The 5 Best Film Characters

There's a lot of places that people look for role-models in todays world. Sports seems like a more common one that I can understand, and weirdly more people are trying to base their values off of movies than the interactions they have with people around them. Okay, their prerogative I guess. And to that end I thought I'd present my top five favorite film characters.

I should mention here that I'm not saying these are the most insightful, most realistic, or even the best role-models. I'm saying they're my favorites, for reasons I will explain for each of them.

I'm going to set myself some rules, so you won't see more than one character from any given movie (not franchise), and you won't see two characters played by the same person. With that, here they are.

#5 – Thor (from Thor)

Ladies...

Thor is the only one on here whose movie is named after him. So yeah, he's the main character. But that has nothing to do with why I like him so much. Also, you can pretty much ignore the first bit of the movie, because until after he has that interesting conversation with Loki about half-way through, he doesn't land on this list. It's who he becomes through the course of the movie that I really like.

Caveat – I do really like all the beating-up-on-stuff that he does early on, and lets be honest, the fact that he's the god of thunder is a big plus.

No, the reason I really like Thor is because of how he treats his friends. He's rough around the edges, and him getting a well needed polishing is what the movie is all about. But his friends, traitorous brother and chick-that-keeps-hitting-him-with-the-car included, are important to him. He has some rebellion issues and other flaws, but even with the knowledge that he's mortal and will definitely get himself killed if he faces the destroyer, he goes ahead anyways.

Being willing to sacrifice himself epically for his friends and apologizing to his brother for whatever it was that made him want Thor dead (hint: it's the fact that he's alive) it was qualified him as worthy enough to once again wield the power of Mjolnir, and break some stuff that really shouldn't be possible to break (the only entrance to their entire universe? You can really just smash that crap off with a hammer?). That is why he's one of my favorite characters.

#4 – Steve Rogers/Captain America (from The Avengers)

Ladies...

Yes, Thor is in this film as well, and exhibits the same value on friendship and even his psychotic brother as in Thor. However, Steve definitely takes this one.

The Avengers of course had to be on here, because it's my favorite movie. Far and away. And amidst all the crazy mixed up crap that happens in this movie, Steve Rogers represents something important. Early on, Cap admits to being worried that the Stars and Stripes are a little old fashioned (read: he's worried that he's a little old fashioned). But Agent Colson reassures him that people might just need a little “old fashioned”.

Fact is, Cap is on here not because he's old fashioned, but because he's so darned wholesome. He likes things black and white, and he keeps himself firmly on the side of cleanliness. My favorite manifestation of this orientation is his complete disregard for the power of Thor and Loki. When Black Widow tells him to stay out of it because they're basically gods, Cap replies “There's only one God ma'am, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that.” This isn't an arrogant disregard (such as Tony Stark's, for example), but simply an acknowledgement that God doesn't wear a cape or cary a hammer, so how bad can these guys really be?

Okay, they're pretty bad, but that shield is also apparently good for literally everything.

I would have just crapped myself and died. But once again, Cap stays clean.

#3 – Han Solo (from The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi)

Ladies...

I left A New Hope off of this list for a reason. Sure, Han comes back to save the day at the end, but he actually left at all, and that's kinda disappointing. I'm more interested with the place that his character progresses to. He goes from complaining about the state of the rebellion and threatening to leave on Hoth to letting the rebellion promote him to general at Endor because he's finally found a cause he can stand behind.

"This isn't working, guys, I'm supposed to stand BEHIND you."

The bad-a rough-and-tumble gambler and smuggler becoming a stand up dude whose going to lay his own life (and more importantly, his ship) on the line for a cause and for people he believes in is pretty cool. What's even cooler is he doesn't lose that signature swagger in the process (“I don't know, fly casual”). This is an ever-present reminder that being a gangster doesn't mean you have to be a jerk as well, and I appreciate this.

#2 – Henry Jones Sr. (Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade)

Ladiesh...

Let's be honest; my rule regarding not using the same actor twice is not the reason I picked this character over Indy. It's because every word that proceedeth from the mouth of Sean Connery in this movie is a work of brilliance. Dr. Jones Sr. is awesome because, like Captain America, everything is pretty clear to him. The pursuit of the grail is worthwhile because it's the flipping holy grail. The Nazis are bad because they want to use to grail to conquer the world (Also because they're goose-stepping morons and they burn books. GASP!).

While I think that anything Sean Connery says instantly becomes a memorable one-liner, the clear line between right and wrong that Dr. Jones Sr. defines in this movie is admirable. Also, his continued trust in his son is remarkable. Indy jumps into a plane and Henry follows amiably after, remarking “I didn't know you could fly!” This after Indy brought the journal he sent to him for safe keeping right into the proverbial lions den.

Then after Indy responds with “Fly, yes! Land, no!” and proceeds to crash (with a little help from his father's shooting), he still has confidence in Indy to save his life after getting shot in the chest. BTW, did anyone else wonder what happened to the bullet that went in there? Grail water can dissolve lead, apparently.

#1 – Thud Butt (from Hook)

L...ladies...?

Hook is my second favorite movie, and Thud Butt is my favorite character from Hook. You all probably think I'm making this up, but I'm not. It's actually his name, IMDB will back me up on this. If you've seen Hook, you probably know him better as the funny fat lost boy who rolls himself into a ball to take out pirates (because why not?). And if you haven't seen Hook, why are you still breathing? I think it's in the rules that you have to kill yourself if you make it past fourteen without seeing Hook. Go check. I'll wait.

Anyways, there's really not much to tell as to why he's my favorite. The fact is, he's all about his friends and family like everyone else on this list, he's innocent and fun loving, and has some really hilarious moments. But why is he at the top of this list above such beings as the thunderer and the Connery? The simple truth is I can't look at, listen too or even think about this kid without smiling. There, see? I'm smiling right now. And any good, wholesome little fat kid that can make you smile every time is all right by my book.

And for those of you who just got back from checking the rulebook, go check again. You probably have an outdated version. Try version 13.7.7. Trust me. It's in there.