Woody Allen is synonym to execution of comedic perfection. Woody Allen is one of the most respected and prolific filmmaker in
modern times. Allen draws heavily on literature, philosophy,
psychology, European cinema and New York City, where he was
born and has lived his entire life. Some might consider his films an
acquired taste, but no one can deny that he is brilliantly witty. If you haven’t seen a Woody Allen movie yet, you are really
missing something. This list is about my personal collection of favorite Woody Allen quotes.
"Harvard makes mistakes too, you know. Kissinger taught there."
“I'm not anti-social. I'm just not social.”
"I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose."
" I am not afraid of death, I just don’t want to be there when it happens."
“You can live to be a hundred if you give up all the things that make you want to live to be a hundred.”
"I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it’s the government."
"I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying."
" I’m astounded by people who want to ‘know’ the universe when it’s hard enough to find your way around Chinatown."
“Eighty percent of success is showing up.”
“I took a test in Existentialism. I left all the answers blank and got 100.”
“If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative.”
“If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”
“God is silent. Now if only man would shut up.”
“Life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television.”
When Iqbal went to England to attend the
second round table conference in September 1931, Italian Government sent
its emissaries to request Iqbal to visit Italy.
While in Italy during
November 1931, Iqbal received a message through Dr. Scorpa, the Italian
Councilor in Mumbai that Mussolini wanted to meet him. Dr. Iqbal
accepted his invitation and met the Italian Dictator on November 27 in
his famous hall.
During the course of the meeting Mussolini asked
Iqbal, “What you except we Italians to do?” Dr. Iqbal replied, “Europe
has left with no moral values. Stop blindly following Europe and learn
lessons from the East.”
When Mussolini requested Dr. Iqbal to give some
exceptional suggestion for him, Iqbal advised, “Don’t allow overcrowding
of the cities. Limit the size of the population of a city and after
that limit instead of allowing them to settle there, create new
settlements and cities for them.”
Bemused, Mussolini requested Iqbal to elaborate
further. Iqbal said, “As population of a city increases, its moral
values and economic power start waning. Worst, immoral activities start
challenging the cultural strength.”
Mussolini looked towards the Indian Great in
disbelief for a moment but in the next moment stood from his chair and
shouted with excitement, “What an excellent idea!”
Sealand, based on a sea fort, is known to be the world's smallest nation
The Principality of Sealand is an unrecognised entity, located on HM Fort Roughs, a former Second World War Maunsell Sea Fort in the North Sea 13 kilometres off the coast of Suffolk, England, United Kingdom.
Since 1967 the facility has been occupied by family and associates of Paddy Roy Bates, who claim that it is an independent sovereign state. Bates seized it from a group of pirate radio broadcasters in 1967 with the intention of setting up his own station at the site.
He established Sealand as a nation in 1975 with the writing of a constitution and establishment of other national symbols.
While it has been described as the world's smallest nation, or a micronation, Sealand is not currently officially recognised by any established sovereign state.
Although Sealand's government claims it has been de facto recognised by the United Kingdom and Germany, neither action constitutes de jure recognition.
Bates moved to mainland Essex when he became elderly, naming his son Michael regent. Bates died in 2012 at the age of 91.
Rudi Dassler (left) and brother Ali (right) with German sports minister H Waitzer in 1930
Adidas and Puma may be among the most recognized brands in the world,
but neither might exist if not for a bitter rivalry between two
brothers from a little-known village in Germany.
In the 1920s, Adolf
(aka Adi) Dassler, a soft-spoken sports fanatic who spent hours working on
shoe designs in his workshop, and Rudolf Dassler, a gregarious salesman,
started a small shoemaking business in the Bavarian enclave of
Herzogenaurach, focusing primarily on hand-sewn athletic footwear.
But
as their business took off, the two brothers grew increasingly
frustrated with each other. They disagreed on everything from politics,
the future of the company and one another's choice in wives.
Finally,
in the mid-1940s Rudolf left in a huff and set up a rival shop across
the river, while Adi remained in the initial plant. His company was
renamed Adidas, and in 1948 Rudolf registered his new company, Puma.
A sibling fallout created two of the world's biggest sporting brands – and has split a German town for 60 years.
Roy Sullivan survived lightning seven times in his lifetime
Roy Cleveland Sullivan (1912-1983) was a park ranger in Shenandoah
National Park in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was hit by
lightning seven times, which earned him an immortal place in the
Guinness Book of World Records.
For this accomplishment, Sullivan was nicknamed “The Human Lightning
Rod,” and others began to avoid him and the places that he frequented
All seven of the strikes were documented both by the Superintendent
of Shenandoah National Park, and by doctors who treated Sullivan—hence,
his Guinness Book of World Records status.
