The Year in Review- 1988

   It was the year Bruce Willis changed the face of action cinema forever and Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman bonded all the way to the Academy Awards. Tom Hanks got big, Bob Zemeckis took us to Toontown, and Robert De Niro bickered with Charles Grodin. Martin Scorsese tackled Christ, Kevin Costner took up baseball, and Michelle Pfeiffer was pfantastic. Here are the ten best films in order for 1988.

1. "Die Hard"(1988)
The best movies tend to come without warning, and NOBODY saw this one coming. Wait a minute, Bruno from "Moonlighting" made the greatest action movie EVER?! You better believe it. Sly and Arnold were regularly blowing stuff up at the multiplex as the champions of the Reagan era, but there was something about John McClane that just resonated with the testosterone-loving masses even more. Unlike those superhuman musclemen, McClane is very human, and Bruce is terrific as the working-class East Coast cop whose always in the wrong place at the right time. Alan Rickman is the perfect foil as the icy, cultured leader of a group of terrorist-robbers holding thirty hostages in L.A.'s Nakatomi Corporation on Christmas Eve. Director John McTiernan kept ratcheting up the tension and excitement, working wonders with the claustrophobic setting that gave virtually every action filmmaker a new blueprint to work from, while Willis became a certified leading man that would 'Yippe-kay-ay' in four sequels of varying quality.

2. "Rain Man"(1988)
Dustin Hoffman's virtuoso performance dominates this enormously successful Best Picture winner. It's so rare to see a film that scoops up major awards AND tops the box office for weeks but this effective and affecting drama did the trick(Judge Wapner's ratings went up, too). Hoffman doesn't make one false move in his characterization of autistic savant and human calculator Raymond Babbitt, which made it easy to overlook Tom Cruise's leap from megastar heartthrob to formidable actor in his own right(something his other '88 release "Cocktail" failed to achieve). Their amazing chemistry and unlikely bond kept audiences coming back to this unusual road trip and Barry Levinson deservedly took home the Best Director Oscar for balancing fine humor with subtle emotion.

3. "Dangerous Liaisons"(1988)
The setting may be 18th Century France, but director Stephen Frears' elegant costume drama is SO contemporary that it was easily modernized in 1999's "Cruel Intentions", and would have likely won Best Picture if Dustin Hoffman hadn't been counting cards that very same month. John Malkovich built a reputation off his role as the rakish Valmont who accepts the challenge of his equally icy cohort Glenn Close to seduce the married and virtuous Madam De Tourvel(Michelle Pfeiffer). The results are as sensual as they are tragic, with the added bonus of seeing younglings Uma Thurman and Keanu Reeves earning their apprenticeships as well. With so much great dialogue and superb acting on display, you don't have to be a professional critic or a stuffy film scholar to fall for this classy gem.

4. "Big"(1988)
Tom Hanks lights up the screen in one of the most pleasant surprises of the late '80s. When a twelve year old boy makes a wish to be an adult on a magical fortune-telling machine at a carnival, he wakes up the next morning to discover his wish has been granted. After turning overnight into one of Hollywood's most lovable actors, he runs off to the big city and he lands a lucrative job at a major toy company where he falls for executive Elizabeth Perkins. This charming comic fantasy is expertly directed by Penny Marshall and brilliantly acted by Hanks- he is perfect as a child trapped in a man's body. If you think that's an easy thing to do, you can check out some of the other body-switching comedies from the same time period("Like Father Like Son", "Vice Versa"). Or you could just take my word for it.

5. "Who Framed Roger Rabbit"(1988) Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg's most talented disciple, followed up his decade-defining megahit "Back to the Future" with another huge summer crowd-pleaser. This technological breakthrough ambitiously combined live-action and animation in seamless fashion. Bob Hoskins is our human anchor as a down-and-out detective in 1947 Los Angeles who reluctantly takes jobs involving 'Toons'. The film noir-styled plot finds him paired up with a particularly lively 'toon Roger Rabbit(voiced by Charles Fleischer) falsely accused of murder. Nearly every Golden Age cartoon character is present and accounted for in this magical production. Where else are you going to see a Disney/WB merger with Mickey Mouse, Bugs Bunny, and Donald and Daffy Duck? How about Kathleen Turner's ravishing Jessica Rabbit?? I still can't believe they never made a sequel.

6. "Midnight Run"(1988)
Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin made a highly entertaining odd couple in this exceptional action comedy about an ex-cop turned bounty hunter who will collect $100 grand if he can deliver a fussy mob accountant from NY to L.A. in four days. There's just a few difficulties- they can't fly, and the mob, the FBI, and a rival bounty hunter(John Ashton)are hot on their trail. De Niro's legendary ability to fully immerse himself in every character made Jack Walsh feel like a real guy with a real history, lending the film a surprising depth it wouldn't have had otherwise, while director Martin Brest handles the combination of laughs and gun-play just as well as he did in "Beverly Hills Cop".

7. "The Last Temptation of Christ"(1988)
Long before Mel Gibson courted controversy and broke box office records, Martin Scorsese did the same(or at least the first part) albeit to a much lesser degree with his own biblical epic. Jesus, as played by Willem Dafoe, is presented with many weaknesses as he struggles with doubt, lust and guilt before summoning the incredible strength to fulfill his destiny. There's just no way this type of film isn't going to have it's detractors, but Scorsese was up for the challenge and his treatment of the material isn't lacking in power or passion. The strong supporting cast includes Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, and David Bowie.

