Woody Harrelson Ranked

Welcome to "Ranked"-a weekly series where I rank a franchise or filmography from worst to best and hand out assorted related superlatives. This week, I'm profiling the work of Woody Harrelson-whose latest project "Triangle of Sadness" releases in NYC/LA/SF theaters tomorrow. 

Woody Harrelson's Filmography Ranked:

31.Seven Pounds (D+)

30.After the Sunset (D+)

29.War for the Planet of the Apes (D+)

28.The Glass Castle (C)

27.Semi-Pro (C+)

26.Money Train (C+)

25.Wilson (C+)

24.The Man from Toronto (C+)

23.Natural Born Killers (C+)

22.Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (C+)

21.Friends with Benefits (B-)

20.Anger Management (B-)

19.White Men Can't Jump (B)

18.Triple 9 (B)

17.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 2 (B)

16.Solo: A Star Wars Story (B)

15.Kingpin (B)

14.The Hunger Games (B)

13.Venom: Let There Be Carnage (B)

12.The Thin Red Line (B)

11.The Edge of Seventeen (B)

10.The People vs. Larry Flynt (B)

9.Out of the Furnace (B)

8.The Hunger Games: Mockingjay-Part 1 (B)

7.Kate (B+)

6.Now You See Me (B+)

5.Now You See Me 2 (A-)

4.Seven Psychopaths (A-)

3.Zombieland: Double Tap (A)

2.Zombieland (A)

1.No Country for Old Men (A)

Top Dog: No Country for Old Men (2007)

Now that the days of The Coen Brothers working together on films are possibly over (Joel and Ethan haven't ruled out a reunion, but they've both committed to directing alone for at least the near future), debating their filmography has become a more definitive exercise. Among a filmography that has some unbelievable highs including Fargo, The Big Lebowski and Inside Llewyn Davis, No Country for Old Men could very well be their peak. Their adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel is an atmospheric, slow-burn crime thriller loaded with stellar performances (Josh Brolin, Tommy Lee Jones, Harrelson and Javier Bardem-who gave a career-defining turn as primary antagonist Anton Chigurh), striking monologues and the kind of rich moral ambiguity that spawns a million film theory essays.   

Bottom Feeder: Seven Pounds (2008)

In all honesty, Will Smith should be more embarrassed about starring in Seven Pounds than slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. This first ballot entry into the Nauseating Melodrama Hall of Fame is so corny, contrived and manipulative that it makes The Pursuit of Happyness look like the epitome of sincerity.       

Most Underrated: Now You See Me 2 (2016)

Now You See Me 2 marks an increasingly rare instance of a sequel exceeding the quality of its predecessor. By adding the magnetic, funny Lizzy Caplan to the lead group of magician thieves (Jesse Eisenberg, Harrelson, Dave Franco), bringing in the always super committed Daniel Radcliffe to play the over-the-top cartoonish villain and somehow increasing the manic, self-aware goofy energy that made the first one pop, director Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights)-taking over for Louis Leterrier was able to make one of the breeziest summer blockbusters of the 2010's.   

Most Overrated: War for the Planet of the Apes (2017)

The further the newest Planet of the Apes trilogy went along, the sillier it got. War for the Planet of the Apes capped things off on a particularly dreadful note. By making the bizarre choice to insert bits of goofy comedy into an otherwise cold, tragic story, slow the pace down to such a crawl that the film felt often felt like it was moving in slow motion and trot out a plot that is effectively just a soulless reworking of Apocalypse Now, War for the Planet of the Apes eviscerated whatever traces of emotion, excitement and wonder that this series was still holding onto from its terrific debut entry (Rise of the Planet of the Apes). Fingers crossed that the new trilogy that's set to launch in 2024 will be able to actually stick the landing. 

Harrelson Franchise That Should Continue Forever: Zombieland

Emma Stone repeatedly said during the Zombieland: Double Tap press tour in October 2019 that she suggested to director Rueben Fleischer, writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick and co-stars Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Abigail Breslin that they reunite for a Zombieland movie every 10 years (the original came out in 2009). If that came to fruition, it would be a serious blessing. Both of these films are exceptionally fun rides, and this cast has such a strong comedic/family rapport that it would be kind of a shame if they only had a pair of undead-slaying jaunts together.