Nightbreed

Movie Name: Nightbreed
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Clive Barker
Starring: Craig Sheffer, David Cronenberg, Anne Bobby, Charles Haid, Hugh Quarshie, Hugh Ross, Doug Bradley, Catherine Chevalier, Malcolm Smith, Oliver Parker, Bob Sessions
Genre: Thriller, Horror, Action
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 4 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Writer/Director Clive Barker, who is obviously a very well known author, started his directorial career with "Hellraiser", which went on to start a lengthy franchise, and in the process became a cult film in itself. "Nightbreed", based on one of his novels, specifically "Cabal", was riddled with all sorts of problems and studio interference, with the version that finally saw the light of day in 1990, being a deeply truncated one. The film follows the story of Aaron Boone, a young man who consistently dreams of place named Midian, which is inhabited by a series of fantastical characters. Due to these dreams, Boone's girlfriend Lori, insists he starts seeing a therapist. Doctor Decker, in reality a serial killer, is convincing Boone he's actually responsible for the crimes he's been committing. Through an accident, Boone actually gets the directions to Midian, where he's greeted with suspicion which turns into animosity rather quickly. As he escapes the Midian's inhabitants, he's confronted with the police, who have followed him on the heels of what Decker has said. Boone is gunned down, but comes back to life, due to have being bitten by one of Midian's tribe members. He goes back where he gets inducted into the tribe, but Decker isn't done with his plans yet.
"Nightbreed" is a film that as a result from interference and multiple hands at play, feels convoluted, and insufficiently developed. It has a richness of characters and universe, that never really gets fully developed, since the story gets somewhat muddled and the characters motivations are never really clarified. David Cronenberg's Decker, who is the main antagonist of the film, isn't given much of a background or dimension, even if the fantastic director tries to create him as menacing as possible. The same issue is encountered with Anne Bobby and Craig Sheffer's characters: they're light on development and motivation, with the focus eventually turning to the fantastical creatures of Midian, who as interesting as they may be, also bolster little to no depth (aside from the interesting makeup work created). The film is filled with potential to be something more grandiose, about a group of outcasts living in the fringes of society, with powers that make them quite unique, but sadly that potential is never really solidified (and the film was suppose to be the first in a trilogy that never materialized). The film has a director's cut that is closer to what Clive Barker has intended (which was released in 2014), but nonetheless this is a property that needs further focus, and lead characters that are more than slight archetypes. An interesting film from an interesting author who also ventures into directing. 

Misery

Movie Name: Misery
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Kathy Bates, James Caan, Richard Farnsworth, Lauren Bacall, Frances Sternhagen, Graham Jarvis
Genre: Thriller, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

After a successful decade in the 80s, which included "Stand by Me" and "When Harry Met Sally", director Rob Reiner started the 90s with another Stephen King adaptation (much like the lauded "Stand by Me"). The film follows the story of writer Paul Sheldon. After finishing a book in his secluded log cabin in Colorado, on his way back to the city, he ventures through some  bad weather and suffers a dramatic car crash. He is rescued by a former nurse, a mild mannered woman by the name of Annie Wilkes. She informs him that she recognizes him, and that she loves the series of books he has written focused on a female character named Misery. She takes care of him, letting him know that the roads are blocked/unmanageable and once the snow begins to melt, she will take him to the hospital. Paul is initially mostly out of it, but as he gets better, he starts noticing Annie's erratic behavior, going from sweet and docile, to the polar opposite, borderline maniacal and violent. She nearly goes ballistic when she reads the latest installment in the Misery series, and discovers the fate of the character. Paul knows he's in a standoff situation, and has to buy time, in order for his agent to report him missing, and for the police to start looking for him. But until then, he has to deal with Annie Wilkes who makes a proposal that he can't back away from.
"Misery" is a taut thriller, primarily centered around two characters, both of whom are somewhat isolated geographically. Rob Reiner and celebrated screenwriter William Goldman, adapted the novel from Stephen King, removing the more graphical and horrific elements from it, but maintaining the progressive sense of dread that is built, as Paul uncovers the truth surrounding the unstable Annie Wilkes. The film manages to be economical in its narrative, since it establishes the premise fairly early on, and allows for the game between these two characters/actors to be established and developed. It's a compelling story, one that is the more gripping due to Kathy Bates' performance, where she goes from naive to shrill to violent in a manner of moments. It was the film that finally made her well known, allowing her to win an Oscar in the process and getting the recognition she needed to move on to other interesting projects. The rest of the cast is strong, even if James Caan doesn't really add nuance or depth to the character. The cinematography from Barry Sonnenfeld (it was his last feature as a cinematographer) is impeccable, as is the score from Marc Shaiman. A solid and entertaining film worth watching.

