Tossin’ It Out There: What’s YOUR favorite movie based on a TV show?

“The Lone Ranger” has seen many adaptations, from film shorts to radio, but his most famous incarnation was most likely the television show that aired on TV for eight seasons, from 1949 to 1957.

Films based off of television shows are nothing new, there have been dozens upon dozens of them. While a number of them get a bad rap, there are quite a few that are excellent.

The entire Star Trek franchise has its roots in TV. 2011’s “The Muppets”, which is near and dear to my heart, can trace its origins back to the TV show. Of course, “Serenity” capped off an excellent show by moving to the big screen. “Heat” was based off of a made for TV movie, “The Naked Gun” movies came from “The Files of Police Squad”, and of course, there’s the “Mission Impossible” movies as well.

What’s YOUR favorite? If you need some help, here’s a handy reference.

Let’s hear it!

Tossin’ It Out There: Who’s YOUR Favorite Movie Thief?

I had a chance to check out “The Bling Ring” the other day (review pending), Sofia Coppola’s movie about a young gang of celeb obsessed thieves, and it put robbing and thieving on the brain.

Who’s your favorite thief in film? Do you go high-minded and say Robin Hood? Or do you head for a slick pro like Neil McCauley? How about the Reservoir Dogs gang? How about a petty thief like Warren from Empire Records, LOL, or someone classic like Cary Grant’s John Robie?

From the common crook to big time embezzlement, movies about stealing and robbing have been made again and again and again. From “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” to “The Great Train Robbery” to “Goodfellas” to the “Oceans” series, they never seem to tire of making movies about people who steal.

So who’s YOUR favorite thief?

Let us hear it!

Tossin’ It Out There: Who’s YOUR Favorite Movie Dad?

Father’s Day was this past weekend, and the megaplex also offered us a great new cinematic Dad in the form of Kevin Costner’s Jonathan Kent.

Fathers in movies run the gamut from the caring (Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird”) to the kick-ass (Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills in “Taken”). Some are sacrificing everything to make a better life for their children (Will Smith as Chris Gardner in “The Pursuit of Happyness”) others bumble and stumble along so much you wonder how they managed to keep their kids alive this long (Chevy Chase as Clark Griswold in any of the “Vacation” movies).

From the evil (Darth Vader) to the funny (Steve Martin in “Parenthood”) to the protective (Viggo Mortensen in “The Road”), Hollywood has all the angles covered when it comes to movie Dads.

Who’s YOUR favorite? Michael Keaton’s “Mr. Mom”? How about Jim’s Dad from the “American Pie” series?

There’s no shortage of them out there, folks, let’s hear it!

Who’s YOUR favorite movie Dad?

Tossin’ It Out There: What’s YOUR favorite “Dystopian Future”?

Many films take a bleak look ahead at the eventual destination of society. The so-called “Dystopian future” often features miserable living conditions, repressive governments, or post-apocalyptic worlds.

The opposite of Utopia, Dystopia is a hell on earth. It’s a common setting for sci-fi films. “Blade Runner”, “12 Monkeys”, “Children of Men”… there’s no shortage of films that envision a world we would NOT want to live in.

What’s your favorite? Or least favorite, for that matter, since it’s a negative? “Dark City”? The Mad Max series? The Terminator films? Here’s a list of some for those in need of suggestions.

Whatever it is about a bleak future full of despair, Hollywood is at no shortage of films about it. Which ones are YOUR favorites?

Tossin’ It Out There: Who do YOU think is the most annoying Movie Character?

Everyone has had this experience. You’re enjoying a movie, but there’s that one character that drives you nuts. Even in movies you don’t like that much there can be characters that annoy more than others! Whatever kind of experience you’re having with the film, that one character just gets under your skin!

When a character is widely reviled such as Jar Jar Binks and “Jill” from “Jack and Jill”, they often take on a life of their own beyond the film, with pop culture carrying the spite for them personally long after the movie fades.

Which character will you pick? Who annoys you?

Can we get some love hate for Mutt from “Crystal Skull”? Will anyone bring up Stiffler? How about someone from a classic movie, such as Mickey Rooney’s Mr Yunioshi from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”? Maybe something current like “The Hangover”‘s Chow or Alan? Does anyone remember Sofia Coppola’s Mary Corleone?

These are the characters you just want to punch. Who will you choose? Which characters drive you crazy?

Let’s hear it! Who are YOUR most annoying Movie Characters?

Daniel Fogarty

Tossin’ It Out There: What’s YOUR Favorite Movie Bromance?

With the release of “Star Trek Into Darkness” this week, I must have come across the term bromance a million times in reference to Kirk and Spock.

