Guest Author - Caitlin D Neely
My top five Will Ferrell in no particular order…
Elf
Buddy (Will Ferrell) is an elf that lives in the North Pole and makes toys for Santa. There’s one slight problem, though. He isn’t small like the other elves or nearly as skilled at assembling toys. His father, Papa Elf (Bob Newhart), admits to Buddy that he was adopted and that his real father lives in New York City. Buddy sets off to find his birth father (played by James Caan) and discovers much more along the way including a stepmother (Mary Steenburgen), half-brother (Daniel Tay), possible crush (Zooey Deschanel) and the true meaning of Christmas.
Wow. I write about this movie a lot if readers haven’t noticed. But it’s one of my favorite holiday movies. Ferrell is absolutely charming in it and childish (in a good way). Not to mention hilarious. It’s one of those movies that families can watch together! So everyone wins.
Anchorman
Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) is a successful 1970s anchorman for a top rated San Diego news station. He has everything a guy could want including friends and fellow newsman, a job he’s great at and adoring fans. But when Veronica Corning stone (Christina Applegate) steps into the office with a plan to become an anchor, Burgundy’s world is threatened.
I can watch this film over and over and not get bored. It’s quirky and really shows us what type of comedy Ferrell does best (wacky!) He plays dumb well and I find myself rooting for him towards the end. Plus, I love quoting lines from this movie. It’s impossible not to.
Stranger Than Fiction
Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) is an IRS auditor. He begins hearing the voice woman who narrates the events that happen in his life. At first he believes he’s crazy but he soon realizes that the narration is affecting his life. He soon discovers that the narrator is an author and that he may just be part of her next novel.
Finally Ferrell in a dramedy role. It was refreshing to watch him take on both comedy and drama. It really is true that comedians sometimes make great dramatic actors. Ferrell wasn’t over the top in this movie. He handled his role with poise and didn’t overact. I hope to see branch out again in the future.
Blades of Glory
Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) are two rival Olympic skaters. They are stripped of their gold medals and banned from men’s single figure skating after they get into a fight on national television. Years later, both are living in obscurity and they discover that their only way back into the limelight is to form a pairs figure skating team with each other.
This movie is incredibly goofy but it works. It’s not one of Ferrell’s best films but I enjoy watching it. It’s got its’ humorous parts and lighthearted moments.
Step Brothers
Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C Reilly) are two spoiled men that still live with their single parents. When their parents marry each other, they are forced to become step brothers and live under the same roof.
I honestly did not think I would enjoy this movie. It was even wackier than some of his other films. He’s hilarious and the lines are priceless. I understand that Ferrell tends to play the same characters but it works for him. I also must commend the rest of the cast. They are also brilliant and the movie would not have been as great without them.