8. "Bull Durham"(1988)
Ron Shelton's directorial debut(that he also wrote) is an affectionate, funny look at minor league baseball, based on his own personal experiences as an aspiring infielder from 1967-71. Kevin Costner was perfectly cast as an aging catcher brought to North Carolina to mentor a dimwitted rookie pitcher, played by Tim Robbins in his breakthrough role- but this summer sleeper just may belong to Susan Sarandon, whose sultry groupie set her up for an A-list '90s run. The enduring appeal of the Durham Bulls was illustrated by Sports Illustrated- they put it at #1 on their list of fifty greatest sports movies in 2003. That's certainly debatable, here's a few things that aren't- Costner was never cooler, Sarandon was never hotter, and America's favorite pastime has rarely been this fun on screen.

9. "The Accused"(1988)
A 25 year old Jodie Foster loudly announced her arrival as a formidable grown-up with this Best Actress Oscar-winning triumph as a low rent party girl turned gang-rape victim. A top-billed Kelly McGillis of "Top Gun" fame, is solid in her good role as the young prosecutor that sets out to not only convict Foster's assailants but those who cheered them on as well(Leo Rossi is an all-time slimeball). Director Jonathan Kaplan wisely teased out the infamous barroom pinball machine attack that we finally see in a harrowing flashback sequence. That grim highlight coupled with some tense courtroom testimony makes this a dark but compelling tale.

10(tie). "Married to the Mob"(1988)
Jodie Foster took home the gold, but has ANY actress ever shone more brightly than Michelle Pfeiffer in 1988? Five years after Brian De Palma gift wrapped her to the collective male psyche in "Scarface", the thirty-year old stunner wouldn't be denied A-list status with a trio of wildly different roles that were all well-received by critics AND audiences("DL" and "Tequila Sunrise" both dropped in December). In this cinematic precursor to VH1's "Mob Wives", Pfeiffer is as engaging as she is gorgeous as Angela De Marco, who leaves the Family to live a poor-but-honest-life in NYC after her hit-man husband(Alec Baldwin) gets whacked. Basic cable omnipresence was bestowed upon this quirky comedic gem and it's game supporting cast(Dean Stockwell, Matthew Modine, Mercedes Ruehl) that set director Johnathan Demme up to make "The Silence of the Lambs".

10(tie). "Mississippi Burning"(1988)
Gene Hackman and Willem Dafoe(busy year for both) are mismatched FBI agents investigating the murders of three civil rights workers in the racially-charged Mississippi of 1964 in "Midnight Express" director Alan Parker's taut dramatization. The buttoned-up pair get strong support from Frances McDormand's repressed housewife and a murderer's row of creepy character actors- Brad Dourif, Michael Rooker, R. Lee Ermey, and Stephen Tobolowsky. Hackman's quiet authority is the sturdy center of this Oscar contender, but "Burning" isn't exactly burned in the collective consciousness, despite Roger Ebert declaring it the best film of 1988(he wasn't that far off). It happens, and that's why I write this blog. These horrors shouldn't be forgotten.

Honorable Mentions- "Braddock: Missing in Action III"(1988) Chuck Norris makes it a trilogy. "She's Having a Baby"(1988) Kevin Bacon freaks out over fatherhood in this John Hughes joint. "The Unbearable Lightness of Being"(1988) Daniel Day-Lewis in 1968 Czechoslovakia. "Frantic"(1988) Harrison Ford and Roman Polanski unite in Paris. "Masquerade"(1988) Rob Lowe, Meg Tilly, and Kim Cattrall heat up this erotic thriller. "Biloxi Blues"(1988) Mathew Broderick joins the Army. "Mystic Pizza"(1988) Julia Roberts enters our lives. "Vice Versa"(1988) Judge Reinhold and Fred Savage jump on the body-switching bandwagon. "18 Again!"(1988) So did George Burns. "Stand and Deliver"(1988) Edward James Olmos was an Oscar nominee. "Beetlejuice"(1988) Michael Keaton meets Tim Burton. "Colors"(1988) Sean Penn and Robert Duvall are cop partners in South Central, L.A. "The Milagro Beanfield War"(1988) Robert Redford directs a big cast in New Mexico. "Rambo III"(1988) A ripped Sly Stallone tears through Soviet-occupied Afghanistan.

"Crocodile Dundee II"(1988) Paul Hogan's Outback hero takes down a Colombian drug cartel. "Willow"(1988) George Lucas and Ron Howard rip off LOTR. "The Presidio"(1988) Sean Connery and Meg Ryan are movie stars, Mark Harmon is not. "Funny Farm"(1988) Siskel and Ebert loved it. "Coming to America"(1988) Eddie Murphy was the king of comedy. "A Fish Called Wanda"(1988) Kevin Kline won on Oscar for this quirky comic caper. "The Dead Pool"(1988) Clint Eastwood's fifth and final outing as 'Dirty' Harry Callahan. "Clean and Sober"(1988) Michael Keaton checks into rehab. "Tucker: A Man and His Dream"(1988) Jeff Bridges builds cars for Coppola. "Running on Empty"(1988) River Phoenix shines in this Sidney Lumet drama. "Crossing Delancey"(1988) Amy Irving and Peter Riegert in a Jewish romcom.

"Eight Men Out"(1988) The 1919 Chicago White Sox scandal. "Another Woman"(1988) A rare drama from Woody Allen. "Gorillas in the Mist"(1988) Sigourney Weaver bonds with primates in Africa. "Bird"(1988) Clint Eastwood directs Forest Whitaker in this tribute to tormented jazz legend Charlie Parker. "The Bear"(1988) This French family film found favor with critics. "Bat*21"(1988) Danny Glover rescues Gene Hackman in Vietnam. "They Live"(1988) 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper kicks ass and chews bubblegum. "Punchline"(1988) Tom Hanks teaches Sally Field the art of stand-up comedy. "Dead Ringers"(1988) Jeremy Irons play creepy twin gynecologists for David Cronenberg. "Alien Nation"(1988) James Caan and Mandy Patinkin star in this minor classic. "Child's Play"(1988) Killer doll Chucky is the textbook definition of a guilty pleasure.

