1990s List Discussion and Suggestions (Lists Project Vol. 2)

[souvenir]

Also the 90s were a great time for one of our best actresses, Jennifer Jason Leigh. Besides Miami Blues, be sure to catch her in Georgia, Mrs Parker and the Vicious Circle, Last Exit to Brooklyn, and eXistenZ, among others.

Add Hudsucker Proxy to that list. She is phenomenal in that movie.

Also, in Rush she did a great job; an underseen film but it might make it on my list.

And Kansas City, which I'll almost definitely be voting for. Hopefully I'm not the only one who found it to be one of Altman's best of the decade.

[domino harvey]

There's a Jennifer Jason Leigh movie for everyone this decade!

I love her in the Hudsucker Proxy. I'm not wild about the film on the whole and it won't be getting a vote from me, but it is one of the more-bearable Coen Brothers films. I'd certainly rather see it chart than the other Coen Bros movies that most certainly will (Fargo, Barton Fink, the Big Lebowski, &c).

I have Single White Female, Rush, and Kansas City in my queue. Gonna try and track down Bastard Out of Carolina as well.

[Lemmy Caution]

A Brighter Summer Day can be obtained (in the full length version) from eBay Malaysia, from a store called something like oneworldDVD.

Anybody know if this is a significant improvement (image quality-wise) than the VCD I've been putting off watching for years now?

I'd be careful, as the cover looks the same as the Dvd floating around China:

You might want to ask them what it says on back, as the Dvd here says that it is a "decent transfer from a Laserdisc."
It's not atrocious but I found it hard to get through nearly 4 hours of marginal quality.

If anyone wants the marginal quality, full-length film, I wouldn't mind sending it off for just a few dollars, but it's a long film to stick out the iffy quality.

[Cold Bishop]

As far as I know, the major source of all English subbed bootlegs of the director's cut is the same laserdisc with both Chinese/English subs on the print itself. "Marginal quality" is the only way to see the film. Even the print owned by the Yang family isn't suppose to be too hot.

There may be better quality versions of the shorter cut, but the full-length version is the one to see.

I honestly don't see the need to spend money on it. Unless you absolutely need it on DVD-R and don't have the capability to do it yourselves. Otherwise, its an easy film to track down through free means, and I'm going to do my best to make sure its even easier in a week or so.

[LQ]

I'm finally going to stick my big toe in the water...like Binker I started following the 80's list way too late in the game, but I'd love to play along with the 90's lists project.
I'm glad to see that someone else enjoys Kansas City! It would slide just under The Player for my favorite Altman of the 90's. Immediately added Your Friends and Neighbors to my queue, I'm shocked that I still haven't seen it.
A few that will definitely be up there:
Dead Man & Ghost Dog (Jarmusch)
Waiting For Guffman (Guest)
Barton Fink (Coens)
Crumb (Zwigoff)
Antonia's Line (Gorris)
Pulp Fiction (Tarantino)
Eyes Wide Shut (Kubrick)
Beauty & The Beast (Trousdale/Wise)
Live Flesh & All About My Mother (Almodovar)
I need to re-watch Chabrol's L'enfer, but my memories of it would necessitate a high placement.
Would anyone recommend Frears' The Snapper?

[domino harvey]

I can't believe I forgot this one: the brilliant Zero Effect should make my Top 10

[swo17]

Ha, it did take Zero Effect for me to care to distinguish Bill Pullman from Bill Paxton.

The interesting thing about the '90s is that I could easily make a top 50 right now of films that were important to me back then, but I am perversely eager to give many of them the boot.

Also, here's a big, hearty recommendation for Svankmajer's Food, another brilliant three-part short that does some amazing integration of stop motion animation and real human characters.

[domino harvey]

Annotated 90s Claude Chabrol

Madame Bovary Competent adaptation by Chabrol that seems mostly to be an excuse to pay homage to Under Capricorn. Random bits of gore liven the proceedings, but this is a fairly pedestrian affair.

Betty Probably the least of the nineties Chabrols, this barfly affair does little more than tread water for two hours, though it's always fun to see Audran in a Chabrol film.

L'enfer One of Chabrol's greatest and most wicked films, Chabrol picks up the baton from Clouzot and runs wildly with it. In a career filled with wonderful endings, this one might have his best.

La Ceremonie Chabrol's best film and an excellent place to start. Try and go into it blind if you can-- this isn't one to read about first!

the Color of Lies Lowkey but effective treatment of suspicion that remains one of the few Chabrol films to not receive distribution in the UK. Pretty dour stuff but Chabrol's lack of judgment here seems colder than usual, which actually works in the film's favor.

