Favorite Characters of All Time

Hello! So for anyone who's familiar with the Nostalgia Critic, you all know that he recently did a top 10 list of his favorite characters of all time. So of course, me being the geek that I am, I had to do this too. Got two others to do too! 10 Favorite Movies, and 20 Favorite Movies. But for now, here are my favorite characters of all time! Now just a heads up, there's gonna be a few spoilers in the descriptions here, so just be warned.

#10: Karl Childers from "Sling Blade"

First up on the list, Karl Childers. This movie is a great movie, and the biggest part of that, as it should be, is Billy Bob Thornton's amazing performance as Karl Childers. Karl, a mentally challenged man sent to a psychiatric hospital for killing his mother and her lover at the age of 12, is released from the hospital and goes back to his hometown. There, he befriends a young boy, Frank, and his mother, Linda, becoming like a new family member, but unfortunately is at odds with Linda's abusive and increasingly dangerous drunkard of a boyfriend, Doyle. Considering that Doyle is friends with the chief of police in the movie, this gives him free reign to do as he pleases with no consequences. As Karl spends more time with his new companions, he realizes that they are in grave danger of Doyle's behavior, and must decide what lengths me must go to protect his close friends.

Why I like Karl so much is because despite his disability and the incident that took the lives of his mother and her young lover, he is probably the gentlest soul you will ever meet, and one of the best friends you could ever make. His compassion for Linda and especially Frank makes for some of the most genuine moments you will ever see on screen. I also like the way he talks. What's also great about Karl is that he may be mentally challenged, and may not understand everything that comes his way, but he's no idiot. He knows the difference between right and wrong, but he also knows when even the wrong choice, such as murder, just might be the only choice to make if it means protecting those he loves from a grim fate. Karl makes my list because of his compassion and willingness to sacrifice his own well-being if it means the well-being of those that matter can prevail.

#9: Doc Holliday from "Tombstone"

That Val Kilmer was not even nominated for an Oscar for his undeniably charming and incredible turn as gunman Doc Holliday is just absolutely insane. I've not seen a lot of movies with Val Kilmer, and from what I have seen with him, I see him more as a capable actor than a great one. But holy crap, he knocked it out of the ballpark with this one. He has some of the most memorable dialogue and one-liners, and the delivery is just perfect. But what makes him such a great character is his attitude and outlook on life. Doc knows that his tuberculosis is catching up to him, leaving him with less and less time to live. Due to this, the man lives life with no rules, no worries, and no fear. When a man with no fear is also a pretty skilled gunman, you've got yourself one dangerous person that should not be messed with. Pure badassery! But the most important reason why I like him is this: his devotion to his friend Wyatt Earp. You know Doc is willing to do whatever he can for Wyatt, no questions asked, no disagreements. Even if it means dying, Doc will do it. In fact, that's exactly what Doc does when he secretly takes Wyatt Earp's place in the final fight with Johnny Ringo, knowing full well that Wyatt will die if he faces Johnny. That, my friends, is a sign of true dedication and devotion to a friend, and seals the deal of why I love this character so much.

#8: George Bailey from "It's A Wonderful Life"

The reason I love this character can be seen throughout the entire movie, but can be summed up in the climax of the film. George Bailey is a prime example of selflessness and a pure heart. Every good thing that happens to everyone he knows is all because of him. And a lot of it would not be possible if he hadn't kept setting aside his own dreams to help the dreams of his loved ones. What I also loved about George is that the movie doesn't make him out to be this perfect person, or someone who truly acknowledges all the good he's done for those around him. It's great that he is so selfless and setting aside his dreams, but it's also great to see that constantly having to do so is really getting to him, and making him increasingly frustrated with life. This just makes him seem even more human and relatable, as everyone who constantly helps others instead of themselves will eventually want a well-deserved break for themselves, and will eventually reach a breaking point. There’s one other thing about him too though that makes him relatable. Despite all the great things he’s done for his friends, family, and town, George is a very doubtful man, especially considering that he doesn’t live a very rich life or in a very rich town. Many people might feel that way, that despite how many lives they touch or things they change for the better, they get very doubtful of themselves and the work they’ve done when things still seem subpar from what they wanted, just like George. And there are people in the world who do think those around them would be better off without them in the world. What seals the deal of why I like George is that after seeing what life would be like without him in the world, he truly realizes how much of an effect he’s had on everyone, and comes to find a renewed satisfaction and appreciation for his life and those around him. Anyone who can take what he sees and come out with something positive like George is a fave in my book. 