Sullivan finally died at the age of seventy-one from a self-inflicted
gunshot wound in the stomach. It was reported that he was suffering
from unrequited love.
Cricketing sport has got its own charm. Three different formats: three different styles: three different forms of excitement. Its always interesting to watch the 50-over format. ODI is being an ideal form of cricket whereas, test format is longer and T20 is way shorter; ODIs provide the perfect blend of orthodox sensible batting and insane slogging when required. The format has produced one of the most valuable players, moments and matches of the sport we all love. There are some contests that remain in fresh in our long lasting memory. So, here is my personal favorite collection, reliving the legacy of classic one day battles in the cricketing circle.
'Langeveldt stuns the Caribbean'
Date: May 11, 2005
Match: West Indies v South Africa, 3rd ODI, South Africa tour to West Indies 2004/05
Venue: Barbados
Result: South Africa 284 for 6 (Dippenaar 123, Kallis 87) beat West Indies 283 (Gayle 132, Langeveldt 5-62) by 1 run
Synopsis: Charl Langeveldt produced one of the most sensational finales in one-day international history, as he plucked a hat-trick out of thin air
to steal a one-run victory over West Indies. His performance secured an
unassailable 3-0 lead for South Africa, who now travel to Trinidad with
both the Test and one-day trophies tucked into their hand-luggage.
They will be laughing about this victory all the way to Port-of-Spain,
because with two overs of the match remaining, West Indies had seemed
home and hosed. A brilliantly measured century from Chris Gayle had
carried them to within 27 runs of victory, and by the time Courtney
Browne and Dwayne Bravo had reduced that requirement to just 10 runs
from 12 deliveries with four wickets in hand, they seemed to have the
match in the bag.
But, as the tempers on both sides began to fray, so too did West Indies'
resolve. Browne was caught off the leading edge to give Makhaya Ntini a
wicket with the final ball of his spell, meaning that Langeveldt began
the final over with four runs to defend and three wickets still
standing.
Ian Bradshaw and Bravo traded singles off the first two balls, although
Bravo's was so rash that he might have been run out by a mile had
Ashwell Prince's shy from midwicket been more accurate. If that was an
indicator of West Indies' nerves, then they were set jangling one ball
later, when Bradshaw was bowled all ends up, aiming a rash swing at a
perfect top-of-off-stump delivery.
Daren Powell, helmetless but visibly nervous, strode to the crease with
two runs needed from three balls, and was swiftly sent on his way in an
identical fashion, as Langeveldt soaked up the pressure and turned it
all on his opponents. The equation had been reduced to two runs from two
balls, but there was no longer any doubt who was in control, and when
the hat-trick delivery curved wickedly late to thud into Corey
Collymore's pads, Langeveldt didn't even bother to turn around and
appeal.
'Irish luck topples the English crown'
Date: March 2, 2011
Match: England v Ireland, Group B, ICC World Cup 2011
Venue: Bangalore
Result:Ireland 329 for 7 (K O'Brien 113, Cusack 47, Swann 3-47) beat England 327 for 8 (Trott 92, Bell 81, Pietersen 59, Mooney 4-63) by three wickets
Synopsis: Kevin O'Brien stunned
England with the fastest hundred in World Cup history as Ireland
secured their greatest victory with a monumental three-wicket triumph in
Bangalore. O'Brien clubbed a magnificent 113 off 63 deliveries as
Ireland earned the highest World Cup run-chase with four balls to spare.
After he'd added a match-changing 162 with Alex Cusack, John Mooney
joined him to play the innings of his life and help write another famous
chapter in Irish sport.
When the partnership was broken with 55 still needed Ireland could have
lost their way, especially when O'Brien couldn't get the strike back.
However, after struggling to get the ball away Mooney suddenly started
locating the boundary, firstly off the outside edge but then with two
nerveless drives through the covers, each coming after England had
strung together a few dot balls to build pressure. He was the dominant
partner in the seven-wicket stand.
Still, though, there was a final twist when O'Brien was run out in the
penultimate over. Trent Johnston, however, drove his first ball, a full
toss from Stuart Broad, for four as the equation came down to below a
run-a-ball for the first time in the entire chase. The final over
started with just three needed and off the second ball Mooney clipped
Anderson through midwicket to set off epic celebrations that will take
over any available Bangalore bar tonight.
