Top 101 Movies of the 90s. We are done. If I knock out Amadeus/Brazil/Ran, We get to have an 80s countdown!! (1 Viewer)

[otb_lifer]

Oh, I also had Kids on my list

my condolences - most punchable little twits ever assembled. 

 

[KarmaPolice]

Needed more Adam Sandler

How would you rank and separate out the Sandler movies? 

I had Wedding Singer on mine, mostly because it's still a go-to with my wife and I.   I think Happy Gilmore would have been next up, but I don't watch them much anymore.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

Ugh, I must have thrown out my original list of stuff that I had considered or watched.  

Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels

Double life of Veronique

Army of Darkness 

Darkman

10 Things I Hate About You

Ronin

U-Turn

Wag the Dog 

Affliction

The Limey

Tree's Lounge

Kalifornia

The Spanish Prisoner

Slacker 

Arachnophobia

Awakenings 

These were ones I saw scribbled along the edges of the pages I do still have and didn't see mentioned too much.  

 

[otb_lifer]

Ugh, I must have thrown out my original list of stuff that I had considered or watched.  

10 Things I Hate About You

Tree's Lounge

big UPs for those two - Stiles ❤ & Buscemi 

 

[El Floppo]

Ronin

Wag the Dog 

The Limey

Oh..damn- I could see a case for each of those. Especially the Limey.

Has Dark City been mentioned or included in your guys 100?

 

[That one guy]

I mentioned that one as well. The follow-up from the Swingers director.

Speaking of Swingers, I remember liking Favreau’s not-an-actual sequel Made with him and Vince Vaughn.  Not a 90s movie and not in any top 100 list, but still fun

 

[KarmaPolice]

Every single one of these not making the top 50 is an absolute WTF for me. Huge WTF’s. 

One I haven't seen (True Romance) and couple that were close, and a couple that I flat out don't like ( Jerry and Tombstone)

 

[KarmaPolice]

Oh..damn- I could see a case for each of those. Especially the Limey.

Has Dark City been mentioned or included in your guys 100?

It was on the countdown - it was my #22.  

 

[otb_lifer]

One I haven't seen (True Romance)

look, these lists always bring out debate/snark/what ifs/etc - ALL subjective. we get it. 

but, honestly ... a guy trotting out a top 100 list, who couldn't be ####### bothered to catch that flick at least once in the roughly 30 years since it's release is just plain dumb. 

not like this is some obscure #### like "Sawdust & Mildew" or "The Flower That Drank the Moon" ... c'mon, man! 

inexcusable.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

Thanks all for following along and putting up with our crappy movie tastes!    

It was a blast to walk down memory lane like that again.     I realize the format was odd, but I think it accomplished what we were looking for.    I am slow typer, so if @Ilov80s wants to post his official top 100, people want to see it in context.    Here was my list:

1  BOOGIE NIGHTS

2  SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

3  SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

4  JURASSIC PARK

5  HEAT

6  PULP FICTION

7  SCHINDLER'S LIST

8  THE SWEET HEREAFTER

9  SCREAM

10  UNFORGIVEN

11 THE CABLE GUY

12  THREE COLORS:  RED

13  BOYS DON'T CRY

14  THE MATRIX

15  THE ICE STORM

16  OUT OF SIGHT

17  SEVEN

18  TOY STORY 

19  THE THIN RED LINE

20  FIGHT CLUB

21  AFTER LIFE 

22  DARK CITY 

23  BEING JOHN MALKOVICH

24  THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

25  SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 

26  FARGO 

27  CHUNGKING EXPRESS

28  THE IRON GIANT

29  BEFORE SUNRISE

30  GOOD WILL HUNTING

31  TASTE OF CHERRY

32  PHILADELPHIA

33  GOODFELLAS

34  RUSHMORE

35  BIG LEBOWSKI

36  JACKIE BROWN

37  AUDITION

38  T2 

39  EYES WIDE SHUT

40  BASIC INSTINCT

41  THE TRUMAN SHOW

42  BOYZ N THE HOOD

43  GROUNDHOG DAY

44 MY COUSIN VINNY

45  THE SIXTH SENSE 

46  LA CONFIDENTIAL

47  A FEW GOOD MEN 

48  SOUTH PARK 

49  MAGNOLIA 

50  BOOMERANG

51  APOLLO 13

52  LA HAINE

53  MAN ON THE MOON

54  ELECTION 

55 IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER

56  PRINCESS MONONOKE 

57  THE FISHER KING

58  LAST OF THE MOHICANS

59  THE BLAIR WITH PROJECT

60  THE APOSTLE 

61  SWINGERS

62  HUNT FOR RED OCTOBER

63  HARD EIGHT 

64  THE BASKETBALL DIARIES

65  MENACE II SOCIETY

66  POINT BREAK 

67  KINGPIN

68  MILLER'S CROSSING 

69  CANDYMAN

70  SHINE 

71  JFK

72  CONTACT

73  THE PLAYER 

74  WAITING FOR GUFFMAN 

75  THE INSIDER 

76  SLING BLADE

77  TOTAL RECALL 

78  GATTACA

79  GROSSE POINT BLANK

80  SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER

81  TRAINSPOTTING 

82  THREE KINGS

83  STARSHIP TROOPERS 

84  NOTTING HILL 

85  QUIZ SHOW

86  KIDS

87  AMERICAN BEAUTY

88  12 MONKEYS

89  4 WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL

90  A TIME TO KILL

91  THE STRAIGHT STORY

92  AMERICAN HISTORY X

93  THE WEDDING SINGER

94  DUMB AND DUMBER

95  THE LONG KISS GOODNIGHT

96  THE USUAL SUSPECTS 

97  THREE COLORS:  BLUE 

98  MEN IN BLACK 

99  RUN LOLA RUN

Evidently I had the date wrong for my #100.    

 

[KarmaPolice]

look, these lists always bring out debate/snark/what ifs/etc - ALL subjective. we get it. 

but, honestly ... a guy trotting out a top 100 list, who couldn't be ####### bothered to catch that flick at least once in the roughly 30 years since it's release is just plain dumb. 

not like this is some obscure #### like "Sawdust & Mildew" or "The Flower That Drank the Moon" ... c'mon, man! 

inexcusable.  

We can't watch everything.    80s and I were talking behind the scenes about the stuff we wanted to get to and didn't.     Most of the time I don't have a good reason for not getting to something (besides run time, which doesn't apply here).   I've even had True Romance at the house 2-3 times in the last couple years with the intent to watch it.   Honestly, a bit is because I have a gut feeling I'm not going to dig it all that much.   

What I find more interesting is why is it True Romance over all the other dozens of movies I haven't seen form the 90s is the one that is sticking in your craw that I haven't gotten to.    I think there are 5 on your top 25 I haven't seen.  

 

[otb_lifer]

We can't watch everything.     

you are a movie junkie. 

it was released in 1993. 

1993!

Tarantino script - Slater, Arquette, Kilmer, Rapaport, Pitt, Sizemore, C Penn, Pinchot, Oldman, Hopper, Walken, Gandolfini ... etc. 

matter of fact, i'd be hard pressed to find better movie making than the Hopper/Walken/Gandolfini "Sicilian" scene.  if that 10 minute passage ain't the best of the 90s, it's sure as #### tied for first. 

What I find more interesting is why is it True Romance over all the other dozens of movies I haven't seen form the 90s is the one that is sticking in your craw that I haven't gotten to.    I think there are 5 on your top 25 I haven't seen.  

i'd be interested in what those 5 are ... 

bottom line is that leaving this off a top 100 is travishmockery enough ... but never bothering to even have ONE sit with it, for a cat who loves flix as much as you do, is downright absurd.  

