Kevin's Watch

www.theaspectratio.net/bestof90slist1.htm

Interesting, to say the least. I have no idea how dreck like "Three Kings" continues to make these lists.

Discuss.

OK, me first !

I'll start with the picks I disagree with:

Jackie Brown: good film, yes. Best of the 90's???!!! C'mon. I know the 90's weren't the best but there has to be a better choise than this. Much too self-conscious in its writing style. the acting is the element which raises this movie above "annoying" status to me. They are all fun to watch. But "best"?... nope.

Fear and Loathing: Firstly, I must say I am a Gilliam fan. Love his work. And even though this movie has some of his signature visuals and unique story-telling qualities I love from him, it is just not a good movie. Period. Again, the actors are having fun and doing a good job, but I think Gilliam needed to take a page out of Cronenburg's book when filming his kind of material... less literal... To me it was just a mess of ideas going nowhere.

Existnz: OK, I put it on my "don't agree" list, but I can't come up with a real reason why. It was good, following ideas cronenburg has toyed with before, and in some cases, better than the Matrix, but to me it just felt like a film that needed more time --- or money --- or something.
OK, I admit it, I can't come up with a good reason why tis isn't one of the "best"...

Three Kings: Good movie, again. But not "best". I agree with Cail here, but with less of his vehemence It's kinda fluffy for me.

Grosse Point Blank: This film always gets talked about. And to be honest, I have not frik'n idea why! It is average on all accounts. Boring almost, except for an amusing shoot-out scene in the house with Cusak and Akroyd...

Braveheart: One of my picks for one of the most overrated movies ever. Rob Roy was far better... ('nuff said)

The Fugitive: ???? my god, this was a slightly above average thriller-type movie. Pop movie, but not "best". (sheesh)

Pretty Woman:




Now my "AGREE" list is much longer (I will merely quote most names):

Eyes Wide Shut: Say what you will about this, the movie is beautiful, haunting and deep. Almost every scene is engrained in my memory.

Dark City: Except for the little voice over prologue to this movie, it is perfect. I am glad to see someone giving it its due.

Hudsucker Proxy: There is a part of me that is surprised this movie did not do better. It is funny, charming and poetic. And the performances are delightfully over-the-top.

Ronin: Ahhhhh, a fantastically tight movie that brings back the glory days of this type of thriller.... Two of the best car chase sequences ever put on film...

Glengarry Glen Ross: We know the script is great, but MAN when you have a cast like that!!!! AMAZING!!!!!!

Zero Effect: a quiet, clever and sublimly funny film that totally flew under everyones radar. (hmmm, maybe not "best" but definately worth a look or two)

LA Confidential: great film making on all levels...

Barton Fink: It took me no less than 3 viewings to realize how great this 'difficult' film is.

Miller's Crossing: Tnak god someone put this on their list! In my humble opinion it is actually better than Goodfellas.

Matrix: this one HAS to be on the list because of it's thought provoking script, mind-bending notions, FX and action sequences.

Being John Malkovich: Truly original in all ways!

Se7en: the movie that spawned a thousand copies in idea and style...

Usual Suspects: Great!

Out of Sight: This is a fantastic bit of film making. There are so many elements to the script that make it wonderful to watch over and over again. And we gwet a good performance from Jlo. The directing and editing are amazing (a nod to The Limey in that respect, which I am disappointed did not make the list).

Wow. Talk about trying too hard. The first two titles on the list alone were enough to make me wince. Eyes had to be Kubrick's worst movie (which isn't to say it's horrible, but c'mon). And The Thin Red Line was great to look at, and had a couple really good scenes, but otherwise was a waste of two hours of my life. And Jackie Brown? He really thinks that was a better movie than Pulp Fiction? The only way the first guy saves himself is by including Dark City, The Hudsucker Proxy (though I'd never think to include it as one of the best films of the 90s, but it was a good movie and an interesting pick), to an extent, The Truman Show (which was great, but I think more people thought it was more novel than it really was) and Ronin (I'd take The Professional over it, though).

The other lists aren't so bad. Zero Effect (again, never would have thought of this movie. It was good, but... Mostly a novel approach to Sherlock Holmes), Fear and Loating, and Trainspotting. Heh. Just realized a common motif of those three. Existenz and Heavenly Creatures both seem to much for me. Of The Matrix, The 13th Floor, and Existenz, I thought the latter to be interesting, but the biggest failure of the three. Three Kings and A Simple Plan are both movies you expect to be on these lists, even though they've never done anything for me.

The first two guys on the second page nail every one, even if I didn't really like Rushmore and would've picked Requiem for a Dream over Pi (tough choice, though). Pretty much every one of my favorite movies is named.

Heh.

I agree with all your "disagrees" except for Grosse Pointe Blank and Braveheart. GPB hit a nerve for me (possibly because I graduated in '86). It was also the rebirth of Cusack's career. Not a great film, but in the context of the '90s, certainly one of the better ones.

How anyone can disagree with Braveheart is beyond my comprehension. Sure, Rob Roy was excellent too, but Braveheart was damn near perfect.

Ronin, Dark City, and The Zero Effect were all films that I thought were completely underappreciated.

I think that A Life Less Ordinary should've been there as well.

And if the Fugitive (huh?) is going to be on that list, then Die Hard With a Vengeance should be as well.

Edit-Oh yeah Syl, where the Hell was Leon: The Professional?

And how about American History X? Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels? The Lion King?

Or Tombstone, Scream, and There's Something About Mary.

Oh Hell yes on Tombstone.

Scream probably deserves it too.

Even though TSAM isn't my favorite, it was a paradigm shift in comedies, so I guess it deserves it.

I was very pleased to find "Breaking the Waves" on the list. Great stuff. I did not see, however the great movie "King of New York" on this list.

Another one that should be on there. Toy Story. Pixar redefined animation with that movie. The story and the animation still stand up today, 12 years later.

Syl wrote:Another one that should be on there. Toy Story. Pixar redefined animation with that movie. The story and the animation still stand up today, 12 years later.

You speak truly, Syl. However, this list save for the Titanic, the Matrix and some other exceptions seems to be weighted towards artsier movies than popular releases.

i had to keep reminding myself that the list is for ten years worth of movies. i had many agreements and many disagreements.

i was however, surprised to find two of my favorites on the list, Hard Eight and Zero Effect.
yeah, ZE was a reworking of Sherlock. a really GOOD reworking i thought.
add one to the glaring omission list: 12 Monkeys (1995). (or did i miss it?)
or am i the only one who liked it?

nope Lucy, I loved 12 Monkeys and thought it sould be there. I merely consentrated on the ones on the list, not on my wish list...


And I do agree with Cail's reasoning for Something About Mary...

*ahem*

Why weren't THESE films included?

Goodfellas
Unforgiven
Thelma & Louise
The Boondock Saints

Goodfellas and Unforgiven were.

Thelma and Louise was awful.

The Boondock Saints probably should be included.

What about Parenthood?

Man I loved that movie.

Elfgirl wrote:The Boondock Saints

Where as Jackie Brown was funny and hip (PF was better) and DeNiro's cameo was great-The Boondock Saints was funny and hip and much smarter-much more visually stimulating too!