'Inzamam vs Team India'
Date: April 12, 2005
Match: India v Pakistan, 4th ODI, Pakistan tour to India
Venue: Ahmedabad
Result:Pakistan 319 for 7 (Malik 65, Inzamam 60*) beat India 315 for 6 (Tendulkar 124, Dhoni 47) by 3 wickets, to level series 2-2
Synopsis: In the end, it came down to a clash of the titans, and Inzamam-ul-Haq's
batting prowess overcame Sachin Tendulkar's bowling nous to give
Pakistan a priceless final-ball victory that evened the six-match series
at 2-2. With three needed off the last over, Tendulkar, already a
centurion, bowled four dot-balls, but needing one off the last ball,
Inzamam pierced the five-man off-side cordon with a gentle, precise dab
past point. It was the fitting end to a magnificent match which Pakistan
retrieved in a rousing manner after chasing leather all morning.
Tendulkar had been India's batting hero, thrilling the crowds with a
splendid 123 as India piled up a massive 315 for 6, but each of
Pakistan's top four contributed significantly to set up a fascinating
denouement. Though India battled back magnificently through Murali
Kartik, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra - who also stunned everyone with
two breathtaking throws that produced run-outs - Inzamam's class and
composure was to prove the difference in a frenetic finale.
Often the butt of crass jokes for his running between the wickets,
Inzamam was superb today, scampering ones and twos as the pressure
mounted. And each time the run-rate threatened to get out of hand, he
would delve into his immense repertoire and produce a sublime stroke to
pierce the field.
'The Jury - a single run'
Date: January 15, 2011
Match: South Africa v India, 2nd ODI, India tour to South Africa
Venue: Johannesberg
Result:India 190 (Yuvraj 53, Dhoni 38, Tsotsobe 4-22) beat South Africa 189 (Smith 77, Munaf 4-29) by one run
Synopsis: Low-scoring matches are often the most exciting, and this was an
edge-of-your-seat thriller. It
didn't look that way when South Africa were 119 for three after 24
overs, seemingly cruising to their
target of 191. It took a couple of dreadful shots to start the rot, and
once the innings had become
infected, it was incurable.
Duminy slogged the part-time off-spinner
Rohit Sharma to long-on, and
Smith had his off stump knocked back eight overs later for what had been
a stabilising 77, during which he passed 6,000 runs in one-day
internationals.
Nonetheless, South Africa were still favourites
with 39 required, five wickets in hand and far more overs than were
necessary. Even after Zaheer
Khan removed Miller and Botha in the space of five balls, only 14 runs
were eventually needed to
win with three wickets left. But Steyn ran himself out, and Morkel and
Parnell were both caught at
point cutting Munaf Patel, who was mobbed by his team-mates and picked
up the match award.
His
final two wicket-taking deliveries were both nervous military-medium
long-hops: such is the margin
between success and failure. Tendulkar tweaked a hamstring during his
innings, and returned home
as a precautionary measure ahead of the World Cup.
'The birth of the chokers'
Date: May 17, 1999
Match: Australia v South Africa, 2nd semi final, ICC World Cup 1999
Venue: Edgbaston, Birmingham
Result: Match Tied- Australia 213 all out (Bevan 65, Donald 4-32) South Africa 213 all out (Kallis 53, Warne 4-29), Australia qualifies to the final on better net run-rate
Synopsis: This was not merely the match of the tournament: it must have been the
best one-day international of the 1,483 so far played. The essence of
the one-day game is a close finish, and this was by far the most
significant to finish in the closest way of all - with both teams all
out for the same score. But it was a compressed epic all the way
through, and it ended in a savage twist. The tie meant that South
Africa, for the third World Cup in a row, failed to reach the final
despite making much of the early running. The crucial fact was that
Australia finished higher than them in the Super Six table, and that was
determined by the obscurity of net run-rate. Many spectators were left
baffled.
Klusener's brawn had powered South Africa to the brink of the final but,
when he got there, his brain short-circuited. Only he could have
smashed and grabbed 31 runs off 14 balls, cutting a daunting target down
to a doddle: one needed off four balls, Klusener himself on strike, and
a decent, experienced tailender at the other end in Donald. The bowler,
Fleming, had only one thing going for him: he had bowled the final over
that beat West Indies in the 1996 World Cup semi-final. Having let
Klusener pummel consecutive fours to level the scores, he tightened up.
Steve Waugh, knowing a tie would be enough, set a field that gave new
meaning to the phrase a ring saving one.
Klusener thumped the ball
straight, and Donald, backing up too far, would have been run out if
Lehmann had hit the stumps. The scare should have been a warning. But
Klusener then repeated his straight biff and charged. Donald grounded
his bat, dropped it, and finally set off, while the Australians were
demonstrating the benefits of a recent visit to a bowling alley: Mark
Waugh, at mid-on, flicked the ball to Fleming, who rolled it to
Gilchrist, who broke the wicket, and South African hearts.
