lion King (1994)

I mean, its' just so epic. Mind you, The Lion King also checks all the boxes of a fun and entertaining children's movie with its zany dialogue, personable animation and silly humor. But the film goes far and away beyond that by providing a story that feels remarkably larger-than-life in its dramatic proportions. Partially because of the Hamlet-inspired story with its poetic arch, and definitely helped by the fantastic music department (including an instrumental score by Hans Zimmer and musical numbers composed by Elton John), The Lion King is a grand-scale adventure in a league of its own.

As a child, watching this film felt more powerful and emotional than any other children's movie I can think of. Upon re-watching it as an adult, I was glad to notice that it still has the exact same effect - the scene where Mufasa's (James Earl Jones) head bursts out of the clouds to tell Simba (Matthew Broderick) to "Remember who you are" is honestly one of the most spine-chilling and epic movie scenes I can think of from any genre. The Lion King is a masterpiece.

Thank you for reading! Next week's Thursday is Thanksgiving, so I'll be taking a week off from my blog.

Just kidding, there's never a week off from my blog. I'll naturally be posting a (T)hanksgiving-themed list about the greatest Tom Hanks performances. See you then!

Top 10 Leo DiCaprio Performances

Greetings, reader!

Yesterday was the 46th birthday of Leonardo DiCaprio - one of the greatest actors working today, in the opinion of me and many others. Today I will share my list of his greatest acting performances thus far.

Here are my honorable mentions: Cobb in Inception (2010), Jack Dawson in Titanic (1997)

10. Frank Abagnale Jr. in Catch Me If You Can (2002)

Catch Me If You Can tells the true story of a notorious con artist, with the specific point of view that his rough childhood and broken family lead to his questionable morals. This allows DiCaprio to play the lead role as a fleshed-out antihero, who is perceived as charming and even likable throughout his slick criminal activities, while one manages to simultaneously root for the FBI agent (Tom Hanks) trying to bust him. All in all, a very impressive role by the young DiCaprio.

9. Billy in The Departed (2006)

In Martin Scorsese's The Departed, Leonardo DiCaprio plays undercover cop Billy Costigan. The premise of his story mirrors that of Colin (Matt Damon), as Billy is a loyal police officer who becomes a mole in Boston's Irish mob, while Colin is an Irish mob loyalist who becomes a mole in the police force. The differences and similarities between the characters are fascinating to behold, and DiCaprio does a remarkable job as a believable police officer, while using his acting chops to become an equally believable criminal that his character is pretending to be.

8. Teddy Daniels in Shutter Island (2010)

An ambiguous performance for an ambiguous film with an ambiguous ending. DiCaprio's character, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels, looks mysterious and confused for a majority of the film, which fits in perfectly with the cryptic and unsettling atmosphere. His chemistry with co-star Mark Ruffalo is awesome, and the film's flashback sequences have a lot of emotional power to them thanks to DiCaprio's gripping performance. The film's ending puts the entire role into a slightly different context, making it all the more impressive.

7. Calvin Candie in Django Unchained (2012)

Who would've imagined that the lovable pretty-boy from Titanic and Romeo + Juliet would one day expand his range all the way to a despicable full-fledged villain role? Surprising as this casting choice was, DiCaprio did a great job as the film's main antagonist, a wildly racist slaveowner called Calvin Candie. He is frighteningly believable in the role, proving that he is a truly multi-talented actor who is very willing to step out of his comfort zone.

6. J. Edgar Hoover in J. Edgar (2011)

Stepping into the shoes of a well-known historical figure is always a tough job for any actor, and the role of notorious FBI director J. Edgar Hoover certainly poses some challenge. But DiCaprio was the man for the job, tapping into his talents in villainy like in the previous entry, but with more tact and subtlety. Clint Eastwood's biopic doesn't paint Hoover as the over-the-top warmonger that many might expect, but rather takes a psychological and even humane look at why he became the way he was.

Of course there are moments of angry yelling, dramatic rants and megalomaniac behavior, and DiCaprio pulls them off well. But a majority of the film focuses on the more intricate and fragile side of the man, and he does even better with those sequences. Overall, a very powerful and well-studied performance.

5. Romeo in Romeo + Juliet (1996)

Baz Luhrmann's adaptation of the classic play has an intriguing premise that posed quite a challenge to the actors: the film takes place in a modern setting, yet it retains the original Shakespearean dialogue. A young DiCaprio got to prove his acting chops with this early performance, as he did a fantastic job in the titular role. Reciting that style of dialogue is challenging enough, but the actor did it while really throwing himself into the role with a lot of emotional range.

