Michael J. Fox is hitting the headlines again for being the legend he is after performing a heartwarming duet with Coldplay at Glastonbury 2024 in the United Kingdom.
Fox performed guitar alongside Chris Martin’s rock band on their tracks “Humankind” and “Fix You” and received a lovely and rapturous reception from the transfixed British crowd.
The Canadian-American star has enjoyed an illustrious career in Hollywood for several decades, even after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1991, a condition he’s admirably battled with bravery, dignity, humility, and humor.
His epic Glastonbury performance got us thinking: what are Michael J. Fox’s best movies? We’ll take you through the finest 10 — and let us tell you, there are some doozies. When movies as fantastic and enjoyable as Class of 1984 (1982), Teen Wolf (1985), The Hard Way (1991), and Doc Hollywood (1991) miss out, you know you’re dealing with a top-class filmography.
10. Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Truthfully, Back to the Future Part II probably isn’t as good as it’s often given credit for being — it’s a little uneven. That said, it’s enjoyably wacky, and given it’s the central piece in the iconic sci-fi jigsaw that is the Back to the Future trilogy, it’s hard not to include it in Fox’s top 10 films.
In this one, Fox’s Marty McFly and his friend Dr. Emmett Brown travel to 2015 from 1985 to stop Marty’s son from sabotaging his family’s future — and to undo the actions of their nemesis Biff Tannen, who uses time travel to make himself sickeningly rich. Fox is as excellent as ever, taking on multiple roles as Marty McFly (present and future versions), the dorky Marty McFly Jr., and even his daughter, Marlene McFly.
9. Stuart Little (1999)
The fantasy comedy Stuart Little is an adorable hybrid of live-action and animation loosely based on E.B. White’s 1945 novel of the same name. The eponymous character is a charming young mouse who gets adopted by the New York City-based Little family and has trouble being accepted by his would-be brother, George, and the family cat, Snowbell, who would sooner eat him.
Fox voices Stuart and does an amazing job emoting, providing the movie with bags of humor and heart as his character wins the affection of George and Snowbell. It’s a wonderful film for entire families to watch.
8. The Frighteners (1996)
The 1980s were by far the best decade for comedy horror movies, but 1996’s The Frighteners reminded us there was still life in the genre. It follows Fox’s architect Frank Bannister, who, following the murder of his wife, develops psychic abilities that enable him to see, hear, and communicate with ghosts — an ability he finds some intriguing uses for.
It’s a madcap film that’s loads of fun. Powered by outstanding special effects and Peter Jackson’s impeccable direction, it’ll disturb and amuse you in equal measure. Fox contributes significantly to that by expertly treading the line between serious and silly.
7. Stuart Little 2 (2002)
The sequel to the aforementioned Stuart Little, Stuart Little 2, improves on its predecessor (unlike 2005’s Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild, which is an utter car crash of a movie). This one follows E.B. White’s original novel more closely and tags along with Stuart and his now-friend Snowbell the cat as they meet a canary named Margalo and go on an adventure that puts them in danger.
Fox returns to voice Stuart and performs even better than he did the first time. His voice performance is hilarious, as is the whole movie, which benefits significantly from improved animation. Once you’re finished watching the first film with your family, make sure you follow with this one (avoid the third like the plague).
6. Back to the Future Part III (1990)
The third installment in the legendary Back to the Future trilogy is the sci-fi Western Back to the Future Part III. While it’s not as good as the original film (heck, is anything?), it’s an improvement on its predecessor. It follows Fox’s Marty McFly to 1885 in the Old West, where he heads to rescue a stranded Dr. Emmett Brown. However, things get complicated when Brown falls in love with a lady there.
Fox does a terrific job of keeping things moving in this one and clearly enjoys getting his Clint Eastwood on. It’s action-packed, funny, and sweet. The movie neatly concludes the franchise and introduces a time machine that may even have the DeLorean beat in the coolness stakes.
5. Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
In the adventure comedy Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, Fox flexes his voice-acting muscles again. A remake of 1963’s The Incredible Journey and based on Sheila Burnford’s 1961 novel of the same name, it follows a young American bulldog, a humorous Himalayan cat, and a wise old golden retriever on a long journey through the harsh Sierra Nevada mountain wilderness in an attempt to make it home to their precious families.
Fox voices Chance, the bulldog who also acts as the narrator. He does a grand and expressive job, adding to the film’s plentiful charm. While this one’s aimed primarily at children, anyone can enjoy it.
4. Casualties of War (1989)
Casualties of War is a Vietnam War drama and one of Fox’s finest dramatic roles. It’s based primarily on a 1969 article by Daniel Lang in The New Yorker. The movie depicts the events of the 1966 incident on Hill 192 in which American soldiers kidnapped, gang raped, and murdered a young Vietnamese lady named Phan Thi Mao.
Fox plays Private First Class Max Eriksson (based on Robert M. Storeby), a relatable and sympathetic soldier who strenuously objects to his squad’s actions but is forced to keep watch while they do their heinous deeds. However, he soon wins the woman’s trust and tries to help her. The film is harrowing and bold but brilliantly directed by Brian De Palma and superbly acted by its all-star cast, including Fox, Sean Penn, and John C. Reilly.
3. The American President (1995)
Rob Reiner’s political romantic comedy-drama The American President stars Michael Douglas as the fictional U.S. President Andrew Shepherd, a lonely widower who tries to form a relationship with Annette Bening’s environmental lobbyist Sydney Ellen Wade during a challenging re-election campaign.
Fox plays Lewis Rothschild, assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, and he shines in a heavyweight cast that also includes Martin Sheen, David Paymer, Samantha Mathis, and John Mahoney. Fox delivers one particularly impassioned speech in the Oval Office that will have you applauding. The American President packs a poignant political punch and combines that with humor and a compelling love story.
2. Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie (2023)
Davis Guggenheim’s documentary movie Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie offers an incredible insight into Fox’s life and the struggles he’s endured living with Parkinson’s disease. Fox, of course, stars in the film, giving refreshingly open thoughts and opinions about his daily tribulations and making everyone love him even more.
It’s no-nonsense, inspirational, poignant, profound, and simply brilliant. The documentary won several awards, including four Primetime Emmys and a Critics’ Choice Award — and justifiably so. If you haven’t seen this one already, get on it. Immediately.
1. Back to the Future (1985)
Back to the Future is one of the greatest movies ever made — there’ll never be another like it. Sure, the science behind it is way off, but who cares when you’re having so much unadulterated fun watching? It follows Fox’s Marty McFly back to 1955, where he travels from 1985 in his friend Dr. Emmett Brown’s time-traveling DeLorean. He inadvertently puts his existence at risk by preventing his parents from falling for each other — a situation he must urgently rectify.
It’s the movie that propelled Fox to superstardom, and unsurprisingly so. He’s effortlessly cool and charismatic, displaying unrivaled chemistry with his co-star Christopher Lloyd. Back to the Future is action-packed, funny, creative, and downright spectacular. There’s a reason it’s in pretty much everybody’s top five.