One of the best after effects of a great film is the memorable lines that stick with you outside of the theatrical experience. So, the Bitesize crew has put their brains together to compile Bitesize Breakdown's consensus Top Five Most Quotable Films.
As per usual, each writer ranks their top 15 films in the category. Those lists are then weighted on a reverse point system. After all the points are tallied up, the entries with the most total points make up the Bitesize Top Five.
5. THE PRINCESS BRIDE
Inconceivable! The Princess Bride is only number five on this list?! Ok, well, when you see (some of) the movies ranked higher, maybe you will feel better. Or maybe you will feel that we did this whole list a disservice by calling it a “Top Five.” We keep making these lists, using that phrase every month, and I’m not sure it means what we think it means. But, as you wish, we keep coming back again and again with more lists, and this film usually ends up somewhere on them because it’s one of the best films in almost every category. Anyone who says differently is selling something because it still bwings us together nearly 40 years later. Like mawage, it’s a blessed awangement that dweams within a dweam. So, whether you like to have fun storming the castle, or your name is Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin) and we killed your father and must prepare to die, nothing, including death, can stop the Rob Reiner classic from returning. All we can do is delay it for a while. — Amarú
4. STEP BROTHERS
I live my life one quote at a time; sometimes to add to a conversation for laughs, other times as a non-sequiter because my brain drives for internal pleasure. So, in most instances, quotes are used as a mechanism to make me happy, and comedy, usually Will Ferrell comedies, offer the deepest well from which to draw satisfaction. Fortunately, my wife and I share a similar sense of humor and movie quote knowledge to say, or scream, at one another. Step Brothers is always at the top of the rotation. This Adam McKay effort was not designed to live on in perpetuity for its contribution to cinematic excellence, but to inform others what to do if your older stepfather gets in your face. Without Step Brothers, I wouldn’t know that a swanky party in Catalina is considered the biggest helicopter leasing event in the Western Hemisphere since 1997. Or that Cops doesn’t air until 4:00 pm on weekdays. Roger Ebert thought supporting films like this was a travesty that would singlehandedly lead to the fall of Western civilization, but would you want to live in a world without “Boats and Hoes” or the sweet harmonies of Derek’s (Adam Scott) loving family belting out “Sweet Child O’ Mine”? I didn’t think so, because good things like rainbows and puppies make existence great. But, please, no matter what bullying you endure, don’t lick any white dog excrement laid by those sweet puppies…Step Brothers is always looking out for us. — Robert
3. SHREK
The cultural impact of Shrek cannot be understated as every person of every age can recite quotes from the animated classic. Like many, I’m sure, Shrek quotes have just become part of my vocabulary, and the iconic voice cast of Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, and John Lithgow, to name a few, solidify Shrek as one of the most quotable films ever. I’m going to nearly resist the temptation to fill this paragraph purely with Shrek quotes because there are simply so many well-known phrases from this film, including but absolutely not limited to Shrek’s (Myers) infamous “this is MY swamp!”, the perfect delivery of “some of you may die, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make”, and the instantly recognisable cadence of Donkey (Murphy) saying “I like that boulder. That is a NICE boulder.” And who can forget, “we can stay up late, swapping manly stories, and in the morning.. I'm making waffles!” — Katie
2. ANCHORMAN: THE LEGEND OF RON BURGUNDY
“Stay classy, San Diego.” “60 percent of the time, it works every time.” “Boy, that escalated quickly.” I can go on, but I do have a word limit. The best comedies can have their jokes or one-liners stick with an audience for a couple of weeks, maybe even a year. Anchorman has remained a cultural staple for over two decades, in part due to the memorable characters and hysterical humour. As with other Will Ferrell and Adam McKay collaborations, the anarchic sense of humour the two share in Anchorman gives the cast of funny people ample room to improvise, which is undoubtedly where many of our great quotes come from. I bring it up because it shows the incomparable power of comedy; that something off the cuff in the moment can become a cultural cornerstone. Anchorman, if nothing else, is filled with them. — Adriano
1. PULP FICTION
“They call it a Royale with Cheese.” Before I had ever seen Pulp Fiction, I was very much aware of that particular quote. So much so that, whenever I would eat a Quarter Pounder from McDonalds, it would always pop into my head (and still does to this day). But one of the great things about watching Quentin Tarantino’s classic sophomore feature, especially for the first time, is realizing that “Royale with Cheese” is just one of many memorable quotes sprinkled throughout its sprawling runtime. Whether it’s "Oh, I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?” or "I'ma get medieval on your ass” or, yes, even the “Royale with Cheese” line, they all are quotes that have helped make the film such a pop-culture staple since its 1994 release (not to mention its memorable characters, anthology-like structure, and iconic soundtrack). Of course, Pulp Fiction wasn’t the first example of Tarantino’s ability to generate iconic dialogue, but the fact it was only his second film shows the level of talent he possessed, even at a young age. — Bode
HONORABLE MENTIONS
BACK TO THE FUTURE
SUPERBAD
AIRPLANE!
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
MEAN GIRLS