5. Stranger than Fiction
Some people may find this a surprising appearance on this list -- in truth, many may not realize it's a Chicago film at all. But the truth is: the film not only 1) employs a variety of the city's locations, but 2) features the Chicago Transit Authority in a particularly funny scene. Oh yeah, it's a good movie with a great cast, too.
To those who haven't seen it: don't watch the trailer. If you've seen the trailer, ignore it. It's misleading. Stranger than Fiction is not a typical slapstick, Will Ferrell-genre movie; it's much more intellectual and rewarding.
4. Adventures in Babysitting
To those who haven't seen it: don't watch the trailer. If you've seen the trailer, ignore it. It's misleading. Stranger than Fiction is not a typical slapstick, Will Ferrell-genre movie; it's much more intellectual and rewarding.
4. Adventures in BabysittingThis is a no-brainer. From the blues house to dangling perilously from a skyline-defining building, this movie is Chicago. Unfortunately, it's just not as good of a movie as the top three.
3. The Untouchables
Set in 1920s-30s gangland Chicago, this film featured not only an impressive cast (Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia [Ocean's 11-13], and Sean Connery -- who received an Oscar for his role), but it also possessed an exciting, enticing script with plenty of action and even some tear-jerking drama. Oh yeah, and it's basically about the coolest part of Chicago's history -- fedora-wearing gangs. Now everyone's got gold teeth and internet schemes.
2. The Blues Brothers
Come on. This is a blues town. You can be certain of that because the Blues Brothers took the time to lead a massive manhunt right through the center of this town, in what will likely be the greatest and most catastrophic car/foot chase scene in cinematic history. If for nothing else, this movie makes the list on the sheer, over-budget beauty of that penultimate scene. Oh yeah, and Nazis in Pintos. That too.
...Aaaaand, the Top Chicago Movie goes tooooooooo:
1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Product of the late, great John Hughes, Ferris pretty much presented the Second City better than any tourist video or Travel Channel special could. Beyond the fact that everyone has seen this movie, which makes its marketing even more effective, the movie itself enjoys such a light-hearted disposition that I would have felt like a jerk to put this movie any lower than number one.
In every good movie, there always must be a conflict. What's interesting about Ferris is the dual-fold conflict -- the obvious conflict being their flight from Principle Rooney, but also there exists this more pressing, troubling and innate desire to capture their fleeting youths. Ferris admits at one point that all three compatriots are aimed in different directions, implying the whole adventure was an effort to forestall that impending separation. This, perhaps, is the brilliance of John Hughes, who -- throughout his various 80s hits -- always found a way to interweave the adventure and comedy with the appropriate measure of teen-angst that every adult viewer could see their own youth unfold through. And that's why it's my Top of Chicago Movies.
In an effort to cut off what I imagine will be some serious fallout, allow me now to explain why National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is not on this list. First, it is a suburbs movie. The truth is, most viewers fail to realize it's a Chicagoland movie at all, unless they are familiar with the Chicago Blackhawk's logo or are otherwise perceptive. Secondly, the movie fails to feature the city prominently in its one scene within the city, rather, it focuses on the lewd humor of bra shopping. Simply put, Christmas Vacation, though the greatest Christmas movie ever, is not a top-5 Chicago movie. Sorry.
The List!**:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Adventures in Babysitting
Stranger than Fiction
The Untouchables (filmed partly at my school!)
The Sting
High Fidelity
Uncle Buck
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
What Women Want
Blues Brothers
Blues Brothers 20003. The Untouchables
Set in 1920s-30s gangland Chicago, this film featured not only an impressive cast (Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia [Ocean's 11-13], and Sean Connery -- who received an Oscar for his role), but it also possessed an exciting, enticing script with plenty of action and even some tear-jerking drama. Oh yeah, and it's basically about the coolest part of Chicago's history -- fedora-wearing gangs. Now everyone's got gold teeth and internet schemes.
2. The Blues BrothersCome on. This is a blues town. You can be certain of that because the Blues Brothers took the time to lead a massive manhunt right through the center of this town, in what will likely be the greatest and most catastrophic car/foot chase scene in cinematic history. If for nothing else, this movie makes the list on the sheer, over-budget beauty of that penultimate scene. Oh yeah, and Nazis in Pintos. That too.
...Aaaaand, the Top Chicago Movie goes tooooooooo:
1. Ferris Bueller's Day OffProduct of the late, great John Hughes, Ferris pretty much presented the Second City better than any tourist video or Travel Channel special could. Beyond the fact that everyone has seen this movie, which makes its marketing even more effective, the movie itself enjoys such a light-hearted disposition that I would have felt like a jerk to put this movie any lower than number one.
