The Top 5 Carrie Fisher Movies (Besides Star Wars) That You Need to See -

by Jasmin Pettie

Last week we mourned the loss of one of Hollywood’s greats: Carrie Fisher. Known to generations for her iconic role as Princess and later General Leia Organa in Star Wars her loss is felt heavily by fans the world over. Here at The Nerd is the Word we previously took a look at some of Leia Organa’s defining and most baddass moments. Today, however, in honour of Fisher’s long and multifaceted career we’d like to draw your attention to five movies outside of those of the epic space opera in which Fisher had a starring role that you need to see. Rest in Peace Carrie Fisher. You are greatly missed.

The Blues Brothers
- A true Hollywood classic The Blues Brothers hit theatres in 1980. The film, directed by John Landis, starred Jonh Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as Joliet Jake and Elwood Blues, characters that they’d developed from their Blues Brothers musical comedy sketch on Saturday Night Live. The story is a tale of redemption for Jake and Elwood who set out on a mission from God to save the Catholic orphanage in which they were raised from foreclosure. To do so, they reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn the money needed to pay the orphanage’s property tax bill. Along the way they encounter a mystery women, Neo-Nazis, a country and western band, and of course, the police. In it, Fisher plays the Mystery Women who turns out to be Jake’s estranged ex-fiance. She spends almost the entire moving trying and failing to kill both of them in increasingly ridiculous ways. Best Line? “So for me, for my mother, my grandmother, my father, my uncle, and for the common good, I must now kill you and your brother.”

When Harry Met Sally
- A good old fashioned Rom Com When Harry Met Sally is about two friends who meet while at University, go their separate ways, and then reconnect years later. Premiering in 1989, the film was directed by Rob Reiner and starred Billy Crystal as Harry and Meg Ryan as Sally. The film examines the close friendship that blooms between them and centers on the age old question: “Can a man and a woman be friends without sex getting in the way?” Fisher stars as Sally’s best friend Marie Who goes from being a single New Yorker to dating a married man to marrying Harry’s best friend Jess. She steals every scene she’s in. When Sally finally admits to her friends that she’s broken up with the dreamboat attorney she’d been seeing Marie is there to help. She immediately whips out her Rolodex* and starts flipping through the names of hundreds of eligible bachelors in the city in an effort to help her friend. Best line? “The right man for you might be out there right now and if you don’t grab him, someone else will, and you’ll have to spend the rest of your life knowing that someone else is married to your husband.”

Drop Dead Fred
- This 1991 British American black comedy was directed by Ate De Jong. It starred Phoebe Cates as Elizabeth Cronin, Rik Mayall as Drop Dead Fred her imaginary friend, and Marsha Mason as Elizabeth’s overbearing mother Polly. The film details the life of a young woman, Elizabeth, who finds her already unstable life rocked by the presence of a rambunctious imaginary friend from childhood. The film sees Elizabeth struggle to find her place in the world while battling her controlling mother and dealing with the fallout after her husband leaves her for a younger woman and her wacky imaginary friend reappears. It’s a zappy movie that emphasizes self-actualization. In it Fisher plays Janie, Elizabeth’s no nonsense pal who always knows what’s up. When Elizabeth is struggling with leaving her good for nothing husband Janie tells it like it is, but gently and continues to supports her when she shows up later on at her boathouse at three in the morning wanting to talk. But by far her most iconic scene is when she leaves a work meeting to take Fred out of the room and attempts to beat him upeven though she can’t see him. Best line? “Pain is your friend. It’s your humanity. Pain makes you interesting.”

Loverboy
- This American comedy debuted in 1989 and was one of Patrick Dempsey’s earliest film roles. The film was directed by Joan Micklin Silver and starred Dempsey as Randy Bodek, Nancy Valen as Randy’s girlfriend Jenny Gordon, Kate Jackson as Randy’s mother Diane, and Barbara Carrera as wealthy Italian seductress Alex Barnett. The film centres on Randy Bodek, a college dropout who works as a pizza delivery boy at Senor Pizza to make a few extra bucks. Some customers are looking for something a little more special though. When an order comes in for a pizza with extra anchovies it means the female customer is looking for some loving. After a brief triste with the middle aged seductress Alex Barnett gets the ball rolling for young Randy the orders for extra anchovies start pouring in. Soon Loverboy’s reputation begins to make him very popular, but when his own Mother suddenly feels like some extra anchovies things start looking grim for young Randy. Fisher stars as Monica Delancy who becomes one of Randy’s clients. Monica is an isolated aspiring photographer in need of some TLC. Through their encounters we learn that Monica is in the market for some tender loving care because of her insecurities and how underappreciated she feels in her marriage. Monica loves rich food, but is married to Claude a fitness trainer who handles beautiful athletic women all day. Best line? “I like actual food, not fiber. Fuck fiber. I want grease, I like red meat…”

Sibling Rivalry
- This 1990 American comedy was directed by Carl Reiner and starred Kirstie Alley as Marjorie Turner, Bill Pullman as Nicholas Meany, Jami Gertz as Jeanine, and Ed O’Neill as Wilbur Meany. The film finds Marjorie in an eight year marriage that has her suffocating. Tired of her husband’s neglect and his snooty family full of doctors she looks to her sister Jeanine for a way out. With her sister’s encouragement she decides to snap out of her rut by having an affair. While at the grocery store she meets a mysterious man and allows herself to be swept up in passionate sexual tryst. Everything is going great until her mystery lover dies while in the throes of passion. Complications ensue, some of which involve a blind salesman; not a blind one, but one who sells vertical blinds; the salesman’s brother; a police officer; a long estranged family member; and a forgotten wallet. Carrie Fisher stars as Iris Turner-Hunter. A doctor, Iris is one of the many snooty physicians that make up Marjorie’s husband’s over the top family. The laughs are endless. Best line? “Wow! Look at those kidneys!”