#7: Ed Wood from......well, "Ed Wood"

As a person who loves movies, and as a creator of an art form myself, this character holds a special place in my heart. Why? Because Edward D. Wood Jr., as horrible of a film maker as he was, is probably the most passionate film maker you'll ever see. With a lot of film makers, it's obvious in their movies that they're just desperate to try to make a buck or do what’s cheap, hip and popular without putting much thought into it. With Johnny Depp's portrayal of the man considered to be the worst film maker of all time, you see that while he has no clue how to make a good movie, he's loving the hell out of every minute of it. He makes movies purely for the sake of making a movie, not money. Even if he makes cheap or horrible choices for his movies, you can tell that it's something he wants to put in because HE would enjoy it, not thinking mindlessly about what's popular or trendy. His enthusiasm, his joy, and his dedication to his craft is truly something to be admired, and, dare I say it, something to be inspired by. It's a friendly reminder that no matter how subpar or terrible your craft may be, if you love doing it, don't ever stop.

#6: Private Trip from "Glory"

Denzel Washington is one of my all-time favorite actors, and he absolutely owns this role. A smart aleck, frustrated, and bitter soldier, Trip takes no prisoners when it comes to telling people off and stirring up trouble. Normally, these characters can just get on your nerves and make you hate them, and at times, you can hate Trip because of his treatment of others. However, a side of you can still understand why he is the way he is. While you may not like his attitude, you still feel for the character because of the hardship of slavery he had been through. The scene where he is whipped for supposedly deserting says all about how much it affects him, and only adds to his reasoning for his hatred and anger towards whites. I swear, when he starts crying while staring down Colonel Shaw during the whipping gets me every time. A lot of why I like this character is through Denzel Washington’s performance. Every moment he is on screen, he isn’t playing this character, he IS this character, which is probably something you might hear me say a few more times on this list. When an actor accomplishes that, it makes the character so much more believable and so much more human. Another reason I love this character is that even though he is very bitter and angry, the guy still has a very good heart to him, which he starts to pay more attention to the second Morgan Freeman delivers a well-deserved backhand to tell him that enough is enough. When a soldier he constantly picked on saves his life in their first battle, his treatment towards him shifts from ridicule to respect. You can also see how his view of Shaw starts to become more respectful and less reluctant leading up to their final moments. The minute he sees Shaw killed in their final battle, his view of him is fully realized as not seeing him as any other white man ordering him around, but as his commanding officer fighting and dying for his troops. The most important thing about this character, for me at least, is his fighting spirit. This man has been through a lot of hell, so when he gets a chance to finally fight, he does not let it go to waste. For me, his best moment is when the soldiers are collecting their pay, but are told they will be getting less because they’re black. Rather than accept less pay and give in to their inequality to white soldiers, Trip fights back by refusing to take his check and loudly and convinces his fellow troops that they are worth much more than what they’re being handed. This is a man who respects himself as a human, and will not be told otherwise, no matter the color of his skin. While I don’t respect Trip’s attitude ALL the time, I have much respect for him overall. I salute you Trip!

#5: Lt. Dan Taylor from "Forrest Gump"