4. Howard Hughes in The Aviator (2004)

As is bound to happen in any biopic directed by Martin Scorsese, The Aviator really dives into the deepest and darkest aspects in the life of its protagonist. DiCaprio dives headfirst into the complex role of Howard Hughes, a legendary movie director and aviator from the 1930's and 40's. The film puts a lot of emphasis on Hughes's gripping mental decline especially towards the end, and the actor plays the part to perfection. He earned his first Best Leading Actor -Oscar nomination for the role, and it was thoroughly deserved.

3. Rick Dalton in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

It is always challenging for an actor to play an actor. In Birdman (2014), it is very impressive how well Edward Norton plays an extremely talented actor. In The Disaster Artist (2017), it is very impressive how well James Franco plays an absolutely awful actor. But Leonardo DiCaprio, always one for nuances, was able to pull off quite the specific role: his character Rick Dalton is a successful and skilful actor, who isn't quite at the top of his game anymore.

There are scenes where he's struggling to remember his lines and fumbling his delivery. There's a phenomenal scene where he delivers a perfect monologue; it's a scene that would be Oscar-worthy for Rick Dalton in the film's fictional universe, and it certainly is Oscar-worthy for the fantastic real-life actor who brought to life the washed-out fictional actor doing his best to deliver a great performance.

2. Jordan Belfort in The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

He's great as a charming hero, he's surprisingly awesome as a villain, and he's absolutely perfect as a fleshed-out antihero. No matter what you think of the film and whether it romanticizes or demonizes the corrupt and extravagant lifestyle of Wall Street tycoons, you can't argue with the fact that Leo DiCaprio is amazing in the leading role. He plays notorious stock-broker Jordan Belfort with a dazzling chaotic energy, leaving the audience in awe with his insane confidence and drug-fuelled misadventures.

Humorous, gripping and everything in between all at once, Belfort's story comes to life in a complex and memorable fashion, thanks to the remarkable acting performance by DiCaprio. Hot take: as great as Matthew McConaughey was in Dallas Buyers Club (2013), I believe that year's Academy Award for Best Actor In A Leading Role should have gone to DiCaprio's Wolf Of Wall Street role instead.

1. Hugh Glass in The Revenant (2015)

For much of The Revenant's duration, DiCaprio's character doesn't speak much, as he's alone in the wilderness trying to survive. But the man doesn't need dialogue (often the utmost tool for actors to prove their talent) to prove what he's capable of. Between learning to shoot a musket, apply ancient healing techniques and speak two Native American languages for the role and actually performing feats like eating a raw slab of bison's liver and sleeping in an animal carcass, he certainly did the groundwork for the role. One could argue that an actor doesn't need to do all that for a performance to feel real, but who can blame the man for wanting to maximize the realism in his reactions and mannerisms?

A film like The Revenant would be inescapably boring despite its strengths, if it didn't star an actor who can really carry the lengthy survival sequences in an engaging manner. DiCaprio was the best man for the job, and I was glad to see him finally winning his long-overdue Oscar for this breathtaking performance.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next Thursday for my list about the greatest animated children's movies of all time.

Saturday Special: Top 10 Party Movies

Hey guys!!

Congratulations to Joseph Biden for winning the presidential election.

Totally unrelated, here's my list of the top 10 party movies! For whatever reason, I've been in a very good mood for the past few hours - I even decided not to post my list of "Top 10 dystopian films" that I had been working on.

10. Project X (2012)

Quite the entertaining by-the-numbers house party film, Project X is no cinematic masterpiece but it is a lot of fun. A group of high school seniors throw a party that gets seriously out of hand after word of it reaches everyone imaginable, and the escalation of the gathering's size is quite amusing (there are so many people stuffed into the house that I'd imagine it would feel painful to watch this film during the corona era). The film's style is somewhat of a hybrid between found-footage and mockumentary, as the events within the plot are captured by the largely unseen character Dax (Dax Flame), which is a nice addition.

9. Hot Tub Time Machine (2010)

In this zany and nostalgic film, a group of middle-aged men are sent back in time to the 1980's, where they find themselves living the glory days of their youth. An appropriate soundtrack full of Mötley Crue, Poison and Autograph rocks the atmosphere as the main characters navigate their way through an eventful night at a ski resort. The cast is filled with talented comedians such as Chevy Chase, John Cusak, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke, which adds to the film's entertainment value.

