Ten Franchises That Weren't

   There's nothing Hollywood loves more than a franchise. Getting hold of a property that can produce sequels with a built-in audience ensuring the studio a positive cash flow for years to come is the name of the game for Tinsel-town execs. But sometimes the attempt is SO obvious, SO blatantly commercial, and in some cases just downright terrible that moviegoers refuse to play along. Here's ten franchises that weren't in the order they were released.

1. "The Rocketeer"(1991)
A reckless young pilot in 1938 gains possession of a revolutionary jet pack and transforms into a high flying hero in this sunny comic-strip-style adventure that Disney hoped would turn into an Indiana Jones-like franchise. Needless to say, that didn't happen. Despite underwhelming box office receipts, it's probably the best movie on this list, but as you scroll down and continue reading you'll see that that's hardly an endorsement. There's some good action and effects, but little passion or chemistry from our two blandly good looking leads Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly. Two-time 007 Timothy Dalton does add some much needed color as a movie star villain with Nazi ties and the last scene strongly hinted at a sequel, but the accountants at Disney made sure that this rocket man never took flight again.

2. "Super Mario Bros."(1993)
In the early '90s, every kid in America(including myself) was obsessed with Nintendo's "Super Mario Bros". There was a young fan base primed and ready to see these two Italian American brothers from Brooklyn battle King Koopa up on the big screen. So how did it fail so miserably? All I can say is thank God(or Spielberg) that "Jurassic Park" came along and devoured this sorry mess in the summer of '93. The first AND worst movie ever based on a video game was poorly conceived and executed in every way, and everyone involved has since publicly acknowledged it's awfulness. What does it say when Dennis Hopper, a man whose drug-fueled follies are the stuff of legend, is embarrassed? When John Leguizamo is apologizing, that's one warning you don't ignore. This flick was D.O.A.

3. "The Shadow"(1994)
Although Alec Baldwin was reborn as a character actor and a successful sitcom star in the '00s, even he would admit that he tanked as a leading man in the '90s. This substandard superhero outing did his already faltering career no favors with a ridiculous story involving a villainous descendant of Genghis Khan. The Shadow actually predates Batman by several years and Bob Kane even cited the long running 1930s radio show as an inspiration. The film was clearly trying to capitalize on that connection with a dark tone borrowed from Tim Burton's Bat flicks, but there were no such similarities at the box office. It flopped hard and a line of merchandise gathered dust on toy store shelves that summer. The tagline read "Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?" In this case, nobody cared to find out.

4. "Street Fighter"(1994)
The lingering stench of "Super Mario Bros." couldn't prevent other video game adaptations from getting the green light, proving the inherent stubbornness of Hollywood suits once they get stuck on an idea. Surely Jean Claude Van Damme's fancy kicks and splits will draw a crowd, right? I'm afraid not. This truly lame vehicle seriously slowed down JCVD's trajectory, so maybe I shouldn't be so hard on it after all. "SF" is only really noteworthy for being the final appearance of Raul Julia who died of stomach cancer shortly after the film wrapped. The seven people who sat through it felt his pain.

5. "Judge Dredd"(1995)
 Sylvester Stallone officially fell out of favor with his once adoring public in this noisy, overblown translation of the futuristic British comic book. Purists argued that Dredd's helmet was never supposed to come off but Sly's ego was such that the helmet was gone after the first 15 minutes. That's the least of this flick's problems, though. Sly gives a wooden performance even by his standards, the ever-annoying Rob Schneider is his 'comic' sidekick, and the finished product is an awkward, ineffective mix of '80s style tongue in cheek action and '90s era CGI. Then again, the more faithful Stallone-less reboot also bombed in 2012, so maybe it just wasn't meant to be.

6. "The Phantom"(1996)
Billy Zane in purple tights. Treat Williams as a super villain. What could possibly go wrong? What we have here is another hero plucked from obscurity that missed the mark completely. Zane originally signed on for two sequels, but this not-so-immortal crime fighter's abysmal performance in theaters led to those plans being scrapped rather quickly. After debuting at number six at the weekend box office behind huge summer hits like "Twister" and "Mission Impossible", this utterly forgettable film was quickly sucked into the pop culture abyss where it took up residence next to "The Shadow" and "The Rocketeer" among other films that have been banished for all eternity.

