1993 Leaman Awards

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 *Last Updated 4/30/2023

1993 Films Seen: 80
Number of Films with 'A' or 'A+': 3
Key Films Still to See: A Bronx Tale, Fearless, Pelican Brief, The Program, Sommersby, Striking Distance, Six Degrees of Separation

Brief Summary: No one seems to talk about 1993 as one of the greatest film years of all-time, but they absolutely should. It features Spielberg's single best year producing the one-two punch of Schindler's List and Jurassic Park. It features a banner year for martial arts with Jet Li's iconic slate of six films and the classic Iron Monkey. Other genres saw great slates as well: costume dramas (The Piano, Remains of the Day, Age of Innocence, Shadowlands), crime thrillers (Carlito's Way, A Perfect World, In the Line of Fire, The Fugitive), courtroom dramas (Philadelphia, In the Name of the Father, The Firm), romantic comedies (Poetic Justice, Sleepless in Seattle), and even a strong year for one of my favorite comedy sub-genres, the parody film (Hot Shots! Part Deux, Loaded Weapon 1, Robin Hood: Men in Tights). The easiest way to summarize my enjoyment of the year is that three (A+) films came out of it - a very rare feat indeed. With several diverse (A-) films on top of that, including enjoyable war and martial arts films, it's a hard slate to top for me. The awards might be heavy on a few films, but make sure to check out my ambassador list and sequences lists to see just how much depth was produced.


Not a "best of" list or a "favorite" list - but a list of the films and sequences (action, drama, comedy, & musical) that I think represent the best the year had to offer. So think of it as a strange mixture of favorite, best, and defining. Once you get to the top ten films, it definitely becomes more defined as a Top Ten list of the year. The number one film is my favorite of the year. 

Honorable Mentions: Sleepless in Seattle (B-), Tai Chi Master (B-), The War Room (B-), What's Love Got to Do With It? (B-) 

25. Stalingrad (B-)
24. Poetic Justice (B)
23. This Boy's Life (B)
22. The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk (B)
21. The Age of Innocence (B)
20. Hot Shots! Part Deux (B)
19. Searching for Bobby Fischer (B)
18. Rudy (B)
17. Philadelphia (B)
16. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (B)
15. The Firm (B+)
14. In the Line of Fire (B+)
13. Carlito's Way (B+)
12. The Sandlot (B+)
11. A Perfect World (B+)


THE TOP TEN
10. In the Name of the Father (A-): This film is the second collaboration between director Jim Sheridan and actor Daniel Day-Lewis and scored seven Academy Award nominations (winning none of them). The film is based on the true story of how Gerry Conlon, his father, and other members of his extended family were wrongly accused, framed, and imprisoned for an IRA bombing in London during the 1970’s. Rather than a examine the particulars of the IRA situation, the film uses the story of Gerry Conlon and the injustice done to him by the English government as a parable of vengeance and justice. Yes, the particulars of the story are important to inform and you do walk away with a general sense of what happened in this story, but the film is more pre-occupied with embodying the different responses we can make to injustice: should we just accept it (Gerry Conlon), violently react (Joe McAndrew), or peacefully protest it (Giuseppe Conlon)? Gerry Conlon is one of Daniel Day-Lewis best performances and I’m aware at the stiff competition that is. Daniel Day-Lewis becomes Gerry – an immature, ignorant, and unprincipled young man with no real direction or passions in life. After he’s dumb enough to steal roofing metal in Dublin causing an IRA riot his father Giuseppe sends him off to live in London. It’s there where he happens to be in the wrong place and time to be framed for an IRA pub bombing. I greatly enjoyed watching Conlon struggle to care in the face of injustice and though his father Giuseppe (who is imprisoned alongside him) starts a peaceful letter campaign, Gerry despairs. There’s a wonderful mid-section of the film in prison where the real bomber, Joe McAndrew, winds up and showcases what it looks like to stand up and violently respond to injustice. The lessons Gerry learns here become the heart of the movie and move him to accept his father’s (who is now dying) ways. It’s not a perfect movie, but it is a moving story of injustice and how our responses can to it can either continue to perpetuate injustice/violence, or can seek to disarm it. Well written, directed, and performed, this is one of the best court/prison films out there.

9. Shadowlands (A-): In Shadowlands, Anthony Hopkins tackles the famous Christian academic and writer of the children’s books like The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis. Hopkins depicts Lewis as a comfortable king of his land; an Oxford academic who writes, lectures, teaches, fellowships with his friends, and always wins debates. In his lectures he feels free to opine about how pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world, in his teaching he feels free to challenge his students, and in his fellowship he feels confident he’s always right. Into this wonderful Oxford existence, the middle-aged American divorcee Joy Gresham descends initially as a fan and letter writer to Lewis. After their first meeting, Joy’s bluntness and matter of fact nature challenges Lewis, befuddles him, and from Hopkins acting cues, you can tell he’s charmed by her. Their relationship blooms as she makes visits to Lewis’ house and stays for Christmas. Joy has the intellectual depth to stand toe to toe with Lewis and her lack of “society airs” allows her to crash through normal social barriers and put Lewis’ academic world on their heels. The leisurely film, directed by Richard Attenborough in his old-school classic style, recounts their eventual marriage (in secret and in public) that challenges Lewis’ views of friendship/love and then Joy’s tragic early death which challenges Lewis’ view of suffering and grief. The movie wisely shows Lewis giving his lecture on God’s use of suffering several times, until Joy’s suffering and death of course. Lewis struggles with his grief over Joy. It’s always easier to opine on death and suffering when its from the safety of a pen! The film’s screenplay by William Nicholson (he wrote a television version in the 80’s then adapted it to a play and then now to this film) captures the spirit of Lewis and Oxford well, distilling his reflections on love and grief earned during this consequential stretch of his life and making great use of his own words from his beloved writings. I love how the film sublimely ends bringing together so many of the films thematic and visual cues with a grieving Lewis and young Douglas (the son of Joy) sitting before the wardrobe that was an inspiration for his kids series as they weep (in “happiness”) over the Joy’s death. Powerful stuff for those willing to get past the slow and somewhat stilted nature of the film.

8. Mrs. Doubtfire (A-): A classic family comedy headlined by a classic Robin Williams performance. Williams plays Daniel Hillard a comedic actor whose manic nature causes a rupture in his marriage, forcing his wife, played by Sally Field, to divorce him. Field gains full custody of their three children and Daniel, distraught at the idea of being away from them for six days a week, he turns himself into an old English nanny named Mrs. Doubtfire and take the part-time housekeeper job Field’s posts. This premise is a genius setup to allow a vehicle for Robin Williams’ comedic magic and offer a dramatic window for Williams’ character to grow and change. The moments where Williams finds the look for Mrs. Doubtfire, goes back and forth between Doubtfire and himself during Mrs. Sellner’s inspection interview, and the double date dinner have become iconic comedic entries into cinema. Throw in a lot of funny throwaway lines like “It was a run by fruiting!” and you have a pretty darn funny movie. More than that though, the setup allows for Williams to see his children and former wife in a different light. Just as important as the comedy scenes are the moments where Williams, through the eyes of Mrs. Doubtfire, gets to really listen to his wife’s needs. In a film like this it would be easy to turn Fields character into the villain and Robin into a perfect being who just needs to be understood. Even Pierce Brosnan’s Stuart gets to be a fine gentlemen and turned into a one note character. I would have liked to see the two parents work things out, but at least they find a loving/redemptive agreement. That kind of stuff matters in family films like this.