Rien ne va plus The second-best Chabrol film of the decade, this is his To Catch a Thief and the breezy attitude and hilarious situations (this is by far Chabrol's funniest film) make this one immensely entertaining. Somewhat atypical ending knocks the momentum off, but what preceded is so good that it hardly matters.

[Zumpano]

Was surprised to see these on the Cahiers list:

Mad Dog & Glory (McNaughton)
Innocent Blood (Landis)
In The Mouth of Madness (Carpenter)
Face Off (Woo)
Snake Eyes / Mission Impossible (DePalma)
Scream (Craven)

Are they just French or should I be re-watching some of these? Many I haven't seen in a while (since the theater), or not at all (Innocent Blood; love Landis but the DVD is non-OAR). Mad Dog I've been meaning to re-watch purely for Murray. But, Snake Eyes? Face Off? Really? Help me out guys, s'il vous plait?

[LQ]

I find Face/Off to be the best-worst movie of the 90s. That, "Con Air" and "The Rock" comprise the holy Nic Cage Trinity of bad-good films of the 90s. All will be making my list. Why some landed on the Cahiers list is beyond me, though.

[swo17]

I find Face/Off to be the best-worst movie of the 90s. That, "Con Air" and "The Rock" comprise the holy Nic Cage Trinity of bad-good films of the 90s. All will be making my list.

You know you only get to pick 50 films, right?

[LQ]

I'm fully aware

[domino harvey]

Was surprised to see these on the Cahiers list:

Mad Dog & Glory (McNaughton)
Innocent Blood (Landis)
In The Mouth of Madness (Carpenter)
Face Off (Woo)
Snake Eyes / Mission Impossible (DePalma)
Scream (Craven)

Are they just French or should I be re-watching some of these? Many I haven't seen in a while (since the theater), or not at all (Innocent Blood; love Landis but the DVD is non-OAR). Mad Dog I've been meaning to re-watch purely for Murray. But, Snake Eyes? Face Off? Really? Help me out guys, s'il vous plait?

Well, Scream and In the Mouth of Madness are both incredibly self-reflexive films about cinema, it shouldn't be a surprise to see them on a Cahiers list. And they love DePalma, so again, no shock there. Haven't seen the others so I can't speculate there

[Binker]

I'm starting my trip through the 90s with Egoyan. Calender, Exotica, and Felicia's Journey are at the top of my queue.

[Yojimbo]

Was surprised to see these on the Cahiers list:

Mad Dog & Glory (McNaughton)
Innocent Blood (Landis)
In The Mouth of Madness (Carpenter)
Face Off (Woo)
Snake Eyes / Mission Impossible (DePalma)
Scream (Craven)

Are they just French or should I be re-watching some of these? Many I haven't seen in a while (since the theater), or not at all (Innocent Blood; love Landis but the DVD is non-OAR). Mad Dog I've been meaning to re-watch purely for Murray. But, Snake Eyes? Face Off? Really? Help me out guys, s'il vous plait?

Face/Off is the only American Woo that matters
(probably the quintessential Nic Cage movie also)

[SoyCuba]

I'm willing to take part in the swapsies deals. domino, since I'm not American I'll pick Miami Blues, although I'm propably going to watch Dick too. Tom Hagen, I already have Bringing out the Dead in my kevyip and was propably going to watch it anyway so you can pick something else if you like. tojoed, I'll see which of those I can get easier my hands on, although of course I'll watch them both if possible. A Brighter Summer days I've already seen and it'll be on my list so no need to make a deal with zedz. Besides, I'm not sure if I've seen anything worthwhile that zedz hasn't

My number one choise for this decade is currently Raise the Red Lantern. If you've already seen that, I can think of something else. And if anyone else wants to make the deal with me, just let me know.

[LQ]

I'm going to start with Woody Allen's 90's movies, as I've been meaning to for a while. I've only seen two from the entire decade (Sweet & Lowdown, which I love...and Mighty Aphrodite, which I didn't).

[tojoed]

My number one choise for this decade is currently Raise the Red Lantern. If you've already seen that, I can think of something else. And if anyone else wants to make the deal with me, just let me know.

I haven't seen Raise the Red Lantern so I'll watch that. Is there a decent DVD available?