The rest of the match was studded with outstanding performances. When
Australia batted, Pollock, finally finding the edge, was magnificently
incisive. Donald twice took two wickets in an over. Steve Waugh and
Bevan performed a repair job which showed first self-control, then
controlled aggression. Kallis, carrying a stomach injury, bowled fast
and tight, and held the batting together with a cool fifty. Above all,
there was Shane Warne. The ball that bowled Gibbs was a miraculous
replay of his most famous delivery, to Mike Gatting six years earlier.
His first spell of eight overs went for only 12 runs. He pocketed three
more wickets, and the match award. The game was the last as South
Africa's coach for Bob Woolmer, whose blend of science and imagination
had produced a 73 per cent success rate in one-day internationals. He
deserved better than to go out on a technicality.
'4 on 4 - Malinga strikes!'
Date: March 28, 2007
Match: South Africa v Sri Lanka, Super Eights, ICC World Cup 2007
Venue: Guyana
Result:48.2 overs South Africa 212 for 9 (Kallis 86, Smith 59, Malinga 4-54) beat Sri Lanka 209 (Dilshan 58, Arnold 50, Langeveldt 5-39) by one wicket
Synopsis: An extraordinary spell of fast bowling from Lasith Malinga, where he
strung together a devastating sequence of four wickets in four balls,
threatened to produce the greatest one-day heist before South Africa
scrambled to a dramatic one-wicket victory in a heart-stopping Super
Eights clash in Guyana.
South Africa needed a meagre four runs to win with five wickets in hand
when Malinga finished batsmen as if swatting flies. He fooled Shaun
Pollock with a beauty of a slower ball before hurrying Andrew Hall with a
juddering yorker that looped up to cover. The first ball of the next
over produced the hat-trick, the fifth in World Cups, when the set
Jacques Kallis nicked to the wicketkeeper before a brute of a yorker
zoomed past Makhaya Ntini.
No bowler in one-day history has managed four in four - Saqlain Mushtaq has managed four in five
- and Malinga took Sri Lanka to the brink of an outrageous day-light
robbery. Robin Peterson and Charl Langeveldt survived a nervy 11
deliveries before a thick outside edge flew off Peterson's bat to seal
the deal. South Africa have laughed off the tag of 'chokers' but they
were a hairsbreadth away from out-doing their previous stumblings. Sri
Lanka made far too many mistakes but the fact that they got so close was
a testament to their depth and variety.
Malinga's burst overshadowed the first five-wicket haul of the
tournament - Langeveldt's 5 for 39 which restricted Sri Lanka. South
Africa had adjusted smartly to the slow, spongy pitch at the brand new
Providence Stadium. The conditions were far removed from St Kitts, where
South Africa were based during the first round. At Providence, the
ground was much larger, the pitch slower, and batsmen relied on nudges
rather than lofts. The conditions should have suited Sri Lanka but poor
shot selection from the top order and reckless slogs from the tail
pegged them back. South Africa's seamers, led by the skiddy Langeveldt,
turned in an efficient performance under gloomy skies before Graeme
Smith and Kallis steered the run-chase with contrasting half-centuries.
Sri Lanka came desperately close and will no doubt rue the missed
half-chances: two tough catches off Kallis went to ground, once when he
was on six and another on 75, when Malinga fluffed a low return catch.
Strange as it may sound, Malinga was the most erratic bowler on the day,
conceding close to six an over, and missed two direct hits as well.
Mahela Jayawardene's decision at the toss probably backfired - the sun
was out later in the afternoon and the pitch somewhat eased up - but his
decision to hold back Muralitharan, and then not keep more fielders in
the ring during the final stages, were critical to the outcome. His
decision to delay the third Powerplay till the 44th over nearly came off
but that was only owing to Malinga's unexpected spell.
'Sharjah turns green!'
Date: March 15, 1999
Match: Pakistan v Sri Lanka, 3rd match, Coca-Cola Champions Trophy
Venue: Sharjah
Result:Match Tied- Pakistan 196 all out (Youhana 48, Muralitharan 2-22) Sri Lanka 196 all out (Kaluwitharna 75, Razzaq 5-31)
Synopsis: In an astonishing nine-ball spell, Abdur Razzaq took four for nought to
snatch a tie from what seemed a certain Sri Lankan victory. At one
stage, they needed just 24 from ten overs with eight wickets remaining.
But when Razzaq returned to bowl three of the last five overs, the Sri
Lankan collapse had already started. Even so, with 14 required from 30
balls and five wickets left, they still looked safe. Razzaq, whose
previous seven overs had gone for 28, conceded three runs (two were
overthrows) to tilt matters further Sri Lanka's way.
