The Grahammy's 90/90
Volume 4, Number 3
Wednesday, December 22, 1999
"Kinda like MTV 1515 on Mad Dog 20/20 but not really"
Well, here goes nuthin'. This is mighty long so I'll keep the
intros down to a minimum and let the work stand on its own. On
your mark, get set, GO!
TOP NINETY FILMS OF
THE NINETIES
(PART III of III, Top Ten)
10) "The Shawshank
Redemption" (`94,
Frank Darabont) - Probably the feel-good
movie of the decade. It's hard to describe the feeling that
watching this film brings out in me. Something having to do with
the whole triumph of the human spirit thing makes me go all willy
nilly. Fact of the matter is that even though "The Green
Mile" is a direct offspring of this movie, nothing can take
away the glory and beauty of Darabont's motion picture
directorial debut. The friendship between Tim Robbins' Andy
Dufresne and Morgan Freeman's Red is one for the ages, a
friendship that spans race, religion, and decades of time in the
slammer. Darabont doesn't shy away from the brutality of prison
life; it's the carnality of the Darwinistic subculture of jail
that draws Andy and Red together and forever forges their bond.
9) "Kicking &
Screaming" (`95,
Noah Baumbach) - Otis, is that a
pajama top you're wearing? From out of nowhere came this deft
tale of the swirling emotions one faces when entering what is
likely one of the more traumatic periods of any person's life.
The period when you leave the friendly, womb-like confines of
college and enter the quote-unquote "real world" is
fraught with fear, self-doubt, and incredible personal turbulence.
The best way to combat these symptoms is, of course, to sleep
with those younger than you and to smoke and drink endlessly, all
the while pretending you're still in undergrad. But seriously,
what this film accomplishes remarkably well is spotlighting the
how a group of friends (each representative of an identifiable
personality type) makes this adjustment in life, love, and
responsibility. And it's funny, too! Cougars!
8) "Hoop Dreams" (`94, Steve James) - Proof positive that there are far greater and
more resonant stories occuring every day out in the real world
than there are being created in Hollywood. A team of documentary
filmmakers led by Steve James spent over five years following the
progress of two rising basketball stars with seemingly disparate
career trajectories. From the summer hoops camps of eighth grade
to the Chicago City Championships during their senior year, the
crew caught on film a tale with jam packed with an overwhelming
amount of adversity and emotion. William Gates (not that Bill
Gates) and Arthur Agee both conquered the odds in their own
unique way and, as I was noting before, Hollywood could not have
written a better script.
7) "Jerry Maguire" (`96, Cameron Crowe) - Once (and if) you can get past the fact that
this movie stars Tom Cruise, once (and if) you can get past the
annoying catchphrases ("Show me the money", "Help
me help you"), and once you get past the sheer bulk of
Jonathan Lipnicki's pre-pubescent head, you'll be quick to
realize that what's staring you in the face is nothing short of
the `90s version of Arthur Miller's "Death of A Salesman."
Cruise's portrayal of a man whose moral epiphany sends him
teetering towards the edge of sanity is remarkable, especially
considering the level of dreck he's been associated with
throughout his career. Crowe's direction and screenplay is
confident and assured, as he precariously walks the fine line of
great drama and melodrama. The performances are incredible across
the board (especially Regina King as Rod Tidwell's wife and the
always spectacular Bonnie Hunt), and the movie gets better and
better with each viewing. The movie is perhaps best summed up by
a quote made by a copy clerk at the Kinko's where Jerry Maguire's
prophetic mission statement is made: "That's how you become
great, man. By hanging your balls out there."
6) "Bad Lieutenant" (`92, Abel Ferrara) - If Michael Mann has the corner on guy movies,
then Abel Ferrara is the low-life pimp trying to muscle in on his
territory with a Tec-9. He's ambitious, he plays dirty, and won't
stop pestering you until you finally give up. This 1992
masterpiece revolves around Harvey Keitel's career-defining
portrait of the film's title character, who the viewer knows only
as "Lieutenant." As the movie's tagline states, he's a
gambler, a thief, a junkie, a killer, and a cop. He's a man who
has lost his moral center, knows it, but is unable (note: NOT
unwilling) to admit his sins. Rife with religious overtones and
Catholic symbolism, he attempts to find salvation and redemption
by tracking down a pair of local hoodlums whose latest brutal
attack involves the rape of a local nun. The story is dark and
depressing, and not for the feint of heart. The film's NC-17
rating is earned and then some. But then again, so is this film's
place in the Top 10 Films of the `90s.
5) "LA Confidential" (`97, Curtis Hanson) - Devil Dog James Ellroy's pomo-noir (patent
pending, call my attorneys) novels are some of the finest books I've
ever read. I never thought I'd see one make it on screen in a
form that matched the intensity his novels' tone and mood, let
alone one directed by an "auteur" responsible for shite
such as "The River Wild" and "Losin' It". But
boy was I wrong. Every ounce of intrigue, deception, and attitude
is up on screen in this film that just plain oozes style. With
classic characters with classic names like Buzz Meeks, Ed Exley,
Bud Fox, and Jack Vincennes cavorting about, this movie out noirs
the greats like "Chinatown." Russell Crowe's standout
performance as the rogue tough guy/police lackey/crusading
defender of battered women Bud Fox signaled fine things to come (such
as his dynamite turn in this winter's "The Insider").