Mermaids

Movie Name: Mermaids
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Richard Benjamin
Starring: Cher, Winona Ryder, Bob Hoskins, Christina Ricci, Michael Schoeffling, Caroline McWilliams, Paula Plum, Jan Miner, Betsy Townsend
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
View trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Actor/Director Richard Benjamin followed his big 80s comedy "My Stepmother is an Alien", with two films in 1990, "Mermaids" being the one causing the major splash, since it featured Cher in her first role since "Moonstruck" and the already well known Winona Ryder. The film takes place in the 60s, when the progressive and somewhat liberal Mrs. Flax moves in with her two daughters, into a small town in Massachusetts. Mrs. Flax has been moving herself and her daughters all over the country, whenever she gets involved with some man, and things eventually go awry (or he turns out to be married). In this new town, Mrs. Flax starts something with local business owner Lou, while her daughters enroll in school and after school activities. The mildly tempered and religious/conservative Charlotte however, as much as she wants to stray away from the path her mom has carved for herself, finds a deep infatuation with Joe, a young local handyman. The constant strain between Charlotte and her mom finally boils over when Mrs. Flax once again wants to move and Charlotte decides against it.
"Mermaids" is a small film about family members learning to live with each other, and two particular women growing up and learning to live with their choices. It's a film that has enough comedic and dramatic moments to make it fairly watchable, even if the dynamics of the narrative itself falls short of providing enough depth about the characters that are being showcased. As much as Cher and Winona Ryder try to give their characters nuance, there really isn't much there, though of the two, Ryder actually makes Charlotte a more interesting watch, with her idiosyncrasies, and her ultimate fears of becoming just like her mother. It's a film that lives from these relationships, and from capturing a time that has passed by (there are some interesting traces that are captured from this film to Jonathan Kaplan's "Love Field", which would be released the following year with Michelle Pfeiffer). The most memorable elements of this film are indeed the central cast, which make this an entertaining endeavor. The cinematography from Howard Atherton is impeccable, as is the score from Jack Nitzsche. 

Love at Large

Movie Name: Love at Large
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Alan Rudolph
Starring: Tom Berenger, Elizabeth Perkins, Anne Archer, Kate Capshaw, Annette O'Toole, Ted Levine, Ann Magnuson, Kevin J. O'Connor, Ruby Dee, Barry Miller, Neil Young, Gailard Sartain, Robert Gould
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 
View trailer

Synopsis and Review:

The underrated Alan Rudolph followed his well received "The Moderns" from 1988, with yet another of his offbeat films, that mixed comedy, noir elements and some drama in between. The film follows the story of Harry Dobbs, a private investigator, who gets a case from a beautiful woman by the name of Ms. Dolan, who believes her lover is planning to kill her. Harry however ends up following the wrong man, who is indeed having marital ties with two women, without them knowing it. Harry meets these two women, both of whom have very different responses and views on how their lives are taking place. Simultaneously, Harry finds out he's being followed by a private investigator, Stella Wynkowski, who has been hired by his own girlfriend. Harry ends up falling for Stella, however things take a different turn, when Ms. Dolan disappears, forcing Harry and Stella to work together to find her whereabouts.
Alan Rudolph is a director who has a very interesting and compelling body of work, something most audiences these days probably aren't very familiar with. A former protégé of Robert Altman, Alan Rudolph made a name for himself in the 80s with the very well received "Choose Me" and "Trouble in Mind". His films are always a collective endeavor, featuring great casts, where the tone of the narrative is somewhat fluid, but always has traces of noir, music, comedy and drama. "Love at Large" is one of those examples. The film never really reveals when it takes place, yet somehow feels like a mix of classic 40s/50s and a modern vibe. It has noir elements, but also comedic elements, that make it flow almost effortlessly. A lot of this charm relies on the talented cast Rudolph amassed, namely Anne Archer, Elizabeth Perkins, Tom Berenger, Ted Levine, Kate Capshaw, among many others, who truly make the banter and the proceedings lively and entertaining. There's a general sense of homage to the classics from Howard Hawks, but in a breezy tone, that makes this film worth watching. The cinematography from Elliot Davis is beautiful as is the score of the underrated Mark Isham. A film worth watching and revisiting from an interesting director.

