If you’re in movies, chances are you’re usually a pretty big fan of movies. Films, pictures, reels, whatever you want to call them, they’re a magic like no other, and it’s easy to see why even when you’re on the inside to a degree like Jack Black and Paul Rudd that you still are a fan of cinema.
In a recent interview with Collider, the Anaconda stars were asked about some of their favourite hits from directors of the past and present. First, Black led with his favourite Christopher Nolan movie, The Dark Knight.
“I know I’m supposed to say Dunkirk,” Black said. “There are lots of great movies. He’s done incredible movies, but that fucking Dark Knight was a mind-blower, and Heath Ledger? I remember I heard that Chris Nolan was doing Batman with Heath Ledger as Joker, and my first instinct was, ‘What? Wrong. Wrong. Pretty boy ain’t going to get it done.’ And I’ve never been wronger.”
Rudd was hesitant to name a favourite Nolan, but said he saw Dunkirk in a “big old theatre” and remembered thinking it was the best sound design he’d ever heard. He also said Interstellar’s “not too shabby.”
Onto Spielberg next, and Rudd said Jaws is a perfect movie, but Close Encounters of the Third Kind is his pick. Black opted for Raiders of the Lost Ark because of his dad. “My dad called me and said, ‘Hey, son, I just saw Raiders of the Lost Ark, and it’s the best movie I’ve ever seen. I want you to come with me.’ I was like, ‘Alright, Dad. This is not going to be as good as he said.’ And I sat with him, and he watched it the second time, and I watched it, and I was like, “This is the best movie I’ve ever seen.” So, I have a special emotional attachment to Raiders because of my dad.”
Kubrick was a tougher pick, as both Black and Rudd agreed most of his movies were masterpieces. Eventually, Jack Black decided on The Shining, and Rudd went for Dr. Strangelove. There you have it: two modern actors give their favourites from three stand-out directors.
