The Movie Journal

  Always (1989) I am curious about Steven Spielberg’s Always. It is the remake of the 1940’s film A Guy Named Joe. Sometimes it just is better off to leave films alone. I get why Spielberg wanted to remake the original as it played a major role in becoming a filmmaker, but there are better remakes to be had…in which Spielberg actually added another to his resume many years later. The film is not awful by any stretch of the imagination thanks to the great performances…especially that of Holly Hunter’s. The screenplay, written by Jerry Belson, is unfortunately weak. The lines given to the actors can be borderline laughable and most actors, despite their pedigree, have a hard time delivering lines. It is almost as if the words were written rather than naturally spoken. When it comes to Spielberg’s filmography, he has made two bad films and one mediocre film. This is his one okay film but at least its watchable and not terrible like 1941 and Hook were. Spielberg is known for being a s...

  Born on the Fourth of July (1989) In some sort of a spiritual sequel to Platoon , director Oliver Stone returns to the world of Vietnam with Born on the Fourth of July . He tells the story of Ron Kovic, an American soldier who became disillusioned by the war. In Platoon , Stone focused on the battles and the unit. Here, he focuses on how a man can go through extreme change. At first, Kovic was a small-town soldier who wanted to fight in the war and was afraid to miss the action. In other words, he thought about himself as an American patriot. Over time, he learned the truth about Vietnam which branded him an “enemy of the United States” for speaking out against the war. Stone is never afraid to involve his politics in his films and that remains a fact here, but he does rein in his horse to a degree. We get a powerful, if not a bit long, movie about the American experience in Vietnam and how it translated to the homefront. Going back-to-back with Rain Man , this is the film that p...

  Driving Miss Daisy (1989) To some, Driving Miss Daisy is a film that uses outdated racial stereotypes to bring across its point. To a point, I believe that to be fact. But one has to keep in mind that this is truly how black people were treated in the deep South during the 50’s and 60’s. People also say this film shouldn’t have one Best Picture in 1989, and there was poll issued in 2015 that showed this film is #1 in recount, and that My Left Foot should have won. I do think there were better movies that should have been nominated and even won such as Glory and Do the Right Thing , but I am not angry this film was the winner of it all. I found it to be an affecting period piece about friendship and how people from different backgrounds can find a connection…even if they have to work for it. Led by astounding performances from Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman, the film transcends an era filled with deep-rooted racism and gives us a powerful, believable friendship that may have you...

  Glory (1989) In my own humble opinion, Glory is one of the best (if not the best) films made about the American Civil War. There are some well-choreographed battle scenes, but this war movie is not about the actual battles. Rather it is about the human spirit. I only knew about Robert Gould Shaw and the 54 th Regiment due to my first viewing of the movie many years ago. It is not talked about often enough during history class the importance of this regiment. People thought black soldiers were not good enough to fight, but after the heroic charge of the regiment in Charleston, black people were recruited and that may have changed the tide of the war for the Union. The performances, in particular those from Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, transcends the film into mythic proportions. Add the haunting choral score from James Horner, it feels like you are watching something of a dream. In addition, the film was photographed by Freddie Francis. Francis’s camerawork and Edward Zw...

  Back to the Future Part II (1989) After the gigantic success of Back to the Future in 1985, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale reunite for the sequel Back to the Future Part II . It received mixed reviews upon release, but it has gained a cult following in the years since release. Personally, I always enjoyed the movie. Yes, it does have an extremely complicated plot with many different time frames and paradoxes and whatnot. But if you want to avoid a headache and be take in for a wild ride, it may be best to shut off your brain for two hours. The movie had enough jokes to take the film into screwball territory at times. I still find the interactions between Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to be gold. What surprised me and the audience in 1989 was how dark the film became when our heroes ventured back in the ’85 world. I thought they entered the world of Blade Runner but no, that is just part of the plot. I liked their depiction of 2015. Gale and Zemeckis weren’t trying to predict...

  The Little Mermaid (1989) Walt Disney Animation’s The Little Mermaid is considered the first film that initiated the Mouse’s animation revival in 1989. For the first time in quite some time, Disney finally had a box office success, and the rest is history. As for the quality, this is a fun, charming film that was a huge part of my childhood. My sister adored this movie, and the songs were played in my household over and over again. One can’t argue how great “Under the Sea” and “Part of Your World” are. The hand-drawn animation still holds up. Ursula still gives me nightmares as the villainous goddess. There are silly moments that the kids will gobble up, but there are enough enjoyable moments for adults. Ariel is a great Disney Princess that belongs in the pantheon of great Disney princesses. Who can resist the charm of Sebastian’s crankiness? He made a worthy sidekick for Ariel. The Little Mermaid is seen as the transition from old school Disney to new style that would take ov...

