The Big Lebowski

No other film can pull off a mix of high- and lowbrow humor like "The Big Lebowski," the Coen brothers' follow-up to their massively successful "Fargo." Though the film was largely ignored by audiences and blasted by critics upon its debut, "Lebowski" has only grown in estimation and influence during the intervening decade between now and its original release. And, though the film revels in vulgar, often sophomoric hijinks and pratfalls, "Lebowski" also offers satire sophisticated enough to rival masterpieces like "Dr. Strangelove" and "Sullivan's Travels."

Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) is a man so unmotivated he makes characters in Kevin Smith movies look like overachievers. The Dude spends his days of blissful unemployment bowling with his friends, Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi), smoking weed and, in his own words, "the occasional acid flashback" to his life in the