ROTTEN TOMATOES: Five Favorite Films with Seth Rogen

Five Favorite Films with Seth Rogen

The Zack and Miri star reveals his movie list.

by Alex Vo | October 29, 2008

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After a steady ascension to leading man status through cult TV work (Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared) and supporting roles (Anchorman, The 40 Year Old Virgin), Seth Rogen fulfils another Hollywood dream this week: headlining a Kevin Smith movie, reported to have been Rogen's goal when starting out in L.A. He stars in Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno along with Elizabeth Banks as one of two roommates who embark on a porno shoot to pay off debts, while slowly realizing the possibility they could be more than just friends, roommates, and on-screen amateurs.

RT spoke to Rogen for his five favorite films ever (click here for Monday's Five Favorites article with Kevin Smith), and followed up with an interview about Zack and Miri, opening this Friday.

The Big Lebowski (1998, 77% Tomatometer)

Obviously amazing. It's hilarious. I can watch it over and over. Unbelievably funny.

Ghostbusters (1984, 93% Tomatometer)

That was just good ol' high-concept fun. Evan and I always like to take ridiculous situations and handle them as though they were real. That's kind of where the idea of Pineapple Express came from. These ridiculous action movie situations and you handle it just how two idiots would handle it. And that's kind of what Ghostbusters did. It's a ridiculous concept but it was handled very much, "How would four dudes do that, you know?" And it's great. I love that movie.

The Last Detail (1974, 91% Tomatometer)

I saw that more recently in life. Hal Ashby shoots very simply. He kind of takes a step back and shoots stuff as it happens. Things are never about the shot, you know? It's always about the joke. It's never about how the camera moves. That's a very interesting style.

Superbad is very Last Detail-ish. We wrote Superbad before we saw Last Detail, but after we saw it, it helped clarify what we were going for, I think.

Total Recall (1990, 79% Tomatometer)

Total Recall's just f--king rad. And super violent. That movie is a good indicator that you can take things much farther than you think you could. [Laughs.] And they will strike a chord with the mainstream, I think. That movie goes really far. It's pretty crazy. I love Paul Verhoeven. He's the man.

Goodfellas (1990 96% Tomatometer)

I just love that movie. It's a rad movie. It's beautiful.

Our interview with Seth Rogen continues as we discuss his upcoming projects, including The Green Hornet and Judd Apatow's Funny People.

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(1-20 of 37 posts) | Reply

jarbuckl writes:
on Oct 29 2008 04:53 PM

A great list. Didn't expect anything less.

(Reply to this)

kodie131 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 04:55 PM

Good choices. That's awesome. Never thought of Seth Rogen as a Goodfellas kind of guy, thats pretty cool.

(Reply to this)

CoreyT writes:
on Oct 29 2008 05:01 PM

I like how he didn't choose normal "great" choices.

He's rad.

(Reply to this)

Indy! writes:
on Oct 29 2008 05:38 PM

Well, it's FAVORITE films - not BEST films, so you could pick anything and in all honesty the people reading the list can't really trash him for it. Everyone has different tastes so if the Big Lebowski works it's way to the top of someone's "favorite" list, you just shrug and move on down the list. And - okay - so MAYBE you can see someone listing Total Recall as one of their top five "favorite" sci-fi films of all time, but top five of ALL films ever made? Hmmmm... But whatever... that's not the problem I have with Seth Rogen - the problem I have with Mr Rogen involves a film he is allegedly developing to be released sometime in 2010... The Green Hornet. If you haven't heard of this project, you can stop wetting your pants at the thought because Seth is about to ruin it for you. Forget about possibly seeing the most incredible 2 hours of film Hollywood will ever create. Forget something outrageously wicked like Jet Li recreating the Bruce Lee role of Kato. Forget mindboggling special effects like a 21st century stinger that blows that crap out of nefarious villains. Forget the most awesome ride in super hero history - the Black Beauty - being totally tricked out with all kinds of trick new gadgets we can only imagine in our wildest, wettest dreams. No. It's not happening because Seth Rogen is turning the Britt Reid... the Green Hornet... into a COMEDY.

PS: No. I didn't make that up.

(Reply to this)

The Great One writes:
on Oct 29 2008 05:52 PM

In reply to this comment (#2101631)
"There's four guys who are real pissed off about it, and f--k those guys."

Yeah did you read the article Indy, Seth doesn't care...and I don't understand what you are so upset about when they have f'in Stephen Chow doing it damn it

(Reply to this)

tomwaitsjr writes:
on Oct 29 2008 05:53 PM

"Check out previous installments with Kevin Smith, Dane Cook, Paris Hilton, and Judd Apatow."