7. "Godzilla"(1998)
The honeymoon was over for "Independence Day" director Roland Emmerich the moment his mega hyped re-imagining of the legendary Japanese movie monster hit screens on Memorial Day weekend. The massive pre-release campaign was off-putting as even the most gullible consumers sensed that the only objective here was to empty the contents of their wallets. Maybe 'size does matter' as the self-aggrandizing promotional material pointed out, but not as much as story and character and originality. All things this film was sorely lacking. This is blockbuster excess at it's worst, the cinematic equivalent of an arrogant sports team that brags all season and then gets swept in the playoffs.

8. "Daredevil"(2003)
I hate to pick on Ben Affleck after his Oscar-winning triumph "Argo", but we all know the man has skeletons in his closet. No matter how much success he has as a director, somebody is always gonna bring up 2003. That was the year many wondered if he'd sold his soul to the actual Devil who later reneged on the deal after seeing some of his work. Even a blind man could see that Marvel's silver screen unveiling of blind superhero Matt Murdock wasn't gonna pan out. In fairness, the enormous momentum of 2002's "Spider-Man" carried the film to a respectable bottom line, but word of mouth combined with the fact that Affleck was just so damn unpopular meant that requests for an encore were practically non-existent. At least one positive thing came out of it- Ben's real life union with co-star Jennifer Garner seems to be a happy one.

9. "The Punisher"(1989, 2004, 2008)
This is a tricky one. Technically there are three "Punisher" films but they are unrelated and therefore do not constitute a franchise. What we have here is three separate, failed attempts to bring Frank Castle to life on the big screen. It shouldn't have been that hard. The Punisher doesn't have any superpowers. Dolph Lundgren's version in '89 was so bad(who would have thunk it?) that it didn't even get a theatrical release in the US. Thomas Jane didn't fare much better in 2004 despite a comic book movie renaissance and John Travolta assuming villain duties. And poor Ray Stevenson barely registered in 2008's "War Zone". Marvel says they'll be yet another reboot down the line. I say we've been punished enough.

10. "Green Lantern"(2011)
It was supposed to be the summer movie event of 2011. It was supposed to turn Ryan Reynolds into an A-list star. This blog is a celebration of the rare occasions when the public said "No thanks". With a budget of $200 million and a domestic gross of just a little over half that, the tepid response to DC's green-suited guardian of the universe can be chalked up as one for the good guys. Reynolds is one of those actors that is just impossible to take seriously, there's a deadly amount of exposition, the effects are nothing special in a post-"Avatar" world and the whole enterprise is concrete proof that not every superhero deserves a film.

The Year in Review- 1982

   It was the year audiences met two of the most benevolent figures of all time- Spielberg's cuddly alien and Gandhi. Harrison Ford may or may not have been an android, Hoffman wore a dress, and Streep became the new gold standard. Stallone ran through the jungle and some real estate company built houses on an Indian burial ground(never do that). Here are the ten best films in order for 1982.

1. "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial"(1982)

The most financially successful film of the 1980s BY FAR and easily one of the best was Steven Spielberg's heartwarming and semi-autobiographical tale of a fatherless boy and a stranded alien. The legendary director's instincts and Midas touch when it came to producing all-ages entertainment during this period was nothing short of extraordinary. Ten year old Henry Thomas is sensitive and moving as our young protagonist Elliot, Drew Barrymore's adorable Gertie is why moviegoers stuck with her for so long, and E.T. himself is one of the most memorable creations ever committed to celluloid. This wrinkled puppet gave Yoda a serious run for his money(watch out for that Halloween cameo!) and John Williams' magnificent score lifts this timeless story of friendship and love to heights few movies ever come close to.

 

2. "Gandhi"(1982)
Director Richard Attenborough's fascinating and ambitious biopic is over three hours long, but this is one subject worthy of the investment. The sweeping story covers Gandhi's life from his rise to prominence as an equal rights activist in 1893 to the 1948 assassination and funeral of the saintly leader who led India to freedom from British opposition and occupation through nonviolence. The film is loaded with intelligent insight into colonial and post-colonial life in India and at the center of this epic production is an amazing and utterly convincing performance by Ben Kingsley. One scene contains over 300,000 extras- a record sure to remain unsurpassed in today's CGI-heavy climate. The rewards for such all-around excellence were the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Actor, and Director.

