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1

What about "Sixteen Candles"?

Posted by DOUG. | September 6, 2007 2:38 PM
2

My first reaction to Charles's dismissal of the others was "give me a break," but then thinking about it I have to agree. But we can say that they're the 10 best movies he's acted in.

Posted by Matt from Denver | September 6, 2007 2:39 PM
3

I kind of liked Runaway Jury.

Posted by D in Providence | September 6, 2007 2:40 PM
4

Better off dead?

Posted by Rotten666 | September 6, 2007 2:44 PM
5

Helloooo? Better off Dead?

That was by far the best.

http://imdb.com/title/tt0088794/

I want my two dollarssssss!!!!

Posted by Original Andrew | September 6, 2007 2:44 PM
6

oh whatever. He said "10 good films", if you can't find more in his canon that are "good" then you're just desperate for material for your OWN writing and being a snarky hipster.

And a weirdo one at that, wasn't that YOU limping down the street making "molester" eyes at some sexy lady the other day? Why yes, actually, it was.

Get a job. Geez, taking potshots at John Cusack not making 10 good films? Pretty limp.

Posted by me from here | September 6, 2007 2:47 PM
7

Better Off Dead!!!

Posted by Mahtli69 | September 6, 2007 2:47 PM
8

oh whatever. He said "10 good films", if you can't find more in his canon that are "good" then you're just desperate for material for your OWN writing and being a snarky hipster.

(And a weirdo one at that, wasn't that YOU limping down the street making "molester" eyes at some sexy lady the other day? Why yes, actually, it was.)

Get a job. Geez, taking potshots at John Cusack not making 10 good films? Pretty limp.

Posted by me from here | September 6, 2007 2:47 PM
9

BETTER OFF DEAD!!!

I'm also a big fan of One Crazy Summer.

Posted by monkey | September 6, 2007 2:49 PM
10

"The Grifters" is the only great film. The others he mentions fall into what I'd call a "noble efforts" category.

My definition of a great film is one I can watch over and over again; it never gets old.

Cusack is one of his generation's more intelligent actors and I usually enjoy watching him. He mentions "Max", though. "Max" was one of those dishes which had all the right ingredients, but the final results were nearly unpalatable. I kept looking at my watch.

I wish he'd stop dying his hair and accept aging with the same grace he demonstrates before the camera.

Posted by Bauhaus | September 6, 2007 2:51 PM
11

And Charles, you only wish your ratio of decent Slog posts were as good so pipe it.

Posted by monkey | September 6, 2007 2:52 PM
12

Shut up! Grosse Pointe Blank IS a great movie.

Posted by e.j. | September 6, 2007 2:54 PM
13

I would have accepted "Say Anything" as great at one point, but I saw it again recently and I regret that it did not age quite as well as I'd have thought.

Posted by tsm | September 6, 2007 2:55 PM
14

Charles, you've hit the nail on the head with this one. John Cusack is over romanticized by the dumbest women far too often.

That being said, "Police Beat" was wasn't as great as it could have been.

Posted by ka chunk | September 6, 2007 3:01 PM
15

I thought "Better Off Dead" and "Grosse Pointe Blank" were brilliant. But I am the exact same age as John Cusack so these movies about a certain phase of life are very appealing.

Posted by Big Sven | September 6, 2007 3:02 PM
16

Agree with #1 - Sixteen Candles is not only his best, but one of the all time best movies ever made.

Posted by John | September 6, 2007 3:02 PM
17

me from here,
my memory will stun you. indeed it was me limping (my big toe burned like a little sun), and the sexy woman was an old friend whose name had escaped me. by the time it returned, she was gone. i remember her, but i didn't know that someone was staring at me.

Posted by charles | September 6, 2007 3:04 PM
18

In fairness, Charles, we'd have to consider what he meant by "good" in comparison to what you mean by that. You added the great in "aren't great," which subtly ups the critical appraisal ante. I'm a little distressed that a student of philosophy would be so careless with terms.

Posted by MvB | September 6, 2007 3:10 PM
19

Actually, I think it was the interviewer's list, not Cusack's.

Speaking of films that did not age well, I watched 'Singles' last weekend. It was dreadful. And I loved it at the time.

Posted by To be clear... | September 6, 2007 3:11 PM
20

Eight Men Out is one of the two best baseball movies ever made, along with A League of Their Own, and therefore is a Great Movie.

Posted by bill | September 6, 2007 3:11 PM
21

WRONG! Say Anything knocks my socks off! Not only is it the best John Cusak movie, but it might be one of the best movies EVER.

Posted by thecandyqueen | September 6, 2007 3:13 PM
22

Too bad he wasnt in "Police Beat". That movie could have used some acting.

Posted by paul | September 6, 2007 3:21 PM
23

I fucking LOVE High Fidelity. It's where I first fell head over heals for Jack Black.cak

Posted by girlsaturday | September 6, 2007 3:27 PM
24

Charles is wrong.

Posted by Sam | September 6, 2007 3:28 PM
25

He's skiing on one ski!!!

Posted by Mahtli69 | September 6, 2007 3:30 PM
26

Grosse Pointe Blank is indeed great. The others, whatever. Still, it is nice to see John Cusack in films, because he is dreamy.

Posted by Kiru Banzai | September 6, 2007 3:31 PM
27

Charles, you ignorant slut.

Posted by jzilla | September 6, 2007 3:34 PM
28

Since he said "good", not great, I totally agree - with of course Better of Dead being added to that list.

It should also be noted that he's done less BAD work than actors much more highly regarded them himself, like DiNero and Pacino.