Don't check the ones of Dane Cook or Paris Hilton. It only leads to dispair. Don't let my suffering count for nothing. Don't do it!

(Reply to this)

ledawg1138 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 05:58 PM

Funny guy. The cop in Superbad my fave. But Ghostbusters I saw for the first time today, and it was okay. Not... great. Middle was slow. But when the Stay Puft marshmallow man came along, all was good. But we all know what's great... The Dude. Who now is the Iron Monger. I can't trash his list, because I don't trash others opinion. Or at least I try not to.

(Reply to this)

jokerboy1991 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 06:33 PM

Good choices, except Total Recall which is a bit corny but yes cool.

(Reply to this)

707PG13 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 06:49 PM

In reply to this comment (#2101631)
Damn....that's one pissed off fan boy.

(Reply to this)

martinscorsese25 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 06:55 PM

stephen chow seth rogen??

wow... that's interesting

(Reply to this)

AntonChigurh writes:
on Oct 29 2008 06:58 PM

Never read The Green Hornet and never will, so could care less what Rogen does with it.

(Reply to this)

utkipp1 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 07:58 PM

Ghostbusters... okay?!? Really? I mean, I try to respect other people's opinions and all but you have to have a line in the sand. Saying Ghostbusters was okay is like someone having the opinion that the Holocaust was a good thing. Just straight up retarded.

(Reply to this)

utkipp1 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 08:04 PM

And this is a little off topic, but, I was watching this a little earlier, is Corey Feldman's best role not Donatello in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?

(Reply to this)

kodie131 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 08:13 PM

Hey Indy, give the man a break. Everyone has oddball favorite movies. I really enjoy House of 1,000 Corpses. I know its not one of the best movies ever made, it is really flawed, but I just enjoy it. If Seth Rogen want's to see Arnold's head puff up when he is on the surface of Mars, all power to him!

And yes, when Corey Feldman touches anything, it turns to gold. Especially if it's a big rubber turtle.

(Reply to this)

Clint129 writes:
on Oct 29 2008 08:43 PM

Never seen The Last Detail, but otherwise it's tough for the twenty-to-thirty-something year old demographic to dislike this list.
Favorites? Maybe not. But most beloved?...I'd have to at least defend...for me, they were all well done movies that really got me to embrace my imagination while laughing at the same time...who can bash that?

(Reply to this)

JAKEofMIDWORLD writes:
on Oct 29 2008 09:00 PM

I agree with Clint. These movies will continue to entertain me until I die.

(Reply to this)

Mike M. writes:
on Oct 29 2008 09:15 PM

Love the list... although never seen Last Detail.

Green Hornet -- I was originally pessimistic about it. But I think it could work. Although Seth Rogen needs to work out a bit if he wants to pull off the character physically, STEPHEN m*fing CHOW is Kato. And he can do all the physical, as well as help make this a funny movie with good humor.

A way that I really liked the Green Hornet was a short movie I saw a while ago... in it, GH wasn't as physical as Kato, but he could still hold his own, and make a showing for himself (which I feel is the big problem with GH, compared to Kato, he's nothing)

link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6baKbRQrt4 ... check it out, it's an interesting watch.

(Reply to this)

Sulaco2k writes:
on Oct 29 2008 09:45 PM

Great list from Seth, didn't see Total Recall making one of these fav lists. Ghostbusters isn't just good, it's ****ing great, one of the few 80's films that holds up and as far as Lebowski, well...the dude abides.

(Reply to this)

LeauNoir writes:
on Oct 29 2008 10:50 PM

In reply to this comment (#2101631)
Kato was the Green Hornet's younger sidekick, so how would Jet Li, who's in his 40s be a good Kato? Who would you suggest to play GH himself? Clint Eastwood? Richard Dreyfuss?

I understand you're upset that he's making it into a comedy, but you're blowing it just a wee bit out of proportion. I mean, have you ever considered the possibility that the movie might be good with that more tongue-in-cheek feel to it?

(Reply to this)

LeauNoir writes:
on Oct 29 2008 11:00 PM

In reply to this comment (#2101631)
Kato was the Green Hornet's younger sidekick, so how would Jet Li, who's in his 40s be a good Kato? Who would you suggest to play GH himself? Clint Eastwood? Richard Dreyfuss?

I understand you're upset that he's making it into a comedy, but you're blowing it just a wee bit out of proportion. I mean, have you ever considered the possibility that the movie might be good with that more tongue-in-cheek feel to it?

(Reply to this)

The Big Lebowski (1998, 77% Tomatometer)

Ghostbusters (1984, 93% Tomatometer)

The Last Detail (1974, 91% Tomatometer)

Total Recall (1990, 79% Tomatometer)

Goodfellas (1990 96% Tomatometer)

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