Twenty years later, I can vividly remember sitting in a theater being mesmerized by the cinematography in the film, A River Runs Through It (1992). Based on the true story of Norman Maclean’s life in Missoula, Montana, Robert Redford directs a gripping period piece about fly fishing and the different paths that two brothers take after their upbringing by a Presbyterian minister. The great Philippe Rousselot deservedly won Best Oscar for Cinematography, with the great Mark Isham nominated for his brilliant score. The soundtrack alone is worth watching the film. Brad Pitt, just as he was beginning his ascent to fame, plays the troublemaker brother.

You will not see too many other films, if any, as visually stunning as this one. And that includes all of the over-the-top-special-effects/compensating for a miserable plot/script films being made today.

__________________________________

__________________________________

They don’t make ’em any better than Clint Eastwood’s, Million Dollar Baby (2004). The underdog boxer (although here it is a female) being pushed by a tough trainer is nothing new in cinema, as we have seen that storyline over and over again throughout the years. And yet, Eastwood (Director, Leading Actor) and screenwriter Paul Haggis deliver original dialogue that stretches beyond boxing and sports, in addition to a few shockers as the film develops. If you think you know where this film is going after the first few scenes, trust me: You don’t.

_________________________

Summer has unofficially kicked off, and there is no better film that captures a slice of Americana this time of year than Field of Dreams (1989). You have farmers in Iowa, baseball, Fenway Park, the 1919 Chicago Black Sox, Moonlight Graham, among many other memorable characters in this timeless classic.  Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, Amy Madigan, and Timothy Busfield lead a star-studded cast.

_______________________________

_______________________________

Big Night (1996) details how tough the restaurant business can be, even for two talented Italian brothers who cook their native cuisine in America. As the title indicates, the brothers gamble on one “big night” to try to save their teetering restaurant. The characters and dialogue are compelling, as the film pulls you into the other side of the business that we rarely even acknowledge while thumbing through the menu. On a long holiday weekend, this is a good one to get lost in and recharge your batteries.

Big Night is easily one of the better, under the radar films from the 1990’s.

________________________

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y245eeWNRI

You want to talk about foreshadowing the way Wall Street has become? How about a mathematical genius who believes he can boil the stock market down to a basic code found in ancient holy scriptures?

I was lucky enough to catch Pi (1998) on the big screen back when it was released. I had to find a small art house theater in Manhattan to see it, but it was well worth it to catch this original and gripping black-and-white drama.

From RottenTomatoes.com:

Darren Aronofsky scripted and made his directorial debut with this experimental feature with mathematical plot threads hinting at science-fictional elements. In NYC’s Chinatown, recluse math genius Max (Sean Gullette) believes “everything can be understood in terms of numbers,” and he looks for a pattern in the system as he suffers headaches, plays Go with former teacher Sol Robeson (Mark Margolis), and fools around with an advanced computer system he’s built in his apartment. Both a Wall Street company and a Hasidic sect take an interest in his work, but he’s distracted by blackout attacks, hallucinations, and paranoid delusions.

________________________________

I am  pressed for time tonight, so I will just suggest you watch In Bruges (2008), a great film with quality acting.