[domino harvey]

I still "fondly" remember the R1 DVD cover in the original incarnation of the "Worst Covers" thread, so yes

[Murdoch]

Mad Dog and Glory is a film I need to revisit. I watched it about a decade ago just because Murray was in it, expecting a light comedy. Then I discovered the film was about a sick underworld with Murray as a mob boss and it has stuck with me if only for Murray playing a very despicable villain and De Niro as a hapless coward (quite a change from what I was used to). Also, it's the only time I haven't found David Caruso insufferable.

[denti alligator]

Jonathan Rosenbaum's favorites of the decade. Always interesting:

Close-up (Kiarostami)
Nouvelle Vague (Godard)
Actress (Kwan)
A Brighter Summer Day (Yang)
The Puppetmaster (Hou)
Satantango (Tarr)
Dead Man (Jarmusch)
When it Rains (Burnett)
Inquiétude (Oliveira)
The Wind will Carry Us (Kiarostami)

That Burnett choice is just plain weird! The Kiarostamis will top mine (if I get it together this time--I was MIA on the 80s list).

[GringoTex]

Here's some films which will rank high on my list and that I urge people to see:

Life, and Nothing More... (My favorite Kiarostami-not on DVD, unfortunately)
La Cérémonie (My 2nd favorite Chabrol after Le Boucher- great R1 dvd available)
L'Humanité and La Vie de Jesus (Dumont's two feature are available on great R2 dvds. Avoid the R1 Humanite if possible)
Texasville (Better than Last Picture Show and I thought it was Bog's masterpiece until I saw The All Laugh)
Close Up (My 2nd favorite Kiarostami)
Van Gogh (one of the best biopics I've seen)
Thunderheart (Great old-fashioned Hollywood social film)
Searching for Bobby Fischer (great old-fashioned Hollywood childhood film)
Besieged (The only Bertolucci film since 1900 that I can even tolerate- it's fantastic)

[Cold Bishop]

That Burnett choice is just plain weird!

He's also gone on record as calling it one of his 10 favorite films period. Esoteric choice, and not one I can agree with (especially with the wonderful To Sleep with Anger just a few years before) but interesting nonetheless.

[domino harvey]

To Sleep With Anger should definitely be on everyone's radar for this list. Though it's not out on DVD in R1, its original aspect ratio if academy, so getting your hands on a VHS copy is not going to ruin anything. Everyone has five and a half months to seek it out if they haven't had the pleasure, and lord, everyone owes themselves a film this good.

[Cronenfly]

A few titles I'd recommend to start...

Safe- My favourite Haynes (though I also have a soft spot for Poison and Velvet Goldmine, both of which are also in the running for me), this is the one '90s film I'd implore people to see if they haven't already. The whole package, from Moore's performance to Tomney's score, is pitch-perfect.

Wild Side (Director's Cut)- Cammell's last film (steer clear of the butchered version), despite its excesses (which will ingratiate or grate, depending) is well worth a view. The R2 Tartan disc is unfortunately OOP now, which is a damn shame. Anybody know if the DC's available anywhere else in the world?

Ravenous- I've got swo's back on this one; a fine film featuring a superb score and some excellent performances (Robert Carlyle, despite his occasional hamminess, gives the best performance I've ever seen from him, and I'm eager to view his other '90s collaborations with Antonia Bird, Face and Priest).

Flirting With Disaster- David O. Russell had some spark in the '90s (see also Three Kings and Spanking the Monkey), with this being my personal favourite of the three.

The Cable Guy- Written by an uncredited Judd Apatow (this is where he met Leslie Mann, his future wife) and featuring a plethora of effective cameos (Eric Roberts [the best of all, even if the joke's stolen from The Simpsons], Janeane Garofalo, David Cross, Bob Odenkirk, Owen Wilson, George Segal, Ben Stiller [whose direction here is leaps and bounds ahead of his inaugural effort, Reality Bites], etc), it's a film ripe for re-evaluation. It isn't a masterpiece in any way, shape, or form, but it is far ahead of Carrey's other '90s efforts (I include The Truman Show in making that statement) in twisting his usual dipshit persona into darker, more complex territories (and without the biopic restrictions of Man on the Moon). Broderick serves as an ideal straight man (before that act grew wearying) and the film's satirical elements, though often a bit clunky, serve the film well on the whole.

And a few other titles I'd throw my hat in for:
The Game (Fincher)
Love At Large (Rudolph)
The Butcher Boy (Jordan)
Croupier (Hodges)
Light Sleeper (Schrader)
Naked (Leigh)
L.627 (Tavernier)
Jackie Brown (Tarantino)
Lolita (Lyne)
The Eel (Imamura)
Trust (Hartley)