"The Vanishing"(1988) This dark Dutch drama has American fans. "Memories of Me"(1988) Billy Crystal reconnects with his old man. "Everybody's All-American"(1988) Dennis Quaid plays football in the '50s. "Cinema Paradiso"(1988) This foreign film favorite put Italy on the world stage. "Cocoon: The Return"(1988) More senior citizens mixing with aliens in this amiable sequel. "Scrooged"(1988) Bill Murray is back. "Twins"(1988) Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito were a smash as unlikely siblings. "Tequila Sunrise"(1988) Michelle Pfeiffer is torn between Mel Gibson and Kurt Russell. "Working Girl"(1988) Mike Nichols makes Melanie Griffith a movie star. "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!"(1988) Leslie Nielsen's debut as Lt. Frank Drebin. "A Cry in the Dark"(1988) The dingo ate Meryl Streep's baby. "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"(1988) Steve Martin and Michael Caine are competing con men on the French Riveria. "Beaches"(1988) Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey in the ultimate chick flick. "Talk Radio"(1988) Oliver Stone and Eric Bogosian aren't silent types.

The Year in Review- 1983

   It was the year audiences discovered Darth Vader's helmetless head was whiter than the powder that fueled the insane reign of foul-mouthed force of nature Tony Montana. Shirley MacLaine was a pain in Debra Winger's ass(they still loved each other), seven pilots broke the sound barrier while Mel Gibson broke hearts. The Griswolds hit the road, Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy actually filled theater seats, and Meryl Streep took a near permanent seat at the Academy Awards. Here are the ten best films in order for 1983.

1. "Scarface"(1983)
It's the favorite film of countless rappers and athletes, but don't hold that against it. This explosive 'rise and fall' gangster epic is "The Godfather" on steroids, a blistering examination of the immigrant experience and the paradoxical pursuit of the American Dream. Pacino is dynamite in the role that cemented his legacy as one of the essential actors of the late 20th Century. Director Brian De Palma, working from an Oliver Stone screenplay, spares us none of Al's method madness, and also deserves a special thanks for bringing a beautiful young blonde named Michelle Pfeiffer to the masses as well. How many movies increase in popularity 20-30 years after their release? With Tony Montana's mug plastered on a million posters and t-shirts, it's not a stretch to say that this film's place in pop culture has reached "Star Wars" level proportions. Our grandchildren will say hello to this coke-snorting Cuban and his little friend.

2. "Terms of Endearment"(1983)
My respect and appreciation for the greatest comedy/drama ever made has grown over the years after seeing so many films fail miserably to strike that careful balance. It's usually one or the other, and many filmmakers can't even get one half of the equation right. Director James L. Brooks' classic tearjerker perfectly captures all the realities of life, and the laughs and the tears that come along with it. Aurora Greenway is an uptight, neurotic Houston matriarch and the most memorable role of Shirley MacLaine's decades-spanning career. The story chronicles her love-hate relationship with feisty, strong-willed daughter Debra Winger(I'm still searching for her), while Jack Nicholson steals his scenes as her boozy, womanizing next door neighbor and unlikely love interest. In addition to the Academy Awards for Best Picture, Actress(MacLaine), Supporting Actor(Nicholson) and Director(Brooks), "Terms" was a major box office hit.

3. "Return of the Jedi"(1983)
The thrilling conclusion to the original "SW" trilogy had all the action, humor, and creativity that one could hope for. It's not hyperbole to say that George Lucas' saga captured the imagination of an entire generation and there wasn't anybody in this galaxy that didn't line up to see his beloved cast of characters take their final bow, in the second highest grossing film of the decade(behind "E.T."). Director(?) Richard Marquand introduced us to slimy crime-lord Jabba the Hut, Ian McDiarmid's even-slimier Emperor, and those cuddly Ewoks. The triple-stranded climax was masterfully done, with out-of-this-world ILM FX that set a new standard. "Jedi" marked a beginning AND an end in retrospect- Lucas, no longer an indie rebel outsider, couldn't stop the commercialization of his once-scrappy creation. A long-awaited prequel trilogy would reset the industry all over again in 1999.

4. "The Right Stuff"(1983)
The early days of space exploration and subsequent formation of NASA is recalled in riveting fashion in director Philip Kaufman's crowning achievement. Sam Shepard, Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Scott Glenn, Lance Henriksen, Fred Ward and Charles Frank are the brave pilots that participated in the groundbreaking period between 1947 and '63 that saw America break the sound barrier and ultimately orbit the Earth in the Space Race against Russia. The thrilling exploits of these heroes should be common knowledge, and Kaufman deserves all the credit in the world for trying to make it that way in this epic retelling of recent U.S. history that is more than worthy of it's 3 hour and 12 minute running time.

5. "The King of Comedy"(1983)
 It's an indisputable fact of life that you just can't go wrong when De Niro and Scorsese are on the same film set. With that being said, they didn't exactly set the world on fire with their fifth and least iconic collaboration this side of "New York, New York". Moviegoers probably didn't know what to make of Rupert Pupkin in 1983, a talentless, deluded wannabe stand-up comic hopelessly convinced that he's on the path to stardom. He eventually goes off the deep end and kidnaps acerbic late night host Jerry Lewis in a desperate bid for his fifteen minutes. "Comedy" will never be as celebrated as "Taxi Driver" or "Raging Bull"(perhaps fittingly), but there's no denying that this film makes a prophetic statement about celebrity worship and the pursuit of fame at any cost that was WAY ahead of it's time.

