Michael J. Fox's 11 Most Questionable Movie Choices, Ranked From Best to Worst
Michael J. Fox has some truly questionable movies on his resume. Especially from the late '80s and '90s. In honor of "Teen Wolf" turning 30 this year, we've ranked 11 of Fox's most questionable films.
'The American President' (1995)
Taking a supporting role here, Fox seems more in his element here than he ever did in Hollywood's shoe-horned attempts to make him a leading man. Fox more than holds his own opposite Michael Douglas and Martin Sheen in this White House-set romantic comedy from writer Aaron Sorkin. If only more movies on Fox's resume could be as great as this one.
10. 'Back to the Future Part III' (1990)
Doc Brown and Marty, literally playing cowboys and indians? On paper, the conceit appears problematic, but the final chapter of the "BTTF" trilogy is anything but. This underrated sequel is easier to follow than "Part II," and it achieves a very fun and heartfelt tone that is very much in line with with the first film. Definitely the most entertaining of the series' sequels.
9. 'Stuart Little' (1999)
As family films about talking mice go, you can do much worse than this charming and (at times) clever adaptation of the popular book based on the rodent voiced by Fox.
16. 'Mars Attacks!' (1996)
You have to admire Burton's chutzpah for so doggedly working to make a blockbuster movie about an old series of novelty trading cards. But as various critics have pointed out, the end result plays like the kind of lousy B-movie Ed Wood might have churned out. Even the once groundbreaking special effects fail to stand the test of time.
7. 'The Frighteners' (1996)
It's a bit of a mess, structurally, and the story struggles to connect emotionally with audiences, but Fox is more than game to play a ghostbuster of sorts who can actually see (and talk) with the dead in Peter Jackson's first major studio effort. The film's use of CG was exceptional at the time; in fact, the effects are arguably that which people best remember about the film. Other than it stars Fox.
6. 'Doc Hollywood' (1990)
That face... pretty much says it all. This 1990 dud is basically The CW's "Hart of Dixie," minus any of the charm. Or funny. Fox plays a Beverly Hills Doc forced to serve community service in the small town of Grady, South Carolina. Life in Grady is slow, but our Doc soon falls in love with ambulance driver Lou (Julie Warner - remember her?!) and then ugh who cares bored now.
5. 'Casualties of War' (1989)
Fox and costar Sean Penn are very miscast in director Brian De Palma's Vietnam War misfire. De Palma doesn't shy away from the "war is hell" drama, but "War" fails to put a unique enough stamp on the genre to distinguish itself from being anything more than a pale, overcooked substitute for "Platoon."
4. 'The Hard Way' (1991)
James Woods plays your cliched, hard ass cop forced to partner up with an actor (Fox) doing research for a role. One of the '90s most forgotten action-comedies, memorable only for one very weird performance by "Avatar's" Stephen Lang, playing the film's murderous villain.
3. 'For Love or Money' (1993)
The only thing that could make this middling romantic comedy more 1990s would be if you cast then-It Girl Gabrielle Anwar as the love interest and then gave Fox a very Ralston's high school yearbook photo haircut -- oh, wait.
2. 'Greedy' (1994)
How did they convince Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas to slum in this unfunny comedy? Clearly, the word they are shouting in this photo is "Noooooooope!"
1. 'Life With Mikey' (1993)
1993 delivered not one, but two horsemen of the apocalypse J. Fox bombs. It's okay if you skipped this one in theaters. Most of the movie-going world did. All we want to know is: What happened to Mikey?!