In every good movie, there always must be a conflict. What's interesting about Ferris is the dual-fold conflict -- the obvious conflict being their flight from Principle Rooney, but also there exists this more pressing, troubling and innate desire to capture their fleeting youths. Ferris admits at one point that all three compatriots are aimed in different directions, implying the whole adventure was an effort to forestall that impending separation. This, perhaps, is the brilliance of John Hughes, who -- throughout his various 80s hits -- always found a way to interweave the adventure and comedy with the appropriate measure of teen-angst that every adult viewer could see their own youth unfold through. And that's why it's my Top of Chicago Movies.
In an effort to cut off what I imagine will be some serious fallout, allow me now to explain why National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is not on this list. First, it is a suburbs movie. The truth is, most viewers fail to realize it's a Chicagoland movie at all, unless they are familiar with the Chicago Blackhawk's logo or are otherwise perceptive. Secondly, the movie fails to feature the city prominently in its one scene within the city, rather, it focuses on the lewd humor of bra shopping. Simply put, Christmas Vacation, though the greatest Christmas movie ever, is not a top-5 Chicago movie. Sorry.
The List!**:
Ferris Bueller's Day Off
Adventures in Babysitting
Stranger than Fiction
The Untouchables (filmed partly at my school!)
The Sting
High Fidelity
Uncle Buck
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
What Women Want
Blues Brothers
Code of Silence (Chuck Norris)
Road to Perdition
The Fugitive
The Breakfast Club
Backdraft
Risky Business
A League of Their Own
Wayne's World
Rookie of the Year (not sure about this one)
The Informant!
Return to Me
Home Alone (h/t to Patty-Lu)
*For a film to qualify, it must take place in Chicagoland -- i.e., the suburbs are included -- and I have to have seen it all the way through (my apologies to the first half of High Fidelity and the majority of The Sting). Other films earn consideration if a large amount of action occurs within downtown Chicago or portions of the city are featured prominently (see: The Informant! and High Fidelity). Gothom City does not count as Chicagoland, partly because the two films you're thinking of are too good for this list.
**In no order, whatsoever.
7 comments:
Though it wouldn't work as a marketing piece for tourist, The Fugitive definitely has to be at the top for me.
The filmspotting guys (stationed in Chicago) had a top five Chicago movies list a while back, and I have to say, you're right in step with them. They split their top five into recognizable and overlooked:
Recognizable:
1. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
2. The Blues Brothers
3. High Fidelity
4. The Untouchables
5. The Fugitive
Overlooked:
1. Call Northside 777
2. Medium Cool
3. Thief
4. Raisin in the Sun
5. Hoop Dreams
Great list Brad. Good idea
Jamie and I love the Filmspotting guys! They aren't just a podcast up here -- and I'm sure you knew this already -- but they're on NPR too. Jamie and I listen to them on the weekends.
I haven't seen The Fugitive in a long while, so I didn't feel comfortable putting it up there (the last time I saw it, I also was watching "Sailor Moon" and playing Pokemon: Blue).
I've not even heard of the other movies mentioned, so I can't put them on The List! without being sure they fit the criteria.
Oh, and I had no idea about Filmspotting's list. Clearly great minds think alike!
The fugitive is very good... but I would have to think that Stranger than Fiction does NOT at all deserve to be in the top 5! at all!
Breakfast club, return to me, or some of those other movies should have replaced it.
there. i said it.
I can't believe you let janelle post here... :) Just kidding Janelle!
But I do agree with Brad on this one, Stranger than Fiction was delightfully refreshing, in a Chicago kind of way.
Good post again Brad, keep up the good work.
- Daniel
Wait just one minute....I don't remember you watching Sailor Moon? Why were you doing that? Didn't I raise you boys better than that?
Also, I absolutely protest the exclusion of Gotham City as a representative of Chicagoland. I need more explanations as to why it doesn't count?
Sailor Moon....really?
Janelle: Return to Me is good, but it's definately a chick-flick and certainly not as complex or intellectually rewarding as Stranger than Fiction.
The Breakfast Club, another John Hughes creation, if I'm not mistaken, barely qualifies for The List! and does not qualify for the top five because I've not seen it all the way through.
Daniel: A Chicago kind of refreshing. I know what that is. It's drizzling rain and a wind chill factor of -10 degrees. And it's Carl Sandberg watching through my window.
Rob: The same time I was watching "Gundam Wing," yet nobody stopped me then either. It took "Samurai Champloo" and "08th MS Gundam" to help my brain recover from "Sailor Moon."
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