Monsters, Inc. (2001)

Hilarious (high-energy, wise-cracking Mike is an absolute [actual] ball–“Roz, my tender, oozing blossom”–and has great chemistry with amiable big guy Scully) and heartfelt (I felt my heart melting at that final shot; Boo was absolutely adorable), with a clever premise that serves as the vehicle for a brilliant thematic thread commenting on the (actual) power of love, laughter, and creativity in the face of division, fear-mongering politics, and resignation to an unethical system of economics.

10

Analyze This (1999)

A comedy about a psychiatrist whose number one-patient is an insecure mob boss. (IMDb)

The mob boss vs. average Joe therapist, brawn vs. brains quirky dynamic generates lots of laughs (see the wedding crash[es], the endless hug at the funeral), with the Italian gangster trope being milked for all its worth (Crystal’s impression near the end is a riot). Elsewhere, Kudrow is forgettable, Viterelli is fun, and the basic plot just serves as a framework for the central odd couple and its culture clash situational comedy. It’s not particularly brilliant but it’s consistently funny.

6.5/10 (Alright)

The Princess Bride (1987)

While home sick in bed, a young boy’s grandfather reads him a story called The Princess Bride. (IMDb)

A hammed-up fairy tale with all the fixings: Giant rats and madcap magicians, true love and impassioned revenge, kisses and torture, quicksand and castles, and at the core, a romantic tale of a fair and tragic princess kidnapped and her fearless lover (played brilliantly by Elwes) overcoming all odds to fetch her back. Slathered on top of it all is a thick layer of uninhibited silliness that produces a plethora of hilarious quips and mirthful moments throughout. It’s a story for the ages!

8/10 (Great)