Longtime Companion

Movie Name: Longtime Companion
Year of Release: 1989
Director: Norman René
Starring: Campbell Scott, Bruce Davison, Patrick Cassidy, John Dossett, Mary Louise Parker, Stephen Caffrey, Mark Lamos, Dermot Mulroney, Michael Schoeffling, Brian Cousins, Dan Butler, Tony Shalhoub, David Drake
Genre: Drama
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 7 
View trailer

Synopsis and Review:

"Longtime Companion" was director Norman René's feature directorial debut, which premiered towards the end of 1989, but made a bigger splash at the Sundance Film Festival of 1990, on a path to further recognition and awards visibility (the film ended up with an Oscar nomination for Bruce Davison as best supporting actor). The film follows the story of a group of friends in the early 80s, between their escapades in Fire Island and their professional lives in Manhattan. This group, largely comprised of gay men, and Lisa, the sole female and sister of one of the guys, start witnessing some news surrounding the emergence of a fatal "gay cancer". As the ailment initially touches one of them, and further information emerges, including proper nomenclature and how the epidemic is being spread, they all react differently to it, some initially with incredulity, until it touches their lives directly and profoundly. The film particularly focuses on Willy, a young trainer, whom we witness as he develops a relationship, and goes through the horror of discovering the horrifying trail of death that AIDS leaves behind. 
"Longtime Companion" was one of the first films to tackle the issue of AIDS in the early 90s, back when the subject was still very much a taboo one. It's a film that handles the topic with heart, sensitivity and simultaneously a sense of humor, one that successfully captures the lives of a group of gay men in their 30s/40s, when they had the bulk of their lives ahead, before a death sentence started being handed out to so many of them. It's a film that doesn't demonize or pontificate how that devastating ailment came about - it observes the microcosms of the lives of these men, and how that epidemic touched everyone, even those who were apparently strangers, and yet were all somehow connected. It's excellently cast, with Campbell Scott, Mary Louise Parker, Bruce Davison, Dermot Mulroney, Stephen Caffrey, Mark Lamos, all creating great and nuanced characters, filled with life, fear, sorrow and longing, both for the people their characters witness leaving, but also for a time when life was uncomplicated and safer. A very good film worth watching and revisiting.

I Love You To Death

Movie Name: I Love You To Death
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Lawrence Kasdan
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Tracey Ullman, River Phoenix, Joan Plowright, William Hurt, Keanu Reeves, James Gammon, Jack Kehler, Victoria Jackson, Miriam Margolyes, Alisan Porter, Heather Graham
Genre: Comedy
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
View trailer

Synopsis and Review:

After a remarkably successful decade during the 80s, writer and director Lawrence Kasdan, started the 90s with a different genre, his first comedy. The film is based on a true story (or inspired by one), and follows the story of Joey Boca, who owns a Pizzeria in Tacoma, WA, alongside his wife Rosalie. They work long hours, on top of which, Joey also maintains a building that they own, that is filled with tenants. At home they have two young children, and live with Rosalie's mother, Nadja (who is originally from the former Yugoslavia). Unbeknownst to Rosalie, Joey is having multiple affairs with a series of women, something that one of their employees, Devo, has alerted her to multiple times. After a failed suicide attempt, Rosalie decides to hire some men to kill Joey, after much recommendation from her mother. She relies on Devo and his scouting capabilities to discover the right people for it, but what they end up uncovering leads them on a path of nonsense, and not exactly what was originally intended.
Lawrence Kasdan is a great writer, who has contributed to some of the most iconic films and characters of the last 40 years (he has written and been involved in both the "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" franchises). His directorial career, though a bit more modest, has some striking features in it. After the success of "The Accidental Tourist", "I Love You To Death" was the first film that Kasdan directed which he didn't write (coincidentally, another comedy he directed, "French Kiss" was also not written by him). The film has a light and breezy feel to it, very much like a group of really great actors coming together to have some fun and tell a lighthearted story. It's unpretentious, but also surprisingly heartfelt and filled with humor, something that becomes even more visible the minute William Hurt and Keanu Reeves show up. Most of the heart of this story ends up being carried by the fantastic Tracey Ullman and Joan Plowright, both of whom excel in their roles, making Rosalie and Nadja both hilarious and, at times, almost desperate. The cast is uniformly fantastic, as is the case in most of Kasdan films, with Kevin Kline being more straight-faced than usual, and River Phoenix taking a slightly different role as the young paramour of Rosalie. It's a film filled with archetypes, but nonetheless, well acted, and worth revisiting. 