6. "The Year of Living Dangerously"(1983)
Director Peter Weir should really be one of those household name auteurs considering his largely superior output("Witness", "Dead Poet's Society", "The Truman Show"). An untarnished, 27 year old Mel Gibson is in full heartthrob mode as an Australian correspondent in 1965 Indonesia, and I can't say that Sigourney Weaver has ever looked lovelier as his Brit love interest. But Riggs and Ripley were both overshadowed by pint-sized Linda Hunt's oddly compelling turn as an ultra-serious MALE dwarf/diplomat, a transformation rightly rewarded with the Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

7. "Silkwood"(1983)
A white-hot Meryl Streep followed her incomparable work in "Sophie's Choice" with another tragic heroine that kept her safely atop the leading lady hierarchy. Karen Silkwood was a chemical technician and labor union activist who died mysteriously in 1974 after raising concerns about the health and safety of workers in an Oklahoma nuclear facility. Many forget that Cher was once a rather prominent actress(this is where that started) and Kurt Russell also provides strong support as Streep's blue collar boyfriend. Director Mike Nichols("The Graduate") paints an authentic portrait of working-class, small town drudgery to end a lengthy hiatus that put him back on the shortlist of Hollywood's most dependable directors.

 

8. "National Lampoon's Vacation"(1983)
The first and best film in the "Vacation" franchise is easily one of the most popular comedies of the 1980s. Chevy Chase has a bad rep and it isn't entirely undeserved("Cops & Robbersons", anyone?) but he had his share of hits as well and Clark Griswold, that lovably square middle-class American Dad, is the role he'll be best remembered for. John Hughes' screenplay proved to be his big break and "Caddyshack" director Harold Ramis furthered his comedic credentials with a little help from a Wagon Queen Family Truckster, Randy Quaid's flaky rural relative, Imogene Cocoa's Aunt Edna(and her dog), Christie Brinkley's Ferrari-driving bombshell, and of course Walley World. Add it all up and you've got a hilarious trip that generations of film lovers have enjoyed again and again.

9. "Trading Places"(1983)
Here's two more SNL greats that had plenty to smile about. Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy both shined in this hip comedy about a pompous commodities trader and a glib street hustler that experience a hilarious reversal of fortune in Philly. Director John Landis, a frequent collaborator of both funnymen, makes the most of a sharp script from Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod and a supporting cast that includes Ralph Bellamy and Don Ameche as the billionaire brothers settling their nature vs. nuture debate for $1. Oh, and Jamie Lee Curtis, officially graduating from her scream queen origins, as the hooker with a heart of gold responsible for wearing out the pause/rewind buttons of more than a few VCRs.

10(tie). "The Dead Zone"(1983)
Christopher Walken makes a rare benevolent turn in his best role since "The Deer Hunter", as a quiet small-town schoolteacher who awakens from a five-year car crash-induced coma with powerful psychic powers that enable him to see the future of nearly every person he comes into contact with. That includes Martin Sheen's shady, warmongering Presidential candidate. Director David Cronenberg of "The Fly" fame, turned this tense Stephen King adaptation into his most mainstream and accessible piece of work, and not even Johnny Smith himself could have predicted that the lasting appeal of "Zone" would lead to a respectable run on television in the 2000s for grown-up child star Anthony Michael Hall.

10(tie). "Tender Mercies"(1983)
The legend of Robert Duvall began when he appeared as "Boo" Radley in 1962's "To Kill a Mockingbird". That's over FIVE decades in front of the camera, for those keeping score. Coppola cemented our devotion to Duvall in the 70's, but it's a slight shame that his sole Academy Award win came for a movie that most people have never seen or heard of. That doesn't mean you should continue to neglect his melancholy former country music star Mac Sledge, as he rebuilds his life with a single mother and her son in rural Texas. Mac doesn't trust happiness. That makes two of us, but you can trust this sobering drama from "Driving Miss Daisy" director Bruce Beresford, because it also took the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

Honorable Mentions- "10 to Midnight"(1983) Charles Bronson chases a serial killer. "Without a Trace"(1983) Kidnapping drama with Judd Hirsch and Kate Nelligan. "The Outsiders"(1983) Frances Ford Coppola assembles a cast of future superstars for this Midwestern-set 1960s coming-of-age story. "Flashdance"(1983) We can't talk about 1983 without mentioning Jennifer Beals and her male body double. "Bad Boys"(1983) Sean Penn belonged in prison. "Max Dugan Returns"(1983) Jason Robards jousts with Marsha Mason in this Neil Simon-scripted comedy. "Blue Thunder"(1983) Roy Scheider gets to the chopper. "Twilight Zone: The Movie"(1983) Steven Spielberg, Joe Dante, and John Landis update the fabled '60s spook show. "Breathless"(1983) Richard Gere in an American remake of Jean-Luc Godard. "The Man with Two Brains"(1983) Steve Martin reunites with Carl Reiner.

"Mr. Mom"(1983) Michael Keaton takes care of the kids. "Risky Business"(1983) Tom Cruise slides into the zeitgeist. "The Star Chamber"(1983) Michael Douglas as a vengeful judge. "Zelig"(1983) Woody Allen's mockumentary was once 100% on RT. "Cross Creek"(1983) Mary Steenburgen is author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings in this Martin Ritt Oscar bait. "The Big Chill"(1983) Lawrence Kasdan's huge ensemble was a hit with critics. "Rumble Fish"(1983) Frances Coppola pulled double duty with this black-and-white tale of wayward youths. "Never Say Never Again"(1983) Sean Connery plays Bond for the last time. "Octopussy"(1983) Roger Moore plays Bond for the second-to-last time. "All the Right Moves"(1983) Cruise plays high school football. "Romantic Comedy"(1983) Does Dudley Moore love Mary Steenburgen? I know I do. "Under Fire"(1983) Gene Hackman and Nick Nolte in Nicaragua. "Uncommon Valor"(1983) Gene Hackman saves his son in Laos. "Star 80"(1983) Mariel Hemingway and Eric Roberts star in the tragic tale of fallen Playmate Dorothy Stratten. "Yentl"(1983) Barbra Streisand Oscar bait. "A Christmas Story"(1983) A blonde, bespectacled BB gun enthusiast becomes a holiday staple. "Sudden Impact"(1983) Dirty Harry is back by popular demand. "Gorky Park"(1983) William Hurt is a Soviet cop in this wintry thriller.

