My Life at the Movies 4.21.09: Green Week Spectacular
Posted by DC Perry on 04.21.2009
Mind if I do a J?
If NBC has taught me anything this week, it's that Green is Universal. So in honor of Green Week, which totally coincidentally began on 4/20, I'm taking a break from the yearly run down to present my top 10 stoner movies. Ground rules are still in effect, so stuff like Reefer Madness, as awesome as it is, is out.
411mania.com does not endorse the use of illegal drugs. But we do endorse the viewing of awesome movies about the use of illegal drugs.
The role Jim Breuer was born to play. Potheads (especially Dave Chappelle and Harland Williams) + crazy schemes always equals awesome. Plus a diabetic horse has some Funyons.
Cameron Crowe's brilliant depiction of the pain of 80s high school life featured more future Oscar nominees than you can shake a stick at. Before he was Harvey Milk, he was Jeff Spicoli, learnin' about Cuba, havin' some food.
It's not every day you get to see two guys smoke Labrador shit. This movie was banned in some country for its possible effect on impressionable youth. Probably a good idea, man.
The Dude (Jeff Bridges) doesn't want much. He just wants to bowl, enjoy the occasional White Russian, and keep his rug urine free. But when German Nihilists mistake him for a much older, much richer, much more disabled Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), he's dragged into a web of conspiracy, kidnapping, and pornography. All because he wanted an apology for his rug.
That rug really tied the room together.
When The Big Lebowski's trophy wife Bunny (Tara Reid) is kidnapped, he calls in The Dude to deliver the ransom money, since he might be able to identify the Nihilists who attacked him and pissed on his rug. The Dude's hyper-aggressive Vietnam vet bowling partner Walter (John Goodman) comes along, and his half-baked plan to pocket the ransom money and rescue Bunny blows up directly in everyone's face. As is Walter's custom.
Has the whole world gone crazy? Am I the only one around here who gives a shit about the rules?
With a league match with The Jesus (John Turturo) looming, The Dude and Walter set out to recover the lost million dollars. The Dude drifts through The Big Lebowski's bizarre, greedy, distasteful world as only a man in a wool cardigan can. The series of ever-trippier dream sequences keep the convoluted kidnapping plot just on the edge of our interest.
The nihilists make a fatal error when they confront The Dude as he leaves the bowling alley with Walter and sidekick Donny (Steve Buscemi). Walter is here, and Walter is not The Dude. Rather than hand over $22, Walter hurls bowling balls and bites off ears. The nihilists are defeated, but Donny suffers a fatal heart attack.
Shut the fuck up, Donny.
The Dude is only half interested in all of it. The Dude doesn't care if he loses a league bowling game. The Dude doesn't care if he's drugged by a pornographer. The Dude doesn't care if he's set up to be the fall guy in an embezzlement scheme. Or at least he's no more bothered by one than the other. The Dude wants a Caucasian. The Dude wants his rug back. The Dude abides.
