Tuesday, January 7, 1997
FILM:
Brandon Wilson
discusses his top 10 film picks of the past yearThe first time I
started writing this piece was a washout. My aim was to write
without pontificating on 1996 and how the ’90s are shaping up,
cinematically speaking. Trying my best to keep pedantic ravings at
bay, I soon found myself writing an overlong lamentation on the
rebirth and flourishing of the disaster movie (to the ’90s what the
action film was to the ’80s) and what all this says about our
millennially-anxious society.
It was thoughtful, earnest, insightful.
But I scrapped it. Instead, I’ll say that big, loud, dumb movies
that suck came out in 1996 and made stadium-sized bags of cash, and
I’ll leave it at that.
What is worth going on about is the movies that managed to break
through the heap and work some magic. The films that prove not
everyone congregated around a movie camera is mercenary or vacuous,
films that just maybe pushed the standards of excellence in film
up, if just a notch.
So here are the 10 films of 1996 which touched, stimulated,
inspired, excited me the most. I proffer them to you the reader and
movie goer in the noble, altruistic hope that if you haven’t seen
them already, you’ll look out for them, especially the ones still
flickering on movie screens this very moment.
1. "Breaking the Waves" by Lars von Trier  In one of the
year’s most pleasant surprises, the formerly all-technique-no-heart
Danish filmmaker turned out a quietly stunning fable about the
transcendent power of love and the occurrence of an
according-to-Hoyle miracle. Actress Emily Watson (in her film
debut) delivers the performance of the year along with an otherwise
excellent cast. And then there’s Dutch cinematographer Robby Muller
showing why he’s considered one of the world’s best. See it.
2. "Trainspotting" by Danny Boyle  In addition to being a
triumph of director Boyle’s club remix style of film making, this
one introduced "shite" into Yank vocabulary, for which we are all
in its debt. Based on a hefty cult novel by Irvine Welsh about a
group of young people in contemporary Edinburgh, most of whom are
nursing a heroin habit, Boyle’s film distills all the acidic wit
and characterizations of the book without sticking to the novel’s
more bleakly nihilistic pitch. More fun than it has a right to be,
and the most compulsively watchable film of the year.
3. "Crash" by David Cronenberg  Thanks to the fiendish
efforts of mogul, self-appointed arbiter of taste, and Friend of
the Arts Ted Turner, (that oh-so charming combination of
capitalist-corporate myopia and Southern shamelessness just makes
Ted more precious with every year) who has tried his damnedest to
keep this film away from you, "Crash" will hit American screens in
March this year rather than its original fall ’96 release date.
Adapted from a J.G. Ballard novel and crafted by one of North
America’s top directors, "Crash" is about an icily disaffected
yuppie couple’s encounter with a car crash fetishist guru and the
polymorphous sexual pairing and antics that ensue. Starring James
Spader, Holly Hunter and Rosanna Arquette (showing admirable
courage and artistic derring-do) this one will drop jaws and set
tongues a-wagging when it finally premieres stateside.
4. "Secrets & Lies" by Mike Leigh  Top-notch dramatics
by a director and cast at the top of their respective games.
British actress Brenda Blethyn turns in another of the year’s
must-see performances as a working-class mum whose world and
relations are forever changed when her given up for adoption black
daughter (finely played by Marianne Jean-Baptiste) comes
calling.
5. "Dead Man" by Jim Jarmusch  Film student Peter Fuller
and I are mutually chagrined by this film’s wide-spread absence
from recognition by critics’ circle year-end awards and top-10
list. This western is the quirky auteur’s best film ever, featuring
a doe-eyed Johnny Depp, gorgeous black and white camera work by
Robby Muller, and a Neil Young soundtrack that fits the film like a
bullet in a six shooter.
6. "Chungking Express" by Wong Kar-Wei  It’s no surprise
why Quentin Tarantino flipped his gourd for this winning
genre-melding post-modern Hong Kong movie (it got American
distribution through his own production company). Half film noir,
half romantic comedy, literally, this beautifully shot and charming
yarn is one of the most original works to run through a projector
in some time. And you’ll never listen to "California Dreaming"
again without thinking about this film and smiling.
7. "Lone Star" by John Sayles  For Sayles, the walking
embodiment of artistic integrity in American independent cinema,
it’s no trick to get critical accolades. But, to also get the fans
interested is another story. Sayles finally pulled off both with
this Texas border town murder mystery. This is the
writer-director’s strongest directorial showing, and hopefully a
new era of increased visibility has begun for him.
8. "Fargo" by Joel & Ethan Coen  Another understated
murder story, although dealing with a vastly different landscape
from the Sayles film, the Coens scored a critical hit with their
sixth effort of fraternal film making. Featuring the incomparable
Frances McDormand, the brothers look at the northern Mid-West
(where they were raised) and the tragicomic skullduggery that
ensued in 1987. Harks back to the Coens’ debut "Blood Simple," but
benefits from the rich and unique career they’ve had since.
9. "Flirting with Disaster" by David O. Russell  Rescuing
the American comedy from low-brow buffoonery was a tall order to
fill this year, but God bless someone for trying, and succeeding.
Reminiscent of the screwball comedies of yore, Ben Stiller leads a
superb cast featuring the most enjoyable Patricia Arquette
performance I’ve ever witnessed, the sharp timing of Tea Leoni, and
priceless turns by Mary Tyler Moore, George Segal, Alan Alda, and
the great Lily Tomlin.
10. "Flirt" by Hal Hartley  This American auteur’s brand
of idiosyncratic deadpan storytelling isn’t for everybody. But
Hartley’s unerring drive to experiment provides a needed balance to
his one-track mind and artistic obsession with love and whether or
not getting it is possible. Filming the same story thrice in New
York City, Berlin, and Tokyo with three different casts hitting
almost every gender, racial, and orientative combo possible,
Hartley gives us a parable about how universal the wicked game is
while uncovering a new truth with every permutation. Smart, funny,
and unique, three times over.
Of course there were other major and minor gems this year, like
Todd Solondz’ "Welcome to the Dollhouse," Patrice Leconte’s
"Ridicule," Scott Hicks’ "Shine," Jane Campion’s "Portrait of A
Lady," and two from my new favorite
director-to-watch-and-learn-from, Andre Téchiné, "Ma
Saison Prefere" and "Les Voleurs."
Recounting the good stuff almost makes it seem like a good year
at the movies. Of course, I’m reminded also of the times I wanted
to see a film, only to realize on that weekend, there was nothing
worth my time and money playing in the first-run movie houses. With
the untold millions poured into movie making every year, moments
like that are woeful for an nth degree black belt movie goer such
as myself. Oh well.
Let’s keep a good thought as the house lights dim on 1997 that
at least a new fabulous 10 await our viewing pleasure.
Brandon Wilson is third-year graduate student in film directing
who resolves not to publish another top-10 list, of any kind.
Brandon WilsonEmily Watson … delivers the performance of the
year.