  My Left Foot (1989) My Left Foot is a brilliant film. It is a small Irish movie about a gifted man being dealt a bad hand with the crippling disease cerebral palsy. What I like about Jim Sheridan’s flick is that he did not set out to make an inspirational or sentimental film, yet it does inspire. Christy Brown is a real figure who, despite his late start, became an artist and author who left behind works and of course inspiration for people in similar situations. Daniel Day-Lewis delivered some successful performances, but he really became known to Hollywood with his Oscar-winning performance. Dustin Hoffman won the previous year for his Rain Man performance, one that tackles similar disability issues. As great as that performance was, Day-Lewis took it a step higher and became the character. In addition, the film manages to be funny. There are some scenes that had me laughing out loud. Christy playing goalkeeper in a soccer match is one of those scenes. Just for the heck of i...

  Black Rain (1989) There is stuff to like in Ridley Scott’s Black Rain . Sadly, the good stuff is overshadowed by its cliched, paper-thin story with a predictable ending and characters that are not fully developed. A quote about Scott came to mind. “Being a Ridley Scott film, it’s 90% atmosphere and 10% story.” Maybe a good portion of his films are not that dramatic, but I related to that quote here. But what an atmosphere the movie has! Osaka has been used in many films, but never like this. Scott always had an impressive hand with visuals. While watching the movie, Blade Runner came to mind. Yet in that story, the characters used the visuals and production design for a purpose. Here, not so much. The dark, Gotham-like feeling seems to be here just because. Still, Jan De Bont’s camerawork and Norris Spencer’s production design are expertly staged and plays a major reason why the film remains as watchable as it is. I was struck by the plot because I am fascinated in groups that ...

  Casualties of War (1989) In Brian De Palma’s first film since The Untouchables , Casualties of War is a harrowing war movie about a true event that took place during the Vietnam War. Up to this point, most Vietnam War movies such as Platoon or The Deer Hunter were lighter stories about male camaraderie and the inner workings of lifelong bonding in the platoons. De Palma, instead, used the horror imagery he is known for and created a realistic yet terrifying movie about evil deeds men commit just to satisfy their sexual desires. The military is painted in a much darker light by De Palma compared to other military films yet is still criticized for adding additional scenes that take away the potency of the actual story. Like many of De Palma’s films, the emotion is relied upon the strengths of the actors. Sean Penn and Michael J. Fox do deliver big-time in eliciting genuine emotion from the audience. At least for me. I was disturbed, angry, and incredibly sad at the events that occu...

  Uncle Buck (1989) While not the perfect comedy, John Hughes’s Uncle Buck is an underrated comedy. Hughes, as evidently seen in Planes, Trains, and Automobiles , knows perfectly well how to use John Candy in his movies. Candy is at his best when he plays these hapless characters because these characters may be wayward or dare I say dimwitted, but they always have a big heart. This character is no exception. At times, the film is threatened by mean-spiritedness or sentimentality, but there is enough heart to give the film a pass. At times, there is some hilarious comedy. In a fine example of being mean-spirited yet utterly hilarious, Candy’s line (“take this quarter, go downtown…”) stays with me every time. Hey, Uncle Buck tries to do right by the children no matter what he has to do or say. If anything, I did have a problem with Jean Louisa Kelly’s performance and how the script used her. She was just angry about everything! Even in my hormonal years, I never was half that angry. ...

  Parenthood (1989) Ron Howard truly matured as a film director with his 1989 offering, Parenthood . He has seen critical and financial success previously with Splash and Cocoon , but he took a complex theme and created a story entirely relatable. Not necessarily for me, but for all the middle-class parents out there. Whether it’s 1989 or 2021, parenting is an important and complex issue. The movie made me understand the nuances of parenting. As the ancient matriarch of the family compared with her intelligent rollercoaster quip, parenting is like a rollercoaster as it has its ups and downs. I am sure my parents would find that a fair assessment based on my childhood. The film may run long and felt leisurely paced at times, Howard got to the heart of the matter by creating a relatable family. Even though the film is more dramatic than comedic, there are some moments of hilarious comedy that ensues. When Steve Martin puts on the cowboy act? Gold! The heart of the film came from th...

  Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) If you liked Lethal Weapon , you would like Lethal Weapon 2 . Action sequels very rarely are on par or exceed the quality of the original. This particular sequel is no exception to the rule, but it comes very close. Like the 1987 original, the relationship between Riggs and Murtagh is the heart of the story. Their partnership is the reason why this action series is better than most. Most of the action is loud and dumb, but Richard Donner (returning to the director’s chair) and his team made you invest in these sequences. Some of them (okay, most of them) were awesome! The helicopter gunship blowing Riggs’s trailer to pieces and especially the sequence where Murtagh cannot leave the toilet or will get blown up are memorable action scenes. I liked the villain. Their scheme is a bit complex but the steely-eyed Arjen Rudd and his righthand hit man are impressive in making us despise them…and giving the cops a worthy opponent. After the success of them origina...

