Tag Archives: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Top 10: Best Movie Dialogue of All-Time

We haven’t had a CineFix list in a while; my favorite place for YouTube movie lists.  As a “word person” myself, I firmly believe the best films begin with the best scripts.  Most of the best scripts rest on the back of great dialogue.  CineFix has put together their 10 Best Dialogue Movies of All-Time.  The thing that makes CineFix’s lists so intriguing is that they’re not straight top 10 lists.  Each rung on their ladder represents a specific aspect of the topic they’re tackling, and unlike some sites, they have a long memory for film and do a great job of comparing classic cinema with recent releases.  For example the ten spots in the Best Dialogue of All-Time represent: evoking a place or time, wordplay, subtext, verbal conflict, storytelling, realism, hyper stylized, Non-American English dialogue, banter, and Shakespearean.  As usual, I probably would have picked one of their honorable mentions for several spots, and instead of highlighting Kenneth Lonergan as the “up and coming” voice in screenwriting, I’d have highlighted Taylor Sheridan (Wind River, Hell or High Water).  It’s still interesting and educational, as always.


Kenneth Branagh in Hamlet

Robert Downey Jr.’s 10 Best Movies

Robert Downey Jr.

Robert Downey Jr. managed to do what few actors have: overcome his personal demons and even use them to become one of, if not the, most popular actors in the world.  Downey was an acting prodigy, and earned early praise, most notably for his astounding performance in 1992’s Chaplin, but then was laid low by drug and alcohol problems.  He began his climb back with small parts in great films like Bowfinger and Good Night and Good Luck and the massively overlooked Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as contributing to David Fincher’s masterful Zodiac in 2007.  However, it was the next year that his ascent culminated when he took on the role of Tony Stark in 2008’s Iron Man (a character who he essentially IS) and jump-started the most successful franchise in movie history: The Marvel Cinematic Universe.  His character has been the fulcrum of that universe (he’s appeared in some capacity in 10 of the 19 films at time of writing), and it’s hard to imagine what the MCU will look like when Downey finally hangs up the armor.  Before 2008, Iron Man was a B-level hero at Marvel with little public recognition.  Now the character is as recognizable worldwide as Spider-Man, Captain America or Wolverine.
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Trailer Time: The Nice Guys (2016) Trailer #2 *Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe & Shane Black*

Russell Crowe has gone from being one of the biggest stars of the world to someone who barely deserves top billing over Ryan Gosling in this film.  Think about it: when was the last time Crowe had a huge hit?  I think he was the best thing about Man of Steel, but that had a mixed reception and he had a supporting role.  You have to go all the way back to 2007’s 3:10 to Yuma to find a Crowe starring vehicle that was a success (and that a modest one; if you discount that it’s back to 2005’s Cinderella Man).  He needs a hit.  I’m not sure if The Nice Guys is it, but it the trailers have been funny and have very much the same kind of vibe as Kiss Kiss Bang Bang: the Shane Black film that begin Robert Downey Jr.’s career resurrection and one of the most underrated films of the last 25 years.  I’m not sure if this is THAT.  After all, the last time Shane Black crossed my radar he directed the worst film in the MCU in Iron Man 3, but I hope this delivers.  The Nice Guys hits theaters on May 20, 2016.
Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Shane Black, The Nice Guys
Photo courtesy of People Magazine


Trailer Time: The Nice Ones (2016) *Is Shane Black Back?*

In 1970s Los Angeles, a down-on-his-luck private eye (Ryan Gosling) and his tough partner (Russell Crowe) investigate the disappearance of a girl and the death of a film star.

No, it’s not a lot to go on, but despite Shane Black directing the worst MCU movie to-date (Iron Man 3), this looks like it could be a lot of fun.  Russell Crowe needs a hit BADLY, and this looks much in the vein of one of the most underrated films of the ’00’s, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, which was the film that really jump-started Robert Downey Jr.’s turnaround to super-stardom.  The Nice Guys hits theaters on May 20, 2016.
Ryan Gosling, The Nice Guys