We here at Goliath are tired of hearing about critically acclaimed films. We’re tired of hearing about box office results and Rotten Tomatoes scores, and we’re tired of hearing about the astounding technical achievements of 21st-century visual effects artists. What we are interested in (at least for the duration of this article), are “Friday Night Films,” a term we’re proud to coin. These aren’t the greatest movies ever made, and they certainly aren’t out there winning any awards. They don’t have foolproof scripts or legendary performances. What they do have is the charm, and in spades no less. These movies are all wonderful for their rewatchability, for their familiarity, and for their awesome ability to entertain while you kick back with a few brews and a few buddies for an enjoyable Friday night movie. Enjoy!
10. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
There are few movies more quotable than this beloved 1984 rock mockumentary (although the few that are will probably find their way onto this list). This Is Spinal Tap, a fake documentary that was written, directed, and stars Rob Reiner as documentary filmmaker Marty Di Bergi, chronicles the exploits of hard rock/heavy metal band Spinal Tap on their American tour to promote their new album, Smell the Glove. Wonderfully intelligent in its satirical treatment of both rock stars and the rockumentary film format, This Is Spinal Tap is home to innumerable oft-quoted lines (“…these go to eleven.”) (“You can’t dust for vomit.”) and hits very close to home for many noted musicians; artists, as varied as Jimmy Page, Dave Grohl, Eddie Vedder, and Ozzy Osbourne, have made a note of how hilariously accurate the film’s representation of a musical tour can be. Gut-wrenching hilarity mixes with a classic soundtrack to produce one of the all-time great Friday Night Films. We can’t think of a better film than This Is Spinal Tap to kick off this list.
Source: Screenshot via Embassy Pictures
