Category: 1990s

Posted on 2022-08-19 | No Comments |

In the Line of Fire (1993)

Haunted by his inability to protect JFK, secret service agent Clint Eastwood is determined not to fail again when John Malkovich begins a cat and mouse game with the current President’s life at stake. So terribly repetitive and predictable, Malkovich’s clever, ruthless villain almost saves the film. Unfortunately a love affair between Clint and fellow agent Rene Russo is so far-fetched and diluting to both agents’ competency that I can’t imagine wanting to watch this again.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen; Best Film Editing

Posted on 2022-08-18 | No Comments |

Defending Your Life (1991)

On his 39th birthday, Albert Brooks dies in a car accident and is sent to an afterlife where everything is determined by the quality of life led on earth and where a person goes next is decided by a pair of judges who assess if that person has conquered fear. During his nine days in Judgment City, Brooks meets and falls in love with Meryl Streep, a more perfect woman who is certain to be sent on to the next phase of living. This is my favorite of the Albert Brooks films I’ve seen. The version of the afterlife as seen here is creative and unique while also being absolutely ridiculous. Even in this ridiculousness, the world building is relatively consistent and the actors seem to be having fun working in it.

Posted on 2022-08-17 | No Comments |

Velvet Goldmine (1998)

A decade after British glam rocker Jonathan Rhys Meyers withdrew from the spotlight, journalist Christian Bale accepts an assignment to write about the singer’s career and disappearance. Offering some gorgeous visuals, the non-linear, meandering story did little to hold my attention. Beyond the music and costumes that give an authentic 1970s glam rock feel, the most interesting parts involved the interactions of the three leads, which includes Ewan McGregor as an American musician, as their lives intertwine directly and indirectly over the years.

Oscar Nomination: Best Costume Design

Posted on 2022-08-15 | No Comments |

La Belle Noiseuse (1991)

Upon meeting painter David Bursztein and his girlfriend Emmanuelle Béart, blocked fellow artist Michel Piccoli finds his creative spark renewed with a desire to use Béart as the model for a painting he was unable to finish long ago. A thorough reflection on the artistic process, it is four hours long and tedious. Full minutes go by where the only sound that is heard are scratches made on a sketch pad. In the end both the artist and his subject are broken and reborn in ways, but every grueling moment of that is felt by the viewer.

Posted on 2022-08-14 | No Comments |

G.I. Jane (1997)

Senator Anne Bancroft criticizes a candidate for Secretary of the Navy for the gender segregation in the Navy, so a deal is made to test a candidate to see if she can compete equally with the men during training. Topographical analyst Demi Moore is chosen as the first test subject because she is prettier than the other options. I’ve been wanting to watch this for quite awhile, but my library seems to have only bought copies because of the Oscars controversy. It’s a solid bit of filmmaking that doesn’t offer much terms of original storytelling, but Demi’s transformation and dedication to the physicality of the role is impressive.

Posted on 2022-08-07 | No Comments |

Karakter (1997)

Born the illegitimate son of a withholding housekeeper and her cruel bailiff employer, Fedja van Huêt becomes the chief suspect in his biological father’s unexpected death, requiring him to provide the details of his rise from poverty to becoming a lawyer himself. The periodic exchanges between the two over the years exhibits a contentious relationship that runs deep for both men. I found this to be an unexpectedly riveting drama that explores the bonds, or lack thereof, of family and the degrees to which success can be attributed to circumstances of birth, self determination, and luck.

Oscar Win: Best Foreign Language Film

Posted on 2022-07-30 | No Comments |

Roommates (1995)

Following the deaths of both of his parents, D.B. Sweeney moved in with his 77 year old grandfather Peter Falk. What follows was thirty years of off and on living together through life’s ups and downs. The posters for this make it look like it’d be an intergenerational version of The Odd Couple, but it’s far from that. It’s mostly a maudlin portrayal of the difficulties of life that is only buoyed by a great performance by Falk and a criminally small appearance by Julianne Moore.

Oscar Nomination: Best Makeup

Posted on 2022-07-28 | No Comments |

Barton Fink (1991)

John Turturro is an up and coming New York playwright who accepts a contract to write scripts in Hollywood. The reality of the scriptwriting process proves to be more difficult than expected; he is assigned to write about an unfamiliar subject and regularly distracted by his insurance salesman hotel neighbor John Goodman. Difficult to interpret at many times, the film offers a dark perspective on the writing process, especially when it becomes a commercial endeavor. The performances are immensely committed, especially whenever combined with Turturro’s stand-out lead.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor in a Supporting Role; Best Art Direction-Set Decoration; Best Costume Design

Posted on 2022-07-28 | No Comments |

Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994)

Dorothy Parker, portrayed here by Jennifer Jason Leigh, reminisces about her life and experiences as a member of the infamous Algonquin Round Table during the 1920s. Even today, Parker is well known for her supposed wit. Unfortunately little of that is exhibited here. Instead, it’s just a bunch of insufferable know-it-alls trying to one-up each other with every irritating sentence they utter. Not being helped by Leigh’s strange accent, the best thing the film has going for it is some lovely period design and an impressive cast that includes Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals, and Gwyneth Paltrow.

Posted on 2022-07-25 | No Comments |

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

Gunslingers, including the young braggart Leonardo DiCaprio, reluctant outlaw turned minister Russell Crowe, and mysterious Sharon Stone, descend on the town of Redemption to participate in a shoot-out contest hosted by the tyrannical Gene Hackman. Having mixed reviews when it was released, I hadn’t expected this to be so entertaining and fun. Everyone in the gradually diminishing cast of characters has their moment to shine as the tournament takes each of them out one by one. There are a few silly shots that I could have done without, but the rest is quite cool. I was also not prepared for how young DiCaprio and Crowe would look in this one, but Hackman makes one great bad guy to root against.