The colors and sound of this movie are especially worth noting;
after you buy "The Matrix", this is the second film you
should pick-up for your new DVD player.
4) "The Thin Red Line" (`98, "Terry" Malick) - Everyone has heard the term "Ahead Of
Their Time." I think Terrence Malick is the complete
opposite, but in the best possible sense. He thinks and writes
and directs in some sort of time warp -- that time warp being the
hey-day of American film, the late 1970s. While the best known
directors of that day have slipped from the top of their
respective games (Coppola's "Jack", Spielberg's "Lost
World", Lucas' "Phantom Menace", anyone remember
Bogdanovich's "Storyville"???), Malick came back in
1998 better than ever. "The Thin Red Line" is an opus
that was destined not to be appreciated, or probably even
understood. Malick's story, loosely based on the James Jones
novel of the same name, is anything but a war movie in the ilk of
the vastly overrated "Saving Private Ryan." Malick's
film is a meditation on heaven and earth, nature and man, war and
peace. If this sounds unbelievably pretentious, it just may be.
But it is undeniably the most unique, thought-provoking, and
thoughted film in years. The cinematography is unparalleled, the
battle scenes ominous and intense, the score both moody and tense,
the acting is superb. In particular, Jim Caviezel's Private Witt
and Sean Penn's Seargeant Welsh stand out, but the real star of
the film is the mood and thoughts Malick's direction conjures up.
Every shot was meticulously constructed, as if Malick had spent
the last twenty years envisioning every frame. Where "Saving
Private Ryan" left the viewer shell-shocked (initially
covering up the heavily cliched tactics of the film), "The
Thin Red Line" leaves you physically wrought and mentally
drained. Best. Ed. Note: Grahammy Award (tm) Winning Film, 1999.
3) "Pulp Fiction" (`94, Quentin Tarantino) - My brother said it best. Hence, I will quote.
"Remember the first time you saw 'Pulp Fiction'? How 5
minutes into it were you looking forward to seeing it again?"
While it may not necessarily be grammatically correct, it
perfectly summarizes the feelings of euphoria that Mr. Tarantino
delivered with this wallop of cinematic adrenaline. When the
title credits come up on the screen backed by the rip-roaring
riffs of Dick Dale's "Misirlou", you instantly knew
that what you were seeing was special. I'm talkin' the freshest
dialogue, the coolest characters, the looped-out fuck with your
head time structure, everything just clicked perfectly. I'm
talkin' Kahuna Burgers, Ezekial 25:17, the wallet that says
"Bad Muthafucka", the SUITCASE!, Jackrabbit Slim's,
"Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon", Pumpkin and Honey Bunny,
the golden watch, The Gimp, "your ass goes down in the fifth",
Winston Wolf, that bandaid on the back of Marsellus' head, "I'm
the foot fuckin' masta!", Red Apple cigarettes, the Bat-tusi,
everything. For my money, my fave installment is the Vincent Vega/Mia
Wallace segment. For better or worse, it made a movie star (again)
out of John Travolta. Fuck "Grease" and "Saturday
Night Fever", he has never been better than he was during
these 45 minutes or so. He was cool, charming, charismatic, and
completely classic. Anyway, remember how classic the camera-work
was when they went to Jackrabbit Slim's? Damned if you didn't
feel like you hadn't just shot horse with Travolta...Not to
mention the way your heart rate jacked to like 390 bpm when
Vincent was about to jam that big-ass needle straight into Mia's
heart to save her from ODing. Not to take anything away from the
other segments, they rocked, too. And props must go out to Samuel
L. AND Ving Rhames. Their roles were so stellar and so money that
they'll forever be associated with the characters Jules and
Marsellus Wallace. Sure this movie was claimed and captured by
Frat Boys everywhere (could you go to any frat house in `95 and
not see a "Pulp" poster of some variety? Don't think so),
but it doesn't deny the sheer power and pleasure of this movie.
It doesn't matter if he never climbs to these cinematic heights
again, Tarantino made his mark in a big way.
