Okay, this isn't really sports related ... but I just wanted to do this. And since Will Ferrell has made lots of sports-related movies, I guess it is relevant for my blog.
Now, these are his "starring" vehicles and not ones where he was supporting. I love "Austin Powers", "Old School", "Drowning Mona", "Wedding Crashers", etc, etc. No, these are the true WILL FERRELL movies.
By the way, I haven't seen The Campaign yet so it isn't included.
1-STEP BROTHERS: This is one of those movies where I swear they just told Will Ferrell on John C. Reilly the concept and then just let them go. A lot of times, movies like that don't work. But when it does, Step Brothers happens. It is silly but doesn't get too silly where it is stupid. Ferrell is considered to play a lot of man-child characters. Well Brennan Huff is a nearly 40-year old man who acts like a child.
2-THE OTHER GUYS: My wife and I love this movie. It isn't the typical man-child movie that Ferrell does. That may be why this movie hit it right for me. Ferrell is an accountant for the police department and lives inside his little box. Still, that allows for Ferrell's comedy to sit under the surface and poke right out. Whether it is referring to his wife ... played by Eva Mendes ... as "a hobo" or him singing songs in an Irish pub or constantly defending his Prius, he is more of the straight man here but still gets the biggest laughs.
3-ANCHORMAN: I know I have this lower than anyone who would make such a list ever would ... but it isn't that I don't love this movie as much as how much I love Step Brothers and The Other Guys. Ron Burgundy is a legendary character of such ego that Ricky Bobby, Jackie Moon, Chazz Reinhold, George W. Bush or Robert Goulet could ever dream of having. And the supporting cast was as perfect as you can get.
4-ELF: Elf is hard to place in a list like this since it isn't a movie I tend to watch until late in the year. As a Christmas movie, it is awesome. Is it his funniest movie? Maybe not, though Buddy the Elf is legendary as well. It is the Will Ferrell I can show my kids (well, aside from Megamind or Curious George) and I feel good watching it. It doesn't jump higher than this, but I love watching it.
5-TALLADEGA NIGHTS: This is one of those movies that can hit me just right or I can leave it. There are some really funny parts in here as well as parts that just get bogged down. To me, Ferrell isn't as funny as everything around him. John C. Reilly is the best part of this movie with "Walker" and "Texas Ranger" trailing just behind.
6-SEMI PRO: I'm not as down on this movie as others have been. Maybe it is because the 1970s are cool to me. Maybe it is because the ABA was the backdrop. It wasn't that bad to me. It isn't that great either, but it is what it is.
7-BLADES OF GLORY: The sibling of Semi Pro. Again, not that bad but could've been better. I will say that the Will Arnett-Amy Poehler team had me rolling ... and Jon Heder will always be Napoleon Dynamite to me.
8-KICKING AND SCREAMING: The title says it all.
9-BEWITCHED: This was strangely so un-funny. Why have Will Ferrell in this movie if you won't use him properly?
10-LAND OF THE LOST: This sucked so bad that I didn't even finish watching it.
Now, these are his "starring" vehicles and not ones where he was supporting. I love "Austin Powers", "Old School", "Drowning Mona", "Wedding Crashers", etc, etc. No, these are the true WILL FERRELL movies.
By the way, I haven't seen The Campaign yet so it isn't included.
1-STEP BROTHERS: This is one of those movies where I swear they just told Will Ferrell on John C. Reilly the concept and then just let them go. A lot of times, movies like that don't work. But when it does, Step Brothers happens. It is silly but doesn't get too silly where it is stupid. Ferrell is considered to play a lot of man-child characters. Well Brennan Huff is a nearly 40-year old man who acts like a child.
2-THE OTHER GUYS: My wife and I love this movie. It isn't the typical man-child movie that Ferrell does. That may be why this movie hit it right for me. Ferrell is an accountant for the police department and lives inside his little box. Still, that allows for Ferrell's comedy to sit under the surface and poke right out. Whether it is referring to his wife ... played by Eva Mendes ... as "a hobo" or him singing songs in an Irish pub or constantly defending his Prius, he is more of the straight man here but still gets the biggest laughs.
3-ANCHORMAN: I know I have this lower than anyone who would make such a list ever would ... but it isn't that I don't love this movie as much as how much I love Step Brothers and The Other Guys. Ron Burgundy is a legendary character of such ego that Ricky Bobby, Jackie Moon, Chazz Reinhold, George W. Bush or Robert Goulet could ever dream of having. And the supporting cast was as perfect as you can get.
4-ELF: Elf is hard to place in a list like this since it isn't a movie I tend to watch until late in the year. As a Christmas movie, it is awesome. Is it his funniest movie? Maybe not, though Buddy the Elf is legendary as well. It is the Will Ferrell I can show my kids (well, aside from Megamind or Curious George) and I feel good watching it. It doesn't jump higher than this, but I love watching it.
5-TALLADEGA NIGHTS: This is one of those movies that can hit me just right or I can leave it. There are some really funny parts in here as well as parts that just get bogged down. To me, Ferrell isn't as funny as everything around him. John C. Reilly is the best part of this movie with "Walker" and "Texas Ranger" trailing just behind.
6-SEMI PRO: I'm not as down on this movie as others have been. Maybe it is because the 1970s are cool to me. Maybe it is because the ABA was the backdrop. It wasn't that bad to me. It isn't that great either, but it is what it is.
7-BLADES OF GLORY: The sibling of Semi Pro. Again, not that bad but could've been better. I will say that the Will Arnett-Amy Poehler team had me rolling ... and Jon Heder will always be Napoleon Dynamite to me.
8-KICKING AND SCREAMING: The title says it all.
9-BEWITCHED: This was strangely so un-funny. Why have Will Ferrell in this movie if you won't use him properly?
10-LAND OF THE LOST: This sucked so bad that I didn't even finish watching it.
HONORABLE MENTION
These aren't those "Will Ferrell movies" per-se, but movies that he made a difference.
EVERYTHING MUST GO: Yeah he starred in it, but it doesn't fit what I was trying to do with my list. He was good in this as a sorta-serious man facing serious personal issues. And it was pretty good.
OLD SCHOOL: All hail Frank The Tank.
JAY AND SILENT BOB STRIKE BACK: I love Kevin Smith movies (especially the View Askew flicks) but Ferrell brought a different kind of comedy relief in a slapstick comedy. He ruled the second half of that movie.
AND HONORABLE TV MENTION
And I love his television work ...
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE: Duh. He has three greatest hits DVDs and is deserving even more.
EASTBOUND & DOWN: Ashley Schaeffer was a perfect foil for Kenny Powers. Coming back for Season 3, Ferrell was spot on.
THE OBLONGS: A very talented cast on a very underrated cartoon. Ferrell plays the armless, legless, pipe smoking father who always has a sunny outlook on life.
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