8. American Reunion (2012)

One of the many instalments of the American Pie franchise to make it onto this list, the (hopefully) final film of the franchise is a surprisingly delightful viewing experience. After the spinoffs had gotten steadily worse and worse, up to the point of the dreadful The Book Of Love (2009), they made the smart move of reuniting the original cast for a sequel about their high school reunion.

Seeing classic characters like Jim (Jason Biggs), Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) and Stifler (Seann William Scott) all grown up is very fun, and the movie features exactly the sort of crude shenanigans one would expect from the series - just over-the-top enough to feel like the franchise's glory days, but not as over-the-top as the spinoff films had been.

7. National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

While certain elements of this party classic haven't aged particularly gracefully, it's still a bunch of fun when viewed with a grain of salt / as a product of its time / having turned one's brain to minimum power. John Vernon is pitch perfect as the uptight and unlikable Dean Wormer, while legends such as John Belushi and Kevin Bacon are a delight as the members of the Delta Tau Chi Fraternity. Featuring classic moments like "TOGA! TOGA! TOGA!" and the texts revealing the fate of each character on top of the chaotic ending scene, Animal House is one of the quintessential films in the genre's history.

6. American Pie (1999)

There are many, many films that are just like American Pie - but less funny and sweet. This modern classic gets the viewer invested more than many purely entertainment-driven party films do, as the characters are likable and relatable at least to some point. With a soundtrack boasting alt-rock and pop-punk icons such as Blink-182, Barenaked Ladies and Goldfinger, the turn-of-the-century era house-party atmosphere is quite perfect. The main gang is a memorable bunch of hilarious characters, with just the right actors playing the roles. It's a bunch of fun.

5. Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

First of all, stoner Jeff Spicoli (Sean Penn) ordering pizza into class is one of the hands-down funniest moments to ever grace the silver screen. Second all, more or less everything else in this film is quite amusing as well. Classic tropes of high school party movies are played with (and new ones are created) in this film that aged surprisingly well when compared to many of its 80's party film counterparts - a fact that undoubtedly has to do with the film's female director, Amy Heckerling.

4. American Pie 2 (2001)

Yes, I prefer the first American Pie sequel to the original film. In the tradition of Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Terminator: Judgement Day (1991), I find the sequel to be quite similar (but not too similar) to the first one, and that it does everything just a little bit better - and in all three cases, the franchise would go very much downhill from there on out.

American Pie 2 gains massive points for just how chill it is - there are no real stakes, and I love it. The first film is quite dramatic in its own way as the main characters are racing against the clock, but in this one, they just really want to throw a beach party and then they throw said party. That's the plot. And that plot is perfect for the film, as it leaves plenty of room for all sorts of wacky shenanigans and an all-around fun atmosphere.

3. Superbad (2007)

How on earth does a high school party comedy get a 7.6 on IMDB (for reference, that rating is shared by Laurence Olivier's Hamlet adaptation (1948) as well as Best Picture winner The Hurt Locker (2008))? The answer: by being extremely funny, appropriately self-aware, and perfectly cast.

Superbad is written by comedy masterminds Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, and they based the main characters on themselves. Jonah Hill and Michael Cera are phenomenal in the lead roles, as the chemistry between these two friends is off the charts. The supporting cast boasts names like Emma Stone as the central love interest, Christopher Mintz-Plasse as the hilarious McLovin', and my all-time favorite comedian Bill Hader as a hilarious police officer who, along with his partner (Seth Rogen), takes an amusing role in the film's events. The film's dialogue is absolute gold, the party atmosphere is well-directed and the story is very well-written - all in all, Superbad is super-good in this category of cinema.

2. 21 Jump Street (2012)

Okay, I know this is in somewhat of a gray area, as 21 Jump Street isn't a party movie first and foremost. Still, it's a high school film (with a twist) and one of its major sequences is a house party, so I'll let it slide. The premise of the film, based on a 1980's TV show of the same name, is an exciting one: two young-looking police officers go undercover as high school students, trying to bring down a drug ring. The lead roles are played by Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum, whose characters are exceptionally well-developed and fleshed-out for this type of movie - their chemistry is also on par with Hill&Cera in Superbad.

The film is filled with laughs and thrills, and the aforementioned house party sequence is definitely memorable enough to put the film onto this list. While this is off-topic for a list about party movies, I just have to mention that the movie also contains one of the funniest car-chase sequences of all time, bested only by The Blues Brothers (1980).

