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.

Lifetime Movies: 1992

Some years it seems are real easy to pick, and others are either some great films or a lot of mediocre stuff. This year for me marks the beginning of independent cinema...sure there were small films before, with low budgets and young directors, but this is the year of Quinten Tarantino...save your Slacker and Soderbergs, and Francois Truffaut references for someone else...this is the year of RESERVOIR DOGS


I saw this early, early 1993 or 1994...it played on my colleges dorm cable...we had someone real hip programing those films in those days...I had just a few friends at the time and a lot of time to kill...so I gave this film a shot...the opening sequence of talk and guys wearing the same outfits, the talk of Madonna and familiar faces like Harvey Keitel just drew me in and I held on the whole time mesmerized.

I had an English writing class where I dissected this films color scene, the names of the men in the gang and what they metaphorically mean to their character...the color orange which in Francis Ford Coppola's world of the Godfather means death...the layers in an orange, the differences in each characters suit, that at first appears identical but in reality all are different, the homage Tarantino gives to other films that at the time were unknown to Americans...has Tarantino changes that much?...no he hasn't...even Death Proof has its moments.

Watching this film now is like walking into a time machine...it is not dated...it could have been filmed in the 1950s, 1970s, etc...but you see where Tarantino will go...he uses names here that have their soul in Pulp Fiction, True Romance, Jackie Brown, etc...these are characters in a play, and the play is totally in the hands of Tarantino...you feel that with all his films. I wish I could go back in time and rewatch this film and rediscover the magic of it...since the film I have 3 different DVDs of it...toys, posters, etc...the characters are like Greek heroes...the lines are poetry...1992 belongs to Reservoir Dogs.

Other films:
Scent of a Women: Pacino deserved an Oscar for like 5 others films before this...but sure he gets this...I would like to say that I was on board the Phillip Seymour Hoffman train starting with this film, check his filmography and see that he really never did anything before and it was years until Boogie Nights

Batman Returns: One of those films (and we have to make a list of this) that takes place during Christmas, and uses Christmas decoration, but is not about or never uses Christmas in the story...brilliant...it's dark, circus-like and I love that Catwoman suit...when you think about the time and the characters, Catwoman and Penguin were perfectly cast.

A Few Good Men: I am a sucker for a good Tom Cruise film..I thought Demi Moore was hot as F*$k..and the Jack Nicholson ending was great...one of my favorite endings.

Glengary Glen Ross: The acting is some of the best ever by an ensemble cast...each one if perfect...I could name them and say why they are great..but whatever...the Baldwin scene alone is one of the best monologues of all time...Mamet got alot of credit here for this film...I was on his bandwagon for years based on this film...I guess I was wrong...never really liked anything else he has done...I could watch this film over and over and just be in awe...I guess 1992 should be remembered by the perfect casting

1993 will be a tough one..for me there is no clear winner...even I may be surprised with what I pick...there are many good films...none that I think are GREAT...so maybe and just maybe Judgement Night has a chance.