 

[Pip's Invitation]

Couple of polarizing ones by Todd Solondz.

Happiness - deeply disturbing film but at its heart it’s a comedy.  I think my favorite scene is at the end, but it’s super subtle.  At the family dinner the dad grabs the salt shaker and one of the daughters says something like “daddy your blood pressure “ and he looks around at his family for a second and then just douses his food in salt.  All I really remember outside of that is the Pedo stuff and Phillip Seymour Hoffmanns dirty phone calls

lesser known is Welcome to the Dollhouse I guess it’s a coming of age comedy.   I think it perfectly captures that awkwardness of life l transition from child to teenagers and the pressure you get to accelerate that transition 

High school's better than junior high. They'll call you names, but not as much to your face.

Also like his 2001 Storytelling, after that i feel like he just went off the rails

After sitting through LaBute, no way I’m ever going to watch anything from Solondz.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

you are a movie junkie. 

it was released in 1993. 

1993!

Tarantino script - Slater, Arquette, Kilmer, Rapaport, Pitt, Sizemore, C Penn, Pinchot, Oldman, Hopper, Walken, Gandolfini ... etc. 

matter of fact, i'd be hard pressed to find better movie making than the Hopper/Walken/Gandolfini "Sicilian" scene.  if that 10 minute passage ain't the best of the 90s, it's sure as #### tied for first. 

i'd be interested in what those 5 are ... 

bottom line is that leaving this off a top 100 is travishmockery enough ... but never bothering to even have ONE sit with it, for a cat who loves flix as much as you do, is downright absurd.  

I also took the Sicilians scene in the movie-scene draft I mentioned earlier.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

How would you rank and separate out the Sandler movies? 

I had Wedding Singer on mine, mostly because it's still a go-to with my wife and I.   I think Happy Gilmore would have been next up, but I don't watch them much anymore.  

id probably go

1. Happy Gilmore

2. Billy Madison

3. Big Daddy

4. The Wedding Singer

5. The Waterboy

 

[otb_lifer]

I also took the Sicilians scene in the movie-scene draft I mentioned earlier.

Lee Donowitz and the Beverly Ambassador scene ain't far behind ... such a great flick. 

ETA: and Drexel "white boy day" scene, as well. 

i'll stop there before i source the whole flick

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Dead Alive - you’ve got…the bite

a bite from the Sumatran Rat Monkey turns a guys mum into a zombie.  Hijinks ensure.  From a pure schlock factor this is one of the all time great zombie movies, some great guts and gore in this one, the lawnmower scene is epic Sometimes it’s hard to believe this guy went on to direct Lord of the Rings after starting his career with Bad Taste and Meet the Feebles

 

[KarmaPolice]

you are a movie junkie. 

it was released in 1993. 

1993!

Tarantino script - Slater, Arquette, Kilmer, Rapaport, Pitt, Sizemore, C Penn, Pinchot, Oldman, Hopper, Walken, Gandolfini ... etc. 

matter of fact, i'd be hard pressed to find better movie making than the Hopper/Walken/Gandolfini "Sicilian" scene.  if that 10 minute passage ain't the best of the 90s, it's sure as #### tied for first. 

i'd be interested in what those 5 are ... 

bottom line is that leaving this off a top 100 is travishmockery enough ... but never bothering to even have ONE sit with it, for a cat who loves flix as much as you do, is downright absurd.  

I didn't see it when it came out - at that time I was still in my mostly ####ty action movie and horror movie phase.  Remember me saying I didn't like Pulp when I saw it?   I had 0 attachment to Tarantino until later in the game.   By the time I started thinking about watching it, I was souring on Tarantino a bit so it kept getting pushed down the queue for something else.   Also, very few of those actors you listed are ones that I heavily gravitate to either.  

