Barry's Beef

It's the 100 Most Inspirational Films. Ever! And if there's one thing the American Film Institute can do it's inspiration. And there's nothing more inspirational than listening to Jessica Alba burble something inane about a film. Or how's about Gary Ross? No he's not related to the Brothers Grim, Jonathan and Paul but he is a film director and screenwriter who can boast such films as Soggybiscuit, sorry Seabiscuit in his repetoire.
I sense something sinister when the Karate Kid comes in at #98. Come on be serious now, it's about as inspirational as a sprout. Ok am I getting deja-vu here or is Sidney Poitier on more than Gary Ross and Jessica Alba combined? Yep, five films from Sidney alone and, believe it or not, no sign of They Call Me MISTER Tibbs! the very-dated sequel to In the Heat of the Night (which was included), other Poitier flicks were: The Defiant Ones; A Raisin in the Sun; Lilies of the Field and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner
But it wasn't all doom and gloom. For one, as the programme was American there was no hint of any Richard Curtis films. There were great quotes galore (Stephen Spielberg commenting on Fiddler on the Roof: "There's not a moment of the film that isn't inspirational" which is fine but begs the quetion that if it is roller-coaster inspiration why wasn't it #1 as opposed to where it actually charted #82?) And Rocky made it to #4 (although no sign of Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV or Rocky V). The problem, at least for me, is are films really inspirational? Something like Braveheart made the list, despite being about as truthful and accurate as a Jeffrey Archer interview. I was inspired by something like Naked Gun - inspired to try and make people laugh. So one man's inspiration (Apollo 13/Soggybiscuit, sorry Seabiscuit) is another man's dross. Each to their own I guess, but in all seriousness, the fucking Karate Kid?

Labels: 100 Most Inspirational Films, Gary Ross, Jessica Alba, Karate Kid, Sidney Poitier, Soggybiscuit, sorry Seabiscuit