1. The Hangover (2009)

Forbes once made a pseudo-scientific study on what the funniest movies of all time are, based on the average "laughs per minute" caused in different kinds of viewers. The Hangover came in second place, averaging at 2.4 laughs per minute. Think about that. The average minute of The Hangover makes you laugh out loud multiple separate times. That's amazing.

This absolutely hysterical film differs from most party movies in its narrative structure, as a majority of the film takes place, as you may guess from the title, on the morning after the party. The main characters wake up in a messed-up Las Vegas hotel suite after their over-the-top bachelor party, and this raises a whole lot of questions: what the hell happened during the night they don't remember, why is there a tiger in their room, and most importantly: where is the groom?

As the gang tries to retrace their steps, we see flashbacks to the actual events of the night before, as the pieces slowly start to fit together. The ridiculously funny cast consists of Bradley Cooper, Justin Bartha, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis - not to mention the amusing supporting roles by Ken Jeong as Mr. Chow and Mike Tyson as himself. All of the party films on this list are worth watching if you, like me, feel like celebrating something this week - but if I had to recommend one over the rest, it would have to be this one.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for my list of the top 10 Leonardo DiCaprio performances.

Top 10 Ambiguous Movie Endings

Hello, dear reader!

Originally, I was going to post either a list of the greatest dystopian films or a list of the greatest party movies today. I thought I'd know which one to post after Tuesday. Yet somehow, neither one feels quite relevant at this point. Instead, my mind has been drawn to movie endings - especially those ones that are left open and leave you begging for answers and some closure. Do you know the feeling when something is left up in the air and you just can't wait to see what would happen next?!

So, with no subtext whatsoever, here is my ranking of the greatest ambiguous movie endings of all time.

SPOILER ALERT: Since I'll be discussing movie endings, there will be major spoilers. I suggest reading the titles first, and then skipping the entries concerning films you haven't seen but might want to see someday.

Here are my honorable mentions: Enemy (2013), Life Of Pi (2012), No Country For Old Men (2007), Taxi Driver (1976), The Blair Witch Project (1999).

10. The Lighthouse (2019)

As I mentioned in my ranking of Ari Aster, Jordan Peele and Robert Eggers's movies, this film can be interpreted in various different ways - and the final scene makes it all the more up-for-debate. It is pretty clear that both main characters wind up dead, but what exactly lead to this is left wide open. Perhaps The Lighthouse was a symbolism-heavy psychological thriller, and the characters went crazy on the island and ended up killing each other. Or maybe the 'symbolism' was meant to be taken literally, and the island was actually occupied by supernatural forces that ended up destroying the human inhabitants of their home. We'll never know for sure.

9. Shutter Island (2010)

"Which would be worse - to live as a monster, or to die as a good man?"

That is the question that Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) asks at the end of this psychological thriller. And a good question it is. The line helps the viewer fully grasp the double-sided meaning of the film's big plot twist - it has been revealed that Daniels is actually a patient in the asylum instead of a marshal investigating it, but there's more to it than that. His mental state and motives are left open, leaving a possibility of interpreting the ending in two very different ways - either he is fully insane and many of the film's events were distorted by his imagination, or he knows exactly what he did and was simply reliving the experience through a strange recreation. Either way, it's quite dark.

8. Lost In Translation (2003)

One of the many brilliant style choices in Sofia Coppola's Lost In Translation is leaving the final line very open for interpretation - not in two, but really any number of ways. As the film's two unlikely lovers have one final embrace before going their separate ways, Bob (Bill Murray) whispers something in Charlotte's (Scarlett Johansson) ear. As the line can't be heard, we have no idea to this day what he said to her. One can theorize, as the substance of the line can lead to very different kinds of futures depending on what choices the two main characters make after the film's events.

7. Blade Runner (1982)

A real classic in the realm of ambiguous endings. Mind you, it didn't stay that way forever - the pseudo-sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017) provided an answer to the main question left on everyone's minds as the credits to the original Blade Runner start to roll. The film's milieu is filled with real people and replicants, and here's the hook - we don't know which of these groups protagonist Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) belongs to. For a majority of the film, the audience assumes Deckard to be "real" as his job is to hunt down other replicants, but the final lines and the visual imagery that goes with them makes one realize that he may have been a replicant all along - or then not.