 

3. "Blade Runner"(1982)

Ridley Scott's visually stunning sci-fi classic has probably grown in stature more than any movie in the last thirty years. The fact that it bombed at the box office doesn't seem to matter one bit, as an ever-increasing legion of fans extol the film's virtues, leading to a seemingly endless array of DVD re-releases, and it's current position at the top of most lists ranking the best films in the genre. Harrison Ford, one year removed from "Raiders", continued his rise as Hollywood's premier leading man in the role of Deckard, the hard-boiled detective assigned to track down sinister 'replicants' in the bleak Los Angeles of 2019. Rutger Hauer achieved lifelong cult status as violent ringleader Roy Batty, but this has clearly become MUCH more than a cult movie, as Scott himself recently revealed that a sequel is in the works.

 

4. "Sophie's Choice"(1982)

The incomparable Meryl Streep took a quantum leap ahead of just about every female who ever acted for a living with her haunting and unforgettable portrayal of a guilt-stricken survivor of a Nazi concentration camp. With her subtle mannerisms and flawless Polish accent, Streep's tragic heroine is what got all that 'greatest actress in the world' talk started, making her second Oscar win a foregone conclusion(the first came for "Kramer vs. Kramer"). Writer-director Alan J. Pakula may spend a little too much time on Sophie's 1947-set triangle with temperamental lover Nathan(a debuting Kevin Kline) and timid neighbor/confidant Stingo(Peter MacNicol), but his Holocaust flashbacks have undeniable power. 

5. "Tootsie"(1982)

Dustin Hoffman is delightfully self-aware and humane as an unemployable NYC actor who takes drastic action to save his career in director Sydney Pollack's hugely successful comedy. Michael Dorsey dresses in drag to land a job on a soap opera, and eventually becomes a better man through his experiences as an assertive middle-aged Southern woman. Dorothy Michaels is definitely one of Hoffman's acting triumphs, and that's really saying something. Best Supporting Actress Jessica Lange and Teri Garr are both terrific as the confused real women in his life. A great script by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal and Dave Grusin's music helped make "Tootsie" the early '80s equivalent of "Some Like It Hot".
 

  

6. "First Blood"(1982)
Nineteen-eighty-two was an incredible year for Sylvester Stallone, as he launched his OTHER iconic franchise character(more on that a little later). The larger-than-life iconography of the "Rambo" sequels have caused some to forget that this low-budget intro is legitimately a fantastic movie. Stallone set the tone for the rest of his career with the quiet intensity he brought to a brooding ex-Green Beret that wages a retaliatory one-man guerrilla war against Brian Dennehy and his dastardly redneck cops in the Washington mountains and woods. Richard Crenna is rock-solid support as his former commanding officer, and Ted Kotcheff's direction is taut and energetic. Jerry Goldsmith's moody, underrated score is icing on the cake.

7. "The Verdict"(1982)
The late, great Paul Newman gave us many roles to cherish throughout his storied onscreen life and his alcoholic ambulance-chaser Frank Galvin deserves to get mentioned in the same breath as Luke, Butch Cassidy and "Fast" Eddie Felson. Director Sidney Lumet(we miss him, too) had a real knack for depicting lone idealists and this is his spiritual sequel to "12 Angry Men". Galvin gets a shot at redemption via a medical malpractice suit that sparks a crusade to expose a Catholic hospital's negligence in the case of a comatose woman. A nuanced Newman thoroughly engages during the tense proceedings, rewarding patient viewers at the conclusion of this classy, intelligent gem.

 

8. "An Officer and a Gentleman"(1982)
This unabashedly sentimental yet effective romantic drama established Richard Gere as a perennial favorite among the fairer sex, but it's also one of the few films on his resume that the male gender won't object to. That's because Gere's hard-luck Navy recruit endures hellish boot camp and Louis Gossett Jr.'s Oscar-winning, brass-balls drill instructor. He soon falls for the ever-underrated Debra Winger's local factory girl, and I dare you not to cheer as she gets swept off her feet to that swelling theme song in the famous ending(pictured above) that just shouldn't work, but somehow, it just does.

