Favorite Cameron Crowe movie

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Philo B 93
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10:18a, 1/23/25
I'm going to celebrate Cameron Crowe this weekend. Football playoffs may require a "Jerry Maguire" screening, and the cold temps put me in the mood for "Singles" set in Seattle.

I've never seen "The Wild Life" which boasts an unimpressive 41% audience rating on Rottentomatoes.

Anyway, my favorite is a three-way tie between Singles, Jerry Maguire, and Almost Famous. Second place is Say Anything.

For as much as I like his movies, he has some real stinkers. Vanilla Sky, Elizebethtown, and Aloha.... wtf?
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Btron
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10:24a, 1/23/25
AG
Jerry Maguire and Vanilla Sky are my go-to when I think of CC.
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citizenkane06
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10:46a, 1/23/25
AG
For me, it's Almost Famous. There's just a humanity to it that's amazing.
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Max Power
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10:50a, 1/23/25
AG
Number 1 for me is Almost Famous, I loved it when I saw it in college and I still love it now.

Number 2 is Pearl Jam Twenty, it's in the argument for my favorite music documentary. It might be the best thing he's ever done and I'm not a huge Pearl Jam fan.
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Belton Ag
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11:07a, 1/23/25
AG
I didn't hate Vanilla Sky like others did. I thought it was an interesting premise (I know it was based on a European movie but don't know how closely it followed) and if you rewatch knowing all the Easter eggs it makes it a fun movie.
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powerbelly
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11:23a, 1/23/25
AG
Almost Famous is an easy #1 for me.
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Brian Earl Spilner
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12:16p, 1/23/25
AG
Vanilla Sky
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MAROON
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12:19p, 1/23/25
AG
Almost Famous is one my top films of all time, so this is easy
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Bruce Almighty
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12:26p, 1/23/25
AG
If we're counting writing and not just directing, Almost Famous and Fast Times at Ridgemont High are 1a and 1b.
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Lathspell
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1:42p, 1/23/25
AG
I don't even have to think about this one, it's Almost Famous. A top 10 movie of all time, for me. Frances McDormand and PSH are scene stealers in this one



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StinkyPinky
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1:48p, 1/23/25
AG
What's already been said, but Jerry Maguire and Singles were also pretty good.
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Leggo My Elko
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2:40p, 1/23/25
AG
For me it's Almost Famous by a wide margin.
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MookieBlaylock
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2:45p, 1/23/25
AG
A compliment for us, is a compliment for you
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Rudyjax
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3:01p, 1/23/25
AG
PJ20
Almost Famous.
Fast Times
Singles
Say Anything
Jerry Maguire
We Built a zoo
Vanilla Sky
The wild Life
Elizabethtown
Aloha
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citizenkane06
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9:35a, 1/24/25
AG
Say Anything is up there, too. The boombox is iconic!
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oragator
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In reply to citizenkane06 • 10:13a, 1/24/25
Almost didn't happen.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/93981/why-boombox-scene-say-anything-almost-didnt-happen


Almost Famous is number one for me, Say Anything is 1A. I think the magic of his films is that his leads are every day good guys that you really want to root for. Lloyd Dobler, Jerry Maguire, William Miller etc.
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citizenkane06
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In reply to oragator • 10:24a, 1/24/25
AG
Great article!

I also like the fact that the film deals with the lesson of idealizing parents and not seeing who they really are. I can't think of another movie that does it as well.
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Rudyjax
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In reply to oragator • 10:30a, 1/24/25
AG
oragator said:
Almost didn't happen.

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/93981/why-boombox-scene-say-anything-almost-didnt-happen


Almost Famous is number one for me, Say Anything is 1A. I think the magic of his films is that his leads are every day good guys that you really want to root for. Lloyd Dobler, Jerry Maguire, William Miller etc.
There's a podcast that goes into the making of this movie. It's very good.

It's very good.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/almost-famous-turns-20-trailer/id1266445999?i=1000474433975
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dave94
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In reply to Rudyjax • 12:37p, 1/24/25
AG
I stumbled across that Origins podcast and it is outstanding!
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Txmoe
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3:50p, 1/24/25
AG
I don't want to buy anything, sell anything, or process anything...

Say Anything for the win!

How about a bonus of Fast Times at Ridgemont High which CC wrote after going incognito in a high school for a year.
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TCTTS
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4:48p, 1/24/25
AG
Crowe is one of my all-time favorite filmmakers.

Of his feature directorial efforts, I would have to say...

1. Almost Famous
2. Jerry Maguire
3. Vanilla Sky
4. Say Anything
5. Singles
6. We Bought a Zoo
7. Elizabethtown
8. Aloha

Almost Famous, specifically, is one of my top three movies of all time, while Jerry Maguire is probably in my top ten.

