90s Movie

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

Director:

Les Mayfield

Writers:

George Seaton

John Hughes

Starring:

Richard Attenborough

Elizabeth Perkins

Dylan McDermott

Mara Wilson

Blurb:

A lawyer and a little girl must prove that a man claiming to be Santa Claus is the real thing.

Review:

Christmas movies fall outside of my Great Movie Re-Watch list. I was hoping that I would make it all the way through the 90s before Decemeber, sadly that did not happen. Oh well. It will be there to pick up later.

The first Christmas movie of the year was the 90s version of Miracle on 34th Street. I’ve seen it at least once, but I didn’t remember anything about it. I grew up watching the old one so this version had a lot of nostalgia to beat. It did not. I thought that Mara Wilson did a great job, I just wasn’t a fan of the changes made to the story. It didn’t help that my children were running around like crazed animals in their excitement for the beginning of the season. I did miss some of what was going on, so take my thoughts with a heaping dose of salt.

I didn’t see much romance going on between the couple and the fact that the movie ends with them getting married felt out of nowhere. I know he’d had a ring, but I didn’t realize they were there in their relationship. Again, it’s possible that I missed something. Because of that I’m not going to give the movie an actual ranking, but I don’t see myself choosing to watch this one over the classic version.

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The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

David Koepp

Starring:

Jeff Goldblum

Julianne Moore

Pete Postlethwaite

Arliss Howard

Richard Attenborough

Vince Vaughn

Blurb:

A research team is sent to the Jurassic Park Site B island to study the dinosaurs there, while an InGen team approaches with another agenda.

Thoughts:

I wasn’t as much a fan of The Lost World as my partner was. He liked the added aspect of the dinosaurs winding up on the mainland, while I thought the movie dragged on too long. I think that’s a complaint I have with a lot of movies as I get older. Some of them I’m all for the added length, but a lot of them could do with some tighter editing.

Jeff Goldblum was, of course, awesome. Vince Vaughn felt random, but that’s because The Lost World was early in his career and it’s not the route he took with his later movies. So it was odd seeing him in a serious roll. I didn’t like Juilianna Moore’s character as much as the previous female role. She was a bit stupid for someone who was supposed to be so smart. Walking around with blood on her jacket? Come on woman.

The ending was one of those that dragged on too long. There was the obvious ending of them getting off the island, but then they did the extended wind up on the mainland. The mainland stuff was fun and for the most part I liked it, but I wish they’d gotten rid of some stuff on the island to make it shorter.

Also, how dare they kill Toby from the West Wing!

It wasn’t until I was writing this blog post that I realized the movie came out in ‘97 and not ‘95 like I had it listed in my excel spreadsheet, so it will be posted out of order. Mistakes happen so I’ll let it slide. I’ll try to check before watching from now on, though.

Sabrina (1995)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Sabrina (1995)

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Samuel A. Taylor

Barbra Benedek

David Rayfiel

Starring:

Harrison Ford

Julia Ormond

Greg Kinnear

Blurb:

An ugly duckling having undergone a remarkable change, still harbors feelings for her crush: a carefree playboy, but not before his business-focused brother has something to say about it.

Thoughts:

I’m not sure why I own this version of Sabrina. I prefer the 1954 version with Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart. The ‘95 version must have been on sale or something. It’s a fine movie, but not one I have to own. Since I do and it’s digital I guess I’m not getting rid of it.

Harrison Ford is horrible at romance. Then again, so was Humphrey Bogart. There isn’t much chemistry between the two leads, again the same as the older one. Sabrina is very easily manipulated and I think that’s why I prefer the older version. I remember her getting angrier at Bogart than Ormond gets at Ford. In this version, Sabrina is very much riding along and doesn’t do much for herself. She’s supposed to be this well of sage advice, but I’m not sure why Ford would even listen to her.

Oh well. It’s a nice background movie.

Toy Story (1995)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Toy Story (1995)

Director:

John Lasseter

Writers:

John Lasseter

Pete Doctor

Andrew Stanton

Starring:

Tom Hanks

Tim Allen

Don Rickles

Jim Varney

Wallace Shawn

John Ratzenberger

Annie Potts

Blurb:

A cowboy doll is profoundly threatened and jealous when a new spaceman figure supplants him as top toy in a boy’s room.

Thoughts:

I did not watch Toy Story. I’m fourteen years older than my younger brother and he went through a phase where we watched this and Toy Story 2 every single day. Then both of my kids went through a similar phase. I have this god damn movie memorized. I have watched it more than any other movie. Still, I don’t hate it, but I’m not going to watch it when I can close my eyes and watch it from start to finish.

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Die Hard with a Vengeance (1995)

Director:

John McTiernan

Writers:

Jonathan Hensleigh

Roderick Thorp

Starring:

Bruce Willis

Samuel L. Jackson

Jeremy Irons

Blurb:

John McClane and a Harlem store owner are targeted by German terrorist Simon in New York City, where he plans to rob the Federal Reserve Building.

Thoughts:

This may be controversial, but Die Hard with a Vengeance is my favorite Die Hard. Obviously, the first one is a classic and I love it. The second one, though, is a complete rehash of the first, and while that’s fine, it’s a bit boring. The third one, with the addition of Samuel L. Jackson, cranks things up a notch, for me. I love the added attitude and humor that he brings. It is a bit longer than it needs to be, the first one has it beat there, but I’ll deal with it.

There are a number of plot holes in this film, but that’s always the case with action movies. Since the dialog makes up for it all I’m able to keep that from causing me to enjoy the movie. It’s fun to point them out while watching, but that just enhances the watching experience.

It would be nice to see Jackson’s character in the following movies, but I completely understand why his character wouldn’t want to have anything to do with John McClane. Zeus would not put up with McClane’s self-absorbed ass for long.

I’m halfway through the 90s, but I don’t believe I’ll make it through them by the end of the year. Christmas is coming and I have holiday movies to watch.