Like I said, I have a "feel" for what it is through clips and whatnot, and it's something I have a general impression I am not going to love, and for this experiment I decided instead to catch up with more foreign movies and other stuff that also has slipped by me over the years.  

 

[Don Quixote]

Good list and discussion. Thanks for pulling together.

I'd probably have some stuff around the edges mostly already mentioned. I think I'm a bit younger than KP at least, as was of the age of Home Alone (my wife bought the Home Alone Lego House last year). And may have included something like Lion King.

I probably would have had some more comedies, like Office Space, too.  I would have been interested to see where the documentaries like Hoop Dreams or When We Were Kings would have ranked, but understand harder to rank those relative to others.

A couple that I haven't seen discussed are Christopher Nolan's debut -- Following.  I remember enjoying that one when I watched it 20+ years ago, but I'm not sure how well it holds up.  Kind of an existential noir, that may have just hit more when I was in that typical existential college phase.  1998 may have been the year for those kinds of movies, as Pi came out the same year.

Stupid film that I enjoy more than I probably should is ****.  I don't think it would crack my Top 100, but I've always thought it under-appreciated. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams as a couple of ditzy teens who help crack Watergate (and revealed to be the mysterious Deep Throat). Will Ferrell and Bruce McCulloch as Woodward and Bernstein, and Dan Hedaya as maybe my favorite Nixon portrayal on film. I think it flopped a bit because they focused the marketing on teenage girls, but it's more of a political comedy.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Also don’t think anyone mentioned Hudson Hawk yet.  Definitely a guilty pleasure of mine 

 

[KarmaPolice]

slapped a top 26 ... 

16) Ed Wood

10) State of Grace

7)  True Romance

6)  Freeway

2)  Buffalo '66

Since you asked - these are the 5.   I'm not sure about Buffalo.  Pretty sure I've seen it, but for some reason remember 0 about it.  

 

[El Floppo]

After sitting through LaBute, no way I’m ever going to watch anything from Solondz.

yep. LaBute and Solandz... as exploitational as Spielberg, but in all the wrong ways for me. 

but you should watch Dollhouse- it's the least *yuck* of his and carries a genuine sweetness to it (just past all the *yuck*)

 

[KarmaPolice]

Good list and discussion. Thanks for pulling together.

I'd probably have some stuff around the edges mostly already mentioned. I think I'm a bit younger than KP at least, as was of the age of Home Alone (my wife bought the Home Alone Lego House last year). And may have included something like Lion King.

I probably would have had some more comedies, like Office Space, too.  I would have been interested to see where the documentaries like Hoop Dreams or When We Were Kings would have ranked, but understand harder to rank those relative to others.

A couple that I haven't seen discussed are Christopher Nolan's debut -- Following.  I remember enjoying that one when I watched it 20+ years ago, but I'm not sure how well it holds up.  Kind of an existential noir, that may have just hit more when I was in that typical existential college phase.  1998 may have been the year for those kinds of movies, as Pi came out the same year.

Stupid film that I enjoy more than I probably should is ****.  I don't think it would crack my Top 100, but I've always thought it under-appreciated. Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams as a couple of ditzy teens who help crack Watergate (and revealed to be the mysterious Deep Throat). Will Ferrell and Bruce McCulloch as Woodward and Bernstein, and Dan Hedaya as maybe my favorite Nixon portrayal on film. I think it flopped a bit because they focused the marketing on teenage girls, but it's more of a political comedy.

Reading through some of these lists, I think for my tastes Following and Pi were whiffs that I honestly didn't remember when I was assembling my list.  

 

[otb_lifer]

I didn't see it when it came out - at that time I was still in my mostly ####ty action movie and horror movie phase.  Remember me saying I didn't like Pulp when I saw it?   I had 0 attachment to Tarantino until later in the game.   By the time I started thinking about watching it, I was souring on Tarantino a bit so it kept getting pushed down the queue for something else.   Also, very few of those actors you listed are ones that I heavily gravitate to either.  