2) "Goodfellas" (`90, Martin Scorsese) - I just love it how the best movies always get
dissed when Oscar ® Time rolls up. Somehow Forrest Fargin' Gump
beat out "Shawshank", "Quiz Show" , "Four
Weddings And A Funeral" AND "Pulp Fiction" for the
best picture of 1994 (as Stu Sandler deftly notes, the best year
for movies since 1941). "The English Patient" beat
"Fargo" and "Jerry Maguire" in `96. But the
greatest injustice of all-time was easily when Kevin Costner's
drawn-out "Dances With Wolves" (Tatonka!) trumped
Scorsese's "Goodfellas" in 1990. Scorsese went out and
made the definitive Mob movie, but the PC climate of the time
didn't allow it a chance when the Best Picture Award rolled
around. The Academy fumbled on what was a revolutionary film that
transcended just about every boundary about what a movie could
and should be. It was a coming-of-age story, a buddy pic, a love
story, a drug epic, a Mob masterpiece, a portrait of paranoia, a
conspiracy thriller, an historical document, and a retro homage
-- all at the same time. Scorsese molded and shaped Nicolas
Pileggi's dynamite novel/screenplay into a film that, literally,
only he could make. He crafted a brilliant performance from a
marginal actor like Ray Liotta ("KAREN!"), and long-time
Scorsese associates DeNiro and Pesci reunited on-screen to
terrific results. There isn't a flawed scene or awkward moment
anywhere in the film. And technically the film is second only to
"Citizen Kane." You want examples? Try telling me that
the colors and the sets weren't pitch perfect. How about the way
the camera frenetically moves about when Henry is all coked out?
And of course there is the single greatest shot of the `90s, the
steadicam-masterpiece when Henry and Karen go to the Copa for the
first time...best ever. "Goodfellas" is also endlessly
quotable - do you know anyone who doesn't know the Joe Pesci
"Clown" scene? Scorsese's best film (yes, I said best)
is beyond comparison. It probably should be the best film of the
decade, but it ends up an extremely close second to...
...
...
...
(drum roll please)
...
...
...
1) "Boogie Nights" (`97, Paul Thomas Anderson) - "I like simple pleasures, like butter in my
ass, lollipops in my mouth. That's just me." When I sat down
just over 10 weeks ago and started to put this list together, I
wanted there to be some general criteria I judged the films on.
There are of course your basic pre-reqs like the overall quality
of the acting, direction, script, etc. There were other factors
like technical skill, the way music was used, and an the overall
highly subjective "cool" factor. But what the final
judgement came down to was one simple question...Does the movie
get better with each viewing? And that being said, PT Anderson's
"Boogie Nights" just keeps getting better and better. I've
probably seen this film 15 times and I'm still picking up new
quotes and noticing new "little" things and picking up
on character subtleties each time I press PLAY. The film is far
from flawless, but I gotsta give credit where credit is due. Sure,
Fincher is probably a better technical director, Tarantino has a
better grasp on dialogue, Cameron does action better, and Malick
definitely puts together more beautiful shots. That's not to say
that PT is on the same page as that hack Kevin Smith, not in the
least. Where Anderson excels is in the realm of being a Visionary.
He thinks on a scale far grander and more ambitious than any
other director working today. He takes the best elements of all
the great directors and swirls their characteristics and
tendencies around until what you've got is completely and totally
PT Anderson. From the dizzying opening shot of the film (which is
an homage to Scorsese's aforementioned Copa shot from "Goodfellas")
to the closing shot of Dirk Diggler's 13-inch "donkey dick",
what you've got on display is pure talent. Not the least of which
is the skill Anderson has at bringing out the best in his
ensemble cast. In Altman's "Short Cuts", you felt like
there were definitely strands of characters he left hanging. Not
so here. From Luis Guzman to John C. Reilly to Philip Baker Best
Ever to Julianne Moore to William H. Macy to Heather Graham to
Don Cheadle to Philip Seymour Hoffman to BURT MUTHAFUCKIN
REYNOLDS (!!!)...Anderson coaxes career performances from all.
And that doesn't even mention the performance of "Marky"
Mark Wahlberg, who's Dirk Diggler is easily the Breakout
Performance Of The `90s. His Dirk is needy, starved for attention/affection,
ego-driven, drugged out, on the rise, washed up, seeking
redemption, seeking cocaine, seeking a record contract, and most
of all, seeking love and acceptance. His lack of any Oscar props
is a joke. I could talk for hours and hours about certain scenes
from this movie (the pool party, the 1980 New Years Party where
it all starts sliding downhill, the scene @ Rahad Jackson's with
the exploding firecrackers and drug deal gone awry, and of course,
the climactic three-way scene where Dirk's, Rollergirl's, and
Buck's fates all collide off Santa Ana boulevard). I could talk
about the way that the music and the visuals and the dialogue all
come together perfectly. I could talk about characters
unmentioned so far (The Colonel, Todd Parker, Dirk's mom, etc.).
I could talk quotes ("Okay, now you're talking above my head.
I don't know all of this industry jargon, YP, MP. All I know is
that I can't get a record contract, we cannot get a record
contract unless we take those tapes to the record company. And
granted, the tapes themselves are a uh um oh, you own them,
alright, but the magic that is on those tapes. That fucking heart
and soul that we put onto those tapes, that is ours and you don't
own that!"; "What can you expect when you're on top?
You know? It's like Napoleon. When he was the king, you know,
people were just constantly trying to conquer him, you know, in
the Roman Empire. So, it's history repeating itself all over
again"; "I got a feeling that behind those jeans is
something wonderful just waiting to get out"). But I'll let
this statement stand on its own. Grahammy Award for Best Film Of
The `90s.
FRIDAY: Top 45 Singles of The `90s
See you then...
Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel.
-Mark