Biggest Oscar Blunders- Best Picture

   The Oscars are tonight and every movie buff knows that it's the only award show that really matters. Careers and reputations are made and anybody in the biz that says they don't want to win one is lying through their teeth. The stakes are high, you can cut the pretentiousness with a knife, and the choices that get made in that stuffy auditorium year after year have always been the source of endless debate and discussion.  A lot of people will tell you that "Apocalypse Now" should have beat "Kramer vs. Kramer" in '79 and "Pulp Fiction" should have beat "Forrest Gump" in '94. I'm going to leave these arguments alone and just say that those are ALL great movies and so is "Titanic" which deservedly won in '97 as well. I'm only zeroing in on the films that have no business being called the best of anything. Below you will read about those 'winners' that leave the average Joe shaking his head in disbelief. Or at least they would if he had any recollection of them in the first place("The Last Emperor", anyone?) thus proving my point exactly. So enjoy, but remember that this is the type of blog that is never going to be complete. Like I said, the Oscars are tonight.

1968's winner- "Oliver!"
Also nominated- "Funny Girl", "The Lion in Winter", "Rachel, Rachel" and "Romeo and Juliet"

The problem with writing an article like this is that you inevitably end up downgrading a film that doesn't deserve it. I get no pleasure out of punishing "Oliver!". It's a spirited musical(if a tad too long) produced at the tail end of the genre's heyday that every kid should have a look at by age ten. Judging by this field, it would seem like the Academy got it right. But look closer and you'll find that the best films of the year weren't even nominated. "2001: A Space Odyssey" is the most frequently cited example of Stanley Kubrick's genius, influencing everyone from Spielberg and Lucas to Ridley Scott and Chris Nolan. If you erased it from history, we might still be singing and dancing in the streets instead of exploring the vast universe of infinite possibilities the medium of film offers. "Planet of the Apes" and "Rosemary's Baby" are both holding up pretty damn well, while "Once Upon a Time in the West" is winning new admirers to this day. I'm reviewing the situation, and finding that "Oliver!" stole this one.

1973's winner- "The Sting"
Also nominated- "American Graffiti", "Cries and Whispers", "The Exorcist" and "A Touch of Class"

"The Sting" was an enjoyably old-fashioned caper starring Robert Redford and Paul Newman and there wasn't anybody in America that didn't want to see these two handsome matinee idols share the screen again after "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid". The venerable duo, along with director George Roy Hill, were basically riding the coattails of their hugely popular Western and forty years later, "The Sting" just doesn't feel like an essential piece of work. "The Exorcist" however, is still regularly called the scariest movie of all time, but the Academy has always shied away from controversy and Linda Blair's crucifix and potty mouth certainly generated plenty of it. Then there's the little matter of "Badlands" and "Last Tango in Paris". Yep, we definitely got conned.

1980's winner- "Ordinary People"
Also nominated- "Coal Miner's Daughter", "The Elephant Man", "Raging Bull" and "Tess"

This well-acted family drama marked the directorial debut of Robert Redford. He got impressive performances from his entire cast with Mary Tyler Moore receiving widespread acclaim for breaking out of her likable sitcom persona to play the cold matriarch of a family dealing with trauma. She was rewarded with a Best Actress nomination and Timothy Hutton became the youngest recipient of the Best Supporting Actor Oscar at age 20. The problem is that I'm pretty sure I'm the only person I know that has seen or even heard of this movie. It's faded from the public's memory. That doesn't automatically make it unworthy of the top prize, but let's talk about some of 1980's other offerings. "Coal Miner's Daughter" contains an outstanding performance from Sissy Spacek and "Raging Bull" is heavily praised to this day as one of Martin Scorsese's best films thanks to Robert De Niro's electrifying portrayal of 1940s middleweight champ Jake LaMotta. But we're not limiting this discussion to films that were nominated. "Empire Strikes Back" is widely considered the best "Star Wars" movie and "The Shining" was another Stanley Kubrick masterpiece. When compared to these undisputed classics, Redford's film seems very, well, ordinary.

1985's winner- "Out of Africa"
Also nominated- "The Color Purple", "Kiss of the Spider Woman", Prizzi's Honor" and "Witness"

I know it really seems like I hate Robert Redford, but that's honestly not the case. The blonde icon has just been a part of a lot of undeserved Best Picture winners. Meryl Streep continued her mastery of accents in this lush period romance, but good luck finding me somebody willing to sit through it's 2 hour and 40 minute running time today. This is what most people are referring to when they say they don't give a damn about awards. "Witness" is definitely the most watchable film in this bunch, but the undisputed best movie of 1985 wasn't even nominated. You know I'm talking about "Back to the Future". The Michael J. Fox time travel classic has kept on delighting viewers in the 28 years since it's release while "Out of Africa" doesn't even get the chance to bore a new generation because it's probably been that long since anyone has watched it.

1990's winner- "Dances with Wolves"
Also nominated- "Awakenings", "Ghost", "The Godfather Part III", and "Goodfellas"

I'm not here to pick on Kevin Costner's sweeping frontier epic or the man himself for that matter. "Dances with Wolves" is a very good movie that I could watch every five years or so. But I could watch "Goodfellas" every damn day for five years straight and that's only a slight exaggeration. Would you rather watch Costner's Civil War soldier sitting in a cabin writing in his diary for 40 minutes or Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci beating made man Billy Batts to near death? There's no need to get into any other 1990 movies because it's common knowledge that Scorsese's wiseguys rule and this may have been the biggest robbery since the Lufthansa heist. This is why Best Picture just can't be accurately determined the year the movies in question are released because the passage of time is the only real test of a film's worth. Hollywood has always had a thing for A-list leading men who step behind the camera and Costner's popularity at the time played no small part in the decision, but if we could vote for the Oscars twenty years after the fact, nobody outside of Kevin's immediate family is handing him the statue.

