Top 10 Films of 1989

1. ''Meet The Feebles'' (Peter Jackson, New Zealand)

2. "The Killer" (John Woo, Hong Kong)

3. "When Harry Met Sally" (Rob Reiner, USA)

4. ''The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover'' (Peter Greenaway, UK)

5. "Time Of The Gypsies" (Emir Kusturica, Yugoslavia)

6. ''Valmont'' (Milos Forman, USA)

7. "My 20th Century" (Ildikó Enyedi, Hungary)

8. "Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade" (Steven Spielberg, USA)

9. "Un Monde sans pitié" (Eric Rochant, France)

10. "Heathers" (Michael Lehmann, USA)

Other great films:

84 Charlie MoPic

The Abyss

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen

Ashik Kerib (Soviet Union)

Batman
A Better Tomorrow III (Hong Kong)
Black Rain (Japan)

Born On The Fourth Of July

City Of Sadness (Taiwan)
Crimes And Misdemeanors
The Cyclist (Iran)

Dead Poets Society

Do The Right Thing

Drugstore Cowboy

Earth Girls Are Easy

Enemies: A Love Story

Great Balls Of Fire

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids

The Icicle Thief (Italy)

In The Line Of Duty 4 (Hong Kong)
I Want To Go Home (France)

Jesus de Montreal (Canada)

Kiki's Delivery Service (Japan)

Kindergarten Jardin des Infantes (Argentina)

Leningrad Cowboys Go America (Finland)

Lethal Weapon 2

Licence To Kill

The Little Mermaid

My Left Foot (Ireland)

Noce blanche (France)

Ostatni prom (Poland)

Pedicab Driver (Hong Kong)

La Réception (Canada)
Roger & Me

Sea Of Love

Sex, Lies And Videotape

Shirley Valentine (UK)

Tango & Cash

Trop belle pour toi! (France)

The Unbelievable Truth

The War Of The Roses

Yaaba (Burkina Faso)

Top 10 Guilty Pleasures of 1989:

1. "Scandal" (Michael Caton-Jones, UK)

2. "Atame" (Pedro Almodovar, Spain)

3. "Sweetie" (Jane Campion, Australia)

4. "Mystery Train" (Jim Jarmusch, USA)

5. "Santa Sangre" (Alejandro Jodorowsky, Mexico)

6. "Kopytem sem kopytem tam" (Vera Chytilová, Czechoslovakia)

7. "La Fille de quinze ans" (Jacques Doillon, France)

8. "Helmut Newton: Frames From The Edge" (Adrian Maben, Germany)

9. "Mes nuits sont plus belles que vos jours" (Andrzej Zulawski, France)

10. "Night Trips" (Andrew Blake, USA)

Short Top 3:

1. "The Deadman" (Peggy Ahwesh, USA)

2. "Ce qui me meut" (Cédric Klapisch, France)

3. "Cycles" (Zeinabu irene Davis, USA)

Other great shorts:

Almanach (France)

Martina's Playhouse

You Take Care Now (Canada)

Top 3 Music Videos:

1. "Express Yourself" (David Fincher, Madonna)

2. "Straight Up" (David Fincher, Paula Abdul)

3. "She Drives Me Crazy" (Philippe Decouflé, Fine Young Cannibals)

Top Commercial:

"Soviet Union" (Pepsi)

TV Top 3:

1. "Dekalog" (Krzysztof Kieslowski, TVP, Poland)

2. "Lonesome Dove" (Simon Wincer, CBS)

3. "Miami Vice: Victims Of Circumstance" (Colin Bucksey, NBC)

 

Other great TV shows:

Jeux de societe (France)

Cartoon Top 3:

1. "25 Ways To Quit Smoking" (Bill Plympton, USA)

2. "Tummy Trouble" (Rob Minkoff, Disney)

3. "Balance" (Christoph Lauenstein, Wolfgang Lauenstein, Germany)

Other great cartoons:

How To Kiss
Juke-Bar (Canada)
Knick Knack

Korova (Soviet Union)
War Story (UK)

Weak films of 1989:

All Dogs Go To Heaven
Always
Back To The Future II
Black Rain
Blaze
Celia (Australia)
Cruising Bar (Canada)
Les Deux Fragonard (France)
Driving Miss Daisy
A Dry, White Season
Eat A Bowl Of Tea
Eight Taels Of Gold (Hong Kong)
Eric The Viking
Fields Of Dreams
Glory
God Of Gamblers (Hong Kong)
Gross Anatomy
Henry V (UK)
Internal Affairs
Look Who's Talking
Monsieur Hire (France)
Music Box
National Lampoo's Christmas Vacation
Palombella rossa (Italy)
Parenthood
Portion d'éternité (Canada)
Prancer
La Revolution Francaise (France)
Romero
The Scenes Of The Class Struggle In Beverly Hills
She-Devil
The Sleazy Uncle (Italy)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier
Steel Magnolias
La Vie et rien d'autre (France)
Waltzing Regitze (Denmark)
What Time Is It ? (Italy)
Young Einstein (Australia)

Weak shorts:

Diner avec M. Boy et la femme qui aime Jesus (France)
Picture Perfect (Canada)

Weak cartoons:

245 Days
L'Anniversaire (Canada)
La Boite (Canada)
Colporteur (Canada)
Felicité (Canada)
The Hill Farm (UK)
Ident (UK)
Nathael et la chasse aux phoques (Canada)
Next (UK)

Top Musical of 1989

"Great Balls Of Fire" (Jim McBride, Orion)

Meet The Feebles (1989) *****

The Killer (1989) *****

Fast-paced, stylish, entertaining and inventive action film from Hong Kong's top director, John Woo. Chow Yun-Fat plays a professional hitman who accidentally blinds a cabaret singer (Sally Yip) and is pursued by a tough cop (Danny Lee). There is also a director's cut (longer by 35 minutes). Most of that footage deals with another hitman, played by Chu Kong.

When Harry Met Sally (1989) *****

A screamingly funny and very perceptive comedy about two close friends (Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan), afraid to ruin their friendship by becoming lovers. Their slow realization that they are meant for each other is the core of this witty and intelligent film. A rare gem, directed by Bob Reiner.

The Cyclist (1989) ****

Brilliant film directed by Mohsen Makhmalbaf.

The Adventures Of Baron Munchausen (1989) ****

Valmont (1989) ****

Noce blanche (1989) ****

Jesus de Montreal (1989) ****

Do The Right Thing (1989) ****

Time Of The Gypsies (1989) ****

The Cook, The Thief, His Wife And Her Lover (1989) ****

The War Of The Roses (1989) ****

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) ****

Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. A young witch comes to a big city and uses her talents to make deliveries for people. A wonderful animated fable from Japan.

My 20th Century (1989) ****

Un Monde sans pitié (1989) ****

A wonderfully spontaneous and imaginative comedy about a carefree womanizer (Hippolyte Girardot) trying to form a meaningful relationship with his new girlfriend (Mireille Perrier).

The Little Mermaid (1989) ****

Delightful Disney animated fairy-tale about a headstrong mermaid, Ariel, defying her father, King Triton, and falling in love with a handsome prince, Eric. It's a very loose adaptation of a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The animation is superb, colors are lively and the musical score (by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman) is both imaginative and appealing. The film has several outstanding musical numbers, including "Under The Sea", a Busby Berkeley-inspired extravaganza featuring dancing crabs, singing octopies, choruses of shrimps and an amazing variety of colorful, exotic fishes. There is also an evil squid witch Ursula, who tricks Ariel into a scamy deal, and Louis, a wickedly funny French chef, whose desperate attempts to capture (and cook) Ariel's friend Sebastian the Crab, is the comic highlight of the film. Songs include: 

"Fathom's Below" 

"Daughters Of Triton" 

"Part Of Your World" *** 

"Under The Sea" *** 

"Poor Unfortunate Souls" * 

"Les Poissons" * 

"Kiss The Girl" ***

Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade (1989) ****

Magnificently entertaining adventure film with the famous archeologist fighting the Nazis, meeting his father and looking for the Holy Grail. Exciting and screamingly funny.

Batman (1989) ****

Violent action/adventure/fantasy blockbuster about heroic Batman (Michael Keaton) fighting evil Joker (Jack Nicholson). Truly amazing set designs and superlative direction by Tim Burton.

