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The Usual Suspects (1995)

Rated R

106 Minutes

Directed by Bryan Singer (The X-Men, Valkyrie, House, M.D.)

Budget $6,000,000

Box Office $$23,272,306

Reasons that it's a Frank Movie:

I mean, there just isn't any more of a Frank Movie that this.  Yes it was nominated for Oscars.  Yes, it is on a bunch of AFI lists.  Yes, Rolling Stone went bonkers for it, but it still HAS to be on this list.

Here's why:

1.  Spacey.

I'm not saying Kevin Spacey is a Frank Actor.  But the reason that he may be is solely from his performance as Verbal Kint/Keyser Soze.  And, yes, there's nothing revolutionary about that - he won The Oscar for it, but this monologue is the essence of a Frank Movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnGo6Qm0Wt8

I've quoted it in so many conversations, with so many contexts, it's truly part of my lexicon.

2.  The ultimate ensemble film.

I mean, it may be The Breakfast Club, but I'd say that this is the greatest ensemble film ever made.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDfZ5HmA6fs

p.s.  The fact that it is such a good ensemble film is the reason, I believe, that Singer was given the X-Men franchise by Fox,  In my personal opinion, he has yet to deliver. 

3.  The Twist.

I mean, it's just so good.  Every.  Time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYXXhn9fMYs

For the record, it shockingly (to me), made Ebert's "Most Hated Films" list.  Boy, I could do one of those...

http://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/eberts-most-hated



Runner-up: Unlawful Entry (1992)

Rated R

112 Minutes

Directed by Jonathan Kaplan (The Accused, Project X, Bad Girls)

Reasons that it's a Frank Movie:

1.  Kurt Russell.

Snake Plissken (EFNY/LA), Captain Ron, Dean Proffitt (Overboard), Bull McCaffery (Backdraft), and R.J. Macready (John Carpenter's The Thing). 

Those are my Top 5 Kurt Russell roles.  And, yes, I know that doesn't include Big Trouble in Little China or Wyatt Earp from Tombstone, but it's my list... so shut up.

Anyway, having said all of that, this is one of the few times that he gets to play the Beta Male, to Liotta's Alhpa Male.  He does great.

The only video of him is in the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNcy0GZr_Zw

2.  Liotta.

Perhaps if he had stuck to roles where he abused women named "Karen"...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq16lMUIUt8

Honorable Mentions:  Uncle Buck (1989), The Untouchables (1987), Unbreakable (2000)