Movies You Love Part 5: It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (and others)

Welcome back to Movies You Love, a weekly blog about movies recommended by you, watched by me.

Several months back, I eloquently demanded on Facebook, “tell me what movie is ur fav that u ask people to watch all the time but u know they never watch it. b/c I'm gonna watch it.” Art can mean so much to someone, for better or for worse. Films, in particular, can pair with good or bad memories or even stimulate personal growth. Everyone in the World could watch the same film, but have a different interpretation of and emotional connection to it.

We’ve all recommended that ONE movie to our friends over and over. It might be a bit odd, a bit slow, a bit cheesy, deeply dark, or emotionally taxing, but we love it so much we want everyone else to love it as well. That’s what we have here. The people have spoken. These are the films that mean the most to you. The films no one ever watches even when you beg. I’ve watched them, and now I wanna chat.

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Film: Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie For Theaters (2007) Recommended By: Blaze

Action (?) Adventure (?) Comedy (?) Cartoon. This is an Adult Swim feature-length film based on the T.V. show Aqua Teen Hunger Force. I’m at a loss for words; honestly, you must be high to consume. (This movie made 5.5 million dollars.) I couldn't even tell you the plot.

Blaze: I'm not sure where the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie For Theaters falls on a critical scale. I'm not sure if it's considered obscure or popular culture. I only know that it's important to me in the way that the things you liked when you were fourteen will always be important to you.

I first experienced it alone in my bedroom. I remember renting the duo of Aqua Teen and Hot Fuzz two or three times, which probably equates to the cost of owning two DVDs, but the nostalgia of biweekly blockbuster visits only adds to these movies' emotional hold on me. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie For Theaters is not my favorite movie. I honestly have no idea why any person would watch it unless they are a fan of the TV show or producing a series of articles where people tell them what to do. Hot Fuzz is a movie I know people enjoy, with jokes I know are funny, but why subject anyone to a perfectly fine movie? I knew Sierra would end up watching a bunch of movies people think are objectively good, made people cry, a couple from the so-bad-it's-good sector, etc. I figured I ought to throw her for a loop. It is a miracle that this movie got made. It’s another miracle that I was able to share a weird touchstone of my childhood with someone against their better judgement.

Film: It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, World (1963) Recommended by: Jon Buma

A wonderful, iconic, fantastic, star studded, slapstick comedy from the 60s. Filled with wild car chases and plenty of dangerous stunts, this original treasure hunt extravaganza might be 3 hours long, but it is sure to please any member of the family. Beginning with a car accident and a man on his deathbed telling a group of strangers where a fortune is buried, dozens of characters get roped into the race of their lives.

Jon: This comedy from 1963 is easily one of the funniest films I have ever watched. Not only does it include laugh-out-loud comedy and slapstick humor, Mad World holds a special place in my heart.

Growing up, my aunt was always my babysitter. She doesn’t have kids of her own, thus, my brother, sister, and I are essentially her kids. Sleepovers with Auntie were the best because she always brought great movies. When she pulled out It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, the three of us kids, around the age of nine, admittedly groaned. “It’s an old movie for old people,” we complained. Auntie popped it in anyway.The story starts off a little weird. A man crashes his car on the side of a highway and gives eight good Samaritans a clue to the whereabouts of a considerable sum of money as his dying words. The strangers take off in a race, traveling hundreds of miles south to be the first ones to dig up the buried $350,000. Along the way, the outlandish characters all become involved in various mishaps and numerous illegal activities that will keep you laughing throughout.

This film is long. The runtime of 3 hours 25 minutes is accompanied by a justified intermission. Yes, this film is old enough to have an intermission. Don’t let this deter you. Every minute of Mad World is worth it. You will be so attached to the characters and their insane plotlines that you’ll wish the story would continue longer. Some of the humor is confusing, largely due to the film being 50 years old, but also due to the mere style of the film. Many times, it takes an extra second or two to understand the jokes, or was that even a joke? Or is this character just stupid? But that’s the best part about the humor—the fantastic feeling you get when the joke clicks and you either burst out laughing or ask yourself what the heck is happening in this movie, and you’ll keep eating it up regardless.

If you watch this movie and you’re still confused about anything or you think you missed something, which is likely, watch it again. And again. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a film that absolutely becomes better every time you watch it. The characters and their actors will become like old family members. You’ll love to hate them, and you’ll want to keep coming back for more.

Film: Repo Man (1984)

Recommended by: Ryan English

The original Repo Man, starring Emilio Estevez is a cult classic sci-fi flick that people have been trying to recreate for years. A teenager, Otto (Estevez), joins the repo business and gets into some hot water with a Chevy Malibu crusing the streets of Los Angeles.

Ryan: I found Repo Man at a time when I was watching a lot of movies on the internet and almost exclusively listening to 80s punk. It was a late night and I was home alone, bored and looking for something to do. Netflix was actually good for movies at the time and the recommendations weren’t ruined yet; Repo Man was in my instant queue and seemed like it might be entertaining.

I could go on and on about what I love about Repo Man. The low budget effects, the eccentric and sleazy characters. There are so many interesting visual gags and satirical bites on popular culture at the time, like the super generic food packaging, the book “Dioretix”. There are jokes I discovered rewatching it to write this. The soundtrack is a great mix of punk, some of which is pretty obscure. The movie just has a look and feel that I love. Also a big highlight is Harry Dean Stanton. Repo Man is what turned me onto his work and I’ve been a big fan of him ever since. He’s so unconventional-looking for an actor but has such a big presence in every scene he’s in. After I saw him in this, I started to notice him in a ton of movies, from Cool Hand Luke to The Avengers.

Film: A Goofy Movie (1995)

Recommended by: Taylor Sheehan

A 90s kid’s classic, starring Goofy and his son, Max. Featuring a cross country road trip filled with goofs and gags like you’d expect in a Disney movie. Very well written to reflect a teenager’s relationship with their parents- they bicker, they laugh, they cry, they scream, and make memories strengthening their relationship along the way.

Taylor: Haven’t we all grown up watching A Goofy Movie? This film was a classic in the 90’s, and still a classic in my eyes. This movie is my all-time favorite. Watching it as an adult gives you a severe sense of nostalgia, and makes you appreciate the satire more than you could even imagine as a child. The entire plot line is about a son scheming his father’s fishing trip plans into a cross country road trip to see the decade’s most famous pop star, just to impress a girl. Does it get more ridiculous than that? The scene at Lester’s Possum Park is enough to make you wet yourself. Powerline will make you wish he was an actual artist so you could download all of his music on Spotify. Don’t even get me started on Bigfoot. Disney, you’ve really outdone yourself with this film.

While this movie is jam packed with humor, it also has a sentimental value, like any other Disney movie. Max and his father start out the movie with a pretty bad relationship. Their road trip allows them to bond and open up to each other. Max realizes his dad is actually pretty cool, and his father realizes he needs to loosen the reigns on his son. This movie will make you literally laugh your ass off, but I think we can all take away a positive message from the film.

On another note: Why doesn’t Disney World have a Lester’s Possum Park?

Check back each week to find a new group of films recommended by my friends. And if you have a suggestion, feel free to email me or write in the comments. I’d love to add you to my list.