Posted by Dougsf | September 6, 2007 3:39 PM
29

well I celebrate his entire catalogue,
...that guy for me is the Sure Thing!!
well after that One Crazy Summer we had, wheeew, I don't care if he was Being John Malkevich or not, he can Say Anything to me he wants as long as it's not too Grosse Point Blank. My High Fidelity towards this guy will never be like those Tapeheads who think he has crossed the Thin Red Line into the area of Shadows and Fog, I see his True Colors. I may be Floundering here but this is no Con Air, so please don't send any Bullets Over Broadway my way, I seem to have lost my Idendity, but fear not, it is not yet Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil yet, or perhaps it's Serendipity but i am on The Road to Wellville, as we speak...


ok i'm spent...whatever

Posted by cusackistan | September 6, 2007 3:40 PM
30

Oh, I guess "aren't great" *is* a variation on Cusack's own description. Charles, I retract my chiding @ 18 forthwith. Consider yourself unchid.

Posted by MvB | September 6, 2007 3:40 PM
31

High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank are both great films. I would put them at the top of his list followed by Say Anything and Better Off Dead.

Posted by Opus | September 6, 2007 3:41 PM
32

I totally forgot Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. I love that movie!

Posted by monkey | September 6, 2007 3:45 PM
33

Sixteen Candles is clearly on of the greatest movies ever made!

Sixteen Candles, Brazil and Mont Pythons Meaning of Life got me through high school…

If you really want to discuss an actors “good”, “bad” and “ugly” (and “great”) look at some one with real range like Bette Davis (Talk about range; everything from complete poo to inspired brilliance and everything in between).

Posted by You_Gotta_Be_Kidding_Me | September 6, 2007 3:48 PM
34

Charles another beautiful post. Your film about the horse intercourse is genius compared to the work of this idiot.

The goi are perverted by their own dark souls and Charles' film was a mirror showing the goi their own disgusting ugliness. You'll be rewarded for your great work Charles. I see an academy award ceremony in your future. Mazel Tov.

Posted by Issur | September 6, 2007 4:06 PM
35

Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead. Better Off Dead.

Posted by Fan | September 6, 2007 4:10 PM
36

That's 4 more than you, Drinkypants

Posted by You Walked Right Into That Rake, Charles | September 6, 2007 4:10 PM
37

@19, "Singles" is indeed horrendous. As bad as "Reality Bites."

Posted by Paulus | September 6, 2007 4:26 PM
38

Do you know what the street value of this mountain is?

Never has such love for Savage Steve Holland been shown in public before.

The bottom line...if you're of a certain age...you pretty much love everything that Cusack has ever done.

Except "Hot Pursuit"--that was shit.

pg

PS--Has anyone mentioned "Bob Roberts" yet? He's as much in that as he was in "Sixteen Candles."

Posted by pgreyy | September 6, 2007 4:34 PM
39

What, no love for Con Air?

Posted by davej | September 6, 2007 5:18 PM
40

If he knew what was good for him, he'd count "Broadcast News" as one of those ten even though he's in it for approximately ten seconds.

Posted by The General | September 6, 2007 5:47 PM
41

I sure enjoyed The Journey of Natty Gann. Quality.

Posted by jessiesk | September 6, 2007 6:49 PM
42

I think it's pretty snobbish not to consider Eight Men Out "good."

Also, it's kind of weird that he wouldn't put his current film - Grace Is Gone - on the list.

Posted by John Pontoon | September 6, 2007 8:16 PM
43

Moot point Mudede, he's good. In general what he's done is higher quality than most actors out there. What's lacking in some films he's more than made up in others. I'm, guessing he has more of a bias than you after putting his own into them.

Posted by debunker | September 6, 2007 10:30 PM
44

Charles. You don't like comedies. How do I know? You're disrespecting High Fidelity, Grosse Point Blank and Better Off Dead. Sucks to be you. Regina

Posted by regina hackett | September 7, 2007 12:26 AM
45

Seredipity !! Has anyone seen it,let alone liked it, but me? It's bad, but I liked it... better than Gross.

Posted by mirror | September 7, 2007 1:13 AM
46

Grosse Point Blank AND High Fidelity were awesome.

Posted by JessB | September 7, 2007 6:21 AM
47

Charles is just upset that the article writer started the article with a bold controversial statement instead of a rhetorical question.

Posted by Dave | September 7, 2007 7:24 AM
48

@41 - OMFG The Journey of Natty Gann!!!1

Posted by kid icarus | September 7, 2007 9:14 AM
49

uh, Bullets over Broadway is a really entertaining, Woody Allen-lite film and Cusack is very good in it...although he's completely upstaged by Dianne Wiest and Jennifer Tilly who are brilliant...

Posted by michael strangeways | September 7, 2007 9:52 AM
50

WHERE'S MY TWO DOLLARS!!

Posted by Blah!! | September 7, 2007 1:08 PM
51

@41: Natty Gann indeed! I just watched it again recently, it aged really well.

Sixteen Candles and High Fidelity have permanent places on my top ten all-time favorite movies EVER. If Cusack does a movie, I'm willing to watch it, because I have yet to be truly disappointed by one of his films.

And yeah, also recently watched Singles, which didn't age as well as the soundtrack.

Posted by Jessica | September 7, 2007 5:10 PM
52

Cusack has always hated BETTER OFF DEAD.

Posted by AC in West Seattle | September 7, 2007 8:44 PM
53

High Fidelity!

Posted by Carollani | September 9, 2007 9:24 PM

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