It’s a term I was loath to accept when it first came out, but society has worn me down, it’s part of the vernacular now. There’s no shortage of them in the film world, either.

From Butch and Sundance to Han and Luke, buddies are an integral part of movies. They even have their own sub genre: the “Buddy movie”.

Who’s your favorite? Frodo and Sam? Johnny Utah and Bodhi? Tango and Cash (LOL)? How about Dom and Walker from the Fast and Furious series?

There’s no shortage of them, so take your pick!

Let’s hear it! What’s YOUR favorite movie bromance?!

Tossin’ It Out There: Recommend a Movie to Everyone!

Hey everyone. Today’s Tossin’ It Out there is one I’ve been sitting on for a while, as I figure it’s something that people love to do, especially people who read or write about movies on the net!

Everyone loves recommending good movies to others, whether it’s some enormous summer tent pole movie that they happen to see before everyone else, or an indie gem that they’ve dug up that no one else has even heard of! It’s the most common form of movie discussion, I think… the “Ohhh, you’ve got to see it!”

It’s not necessarily to me, just to anyone in general. Many other people read through the comments every week, what movie would you recommend to them? Or to someone you just met? What film do you feel strongly enough to promote, or… is there a movie you’d like to get more people to see?

So what movie will you recommend? Something you like that everyone else has unfairly overlooked? Something foreign that you think is worth people’s time to track down? Maybe something classic – a movie that time forgot!

Whatever it is, let’s hear it! What movie would YOU recommend?

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NOTE: For this thread, it’s ok if you’d like to link to a review you’ve done, I can understand that, and it fits well here with the discussion. So it’s ok, here! But please, outside of threads where I expressly clear it, remember, posting links to your own stuff without permission is… gauche. 😉

Tossin’ It Out There: Who’s YOUR Favorite Movie Comedian?

I have comedy on the brain somehow, today, and so I thought today we should turn our discussion towards movie comedians (or comediennes).

Who’s YOUR favorite? Do you lean towards the classics? Is it a duo or a troupe? Someone current like Will Ferrell or Zach Galifianakis? Or someone classic like Laurel and Hardy? Can we get some love for Peter Sellers today? Or will the usual suspects like Jim Carrey and Eddie Murphy rise to the top? Will we get any female comics breaking through? How about the immortal Madeline Kahn? Or maybe Melissa McCarthy, who is currently atop the comedic movie world?

Everyone has a film star or two that really crack them up consistently, who’s YOURS?

Let’s hear it! Who’s YOUR Favorite Comedian?

Daniel Fogarty

Tossin’ It Out There: What’s YOUR Favorite Sequel?

This Friday sees the release of “Iron Man 3”, the third film in the Iron Man franchise, and the fifth time Robert Downey Jr. has played Tony Stark (including his cameo in “The Incredible Hulk). It won’t be the only big sequel this summer, either, the slate is full of them. “Star Trek Into Darkness”, “The Hangover III”, “Despicable Me 2”, “Monsters University”, “Fast and Furious 6” just for starters.

Sequels have come a long way though. Franchises are carefully planned now, and audiences don’t attach half the stigma to them that they once did. Once upon a time, the question was “Which sequels are better than the originals?” Nowadays, the second installment in a franchise is often expected to be the best.

There are no shortages of sequels out there. Many of them are great. What’s your favorite? Will you go old school with “The Godfather: Part II” or “The Empire Strikes Back”, or something more modern, like “The Dark Knight”? How about one of James Cameron’s noted sequels, “Aliens”, or “Terminator 2: Judgement Day”?

There are hundreds to choose from, and the choice is yours.

So let’s hear it! What’s YOUR favorite sequel?

Daniel Fogarty

Tossin’ It Out There: Who’s YOUR Favorite Director?

[Alfred Hitchcock voice] Good morning. [/Alfred Hitchcock voice]

Yesterday’s “Rear Window” post brought some of the comments around to Alfred Hitchcock and his directorial prowess. That put it in my mind to turn this week’s discussion topic to the subject of directors.

Who’s your favorite? Will it be one of the big names, like Spielberg, Scorsese, Kubrick, or Hitchcock himself? Or will it be some of today’s auteurs, such as Paul Thomas Anderson or Darren Aronofsky? How about the Coen Brothers? Or Quentin Tarantino? I’m sure that everyone has a director or two whose projects they eagerly anticipate, or whose filmography they’re checking off like a check list.  

Which is (are) YOURS? Is there a director who speaks to you more than others? Is there anyone you think can absolutely do no wrong?

Let’s hear it! Who’s YOUR Favorite Director?

Daniel Fogarty