1998's winner- "Shakespeare In Love"
Also nominated- "Elizabeth", "Life Is Beautiful", "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Thin Red Line"

This is a big one. A romantic comedy starring Gwyneth Paltrow beat out Steven Spielberg's searing tribute to real life heroism. How on Earth did this happen?! Tinseltown was clearly in the process of turning the young blonde starlet into a household name, but this was just downright offensive. "Ryan" was a huge critical and commercial success and I would have bet everything I own on it picking up the most prestigious award in the motion picture industry. Spielberg did win Best Director which indicates that his WWII drama came VERY close to winning and it's been alleged many times that Miramax boss Harvey Weinstein ran an aggressive campaign and essentially bought the Academy Award for Best Picture. These loud claims caused the Oscar telecast to be moved up one month from late March to the end of February to shorten the amount of shameless politicking that takes place. Perhaps a jealous pocket of voters were simply tired of patting the backs of Spielberg and Tom Hanks. They certainly didn't need any more accolades, but it doesn't take a film scholar to notice an error as egregious as "Shakespeare" coming out on top.

2000's winner- "Gladiator"
Also nominated- "Chocolat", "Couching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Erin Brockovich" and "Traffic"

Was I not entertained? Of course not. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Ridley Scott's swords and sandals epic as much as the next guy but is it REALLY the best film of 2000? Anybody that thinks so probably missed Steven Soderbergh's "Traffic", a realistic examination into the nation's largely fruitless and never-ending 'War On Drugs'. It's a war that can never really be won which is a stance that was probably too controversial for the conservative Academy. Soderbergh assembled an impressive ensemble cast and skillfully weaved multiple storylines to earn Best Director, yet his absorbing drama got slayed by Maximus at the end of the night. Like I pointed out earlier, Picture and Director almost always go hand in hand but the deck was stacked even further by the fact that "Gladiator" was a big box office hit that planted Russell Crowe firmly on the A-list. Sometimes it just turns into a popularity contest.

2002's winner- "Chicago"
Also nominated- "Gangs of New York", The Hours", "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" and "The Pianist"

Catherine Zeta-Jones and Rene Zellweger sure threw themselves into scenes like the one pictured above, but there is NO WAY IN HELL Rob Marshall's musical was the best film of 2002. The Academy surely got carried away with their enthusiasm for this lively adaptation of the Broadway hit believing it would mark the full fledged comeback of the venerable song and dance genre after nearly a quarter century(thank God that didn't happen, "Hairspray" and "High School Musical" notwithstanding). This isn't the '60s and "Chicago" isn't "West Side Story" or "The Sound of Music". It's not even "Grease". Roman Polanski won Best Director for his infinitely superior Holocaust drama "The Pianist" indicating another very close race. It was only one of at least a dozen movies more deserving than the one that got Queen Latifah inexplicably nominated as well in the Best Supporting Actress category. What were they trying to pull here?!

2005's winner- "Crash"
Also nominated- "Brokeback Mountain", "Capote", "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Munich"

Paul Haggis' heavy-handed parable on racism may be the worst movie to ever win Best Picture. Matt Dillon did some nice work as a bigoted member of the LAPD, but one good scene does not a great movie make. "Brokeback" is obviously better, but homophobia likely kept the cast and crew of Ang Lee's 'gay cowboy movie' in their seats at the Kodak Theater that night. Lee did win Best Director which means this was another horse race. We either need a recount or an investigation into how many times Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges was allowed to vote. "Munich" was another solid dose of serious Spielberg, but I explained how we feel about him and his overcrowded mantle a little earlier. "Syriana" was a topical, socially relevant film that wasn't even nominated. Neither was Terrence Malick's epic "The New World". Thandie Newton wasn't the only one that got degraded in 2005.

2008's winner- "Slumdog Millionaire"
Also nominated- "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", "Frost/Nixon", "Milk" and "The Reader"

I may have spoke too soon when I damned "Crash" as the least impressive film ever celebrated on Hollywood's biggest night. The Oscars really started losing credibility over the past decade. At this rate, any future discussions about the awards won't be about the times they got it wrong, it will be about the rare instances when they got it right. This is another example of the Academy going against the grain. The nomination alone was a stretch, but  Danny Boyle's film winning is absolutely ridiculous. The other four nominees were all better. "The Wrestler" was much better. It wasn't even nominated. Neither was "The Dark Knight". Many felt it should have been. Rewarding Chris Nolan's massively successful, genre-defying sequel would have been more appropriate than acknowledging a passing fad. Bollywood my ass. Nobody will remember this movie in ten years.

The Year in Review- 1993

   It was the year the T-Rex roared, and the Holocaust was explored by the greatest director of all time. Tony Scott told a love story Tarantino-style, and Bill Murray had a serious case of deja-vu. Ford and Eastwood both headlined dynamite thrillers, Hanks had AIDS and Robin Williams became an old British woman. Here are the ten best films in order for 1993.

1. "Schindler's List"(1993)
Steven Spielberg stunned audiences worldwide with a grim, compelling and vivid account of the Holocaust that was miles apart from the upbeat blockbusters that defined the first half of his career. It's his most personal film. It may also be his best. His decision to film in black-and-white gave "List" a documentary-like feel, it's all so startlingly real. Liam Neeson(landing his breakout role) leads a fine cast as German businessman Oskar Schindler who saved the lives of a thousand Jews by employing them in his factory. The ever-reliable Ben Kingsley is his Jewish accountant, and last-but-not-least is Ralph Fiennes, as a sadistic SS officer frighteningly loyal to Hitler's cause. The most moving cinematic experience you're likely to ever have, those Oscars for Best Picture and Director were a foregone conclusion. This is mandatory viewing.

