Rob Reiner is on my list.
I've been a fan of the actor and director and his work for years. I loved him as Meathead on "All in the Family." I think "This is Spinal Tap" is one of the funnier movies I've ever seen.
But, he's on my list today.
Back in 1992, Reiner directed "A Few Good Men," a courtroom drama starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollack and Kevin Bacon.
Chances are, you've seen the flick. It's been on cable a kajillion times. The climactic scene -- in which Nicholson's character, Col. Nathan Jessup utters the famous line "You can't handle the truth!" -- has been copied and lampooned by every comedy show in the country.
I've seen "A Few Good Men" at least 50 times. It's a good movie. Some might say great. (It scored 83 percent at Rotten Tomatoes). I don't think Tom Cruise is a great actor. Nicholson almost seems to be playing a caricature of himself in his scenes (and there aren't very many).
This is one of those movies, though, that sucks me in every time it's on.
Tonight, I was cashed from cleaning the garage and watching another lackluster Brewers game. I wanted to get to bed early. But, I turned on Bravo and "A Few Good Men" had just started.
I watched. I surfed during the commercials. I answered some e-mail and did some work. And, I kept watching. I can practically recite every line of dialogue in the movie and I still kept watching.
There are a handful of movies that mesmerize me like this. "That Thing You Do" is a favorite. "Hoosiers" is another. "A Few Good Men" is on the list, too, and now I'm up later than I wanted to be on a school night.
Damn you, Rob Reiner.
What are the movies you can't turn off?
Host of “The Drew Olson Show,” which airs 1-3 p.m. weekdays on The Big 902. Sidekick on “The Mike Heller Show,” airing weekdays on The Big 920 and a statewide network including stations in Madison, Appleton and Wausau. Co-author of Bill Schroeder’s “If These Walls Could Talk: Milwaukee Brewers” on Triumph Books. Co-host of “Big 12 Sports Saturday,” which airs Saturdays during football season on WISN-12. Former senior editor at OnMilwaukee.com. Former reporter at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