7. The Remains of the Day (A-): The Remains of the Day follows the comings and goings of the fictional Lord Fox’s major British country home Darlington House just before and after World War II. The story centers on Anthony Hopkins’ loyal butler Mr. Stevens (we never learn his first name) who runs the house at the highest of standards for Lord Fox. In talking to another butler, Stevens reveals his personal philosophy, “Mr. Benn, a man cannot call himself well-contented until he has done all he can to be of service to his employer. Of course, this assumes that one's employer is a superior person, not only in rank, or wealth, but in moral stature.” Stevens’ view is the mindset that dominates British society. To be “in service” – to be a maid, butler, housekeeper, etc. – in the Britain of old meant to make your entire life subservient to the pleasure of the aristocratic. A good life “in the service” was having the dignity of serving someone higher and assumedly better than yourself. Stevens believes this to his core and the film’s story goes about subtly challenging that view again and again. Where does our value truly come from? There first come challenges in the obvious ways, like never being called by your first name, doing hard work, living within the grounds of the great manor house. However, the film introduces smaller challenges like when Lord Fox asks Stevens to help share the truth about “the birds and the bees” to his adult godson (Hugh Grant) because it would be easier coming from Stevens. In another thread, Stevens invites his frail father to come work at the house as an under-butler. When it is clear Steven’s father has taken ill and likely on his death bed, it is clear that Steven’s is torn between his duty to serve the Lord (they are having an important dinner at the time) and the duty of a son. Stevens later hears of his father’s death and won’t immediately attend to him so he asks the housekeeper Ms. Kenton (Emma Thompson) to close his eyes for him. When he does later check on his father, it’s a short moment, and Steven’s ends it by asking the doctor to check on the feet of the house guests. Speaking of Ms. Kenton, the two are largely in charge of running the house and though they butt heads at times, it’s clear that there is a chemistry between them. When Ms. Kenton drops hints that she is open to something more, Stevens clearly feels torn between sharing his feelings and the thought that his entire life, even his love-life, is given over to the Lord he serves. Ultimately, he shoves down his feelings and puts on a good business face as he loses his chance with the lovely Ms. Kenton who goes off to marry another man late in the film. Throughout all of this, Anthony Hopkins’ performance is a masterclass of subtlety – always hiding the conflicts beneath the surface without becoming a complete cypher (this is much harder to do than you think.) The final thing the film challenges Stevens’ on is giving over his political voice/moral judgment to his Lord as well. The film, despite being largely fictional, gives us a glimpse into the politics of pre-World War II Britain and how Lords who saw themselves as integral to international affairs, hosting world diplomats and having conferences at their manors. It turns out that his Lord Fox favored appeasement of Germany and worked (well-intentioned) hard to that end. When discussions of the war and the Jews come up, Stevens is silent and demurs to the “moral superiority” of his Lord. We are treated to a framing story of Stevens after the war and downfall of his Lord, when the house is purchased by an American diplomat. Stevens wants to rehire Ms. Kenton and as he travels the countryside he finds himself hiding his affiliation with Lord Fox – ashamed of the reputation he deserved. More insightfully, it’s clear that Stevens realizes what a mistake his life was, that to have given over to Lord Fox was a foolish thing to do, and the pain of his regret is quietly moving. This is absolutely one of the best British costume dramas. Anthony Hopkins’ portrayal of Mr. Stevens is a great character study and window into a world that wasn’t as long ago as we’d like to believe.

6. The Fugitive (A-): One of those films where the stars all come together to take a somewhat commonplace “wrongfully accused” police chase story and turn it into one of the great cinematic thrillers of all-time. The film, based on a TV series, had been in development hell, gone through the hands of many writers, had a short production turn-around, small budget, was improvised on set and re-written as they went, and had over six editors. Yet somehow, the final product feels like it was always meant to be. Harrison Ford stars as Dr. Richard Kimble who is charged with murdering his wife and booked into prison awaiting the death penalty. While being transported to another facility, there is a thrilling bus and train crash sequence that sees Kimble a free man, but with an injury. U.S. Marshall Sam Gerard, played by Tommy Lee Jones, and his team shows up on the scene and takes charge of the manhunt for the escaped prisoners. Jones’ Sam Gerard is an absolutely iconic cop role – I don’t think there’s a more memorable, “I’m in charge, I’m smart, and I’ll never stop hunting” cop in the cinematic world than this one. When he gives his “warehouse, farmhouse, henhouse, outhouse, and doghouse…you’re fugitive’s name is Dr. Richard Kimble” speech to the crew you know he means it. The fast-moving first act is over and what follows next is a series of cat and mouse chase sequences as Kimble tries to escape Gerard and clear his name. This is where the film finds the stars come together as the writing, performances, and production combine to give us several thrilling and touching moments. Harrison Ford plays Kimble as determined, intelligent, and always willing to take the extra step to be good to others. The screenplay gives Kimble many little human moments like telling an escaping prisoner to “be good,” giving a medic extra insight on the victim’s wounds, being more willing to jimp off a dam at the risk of his own life before taking the life of an officer, or helping a boy with chest pains at the risk of his revealing. Director Andrew Davis gives the perfect “workman” like job here – presenting the film with all the advantages of a major Hollywood production, but resisting giving the film a strong “look”. I think that’s one of the reasons it has held up so well over time. This is just a straightforward chase film with strong cinematography, editing, and music. Despite all this praise, there are some faults here. It’s a bit too long and it doesn’t quite stick the landing with a clunky train fight and fist fight confrontation among doctors at the Hilton Hotel. Still, The Fugitive remains one of the most enjoyable Hollywood thrillers ever made, with two charismatic Hollywood performances, and where each enjoyable scene unfolds right into the next one.

5. Iron Monkey (A-): A corrupt governor has moved into the Chinese city of Chekiang and begun hording money and food for himself. To help the poor and starving townspeople survive a martial arts outlaw known as the Iron Monkey has appeared to steal from the rich and give back to the poor. The Iron Monkey ultimately becomes a menace the governor will do anything to track down; whether that is using Shaolin priests for a trap or imprisoning and punishing innocent citizens like Donnie Yen’s Wong Kei-Ying. One of the great appeals of Yuen Woo-Ping’s Kung Fu classic Iron Monkey is its simple take on the classic Robin Hood story. Many Kung Fu films of the time feature convoluted plots that feel as if they were written as an afterthought (many actually were), but Iron Monkey benefits from a plot that is both easy to follow, provides some genuine laughs (the central villains are always getting one upped here), and organically provides plenty of moments for conflict. The action here is directed and choreographed largely by Yuen Woo-Ping who is working in something of a new golden age for kung fu (1993-1994 is a high spot) that saw the rise of stars like Jet Li and Donnie Yen, production values, and international appeal (that would culminate in the twin box office successes of The Matrix in 1999 and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000). Woo-Ping’s choreography here is a unique blend of three characteristics that is uniquely well-balanced: intricate wuxia style wirework, a technical kung-fu showcase, and Looney Tunes style slapstick humor. Stars Rongguang Yu as the Iron Monkey and Donnie Yen as Wong Kei-Ying do most of the martial arts heavy lifting (aside from the villains who acquit themselves well) here and they really shine alongside Woo-Ping’s choreography; it's a perfect match. There are several high quality kung fu sequences here (my favorite being the fire finale), but the strength of the film is in its collection of consistently strong, diverse, and inventive fight sequences rather than just one or two set all-time set pieces. Iron Monkey is easy to watch, to understand, and to enjoy. It's something you can watch over and over again - finding new things to laugh at, gasp at, or wonder at in every viewing. It's just one of the best all-around kung fu films of all-time that just so happens to be accessible to most audiences. If someone was new to the genre, this is one of the few films I'd reach for.

