Groundhog Day was a great film and a great choice by Vin, but I know he's not an Evil Dead fan. His loss. The Internet is stained with geekgasms about this movie, so I won't add to the mess other than to say it is just pure fun to watch. I don't know if Sam Raimi could have made this at another time. It was a perfect creative window for his sensibilities: he had built up enough genre clout to get his vision financed, but free from the corporate web of a billion dollar franchise. Basically, he was given money to intentionally make a cult classic. And he did. AoD is a campy, catchphrase free-for-all. The best film of the year? Of course not. But one I'll keep watching again and again (but not again because that would be a bit much).
Films of Note:
Vin hit on a lot of the high notes including the very underrated So I Married an Axe Murderer and the ground-breaking Judgement Night soundtrack. Overall, though, this was a surprisingly down year considering how the rest of pop culture was blowing up. But it appears the decade was just catching its breath. 1994 has some big films and then we hit what I think is the best 5-year stretch of this whole countdown.
A Bronx Tale: The directorial debut of Robert DeNiro. I'm surprised Vin didn't mention this and that's not just because he is a pillar of the Italian-American community. This is a great father-son story thanks in large part to one of my favorite DeNiro performances as the honest, hard-working dad losing his son to the "glamour" of the neighborhood wiseguy. SMC TRIVIA: we had scouts at our high school during the casting process. Vin turned down the lead to focus on his studies. It's true because it's on the Internet!
The Nightmare Before Christmas: I liked this long before it became Hot Topic chic. It's a dark, anti-Disney Disney musical. And it's a scary Christmas movie. Or is it a happy Halloween movie? Tim Burton at his Gothic peek, when he was still making movies instead of just cashing paychecks. Looking at his upcoming schedule, originality is going to fade even further into the past.
The Sandlot: A family movie that plays the nostalgia card, but doesn't go sappy. Plus, it turns into one of the last good baseball movies.
True...how could I not add a bronx Tale?...bad memories and Chaz is just OK...DeNiro is great but C is a mumbling crack head who in real life got killed in a breaking and entering...as for DeNiro..I am watching the first 2 minutes of Righteous Kill...after that go to IMDB and look at his characters name...so in the course of 2 minutes the whole film is spoiled because I know his characters name...that is not what a film should be hinged on...I am very dissapointed...but I carry on some how
ReplyDeleteHe KILLED a cop. Well, he got off but got 10 years for burglary. Eligible for parole in 2014. Eaither way: loser.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a Bronx Tale, but I have no idea what you guys are talking about in the comments, is Chazz P. really in jail? Or was that part of the story line? I gotta rewatch it, I guess. All's I know is that kid was CUTE!
ReplyDeleteThe cute kid is in jail. Typical. Chicks like bad boys. You're a chick, right? For Vin's sake I hope so. Vincent Gallo is one of the last people I would want to get jealous.
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