Then he sliced
through the lower order with unplayable reverse swing, hitting the
stumps three times to complete a career-best five for 31. Earlier, the
Pakistan batsmen never fully coped with a turning ball, though at 131
for two they would have hoped for a larger total.
For Sri Lanka,
Kaluwitharana and Arnold put on 115 for the second wicket to manoeuvre
them into an ostensibly impregnable position. It was the 16th tie in
1,514 one-day internationals.
'A cricketing classic in Oceania'
Date: February 27, 2007
Match: New Zealand v Australia, 3rd ODI, Chappell-Hadlee Trophy
Venue: Hamilton
Result:New Zealand 350 for 9 (McMillan 117, McCullum 86*, Fulton 51) beat Australia 346 for 5 (Hayden 181*, Watson 68) by 1 wicket
Synopsis: Craig McMillan and Brendon McCullum blasted New Zealand to another
massive run-chase as they negated Matthew Hayden's 181 and inflicted a
cleansweep on Australia at Hamilton. The home team flew to 350 with only
one wicket to spare on the back of McMillan's 117 and his 165-run
partnership with McCullum.
Their second-innings 340 at Auckland on Sunday - which was the
second-highest chase in ODI history - was bettered again as McMillan
showed contempt for the Australia attack despite coming to the crease at
4 for 41. He brought up his first limited-overs century since 2002 with
two consecutive sixes off Adam Voges' left-arm orthodox spin, reaching
the milestone from only 67 balls, which was the fastest by a New
Zealander.
It was the first three-game whitewash Australia had suffered since their
tour of England in 1997 and continued Michael Hussey's poor record -
four losses from four games - as stand-in captain.
'Fight back of the decade'
Date: November 3, 2010
Match: Australia v Sri Lanka, 1st ODI, Sri Lanka tour to Australia
Venue: Melbourne
Result:Sri Lanka 9 for 243 (Mathews 77*, Malinga 56, Doherty 4-46) beat Australia 8 for 239 (Hussey 71*, Perera 5-46) by 1 wicket
Synopsis: Angelo Mathews and Lasith Malinga
produced one of the great one-day international fightbacks to clinch an
improbable victory for Sri Lanka, extending Australia's losing streak
to six international games since July. The visitors seemed destined for a
humiliating loss when they crashed to 8 for 107 chasing 240, but
Mathews and Malinga kept fighting, spurred on by noisy support from a
crowd dominated by Sri Lankan fans.
They compiled the highest ninth-wicket partnership in ODI history,
beating a 27-year-old record set by Kapil Dev and Syed Kirmani at the
1983 World Cup, and the 132-run stand left Australia's confidence in
tatters. Malinga belted his way to his first one-day half-century and
Mathews played the guiding hand with a wonderful unbeaten 77 as the pair
raced towards their target with plenty of time to spare.
They had a scare when Malinga was run out with the scores level, trying
for the winning single to cover, but Muttiah Muralitharan finished the
job with a flick off his pads for four to fine leg off Shane Watson. It
will be Muralitharan's final international act at the MCG, where he was
called for throwing 15 years ago, but this time there was nothing but
roaring applause.
'The Greatest match of all times'
Date: March 12, 2006
Match: South Africa v Australia, 5th ODI, Australia tour to South Africa
Venue: Johannesburg
Result:49.5 overs South Africa 438 for 9 (Gibbs 175, Smith 90, Boucher 50*) beat Australia 434 for 4 (Ponting 164, Hussey 81, Katich 79) by one wicket
Synopsis: Seven years ago, in the semi-final of the 1999 World Cup, South Africa
and Australia contested what has widely come to be regarded as the
definitive one-day international. A total of 426 runs in two innings,
twenty wickets in the day and world-class performances across the board -
a match that built to a pulsating finale in which South Africa threw
away their place in the World Cup final with what also came to be
regarded as the definitive one-day choke.
The 2,349th one-day international was, quite simply, a match that surpassed all the other 2,348.
On perhaps the best batting surface ever prepared in South Africa, Australia became the first team
to sail past 400. And lost. With a ball to spare, Mark Boucher hit Brett Lee to the long-on boundary,
giving South Africa the match and the series. This took the match aggregate to 872, increasing
the old record of 693 by a quarter.
There were extraordinary innings from both No. 3s, Ponting and Gibbs. In a blur of outrageous
shots, neither needed more than 100 balls to reach 150. Records cascaded almost as fast as runs:
highest (and second-highest) total; fastest (and second-fastest) international 150; most expensive
bowling figures; most runs in boundaries... and many more.
