90s Movie

Jurassic Park (1993)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Jurassic Park (1993)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writers:

Michael Crichton

David Koepp

Starring:

Sam Neill

Laura Dern

Jeff Goldblum

Richard Attenborough

Blurb:

A pragmatic paleontologist visiting an almost complete theme park is tasked with protecting a couple of kids after a power failure causes the park’s cloned dinosaurs to run loose.

Thoughts:

Jurassic Park is a fun movie, but I think John Williams’s score pushes it to be a good movie. I like Steven Spielberg as much as the next person and he’s a really good director, but the music in Jurassic Park is iconic.

There are so many good quotes in this film. My family frequently quotes, “Hold on to your butts.” Because of course, we do.

Nothing really problematic jumped out to me during this re-watch, though, admittedly it’s been a few days since I watched. Well, I do think they put the young girl through hell just for the stereotypical reactions. Still, considering everything else I’ve watched that barely registered.

Jurassic Park is a classic and definitely worth keeping and re-watching.

Hard Target (1993)

Great Movie Re-Watch

Hard Target (1993)

Director:

John Woo

Writer:

Chuck Pfarrer

Starring:

Jean-Claude Van Damme

Lance Hendrickson

Yancy Butler

Arnold Vosloo

Blurb:

A woman hires a drifter as her guide through New Orleans in search of her missing father. In the process, they discover a deadly game of cat and mouse behind his disappearance.

Thoughts:

Hard Target is about peak Jean-Claude Van Damme and yet, despite some egotistical comments, he did not demand writing credit, worked really hard, and didn’t ruin the movie. He did make an attempt in all fairness. They had to send the movie back multiple times because it was so violent and his people did their own Cobra take where they cut everyone else, but thankfully that wasn’t the one that was chosen. It would be nice to see the original unrated version, but that’s never going to happen.

My re-watch quest has revealed some bitterness towards several Hollywood people and apparently, Stallone is one of them lol

Hard Target is one of, if not the last good 80s style action movie. It has a saxophone. It has a bare-bones plot that upon any kind of thought makes no sense. It has Jean-Claude Van Damme with a mullet so greasy you could fry chicken from all the oil. There’s Yancy Butler with a disappearing black eye. And, according to my husband, you’ve got Lance Hendrickson playing the best action villain of all time. Plus, it’s John Woo’s first American movie.

It’s a lot.

Wait, did I mention it’s got the Diabetus man in it? Wilfred Brimley plays Van Damme’s cajun, bow and arrow toting, uncle.

As if you needed another reason to watch.

The final fight scene is set in a cross between a barn and a warehouse. It’s filled with Mardi Gras floats that explode at a moment’s notice. There are also doves flying all over the place. I believe there was a crossbow, a sword, guns, and, of course, flying splits.

I’m fairly certain Hard Target missed nothing on the 80s action movie bingo card. Well, Yancy Butler did not kiss Jean-Claude Van Damme, but she would have.

This is my husband’s favorite movie but I’ve surprisingly only watched it two times. It’s entertaining and if Van Damme’s hair wasn’t so greasy I would enjoy it more. Despite that, it’s a fun film and was a good re-watch.

Cliffhanger (1993)

Great Movie Re-Watch

Cliffhanger (1993)

Director:

Renny Harlin

Writers:

Michael France

Sylvester Stallone

Starring:

Sylvester Stallone

John Lithgow

Michael Rooker

Janine Turner

Rex Linn

Caroline Goodall

Blurb:

A botched mid-air heist results in suitcases full of cash being searched for by various groups throughout the Rocky Mountains.

Thoughts:

Once again Stallone has a writing credit because of course, he does. I have no idea how much work he actually puts into scripts but if credits are any indication he’s a prolific writer.

I’ve had an incredibly busy last three weeks and I haven’t watched many movies or read any books. I’m trying to teach myself Python and that’s slowing down my entertainment consumption. I watched a couple of movies in theaters as well, but honestly, I’m not feeling like writing blog posts right now. I will continue, at least, the bare minimum for my Great Movie Re-Watch movies.

Cliffhanger is a movie. It’s a movie with mountain climbing. It is an action movie, but also has weird moments where the music doesn’t fit the typical action movie feeling. John Lithgow makes a great villain.

Those are my thoughts on Cliffhanger.

Demolition Man (1993)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Demolition Man (1993) 

Director: 

Marco Brambilla 

Writers: 

Daniel Waters 

Robert Reneau 

Peter M. Lenkov 

Starring: 

Sylvester Stallone 

Wesley Snipes 

Sandra Bullock 

Nigel Hawthorne 

Blurb: 

A police officer is brought out of suspended animation in prison to pursue an old ultra-violent nemesis who is loose in a non-violent future society. 

Thoughts: 

Demolition Man is one of my favorite movies. I wouldn’t say top ten, but it’s one that I love to go back and watch frequently. It’s so entertaining. You’ve got action, it’s set in the future, and it’s funny. So often, the balance of comedy and action isn’t done well, like in Tango and Cash, but Demolition Man nails it.  

Wesley Snipes is perfectly cast. He nails the manic energy of Simon Phoenix. It was surprising to find out he turned down the role multiple times until the director and a producer visited him on the set of another movie. Stallone also initially turned done the role before he accepted. He wanted Jackie Chan to play Phoenix, but Chan knew better. He’s not a villain.  

We’ve got eleven years yet to reach this “utopian” paradise with no murder where Taco Bell won the franchise wars. I can agree that no murder would be incredible, but I’m not sure if I’m willing to live with everything else. The loss of exchanging bodily fluids would be a big no for me.  

I love how consistent the movie is. Whenever they’re in a building or near tech, they get fined credits anytime one of the characters curses. There is also unique music that plays when Phoenix is on screen. It’s all just so fun.  

Sandra Bullock was another excellent casting choice. She does seem a bit young for Stallone. I’m also side-eyeing him and how quick he is to jump into a relationship with her. His first question when he wakes up is about his wife. The memory that sticks with him the most is her hammering on the block of ice he was jailed in. Yet, a couple of days later, he’s fine to get down with Bullock. My least favorite trope in action movies.  

Last year Stallone said a sequel was in the works. I have no idea what could be done, and I’m hesitant to see what they would do. I find it difficult to believe that they could capture what makes Demolition Man so fun. If it happens, I guess we’ll see. 

Passenger 57 (1992)

The Great Movie Re-Watch

Passenger 57 (1992)

Director:

Kevin Hooks

Writers:

David Loughery

Dan Gordon

Starring:

Wesley Snipes

Bruce Payne

Tom Sizemore

Alex Datcher

Elizabeth Hurley

Blurb:

An airline security expert must take action when he finds himself trapped on a passenger jet when terrorists seize control of it.

Thoughts:

Cutter: “Always bet on black.”

Chief Biggs: In my position, what would you do? If you were me, what would you do?
Cutter: Kill myself.”

Apart from having some great quotes, Passenger 57 is an entertaining action movie. There isn’t as much action as, say, Commando, but there’s still a lot of kicks. The villain is a psycho, and we’ve got two women in it. Sadly, one does end up with the hero, but I can’t have it all.

The film aided in the launch of Wesley Snipes’s career, so for that, we’ll always be indebted to it. He’s a welcome addition to the action movie genre, and it’s kind of a bummer that he came along as the genre started its downward decline. We’ve still got a few years before that happens, though.