Captain Marvel

Movie Name: Captain Marvel
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck
Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Jude Law, Annette Bening, Ben Mendelsohn, Lashana Lynch, Clark Gregg, Rune Temte, Gemma Chan, Djimon Hounsou, Lee Pace, Chuku Modu, Akira Akbar, Algenis Perez Soto, Matthew Maher
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 5 
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

2019 is still fresh but this is the first comic book adaptation of the year. The film follows the story of Captain Marvel or Carol Danvers, a young pilot, whom when the narrative starts, we encounter in an alien planet, battling what she initially thinks is an enemy species. When her mission goes awry, Carol gets sequestered and put through an interrogation process that forces her to probe deeper into her past, something she does not recall. When she manages to escape, she finds herself on Earth, and on the trail of the same species who tried to get that information from her. She becomes acquainted with Nick Fury, an agent for a special division, who becomes her much needed helper, as she starts tracing her past, in the hopes of solving the riddle of who she is, but also why the alien species have such an interest on Earth. What she uncovers forces her to re-equate everything she went through in the more recent years of her existence. 
Marvel and their extremely well oiled production machine have decided, yet again, to court some interesting talent to helm the first feature on their cannon to focus on a female driven story. Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck who made a name for themselves with "Half Nelson" back in 2006 were the interesting choice to tackle this origin story. The film touches on many points similar to all origin stories, namely understanding the background of the lead character, in this case in particular, how Carol's perseverance, endurance and strength came about. What is interesting about how this story is tackled, is the fact that the writers decided to make this process of unveiling the character, a discovery/detective one of sorts, which works both for the character and for the audience. We learn about her challenges and path in life, much like herself, through the unveiling of her memories. Sadly though, the film doesn't really provide enough of an actual antagonism (or even much of an arc) to warrant this as a particularly memorable feature. The story tries to explain itself on more than one occasion, though ultimately it feels underdeveloped (much like most of the supporting characters). Brie Larson easily carries the film on her shoulders, with an ease and comfort that are quite surprising and charming. There's an authority, resilience and humor that emanates from her, that really make the character quite endearing. Her rapport with Samuel L. Jackson is also quite fantastic, the same being said for Annette Bening and Jude Law. It's a somewhat entertaining film, filled with pacing and writing issues. Here's hoping the creative team can learn and finesse this character's next adventures. 

Velvet Buzzsaw

Movie Name: Velvet Buzzsaw
Year of Release: 2019
Director: Dan Gilroy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Toni Collette, Tom Sturridge, Natalia Dyer, John Malkovich, Zawe Ashton, Daveed Diggs, Billy Magnussen, Mig Macario
Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Writer and Director Dan Gilroy is back, following his previous feature "Roman J. Israel, Esq" which premiered in 2017. "Velvet Buzzsaw", which had its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, and is distributed by Netflix, is a clear departure for the director, since it goes in a style very much different from his previous endeavors (both as a director and screenwriter). The film focuses on the art world in Los Angeles, specifically on a series of interconnected characters, starting with Mort Vandewalt, an art critic who carries a tremendous amount of clout on the scene, Rhodora Haze, a gallery owner who is well known and ambitious, but also feared, and a series of characters all of which are connected to them both, namely Josephina, who works for Rhodora and gets romantically involved with Mort, Jon who runs another gallery but also has ties with Rhodora, Gretchen, who is responsible for the curation and scheduling of collections for a Museum in LA, Piers, Coco, among many others. This microcosms of relationships gets thrown into disarray, when a neighbor of Josephina dies, and she uncovers a library of paintings in his apartment that are both disturbing and stunning. These works take the art world by storm, but simultaneously disturbing and mortal accidents start occurring to the characters who are involved with these works. Mort takes upon himself to discover the story behind the artist who originated them.
"Velvet Buzzsaw" is Dan Gilroy's third feature, and while not as overly ambitious as his first two (particularly the fantastic "Nightcrawler"), it's still an interesting exercise and look at the milieu of the art world scene. It's also a not so veiled criticism at the business and mechanics of the perception that keeps this industry moving forward, and how eventually everyone keeps that industry of superficiality and ego moving forward. The film eventually veers into a pulpier territory, with the introduction of the supernatural element, by way of the paintings which carry a heavy burden/heritage, but it's nonetheless a film that manages to keep momentum and interest. The film also benefits from a fantastically talented cast, with great turns from Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo (though her cutthroat type of character is starting to become a bit repetitive), Toni Collette and Zawe Ashton. It's a film that could have aimed far higher, but that ends up being more of a really entertaining couple of hours, from a very interesting writer/director.