2. "True Romance"(1993)
What do you get when you combine the voracious talents of a young Quentin Tarantino and the late great Tony Scott? The answer is one of the most quotable and ridiculously entertaining films of the '90s. Hell, this movie IS the '90s, before everything became PC and watered down. To see "TR" is to love it. Christian Slater and Patricia Arquette are enormously likable as reckless young newlyweds, and they head up a cast that includes Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Christopher Walken, Val Kilmer, James Gandolfini, Samuel L Jackson, Chris Penn, and Tom Sizemore. This is one of the coolest groups of actors ever assembled, and they ALL have a moment, but it's the playful, uncomplicated relationship of our two protagonists that really sent Cupid's arrow through viewers' hearts. It's true romance, after all.

3. "Groundhog Day"(1993)
At first glance it was just another Bill Murray comedy. Not that there would've been anything wrong with that, but "GD" became something much more. This was NOT some unofficial sequel to "Scrooged". A modest hit at the time of it's release, the respect and appreciation for this film has grown over the years to where it's now considered a modern classic. You already know the set-up, and Murray is at his best as the obnoxious TV weatherman stuck in Punxsutawney. A lesser movie would have went for cheap laughs and a contrived explanation for his predicament, but director Harold Ramis turned a tricky premise into sublime brilliance and built the bridge between the ghost-busting Bill and the understated Oscar-nominated Murray of "Lost in Translation".

4. "Jurassic Park"(1993)
The highest grossing film of the year BY FAR and the third highest grossing film of the '90s, Steven Spielberg's franchise-starting mega hit set new standards for special effects and the summer blockbuster. The bearded movie maestro instantly recognized the cinematic potential of Michael Crichton's intelligent sci-fi novel and employed Stan Winston's creature shop and some astounding CGI to bring the scaly beasts to life. Sequels were inevitable(a fourth is slated for 2015) but nothing compares to seeing those dinosaurs for the first time. The visceral thrill of the T-Rex attacking that jeep in the rain(pictured above) is one of the many reasons that this film is better than the majority of today's big budget offerings and that isn't nostalgia talking.

5. "The Fugitive"(1993)
The best movie ever based on an old TV show was the perfect vehicle for laconic leading man Harrison Ford(still riding the high of his incredible 1980s success) as the wrongly convicted Dr. Richard Kimble. But as great as Ford is in his prime, this film belongs to the ever-magnetic Tommy Lee Jones as his doggedly determined pursuer Samuel Gerard. This character was so strong that he eventually got his own spin-off movie(1998's "U.S Marshalls") while Tommy Lee parlayed his Best Supporting Actor Oscar into a ton of film work over the next few years. Director Andrew Davis("Under Seige") condensed Kimble's adventures into two tense, breathless hours and made one of the most solid crowd-pleasers of the decade.

6. "Philadelphia"(1993) Tom Hanks made a staggering leap from comedy to serious dramatic roles in director Jonathan Demme's compassionate, thought-provoking fact-based drama- the first mainstream movie to tackle homophobia and the HIV/AIDS crisis with intelligence and respect. The Best Actor Oscar was rightly rewarded to Tom's heartbreaking portrayal of a gay lawyer who brings a wrongful termination suit against his former employers(a bigoted Jason Robards is particularly good). The equally-dynamic Denzel Washington is the ambulance-chasing attorney that overcomes his own prejudices over the course of a historic trial. Bruce Springsteen's tone-setting track("Streets of Philadelphia") and Demme's laser-like focus helped make this dreaded deadly disease impossible for the American public to ignore. It's safe to say that attitudes soon began changing for the better.

7. "In the Line of Fire"(1993)
A reinvigorated Clint Eastwood followed up his Oscar-winning "Unforgiven" with Wolfgang Petersen's first-rate suspense thriller. Hollywood just doesn't make movies like this and "The Fugitive" anymore. You know, smart entertainment for grown-ups. You have to go back to 1993 for stuff like that. Clint is terrific as an aging Secret Service agent still haunted by his failure to prevent the 1963 JFK assassination. He gets the chance to redeem himself when the current chief exec's life is threatened by a chameleon-like killer, played by an excellent John Malkovich. An electrifying game of cat and mouse ensues that gradually builds to a finale sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

8. "Mrs. Doubtfire"(1993)
The late, great Robin Williams reached his cinematic peak in the second-biggest hit of 1993. This instantly iconic Chris Columbus comedy was compared unfavorably to "Tootsie" by some critics, but the star's hilarious and heartfelt performance arguably made it even more popular with Clinton-era audiences. Daniel Hillard is a struggling San Francisco father that takes drastic action to be near his three kids when his workaholic wife(the super-talented Sally Field) files for divorce. The elderly, British Euphegenia Doubtfire is an indelible comedic creation that won the Oscar for Best Makeup(Yolanda Toussieng). Powered by Howard Shore's score, the film makes a strong case for modern parenthood and old-fashioned family values.

9. "Menace II Society"(1993)
This grim, unflinching portrait of life on the streets of South Central, Los Angeles is brimming with senseless violence and profanity that clearly stresses the hopelessness and tragic nature of this environment. Twin brothers Allen and Albert Hughes, then 21 years old, made a very impressive directorial debut, and coax convincing performances from a talented young cast that includes Tyrenz Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett and Sam Jackson. It's pretty powerful stuff and in my opinion, better than it's similarly themed forerunner "Boyz 'N The Hood".