Alright, time for Top 5! Coming in at the #5 spot is quite possibly one of the most heartfelt, vulnerable, and oddly enough, funniest performances I’ve ever seen: Lt. Dan Taylor! For those who have seen the movie, you know exactly what I’m talking about. My favorite line from him has to be the simple but brilliant, “GET DOWN! SHUT UP!” His funniest moments have got to be when he becomes Forrest’s first mate on his shrimping boat. When he warns Forrest he has no intention of calling him ‘Sir’, I just go to pieces. And the scene where he goes completely wild during a hurricane is just so fun to watch, even if it lasts a short time. However, there’s a lot more to this man than just his funny moments. This was a good man who just wanted to fulfill his destiny to die an honorable death on the battlefield, just like all of his ancestors had. Instead, Forrest saves his life, and he is left with both his legs amputated, his spirit broken and his faith in God shattered. Gary Sinise does an amazing job in capturing what I’m sure a lot of veterans have gone through or are going through when they come home from war. There’s depression, stress, anger, bitterness, and so much more. Such is the case with Dan. After his time in the army, his outlook on life is one filled with resentment for life itself and for Forrest, especially when the latter gets the Congressional Medal of Honor for saving his life and others. While you understand his position, you kinda want to smack the guy for being ungrateful. However, Dan isn’t completely ungrateful and resentful to Forrest. You know he cares a lot for the guy, especially when a hooker insults Forrest by calling him stupid during a New Year’s celebration. In a way, he knows the hurt that Forrest feels when people call him stupid due to his disorder, and to Dan, it’s the same as someone calling him crippled. It’s very touching to me that someone who’s actually missing his limbs puts his condition on par with someone who isn’t all that smart due to his condition. My favorite moment of his, however, is after he and Forrest go through Hurricane Carmen, with Dan shouting to God and welcoming every moment of that hurricane. Once the hurricane is finished, Dan and Forrest are the only shrimping boat left standing, leaving the seas plentiful for shrimping after a rotten run of luck at first. In a very beautiful moment, Dan has taken time to reflect on his life since the war, and finally thanks Forrest for saving his life, while at same time, as Forrest points out, he makes his peace with God. I love this character so much because of his humorous and bitter personality, the struggle he goes through, and his recovery from that struggle, bringing with it a much better appreciation for his life. As you can tell, I really like stories about people appreciating life.

#4: Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"

What is not to love about good old Jack Skellington? He’s friendly, he’s mischievous, he’s playful, he’s devious, he’s charming, and to top it all off, he’s got a wonderful singing voice. I love the guy’s design as well. That bat tie is just great! Now here are the main reasons I love Jack a lot. Much like Ed Wood, this guy has one of the most enthusiastic personalities I’ve ever seen in a character. When he comes across Christmas Town, he’s like a kid in a candy store, and is so excited to show his friends what he brought to Halloween Town. I love enthusiastic characters, so long as they don’t get too annoying, and Jack is anything but annoying. In fact, his enthusiasm and joy is so well animated and voiced, either in speaking by Chris Sarandon or singing by composer Danny Elfman, you feel like you’re experiencing those same feelings right along with him. And also, just like Ed Wood, I love Jack’s persistence, positive attitude and confidence. Yeah, he’s kind of in a funk in the beginning because he’s bored with the same thing every year, but once he’s decided to take over Christmas, he tackles it with such confidence and assurance that he can make things work. Even when he’s driving himself crazy trying to figure out Christmas, he doesn’t stop till he figures it out. Even when he’s been shot out of the sky, realizing what he has done with Christmas and wallowing in a cemetery, he realizes that while things didn’t exactly go as planned for him, at least he had a lot of fun and enjoyment. Just in time to save Santa and Sally from Oogie Boogie, too. Speaking of which, that’s the best thing about Jack to me: while he may be the most frightening thing in Halloween Town, the Pumpkin King has got a very good and very loyal heart. When he makes mistakes or if others make mistakes on his behalf (remember the Easter Bunny?), he will own up to it right away, no questions asked. He may be tired hearing praises from everyone, but you can tell that he’s grateful, just tired of it. Everyone’s felt that way. When his friends are in danger of becoming victims of Oogie Boogie, he immediately rushes to their aid, and was visibly appalled and pissed off at what Oogie Boogie was about to do to them. Hell, did I even need to point that out? He says it before he defeats him. Jack may be a little aloof and naive to what he’s doing in trying to run Christmas, but deep down in those bones of his, there’s a wonderful heart to this skeleton. This is a character I would love to have a personal friend.

