1997
Fast, Cheap and Out of Control is the second Errol Morris film to make the 1001 list, with The Thin Blue Line being the first Fast, Cheap and Out of Control has Morris intersecting the stories of four different people: a lion tamer, a robot designer, a topiary gardener an expert on the mole rat. It doesn't necessarily sound all that interesting on paper, but Morris is very skilled at putting a film together and is adept at blending in archival footage with the main story. It's worth giving anything with Morris's name on it a shot in my book, including his book, Believing is Seeing: Observations on the Mysteries of Photography.
One of the stars of the lion tamer section of
Fast, Cheap and Out of Control
The skilled work of the topiarist in Fast, Cheap and Out of Control
Tough guy detective in Hana-Bi
Hana-Bi (Fireworks) is Takeshi's Kitano creative detective story about a beleaguered cop who gets involved with loan sharks and the Yakuza and basically kicks their ass whenever they mess with him. Writer, director, star Takeshi Kitaon plays the detective and is a hard-line bad ass who seeks revenge on the bad guys and even breaks the law himself by robbing a bank!
The detective seemingly not caring about the risks he takes is in contrast to the other half of the film, where he is shown lovingly taking care of his wife, who is dying of leukemia. This contrast is juxtaposed well by director Kitano, who gained international recognition for this film.
Soft guy husband in Hana-Bi
Here are some other films released in 1997 that I have seen at some point that didn't quite have the right stuff to ever make the 1001 list
Absolute Power-Read David Baldacci's book first and then watch the movie with Clint Eastwood. Discuss the differences in a paper and make sure you use MLA format when you turn in your assignment.
Absolute Power-Read David Baldacci's book first and then watch the movie with Clint Eastwood. Discuss the differences in a paper and make sure you use MLA format when you turn in your assignment.
Eastwood wields Absolute Power
Air Force One-There's a ruskie on my plane!
Harrison Ford about to use whoop-ass diplomacy
to get Gary Oldman off his plane
Alien Resurrection-Which one was this again?
Can't you two kids see you need each other?
Sigourney Weaver and friend in
Alien: Resurrection
Amistad-You know, Matthew McConaughey is playing the same lawyer type he played in A Time to Kill. He just has 19th century sideburns here.
McConaughey for the defense in Amistad
The Apostle-Robert Duvall is pretty mesmerizing as The Apostle's charismatic preacher.
Preach brother, preach!
Robert Duvall as The Apostle
As Good as it Gets-Jack Nicholson is fun to watch here, though I do find James L. Brooks's film a bit overrated.
Jack and friend in As Good As It Gets
Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery-Who among us hasn't done an Austin Powers or Dr. Evil impersonation at one time or another since this movie came out?
Oh, behave!
Mike Myers is Austin Powers
Batman and Robin-A lot of people hate this one. I remember just not being wowed by it.
On, second thought...remembering the
bat credit card is bringing back some
bad Batman and Robin memories
Chasing Amy-One of Kevin Smith's funnier films. "Star Wars is Racist!"
I like Jason Lee, but the turned around
baseball cap always gets on my nerves...but I digress
Chasing Amy
Con Air-One of Michael Bay's better films...There, I said it!
John Malkovich taking a hostage in
Con Air
Conspiracy Theory-This movie does explain why Catcher in the Rye sold so many copies.
Julia Roberts and Mel Gibson discuss
American literature in Conspiracy Theory
Contact-I have read Carl Sagan's book and like what Robert Zemeckis did with it for the film for the most part.
Jodie Foster visits Not-Pensacola in Contact
Cop Land-A different kid of Stallone film. I wish he had made more like it.
An older De Niro talks to a heftier Stallone
in Cop Land
The Devil’s Advocate-Al Pacino hams it up to good effect.
Loud Pacino in The Devil's Advocate
Donnie Brasco-Al Pacino tones it down to good effect.
Soft Pacino in Donnie Brasco
Face/Off-It's fun to watch Nicholas Cage and John Travolta impersonate each other for awhile. Then it starts to wear thin.
Travolta and Cage try to remember which
one of them is the bad guy in Face/Off
The Fifth Element-Wasn't this kind of like Metropolis meets Brazil meets Run, Lola, Run? Maybe I'm not remembering this too accurately.
