I can’t take credit for this list. After all, I do take requests, people. This one here is from an old friend of mine from high school… Oriana McGee. She thought Ribisi would be a great candidate for the old Top 5 Movies list. I couldn’t agree more.
I have this feeling that everyone kind of loves Giovanni Ribisi. He’s a pretty cool cat with an ability to do excellent character work and make every movie he’s in just a little bit better. So, I thought we’d take a look at some of his better films. Here’s my Top 5 (in order):
5. AVATAR.
So, I’m not an Avatard… or whatever the Fanboy nickname for Avatar fans is. I admit it was one hell of a theatrical experience. One that has yet to even be rivaled by the onslaught of 3-D films that have followed in it’s wake. Ultimately though, I thought the film was a bit long and the story was just okay. Still good enough to earn a spot on here though.
4. BOILER ROOM.
Boiler Room over Avatar? Hell yes! I can’t explain it but I have always liked this film and I can’t tell you why because it really isn’t a good film. After all, it’s a film that features Vin Diesel as a stock broker… yeah… I know! Can’t help it though. I watch this flick every time it comes on cable… unless Step Up 2 the Streets is on. That is, sadly, not a joke.
3. LOST IN TRANSLATION.
Way underrated film. It’s also a very polarizing film and I completely understand why some people don’t like it. I’m one of the people that just connected with the film. Which is weird because I’m not a huge ScarJo fan. She broke Ryan Reynolds heart… unforgivable. He’s a Canadian treasure. Where was I? OH! Bill Murray turns in probably the best performance of his career and I like the idiosyncratic nature to Coppola’s filmmaking that typically drives me nuts in her other films.
2. THAT THING YOU DO!
I have to be honest. I’ve seen this film 10 times but it’s been a while. I can’t, for the life of me, remember Ribisi being in this film but it’s on his IMDB page so I’m counting it. Tom Hanks turns in a solid directorial debut about the rise and fall of a group, aptly called the One-ders, who rises from obscurity with a hit single called, well, you know!
1. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN.
Boy, Ribisi and Vin Diesel should work together more often. Though, Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg certainly helped with this one’s popularity, I’m sure. What can you say about this film that hasn’t been said all ready? It’s a damn good film that is arguably one of the best war films ever made… and Ribisi is great in it.
That’s it! Now I’ve got two questions for you:
1. What are some of your favs?
2. Am I the only one that thinks Ribisi should play Billy Joe Armstrong in the Green Day movie?
Wayne (7)
Andrew (6)
Josh (6)
John (5)
Steve (5)
Justin (4)
Lauren (3)
Nick (3)
3guys1movie (2)
Andy (2)
I haven’t seen Boiler Room, but I agree with the rest…with a special mention to Friends. I quite like him…he does interesting roles. And yes…he should play Billie Joe Amstrong.
Twitter: kaiderman
July 4, 2011 9:44 am
I thought about giving Friends an Honorable Mention. Unfortunately, we are MILF and not MILTV so I just couldn’t do it.
I’ve had to explain who Giovanni Ribisi is on more than one occasion, and it deeply pains me. If I recall correctly, I believe he’s in That Thing You Do in a bit role very early on.
For my money, I would have probably gone with
1. SPR
2. Boiler Room.
3. Now at this point I’d like to throw in my left field choice for the list – the 2002 film, Heaven. A bit surrealistic, but how can any human turn down the unstoppable force of Giovanni Ribisi and Cate Blanchett?
4. Avatar probably
5. Tough one. Not because he’s got such a long list of amazing films to put here, but rather because Ribisi has really stacked on a whole lot of mediocre to ‘eh, alright then’ films in his filmography. I’m not big on Lost and Translation, but against the competition I think it wins by default (though I will say, some part of my desperately wants to put The Other Sister here – just saying).
Twitter: kaiderman
July 4, 2011 9:46 am
Other Sister was definitely in the mix. Your right though. Lot of his resume is uninteresting. He may be good in those movies but I couldn’t call them good movies. He may have been a better candidate for a Top 5 Performance list.
Twitter: fandangogroover
July 4, 2011 10:48 am
Heaven would be number one on my list, great movie.
I think my only changes here would be order–I’d move Lost in Translation up to second.
I’d love to remove Avatar from the list, but I can’t think of what I’d replace it with.
In That Thing You Do! he was the original drummer that Guy replaces.
I like his TV stuff a lot, Friends as was mentioned and The Wonder Years.
Twitter: kaiderman
July 4, 2011 2:04 pm
I thought that’s who he was but couldn’t remember.
Twitter: nevermindpop
July 4, 2011 2:51 pm
He had a really fun creepy role on an episode of X-Files as well.
i would have swapped out the other sister for avatar. he studied his two year old daughter in order to prepare for the role. if he hadn’t played full retarded so well, he might have got the oscar.
Twitter: nevermindpop
July 5, 2011 4:57 pm
It’s interesting how the Academy will reward actors for playing variations of simple-minded people, but never those who play mentally challenged people.
Let’s face it, dude needs a lot more work when you have to put his Avatar performance in his top 5
And your little tidbit on Lost in Translation is timely, given that I just named it as a beloved movie I couldn’t get into in this week’s Q&A…
Twitter: GoSeeTalk
July 6, 2011 1:23 pm
I think it’s funny his pic at the header is from Gone in 60 Seconds but it’s not on the list:P
Expected Boiler Room to be at the top spot but SPR is a solid numero uno.
He did an indie movie with his buddy Scott Caan called the Dog Problem that was pretty good but would probably land at no 6. I really like Ribisi as an actor but I don’t think his role in Translation (though I love the film to death) was sizable enough or decent enough to appear here. Still nice job Kai!
I thought Heaven was pretty great actually, and Ribisi was brilliant in it! He and Blanchett had great chemistry. That would’ve been in my top 3 at least.