It was no day to be a bowler, though Bracken produced some very good deliveries and managed
to take five wickets. Tales of disaster were more common. After eight overs, Telemachus had the
respectable figures of one for 47 (and the game's only maiden). But brought back at the end, he
bowled four consecutive no-balls in a ten-ball over costing 28 - though it did contain Ponting's
wicket. His figures ultimately read 10-1-87-2. Yet Telemachus had a good day compared to Lewis,
whose journey from Durban hero to Johannesburg zero could not have been starker. Less than 48
hours after hitting the winning runs at Kingsmead, he became the first person to concede 100
runs in a 50-over one-day international. (Martin Snedden conceded 105 in 12 overs for New
Zealand against England in the 1983 World Cup.) Lewis's reputation for bowling yorkers at the
death was left in tatters.
The barrage of runs was incessant from the start. Gilchrist walloped 55
from 44 balls, and
Katich, in theory Australia's anchor, hit 79 from 90. And even when
Ponting and Hussey were together and the score a meteoric 301 for two
after 40 overs, they kept on pushing into the
unknown, refusing to back off though they must have believed the game
won.
Oddly, the scale of the South Africans' task set them free. In the
interval, Kallis had broken
the ice in a sombre dressing-room with the words "Come on, guys: it's a
450-wicket. They're 15
short!" As Smith and Gibbs admitted afterwards, it allowed the team to
have a "little chuckle"
before the reply, and the pair played with an abandon inspired by their
sense of the absurd. The
coach, Mickey Arthur, remained pragmatic, setting an initial target of
185 from 25 overs. The
score was actually 229 for two.
Swinging his bat like a battleaxe, Smith zoomed to 90 from only 55 balls, including 13 fours
and two sixes, even outscoring the flying Gibbs. South Africa's most serious wobble came in the
43rd over when, still needing 80, they lost their sixth wicket. But van der Wath launched three
sixes in five balls to keep the fantasy alive.
With the last pair in and two needed from three balls, Lee bowled a
near-perfect yorker to
Ntini. However, instead of his usual swish, he calmly steered the ball
to third man for a single. Scores level. And then Boucher hit the next
ball for four, completing one of his finest fifties -
and the most phenomenal of games. South Africa had won the series. And
how.
Cranky, grumpy, irascible, cantankerous. Carl Fredericksen is all of these things and more, but the genius of Up's lead (the first of two characters from their arguable masterpiece to make this list) is that we know right from the off why he ended up that way. And it's not just because he's old. Watching Carl slowly shake off the shackles off loss and hurt over the course of 90-odd gloriously rejuvenating moments is a rare joy, the sort of thing that Pixar seems to specialize in. Carl (impeccably voiced by Asner) remains one of the most well rounded and plain human characters in animation history.
14. Napoleon Dynamite
"I see you're drinking 1%. Is that 'cause you think you're fat? 'Cause
you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to."
There are the great nerds that revel in their petty nerdom, and then there is Napoleon Dynamite, who gives geekiness a whole new twisted and perverted edge.
Napolean Dynamite, as played by John Herder, is a tall, extremely thin young teenager with hair that looks like it has not been combed in a lifetime. He’s a one note personality, with voice that’s as grating as a female bodybuilder that’s taken too much of the juice. He rarely smiles, has great empathy for his own condition of loneliness, and says things that are so enormously dumb that we often have to wonder if his own intelligence is worthy of nerd status.
Yes, Napoleon is such a gifted nerd that he’s even given to wild, baseless, and completely unsubstantiated claims, the kind that don’t ever appear to be taken seriously by even the most naive person.
She is innocent, cute and searching for her dream love. Amelie is as realistic as a shy girl sitting next to you at the bus stop. She's a deep procrastinator, living in her world of pink. Being a loner in her childhood, Amelie developed a tendency to see the people in her own way.
12. Walter Sobchak
"This is what happens when you fuck a stranger in the ass!"
Played by: John Goodman
Movie: The Big Lebowski (1998)
5 words: Vietnam-war, Bowling, Guns, Rules, Rage
There's no shortage of great characters in the Coen Brothers' canon, but
they don't get much better than Walter. Written especially for Goodman,
this bellowing, Vietnam war-obsessed bowling fanatic , notable for his
short temper and a love of guns, belongs firmly in the 'once seen, never
forgotten' hall of fame.
At first glance Walter seems a person that time has passed by. Someone
who has lived so long that the world is no longer as it was when he learned
to survive in it many years ago. Unfortunately for Walter, the world
was never as he wanted it to be and he has never fit into it. He deals
with the world around him as he wants it to be. He is very pleasant,
as long as he perceives that others treat him with courtesy, and respect the
things about which he cares. When you fail to recognize the protocol
of his interaction he is immediately aroused to a fit of rage because “There
are rules” and you have violated them. It is not that he wants his way
because it is his way, but because it is right, fair, and respectful.