6. The Shining (1980)

After the film's events have come to a close and everything seems to be over, the final scene of this horror classic creates one hell of a curveball. We see an old-timey photograph from 1921, and as we zoom closer, we see Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) in the photograph, looking the same age as he is during the film's events. This can be interpreted in a multitude of ways: was he a ghost or other immortal being all along? Was he inhabited by a spirit from the Overlook Hotel? Is there time travel involved? All in all, a real head-scratcher.

5. American Psycho (2000) and Joker (2019)

I counted these two psychological thrillers as one, as they pretty much have the same ending. The ambiguity of both endings works in the same way, posing very similar questions. In American Psycho, serial killer Patrick Bateman (Christian Bale) has a conversation with his colleagues that reveals that Paul Allen (Jared Leto) is alive, which confuses the viewers as we saw Bateman murder Allen earlier in the film. In Joker, the titular character (Joaquin Phoenix) laughs ominously at an asylum and tells his therapist that she "would not understand it".

In both cases, the dialogue in the final scene makes the viewer realize that there has been an unreliable narrator. We don't know how much of the film's events actually happened, and how much was just in the protagonist's head. Quite chilling stuff.

4. Birdman (2014)

I love this ending so much. The film's themes of dark humor, existential crises and interpretational fantasy symbolism come to a brilliant climax that feels dark yet hopeful in a magical way. Protagonist Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) walks to the edge of his hospital room to look at the birds flying in the distance in a fascinated manner, as his daughter Sam (Emma Stone) leaves the room. When she returns, Riggan isn't in the room. Wee see the window from an outside view, as Sam peers out of it to see what happened. And then, the most amazing thing happens: she looks confused, after which she looks up. This fits in with Riggan's past, the bird-related symbolism and the surreal feel of the movie like a glove. Sheer amazement.

3. Damn Near Every David Lynch Movie

Now, there are a select few David Lynch films that don't end on an ambiguous note - Blue Velvet (1986) and The Straight Story (1999) come to mind. But most of his films have delightfully open-ended or otherwise interpretational endings, ranging from strange to even stranger. The closing moments of Eraserhead are a real head-scratcher, as an increasingly psychedelic display of imagery is interrupted by the Lady In The Radiator (Laurel Near) giving a cryptic message. Mulholland Drive is even more notorious, as the film ends with protagonist Diane (Naomi Watts) being chased by hallucinations that lead her to a mysterious demise, with no clarity to why or how this happens - unless the viewer is up for some hardcore detective work.

Then there's the nightmarish and unclear final act of Lost Highway (1997), the possibly-hallucinated "happy ending" of Inland Empire (2006) and Laura Palmer's (Sheryl Lee) unsettling fit of tears and laughter in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992). I'd like to dive into any one of those in full essay form, but this list isn't the right context for a deep Lynchian analysis - some other day.

2. Inception (2010)

"It was all a dream" is one of the most clichéd ways to end a story. Christopher Nolan decided to one-up this trope by making a film all about going into people's dreams, and ending it with "this is a dream - or is it?". As the main character Cobb (Leo DiCaprio) reunites with his family after completing his mission, he leaves a spinning top on the table. This top has been a 'totem' throughout the film, meaning that spinning it is a way to check whether you're in reality or in a dream - if it stays spinning instead of eventually falling down, you know you're in a dream.

As Hans Zimmer's Time brings the audience to tears, the final scene closes with the top still spinning. Will it continue to do so, or fall down? Is this a real happy ending, or just a dream of Cobb's? Is the top irrelevant as some fans have speculated, due to Cobb's actual totem being his wedding ring while the top was his wife Mal's (Marion Cotillard) totem? These are questions definitely worth asking.

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

This one is simply on a whole other level. If you've seen the film, you'll know. If you haven't, I can't really put it to words (and you should consider not reading this part and watching the film for yourself). I've seen 2001 three times, and if you asked me to tell what happens in the last 20 minutes, I really couldn't. But it's my favorite movie ending of all time. There are psychedelic visuals, epic monoliths and a gigantic space baby involved. The use of Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra in the soundtracks makes everything a lot more epic.

The ending is so large in scale, that one just knows that it means something magnificent and larger-than-life, even if one can't pin down quite what it means. Whether it represents humanity entering a whole new stage of evolution, a full circle of history coming to a close, the edge of the universe clashing with our world after humans interfere with infinity or something entirely different, it definitely means something big. And it leaves me in sheer awe every single time.

Thank you for reading! Tune in next week for my list of the greatest Leonardo DiCaprio performances, in honor of the actor's 46th birthday. I might post either my Dystopian Movies list or my Party Movies list during this weekend, depending on how things shape out.