There are plenty of characters I dislike or find annoying, but only the following six have entered strangle-worthy territory. It being Christmas Eve, I thought I'd share with my dear readers exactly why I hate these fictional fuckfaces, while providing clips that showcase their atrocities. Have a copy of A Muppet Christmas Carol or It's a Wonderful Life handy. You're going to need it to restore your merriment and goodwill towards mankind.
Blanche Barrow from Bonnie and Clyde
Not only is Blanche a complete wimp compared to badass Bonnie, she nearly ruins everything by screaming hysterically during a shootout. Like, ten solid minutes of screaming and arm flapping. And she isn't even smart enough to duck! Lots of people would lose their shit during an ambush, for sure, but there's a difference between freaking out and being ridiculously self-indulgent. Blanche falls squarely in the latter category. She even has the audacity to claim a cut of their loot when she does nothing except jeopardize their lives and cry about how she used to be a preacher's daughter. Blanche, I think I speak for everyone when I say if you can't take the heat, go back to the chapel.
For the aforementioned hysterical screaming, check out 4:00-5:05 of this heavily edited video. And yes, Estelle Parsons won an Oscar for nonstop screeching.
Christine Everhart from Iron Man
Tony Stark is not exactly Mr. Moral, so indignant Vanity Fair reporter Christine Everhart is kinda justified in her criticisms. However, she takes things way too far. Asking Stark what he thinks of his nickname Merchant of Death is one thing, but verbally thrashing him at a classy cocktail party over a war-torn village is a little much. And honestly, who the hell carries photos of said destruction with them at all times? Stark wasn't even expected at that party. Are they just always in her purse, ready for public shaming?
Oh and one more thing: this whole holier-than-thou, crusading journalist thing is all well and good but don't you think sleeping with your interview subject is a tiny bit unethical? Pettily insulting his assistant the next day is also kinda unprofessional. But you go ahead being an enormous hypocrite, Christine. Just please stay out of Iron Man 2 as much as possible.
Alvy Singer from Annie Hall
Part of this has to do with the fact that I can't stand Woody Allen. It took every ounce of patience and self-control I had to sit through Annie Hall, and I could barely even handle Allen's much smaller role in Scoop. But I should clarify: I have nothing against him as a director or writer. In fact, I think he's pretty talented in those roles. He is, however, one of the worst actors I've ever witnessed. No matter the scene or situation it feels like he's doing stand-up, and thus he doesn't come across as a real character. That's bad enough. But Alvy of Annie Hall is also one of the most pompous and sanctimonious men to ever fill the screen. He's always berating Annie for not going to therapy, or for reading The National Review, or doing basically anything. No wonder she dumped his sorry ass.
Veda Pierce from Mildred Pierce
Bratty girls are hardly in short supply in movies, but even sixty-four years later, no one's topped Veda Pierce. Veda demands the high class life from her indulging mother, who waits tables and builds up an entire restaurant chain to buy them into the American aristocracy. Mildred's husband divorces her for giving into the kids too much and she busts her ass just so Veda can tell her that she's low class scum. Veda commits much worse and much more spoiler-tastic crimes as the movie progresses (see it for yourself -- it's an amazing film noir) that cause her mere presence to get my eyes squinting and twitching. See her call her awesome mother terrible things and even slap her between 1:49 and 2:01 of the trailer:
Every single person from Jesus Camp
Oh shit, they're real human beings, aren't they? It's better for my piece of my mind if we think of them as fictional figures and not living people with actual political influence.
Also, just to clarify, I wouldn't strangle the children, just the adults.
Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
The moment in this movie when someone attempts to murder Nurse Ratched marks the only time I've vigorously cheered on a would-be killer. Because there are villains, and then there is Nurse Ratched. She isn't your run-of-the-mill bitch. Oh no. She fucks with the already messed-up minds of every patient in her ward, preventing them from making any steps towards recovery. In fact, there isn't much wrong with any of the guys, but Ratched convinces them there is. She also withholds their cigarettes, forces pills on them and does something else so sinister/malicious/low that it makes you wish she was real just so you could viciously beat her down (too much of a spoiler, though). Watch her cruelly deny McMurphy and co. the right to watch a baseball game here:
So which characters would you personally like to strangle?
