FLICKCHART’S GREATEST BATTLES
Flickchart’s Greatest Battles
In which we pit two movies together using flickchart.com, debating their merits or lack thereof.
ROUND ONE
PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
VS
TEAM AMERICA: WORLD POLICE
A stoner movie versus a movie that most people have to be stoned to see. Many people claim that Pineapple Express is the best stoner movie ever (it’s not), but what does it really have going for it? A great cast, jokes that made an honest effort to steer clear of cliché, and a level of violence that was unexpected for the genre. Not a bad deal. I’m sure if put to a vote this movie would win, but then again, when has letting people vote done any good? I have to vote against my best interests to help people that vote against theirs (see: Bible Belt states, national healthcare, and education programs). I digress. Pineapple is a funny movie and very enjoyable. Is it memorable? Not really, I mostly remember the three pronged smoking device and everything else in the commercials; still, a contender.
A movie with a cast comprised of puppets… I’m sure your initial reaction was the same as mine. “No, thank you.†Then you think about the chaos of filming a feature film with puppets. A three minute sex scene via puppets, that you can only imagine was the most difficult thing to film ever recorded. Everyone in that room must have been laughing so hard they had to take turns pissing themselves. Team America doesn’t even do its soundtrack justice. I dare you to listen to the uncut “America (Fuck Yeah!)†whose entire lyrics aren’t in the film. Matt and Trey were able to get a Tony, so give their other off-note musicals a chance and you might be pleasantly surprised, especially with Team America’s lyrical brilliance.
Derka Derka, Muhammad Jihad!-TA
Winner:
Team America: World Police
ROUND TWO
ALIENS
VS
THE GODFATHER
This seems an obvious choice at first. Clearly The Godfather is the better movie and Aliens is a sci-fi action thriller. But Aliens is one of the best sci-fi action thrillers, at least in my opinion. Granted, I first saw Aliens at a very impressionable age so that has colored my opinion of it. I’ve re-watched it since though, and it has stood the test of time.
No one can argue that The Godfather is one of the best movies of all time. It’s an excellent and engaging film with nuanced characters that grow as this film progresses and then throughout the series.
Aliens is one of the most influential science fiction films ever made. Starring Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, this character paved the way for strong female leads in a genre where they were few and far between. Almost every science fiction film since pays it homage. At least the ones that take place in space.
So both are seminal works, both ranked at the top of their respective genres. Godfather is the better “film” while Aliens may be more influential. That leaves it up to me and my subjective personal preference.
And who am I kidding? I’m obviously more of a sci-fi nerd than a movie buff.-SB
Winner: