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He is known for his comedic genius, his deadpan delivery, his improvisational skills, and his unique personality.
He has starred in a variety of movies that span different genres and tones, from comedy to drama, from romance to adventure, from fantasy to horror.
He has also worked with some of the best directors and actors in the industry and has earned many awards and nominations. In this blog post, we will look at 10 of his best movies that showcase his talent and charm as an actor.
These are not ranked in any order, but rather chosen based on their popularity, critical acclaim, and cultural impact. These are some of the best Bill Murray movies that you should not miss.
Ghostbusters (1984)
This is one of the most iconic and influential movies of all time and also one of the best Bill Murray movies ever.
He plays Dr. Peter Venkman, one of the members of the Ghostbusters, a team of paranormal investigators who use high-tech equipment to capture and eliminate ghosts. The movie is directed by Ivan Reitman and co-written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, who also star as Dr. Ray Stantz and Dr. Egon Spengler, respectively.
The movie also features Sigourney Weaver as Dana Barrett, Rick Moranis as Louis Tully, Ernie Hudson as Winston Zeddemore, and Annie Potts as Janine Melnitz.
The movie was a huge success and spawned a franchise that includes a sequel, a reboot, an animated series, video games, comics, and merchandise.
Groundhog Day (1993)
This is another classic and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Phil Connors, a cynical and arrogant weatherman who gets stuck in a time loop and has to relive the same day over and over again.
The movie is directed by Harold Ramis and co-written by Ramis and Danny Rubin. It also stars Andie MacDowell as Rita Hanson, Phil’s producer and love interest.
Phil’s annoying acquaintance, and Brian Doyle-Murray as Buster Green, the groundhog festival organizer. The movie was a critical and commercial success and has been widely praised for its humor, philosophy, and message.
Lost in Translation (2003)
This is one of the most acclaimed and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Bob Harris, an aging movie star who travels to Tokyo to film a whiskey commercial.
He meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), a young woman who is married to a photographer (Giovanni Ribisi) who neglects her. They form an unlikely friendship and bond over their loneliness and alienation in a foreign culture.
The movie is written and directed by Sofia Coppola and features a minimalist style, subtle humor, a melancholic mood, and a memorable soundtrack.
The movie won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Coppola and earned three more nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Murray.
Caddyshack (1980)
This is one of the funniest and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Carl Spackler, a groundskeeper who is obsessed with killing a gopher that is ruining the golf course.
The movie is directed by Harold Ramis and co-written by Ramis, Brian Doyle-Murray, and Douglas Kenney. It also stars Chevy Chase as Ty Webb, a wealthy golfer who befriends Danny Noonan (Michael O’Keefe), a young caddy who wants to win a scholarship.
Rodney Dangerfield as Al Czervik, a loudmouthed millionaire who clashes with Judge Elihu Smails (Ted Knight), the snobbish club president; and Cindy Morgan as Lacey Underall, Smails’ niece who seduces both Ty and Danny. The movie was a box office hit and became a cult classic.
Rushmore (1998)
This is one of the most original and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Herman Blume, a wealthy industrialist who becomes friends with Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a precocious and eccentric student at Rushmore Academy.
He is involved in many extracurricular activities. They both fall in love with Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), a widowed elementary school teacher who works at Rushmore. The movie is co-written and directed by Wes Anderson and features his signature style, humor, and soundtrack.
The movie was a critical success and launched the careers of Anderson, Schwartzman, and Williams.
Zombieland (2009)
This is one of the most entertaining and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays a cameo role as a survivor of a zombie apocalypse who lives in his mansion and disguises himself as a zombie to avoid being attacked.
He meets Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Wichita (Emma Stone), and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin), a group of survivors who are traveling across the country to find a safe place.
