Top 5 1995 Films
By Austin Johnson
I’ve made a Top 5 list for some directors, actors, actresses, and the years of 1999, 2009, 1989, 2019, 2001, 2007, and now 1995. I did the years ending in 9 towards the end of last year and then I went on a randomizer website and got 2001 and 2007. I like doing the year lists because of the variety and it always presents a nice challenge for me. I like talking about Top 5’s in normal conversation with fellow film fans and I especially like talking about 1995 because it is the year I was born and it’s oddly stacked. All of these films turn 25 this year just like me and I feel a very deep connection to all 5 of them.
5.) Toy Story
“Tuesday night's plastic corrosion awareness meeting was, I think,
a big success. We'd like to thank Mr. Spell for putting that on for us. Thank you Mr. Spell.” |
Starting off this list is a strong animated film and definitely my favorite Pixar film of all time, Toy Story. I think all 4 of the Toy Story films are pretty great, but the original holds a certain power that is hard to come by. All of the voice actors were cast so well. Obviously Tim Allen and Tom Hanks are perfect but my personal favorite is Jim Varney as Slinky Dog. Toys coming to life is one of the best ideas on paper and writer/director John Lassetter executed everything to animated excellence.
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4.) A Goofy Movie
“Hey, Mazur, what’s up bro?”
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Toy Story is my favorite Pixar film, but A Goofy Movie is my favorite Disney film of all time. It’s an extremely tight 78 minutes of unforgettable fun. This was the most used up VHS/DVD in our household because my brothers and I are obsessed. Goofy is one of the most lovable animated dogs ever and to see him chillin' with his rebellious son Max is such a treat. The voice work is remarkable throughout but I’ve always been partial to Robert Zimmeruski voiced by Pauly Shore. A Goofy Movie manages to make me laugh at least every three minutes which is all you can really ask for out of a piece of entertainment.
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3.) Tommy Boy
“What the American public doesn't know is
what makes them the American public.” |
Tommy Boy was the last film I got to see in theaters before Covid took over. Connor invited me to a screening at Alamo Drafthouse and we had a blast. I find Tommy Boy to be one of the most quotable comedies of all time and it’s got two performances that have stood the test of time from Chris Farley as Tommy and David Spade as Richard. They had an undeniable chemistry from working on SNL together and being rivals/best friends in real life. Tommy Boy also has a bunch of really good supporting roles that don’t ever take away from the main characters, including a show stopper from Dan Aykroyd as Zalinsky, the Auto Parts King.
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2.) Friday
“Remember it, Write it down, take a picture, I don't give a fuck!”
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I’ve always been a big fan of hangout films that rely heavily on the charisma of the actors and an authentic setting. Friday is a glimpse into a day in the life of two normal ass dudes named Craig and Smokey who are played very memorably by Ice Cube and Chris Tucker. The setting of South Central Los Angeles pops so much during Friday thanks to F. Gary Gray’s exquisite direction and Ice Cube and DJ Pooh’s smooth writing. Cube and Tucker are both great but I also love Regina King, Anna Maria Horsford, and the late great John Witherspoon’s performances as Craig’s family members. Friday simply gets more entertaining as time moves along.
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1.) Before Sunrise
“Isn't everything we do in life a way to be loved a little more?”
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The first 4 films in this Top 5 make me feel good and laugh a shit ton, but Before Sunrise makes me think, feel, and cry. Richard Linklater is one of my favorite writers/directors of all time and I believe he has mastered the art of toeing the line between comedy and poignancy. Before Sunrise is Linklater’s fourth feature film and the first part in the Before Trilogy. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy play Jesse and Celine, two young people traveling through Europe vulnerably and with so much wonder about their place in the world. Linklater has teamed up with cinematographer Lee Daniel multiple times, including some brilliant work on Before Sunrise and it’s truly a match made in cinematic heaven.
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