Pretty sure that isn't a bat credit card in
The Fifth Element
G. I. Jane-I wonder if this Demi Moore film would date well twenty years later?
Demi Moore is Seal tough
in G. I. Jane
The Game-It's just an elaborate game. Entertaining, but one you may find the game they are playing a little too far-fetched if you think about it too much.
I'm not sure if Michael Douglas finds
The Game that amusing
Good Will Hunting-We should really thank Matt Damon and Ben Affleck for writing Robin Williams one of his better roles.
Robin Williams counsels Matt Damon in
Good Will Hunting
Hercules-Went with my nieces to see this. Good memories from that. Go the Distance...That's the one from this, right?
Evil but drolly amusing Hades
in Hercules
Home Alone 3-Not really going to work so well without the original cast. I state again that I would like to see the original cast back for another Home Alone movie. Geriatric Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern try to get even with forty-something Maccauley Culkin! I'd go see that.
Scarlett Johansson and Alex Linz in
Home Alone 3
In and Out-Kevin Kline seems to be the only one who doesn't realize he's gay. It's a pretty funny film.
Insomnia-Swedish film starring Stellan Skarsgård about a detective searching for a killer and looking for a good night's sleep at the same time. Remade in 2002 with Al Pacino in the detective role. Both films certainly have merit, though I like the slight alterations in plot made for the Christopher Nolan/Al Pacino/Robin Williams version.
Tom Selleck teaches Kevin Kline about
the birds and the bees in
In and Out
Insomnia-Swedish film starring Stellan Skarsgård about a detective searching for a killer and looking for a good night's sleep at the same time. Remade in 2002 with Al Pacino in the detective role. Both films certainly have merit, though I like the slight alterations in plot made for the Christopher Nolan/Al Pacino/Robin Williams version.
Insomnia: 1997
Insomnia: 2002
Jackie Brown-Not my favorite Tarantino. I do like Robert De Niro playing such a thick headed villain.
Pam Grier about to pop a cap
in somebody's ass
in Jackie Brown
Kiss the Girls-I know I saw one of these James Patterson thrillers. This must have been the one.
Ashley Judd about to pop a cap
in somebody's ass
in Kiss the Girls
Liar, Liar-Jim Carrey can't tell the truth. That's it...and sometimes that's all you need.
Jim Carrey can handle the truth
in Liar, Liar
Life is Beautiful-Roberto Begnini's moving and at times funny film about the Holocaust.
One of the light-hearted early scenes
in Life is Beautiful
Lolita-Jeremy Irons is a natural as Humbert Humbert.
Domique Swain and
Jeremy Irons in
Lolita
The Lost World: Jurassic Park-I'm not as big on these Jurassic Park sequels as others seem to be.
Julianne Moore finds a friend in The Lost World
Men in Black-May not have been in the mood to see this alien hunting comedy when it first came out. Might be worth a revisit or watch the most recent one. That happens sometimes.
The cute pug and Will Smith
in Men in Black
My Best Friend's Wedding-One of the better 90's roles for Julia Roberts.
Julia Roberts and Cameron Diaz talk about
weddings and stuff
in My Best Friend's Wedding
Private Parts-Does have some funny and raunchy moments. Though I still prefer the 1972 Private Parts movie if I have to choose cult movies with this title.
Private Parts 1997
Private Parts 1972
The Rainmaker-I read or listened to a lot of John Grisham books around this time. This was one of the better ones.
I could only picture Danny De Vito
in he role of Deck Shifflet when I
first read The Rainmaker.
Speed 2-Let's put it on a boat and even though Keanu Reeves doesn't want to do it, let's do it anyway.
Not wanting to see Willem Dafoe ever make this creepy
face is yet another reason not to watch Speed 2 again!
Tomorrow Never Dies-I went through the Pierce Brosnan Bonds a little after the fact. They do tend to run together after awhile.
That's it! Tomorrow Never Dies is
the one with Michelle Yeoh!
Wag the Dog-Comedic, political and one I can't say I loved at the time, to be honest.
De Niro and Hoffman in the prequel to
Meet the Fockers...No this is actually
Wag the Dog
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