night at the museum

the year: 2006

the genre: comedy / action


the cast: Ben Stiller (Larry Daley); Carla Gugino (Rebecca); Dick Van Dyke (Cecil); Mickey Rooney (Gus); Bill Cobbs (Reginald); Ricky Gervais (Dr. McPhee); Robin Williams (Teddy Roosevelt)


the plot: When unemployed, divorced father Larry Daley is hired as night watchman at the Museum of Natural History, he soon discovers that an ancient curse brings all the exhibits to life after the sun sets. Suddenly, Larry finds himself face-to-face with a frisky T-Rex skeleton, tiny (competing) armies of Romans and cowboys, and a mischievous monkey who taunts him to the breaking point. But with the help of President Teddy Roosevelt, Larry may just figure out a way to control the chaos and become a hero in his son's eyes.


did you know: Larry's inability to remember Christopher Columbus' name is a wink and a nod to producer Chris Columbus.


listen for: Gus's tough talk:
"Listen up, Lunch Box!"
"Sleep tight, hotshot."
"Do you want the job or not, snack shack?"
"Sweet dreams, cupcake."
"Keep a lid on it, butterscotch."
"Do you want to dance, hot dog?"
"Are you crackin' wise? I oughta punch you in the nose, Hopscotch."


did you also know: while filming, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson only had one day that they saw each other. Stiller talked to a toothpick for the Jedediah scenes, then three months later Wilson came in and filmed all of his parts.


extra bonus points: if you know what's important about the lady who played the woman in the employment office.


watch for: signs on the wall of the elevator and in the lobby, with titles paralleling what is happening to Larry at that point in the movie, including: "Spineless" and "Weathering the Storm".


also listen for: "Let's all laugh at me, the comedy night guard. No is the answer. Sarcasm back at you, with your humor box. I wasn't laughing. I was pretending to laugh, if that's what you want, some sort of battle of humor. Do you?"


don't miss: how Larry brings Atilla the Hun to tears.

it's a mad, mad, mad, mad world

the year: 1963

the genre: comedy


the cast: Spencer Tracy (Capt. C.G. Culpepper); Milton Berle (J. Russell Finch); Sid Caesar (Melville Crump); Buddy Hackett (Benjy Benjamin); Ethel Merman (Mrs. Marcus); Mickey Rooney (Ding Bell); Phil Silvers (Otto Meyer); Terry-Thomas (J. Algernon Hawthorne); Jonathan Winters (Lennie Pike); Dorothy Provine (Emeline Marcus-Finch)


the plot: The dying words of a thief spark a madcap cross-country rush to find $350,000.



did you know: during filming of the infamous "gas station" destruction, Jonathan Winters was accidentally left on stage and completely bound in thick tape. Hours later, when the cast returned from lunch, they found that he had not even been able to free his arms from the chair. In retaliation, Winters gave a three-hour lecture to Arnold Stang and Marvin Kaplan on forced potty training.



watch for: cameos by Jerry Lewis, Jack Benny, Peter Falk, The Three Stooges, and Jimmy Durante.



listen for: "Look! We've figured it seventeen different ways, and every time we figured it, it was no good, because no matter how we figured it, somebody don't like the way we figured it! So now, there's only one way to figure it. And that is, every man, including the old bag, for himself!"



did you also know: the actors were given two huge scripts, one with all the dialogue, the other with the action.


extra bonus points: if you know who was originally set to play Ethel Merman's role - but as a father-in-law.



also listen for: "I must say that if I had the grievous misfortune to be a citizen of this benighted country, I should be the most hesitant of offering any criticism whatever of any other."