Like I said, I have a "feel" for what it is through clips and whatnot, and it's something I have a general impression I am not going to love, and for this experiment I decided instead to catch up with more foreign movies and other stuff that also has slipped by me over the years.  

just saying that from a cat who is so passionate and knowledgeable to never have found 100+ minutes to sit with it, lo over the past 30 years, is quizzical. 

i can't say that enough ^ so i'll leave it at that, and just say you have no idea what you're missing - i say that in all candor, from one movie buff to another.  

i complimented you and 80s a few times throughout this, i respect both of you for the dedication you have to the art form ... this was a great thread, i learned that for as much as i slag the 90s, it was probably the deepest decade for film. 

 

[El Floppo]

slapped a top 26 ... 

16) Ed Wood

10) State of Grace

7)  True Romance

6)  Freeway

2)  Buffalo '66

Since you asked - these are the 5.   I'm not sure about Buffalo.  Pretty sure I've seen it, but for some reason remember 0 about it.  

oh... damn- these are all really great movies. 

I'm far less into True Romance than most people- didn't resonate with me at all.. and IIRC, kinda rubbed me wrong (no memory of why- although maybe it was coming into the theater with big expectations based on friends' love for it).

 

[El Floppo]

Reading through some of these lists, I think for my tastes Following and Pi were whiffs that I honestly didn't remember when I was assembling my list.  

really didn't do anything for me.

Aronofsky swings too wide for my tastes. I liked and respected the hell out of Requiem (but too beaten and exhausted by it to watch again) and loved The Wrestler. but the rest range from "huh" Pi, to wtf.

 

[Ilov80s]

One I haven't seen (True Romance) and couple that were close, and a couple that I flat out don't like ( Jerry and Tombstone)

A lot of QT N bombs. Gary Oldman being totally bonkers. I put in with a movie like Face Off. It’s entertaining but kind of terrible. I’m not sure if I’m laughing at it or with it. Slater plays QT but reimagined as if QT is the coolest guy ever. 

 

[Pip's Invitation]

yep. LaBute and Solandz... as exploitational as Spielberg, but in all the wrong ways for me. 

but you should watch Dollhouse- it's the least *yuck* of his and carries a genuine sweetness to it (just past all the *yuck*)

The way our family’s time is structured, I have very little time to catch movies on my own, and when I do, I’m generally avoiding the *yuck*. As I mentioned to KP, I spend way more time with TV shows and music than movies these days. 

 

[El Floppo]

Other stuff....

I mentioned Europa Europa.

I'm an Egoyan fan and probably prefer The Adjuster and Exotica to Sweet Hereafter on a given day.

Fresh was a pretty great coming of age film.

Welcome to the Doghouse the only Haynes film I can stomache, and I genuinely like it.

Leigh's Secrets and Lies stunned me.

I'm sure there's a Jarmusch film from the 90s that's worthwhile to include...Ghostdog?

I remember digging Daytrippers (speaking of Parker Posey)

Absolutely Freeway.

Somebody else mentioned Kicking and Screaming...Baumbachs first, not the soccer thing. but there was also Walking and Talking.

Bob Roberts probably would hold up and be eerily prescient.

Wiikid mentioned Ed Wood, my favorite Burton movie.

The Swingers guy followed up with Go, which I remember liking a lot (not sure if the Rave scene would hold up)

Was Crimes and Misdemeanors in the 90s? Peak Woody. 

I'm sure I'll remember more or get reminded by others...

Some more...

Another Leigh- Naked

I've mentioned When the Cats Away elsewhere...loved it.

I remember thinking the Dreamlife of Angels was stunning, but haven't seen it since and don't really remember it other than liking it a ton.

