Top 10 Ensemble Films

In honor of this week’s Democratic Debates, I thought I’d write about my favorite ensemble films. To avoid duplicating similar lists out there on the Interwebs and to better reflect my theme, earning a place on my list requires two things: the film must feature at least eight key players and those players must be focused on the same prize. Sure, none of them feature a cast of 20 and none of them get to take on Trump in the final battle, but they’re still pretty darn entertaining. Note this narrow theme eliminated some personal faves such as Predator (it only featured seven soldiers), Inception (six mind invaders), and The Usual Suspects (just five suspects). It also removes such films as Platoon and The Thin Red Line from consideration since those characters were less focused on a single mission and more simply surviving the war they faced. So, with the rules as firmly drawn as Lester Holt’s hairline, let’s count down numbers 10 to 1.

10. X2: X-Men United (2003)

Outside of Batman, I’m not a big superhero fan so you won’t find any of the Avengers films on this list. That said, the X-Men franchise has churned out several good movies and this one is the best of the bunch. Wolverine, Magneto, Storm, Jean Gray, Mystique, Cyclops, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and more all band together to save Professor X and mutant-kind from the evil manipulations of Colonel William Stryker.

9. Mission: Impossible (1996)

Many people will tell you they prefer the more recent M:I sequels and I’ll admit, the stunts just get better and better as star Tom Cruise keeps pushing the envelope. My favorite remains the original. Ethan Hunt, Jim Phelps, Luther, Claire, Krieger, Sarah, Hannah, Jack, and the shadowy Max all pursue a CIA NOC list while employing a variety of fun spy gadgets and masks.

8. Fast Five (2011)

Yes, I know, this series isn’t exactly smart, but it is a lot of dumb fun. If you like fast cars, hot women, and tough men, you can’t really go wrong with any of this long-running franchise but my favorite is the fifth one. Before the series jumped the shark with Mr. Nobody and “God’s Eye”, this one featured both the gang’s (Dom, Brian, Mia, Roman, Tej, Han, Vince, and Gisele) best heist and its best fight sequence, a brawl between Dom and Hobbes that hurts just watching it.

7. The Thing (1982)

John Carpenter’s cult classic depicts a group of scientists in Antarctica who witness what appears to be a helicopter accident. They soon discover it was no accident. An alien capable of taking the form of any living creature it comes across is to blame. Soon the creature is killing its way through the crew of MacReady, Blair, Nauls, Palmer, Childs, Copper, Norris, Garry, Clark, Bennings, Fuchs, and Windows while fear and paranoia threaten to overwhelm the team’s will to band together and survive.

6. Ocean's Eleven (2001)

Detecting a trend here? At number 7 I have yet another selection from a series. Ocean’s Eleven is a Stephen Soderbergh-directed remake of a 1960 Rat Pack film and it’s gone on to spawn multiple sequels of its own. Danny, Rusty, Reuben, Linus, Saul, Frank, Basher, Virgil, Turk, Livingston, and Yen try to pull off a heist of multiple Vegas casinos owned by the loathsome Terry Benedict in a movie that’s probably the most fun of any on this list.

5. Toy Story 3 (2010)

I admit I haven’t seen the fourth movie in this series yet (it’s out in theaters now), but I doubt it will top this one. Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Slinky Dog, Rex, Hamm, Barbie, and the gang find themselves up against Lotso and his selfish pals in a daycare center full of destructive kids. Amusing as always, this movie also manages to tug at the heartstrings like few animated films can.

4. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

This entire trilogy is excellent (let’s not talk about what director Peter Jackson later did to The Hobbit prequels) but the middle tale is my favorite. Surviving Fellowship members Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli, Pippin, and Merry have split up in their quest to destroy the One Ring, but Gandalf soon rejoins them as Gollum, Saruman, the Nazgûl, and other Middle Earth baddies try to steal the ring for their evil master, Sauron.

3. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Almost all of director Quentin Tarantino’s movies leverage an ensemble cast, but his big screen directorial debut remains one of his best films and most closely aligns with this list’s theme. Messrs. White, Orange, Blonde, Pink, Brown, and Blue attempt to pull off a jewelry heist for Joe Cabot and Nice Guy Eddie but nothing goes according to plan. The resulting drama and bloodbath are a lesson in low budget, limited set film-craft.

2. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

This multi-Oscar winning film shows us plenty of French countryside and battles, but the team’s mission is narrow in scope, save Matt Damon. Err, Private Ryan. Soldiers Miller, Horvath, Reiben, Jackson, Mellish, Caparzo, Wade, and Upham fight through the horrors of WWII to save the sole survivor of four sibling servicemen sent overseas to serve their country in one of the best films of director Steven Spielberg’s well-decorated career.

1. Goodfellas (1990)

Martin Scorsese’s tale of Mafioso Henry Hill and both the lead-up and repercussions of the notorious Lufthansa heist is my favorite large ensemble movie. You just don’t get better than Scorsese, Robert De Niro, and Joe Pesci at the height of their cinematic power. After the gang of Jimmy, Henry, Tommy, Frankie, Sonny, Frenchy, Morris, and Stacks pull off their biggest caper, Jimmy gets nervous they’ll get pinched so people start winding up dead. The film is a masterpiece and rivals the first two “Godfather” movies as the best mafia movie of all time.

What do you think? Did I leave out one or more of your favorites? If so, comment below.