Shanghai Noon

Roy O'Bannon: I don't know karate, but I know kar-azy and I will use it.

Shanghai Noon is one of those movies that most everyone saw when it first came out and then promptly forgot, but I think it deserves to be remembered. It's a charming comedy that holds up well and seamlessly blends the western and kung-fu film while simultaneously spoofing both. For all it's simplicity, it's a really well-written comedy that shows off the best of Owen Wilson and Jackie Chan. Having rewatched it recently, it struck me how few films are made that have a lighthearted sense of humor that can be enjoyed by all ages while not losing it wit and charm in trying to be inoffensive enough for families. A solid adventure, with a lot of clever references to older westerns that turns the stereotypes on their heads. A great movie for a rainy day.

America in Film

A friend of mine who goes to grad school with a lot of foreign students recently discovered that most of them had never seen the Star Wars trilogy. While setting up a screening to correct this unforgivable lapse in their pop culture knowledge, he realized there must be lots of films they haven't seen that they should before they become Americans. So, he asked several of his friends for a list of films that are integral to American cultural history and films that helped shaped current pop culture.

It's an interesting question, really. How do you define America in a limited number of films? Is it the films you like best or the films that best known? What genres should get the most spots? What directors and actors do you include? For pop culture films, the list could be endless. It would be easier to just compile a playlist of scenes on YouTube. After all, no one should be forced to sit through Five Easy Pieces just to see the Chicken Salad Scene. So, after careful consideration, here are my lists:

How to Be an American in 10 Films:
1. Casablanca
2. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
3. Gone with the Wind
4. The Wizard of Oz
5. To Kill a Mockingbird
6. Singin' in the Rain
7. The Godfather
8. Rear Window
9. Red River
10. The Maltese Falcon

How to Understand Americans in 10 Films:
1. Star Wars
2. Indiana Jones
3. Back to the Future
4. ET
5. Rocky
6. The Terminator
7. Nightmare Before Christmas
8. Pulp Fiction
9. Fight Club
10. Ghostbusters