11. Wilson the volleyball
Movie: Cast Away (1987)
5 words: Volley-ball, Survivor, Island, Listener, Partner
He's his only friend. Wilson and spent four years together in the remote island. Wilson is actually a combination of his few drops of blood from his wound on a volleyball. Wilson would later accompany him in her attempt to cross the sea. Where, Wilson would later disappear in the lavishing sea tides.
Gunnery Sergeant Hartman was a character in Full Metal Jacket
and although technically not an antagonist he was a foul-mouthed bully
who drove the overweight recruit known as Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle"
Lawrence to insanity - resulting in the soldier killing Hartman with his
service rifle before committing suicide himself in front of a shocked
Joker.
Although extremely cruel the practices employed by Hartman were
actually part of his job as a Drill Sergeant and was designed to toughen
up recruits and prepare them for war - unfortunately for Hartman his
methods backfired on him due to Lawrence's instability, which pushed the
soldier too far, which tragic consequences for all involved.
9. Loki Laufeyson
“The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life’s joy in a mad scramble
for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you
will always kneel. I am Loki, of Asgard. And I am burdened with glorious
purpose.”
Played by: Tom Hiddlestone
Movie: Thor (2011), Avengers (2012)
5 words: Demi-god, Mischief, Manipulator, Leader, Dark
A man of three worlds who is not at home in any of them, Loki Laufeyson, the Norse god of mischief, is a master manipulator and skilled tactician. As he did in the Marvel Comics universe, Loki provides the catalyst for the formation of the superhero team in "The Avengers."
As played by actor Tom Hiddleston, the Loki seen in "Thor" and "Avengers" movie is comparable to the more malicious Loki from the mainstream Marvel Comics universe.
The mischief-maker's chief power is his command of the dark forces.
Through the years, Loki has fired concussive beams from his hands and
moved objects with the power of his mind. He also can use his magic to
augment his own health and abilities as well as those of humans, like
the aforementioned Absorbing Man.
As far as I’m concerned, Kate Winslet can do no wrong. She is the
most gifted British actress of her generation, the youngest leading lady
to be nominated for the Academy award five times and star of the most
successful film ever, Titanic. But it is not her portrayal of Rose in
the iceberg epic that earns her a spot as a female film hero, but her
turn as the wacky-haired, loud-mouthed Clementine in Eternal Sunshine of
the Spotless Mind.
Clementine is an unusual name, and almost in a bid to appear worthy
of such a rare moniker, she engineers a persona to match. She dies her
hair crazy colours and wears some truly awful clothes, but it’s all
superficial.
It is her faults and her honest acceptance of these that make us like
her all the more. She is ridiculously fickle, has the attention span of a
small child and is high-maintenance, and yet these are all traits that
she admits to and never looks to change. The hair and wacky clothes
might be one way she tries to express her personality, but her true self
always shines through, never to be denied. She is self-aware and
confident in her limitations, but this inner knowledge of her lesser
qualities never makes her withdrawn, apologetic or sad. Instead, she
opts to be the life and soul of every party.
7. Jeffrey Goines
"Ah! Ah! There's no right, there's no wrong, there's only popular opinion. You... you... you believe in germs, right?"
Played by: Brad Pitt
Movie: Twelve Monkeys (1995)
5 word intro: Lunatic, Fruitcake, Scientist-Son, Conspirator, Leader
Not many lunatics are as impressive as Jeff. Even in the asylum, he comes up with some amazing pick-ups which would compel you to reconsider your outlook on social
6. Roger 'Verbal' Kint
"The greatest
trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist.
And like that... he is gone."
He is one ordinary lookingmailman-from-next street. Kint is shown to be crippled, suffering from cerebral palsy who, is being the object of a policeinterrogation about the explotion of a boat. The spectator becomes no less than a witness of the story told by Verbal Kint who is the sole survivor.
The story progresses as a Hungarian crime lord Keyser Soze, is charged as the convict. Verbal Kint recreates a story with objects, images, papers and even brands that he is looking at while being interrogated: he rewrites the whole story as he tells it to the policeman. He becomes an “inner” screenwriter in the film itself.
Moreover, the “bad guy” is the man that the audience would suspect the less because the character himself has a physical problem, which makes him weaker to our eyes. It is a physical problem that is actually fake, as we find out in the end of the film.Kint is shown to be crippled, suffering from cerebral palsy. He has one lame foot and cannot move his left hand.
5. Hannibal Lector
"People don't always tell you what they are thinking. They just see to it that you don't advance in life."
Lecter is a brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer. In
The Silence of the Lambs, feature Lecter as one of two primary
antagonists. In the third novel, Hannibal, Lecter becomes the main
character. His role as protagonist continues into the fourth novel,
Hannibal Rising, which explores his childhood and development into a
serial killer.