*Shudder*...Breaking the Waves. Guh. The only movie I waffled between loving and hating...all while watching the movie. Not sure about this.

surprised none of these bolded, especially at the top, have been mentioned.

at the bottom, all are smaller movies (the 90s had a ton of solid independent/foreign films... or maybe I was just more tuned in than I am now... more likely) other than the von Trier one. I'm trying to think of others of his- I remember liking him, but wore out on his approach. When the Cat's Away might rank really highly for me based on my memory leaving the theater- if I could find it anywhere to rewatch. I have the soundtrack, which is pretty varied and great.

 

[El Floppo]

oh... damn- these are all really great movies. 

I'm far less into True Romance than most people- didn't resonate with me at all.. and IIRC, kinda rubbed me wrong (no memory of why- although maybe it was coming into the theater with big expectations based on friends' love for it).

A lot of QT N bombs. Gary Oldman being totally bonkers. I put in with a movie like Face Off. It’s entertaining but kind of terrible. I’m not sure if I’m laughing at it or with it. Slater plays QT but reimagined as if QT is the coolest guy ever. 

I kinda remember it trying too hard... maybe the Oldman and Slater aspects speak to that. wasn't Brad Pitt in there as a stoner roommate too?

 

[Dan Lambskin]

The Minus Man

Owen Wilson as a serial killer

wiki tagline summarizes it perfectly

The film centers on a serial killer whom Fancher describes as "a cross between Psycho's Norman Bates, Melville's Billy Buddand Being There's Chauncey Gardner"

Vann Siegert : Once when I was young... I was laying in the grass, and a spider crawled in my ear. And...

Graves : And?

Vann Siegert : Well, he crawled out again. Nobody home.

 

[otb_lifer]

Since you asked - these are the 5.   I'm not sure about Buffalo.  Pretty sure I've seen it, but for some reason remember 0 about it.  

Ed Wood - Burton directing Depp, with an award winning turn from Landau - my favorite of this director's output, by far. another head scratcher as to you never seeing it. 

State of Grace - a case of "art imitates life", (Italian mob upstaging the Irish) as it was released around the same time as "Goodfellas", and was just overwhelmed by that tsunami.  loosely based on the notorious Westies gang from Hell's Kitchen - we lived there for a spell in the 80s - we knew these guys ... this rings truer than "Goodfellas" (as does Brasco) to me. Penn/Oldman/Harris are incredible.  

Freeway - the most guaranteed good time outta this lot ... you cannot sit through this and not have the blast of your life - Reese Witherspoon was never better, and, as i said yesterday, you'll never look at her the same again - love her to death here. so much going on, zips like a comet, never a dull moment. 

Buffalo '66 - Billy Brown may be the most reluctant anti- hero of the decade ... the scenes with Gazzara and Huston (his mom & dad) are excruciatingly uncomfortable  - the tension created is palpable.  and, talk about "reluctant", Ricci dazzles as the muse ... the bowling alley scene is one of the most magically surreal couple minutes you'll ever spend.  Gallo is a hero to me - the story just gut punches and bends and twists you ... this is genius level Vinny - gritty as ####, but with the vulnerability only a truly gifted artist could convey. cannot praise him, or this flick, enough. 

plus i had a drink with him at Boo Radley's when i was in NYU.   

 

[KarmaPolice]

just saying that from a cat who is so passionate and knowledgeable to never have found 100+ minutes to sit with it, lo over the past 30 years, is quizzical. 

i can't say that enough ^ so i'll leave it at that, and just say you have no idea what you're missing - i say that in all candor, from one movie buff to another.  

i complimented you and 80s a few times throughout this, i respect both of you for the dedication you have to the art form ... this was a great thread, i learned that for as much as i slag the 90s, it was probably the deepest decade for film. 

A lot of QT N bombs. Gary Oldman being totally bonkers. I put in with a movie like Face Off. It’s entertaining but kind of terrible. I’m not sure if I’m laughing at it or with it. Slater plays QT but reimagined as if QT is the coolest guy ever. 

