Welcome to my blog. I am a huge movie buff and just want to share my opinions. The only thing a movie buff loves to do as much as watching movies is making lists. So here's the first of what's sure to be many lists you'll find on this blog. My top 10 films of the '90s in the order they were released.
1. "Goodfellas"(1990)
Martin Scorsese's mob masterpiece is riveting from start to finish. I believe a great movie grabs you in the first 15 minutes and doesn't let go. "Goodfellas" grabs you in the first 15 seconds. There's never been a better exploration into the world of organized crime and it's inhabitants. Not even in those Coppola flicks. Ray Liotta is likable and repellant as mid level hood Henry Hill, Robert DeNiro brings all his quiet menace to his role as Hill's mentor, and Joe Pesci is frightening and funny as a psychopathic trigger man. But this is a director's film all the way- the music, the voice-over narration, the freeze frames. There are so many tiny details that enhance this true story and Scorsese didn't feel the need to embellish it in any way. He illustrates the fact that this lifestyle is both attractive and disturbing. This is a master filmmaker at the top of his game.
2. "Silence of the Lambs"(1991)
Twenty years after it's release, this gripping thriller has lost none of it's power and intensity. Hannibal Lecter is widely regarded as one of the greatest villains of all time. The sequels and prequels demystified the character which may cause some to forget just how good Anthony Hopkins was the first time around. His chilling voice and creepy stare is only in the movie for a total of 20 minutes but it was enough to make him an icon. Jodie Foster's intelligence and quiet strength never fails to shine through and she's totally believable as FBI trainee Clarice Starling. Meanwhile, director Jonathan Demme piles one unnerving scene after another. One of the few films in history to sweep the Oscars, it's the best of it's kind.
3. "True Romance"(1993)
The dark horse of this list bombed at the box office but achieved cult classic status in a post-"Pulp Fiction" world on late night cable and home video among musicians and film buffs who rightfully regard it's electric mix of graphic violence and sharp dialogue as pure movie lover's nirvana. The superb cast has a field day with the first and best script Quentin Tarantino has ever written about a comic book store clerk(Christian Slater), his happy hooker bride(Patricia Arquette), and a suitcase full of cocaine. The Dennis Hopper-Christopher Walken showdown is now legendary and so is Brad Pitt's stoner character Floyd. Gary Oldman stops by as a vile pimp, James Gandolfini lands his breakout role as a sadistic mob thug, and Val Kilmer plays the ghost of Elvis. Tony Scott's slick, fast paced direction and QT's gutter poetry is the best of both worlds.
4. "Schindler's List"(1993)
Steven Spielberg stunned audiences worldwide with this grim, compelling, vivid account of the Holocaust that was a world apart from the upbeat blockbusters that defined the first half of his career. This is his most personal film. It may also be his best. The decision to film in black and white makes it feel like a documentary. It all feels so startlingly real. He gets fine performances from Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes. As moving a cinematic experience as you'll ever have, all those Oscars were a foregone conclusion. This is mandatory viewing.
5. "Forrest Gump"(1994)
Tom Hanks was unquestionably THE actor of the '90s. You'd be hard pressed to find any actor at any time that had a better run than Hanks did during the Clinton era. From 1992-2002, he didn't make one false move. The best example of his almost supernatural likability is this enormous crowd pleaser. He's absolutely brilliant in a role that I can't see anyone else pulling off with nearly the same results. It's not about history, special effects, or the mentally challenged. It's a metaphor for life and how luck plays a greater role in shaping our destiny than anyone wants to admit. This film was a genuine phenomenom that dominated the summer '94 box office, gave us several immortal catchphrases, and picked up the Oscars for Best Picture, Actor, and Director(Robert Zemeckis). And the only reason anybody has a problem with that is because it beat the next movie on this list.
Next week- My Top 10 films of the '90s part II
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