Little Buddha (1994) directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, starring Keanu Reeves, Chris Issak, Bridget Fonda
Very beautiful portrayal of the life of Buddha. It's a movie that's hard to describe. I love the visuals, the blue wash of Seattle, red in India. The colors are pretty over-the-top, but I like how it sets the tone.
Natural Born Killers (1994) directed by Oliver Stone, starring Woody Harrelson, Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Rodney Dangerfield, Robert Downey Jr., Tommy Lee Jones
Awesome movie, innovative in its story-telling. I love the "I Love Lucy" spin-off ("I Love Mallory") Stone uses to tell the story of how Mickey and Mallory met. The Wayne Gale character is a riot, and I love the American Maniacs show on Mickey and Mallory. Another innovative film technique is the images projected on the walls. It's a really easy way to give tone to scenes in a nonspecific way. Not necessarily subtle, but very creative.
Old Indian- Once upon a time, a woman was picking up firewood. She came upon a poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took the snake home and nursed it back to health. One day the snake bit her on the cheek. As she lay dying, she asked the snake, "Why have you done this to me?" And the snake answered, "Look, bitch, you knew I was a snake."
Mickey- You'll never understand, Wayne. You and me, we're not even the same species. I used to be you, then I evolved. From where you're standing, you're a man. From where I'm standing, you're an ape. You're not even an ape. You're a media person. Media's like the weather, only it's man-made weather. Murder? It's pure. You're the one made it impure. You're buying and selling fear. You say "why?" I say "why bother?"
Legends of the Fall (1995) directed by Edward Zwick, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, Henry Thomas, Karina Lombard
A long movie that is well worth the effort. Full of pain, anguish and a lot of longing for a simpler time, this movie can come off a little corny at times, but good performances pull it off. Hopkins is excellent, as always, and Pitt does a good job giving his character depth. Ormond is lovely, but I find it hard to empathize with her sometimes. I guess I don't really understand why her love with Pitt's character was so doomed. It kind of seemed more like timing, and that's not tragic, that's just bad luck. It seems a pity to commit suicide over bad luck.
One Stab- Some people hear their own inner voices with great clearness and they live by what they hear. Such people become crazy, or they become legends.
While You Were Sleeping (1995) directed by Jon Turtletaub, starring Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden
Very sweet, very 90s movie. I love 90s Sandra Bullock, she's such a loveable goofball. I feel like she was trying to reprise this role when she did Miss Congeniality, but it didn't quite work for me. Lucy is so likeable and relateable. Sometimes actresses play the girl-next-door, and it's completely unbelievable, but Bullock is such a down-to-earth person, and you can really see that in this movie.
Lucy- Do you believe in love at first sight? Nah, I betcha don't, you're probably too sensible for that. Or have you ever, like, seen somebody? And you knew that, if only that person *really* knew you, they would, well, they would of course dump the perfect model that they were with, and realize that YOU were the one that they wanted to, just, grow old with. Have you ever fallen in love with someone you haven't even talked to? Have you ever been so alone you spend the night confusing a man in a coma?
Jerry- You're born into a family. You do not join them like you do the Marines.
Lucy- So what should I do?
Jerry- Pull the plug.
Lucy- You're sick.
Jerry- I'm sick? You're cheating on a vegetable.
Empire Records (1995) directed by Allan Moyle, starring Anthony LaPaglia, Maxwell Caulfield, Debi Mazar, Rory Cochrane, Renee Zellweger, Ethan Embry, Liv Tyler
Yes, you can tell this movie was from 1995 because Zellweger is billed 7th and Tyler is 11th. Love this movie, which does have the distinction of being both actresses first big movie, (it was only Tyler's third). Embry also went on to interesting projects (mostly Can't Hardly Wait and That Thing You Do!)
My favorite thing about this movie, besides the middriff baring sweaters and plaid miniskirts, is the soundtrack. Gin Blossoms, Better than Ezra, Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Cranberries. My favorites are "Free" by The Martinis, played when Debra holes herself up in the bathroom to shave her head; "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, when the entire Empire Records crew is preparing for "Rex Manning Day"; and "Romeo and Juliet" by Dire Straits, when AJ tries to tell Corey he loves her, Mark falls for a random ballerina and the entire shop has a swing in its step.
Lucas- In the immortal words of the Doors: "The time to hesitate is through."
Debra- Hey Lucas, is it true you commited the perfect crime?
Lucas- Not entirely perfect.
AJ- What's with you? Yesterday you were all normal and today you're like the Chinese guy from Karate Kid. What's with you today?
Lucas- What's with today, today?
Warren- Who glued these quarters down?
AJ- I did.
Warren- What the hell for?
AJ- I don't feel that I need to explain my art to you, Warren.
Debra- "No visible tatoos."
Gina- "No revealing clothing."
Debra- We're screwed. At least you're used to it.
Gina- Oh now, Debra, don't be bitter. Surely with your ever-growing collection of flesh mutilating silver appendages and your brand new Neo-Nazi boot camp makeover the boys will come a-runnin'.
Debra- Let's not fight. Let's just rip.
Mark- We musn't dwell. . .no, not today. We can't. Not on Rex Manning Day!
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