Stripes (1981). For me, Bill Murray’s best film ever and believe it or not, this movie is a more accurate depiction of Army life than 90% of the war movies out there. Besides being Murray’s first big hit after his time on Saturday Night Live, it was the first of his on-screen collaborations with Harold Ramis (Ramis wrote the screenplay for Murray’s 1979 film Meatballs) that would include Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day. It featured early performances by John Candy, John Larroquette, and Judge Reinhold as well as veteran actor Warren Oates perfectly cast as Sergeant Hulka. It’s also one of the most quotable films ever. It gave me lines I use to this day: “And then depression set in;” “I’m not parking it, I’m abandoning it;” “Ma’am, I’m sure there are a lot of ways I’ve gone that you haven’t,” and the ever useful “I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy” after getting a shoeshine.
