And My Name’s Dignan, So What? (16)

Top 30 Greatest Movies of All-Time # 16

Title:  Bottle Rocket

Actors/Director/Anything Worth Mentioning Right Away:  Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson and Wes Anderson, as if you didn’t know.

Introduction:  I’m about 98% certain that I saw Rushmore before this movie, but then went and hunted down other Wes Anderson movies afterwards.  I believe this was his second movie I ever saw, I just don’t remember the circumstances surrounding it.   I now own it on DVD, like everyone else and their moms.

Location:  On the run from Johnny Law… it ain’t no trip to Cleveland.

Plot:  Luke Wilson gets out of a rather comfy psych hospital to end up in some schemes, which are kind of like real robberies only not, with Owen Wilson.   It leaves them at a motel with Luke Wilson falling for a maid who doesn’t speak any English.   This is where, I believe, they first coined the phrases “quarky” and “offbeat comedy”.    There is a great bit of comedy in here, though nothing as in your face as an Adam Sandler movie, say.

Acting:  They all do a really good job, considering for some of them it’s probably their first (and maybe only) role.

Production:  It looks like it could have been in theaters, but it probably only got a limited release.

Sex/Nudity:  Not so much, no.

Special Effects:  Fireworks are cool.

Overall Verdict:  While I still hold every other Wes Anderson movie in a high regard, this one remains one of the most quotable and all around best to me.  In fact, this movie only reminds me as well why I like The Big Lebowski as much as I do.   So this is for all of those sort of cult sort of movies that you always hear people quote.    None of those would exist (at least not in my world) without this movie.

The List Thus Far:

(16) Bottle Rocket

(17) Tank Girl

(18) The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl

(19) Big Trouble

(20)  The Devil’s Rejects

(21) Raiders of the Lost Ark

(22) Beetlejuice

(23) Escape From L.A.

(24)  Howard the Duck

(25) Cabin Fever

(26) Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

(27) Uncle Buck

(28) Donnie Darko

(29) Demolition Man

(30) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory