My Top 10 Favorite Jim Carrey performances

Jim Carrey is one of those actors that audiences either love or hate and personally, I think it’s impossible not to love Jim Carrey. His goofy antics, his energy, his charm, his ability to just bring a smile to ones face, it’s an art that only Jim Carrey can perfect so well. Yet, Comedy isn’t the only thing he’s talented with, in fact he’s been in some legitimate dramas, turning out some truly heartfelt and even touching performances. Whether or not you laugh at him or take him seriously, he’s always a tone of fun to watch and here are my personal top 10 favorite Jim Carry performances.  

10. Ernie “Chip” Douglas from “The Cable Guy” 

Have you ever had that annoying best friend that would always be in your face and never give you a moment of peace, well, he’s probably more tolerable then this crazy electrician out for friendship. While this was one of Carries more controversial films and certainly not one of my favorites, it was still one of his most memorable characters. As a psychopathic man with a lisp and wild attitude, Carry proved that he can just as dark and scary and he is charming and funny.   

9. Horton from “Horton Hears a Who!” 

Jim Carry already came off like a live action cartoon character, and when this 2007 animated family film came along, it was about time for him to become one with the world of animation.  Horton is an elephant with a heart of gold and cherishes all forms of life, no matter how small. Jim Carry’s lovable personality and voice fit the character perfectly and it’s honestly on par with Robin Williams when he voiced the Genie of the Lamp from Disney’s “Aladdin”. Plus, this Dr. Sues adaption and Jim Carry’s simple charm was a real breath of fresh air after seeing Mike Mires disastrous “Cat in the Hat”. 

8.  Bruce Nolan from “Bruce Almighty” 

I always liked to think of Jim Carry as a God among mortal comedians, and now he takes that the extra mile as a man with all the powers of God. In this early 2000’s comedy, Jim Carry plays a self indulgent newsman who’s given the chance to play God and either serve his own ego or take a moment to help others in greater need. It’s a movie that’s every bit as creative and funny as it is touching and somewhat meaningful, but of course the highlight comes from Carry playing God. His speed, energy and wit match with the effects and premise perfectly and the final result is another memorable comedy in Jim’s carrier.  

7. Andy Kaufman from “Man on the Moon” 

This was the first time Jim Carry had a performance that was based around an entirely real person, and while I honestly don’t know that much of what the actual Andy Kaufman was like, Jim Carry clearly did his homework and brought him to life with perfection. Many critics found his performance to be so genuine that he should have been nominated for a best actor Oscar ... that says it all. While I feel the movie itself hits as often as it misses, one thing remains certain, Jim Carry delivered a performance that was every bit as funny as it was honest and accurate to the real life comedian.

6. Charlie & Hank from “Me, Myself and Iren”

The side splitting comedian has a side-split personality in this dark comedy, and boy dose he ham it up the only way Jim Carry knows how. He’s a man abused by everyone around him, which causes Carry to develop a dual personality in the form of a character named Hank, and what really elevates this into one of his funniest performances is all the physical comedy in which he literally battles himself. The on a dime transformations are amusing enough, but Carries desperate need to take control of his evil dominate side are what steal the show. With non-stop frantic energy and two crazy performances for the price of one, it’s the kind of role that Carry was simply born to play.

 

5. Count Olaf from “A Series of Unfortunate Events” 

While the movie itself has always been kind of a mixed bag for me, Jim Carry is undeniably on the top of his game as the villainess Count Olaf, in fact, this is easily the best villain he’s played in his entire carrier. In this movie based on the novel by Lemony Snicket, Carry plays an evil old miser out to steal a fortune from three orphaned children. The character himself is also a failed sage actor, and in his evil scheme the count always hides under a variety of discuses allowing Carry full rang to act as several different over exaggerated caricatures.  It’s a role that was simply meant for him. Carry also manages to hit that perfect balance between being lovable and hat-able all at once, which is the mark of any great villain actor. His portrayal of the Count was still appropriately hammy, without coming off as obnoxiously over the top as his portrayal of the Riddler in “Batman forever”. 

