So, one rule I made for myself is films made after 1980 I have to have seen to make my top 10 list. So for 1990, that excludes Jacob’s Ladder, Miller’s Crossing, The King of New York, Paris is Burning, Lionheart, deficiencies that definitely hurt this top 10 list. That being said, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED THIS YEAR? Thankfully, this is the most recent year I really struggled to find 10 great films, but geez, looking at the choices, it’s pretty bleak: Back to the Future III, Dick Tracy, Problem Child, Rocky V, and capped by Troll 2, one of the worst movies ever made. EVER. At least Martin Scorcese is here to save the day.
History has not been kind to this story of finding cultural understanding, even though it means well. Kevin Costner directs and stars as an American General after the Civil War who learns to bond and understand Native Americans. The love story warrants criticism, but the showcases of an open mind and finding cultural understanding are as timeless as any.
There was a time where Alec Baldwin was a great Jack Ryan, Tom Clancy’s political hero extraordinaire. This is one of the better Clancy adaptations, tense and a nice period piece about late 80s US/Soviet relations. Even the unintentional hilarity of Sean Connery playing a Lithuanian defector cannot derail the fun submarine thrill ride this movie takes us on.
Christian Slater is electric playing a renegade teenager who’s co opted a pirate radio, speaking extremely well written angsty diatribes after school ends at night. The movie captures those dark moments of teendom well, trying to find your voice, and hoping that you’re not alone in the world.
A blend of a movie that finds all pieces working together to craft something fresh. Patrick Swayze plays the deceased husband of Demi Moore, helping her with pottery lessons and making sure she ends up happy. Whoopi Goldberg won an Oscar for playing the medium connecting the two.
Paul Verhoeven is one of the greats at building strange interesting worlds. When Doug Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) goes to Mars in this gem, we get the pleasures of a triple breasted prostitute, mutant cab drivers, and bombs disguised as middle aged redheads. In short: this movie is weird, but totally fun, and could only be conjured from a mind like Verhoeven’s
Julia Roberts became a superstar here playing a hooker with a heart of gold swept off her feet by a rich vulnerable playboy (see how flawed 1990 was?). Roberts and Gere make this movie something special, mining jokes aplenty from the premise and using their charisma to make this type of romcom a template for years.
Finally a beginning to end quality film! Tim Burton and Johnny Depp’s first pairing might be their best, putting the oddball hero into a satire of suburban America. It’s that blend of strange and empathetic that made Tim Burton special.
Great story about the perils of celebrity and fan culture. Kathy Bates is engagingly excellent as Annie Wilkes, superfan to James Caan’s author. Bates shows everyone what fan is short for fanatic as she forces Caan to bend his novels to the version she has in her head…or else.
John Huges is shockingly insightful into the plight of teenagers and kids. Here he unleashes Macaulay Culkin into a film about a kid’s fantasy and worst nightmare: what happens if you’re left home alone? Culkin is a revelation passing the time in suburban Chicago by himself, while the 2nd half turns into a kids fantasy action comedy letting Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern bring the funny.
The clearest best film of the year winner of any year so far. Martin Scorcese’s epic examines day to day life in the mob, but for the guys doing the whacking, not the bosses. Scorcese directs the hell out of this, giving us legendary tracking shots, great music montages, and smart freeze frames. In addition, the characters, are all fascinating, from the 2 seconds of Johnny Two Times, to Joe Pesci’s perfect turn as the most terrifying mobster to encounter: a supremely jealous loose cannon of a man.