4. Gettysburg (A) is a sweeping, detailed, and moving re-telling of the crucial Civil War battle of Gettysburg, The three-day battle in the small Pennsylvania town is largely told by following several different strands of characters ranging from the generals in charge down to the individual commanders and soldiers of various regiments and companies. The Confederate general Robert E. Lee, played with Southern grace, patience, and intelligence by Martin Sheen, and his right-hand man General Longstreet, played by Tom Berenger as more cynical and practical but no less intelligent, stand out most on the rebel side. Though we meet various generals and leaders on the side of the Union, none stand out like Jeff Daniel’s portrayal of the Maine college professor turned Union leader Joshua Chamberlain (sporting an iconic mustache). We first meet Colonel Joshua Chamberlain not long after he’s become a regiment commander and he has a small crisis to deal with, a beautiful little detail that gives us a glimpse into the character and context of the times. A small company has been taken prisoner for refusing to fight and given to Chamberlain’s command. Chamberlain must deal with them, force them to fight, or shoot them. He refuses to use force and instead speaks to them kindly and with a moving speech filled with details and themes about war aims. Chamberlain’s sincerity and vulnerability is instantly endearing here. He’s one of many strands the movie is able to juggle that give us both sympathetic and informative portraits of the individuals who made up the near 200,000 men involved in the battle. While it is still a Hollywood production complete with a stirring musical score, there is a unique commitment by the creative team to tell the story as historically and objectively as possible (if not a little too idealistically at times). The film is a long-simmering passion project of writer/director Ronald Maxwell as well as Ted Turner who helped to finance the film. It was filmed largely on the actual historical battle sites and used large numbers of Civil War battle re-enactors to fill out the large army sequences. Alongside the individual stories there is great care and attention paid to showing the maneuvering and strategy that led to the greatest battle on American soil. I do wish more maps or helicopter shots were used here, for unless you intuitively understand the geography of this battle, it can be hard to keep all of the various maneuvering and commanders clearly in your mind. We are shown portions of three major battles on each day: Buford’s stand and holding of the high ground on the first day, Chamberlain’s heroic defense of Little Round Top on the second day, and Pickett’s tragic charge on the final day. While these battles are dramatic and shot well, I do wish they were filmed with a little more gravity in their violence. Unfortunately, what we see is mostly old school film battles where people fall down when they are shot or jump as cannons explode near them – all bloodless. Violence in battle at the time of the film was largely kept to the Vietnam war and spared in World War 2 or Civil War depictions (with some exceptions of course) – seeing it as more noble or something. Thankfully that would largely all change after Saving Private Ryan in 1998. Given the commitment to historicity, I think a commitment to showing the atrocity and horror of war here would have been proper. These are minor problems for an otherwise masterful war film that should be sought out by cinephiles and history lovers alike.


3. Jurassic Park (A+): Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park is an absolute masterpiece of blockbuster filmmaking. The film deserves a spot alongside his 1975 masterpiece Jaws as one of the most re-watchable monster movie / action / horror mashups of all-time. There are so many scenes, characters, moments, visuals, music cues, and lines of dialogue ("Dino DNA!") that I can't help but anticipate and enjoy every time I watch the film. It wasn't always that way though, I didn't get all the Jurassic Park hype when I was just a ten year old at the film's release in 1993. I was still in my Ninja Turtles phase of life so I was more interested in Surf Ninjas and re-watching Three Ninjas ("Rocky loves Emily!") than this popular dinosaur movie. It wasn't until I went to see a showing of the original Jurassic Park at a cinema in college and had one of the best cinema experiences of all-time that I began to understand what all the fuss was about. See my full review of the movie HERE.

2. Groundhog Day (A+): Groundhog Day is an all-time great comedy that features the best Bill Murray performance of all-time and a surprisingly moving, insightful, and Christian perspective on the meaning of life. The film identifies the nature and scope of our human brokenness in Phil and explores how grace and selfless love are his only exit from an existential death spiral. Heavy stuff for a comedy right? Thankfully, the film is able to balance that with the "can you believe this is happening to me?" condescending but hilarious smarm of someone like Bill Murray. It turned out to be a perfect casting choice. Murray plays Phil Connors, a self-centered and mean-spirited weatherman for a television station in Pittsburgh. Along with his producer Rita, Andie MacDowell, and cameraman Larry, Chris Elliot, Phil must head down to the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania to do a remote broadcast for Groundhog Day. Phil hates the assignment, hates the town, and makes it known to his colleagues. He slogs his way through his Groundhog Day duties, tries to escape Punxsutawney, but is forced to return due a bad blizzard. When he wakes up the next morning, Phil is presented with Groundhog Day...again. Something mystical has happened and Phil is forced to relive the day over and over. How will Phil handle it? Will he ever be able to escape the cycle? Read my full review of the film HERE. 

1. Schindler's List (A+): I believe that Schindler's List is one of the greatest films of all-time and one you definitely should not miss. We must remember this history. We must face it in the way the film presents it: as cruelty, as hate, as evil. We must take the journey that Schindler does: to see every human life as sacred and to do what we can to protect it. It's a lengthy and exhausting film, but to paraphrase Stern's comment to Schindler, "The movie is an absolute good. This movie is life... all around its reels lies the gulf." See my full review of the film HERE.


FAVORITE ACTION SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
  • "Raid on a Taipei Money Laundering House" -Crime Story (Commentary)
  • "Finale: Wong Fei Hung and Beggar Su Storm the Opium Docks" -Fist of the Red Dragon (Commentary)
  • "Finale: Carnival Warehouse Shootout" -Hard Target (Commentary)
  • "Rambo Parody: Taking the Hostage Compound" -Hot Shots! Part Duex
  • "Iron Monkey & Wong Kei-Ying Fight Buddha's Palm and His Goons" -Iron Monkey (Commentary)
  • "Night Interruption: Wong Kei-Ying vs. Shaolin Kidnappers" -Iron Monkey (Commentary)
  • "Two Part Finale: Centipede & Main Villain Showdown" -Last Hero in China (Commentary)
The Great:
  • "Finale: Nightclub & Subway Chase Ends in Grand Central Shootout" -Carlito's Way
  • "Little Round Top: Chamberlain is Tested" -Gettysburg
  • "Fire Finale: Defeating the Royal Minister & His Shaolin Henchmen" -Iron Monkey (Commentary)
  • "Visitor Center Finale: Humans, Raptors, & T-Rex" -Jurassic Park (Commentary)
  • "Can't Touch the Ground: Fong Sai Yuk vs. Soo Ahn" -The Legend (Commentary)
  • "Finale: Rescuing his father - Fong Sai Yuk vs. Vincent Zhao Pt. 2" -The Legend (Commentary)
  • "Red Flower Society Broken Up by the Emperor's Assasins: Li vs. Zhao Pt. 1" -The Legend (Commentary)
  • "Former Brothers Platform Fight Over Michelle Yeoh" -Tai Chi Master (Commentary)
The Best: "T-Rex Paddock: Nighttime Jeep Attack" -Jurassic Park
Commentary: The setup for this sequence is masterful. We have only heard about the T-Rex from previous conversations, including how fast it is. When the jeeps come around to the T-Rex paddock during the daytime tour the anticipation is high. When T-Rex doesn’t show up they tempt him by bringing a literal sacrificial goat out – but a no show still happens. This prompts Ian Malcolm to taunt John Hammond, “…eventually you do plan to have dinosaurs on your dinosaur tour right?” After a couple plot beats later and a major storm is on the horizon and Dennis Nedry, looking to steal “Dino DNA”, has some major systems shut off to cover his tracks in the control room. Unfortunately for the passengers, the cars and electric fences shut off exactly when they are back in front of the T-Rex paddock, at night now, and with a storm beginning to bear down on them. The atmosphere here is perfect for something to happen, we just don’t know yet. As the vehicles sit in the storm, the sacrificial goat bleats away, Allen Grant fills his canteen from the rain, little Tim plays with night vision goggles, and we start to get the iconic T-Rex stomp embodied in the cup of water rippling to the sounds. As the rain keeps going Tim looks in the night vision goggles and notices the goat is now gone quickly followed by its severed leg falling onto the sunroof of the kids jeep. The camera pans up to our first full look at the still impressive T-Rex animatronic finishing off the goat. The lawyer runs off the restroom out of fear leaving the kids alone and T-Rex busts through the fence between the two jeeps giving us the iconic entrance and scream. Perfect. The next part of this sequence plays like a horror, hiding from the monster. The young girl panics and turns on a light and Tim closes a door drawing the Rex to their jeep. He checks it out and we get the beautiful moment where T-Rex moves his head down to the window and the lantern light causes his eye to dilate. It’s all not too bad, we are safe inside the jeep right? NOPE. Spielberg kicks our butt when the T-Rex suddenly and powerfully bursts the sunroof down onto the kids, then flips the jeep over, crushing it into the mud and threatening the kids. Allen and Ian light flares to distract the Rex to save the kids and unfortunately, Ian is hurt and the lawyer, hiding in the bathroom, is violently eaten. Grant goes back to rescue the kids but Tim is stuck under the jeep in the mud. This next phase plays out more like an action sequence as T-Rex, Allen, and the two kids play a bit of cat and mouse staying away from Rex, the jeep, and not falling down the opposite side of the wall (which now has a gigantic drop on it for some reason. If it was that far down, the Rex never could have made it over the fence right? Anyways) as the jeep gets pushed over. Allen helps Lex down to the bottom of the wall and Tim is stuck in a jeep high up in a tree. Safe from Rex, but Allen has to make a dramatic rescue of Tim before the jeep crashes down to the ground. The last sting of this amazing sequence is Ellie Sadler arriving on the scene with Muldoon, the game warden, in a gas powered jeep to find an injured Malcolm and a T-Rex hot on their trail for which they must drive away fast “faster…must go faster”. We are talking about action scenes with animatronic dinosaurs here, so we need to judge this on a slightly different scale than are the punches/kicks dynamic or is the gunplay engaging or chase sequence complicated. It’s hard to pinpoint the “action” words here to explain why it’s so great except to say that it FEELS on a gut level exactly what it might be like to encounter a beast like that in an atmosphere like that. It nails the tension, anticipation, reveal, horror, and “what would I do” moments so pitch perfectly that I don’t think the franchise has ever been able to best this moment – though it has certainly tried and failed multiple times. For more commentary on Jurassic Park action sequences, click HERE. 