Henry and June

Movie Name: Henry & June
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Philip Kaufman
Starring: Maria de Medeiros, Uma Thurman, Fred Ward, Richard E. Grant, Kevin Spacey, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Feodor Atkine, Bruce Myers, Sylvie Huguel
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
View trailer

Synopsis and Review:

A film that generated a lot of noise in 1990, was Philip Kaufman's "Henry & June". The film produced by Universal Studios, featured enough erotic content, that warranted the creation of new rating, to this day still in effect, which came under the title of NC-17. Director Philip Kaufman of course made a name for himself as one of the creators of the character "Indiana Jones", but his career veered in very different directions, as "Henry & June" can attest. The film focuses on a particular interval of time in the lives of writers Henry Miller and Anais Nin. The narrative takes place in 1931, in Paris, when Henry Miller is writing "Tropic of Cancer", during which time he meets Anais Nin and her husband Hugo, both of whom are doing quite well for themselves and who eventually become patrons of him. Both Hugo and Anais start exploring sexual adventures outside of their marriage, which for Anais includes Henry, and also his beautiful actress wife June, who lives between New York and Paris. June longs to be a muse to Henry, but dislikes the way he portrays her in the book he's writing, which generates enormous tension between them both, something that Anais tries to mend. 
"Henry and June" is based on the book by Anais Nin, and depicts the bohemian and artistic life of Paris in the 1930s, where a lot of contemporary artists were living and expanding their canvases, but also where sexual experimentation was being brought forth. It's a film that captures that time period impeccably, but which focuses its attention on the central characters, particularly the narrator Anais, a beautiful and delicate woman, who had a voice of her own and who pursued her desires and ambitions. Philip Kaufman is more successful in capturing the allure and mystery of the two central female characters, while Henry Miller sadly comes across more pedestrian, and almost like a caricature of what a writer, and an American writer at that, actually was in that particular time. It's a film possessed of an elegance and rhythm very much its own, allowing for the situations to unfold, though ultimately we never gain much insight into the universe of these interesting authors. The carnality the film got some traction for, becomes in a way it's achilles heel, since it doesn't necessarily add much to the depth of the relationships on screen. Maria de Medeiros creates a character filled with warmth and intelligence, while the very young Uma Thurman is filled with a raw sense of anger and urgency, which made them perfect for the characters. Fred Ward is somewhat miscast, but the supporting cast is fantastic, as is the cinematography from the always great Philippe Rousselot. A good film from an interesting director, who hasn't been very prolific throughout his career. 

The Grifters

Movie Name: The Grifters
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Stephen Frears
Starring: Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening, Stephen Tobolowsky, Pat Hingle, J.T. Walsh, Gailard Sartain
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 8 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Prolific director Stephen Frears followed his critically acclaimed "Dangerous Liaisons" with a turn in a different direction, in terms of genre, while still maintaining the interesting power games that made the classic from 1988 so well received. The film is an adaptation of the book by Jim Thompson and follows the story of Roy Dillon, a con artist who lives in LA, working through a series of minor cons which allow him to live comfortably. When one of his swindles doesn't go so well, his mother Lilly, helps him getting into a hospital. Lilly who is herself a master grifter, works for a well structured crime syndicate, but is desperately trying to move away from it. Another key player in this story comes in the shape of Myra, whom Roy is dating, and who has been herself involved in quite a few swindles in her career. Both women have an instant antagonism and rivalry for Roy's affections, and things take a sharp turn when Myra proposes a "job" to Roy, who turns it down. Myra decides to gun for Lilly, and things quickly take a darker tone from that point on.
"The Grifters", which was originally intended for Martin Scorsese to direct (and who is one of the producers of the film), is a film that is deftly directed, and that manages to perfectly capture the film noir vibe that defines the novel. The narrative is perfectly captured, as the three characters come together into a perverse game of sexual tension and forbidden lust, all the while trying to get a step ahead of each other in terms of money and ultimately, power. The whole storyline is orchestrated with the precision of a finely tuned clock, giving away just enough of background on the main characters to provide further context into their motivations. All central characters are vividly brought to life by the impeccable central cast, with the women in particular making a stronger impact. Anjelica Huston and Annette Bening both create characters that leverage all they can, including their bodies, to survive in a ruthless world. Both of their performances are magnetic, with Huston in particular investing her character with a hunger for survival that will stop at nothing, while still retaining her humanity and heart. The cinematography from Oliver Stapleton is fantastic, as is the jazzy influenced score from the great Elmer Bernstein. A very good film always worth watching.