Hannibal Lecter is described as being small and
sleek, and with wiry strength in his arms. In The Silence of the Lambs
it is revealed that Lecter's left hand has the condition called mid ray
duplication sexdactyly, or his left hand has an extra digit; a
duplicated middle finger. In Hannibal, he has since had his extra digit
removed, while Hannibal Rising makes no mention of this physical
abnormality.
Lecter's eyes are shade of maroon, and reflect the
light in "pinpoints of red". He is also said to have small white teeth
and dark hair.
4. Frank William Abagnale Jr.
"An honest man has nothing to fear, so I am trying hard not to be afraid."
Frank Abagnale’s rare expertise began more than 40 years ago when
he was known as one of the world's most famous confidence men. Between
the ages of 16 and 21, he successfully posed as an airline pilot, an
attorney, a college professor and a pediatrician, in addition to cashing
$2.5 million in fraudulent checks in every state and 26 foreign
countries. Apprehended by the French police when he was 21 years old, he
served time in the French, Swedish and U. S. prison systems. After five
years he was released on the condition that he would help the federal
government, without remuneration, by teaching and assisting federal law
enforcement agencies. Frank has now been associated with the FBI for
over 35 years. More than 14,000 financial institutions, corporations and
law enforcement agencies use his fraud prevention programs.
Frank’s exploits were depicted in the movie Catch Me If You Can,
based on Frank’s best-selling book. In this session, he’ll describe his
life, both during the time covered in his well known story, as well as
covering what he’s up to these days.
3. Tommy DeVito
"You mean, let me understand this cause, ya know maybe it's me, I'm a
little fucked up maybe, but I'm funny how, I mean funny like I'm a
clown, I amuse you? I make you laugh, I'm here to fuckin' amuse you?
What do you mean funny, funny how? How am I funny?"
Talking about a real badass, Tommy Devito would always be there within the top notch. Played by Italian actor Joe Pesci, the character was pivotal in 'Goodfellas' success. Pesci’s performance is riveting. There is no other way to describe
it. He dominates every scene he is involved in because Tommy is such an
unpredictable character. At one moment he is cracking jokes and then all
of a sudden he becomes a violent child throwing a tantrum. Pesci
controls the screen and it is impossible to remove one’s eyes from his
vibrant performance.
I can never forget the “How am I funny sequence” in which he
frightens Henry Hill and the rest of table to such a degree that they
begin to fear for Henry Hill’s life. Only after minutes of contemplation
does Hill realize that he is joking. The fact is that the audience is
left stunned as well. They don’t know whether or not he is joking
either. Immediately after this sequence, Tommy feels insulted about
being asked to pay his tab. He smashes a bottle over the owner’s head
and forces him to flee. The rest of the dining patrons laugh at his
actions more out of fear of what he may do to them then out of
excitement and amusement. Top class!
Heath Ledger made the Joker a singular and supremely unhinged villain: one who's
amoral for no particular reason. He revels in death and mayhem; his
laugh is a cackle turned inside-out. He uses a knife because, he says, a
gun is too quick. A complete evil illustrator of mad persona that grabs your attention from the start till the credits roll.
His appearance is shocking, all shown in a quick, massive close-up: a face encased in the creased, grotesque
makeup of a melting, bitter clown; a mop of greasy, greenish hair; the
fraying purple suit of a fop turned madman. The Joker bears no
resemblance to the strikingly handsome actor who played him. In fact,
the character is like nothing we've seen or heard before. This is a career-making performance if ever there was one. Too bad it was a career-ending one as well. 1. Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade
"Oh, uh, Charlie - about your little problem - there are two kinds of
people in this world: those who stand up and face the music, and those
who run for cover. Cover is better."
Played by: Al Pacino
Movie: Scent of a woman (1992)
5 words: Army-man, Blind, Fiery, Witty, Skeptical
A fiery & embittered decorated military man who Charlie is looking
after over Thanksgiving. The blind and washed-up Lieutenant Colonel
originally planned to spend a weekend in NYC before putting a bullet in
his head.
Lt. Col. Frank Slade is a man who is certain of himself and the paths
he did not take. He is skeptical of everyone else he’s met on the path
he did. How else other than for him to communicate to the larger world
in outsized and obvious ways? The blind man is often the soothsayer, but
here he is not so much predicting young Charlie’s future as dropping
the wood, laying the lumber and hammering home the tracks. He dedicates his life protecting that innocent soul which he think would make him proud.
Alpacino played Slade's character which can only be describe as pure legend and went on to win the Oscar for this mesmerizing performance.