FAVORITE DRAMATIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
  • "Learning his Late Wife and Son know his Sacrifice and he Refuses to see the Countess" –The Age of Innocence
  • "Opening: Death of Sarah Trying to Cross Between Peaks" –Cliffhanger
  • "The U.S. Marshalls Raid the Wrong House leading to a Hostage Situation" –The Fugitive
  • "Kimble and Gerard Come Face to Face at the Prison" –The Fugitive
  • "Gatewood and an Apache Warrior Face Off" -Geronimo: An American Legend
  • "Rooftop Chase, Hanging Off the Edge, & Trading Lives" -In the Line of Fire
  • "Opening: Gerry Stealing Lead Starts a Belfast Riot" -In the Name of the Father
  • "Thinking Back on his Father's Influence, Wake, and Setting him on a One Room Rampage" –In the Name of the Father
  • "Getting their day in Court, Name Cleared, and Walking out the Front Door" –In the Name of the Father
  • "Sitting Down for Ice Cream with John Hammond" –Jurassic Park
  • "Turning Back on the power to Jurassic Park/Climbing the Electric Fences" –Jurassic Park
  • "Taken to the Beach to Enjoy Her Piano" -The Piano
  • "A Father's Death During an International Conference" -The Remains of the Day
  • "A Nightime Farewell to Mrs. Kenton" -The Remains of the Day
  • "Bennie Guides Smalls Through His First Baseball Day" -The Sandlot
  • "Opening: Who’s that Man? That’s Oscar Schindler!" -Schindler’s List
  • "Amon Goeth Orders the Woman in Charge of Construction Shot for Arguing" –Schindler's List
  • "Schindler and Amon Discuss Power" –Schindler's List
  • "Removing the Children from the Camp while Some Attempt to Escape" –Schindler's List
  • "I Could Have Saved One More" –Schindler's List
  • "The Survivors Lay Stones on Schindler's Tomb" –Schindler's List
  • "You Don’t Know it Yet – Take the Draw" -Searching for Bobby Fischer
  • "Impromptu Honeymoon: Finding the Golden Valley" -Shadowlands
  • "Doc Holliday and Johnny Ringo Meet for the First Time" -Tombstone 
  • "Doc Holliday vs. Johnny Ringo" -Tombstone
The Great:
  • "Meandering Around the Beaufort Ball" -The Age of Innocence
  • "Routine Cash & Drug Exchange Goes Wrong" -Carlito's Way
  • "Col. Chamberlains ‘What We’re Fighting For’ Speech" -Gettysburg
  • "Phil Reveals his Secret to Rita in the Diner and They Stay Up All Night Together" –Groundhog Day
  • "Arrival to the Island and First Appearance of the Dinosaurs" -Jurassic Park
  • "T-Rex Makes his First Appearance in the Rain and Smashes a Car" –Jurassic Park
  • "Raptors Chase the Kids into the Kitchen" –Jurassic Park
  • "A Waltz Interrupted with Violence" -A Perfect World 
  • "Finale: Justice Meets Lucky's Daughter" -Poetic Justice
  • "Making the List" –Schindler's List
  • "Cry of Happiness: Sharing Their Pain in Front of the Wardrobe" -Shadowlands
  • "Meeting Mama and Losing Mama" -What's Eating Gilbert Grape
  • "A Limo Fight Leads to Staying in a Hotel Across the Street" -What's Love Got to Do With It?
The Best: "The Liquidation of the Jewish Ghetto" –Schindler's List 
Commentary: The German soldiers move into the city and with machine like efficiency they begin to identify housing blocks, move through them, evacuate the people within (with little warning), and place them on transports to concentration camps. Those who resist, those who protest, and those who try to runaway are shot on the spot. Spielberg's decision to film in black and white and use a lot of handheld shots really pays off here. Like many other sequences, the cinematography feels like a mix between a documentary and a film. It puts the viewer directly into the historical moment with a verisimilitude and perspective that still has the power to stun me on repeated viewings. People are not just shot in polite and viewer friendly ways like in most classic films. Instead they are cruelly murdered here by the SS and its portrayal on the screen is gut-wrenching. The entire liquidation sequence again brings many character and event threads together with expert editing. There's a heartbreaking beat where doctors decide to feed their most helpless patients poison before the SS arrive to kill them. Another sad beat is discovering the fate of those trying to hide in houses as SS officers are shown finding them while another plays the piano. One of the most moving beats is seeing a random little girl who is rounded up but then tries to get away and find a hiding spot. Her coat is a beautiful pink, the first color we have seen since the beginning of the film, and she is largely oblivious to what is going on. There's a moment later in the film where we discover her destiny that has to be one of the toughest cinematic gut punches I've ever experienced. This decision to portray the many threads of cruelty and random violence suffered by the Jews under the Germans lifts the story from being "about" Oskar. Yes, he's an important character, especially for the viewer who is expected to go on the moral journey with him, but I challenge anyone to watch and experience the film and tell me that he's the actual point of the film. Spielberg continues this shocking verisimilitude in the evils of the concentration camps and the horrors of Auschwitz. The sequences are forever embedded in my mind and heart. 


FAVORITE COMEDIC SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
The Very Good:
  • "Montage: Dave Takes Over and Brings a Joy to the Presidency" -Dave
  • "Cabinet Meeting: Finding the Funding for Homeless Shelters" -Dave
  • "Stealing a Groundhog with a Thelma and Louise Ending" -Groundhog Day
  • "Kickboxer Parody: Finding Topper Harley at an Underground Fight” -Hot Shots! Part Deux 
  • "Iron Monkey Pulls Off a Royal Minister Ruse" -Iron Monkey
  • "Hamlet Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger" -The Last Action Hero
  • "Opening: Convenience Store Shootout" -Loaded Weapon 1
  • "Finding the Right Look for Mrs. Doubtfire" -Mrs. Doubtfire
  • "Bridges Restaurant: Two Dinner Dates" -Mrs. Doubtfire
  • "Jack Skellington Delivers Scary Presents" -The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • "Friendly's Turns Out Not So Friendly" -A Perfect World
  • "Sherriff of Rottingham Delivers Bad News to King John" -Robin Hood: Men in Tights
  • "Robin & Gang Crash the Prince's Banquet" -Robin Hood: Men in Tights
  • "This Magic Moment: Squints & Wendy Pfeffercorn" -The Sandlot
  • "Michael Richards: The Insensitive Journalist" -So I Married an Axe Murderer
  • "Del Preston Tells the Brown M&M's Story" -Wayne's World 2
  • "Kung Fu Fight: Wayne vs. Cassandra's Dad" -Wayne's World 2
  • "Resorting to FoodLand" -What's Eating Gilbert Grape
The Great:
  • "Phil's Repeated Attempts at the Perfect Date with Rita" -Groundhog Day
  • "Two Crime Scene Investigations: Non-Stop Gags" -Loaded Weapon 1 
  • "Mrs. Sellner's Inspection Visit" -Mrs. Doubtfire
The Best: "Rambo Parody: Taking the Forest Hostage Compound" -Hot Shots! Part Duex
Commentary: The action finale of the second Hot Shots! film has moved from a parody of Top Gun and into a parody of Rambo and other 80’s macho commando sequences. Topper Harley, being played by Charlie Sheen as a Rambo 'esque character, is leading a small group to the Middle East to rescue some hostages. This allows the movie to parody that ubiquitous 1980’s action sequence, prisoner of war rescues at an enemy outpost. As the group slowly infiltrates we get one comedic gag after another and they almost all hit and hit hard. From just plain silly (the banana fight makes me laugh really hard) to somewhat insightful, this might be the best collection of gags within one action sequence. Some of the best gags here are the various guns that turn out to be eye pokers or a boxing glove, an attempt to stealthily grab some keys, the ludicrous body count, and throwing bullets at the enemy. This is easily one of my favorite joke shootouts.