The bolded is where I say I kind of do know what I am missing, and 80s confirms it a bit here.   I've seen clips and scenes, I know Tarantino scripts and dialogue, I think I have an idea what the movie is about.  

That's been my hesitation now, especially that I've soured a bit on QT.   Also in my old age I have gotten fairly anal about not seeing trailers and spoilers for movies ahead of time.   I like to be as blind as possible, so of the list otb posed, I would rather try something like State of Grace or Freeway that I have way less baggage and back knowledge of.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

surprised none of these bolded, especially at the top, have been mentioned.

at the bottom, all are smaller movies (the 90s had a ton of solid independent/foreign films... or maybe I was just more tuned in than I am now... more likely) other than the von Trier one. I'm trying to think of others of his- I remember liking him, but wore out on his approach. When the Cat's Away might rank really highly for me based on my memory leaving the theater- if I could find it anywhere to rewatch. I have the soundtrack, which is pretty varied and great.

Another  for me is that I haven't gotten around to early Egoyan.   I loved Sweet Hereafter and then watched forward, but I haven't seen The Adjuster or Exotica.   I think they are still on Criterion and I should try to get to those.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

really didn't do anything for me.

Aronofsky swings too wide for my tastes. I liked and respected the hell out of Requiem (but too beaten and exhausted by it to watch again) and loved The Wrestler. but the rest range from "huh" Pi, to wtf.

I should have been more clear - I meant whiff in that I would have bumped them up the rewatch list, but not sure if they would have made the final list.  I just thought both were 00s directors and hadn't thought of them.  

I hear you on Aronofsky.  I love Requiem, The Wrestler, and Black Swan.   The WTFs were Mother!, The Fountain (though still liked this one a bit) and Noah for me, and I don't remember Pi that much.  

 

[Leroy Hoard]

That Ricci bowling alley scene from Buffalo '66 is my favorite King Crimson video.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I'd have thought room would be made for Toy Story and Beauty & the Beast. 

I'd have included: The Rock, Contact, Run Lola Run, In The Line of Fire, Gettysburg, True Lies

 

[El Floppo]

Ed Wood - Burton directing Depp, with an award winning turn from Landau - my favorite of this director's output, by far. another head scratcher as to you never seeing it. Landau was immense in this- leant the movie the honesty and depth that Depp can never give for Burton. Murray with a great role too. my favorite Burton movie by a long ways.

State of Grace - a case of "art imitates life", (Italian mob upstaging the Irish) as it was released around the same time as "Goodfellas", and was just overwhelmed by that tsunami.  loosely based on the notorious Westies gang from Hell's Kitchen - we lived there for a spell in the 80s - we knew these guys ... this rings truer than "Goodfellas" (as does Brasco) to me. Penn/Oldman/Harris are incredible.  Remember loving this, but don't remember it. Need to rewatch.

Freeway - the most guaranteed good time outta this lot ... you cannot sit through this and not have the blast of your life - Reese Witherspoon was never better, and, as i said yesterday, you'll never look at her the same again - love her to death here. so much going on, zips like a comet, never a dull moment. Agreed all the way around. If you know Reese as a kind of Jenn Aniston type rom-com actress, this will forever change that.

Buffalo '66 - Billy Brown may be the most reluctant anti- hero of the decade ... the scenes with Gazzara and Huston (his mom & dad) are excruciatingly uncomfortable  - the tension created is palpable.  and, talk about "reluctant", Ricci dazzles as the muse ... the bowling alley scene is one of the most magically surreal couple minutes you'll ever spend.  Gallo is a hero to me - the story just gut punches and bends and twists you ... this is genius level Vinny - gritty as ####, but with the vulnerability only a truly gifted artist could convey. cannot praise him, or this flick, enough. the characters tend a little to "goofy", lacking reality... but it's so well done and acted and touches on reality just enough in spite of that- and Ricci shines. beautifully filmed too- and IIRC, the first time using that multiple-camera technique to stop the action and move around it in real time (Matrix-y). I saw it with some arch school friends of mine who had gone into animation/cg- I was blown away by that scene, but their heads popped trying to figure out how they did it.

plus i had a drink with him at Boo Radley's when i was in NYU.   