#3: Derek Vinyard from "American History X"

My favorite actor of all time takes the number 3 spot with one of my favorite characters of all time from one of my favorite movies of all time. Much like some of the characters on this list, a lot of why I love this character is because of Edward Norton’s performance. His transition from a pissed off and angry white supremacist to a man who desperately trying to steer his brother away from making his mistakes is incredible, heart-wrenching, and most importantly, believable. This is another case where I saw the character, not the actor. Now, on to why I love this character. Derek Vinyard is a very good example of how even the brightest person can make the dumbest and most drastic decisions because of simple minded judgments of others. However, he’s also one of my favorite examples of redemption and forgiveness. Derek is a bright young man who got mixed up with the wrong crowd, only to be made worse after the murder of his father by an African-American (implied, they don’t show the actual murder). Problems finally come to a head when Derek murders a couple of gang members trying to jack his truck. As one would guess, his time in prison is where you start to see the major character development. As fate would have it for Derek, he’s given the job of doing laundry with an African-American man named Lamont, while in his off time, he runs with the Aryan Brotherhood. However, he starts seeing that Lamont is not the stereotype he thought he’d be, and actually strikes up a good friendship with him. Even more puzzling for him is when he finds that the Brotherhood is not exactly sticking to the same views he thought he shared with them. As he puts it, “they didn’t believe shit.” This is what I love about Derek, that he keeps an open mind about what’s going on around him, something you don’t always see with people in Derek’s situation. The more he spends time with Lamont, and the more he sees the phoniness of the Brotherhood, the more he’s realizing that everything he fought for before and everything he believed in was doing nothing but making things worse for him. His open-mindedness changes to full realization of how wrong he’s been when he’s brutally attacked by his Brothers. For this attack, he rejects them at chow time, leaving them to reject him in turn. This leaves him open for an attack from his prison-mates, which never happens due to Lamont’s interference. This is when you fully see Derek as a changed man, reverting back to the good hearted and respectful person he used to be. To hear Derek say, “I owe you, man,” to Lamont on the day of his release, always puts a smile on my face. Rather than feel insulted he was protected by someone he hated, like I’ve seen some people do, he acknowledges the fact that he was wrong and let’s Lamont know just how grateful he is for him keeping him alive. The other reason I love Derek Vinyard is simple: he loves his family, and is willing to do anything to keep them away from trouble. Yeah, I know this is hard to believe during his troubled days, but once he’s out, you see just how much his family really means to him, especially his younger brother, Danny. Derek knows that Danny’s present disposition is due to his influence, and knows it’s up to him to keep Danny from winding up just like him. It’s not often you’ll see someone like Derek turn himself around to try his best to step up and do the right things, and when I do see a character like that, it earns him a spot on my list.

#2: Basil of Baker Street from "The Great Mouse Detective"

One of my favorite Disney movies is also the name of one of my favorite characters. Here’s Basil, the Great Mouse Detective! Basil is such a treat to watch. He is honestly one of the most charismatic characters I’ve ever seen. He may be rude at times, and somewhat careless when it comes to people, but holy crap, I love how he gets when he’s doing his job. Every moment he’s investing leads, looking at clues, or performing an experiment, I’m right there with Dawson, intrigued and astounded by this brilliant detective. Do we all remember that brilliantly heart-racing scene when he quickly needs to figure out how to free himself and Dawson from the gigantic death trap? I can watch it over and over and over again, and it makes my heart race every time! Silly reason here, but it also helps that I’m a big fan of fast talking English characters, so huge plus for Basil on that one! Another thing I enjoy about Basil is that, despite the fact that he is highly intelligent and sophisticated, he’s not an egotistical jerk like a lot of people like Basil could be. He shows that he can be very affectionate when he’s not extremely tied to a case. This is shown when he’s close to berating Dawson for losing Olivia, but when he sees how guilty he feels, he tries his best to cheer him up and tell him that they will get her back from Ratigan. I especially love the appreciation he holds for Dr. Dawson, whom he doesn’t forget to acknowledge his help with his case, and even goes so far as wanting him to become his partner. But it’s not just his brains that earn him a spot on this list. Basil is one brave little detective. That whole final act when going after Ratigan to save Olivia gets me rooting for Basil every single time, whether he’s leaping from his balloon high up in the air, traveling around inside Big Ben to reach Olivia, and facing off against Ratigan. There is one more thing I love about Basil: while he doesn’t have a lot of humorous moments, the moments that he has are funny as hell, especially when he looks like he’s inconvenienced or annoyed. My favorite moment, as simple as it is, is when he’s trying his hardest to tell Olivia that she cannot come along with him and Dawson, just before he sits down and crushes his violin. Basil is a great combination of funny, rude, but still sweet, proper, brave, and extremely intelligent all rolled into one loveable little character, one that I always find myself acting along with. That alone can totally make my day. THAT’S how much I love this character.