10(tie). "The Piano"(1993)
Writer-director Jane Campion's haunting, poetic period piece set in bleak 19th Century New Zealand was the most acclaimed film of 1993. Yes, more acclaimed than "Schindler's List". Like many critical faves, the passage of time hasn't held it in the same regard, but this film should be remembered for more than just Harvey Keitel's decision to appear fully nude. Holly Hunter is one of those great actresses that never gets talked about, and her Best Actress Oscar win as a piano-playing mute is certainly her finest two hours onscreen. The Academy rarely rewards two performers in one movie, yet 11 year old Anna Paquin took Supporting Actress honors as her precocious daughter. The surprisingly robust box office for this erotic journey was a significant step forward for the bourgeoning indie film movement.

10(tie). "Carlito's Way"(1993)
Ten years after their insanely popular collaboration known as "Scarface", Al Pacino and director Brian De Palma reunited to tell the tale of another doomed drug lord. If Tony Montana had gone to jail at the end of that 1983 epic, he might have come out looking like Carlito Brigante. This sensitive ex-con just wants to go straight in 1970s Spanish Harlem, but his old friends and associates are constantly trying to pull him back into a life of crime. That includes a dynamite Sean Penn as a coked-up mob lawyer. "CW" doesn't break any new ground, but anytime you've got Pacino, drugs, guns, and gangsters, you're guaranteed a good time.

Honorable Mentions- "Alive"(1993) The 1972 Miracle of the Andes. "Sommersby"(1993) Is Richard Gere really Jodie Foster's long-lost husband? "Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey"(1993) Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, and Don Ameche voice the intrepid pets. "Untamed Heart"(1993) Christian Slater romances Marisa Tomei. "The Vanishing"(1993) Jeff Bridges is chilling in George Sluizer's remake. "Fire in the Sky"(1993) Alien abduction in November 1975. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III"(1993) The Turtles are back...in time. "The Sandlot"(1993) You're killing me, Smalls. "Benny & Joon"(1993) Johnny Depp is an endearing oddball. "Falling Down"(1993) Michael Douglas is dynamite in Joel Schumacher's edgy urban drama. "The Crush"(1993) Alicia Silverstone was a '90s sensation. "Much Ado About Nothing"(1993) Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare adaptation boasts Denzel Washington, Emma Thompspn, and Michael Keaton.

"Cliffhanger"(1993) Sylvester Stallone's best '90s movie? "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story"(1993) Jason Scott Lee stars in this entertaining account of the martial arts legend. "Hot Shots! Part Deux"(1991) Jim Abrahams and Charlie Sheen reunite for a "Rambo" spoof. "Guilty as Sin"(1993) Rebecca De Mornay and Don Johnson liven up this Sydney Lumet thriller. "Sleepless in Seattle"(1993) Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the ultimate romcom. "Last Action Hero"(1993) This Arnold Schwarzenegger 'flop' was still fun. "The Firm"(1993) Tom Cruise is a conflicted lawyer in this hit John Grisham adaptation.

"Dave"(1993) Kevin Kline was a popular President. "Searching for Bobby Fischer"(1993) This fact-based drama made chess exciting. "What's Love Got to Do with It"(1993) Angela Bassett and Lawrence Fishburne both shined in this Tina Turner biopic. 'Son in Law"(1993) Pauley Shore's peak. "Hard Target"(1993) Jean Claude Van Damme in John Woo's American action debut. "Free Willy"(1993) This cute whale closed out the summer. "Manhattan Murder Mystery"(1993) Woody Allen makes one more with Diane Keaton.

"The Man Without a Face"(1993) Mel Gibson is a good director. "Dazed and Confused"(1993) Richard Linklater's coming-of-age '70s set breakthrough. "The Thing Called Love"(1993) River Phoenix is a country crooner in his last completed role. "The Age of Innocence"(1993) Martin Scorsese's period romance pairs Daniel-Day Lewis with Michelle Pfeiffer. "A Bronx Tale"(1993) Robert De Niro directs this ace adaptation of Chazz Palminteri's play. "Short Cuts"(1993) Tim Robbins, Robert Downey Jr., Julianne Moore, and Frances McDormand in Robert Altman's shapeless L.A. ensemble. "Fearless"(1993) Jeff Bridges and Rosie Perez survive a plane crash. "Judgment Night"(1993) Emilio Estevez is still a star.

"Rudy"(1993) Sean Astin enters the sports movie HOF. "Malice"(1993) Alec Baldwin is God. "Cool Runnings"(1993) John Candy and a Jamaican bobsled team. "Hocus Pocus"(1993) Bette Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker become a Halloween staple. "The Good Son"(1993) Macauley Culkin was surprisingly good at being bad. "A Perfect World"(1993) Clint Eastwood and Kevin Costner were a potent pair. "The Pelican Brief"(1993) So were Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington. "Gettysburg"(1993) Ted Turner's FOUR-HOUR Civil War epic. "In the Name of the Father"(1993) Daniel-Day Lewis was nominated for his IRA prisoner. "The Remains of the Day"(1993) Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson were both nominated for this Merchant-Ivory production. "My Life"(1993) Michael Keaton makes recordings for his unborn son. "The Three Musketeers"(1993) are played by Chris O'Donnell, Charlie Sheen, and Kiefer Sutherland. "Addams Family Values"(1993) Some say it's better than the first.

"Demolition Man"(1993) Sylvester Stallone vs. Wesley Snipes. "Grumpy Old Men"(1993) A new generation gets to know Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthua. "Wayne's World 2"(1993) Mike Myers and Dana Carvey put on a rock concert. "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm"(1993) The film version of the heavily-praised animated series. "What's Eating Gilbert Grape"(1993) Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio are wonderful in this quirky slice-of-life drama. "Heaven & Earth"(1993) Oliver Stone is obsessed with Vietnam. "Six Degrees of Separation"(1993) Will Smith is a star. "Tombstone"(1993) Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer are the definitive Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday. "Geronimo: An American Legend"(1993) Jason Patric, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, and Matt Damon in a Walter Hill Western.