Green Card

Movie Name: Green Card
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Peter Weir
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Andie MacDowell, Bebe Neuwirth, Gregg Edelman, Robert Prosky, Jessie Keosian, Ethan Phillips, Mary Louise Wilson
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 6 
Watch it on Amazon

Synopsis and Review:

Writer, Producer and Director Peter Weir, followed his critically acclaimed and commercially successful "Dead Poets Society", with an intelligent comedy, one that a perfect cast, marrying one of France's biggest names, and a rising American talent. The film focuses on the story of Georges, a french composer, and Bronte, a horticulturist. They are both introduced by a mutual friend, and they're brought together with the sole purpose of getting married, for specific purposes: Georges wants a green card so he can stay in the US and continue his career, while Bronte wants to gain access to a wonderful apartment which contains a greenhouse filled with plants she wants. Their plans go smoothly, until immigration services does an unexpected inspection on their living arrangements. Their main motivation to do so, is due to a lot of fraudulent marriages of convenience that have occurred, which throws Georges and Bronte's plans into disarray. They are forced to live together, and ultimately learn about each other, so they can ace the immigration challenges that lie ahead.
"Green Card" has a rather straightforward romantic comedy premise. Two strangers, from different walks of life, are forced to get along, despite their initial mutual dislike. With time, they learn to respect each others differences, and become invested in each other, and eventually fall in love. It's a rather tested premise, one that is brought to life through Peter Weir's eye for capturing interesting performances and dynamics, and the central pair, with the larger than life Gérard Depardieu and the always underrated Andie MacDowell, then fresh off her starring role in Steven Soderbergh's "sex, lies and videotape". This central pair of performers is the main reason to focus the attention on this film - they manage to be enticing, but also introduce enough nuance into their characters, to make the audience invested in their path and journey. It's a testament to Peter Weir's talent, that he is always able to successfully build interesting universes, where well rounded characters exist, which can be demonstrated in his other features, namely "Witness", "Dead Poets Society" and "The Truman Show". Sadly "Green Card" doesn't offer much dimension in terms of remaining characters or enough of a diverse tapestry to really liven the procedures, but it's nonetheless an impeccably mounted film, from an always interesting director. Worth watching.

Goodfellas

Movie Name: Goodfellas
Year of Release: 1990
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Frank Sivero, Tony Darrow, Mike Starr, Frank Vincent, Chuck Low, Frank DiLeo, Henny Youngman
Genre: Drama, Crime
Score out of ten (whole numbers only): 9 
View Trailer

Synopsis and Review:

Following the controversy surrounding "The Last Temptation of Christ" and the episode of "New York Stories", director Martin Scorsese started the 90s with one of its most iconic, and to this date, one of his best feature films. The film is an adaptation of the book by Nicholas Pileggi and traces the life of mobster Henry Hill. Henry chronicles and narrates his life since his early days, where he was taken under the wing of a local crime lord, "Paulie" Cicero (alongside his associates, Jimmy Conway and Tommy DeVito) and how he goes through the ranks, making friends and progressively getting more and more power (and money). He eventually falls in love and marries the beautiful Karen, who is initially turned off by his criminal lifestyle, but who learns to live with it. As their lifestyle continues to expand with some extravagance, Henry starts spiraling out of control with drugs. Following a heist that doesn't go all that well, everything starts crumbling, with Henry having to resort to dramatic measures to survive.
Martin Scorsese is a master filmmaker, and by 1990 had already made a name for himself with quite a few classics, namely "Mean Streets", "Taxi Driver" and "Raging Bull". "Goodfellas" joined the ranks of his best features, thanks to a crackling screenplay, an exemplary case of masterful editing from Thelma Schoonmaker, brilliant performances from the entire cast and an impeccable production design. This is a film that works perfectly, almost with a precision of a clock, while simultaneously maintaining a vibrancy, spontaneity and virtuosity that have rarely been captured in this manner. The film successfully builds this criminal underworld, but goes beyond the glamour shot, showcasing the entire family dynamics associated with the main characters and the darker aspect that bellies this universe. The film went on to influence the crime genre, including shows such as "The Sopranos", but it maintains its relevancy and mastery to this day. The cinematography from Michael Ballhaus is phenomenal, as are all the performances, in particular Joe Pesci's, who has been forever associated with the Tommy DeVito character. A fantastic film from a great director.