1992

The Best Films of the Year:

1. Unforgiven
2. The Crying Game
3. A Few Good Men
4. Glengarry Glen Ross
5. Reservoir Dogs
6. Malcolm X
7. Last of the Mohicans
8. A League of Their Own
9. Of Mice and Men
10. Sneakers

“Unforgiven” is Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris and Gene Hackman being some of the biggest bad asses ever to be put to celluloid. The film is easily the best Western since Clint was a younger bad ass in his heyday. It incorporated great direction, a great script, great cinematography and amazing acting performances. If you haven’t seen this film and like Westerns, you’re an idiot for missing it.

“The Crying Game” blew me away. That sounds bad. Ummm … it left me speechless. That’s better … I think. This is Neil Jordan’s best film, in my opinion, and he couldn’t have chosen better actors to portray the leads than Stephen Rea and Jaye Davidson. They electrify the screen with tension and longing. I’m skirting around the main controversy about the film and don’t want to ruin it for the one person who doesn’t know, but the long and the short of it is that if you are okay with a slower paced drama, this film is amazing.

Some may be surprised by how high I put “A Few Good Men”, (though not my college roommate). Here’s the thing, I know and freely acknowledge that Tom Cruise is Cole Trickle from “Days of Thunder” in every film. But I’m still a fan somehow. I feel comforted to know I will get what I expect each time he’s on screen. Though with this film, he had an excellent supporting cast, great direction and a fantastic script. It’s a complete movie, leaving no loose ends.

With "Glengarry Glen Ross", we get to possibly one of the greatest movies showcasing how actors can create such powerful performances that it’s okay there isn’t a car chase. I’m a big David Mamet fan and his words are given such life by the amazing actors that each scene is a powder keg.

“Reservoir Dogs” is probably my favorite Quentin Tarantino film, though I don’t give him the Godlike status some indie fans seem to have bestowed. “Malcolm X” reminds us that ‘We didn’t land on Plymouth Rock. Plymouth Rock landed on us!” Aside from “Gangs of Crap (New York)”, Daniel Day-Lewis doesn’t choose losing films and “Last of the Mohicans” is yet another shining example.

The remaining films are all great and fun and whatnot, but I was really reaching to find 10 great films this year. Seriously, the only films I think any movie buff should make sure they have seen are the first four. After that, the longevity of the films starts to fade.

The Worst Films of the Year:

1. Captain America
2. Death Becomes Her
3. Toys
4. Far and Away
5. Prelude to a Kiss

God, what a waste of money and time these films are. “Captain America” is just plain awful, from every angle a film can be awful. “Death Becomes Her” is stupid. Stupid in the way that a 19 year old repeating 5th grade is stupid. “Toys” was such a sucker punch to the gut I still can’t tell if I should have been surprised how boring the film was, since it seemed to be set to amaze everyone but ended up more like “Ishtar” than “Toy Story”.

“Far and Away” is far and away one of the worst casting decisions in modern movie history. I’d rather have seen Buddy Hackett and Beyoncé Knowles than Cruise and Kidman. Want to get really drunk? (yes) Watch the movie and take a sip every time an accent is dropped or you feel like either character should be shot.

“Prelude to a Kiss” is just a really creepy idea. Here’s how IMDb has the plot described: “A couple fall in love despite the girl's pessimistic outlook. As they struggle to come to terms with their relationship, something supernatural happens that tests it.” And the supernatural thing isn’t something cool like he’s got super strength or the ability to travel through time. An old guy comes and kisses Meg Ryan and switches bodies with her. So now Alec Baldwin is actually married to an old guy who just lost his wife but wants another chance at happiness. Really, someone said yes to that. Idiot.

The Most Horrible Films That Are Fun to Watch:

1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer
2. Under Siege
3. Universal Soldier
4. Freejack
5. Mr. Baseball

“Buffy” is such a guilty pleasure I don’t want to talk about it. But come on, it’s got Paul "Pee Wee Herman" Reubens! One of the best death scenes ever.

“Under Siege” has Gary Busey and Tommy Lee Jones chewing up so much scenery that it makes my heart leap. I even enjoyed the mumbled ‘acting’ of Steven Seagal as he tried to look like a bad ass on sped up film again.

“Universal Soldier” is the meeting of two of the greats in celluloid history, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren. It also has Tom 'Tiny' Lister Jr. and Eric Norris, who is indeed Chuck’s son! Awesome!

“Freejack” brought together Emilio Estevez, Rene Russo, Anthony Hopkins and Mick Jagger! It involves snatching bodies right before their death so dying people in the future can transfer their minds over. A much better idea that “Prelude to a Kiss”. Maybe if the old guy needed Meg Ryan’s body to survive …

Last but not least on this list … well, I guess it is least since it’s number five. Whatever. “Mr. Baseball” lets Tom Selleck bring his mustache to Japan and swing some big wood while falling in love with a Japanese woman. A love story for the ages.

The Most Underrated/Overlooked Films of the Year:

Singles
Night on Earth

“Singles” is another Seattle story by Cameron Crowe. I like those better than his San Diego ones. Anyway, this film is a fun romp through the faux-grunge scene at the time and even includes the members of Pearl Jam backing up Matt Dillon in his band, Citizen Dick. Good, good times.

“Night on Earth” was released in Europe in 1991 but got to American soil in 1992 so here it lands. Jim Jarmusch put together five stories of cab rides around the world and the craziness among them all. It’s got funny moments, sad moments and Roberto Benigni as one of the weirdest cab drivers ever. If you like independent film, this is a can’t miss.