The movie is directed by Ruben Fleischer and co-written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It is a horror comedy that parodies and pays homage to zombie movies and pop culture.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004)
This is another collaboration between Bill Murray and Wes Anderson and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Steve Zissou, an eccentric oceanographer, and filmmaker who sets out to find and kill the elusive Jaguar Shark that ate his partner.
He is accompanied by a crew of misfits that includes his estranged wife Eleanor (Anjelica Huston), his possible son Ned (Owen Wilson), his rival Alistair Hennessey (Jeff Goldblum), a pregnant journalist Jane (Cate Blanchett), and a loyal fan Klaus (Willem Dafoe).
The movie is a comedy adventure that parodies and pays homage to the documentaries of Jacques Cousteau. The movie also features a colorful and whimsical production design, a quirky soundtrack, and stop-motion animation by Henry Selick.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
This is another collaboration between Bill Murray and Wes Anderson and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Raleigh St. Clair, a neurologist who is married to Margot Tenenbaum (Gwyneth Paltrow).
She’s a former child prodigy who is secretly in love with her adopted brother Richie Tenenbaum (Luke Wilson), a former tennis champion who suffers from depression. The movie follows the dysfunctional family of the Tenenbaums, who reunite when their estranged father Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) announces that he is dying.
The movie is co-written by Anderson and Owen Wilson and features an ensemble cast that includes Ben Stiller, Anjelica Huston, Danny Glover, Kumar Pallana, and Alec Baldwin as the narrator. The movie was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Anderson and Wilson.
Scrooged (1988)
This is one of the most hilarious and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays Frank Cross, a cynical and selfish TV executive who plans to air a live broadcast of A Christmas Carol on Christmas Eve.
He is visited by three ghosts who show him his past, present, and future and try to make him change his ways. The movie is directed by Richard Donner and co-written by Mitch Glazer and Michael O’Donoghue.
It is a modern adaptation of Charles Dickens’s classic novel and features a mix of comedy, fantasy, drama, and romance.
The movie also stars Karen Allen as Frank’s former girlfriend Claire, Lew, Carol Kane as the Ghost of Christmas Present, and David Johansen as the Ghost of Christmas Past.
Stripes (1981)
This is one of the earliest and one of the best Bill Murray movies ever. He plays John Winger, a slacker who joins the Army with his friend Russell Ziskey (Harold Ramis) after losing his job, his car, his girlfriend, and his apartment.
They go through basic training under the strict Sergeant Hulka (Warren Oates) and end up on a top-secret mission in Europe. The movie is directed by Ivan Reitman and co-written by Len Blum, Daniel Goldberg, and Harold Ramis. It is a comedy that spoofs military movies and features a lot of improvisation from Murray and Ramis.
The movie also stars John Candy as Dewey Oxberger, P.J. Soles as Stella Hansen, Sean Young as Louise Cooper, John Larroquette as Captain Stillman, and Judge Reinhold as Elmo Blum.
Upcoming Movie
Asteroid City (2023)
This is the upcoming movie that Bill Murray will star in, which is scheduled to be released in 2023. It is a sci-fi comedy that is written and directed by Wes Anderson, who is known for his quirky and whimsical style.
The movie is set in a futuristic city on an asteroid, where a group of eccentric characters live and work. The movie will also feature an ensemble cast that includes Scarlett Johansson, Tilda Swinton, Tom Hanks, Owen Wilson, Sophia Lillis, Cate Blanchett, Edward Norton, Saoirse Ronan, Maya Hawake, Timothée Chalamet, and many more.
Conclusion
Bill Murray is undoubtedly one of the greatest actors and comedians of all time, who has given us many memorable and diverse performances. He has proven his ability to make us laugh, cry, think, and feel with his roles.
He has also shown his versatility and willingness to take on different challenges and genres. He is not only a talented actor, but also a respected and admired person in the industry and society.
He is truly a legend and an inspiration for many aspiring actors and filmmakers. These are some of the best Bill Murray movies that you should watch if you want to witness his brilliance and enjoy his craft.