FAVORITE MUSICAL SEQUENCES OF THE YEAR
*Very few qualifying films & sequences in this category
The Very Good:
  • "This is Halloween" -The Nightmare Before Christmas 
  • "Oh Happy Day" -Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
  • "Anna Mae Wows the Kings of Rhythm" -What's Love Got to Do With It? 
  • "River Deep - Mountain High" -What's Love Got to Do With It?
The Great:
  • "What's This?" -The Nightmare Before Christmas 
The Best: "Joyful Joyful" -Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
Commentary: The story of this sequel to the surprise original hit might play like a typical after school special, but it is largely saved from its flatness with a couple nice musical sequences including this really fun sequence. The sequence is a school choir performance of "Joyful Joyful" headed by the amazingly talented Lauryn Hill at a choir competition. Instead of a generic version of the song, the choir give a fantastic performance of the song rooted in early 90's musical genres, including a Run DMC 'esque rap segment. It's a well choreographed and produced sequence that has plenty of great segments and never fails to bring a smile to my face when I listen to it or watch it. It's easily the best part of the entire film.

BEST DIRECTOR
Nominees:
  • Andrew Davis The Fugitive
  • Brian De Palma Carlito's Way
  • James Ivory The Remains of the Day
  • Harold Ramis Groundhog Day
  • Jim Sheridan In the Name of the Father
  • Steven Spielberg Jurassic Park
  • Steven Spielberg Schindler's List 
  • Yuen Woo-Ping Iron Monkey
Commentary: Schindler's List was a personal passion project that Spielberg identified in the 1980's and saved until he felt he was mature enough to tackle. I'm not sure another filmmaker alive or dead or yet to come has the compilation of skill/technique combined with a sense of populist storytelling that could have produced the masterpiece of Schindler's List. It's a film of fine balances: a focused yet expansive screenplay, an accessible yet artistically told story, a powerful and direct feel while remaining artistically composed and cinematic, and a portrayal of evil that is gut-wrenching yet finding the hope within. The film represents a once in a lifetime achievement of art and storytelling that could only have been crafted by the greatest director the medium has ever known. 


FAVORITE FILM ENSEMBLE
Nominees:
  • This Boy's Life
  • Carlito's Way
  • The Fugitive
  • Gettysburg
  • Groundhog Day
  • In the Name of the Father
  • Jurassic Park
  • Philadelphia
  • The Piano
  • The Remains of the Day
  • Schindler's List 
  • Shadowlands
  • Short Cuts
  • What's Love Got to Do With It?
Commentary: The large ensemble cast of Schindler's List is headlined by three powerful performances: Liam Neeson as Oskar Schindler, Ben Kingsley as Itzhak Stern, and Ralph Fiennes as Amon Goeth. Each performance captures their character perfectly - being dramatic enough to make a lasting impression, but not so dramatic that they ever feel "written" or inorganic to the time period. Each of the major characters feel plucked from history and brought into our faces. Beyond the central characters however, the enormous cast includes many moving and memorable portrayals of Jewish individuals/families throughout the various events of the story. When we get to the end where the actual surviving individuals from the story are paired with their onscreen performers to place rocks on Schindler's grave, one can't help but feel overwhelmed by the achievement the ensemble cast has pulled off.


FAVORITE MALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees:
  • Richard Attenborough Jurassic Park
  • Tom Berenger Gettysburg
  • Jeff Daniels Gettysburg
  • Daniel Day-Lewis In the Name of the Father
  • Robert DeNiro This Boy's Life
  • Leonardo DiCaprio What's Eating Gilbert Grape
  • Ralph Fiennes Schindler's List
  • Harrison Ford The Fugitive
  • Jeff Goldblum Jurassic Park
  • Tom Hanks Philadelphia
  • Anthony Hopkins The Remains of the Day
  • Anthony Hopkins Shadowlands
  • Tommy Lee Jones The Fugitive
  • Val Kilmer Tombstone
  • Ben Kingsley Schindler's List
  • Brandon Scott Lee Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
  • Bill Murray Groundhog Day
  • Liam Neeson Schindler's List
  • Al Pacino Carlito's Way
  • Sean Penn Carlito's Way
  • Pete Postlethwaite In the Name of the Father
  • Denzel Washington Philadelphia
  • Robin Williams Mrs. Doubtfire
Commentary: This might be one of the most stacked acting years of all-time and oddly one that lacks that one iconic performance to make it an easy choice. There's an immense amount of iconic supporting characters here with Ralph Fiennes' SS Commander Amon Goeth, Tommy Lee Jones' Federal Marshall Sam Gerard, and Val Kilmer's gunslinging Doc Holliday as true standouts. There's also some career best comedic performances from Robin Williams and Bill Murray here as well. At the end of the day, I think there's no performance better than Liam Neeson's Oskar Schindler. The confidence he shows in schmoozing with Nazi top brass, networking for black market goods, or wooing women is not easy to pull off as convincingly as he does. I love how subtly the story demonstrates Neeson's moral evolution - from an exploiter of Jewish labor, to arguing with Goeth about the true nature of power, to weeping over how many more he could have saved. It's a career best performance from a great actor delivering one of cinema's all-time great heroes. 


FAVORITE FEMALE PERFORMANCES
Nominees:
  • Patricia Arquette True Romance
  • Ellen Barkin This Boy's Life
  • Angela Bassett What's Love Got to Do With It?
  • Darlene Cates What's Eating Gilbert Grape
  • Laura Dern Jurassic Park
  • Holly Hunter The Firm
  • Holly Hunter The Piano
  • Andie MacDowell Groundhog Day
  • Miriam Margoyles The Age of Innocence
  • Demi Moore Indecent Proposal
  • Anna Paquin The Piano
  • Winona Ryder The Age of Innocence
  • Emma Thompson In the Name of the Father
  • Emma Thompson The Remains of the Day 
  • Debra Winger Shadowlands
Commentary: Angela Bassett gave a career defining performance as Tina Turner in the biopic What's Love Got to Do With It? Although Bassett doesn't sing in the film (Turner provides all the vocals), she finds a way to embody the beloved singer in a way that captures Turners physicality without ever feeling like it's just a fancy impression. Bassett handles the dramatic sequences well, including the tough to watch abuse sequences. Her performance is more than just about being a victim but shows us Turner's strength through it and allows us to sympathize with her reasoning in a situation where it would be easy for the audience to blame her for not leaving Ike earlier in her life. It's in the musical scenes where Bassett's physical embodiment of Turner truly comes to life. I've not seen much of the real Tina Tuner in my life, but even I was able to immediately notice how accurately Bassett was able to recreate the subtle moves and not so subtle face gyrations of Turner's performance style in Bassett's recreation. Bassett's Turner is so good that I think she has become the standard to compare all other female biopics too. 