4. Truman Burbank from “The Truman Show” 

While Jim Carry had given some stellar performances in his carrier, it was his portrayal of Truman Burbank that had the masses demanding he receive an Oscar nomination. It’s a movie about a man who’s life is being broadcasted live on network television, which is already an original concept, but it’s Jim Carry at the helm who delivers such a lovable and endearing performance. It’s the kind of character that could have come off as manipulative if not in the right hands, which further demonstrates that for as over the top as Jim Carry gets, he knows how to hold back, restrain himself and convey the honest goods.    

3. Stanley Ipkiss/ The Mask from “The Mask” 

This is personally my second favorite movie of his on my list, next to another film that I’ll mention at the #1 spot, nothing quiet represents Jim Carries dual talents as an actor quiet like his portrayal in the mask. As Stanley Ipkiss he’s a quiet, shy individual with a good heart but always acts down to earth. Then on the flip side, when he puts on an enchanted mask, he becomes a living cartoon character who’s nothing short of wild and energized. The computer effects blend with Jim Carries comedic charm perfectly, neither upstages the other, and with Carries more down to earth performance to level out the fun, “The Mask” stands as a bright spot on his resume.  

2. Fletcher Reede from “Liar Liar” 

This is one of Jim Carry’s funniest comedies, with a premise that only “he” could pull off so well. Playing a dishonest family man who’s cursed to tell the truth for twenty four hours gives Carry no boundaries to utilizes his ample comedic timing, bursts of energy and elastic body movements to full effect. He even manages to show off some good drama and touching bonding moments with his family as the character goes on a reformation journey from a dead beat parent to a loving father that always sticks with the truth. The movie is a great comedy classic from the 90’s and it’s one of the funniest performances in Carry’s long carrier.  

Honorable Mentions: Joel Barish from “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”

The Grinch from “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”

The Riddiler from “Batman Forever”

Lloyd Christmas from “Dumb & Dumber”

Scrooge from “A Christmas Carol”

1. Ace Ventura from  Ace Ventura: Pet Detective 

This is the movie that made me love comedies, the first time I experienced the joy of laughing hard at something completely ridicules. That’s what makes comedies so great, you don’t take them seriously, you just have fun with them. Jim Carry’s performance as Ace Ventura is just fantastic, and astablished all his recognizable trademarks from his rubbery face, to the goofy hair due, and of course his talking butt. He’s the only actor I know who can be so hammy and over the top, yet still deliver a performance with so much class and genuine charm. In this film, Jim Carry plays a detective that specializes in looking for missing animals, and his methods for trying to rescue them are nothing short of laugh out loud hilarious. There’s even a decent mystery plot to be weaved in with all the silliness. He’s certainly one of the silliest actors ever and this is the film that captures his goofy antics perfectly. It’s the simple joy and talent of this crazy actor that make it such a joy to watch and he’ll always be one of my favorite actors of all time. 

      End.

Field of Dreams (1989, Movie Review)

       If you’ve looked though my Blog Site you may have noticed a lack posts regarding sports movies. Well, personally I’m just not a sports guy and there are only a handful of sports themed movies that I’ve ever really loved. I just feel that if you’ve seen one sports movie you’ve seen them all, and their conventions can get a pinch repetitive. I don’t have any animosity toured the subject, it’s just not for me. Then every once in a while you get a film like the 1989 fantasy drama “Field of Dreams”, which is undeniably a Baseball movie, but completely devoid of any typical sports movie clichés, offering an experience that’s unique, simplistic and very touching. Based on the Novel “Shoeless Joe Jackson Comes to Iowa”, “Field of Dreams” is a modern fairy tale that has something special to offer to viewers ... whether their sports fans or not.  

