We are now to the Elite 8, which means we are halfway through the rounds in our OOTB Movie Tournament. As with the Sweet 16 you will vote for matchups in all four regions, divided between two threads. This thread will combine the Dude and Han Solo regions. You have until midnight on Saturday to vote for your choices in all four regions. Popular vote will determine which movie advances, and in the case of a tie in voting, the tiebreak score will determine who moves forward. I will do a brief rundown of each matchup that includes my vote in that matchup under a spoiler warning, and then the matchups will be listed again at the bottom for easier copy/pasting.
HAN SOLO REGION
#1 seed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
#10 seed Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
For the second time this tournament, the first installment in a series matches up against a sequel that is often cited proof that there are times where a sequel is equal to the original. A New Hope lays the stage for the entire Star Wars saga, telling a story of good vs. evil that has resonated for generations thanks to great characters, dazzling effects, and an awe-inspiring universe created by George Lucas. Empire builds on that solid foundation by expanding on the characters we know and love, introducing us to new ones (hello, Yoda, Lando, the Emperor, and Boba Fett), and shocking audiences with an ending that no one saw coming. This is a very tough matchup. Do you vote for the one who started it all, or do you keep Empire’s Cinderella run as the lowest remaining seed and only remaining sequel running?
THE DUDE REGION
#1 seed Animal House
#2 seed The Big Lebowski
This may be the biggest stylistic difference of the Elite 8, as Animal House’s wacky antics go up against the more subtle and strange comedy of The Big Lebowski. However, these movies feature some of the deepest benches of any remaining movies in the tournament. Animal House is packed with great characters, big laughs, and some of the wildest comedy ever put to film when it was released. The Big Lebowski was a box office and critical failure when it was initially released but has since gained a massive following due to great performances from the leads and a script filled with memorable scenes. Comedy is by far the most subjective genre still represented in this tournament, so this is going to come down to the personal taste of the voter.
MATCHUPS
HAN SOLO REGION
#1 seed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
#10 seed Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
THE DUDE REGION
#1 seed Animal House
#2 seed The Big Lebowski
HAN SOLO REGION
#1 seed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
#10 seed Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
For the second time this tournament, the first installment in a series matches up against a sequel that is often cited proof that there are times where a sequel is equal to the original. A New Hope lays the stage for the entire Star Wars saga, telling a story of good vs. evil that has resonated for generations thanks to great characters, dazzling effects, and an awe-inspiring universe created by George Lucas. Empire builds on that solid foundation by expanding on the characters we know and love, introducing us to new ones (hello, Yoda, Lando, the Emperor, and Boba Fett), and shocking audiences with an ending that no one saw coming. This is a very tough matchup. Do you vote for the one who started it all, or do you keep Empire’s Cinderella run as the lowest remaining seed and only remaining sequel running?
For me, in a very tough vote, I have to go with the one that started it all-Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.
THE DUDE REGION
#1 seed Animal House
#2 seed The Big Lebowski
This may be the biggest stylistic difference of the Elite 8, as Animal House’s wacky antics go up against the more subtle and strange comedy of The Big Lebowski. However, these movies feature some of the deepest benches of any remaining movies in the tournament. Animal House is packed with great characters, big laughs, and some of the wildest comedy ever put to film when it was released. The Big Lebowski was a box office and critical failure when it was initially released but has since gained a massive following due to great performances from the leads and a script filled with memorable scenes. Comedy is by far the most subjective genre still represented in this tournament, so this is going to come down to the personal taste of the voter.
For me, I’m going with The Big Lebowski.
MATCHUPS
HAN SOLO REGION
#1 seed Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
#10 seed Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
THE DUDE REGION
#1 seed Animal House
#2 seed The Big Lebowski
