1. The Last Seduction — Poor John Dahl, he's been saddled with the title of the newest auteur in Film Noir's revitalization. Well, I'm sorry to say but Dahl's work is not necessarily pure bred noir. The protagonists in Dahl's films are not doomed, we do not see their fate laid out before us as their story is told in a flashback. Dahl's films are neither experiments in neorealism nor do they recall the crazy-ass shadow world of the expressionists. All of Dahl's protagonists escape relatively unscathed. Noir is sometimes applied purely to aesthetics or to storylines and none of Dahl's work exemplify either aspect.
True, the hero of Kill Me Again is a private dick who gets played out by a femme fatale but he remains triumphant as does the main character in Red Rock West who is not nearly the sap. The Last Seduction throws all that away and gives up a femme fatale protagonist who is neither married nor murdered by the end of act three. I don't want to talk too much about the plot for those poor unfortunate souls who have overlooked my favorite film of the year so I won't. Suffice to say that, in my opinion, The Last Seduction reigns supreme.
2. Heavenly Creatures — Peter Jackson, the man who gave me an image that I cannot forget in his film Dead Alive of there being so much blood spilled by the end of this horror-comedy that the protagonist literally slips on in, surrounded by body parts. Jackson's third film (as far as I know) keeps his Raimi-influenced camera and his eye for beauty but applies it to a horrific tale of teenage angst gone awry. This is the most beautiful film I saw all year.
3. Ed Wood — I laughed. I cried. Tim Burton's smallest film this decade is among his best. After the debacle that was the Batman series, Burton is back in rare form with his outsider makes good theme in full force.
I just about gave up on Burton with Batman. Of course I understand that he was probably under tremendous pressure but the story should have been scrapped. If it wasn't for Jack Nicholson, I would have entirely hated the entire film. Yeah, the sets were beautiful but I don't care how lovely the scenery is with cold-fish Michael Keaton walking through it. I know Keaton was trying his best to give the caped crusader a different edge but he was not nearly the "two-sided coin" of cool Bruce Wayne and crazed superhero that he would have liked us to believe. I think that Burton should have been hired on purely as a set designer and not a director. I'd have elected anyone with an experience directing action and let Burton set the mood.
I hope James Cameron takes note when and if Spiderman ever gets off the ground. Remember that to have a superhero, a fantastic world is the best place to put him — one in which a masked marvel sweeping through the midnight skies over the city would not be completely unreal. And, Mr. Cameron, we can do without the origins of the superhero. Every damn time a comic is put on the big screen we always have to have their story from the first page. No, we all know who Spiderman is, just tell us a story.
Now if only a Hersell Gordon Lewis bio-pic could get made...
4. Natural Born Killers — It's kind of like Nine Inch Nails; I like the music sometimes but I really can't stand the fans (especially those who drive pick-up trucks — "It's fuckin' NIN dude!") By that I mean, I really liked the movie (except for all the damn native american stuff that felt heavy handed and slow) but I just was kind of disenchanted with by a lot of the people that fell in love with it. You can't really argue one way or the other about it. If you hated it, I respect your opinion. I just couldn't get over the way it manipulated me. And my credo is, if a film affects you, it's a winner.
5. The Shawshank Redemption — It's probably all the hype that placed this film at a reluctant number five. No film could be as big as the buzz I was hearing about it but I did think it was pretty damn cool and it was definitely the be all and end all of prison movies as far as I'm concerned. So, move over Escape from Alcatraz, Lock-Up, Brubaker, and Prison on Fire because this film moves it all to a higher level. My bet for best adapted screenplay from a novella if such an Oscar category exists.
6. Bullets Over Broadway — It didn't help this film's position on this list that I saw it on the same day I saw Heavenly Creatures. John Cusack, get a new act. Luckily, the rest of the cast does such a bang up job that his performance is lost in the shuffle.
7. The Hudsucker Proxy — This film would have charted a lot higher too, if it wasn't for one thing. On one hand you've got the Coen Brothers, Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, Paul Newman, Steve Buscemi, Peter Gallager and Tim Robbins but on the other hand you've got Jennifer Jason Leigh and her voice. Damn, it's a crying shame.