       Our movie begins with some back-story of the life of Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella who’s played by Kevin Costner. Basically, this guy was a prodigy of the 1960’s, loves baseball and had a pretty stable relation with his father, at least until he left the family and started one of his own. Now in present day, this farmer finds himself hearing a mysterious voice saying “If you build it, he will come!” At first the “Voice” makes no sense to him, but soon he discovers that if he were to build a Baseball stadium in his corn field, it would call upon the spirit of his greatest Baseball idle, the disgraced Shoeless Joe Jackson. Sure enough, Ray spends a fortune on the construction of a Baseball field right in his corn field, and sure enough it does bring back the deceased Baseball player, but it doesn’t stop there. Soon, several other deceased Baseball players come out of the wood works, or corn field in this case, as they’ve all had short comings that kept them from their dream. Some Baseball players retired, taking up other professions while others were banned from the game as a result of the 1919 scandal. Now in Ray’s baseball field, these lost souls get the chance to live their dreams. Meanwhile, Ray’s mysterious voice begins asking for further requests, revolving around the lives of other people, some of whom are dead and others who have lost hope.

        It’s a very simple premise, and the simplicity of the story just adds to the wonder and charm of the film. Think of it like an episode of “The Twilight Zone”, except very heartfelt and leaving you feeling warm and cheerful inside. There’s never any strait forward explanation as to why these magical oddities happen in the film, and the characters themselves while very confused don’t ask to many questions either, they just go with flow. There’s a statement made by Ray that he was probably chosen to build the baseball field as an act of penance for something unforgivable he did to his father. As you’d expect, this all pays off and leads to a somewhat predictable but very wholesome ending. I’ve never been a huge fan of Kevin Costner but he does a respectable job in the role of Ray Kinsella, but even at his best, he’s admittedly over shadowed by the supporting cast.

       His wife Annie played by Amy Madigan is awesome, she’s full of energy, very supportive and she doesn’t shy away from standing up for what she believes in, and by that I mean loudly speaking her mind to a large group of bigots. Enter author Terence Mann played by the always awesome James Earl Jones, who’s retired from writing novels and has been reduced to a grumpy old miser. There’s a subplot in which Ray seeks him out and convinces Terence to take up his writing pin again which renews the authors faith in own dreams. This is easily my favorite character in the movie, and James Earl Jones steals the show with every scene his in. He’s funny in his stubborn attitude, but he’s also very humble and sincere as he conveys his words of wisdom to Ray and it’s just a real joy watching this grumpy old hermit come out of his shell. His introduction scene is especially funny, and his closing monologue near the end of the film is nothing short of sensational. Burt Lancaster also makes a noteworthy appearance as Doc Graham, a man who never got to see his sports dream come true as he left Baseball to pursue a carrier in medicine. To be honest, most of these supporting characters actually have more captivating stories then our main hero.

      The late James Horner composed the music for the film, and boy dose he nail the tone and feel of this track. It has a quiet, almost ghostly quality that creates an atmosphere that reflects off of the emotional tones in the film beautifully. Now, the movie is very sentimental, you can even argue that it’s overly sentimental, but personally I think it’s done in just the right way. The films emotional moments balance hand in hand with the simplicity of the story and its magical atmosphere. It’s actually a very inspiring film that can affect a wide range of people, not just die hard baseball players. It’s the films relatable themes of lamenting missed opportunities and a driving passion to pursue your dreams that give the movie substance, and there’s even a subtle enfaces on family bonding, particularly between father and son, which is done very well.

      I often think of this movie as a classic modern fairly tail. It may be sports themed and even has that same look and feel of a classic sports movie, but it’s still a fantasy and it’s an experience that’s just plain good for the heart. If you’re like me and don’t care for baseball or sports in general, I still highly recommend this movie. It’s just a very humble film that can put you in a good mood when it’s over, and while I freely admit it’s not one of the absolute greatest movies I’ve ever seen, it’s still worth experiencing more than once. If you’re someone who feels they were never able to fulfill a dream, this film might just raise your spirit and cheerfully encourage you to go the distance. 

                                                       I give “Field of Dreams” 4 stars out of 5.