Every so often I like to veer off the soccer path we trod and spout off about something else (plus, The Distracter likes it).I've talked music and TV shows, now it's the silver screen's turn. And as you know, I like to shine the light on the under-heralded, so this list is a natural. I picked the '90's as that was the time when my movie viewing was at it's highest and deepest levels.
I'll try not to give too much away (I hate that), so grab your popcorn and keep your feet off the seat in front of you...
Honorable mentions: Bob Roberts, Fearless, Fresh, Hard Eight, Kicking And Screaming, One False Move, Romper Stomper, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, Slums Of Beverly Hills, Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, Watch It, Waterland
#5 - Swimming With The Sharks
Kevin Spacey is a major preening prick agent of a boss and Frank Whaley is the punching bag assistant in this dark comedy... is there even anything else you need to know?
#4 - The Sweet Hereafter
Nominated for two Oscars, this emotional Atom Egoyan picture is what I call "an onion flick" - the layers get peeled away and suddenly you have something in your eye. The always terrific Ian Holm is a troubled lawyer that enters a small town after a tragic school bus accident leaves the locals a wreck.
#3 - The Waterdance
Not to sound like too much of a big sappy dope, but this film is a poem. It is life poetry, true and ugly and beautiful and unavoidable. Eric Stoltz must cope with waking up paralyzed from the waist down after a rock climbing accident, as must then those around him.
Pitch perfect support comes from Helen Hunt, William Forsythe and Wesley Snipes, who at the time was still actually an actor. This is among his very best roles and he nails it painfully.
#2 - Lone Star
Ya know, this John Sayles film has so many layers and so many twists, I'd feel funny saying too much about it.
Just know that this movie is quite gripping and will throw a thing or two at you that you weren't ready for. It features a superb pair of lead performances by Chris Cooper and the criminally underrated Elizabeth Peña, as well as an array of splendid supporting turns.
#1 - Flirting With Disaster
Okay, I get it like I get Arrested Development not being a hit. But still, everyone knows about Three Kings and I Heart Huckabees. People even may know Spanking The Monkey, but somehow this David O. Russel utter gem seemed to just pass most everyone by. Most everyone suffered for it, as this is a screwball comedy of the highest and weirdest order.
I could prattle on vaguely about all sorts of wacky occurrances within that would lead you to check out this dark comedy, but I won't spoil the fun. Just go get it and know you're about to see the comedic best of Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Alan Alda, George Segal, Tea Leoni, Richard Jenkins and Josh Brolin, as well as a pair of simply delicious supporting performances from the irreplaceable Lily Tomlin and Mary Tyler Moore.
- Greg Seltzer
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9 comments:
Flirting with Disaster is a classic! It is in my all-time top-3. It's my wife-test movie -- if my girlfriend doesn't find it funny I know she's not the one.
Right on, brother.
Where's PCU?
Hmm, I'd suggest most people have seen PCU, if not several times.
Swimming with Sharks. Awesome. You forgot to mention that Benicio Del Torro in his very early days also makes an appearance...
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels!
How about 5 best cities to visit in Europe?
Kicking And Screaming is epic. "Of course, I'm paraphrasing myself here..."
Flirting with disaster is a great movie, though, as a Texan, I'd rank Lone Star as number 1 on the list, probably the best movie ever made about Texas. Remember watching it at a movie theater in Washington, D.C. when it came out and having to explain it to a friend from Atlanta. Too bad Powwow Highway was released in 1989, if it had come out in 1990 it would belong on this list.
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