FAVORITE SCREENPLAYS
(original or adapted)
Nominees:
  • Carlito's Way
  • The Fugitive
  • Gettysburg
  • Groundhog Day
  • In the Name of the Father
  • Jurassic Park
  • Mrs. Doubtfire
  • A Perfect World
  • The Remains of the Day
  • Schindler's List
  • Shadowlands
Commentary: The screenplay for Schindler's List is a masterpiece. The decision to use the story of Oskar Schindler as a window into the holocaust turned out to be a genius one. The decision wasn't without risk however, Many people believe that the decision to center the story around a German rather than a Jewish character was irresponsible. I think if done poorly, then the critics might have been right. Instead, the final product assuages those concerns. Through a fictionalized version of Schindler's story, the film is able to provide a unique window into most of the major steps that led to the holocaust: the registrations of the Jews, stripping of businesses, being forced to wear the star, re-location to ghettos, imprisonment in camps, forced labor, and ultimately murder. Along with the major elements of the holocaust, the film also finds ways to include many of the grisly details and fates of the real world story: how some Jews took the chance to police their own people for better situations, the different types of working conditions within the concentration camps, different classes/types of people dealing their suffering, how children were handled, etc. In the end, Schindler becomes the entryway for the viewer because his character arc is largely meant to parallel the arc of the viewer watching it. As the story progresses and Schindler encounters Jews and observes their treatment at the hands of the Nazi authorities (he witnesses the liquidation of the ghetto from a hill overlooking the city), he undergoes a slow moral change. Like Schindler who observes the treatment of the Jews mostly from a distance, we the viewer are also watching this film from a distance...on a screen. We too must grow to care for them as we learn of their lives, their wishes, their families. and their plight. We have been told about the Holocaust in our schools (hopefully!), but they are largely just words on the paper, maybe with a a few pictures to help. Schindler's character arc mirrors the arc this story is attempting to give to the viewer as well. After we view what Schindler views, know what he now knows, will we grow to see these people as humans with value or will they just remain names on a list in history? That's a responsible and well-written screenplay!


BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
Nominees:
  • The War Room 
Commentary: The only major documentary I saw for the year is also a very good political documentary. The documentary follows parts of Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign for President. For its time, it was fairly candid in its willingness to show some of the nuts and bolts of how campaigns worked - even if some of it was a little ugly. This is the documentary that helped to immortalize James Carville's phrase, "It's the economy stupid." While there are some great morsels here for political junkies, there's also a lot of brand management going on here too. If you can sift through some of that hot air, then there's some fun political hay to be had.


BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Nominees:
  • Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas 
Commentary: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a gorgeously animated stop-motion film that features a unique and quirky Christmas/Halloween crossover story. Jack Skellington is the Pumpkin King and he rules over Halloweentown ensuring a successful Halloween year after year. Unfortunately, Jack’s success has become routine and in search of something more fulfilling he wanders the woods and finds an entrance into Christmastown. Blown away by the ideas of Christmas he decides to capture Santa Claus and run Christmas himself. After Jack’s take on Christmas fails, he rescues Claus from the Boogie Woogie Man and Santa is able to save Christmas. It’s a simple story that’s all plot and no substance. There’s no reflection on the meaning of Halloween or Christmas, Jack doesn’t really gain any new insight about himself (except find a girlfriend). The true pleasure of the film is in the stop-motion animation, the art direction that feels like Dr. Suess and Tim Burton were mixed in a blender, the quirky characters, and the music. If you just sit back and not worry about the story, it’s possible to quite enjoy some of the memorable music and songs as well as characters (Boogie Man really stands out here). The problem for me is that I really do like my stories being about more than just things happening and on that note – I’ve always found this animated film rings a bit hollow.

BEST FILM EDITING
Nominees:
  • Carlito's Way 
  • Fugitive
  • Groundhog Day
  • Iron Monkey
  • Jurassic Park
  • The Remains of the Day
  • Schindler's List 
Commentary: One of the most unsung achievements of Schindler's List is the quality of its editing. Those who have seen the film know its a lengthy one, but what they don't typically realize is just how much more lengthy it would all be without such expert editing. While the film is largely centered on the story of Oskar Schindler, in reality, it's able to weave into that story an enormous amount of secondary plot and character threads. It does this without ever feeling bogged down, confused, or lacking in narrative focus. One great example of this editing (and screenwriting) achievement is the compilation of several sequences leading up to the liquidation of the ghetto where Itzhak Stern begins setting up Schindler's business and uses this chance to work behind the scenes to save and warn as many people as possible is a masterful. The sequence spans a decent amount of time but never stalls and feels like it always keeps moving forward, brining more education about the historical situation with every beat. We see the living conditions of the ghetto, learn how the black market works, understand how Stern can use Schindler's factory to protect people, see how the factory line works, and begin to see Jews who are deemed unneeded are filtered out of the community. This all happens largely unnoticed because it draws in the viewer so well.


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Nominees:
  • The Age of Innocence
  • Carlito's Way
  • Jurassic Park
  • The Remains of the Day
  • Schindler's List 
Commentary: I think Schindler's List is one of the best shot films of all-time and that is largely due to the legendary collaboration between Spielberg and Janus Kaminski. Their decision to film in black and white and use a lot of handheld camera shots really pays off in bringing a sense of verisimilitude, of being present to the viewer. At times, it feels like we have transported back in time and been given the privilege to view the historic events as they are happening. The camera does not shy away from the violence of the era. People are not just shot in polite and viewer friendly ways like in most classic films. Instead they are cruelly murdered here by the SS and its portrayal on the screen is gut-wrenching. Schindler's List is an epic film with a lot of shots, edits, and locations. The cinematography always feels perfect for the needed emotion; ranging from brutally in the moment to some of the most artistically composed compositions you've ever seen. 


BEST ART DIRECTION
Nominees:
  • The Age of Innocence
  • Demolition Man
  • Jurassic Park
  • The Piano
  • The Remains of the Day
  • Schindler's List 
Commentary: Recreating the era and places of the holocaust is not an easy task. I can't speak to the degree of work that went into this film as compared to the others, but I can speak to the results. There's not a single historical film I've ever seen that made me feel more like I was back in that time period not just observing but feeling the historical events as they happen (something you'll see repeated in my commentary here). The unparalleled sense of verisimilitude is largely due to the exemplary art direction: in finding real locations, dressing sets, and building camps as authentically as possible.


BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Nominees:
  • Cliffhanger
  • Demolition Man 
  • The Fugitive
  • Jurassic Park
  • Last Action Hero
Commentary: Terminator 2: Judgment Day came into 1993 riding high as the most recent film to represent a giant step forward in film visual effects. Although the liquid metal Terminator stands out in our mind (rightly so), the use of CGI for that character was highly selective and combined with practical effects to give us the impression that there was more effects work than we remember. It was a nice step forward, but with the release of Jurassic Park, the entire visual effects world changed forever. Just look at the other films nominated this year - they are all nominated for their use of largely old school practical effects. Steven Spielberg originally considered using stop-motion puppets for dinosaurs but was convinced by the effects company ILM that using an effective combination of large animatronics and full-blown CGI could fit the bill for the film. What they ultimately produced for Jurassic Park set a new standard in the industry and began a trend of ever-increasing CGI driven effects films. From here on out, the visual effects award would largely go to films pushing the CGI boundary. 


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
Nominees:
  • Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
  • Gettysburg
  • Jurassic Park
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas
  • The Piano
  • Schindler's List
  • The Remains of the Day
  • True Romance 
Commentary: Alongside of Steven Spielberg's double punch in Jurassic Park and Schindler's List was the incredible work on each film score from John Williams. Their collaboration hit an all-time high here as these two scores are some of the best all-time. The score for Schindler's List is a dramatic masterpiece that would likely place on any decent top 100 scores list. However, I think William's score for Jurassic Park is so good that it has an argument to find its way into the top ten of any decent top 100 scores list. The bombastic "Jurassic Park" theme featuring those iconic horns are complimented well by that slower paced secondary theme on strings they use when things get dramatic and serious. I wish I had a better vocabulary for music, but I don't. This score just captures the awe and wonder of a dinosaur park so perfectly. It felt ready made for a theme park ride and land before it ever became the theme for it. 