9. "48 Hrs."(1982)
Has there ever been a more assured, impressive film debut than that of a 22 year old Eddie Murphy in this hilariously profane sleeper hit? The whip-smart SNL sensation struts around like movie stardom is his birthright, and the irresistibly cocky persona he created during his formative years was enough to(mostly) forgive all those family-friendly misfires that came later. Nick Nolte is the perfect contrast as the tired, gruff San Francisco police detective who springs Murphy's quick-witted convict from jail to help him catch two vicious cop killers. Director Walter Hill matched the verbal fireworks with bursts of action to unofficially kickoff the modern buddy film. They all reunited for the 1990 sequel "Another 48 Hrs.", which had more violence but fewer laughs.

10(tie). "Poltergeist"(1982)
I wasn't kidding when I said everything Spielberg touched turned to gold for much of the Reagan era. But legend has it that he did a little more than just touch this franchise-starting haunted house hit. There have been persistent rumors that he directed it on top of his producing/screenwriting duties, and that Tobe Hooper("The Texas Chainsaw Massacre") was only credited to avoid conflict with Universal while he was supposed to be hard at work on "E.T."! The quality scares and impressive visuals on display here certainly back up those claims. Regardless, this suburban shocker delivered the goods and (briefly) offset a crummy genre quickly degenerating into cash-grab sequels.

10(tie). "Rocky III"(1982)
I might as well just come right out and say it. I'm a huge "Rocky" fan. The Oscar-winning 1976 original is indisputably the best, but the entertainment value of this second sequel is off the charts in everything from the opening 'Eye of the Tiger' montage to Carl Weathers' beach attire. After a charity tussle with wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, the Italian Stallion must contend with the malicious taunts and sledgehammer fists of the ferocious Mr. T. "RIII" represents the exact point in time that Sylvester Stallone became the ridiculously ripped symbol of '80s machismo and a cable mainstay. It's 99 minutes of sports movie nirvana.

Honorable Mentions- "Personal Best"(1982) Lesbianism and female athletics. "Barbarosa"(1982) Gary Busey and Willie Nelson roam the West. "The Border"(1982) Jack Nicholson chases illegal immigrants. "Diner"(1982) Barry Levinson's Baltimore-set tale of male friendship in '59. "Deathtrap"(1982) Michael Caine and Chris Reeve are rival playwrights in this Sidney Lumet pic. "I Ought to Be in Pictures"(1982) Walter Matthua livens up another Neil Simon talk-fest. "Victor/Victoria"(1982) Julie Andrews changes sexes in Blake Edwards' acclaimed musical. "Annie"(1982) John Huston's musical remains ideal family viewing. "The Thing"(1982) The best Kurt Russell-John Carpenter collaboration.

"Firefox"(1982) Clint Eastwood is a daring fighter pilot. "Conan the Barbarian"(1982) Arnold Schwarzenegger swings a sword in his first starring role. "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan"(1982) The Enterprise crew finds their big screen mojo. "A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy"(1982) Woody Allen wants Mia Farrow AND Mary Steenburgen. "Night Shift"(1982) Michael Keaton enters our lives. "Fast Times at Ridgemont High"(1982) Amy Heckerling's classic teen comedy. "The Beastmaster"(1982) This mainstay of '80s cable is the textbook definition of a guilty pleasure. "The World According to Garp"(1982) Robin Williams wins over the critics. "The Entity"(1982) Unexplainable things happen to Barbara Hershey in this hidden horror gem. "Honkytonk Man"(1982) Clint Eastwood as a Depression-era country music star. "Six Weeks"(1982) Dudley Moore and Mary Tyler Moore in an amiable tearjerker. "Best Friends"(1982) Goldie Hawn and Burt Reynolds are screenwriting newlyweds in this inoffensive romcom. "Kiss Me Goodbye"(1982) Sally Field is torn between James Caan and Jeff Bridges in an otherworldly love triangle. "Frances"(1982) Big year for Jessica Lange.