  Do the Right Thing (1989) I was shaken by the ending of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing . It took me so long to finally watch the movie which is shameful given today’s climate and recent events. My first Lee film was 1988’s School Daze . While I could see the talent, I was not impressed quite frankly. His next film did the trick. Lee was in complete control of the story. He knew how he wanted his story to progress but held his cards close to the chest. The first half, while you can sense some simmering tensions, was about getting to know a group of people and their sense of community. It was about people living their everyday lives. A slow-build with some fine comedy moments sprinkled in Lee’s script. Then, he laid down the hammer as racial violence comes into play. It is hard to believe the movie came out in 1989. Some sequences are eerily reminiscent of what is happening in today’s world. It goes to show how far (or not) we came as a society. I find it hilarious how Lee came u...

  Batman (1989) Much in the veins of Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark , Tim Burton’s Batman is influential in terms of how movies are produced and operated today. I personally think it is the film which made comic book films popular despite the rousing success of Superman: The Movie . This is also the first Batman movie I have ever seen. The film’s visuals and production design gave the movie a distinct look, one that is reminiscent of a noir movie. If only the lead female was a femme fatale rather than a damsel in distress. The dark atmosphere and tone are what I associate with when I think about Batman, a shadow of the night. The film works not only with its tone, but Jack Nicholson’s spectacular turn as The Joker and Michael Keaton’s surprising work with the Dark Knight. Tim Burton, who was not originally a comic book fan, really captured the tone and spirit of what I always imagined Batman to be. By the 1970’s, the popularity of Batman was waning. Bob Kane created Batman duri...

  Ghostbusters II (1989) Ghostbusters II is the much-maligned follow-up to the 1984 classic that took the world by slime…ahem storm. Contemporary audiences (which obviously includes myself) is kinder on the sequel. While not as a good as the first film, the sequel remains a fun, charming picture. The humor is not as prevalent which I admit was an initial turnoff. But the darker set pieces and the amazing cast elevated the film. It is not without its problems. I already mentioned the lack of humor, but I was not the biggest fan of the villain, Vigo the Carpathian. He comes across as a weaker version of Dracula. That said, his character is enhanced by this cool-looking ectoplasmic slime that feeds off the negativity of New Yorkers (jeez, this slime would elevate any villain these days), so I did like that. I also felt the film lacked the originality and surprise of the original Ghostbusters . The sequel is filmed in a familiar way even down to a mid-film montage sequence set over a ...

  Dead Poets Society (1989) Have you ever had a high school English class where you were bored to death as your teacher droned on and on about Walt Whitman? I did which made me appreciate Dead Poets Society even more. This movie is about the love of teaching and how the great teachers resonate with their students and get them to fall in love with subjects they despise. What John Keating was to these students was like how my geometry teacher was with me. More than a decade after graduation, we still communicate over our shared interests. Admittedly a bit one-sided, the film nonetheless has a place in my heart. Robin Williams delivers a committed performance. The young cast is impressive (looking at you, Ethan Hawke.) The drama delivers the emotions (even if you can accuse the film of manipulation). By the end, I was choking up with emotion. I did not care that I saw the ending from miles away. The “O Captain, O Captain” scene tugs me every time I see it. When Robin Williams passed i...

  Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) To put it simply, I loved Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade . After the darker Temple of Doom , Steven Spielberg wanted to bring back the lightheartedness that made Raiders of the Lost Ark such an endearing classic. He succeeded and nearly even topped the first film in sheer joy and adventure. Might as well call the two adventures even in my book. The film has amazing set pieces (the rat scene in Venice among others). What I really liked the most? The introduction of Dr. Henry Jones, Indiana’s father, played beautifully by Sean Connery. Through most of the film, Harrison Ford and Connery have such a strong rapport together and their arcs intersected in the best possible way. Indiana Jones beating up Nazi thugs in Raiders was a treat. Why not have him do it again, so Nazis are our main villains once again. For a brief moment, Indiana comes face-to-face with Adolf Hitler in such a chilling sequence at a book-burning rally. Finally, I loved...

  Field of Dreams (1989) “If you build it, he will come.” Those famous words resonated with me for a long time after watching the movie for the first time as a child. I have always been a huge baseball fan, but it is important to know that this is truly not about baseball but about people and their past, present, and future. For me, it was a religious experience. What was the religion? Baseball! The baseball diamond is the house of worship. Phil Alden Robinson’s Field of Dreams is the preacher. This is not a flick for cynics, realists, or anyone with anti-sentimental bias. It is a film that requires you to be sentimental in order to experience what many people have over the course of the years. James Earl Jones’s speech is one of the best cinematic speeches ever. There is no topping it. As a picture that revolves around baseball, this is my favorite. This and The Natural are ones that gave me an otherworldly feeling, although one is slightly more heavy-handed than the other. In...