BEST SOUND DESIGN
Nominees:
  • Cliffhanger
  • The Fugitive
  • Jurassic Park
  • Schindler's List
  • Tombstone 
Commentary: What did dinosaurs sound like? While our best palentologists can make well-informed arguments, we all know that dinosaurs sound exactly like they do in Jurassic Park. The sound design for each dinosaur sequence is so good that we not only immediately accepted it as real, but we now expect that every dinosaur movie in its wake will have similar design. The soundscape of Jurassic Park is memorable not just for the big stuff, but even the little moments: the steps of a large monster approaching from afar, the roar of the T-Rex, the rain on the sunroof of an electric powered roof, the chain of the sacrificial goat, the communication sounds of the raptors, a thundering herd running by, the tap of the large velociraptor talons on the ground.


BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Nominees:
  • The Age of Innocence
  • Gettysburg
  • The Piano
  • The Remains of the Day
  • Schindler's List
  • Stalingrad 
Commentary: The Age of Innocence is Martin Scorsese’s big go at doing a period costume drama and for his story he has adapted Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer prize winning novel of the same name. The story is about a love relationship that never materialized due to the social customs of gilded age New York City. Scorsese has spared no expense in his budget or his cinematic toolkit in bringing this film to life: the greatest pleasures of the film are easily the recreation of gilded age ballrooms, drawing rooms, street scenes, and parties. In one majestic sequence, Scorsese’s camera slowly meanders around a giant ball being put on by the Beaufort family lingering on the details of costuming, paintings, furniture, and conversations. The range of costumes on display are astounding; from opera evening wear, ballroom dresses, to outdoors wear. This is likely the best representation of that time, place, and class in cinema history.


BEST MAKE-UP & HAIR DESIGN
Nominees:
  • The Age of Innocence
  • Gettysburg
  • Mrs. Doubtfire
  • The Piano
  • Schindler's List
  • Stalingrad 
Commentary: It doesn't feel quite right to reward a film like Schindler's List for excellence in recreating through costume and makeup the people and evil purported against them during such a dark period in human history. There's not a single historical film I've ever seen that made me feel more like I was back in that time period not just observing but feeling the historical events as they happen (something you'll see repeated in my commentary here.) The unparalleled sense of verisimilitude is largely due to the exemplary costumes and makeup.

BIGGEST GUILTY PLEASURE
Nominees:
  • Demolition Man
  • Hot Shots! Part Duex, Loaded Weapon 1, Robin Hood: Men in Tights
  • The Legend of Fong Sai-Yuk
Commentary: This is likely the best year ever for spoofs and parody comedies - a genre I have a particular fondness for despite how cheesy and shallow the films can be. Airplane! is a top three comedy of all-time for me and I quite enjoy losing a few hours to a silly parody. Don't get me wrong, I expect my parodies to have a certain level of quality, I personally can't stand the first two entries into the Scary Movie franchise and the slew of cheap knockoff parodies that came out in the 2000's like Superhero Movie. 1993 gave us one of those poor parodies in Fatal Instinct (a spoof on erotic thrillers), but it also produced at least three strong entries into the genre; from the crew behind Naked Gun we got Hot Shots! Part Duex, from Mel Brooks we got Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and from National Lampoon we got Loaded Weapon 1. All three films are ones I can just turn on, lose myself in the comedy fantasyland, and giggle at all imaginative gags. This has to be the high spot for the genre in output and consistent quality (3/4 are quality releases) and it's my favorite guilty pleasure of the year.


MOST SURPRISING FILM
Nominees:
  • The Fugitive
  • Iron Monkey
  • A Perfect World
  • Poetic Justice
Commentary: I saw A Perfect World when I was younger and I just remember being bored the entire time. Thankfully I decided to revisit the film as an adult because the impact of the film this time took me by complete surprise. A Perfect World is the second 1993 film starring Clint Eastwood and featuring a criminal manhunt. Like in Wolfgang Peterson’s thrilling In the Line of Fire, Eastwood heads up another manhunt except this time he’s head of the Texas Rangers in the 1960’s and he’s searching for Kevin Costner’s escaped convict. Costner plays Butch Haynes, a smart and cunning convict who broke out of prison with another petty criminal whose ineptitude leads them to take a young boy hostage. A situation with two fugitives on the run with a kidnapped boy (named Phillip) becomes hot news, especially during a Governor’s campaign, and Eastwood’s “Red” and Laura Dern’s prison specialist are called in on the job. There’s some nice humor in the film and it’s easy to watch. The cop/robber chase is part The Getaway style procedural Texas manhunt, but the core of the film is the relationship that buds between Costner’s Haynes and the young boy Phillip who has grown up so far without a father. There are several nice moments where the film uses this relationship to offer insightful commentary on masculinity and fatherhood. Eastwood is often attracted to how the cycle of violence continues itself (see Unforgiven & Mystic River) and that’s present here, but it’s largely examined through father-son relationships and how their imperfections can spiral through generations. In a bit of a throwaway line a character speaking to Laura Dern’s specialist says, “Well, in a perfect world, Miss Gerber, we'd all lock arms and thrash the bushes until he turned up.” Her response is, “Well, in a perfect world, things like this wouldn't happen in the first place, right?” The film makes a compelling but heartbreaking case that fatherhood is one of the central planks in breaking that perfect world.


MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM
Nominees:
  • Dazed and Confused
  • So I Married an Axe Murderer
  • Swing Kids 
Commentary: I'm a huge fan of some of Richard Linklater's work. He's a gifted artist and I think his trilogy of films Before Sunset, Before Sunrise, and Before Midnight are one of the best collection of films ever made. That's what makes a film like Dazed and Confused so disappointing for me - a film I can't even finish anymore. The film is apparently an ode to Linklater's time in Texas high school and is considered by many film critic and magazine rankings to be one of the great high school movies of all-time. Additionally, the cultural impact of the film is significant. My central issue with the film is the tone in which the entire story of teenage debauchery is presented to the audience. Let me summarize two early threads - a male and female hazing. First the Senior boys pull up to a Junior High where they are openly drinking beers and using a speaker system to talk about how they are going to beat on the young boys. A teacher in the room just laughs. Later they chase the boys in cars, they jump out to make a run to their house but get caught by Ben Affleck’s character. The boys get prepared to get their spankings but the mom comes out with a gun and chases off Affleck. The boys stick their heads out like they enjoyed the whole thing and Affleck promises to get even more revenge. Later at the kids baseball game the high school boys show up at and scream that they are going to get him and “beat him like a mule” while waving paddles and no one in the crowd does a thing. First, I question whether things like this really happened without anyone ever stepping in, but even if they did, why recreate it, film it, and score it as if it was a funny story to tell? It's a brutal story of bullying. We then get to watch them all take turns spanking him in the parking lot and enjoying it to the tune of “No More Mr. Nice Guy”. But hey, one of the guys drove the kid home and talked about how it was normal and essentially just a rite of passage. In the female hazing thread Senior girls haze freshmen girls by putting pacifiers in their mouths, force them to do up/downs in the school parking lot while everyone watches, them douzes them with ketchup, mustard, flour, and other things. They put dog chains on them and ask them to do different tasks, one of the nearby boys asks one if they spit or swallow. They then pile the girls into the back of a pickup truck and clean them off at the local car wash and drop the girls off at their house, play nice as if they’ve all just bonded. As if to provide some kind of moral commentary, two boys who watched the hazing reflect, "What’s fascinating is the way not only the school, but the entire community, seems to be supporting this or turn their heads. I mean, they apparently have permission to use the parking lot. No parents seem to mind. They’re selling concessions.” Surprisingly, the movie goes one further. They re-create, film, and sold to an entire generation as entertainment. It's one thing to show us stories of  filled with vile acts, depressing situations, and sad behaviors, but I refuse to sit through films that glorify them. Does the film feature subtle commentary in there? Likely, but that's not the real point. Dazed and Confused is not willing to past judgment on this wicked behavior, nor is it content to just observe the behaviors of the authors high school days and let us make our judgments, nope - instead the film frames these moments as if they were a genuine comedy (not a tragedy) with a rocking soundtrack. To me, that's an invitation I can't accept.  