R.I.P Roger Ebert 1942-2013

   On April 4th, legendary film critic Roger Ebert passed away after a long battle with thyroid cancer. It was a sad day that left a huge void in the profession that I first became aware of at ten years old. "Wait a minute, you can ACTUALLY get paid to give your opinions about movies?" It seemed to good to be true. But even if I were to ever join the professional ranks, I couldn't possibly match Ebert's contributions. Next to Pauline Kael, he was without question the most famous and influential film journalist of all time. He definitely influenced me. I probably wouldn't be writing blogs about movies if the rotund Illinois native hadn't done so much to pioneer the art of film criticism. He started his career in 1967 with the Chicago Sun Times, published more than 20 books, and became the only critic to ever win a Pulitzer prize. In 1975, he started reviewing movies on television with his Windy City rival Gene Siskel. For nearly two-and-a-half decades, this dynamic duo bickered as they broke down every new release, and their trademark endorsement of 'Two Thumbs Up" entered the public lexicon. Sadly, Siskel died of a brain tumor in 1999. Richard Roeper took his seat on the balcony in 2000 and the show went on for several more years. Roger's health rapidly deteriorated in 2006. He never stopped writing reviews, but was unable to do the show anymore and it was ultimately cancelled in 2010 after a series of stuffy stand-ins had failed to click with the masses. Nobody else has ever been able to launch a successful movie review show.

    Ebert reminded me to never judge a movie based on what it's about. A good movie can be made about any subject, and good movies are never depressing. Only bad ones are. He detested the star rating system. Just because two movies get the same star rating doesn't mean that they're on the same level. Film is too complex for such simplicity. Movies and politics are two subjects that everybody THINKS they know about, but most people know nothing about either one, and movies are at least as complex as politics. Maybe even more so. We're talking about a medium that has existed for almost 100 years and a man that dedicated his life to studying every genre as well as countless actors, writers and directors. But despite a wealth of knowledge, he was never pretentious or alienating. He recognized when a film was weighty and 'important', yet never dismissed 'entertainment'. His list of 'Great Movies' included "Citizen Kane" AND "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles". He loved "Schindler's List" AND "Indiana Jones", and when the likes of Rob Schneider needed to be dealt with on the flip side, he could handle that, too.

   Some people don't give a damn about film criticism. They never refine their tastes. They like what they like, and are unapologetic about it. These are the same people that will line up for the sixth installment of "Fast & the Furious" and "The Hangover Part III" on Memorial Day weekend. We should never discriminate against people, but we MUST discriminate when it comes to movies. There's simply too must crap that isn't worth our time and money. If we stop funding so much crap, Hollywood might produce less of it. I don't know, it's just a wild theory. I doubt I would be thinking this way if it wasn't for this bespectacled scholar and his iconic thumb. Thanks for the education, Roger.

The Year in Review- 1994

   It was the year Tom Hanks made history as a Southern fried simpleton and Tarantino gave John Travolta's career(and the entire film industry) a shot of adrenaline. There was a bomb on a bus, a cartoon lion was King and Jim Carrey became the new king of comedy. Cruise and Pitt were hunky vampires, Mickey and Mallory were every bit as bloodthirtsy and a lifelong bond was forged behind prison walls. Here are the ten best films in order for 1994.

1. "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 step, and the clearest illustration of his infinite likability is this seminal crowd-pleaser. He's simply magical in a role that I can't imagine anyone else pulling off with nearly the same results(everyone forgets what a risky proposition this character was). I'm surprised that so many misread the true intention of Robert Zemeckis and Eric Roth's adapted screenplay. It's not about politics, or U.S. history, or special effects, or the mentally challenged. This wholesome, heartwarming fable is simply metaphor for life and how luck plays a greater role in shaping our destiny than most of us care to admit. "Gump" was a genuine phenomenon that dominated the summer '94 box office, gave us several immortal catchphrases and won the Oscars for Best Picture, Actor, and Director(Zemeckis). And the only reason anybody has a problem with that is because it beat the next two movies on this list.

2. "Pulp Fiction"(1994)
Quentin Tarantino's landmark crime drama is still a joy to behold. Hugely inventive and influential, this mesmerizing tale marked the true arrival of it's brash writer-director who'd spent the previous two years kick-starting the indie film movement, breaking all the rules of conventional cinema and taking Hollywood by storm. QT became a rock star following the release of "PF" with a rash of imitators trying(and failing) to replicate his signature style. In Tarantino-land, literally anything CAN and WILL happen. Fading superstars John Travolta and Bruce Willis were completely reinvigorated in career-saving comeback roles, while previous bit players Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman became household names. It lost at the Oscars. It doesn't matter. This film may define the '90s more than any other.