8. Street Fighter — Yes, that's right, Street Fighter. I had one of the best times at the movies this year when I saw that particular piece of cinematic genius. I was enthralled with the character development of such favorites as Edmond Honda, "Charles" Blanka, Chun Li and Guile — I was completely impressed.
9. I don't really have a number nine film because I just wasn't really into many releases this year. Most of the best things I saw were on video. I suppose I should throw a bone to a small independent film but while Spanking the Monkey was good, I wasn't overwhelmed. And I was quite underwhelmed with tripe like Clerks and Fear of a Black Hat; a foul-mouthed high school play and a run-on rip-off of This Is Spinal Tap. While a few performances stood out in Clerks, I really wonder where the hell their budget went to.
10. Pulp Fiction — Just to piss you off I put this at the bottom of the rung, almost falling off, give me a bannana peel and it wouldn't have made it, biggest hype, smallest pay-off, endless dialogue, most touted screenplay. Yeah, it was pretty good but it had some flaws. Want to know some?
A few lines of dialogue were cut, and, in turn, Tarantino cut his own throat as far as creating a balance. Examples; When Ezmerelda, the Taxi driver, asks Butch what his name means and he replies, "I'm an American, American names don't mean shit." This would have made a lot more sense if QT had left in the line where Ezmerelda tells Butch what her names means. Also, when Jules and Vincent are cleaning out Jules' car, Jules makes a reference to Superfly TNT and Guns of Navarone, again, it would have been cooler to leave in Vincent's mention of Redline 7000 to balance out the lines. And, Tarantino had it close when he cut out some of the scene at Monster Joes but he should have left the whole damn Julia Sweeney-tainted thing out. Other than that I still have a few complaints but it's nothing I can put my finger on directly, just Mia.
Is there a Doctor in the House? (Films that could have done w/ a rewrite or twelve)
The Mask, The Professional, Star Trek Generations, Killing Zoe
Worst of '94 (that I saw)
Bad Girls, Mixed Nuts, North
#1 Film that didn't Live Up to it's potential
A Low Down Dirty Shame
— MB
About the Author
We are pleased to introduce Michael Thompson, former Michigan Daily critic and quite a guy, to our editorial staff. Mr. Thompson's rantings come imported from his new abode in Chicaah-go, and welcomes any reader responses.
Top Ten Films of '94
By Michael Thompson
Yeah, I know these are bullshit, but you must remember that most articles are written purely for the amusement of the journalist (Ha. I just called myself a journalist, I'm amused already).
1. Pulp Fiction — oh, give me a break, if you didn't like it, it's because you are a pretentious bore. That's right Barnett, Medved, Lyons, and all you other Gumps. And thanks, guys, thanks for being big enough and cool enough to actually point out that you didn't put Pulp Fiction on your lists. We are all in awe of your criticalness.
2. Red — no, not the bio-pic of legendary country singer Red Sovine, who meant as much to trucking as CB's and hot coffee. Not only was Red, the film, great, but it was Kieslowski's last. Here's hoping he lied.
3. The Last Seduction — after all the moaning and whining about the treatment of women in the movies (True Lies and Forrest Gump) all you dorks can just choke on this one.
4. Heavenly Creatures — Peter Jackson shows you can shift genres without sacrificing style.
5. Natural Born Killers — Violence doesn't get a whole lot more fun than this. Stone's the man, the legend and the myth, just ask him.
6. Ed Wood — Tim Burton's Schindler's List.
7. Bullets Over Broadway — you know why.
8. The Shawshank Redemption — look, it's a painful fact, but you can't have a top ten list without a Tim Robbin's film in it. No, just accept it.
9. White — hey, I'm currently in love with Kieslowski, okay?
10. Speed — Action formula for success. Nonstop action (10) + Character development (0) = 10. Yes!
So, you're asking, where's Hoop Dreams, or Cobb, or Street Fighter or blah blah blah. Well, I tried to see everything this year but I missed a few. Besides, there is a slim chance that anything would surpass Pulp Fiction because it's going to take me a few years to come off of the high I've created in my mind over it.