MOST UNDERRATED FILM
Nominees:
  • Carlito's Way
  • Hard Target
  • Hot Shots! Part Deux
  • Last Action Hero
  • Poetic Justice
Commentary: Carlito's Way represents, at least to me, a kind of alternative universe sequel to Brian De Palma’s iconic Scarface. Carlito’s Way re-unites De Palma with Al Pacino, who plays the titular Carlito, ten years later for another 1970’s crime story about dealing cocaine. Instead of a Cuban immigrant to Miami, Pacino is a Puerto Rican drug dealer who is caught, sentenced to a large sentence in prison, but due to some legal complications he is sprung by his lawyer, played by Sean Penn as a smart but out of his depth amateur, after only serving five years. The catch here is that Carlito has truly been rehabilitated by his time in jail and surprise freedom, he has no desire to return to the high life he once had. Instead, Carlito wants to start a new life in the Bahamas as a business owner. It’s a nice dream, but life circumstances seem to conspire against Carlito to draw him into impossible choices between family, friends, and his honor. Pacino is fantastic here as Carlito, providing the charismatic Pacino outbursts we know well and would obviously go with an outlandish character who rubbed shoulders with criminals in the barrio selling drugs, but also brings a quiet and reflective side to the character that reveals the human underneath that wants stability, peace, and a family. In one sequence, Carlito can be the owner of a club who throws out a young and rising drug dealer with condescending attitude and flare and in another sequence he can quietly take measure of his situation reserving any outburst for those he loves. De Palma goes all out here with several tense sequences, a dynamic camera, and a chase/shootout finale sequence for the ages. It’s not a perfect film, but De Palma’s craft mixes well here with a kind of “what could have been” humanistic take on the drug dealer story. It isn't talked about as much as many of the other major gangster Pacino gangster films, but don't miss out on this one.


MOST OVERRATED FILM
Nominees:
  • Dazed and Confused
  • The Piano
  • Short Cuts
  • So I Married an Axe Murderer
Commentary: Short Cuts is Robert Altman’s blend of eight different Raymond Carver stories about the intersecting lives of different residents in Los Angeles. The eight stories cover a wide spectrum of income levels, jobs, sexes, and relationships throughout its three hour runtime. On the plus side, the stories move fast and switch between each other often, making it a pretty quick three minutes. The ensemble cast is great and give unique traits to each of their characters and storylines. On the downside, each story is a bummer, especially for all the men. It feels as if they laid out there stories with the starting question: what are the many ways in which a male cane be a disappointment? One story has a man who cheats on his wife, another who is a bum dad and is jealous of the new boyfriend, an alcoholic, a pushover, a non-communicator, and another with three fishermen buddies who oogle a waitress and find a dead body in the river but don’t want to report it because it will ruin their fishing trip. I guess titling the film ”The Shortcomings of Man” would’ve been too on the nose here. There’s more here as well – kids and dogs are annoying, neighbors are jerks and snoops, the government is blanketing the city with bio-chemicals, patrons at bars proposition you for sex, etc. You get the idea yet? The interweaving stories are stories of misery. Additionally, the film is filled with explicit sexual talk (especially in the phone sex operator storyline) and random full-frontal nudity – which is I guess a way of being “real” but instead it feels gratuitous to me. The stories and how everyone treats each other are depressing enough that we don’t need the shock of unexpected nudity to punctuate it. I really don’t think seeing Huey Lewis pull his penis out to pee in a river helped this film in anyway. Thank goodness the actors are able to find some notes of humanity here, because though it is interesting, the film is a slog of evil without much redemption at all – reminds me of Altman’s MASH in that instance. There’s just no interest here in putting the finger on why so many people are suffering so greatly or what could offer salvation. This is the kind of movie that, despite the obvious craft, I end up hating for watching. It’s artificially designed to present the evil side of humanity with little in the way of judgment or insight.


WORST FILM
Nominees:
  • The Beverly Hillbillies
  • City Hunter
  • Coneheads
  • Super Mario Bros. 
Commentary: A completely tone-deaf adaptation of Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. game franchise. Mario Bros. games are about adventure in imaginative lands that are bright, colorful, and filled with creativity. It's family friendly and accessible. This movie adaptation is nearly the exact opposite - a grimdark attempt to ground the game's universe in the real world. Thank goodness it flopped and took down any desire to adapt any more Nintendo properties with that mindset.


BEST COMPILATION OF WORK
Performances/Accomplishments (that I saw anyways):
  • Richard Attenborough: Jurassic Park, Shadowlands
  • Michael Crichton: Jurassic Park, Rising Sun
  • Laura Dern: Jurassic Park, A Perfect World
  • Leonardo DiCaprio: This Boy's Life, What's Eating Gilbert Grape
  • Anthony Hopkins: The Remains of the Day, Shadowlands
  • Holly Hunter: The Firm, The Piano
  • Daniel Day Lewis: Age of Innocence, In the Name of the Father
  • Clint Eastwood: In the Line of Fire, A Perfect World
  • Jet Li: The Last Hero in China, The Legend, The Legend II, Once Upon a Time in China III, Tai Chi Master
  • Andie MacDowell: Groundhog Day, Short Cuts
  • Sam Neil: Jurassic Park, The Piano
  • Wesley Snipes: Demolition Man, Rising Sun
  • Steven Spielberg: Jurassic Park, Schindler's List
  • Sylvester Stallone: Demolition Man, Cliffhanger
  • Emma Thompson: In the Name of the Father, Remains of the Day 
Commentary: So many deserving records of work this with actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Anthony Hopkins, and Daniel Day Lewis having banner years with two excellent performances each. Beyond them, I desperately wanted to give this award to Jet Li who was working at the peak of his powers here and put in one of the greatest one year slates of work with at least six martial arts films released in 1993. It's too bad for Jet Li that Steven Spielberg put in an even greater year, perhaps the greatest year ever for a director. Not only did Spielberg blow me away with two 'A+' films in one year (a feat unmatched for my ratings), but they were both iconic popular and critical successes as well. Spielberg released Jurassic Park to great success, breaking box office records and kick-starting a beloved franchise. Later in the year, Spielberg released his passion project Schindler's List to critical success and would go on to win Best Director and Best Picture at the Academy Awards. No director has ever put out a one-two punch of blockbuster and critical success like Spielberg did in 1993. It represents the height of his powers and perhaps the greatest year a director has ever had. 


ERIC BANA AWARD
*Given for the best performance in a bad film (See 2004's Troy)
Nominees:
  • Whoopi Goldberg Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit
  • Val Kilmer Tombstone 
  • Brandon Scott Lee Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Commentary: I know I'm going to take a lot of flack for this (not for the winner, but for the category), because the reputation of Tombstone has grown fairly large over time. I won't deny that the film has some winning characterizations (thus the award here) and moments, but the structure, pacing, and morality of the film are fairly suspect in my opinion. Anyways, the best part of the film is Val Kilmer's iconic portrayal of the enigmatic, principled, and loyal Doc Holliday. From his first seconds on the screen he is electrifying mystery - we never quite know what he is going to say, do, or even what he is capable of. His accent is instantly memorable and his mannerisms seem to fit the character perfectly. It helps that Doc is given some serious vices, but also the most triumphant moment in the film. I don't think anyone who has seen Tombstone hasn't enjoyed Doc's surprise showdown with Johnny Ringo and tried repeating the classic line, "I'm your huckleberry." Val Kilmer is a great actor and Doc Holliday is probably his most complete and iconic character.


THE END!


"Tell everyone that when the day is out we shall have a wedding. Or a hanging. Either way, we're gonna have a lot of fun, huh?" -Prince John


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