3. "The Shawshank Redemption"(1994)
Writer-director Frank Darabont's touching prison drama, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella, about the friendship between two convicts(Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) is a rare and special case. The story of hope and the survival of the human spirit under harsh conditions bombed at the box office, yet near-constant airings on basic cable have transformed this modest Oscar underdog into a huge favorite. It's since been called one of the greatest movies of all time. Now, I'm not trying to dispute it's lofty place in pop culture, but I'm begging for a little perspective here. How many "great" films have the voters on IMDB actually seen? I love "Shawshank", it's a classic, it's also #3 on this list(below "Gump" and "Pulp", mind you). Somebody had to knock it down a little.

4. "The Lion King"(1994)
"Hakuna Matata!" Disney's old-school animation Renassaince(1989-1999) definitely peaked with this wildly popular tale of a lion cub's coming-of-age, that came in a close second to "Forrest Gump" in a fiercely-competitive summer movie season. It's a grand spectacle that thoroughly entertained children and adults alike with humor, lush hand-drawn visuals, and Oscar-winning music by Hans Zimmer, Tim Rice, and Elton John. The large and talented voice cast includes Mathew Broderick, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Robert Guillaume, and Cheech Marin.

5. "Speed"(1994)
It was a sad day for Sly and Arnold when slender stud Keanu Reeves was embraced as an action star. "Point Break" paved the way for daredevil SWAT cop Jack Traven to race around Los Angeles to stop the diabolical Dennis Hopper from terrorizing the city with his innovative use of explosives. It may be "Die Hard" on a bus, but the rip-roaring directorial debut of veteran cinematographer Jan De Bont is brilliant in it's simplicity and execution. A strong argument could be made that "Speed" did even more for Sandra Bullock than it did for Reeves, as she maximized her plucky girl next door persona to challenge Julia Roberts as America's Sweetheart. Don't let that unfortunate sequel cloud your judgment. This is one of the best rides of the decade.

6. "Ed Wood"(1994)
It's ironic that Tim Burton's affectionate look at the 'worst director of all time', turned out to be the best film of his eight collaborations with his favorite leading man Johnny Depp. Burton focuses on Wood's eccentricities and unwarranted belief in his own talents, as he fought to produce a string of increasingly dire horror films in the 1950s such as "Glen or Glenda?" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space". Depp enthusiastically attacks the title role, while Martin Landau took home the Best Supporting Actor Oscar as Bela Lugosi, the aging, washed-up star of Wood's most infamous productions. Sarah Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Jones, and Bill Murray also appear in this black-and-white homage to a true cult hero.

7. "Quiz Show"(1994)
The smart, well-acted historical drama chronicling the game show scandal of the late 1950s remains a vastly underrated directorial effort by Robert Redford. It had the misfortune of getting released in the midst of the heated battle between "Gump" and "Pulp" and will probably never experience a belated "Shawshank"-style love fest, but that doesn't mean that it's not a damn fine film. John Turturro is the bookish contestant that blows the whistle on the crooked producers who asked him to take a dive in favor of the more handsome, charismatic Ralph Fiennes which ultimately lead to a congressional investigation and one of the first major controversies in the annals of television.

"Thanks, but I'm gonna have to pass on that Scientology Center invite".

8. "Interview with the Vampire"(1994)
Long before "Twilight" cast a spell on a generation of preteen girls, the two heavyweight heartthrobs pictured above were the best known vampires to hit the big screen. Author Anne Rice strongly objected to the casting of the normally clean cut Cruise as her literary creation, the seductive bloodsucker Lestat. That was until she saw the movie. Tom more than did the role justice, and passed celluloid immortality unto his rapidly rising co-star Brad Pitt, but they're both nearly upstaged by Kirsten Dunst, who never bettered her performance as child vampire Claudia. With a cast this good(Christian Slater and Antonio Banderas are thrown in for good measure), Neil Jordan's stylish thriller goes for the throat.

9. "True Lies"(1994)
Arnold Schwarzenegger's last solid hit for a long while came courtesy of the man who made him a box office giant in the first place- action extraordinaire James Cameron. Before he became obsessed with the ocean, the soon-to-be King of the World wrote and directed another mega-budgeted extravaganza with his "Terminator" star and the public ate it up. Humor was an integral ingredient in this Bond-style adventure(Tom Arnold and Bill Paxton are both hilarious) and the transformation of Jamie Lee Curtis from oblivious wife to sexy sidekick can't be understated. Her hotel-room striptease ranks as high as any explosive set-piece.