 

[El Floppo]

I'd have thought room would be made for Toy Story and Beauty & the Beast. 

I'd have included: The Rock, Contact, Run Lola Run, In The Line of Fire, Gettysburg, True Lies

pretty sure that made the 100.

agree about Lola and True Lies

 

[Andy Dufresne]

pretty sure that made the 100.

agree about Lola and True Lies

Missed that.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I kinda remember it trying too hard... maybe the Oldman and Slater aspects speak to that. wasn't Brad Pitt in there as a stoner roommate too?

When I saw True Romance, I thought, this would be an all-timer If someone other than Slater was the lead. Still likely makes my top 100 of the decade.

 

[KarmaPolice]

I'd have thought room would be made for Toy Story and Beauty & the Beast. 

I'd have included: The Rock, Contact, Run Lola Run, In The Line of Fire, Gettysburg, True Lies

Toy Story was on there.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

pretty sure that made the 100.

agree about Lola and True Lies

I will be honest.  I thought True Lies would have been one of the action movies on there, but I didn't like it as much this time around.   I'd probably would have had The Rock and Die Hard 3 above it for that tier of action movies.   I did have Men In Black on the list above it too.  

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I will be honest.  I thought True Lies would have been one of the action movies on there, but I didn't like it as much this time around.   I'd probably would have had The Rock and Die Hard 3 above it for that tier of action movies.   I did have Men In Black on the list above it too.  

True Lies does drag a bit in the middle. Peak JLC notwithstanding. But the last 45 minutes is awesome action.

I'm glad you like DH3. I do too. Jeremy Irons carries the Euro Terrorist torch quite well, IMO.

 

[El Floppo]

I will be honest.  I thought True Lies would have been one of the action movies on there, but I didn't like it as much this time around.   I'd probably would have had The Rock and Die Hard 3 above it for that tier of action movies.   I did have Men In Black on the list above it too.  

good god no on Rock and DH3. those are just camp.

MIB is legit blockbuster- funny, smartish and high production value wiht a good and well told story. True Lies is behind MIB, but still a fun spin on things (more fun in the first half, IMO)... and I don't recall seeing that story before (the domestic life of super-spies).

 

[Ilov80s]

I kinda remember it trying too hard... maybe the Oldman and Slater aspects speak to that. wasn't Brad Pitt in there as a stoner roommate too?

Yeah, the cast is loaded. Kilmer even plays Elvis in the tiniest cameo. 

 

[KarmaPolice]

True Lies does drag a bit in the middle. Peak JLC notwithstanding. But the last 45 minutes is awesome action.

I'm glad you like DH3. I do too. Jeremy Irons carries the Euro Terrorist torch quite well, IMO.

Plus True Lies has some AMAZING Bill Paxton in it.       

I agree, it drags a bit in the middle.  I agree with floppo DH3 is a bit campy, but I'll watch a series of "buddy cop" movies with Willis and Jackson.  

 

[KarmaPolice]

The Rock probably just got the slight nod just because of my obsession with the High Tech Military room ---> ####tiest looking bathrom ever transition.    

 

[Manster]

If I had to guess, I'd say I've never seen this all the way through, either.   Sports movie plus kids movie double knock against it.   

I was too cool for that stuff in the 90s,  didn't see it, so when it came to watching movies with the kids, I had not attachment to these movies and didn't watch with them either.  

You're missing out on some good flicks my man.  The sandlot reminds me of my youth, playing ball with my buddies.  

 

[foxco]

Yeah, the cast is loaded. Kilmer even plays Elvis in the tiniest cameo. 

"I like you Clarence. Always have, always will."