Also, I randomly caught some of Aloha again on TV about a year ago, and even it has its moments. It's definitely more rewatchable than I remembered, with a cozy good cast to boot. Sure, parts of it are definitely a bit cringe, but even Crowe's worst is more endearing than a lot of Hollywood's output these days.
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TCTTS
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4:49p, 1/24/25
AG
Crowe is due for a comeback, too. He's currently prepping to a direct a Joni Mitchell biopic, which he also wrote, and sounds right up his alley. Fingers crossed that it's return to form.
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oragator
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In reply to Rudyjax • 5:31p, 1/24/25
Yeah I totally just went down that rabbit hole, I listened to 1,4 and 5. Well worth the time, thanks.
I know they are actors and are always going to put a good face on things, but you could feel the nostalgia they had for that time in their lives, and for the earnestness and pride they had making it.
I was also struck by the number of times they talked about how a movie like that couldn't get made today. Which is a point I have made here a number of times on where the film industry is, but is still incredibly sad to consider.
The fact that it lost money is a travesty, have to wonder if the marketing campaign fell short, or it just wasn't made at the right time for where pop culture was and society grew into it more than anything.
I know some of Crowe's later stuff fell off, but I do hope he comes back. That idea of feel good innocence he brings is missed. That moment when Penny says "You are home", and all that is in that (which was ad libbed amazingly) is just not in cinema anymore. The inner 15 year old boy of everyone seeking acceptance and their place in the world has to just melt with that to this day. Which is why they all talked about their kids loving the movie, it has heart everyone can relate to.
/rant.
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oragator
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10:00p, 1/27/25
One other Crowe point.
We Bought a Zoo. Not my favorite by far, but the scene at the end on now he met his wife might be my favorite single Crowe scene. We see where the twenty seconds of courage and "why not" came from, and they were all about her. His love for her shines through, but not in a mournful way like the rest of the movie, but in a fond memories way. Just such a great, loving positive ending.
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Rudyjax
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In reply to Rudyjax • 10:56a, 1/28/25
AG
Rudyjax said:
PJ20
Almost Famous.
Fast Times
Singles
Say Anything
Jerry Maguire
We Built a zoo
Vanilla Sky
The wild Life
Elizabethtown
Aloha
No credit for off the top of my head ranking all the movies he wrote or directed?

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MGS
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In reply to MookieBlaylock • 10:59a, 1/28/25
MookieBlaylock said:
A compliment for us, is a compliment for you
Username checks out
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Philo B 93
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In reply to Rudyjax • 10:57a, 1/29/25
Rudyjax said:
Rudyjax said:
PJ20
Almost Famous.
Fast Times
Singles
Say Anything
Jerry Maguire
We Built a zoo
Vanilla Sky
The wild Life
Elizabethtown
Aloha
No credit for off the top of my head ranking all the movies he wrote or directed?

Very impressive. Ranking PJ20 at #1 makes sense. That was like a Real Life Almost Famous. Have you actually seen "The Wild Life"? Is it any good?
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Rudyjax
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In reply to Philo B 93 • 11:11a, 1/29/25
AG
Philo B 93 said:
Rudyjax said:
Rudyjax said:
PJ20
Almost Famous.
Fast Times
Singles
Say Anything
Jerry Maguire
We Built a zoo
Vanilla Sky
The wild Life
Elizabethtown
Aloha
No credit for off the top of my head ranking all the movies he wrote or directed?

Very impressive. Ranking PJ20 at #1 makes sense. That was like a Real Life Almost Famous. Have you actually seen "The Wild Life"? Is it any good?
I haven't seen it in close to 40 years. I used to watch it quite a bit on HBO or Showtime.

My judgement is from the perspective of a young teen. I did like it quite a bit.
I would like to see it again.

I remember the plot, most of the cast, and a few scenes here and there.

There's a scene where Ilan Mitchell Smith (who taught history at A&M 20 years later) walks in on vietnam veteran Randy Quaid shooting heroin. I had no idea what he was doing and always remembered it and realized what he was doing years later.

Also, i was in love with Lea Thompson, so I watched all her movies.

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mslags97
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8:47p, 2/2/25
AG
I know I'm in the extreme minority here, but Elizabethtown is my favorite. And it's actually one of my absolute favorite guilty pleasure movies. I love it. I love most of his movies actually. The one exception being Aloha. I think Singles is underrated as well.

But there is something about Elizabethtown. It's just such a feel good movie. I love it. This thread actually made me rewatch it again.

Edit and pure side note to add: another of my guilty pleasures isn't liked by very many either. Dan in Real Life with Steve Carrell. So maybe it's just me. I usually think I have great taste in movies, but I seem to be on the wrong side on these two.
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maroon man
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11:14p, 2/2/25
S
Jerry Maguire by a landslide.
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