#1 (Tie): Col. Hans Landa from "Inglourious Basterds" and The Joker from "The Dark Knight"

THIS was a hard one, because both of these characters are incredibly performed characters. These two definitely rank up there with some of my favorite performances of all time. Finally, I just decided, screw it. It's a tie! So here we are! Number 1!
First up is Col. Hans Landa. If any of you remember my character Bruno, you might remember that I picked Christoph Waltz to voice him because of his outstanding and incredible portrayal of Landa. You know this guy is bad news, and he knows it too. But he’s the most charming bit of bad news I’ve ever seen in cinema. And that’s one of his greatest weapons he uses against his enemies. He’s able to pull you into a sense of comfort and calmness, catching you off guard and leaving you vulnerable for his attack. Once he strikes, he can get you to tell him anything. Not to mention how he carries himself so suave and smoothly when he’s interrogating someone. It’s such an incredible thrill to watch and just makes the scene all the more tense. And the guy is smart as hell too. Think about it, he knows German, French, Italian, and English! He starts with the simplest details first before complicating things, and looks for the slightest details as well, sort of like Austria’s answer to Sherlock Holmes. And most importantly, he doesn’t limit himself to what only his Nazi teachings have given him. As he puts it in the movie, the reason he’s such a great detective is not because he only thinks like a German, but because he thinks like his enemies as well. He has a great idea of how the human mind works, and knows that if you want to beat your enemy, you have to think like them as well. While these next traits are not something I like normally with people in general, as a villain, these traits work tremendously well. Landa is only looking out for himself, and really doesn’t even follow the whole Nazi ideal. It’s his job, and if it so happens to be with the Nazi’s to keep him employed, then so be it. If gaining rewards for himself means allying himself with his “enemies” and turning his back on the Nazi regime, then that’s what will be done. And the guy is such a narcissist too, but you know what? He holds himself so well and knows so much that he kinda has a right to be. Anyone who can make me like them, despite being a narcissistic asshole, has earned my vote for my all-time favorite character.

And last but not least, the freakin’ Joker from The Dark Knight. What can I say about this guy that has not been said about him already? Heath Ledger just knocked this role out of the ballpark, and God bless him for it. The character was portrayed so brilliantly and so wonderfully, that you believed the Joker was right there every single moment. It’s another case of seeing the character instead of the actor playing him. But enough about the actor, and on to the character himself. The Joker is THE embodiment of chaos, and complete lack of control. His only goal in the movie is to show that deep down, even the most upstanding and most noble hero in the world is nothing more than a psychotic and maniacal force of chaos just waiting to be unleashed upon the world, and tear that world apart. Someone put it best that he believes he is humanity fully realized, and the way he tests people in the movie and sets up his plans only cements that fear in you that he may actually be right. Just that thought alone makes this character so much more terrifying, because, just like Landa, he has a very good idea of how the human mind works, as well as human emotions. All it can take for a good-hearted person to completely turn the wrong way is one bad life event after another, and the Joker probably knows all too well about that. The other thing about this character that’s so great? Absolutely nothing fazes him or scares him. The Joker cares absolutely nothing for the well-being of others, including himself. If it means it helps to spread the chaos, he’ll cut off his own fingers. Well, probably after cutting off someone else’s first, but you get the idea. Remember when he was screaming for Batman to hit him as he charged him? Or how about when Batman throws him off the building, but he’s just laughing all the way down? When Batman is kicking the crap out of him in the interrogation room, and he just laughs every blow off? This guy does not care what you do to him, because you’re just proving exactly what he’s setting out to prove. And because he has no cares whatsoever, there is no way you can hurt him. There’s nothing to hold against him, nothing to bargain with him, absolutely nothing to bend him to your will, because, truth be told, he has absolutely nothing to lose. In the case of the Joker, that makes for a great character, and one of my all-time favorites.

If you’ve taken the time to read everything, thank you! If you disagree with my choices, that’s fine. Just do it respectfully, please. Onto the next one!

Coming up:

Favorite Heroes
Favorite Villains
and
Favorite Movies