Heathers (1989) ****

A disturbing, cynical, hilarious, one-of-a-kind nihilistic masterpiece of black humor. The film is set in a suburban Ohio high school virtually ruled by a quartet of beautiful young girls. One of them, sharp and intelligent Veronica (Winona Ryder) gets involved with a juvenile delinquent J.D. (Christian Slater) and soon finds herself involved in a messy intrigue related to three mysterious suicides. The script, written by Daniel Waters, is full of wonderfully obscene dialogues and sharp one-liners. The film has a dark, lynchian undertone of evil menace lurking beneath a calm surface. An off-beat, sardonic look at teenage caste system, peer pressure and teen angst. Superbly directed by Michael Lehmann.

City Of Sadness (1989) ***

La Réception (1989) ***

A Canadian adaptation of Agatha Christie's "Ten Little Indians". Very low-budget, but ingenious.

Drugstore Cowboy (1989) ***

Black Rain (1989) ***

Superlative human drama about survivors of Hiroshima. Great portrait of Japanese customs and moral principles.

The Abyss (1989) ***

Crimes And Misdemeanors (1989) ***

A humorous tale about jealousy and success is contrasted with a serious story about obsession and murder. Excellent Woody Allen's film, skilfully combining his witty dialogue comedies (like "Annie Hall") with his grim, introspective dramas (like "September").

84 Charlie MoPic (1989) ***

Vietnam War seen through the lenses of a reporter's camera.

Great Balls Of Fire (1989) ***

This musical biography of rock 'n' roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis (played by Dennis Quaid) focuses on his controversial marriage to his 13-year old cousin, Myra (Winona Ryder). Songs include:

"Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On" ***
"Great Balls Of Fire" ***
"High School Confidential" **
"Breathless" **
"Real Wild Child (Wild One)" **

Honey, I Shrunk The Kids (1989) ***

Good special effects and some clowning from Rick Moranis just about save this otherwise average science-fiction/comedy/adventure.

Sea Of Love (1989) ***

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Lethal Weapon 2 (1989) ***

Enemies: A Love Story (1989) ***

Born On The Fourth Of July (1989) ***

Mystery Train (1989) ***

Ashik Kerib (1989) ***

Tango & Cash (1989) ***

In The Line Of Duty 4 (1989) ***

A fine crime flick starring Cynthia Khan and Donnie Yen. The film is surprisingly anti-American - the villains are CIA agents who deal drugs in order to finance the Contras. Aka "Witness".

I Want To Go Home (1989) ***

An American cartoonist tries to find his daughter while attending an art exhibition in Paris. Screamingly funny comedy written by Jules Feiffer and directed by Alain Resnais. It's a sincere tribute to the American cartoon artists. One should absolutely avoid a horrendously dubbed French version, which doesn't make any sense, since the crucial point of the film relates to the American cartoonist's inability and unwillingness to communicate in French.

Licence To Kill (1989) ***

An unusually serious James Bond flick with Timothy Dalton seeking revenge. Dark and violent.

My Left Foot (1989) ***

Film biography of Christy Brown, the famous Irish poet and painter, who suffered from celebral palsy that crippled his arms and right leg.

Pedicab Driver (1989) ***

A chop socky film from Hong Kong; one of the best of its kind.

Roger & Me (1989) ***

Powerful documentary about the economic disaster in Flint, Michigan, where GM closed a large plant in the mid-1980's. Director Michael Moore unsuccessfully tries to meet the company's president Roger Smith. Often hilarious, always sarcastic, the film is a devastating condemnation of the corporate greed.

Sex, Lies And Videotape (1989) ***

An interesting film about complex relationships between family members and friends. Winner of the Palme d'or in Cannes.

The Unbelievable Truth (1989) ***

Hal Hartley's feature film debut.

Dead Poets Society (1989) ***

Memorable film about a poetry teacher (Robin Williams) and his students, set in a Vermont private school in the late 1950's.

Earth Girls Are Easy (1989) ***

Very campy musical comedy about three hunky aliens (Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans) landing their spaceship in Geena Davis' pool. Songs and musical numbers:

"Brand New Girl" *

"The Ground You Walk On" *

"Deca Dance" **

"'Cause I'M A Blond" ***

A Better Tomorrow III (1989) ***

Set in Saigon in 1974 and 1975 (with a brief intermission in Hong Kong), it's a prequel to the first two films. Directed by Tsui Hark, who puts more emphasis on characters than on action.