Lifetime Movies: 1992

Winner: Reservoir Dogs

The film equivalent of "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Everything changed for me around this time. It was as if a secret door opened and exposed this cultural landscape I never knew existed. There was music beyond the Top 40. There were movies outside the multiplex. It was our 1968 or 1977. 

I can't remember where I first heard about this film. Since it was pre-Internet, it had to be a magazine, but I do remember going out and renting it and not really knowing what to make of it. It was cool, that was obvious. But it was also like nothing I had ever seen before. Of course, Tarantino had seen it before, had culled it together from his favorite films--just like Cobain and his favorite bands--but it was the package, the final presentation that set it apart. Eighteen years (wow) and countless lame imitations later, it's not easy to convey the excitement this first generated, but I hope everyone has a film like this at some point in their life. And I hope that film isn't made by Michael Bay.

Films of Note:

Singles: Speaking of music, Cameron Crowe's prescience in conceiving this film before Seattle broke was an incredible stroke of savvy and synergy. This is one of my favorite films of all time, though I admit I was disappointed when I first saw it. I was expecting something closer to a concert film, but got something closer to a romantic comedy. And one with Kyra Sedgwick in the lead instead of Bridgit Fonda. Now, though, I see how it all works so perfectly, how Crowe knew exactly what he was doing. Well, except for the Bridget thing. (And I'm not just saying that because we were dating at the time.)

El Mariachi: Robert Rodriguez raised most of the crazy low $7000 budget by being a drug testing guinea pig. From this, he built an indie film mini-empire. Not bad. And no extra fingers...yet.

Juice: The success of Boyz N the Hood sparked Whitey to green light a slew of violent inner city stories. This is one of the better ones marked by a strong, crazy performance by Tupac Shakur. Lost in the circus around his untimely death was the fact that he was on the verge of becoming a helluva actor.

Hard Boiled: John Woo's final Hong Kong film and one of the best action movies ever. For whatever reason, Woo has not been able to make a good film since coming to America. Fitting to mention him here since Tarantino has made some good John Woo films.

One False Move: Gene Siskel named this thriller, co-written and starring an unknown Billy Bob Thornton, the film of the year. One of those gems that get lost over the years. Check it out if you can.

Passenger 57: Terrible movie, but it taught me one of life's greatest lessons: Always bet on black.