seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Singapore
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Türkiye
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from Türkiye
seen from China
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
Europa Europa (1990). A boy in Nazi Germany, trying to conceal that he is Jewish, joins the Hitler Youth.
A haunting coming-of-age exploring exactly what we can adapt to when we're trying to survive. I really loved this one, it's equal parts harrowing and moving and genuinely quite funny. There's a really good rhythm to it, with some excellent performances from the young cast. a really unique WWII film, and a unique coming of age film at that. 8/10.
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991). Robin Hood decides to fight back as an outlaw when faced with the tyranny of the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Full disclaimer, I grew up with this movie, and rewatching it as an adult is like - - is it good? No. Does it scratch a nostalgia itch in me? Yes. Also is it more fun than 95% of modern action-romances? YES. It's big and loud and kind of basic, but I cry every time Kevin Costner says he has a brother, so maybe I am too!! (Although honestly I think it's better than it gets credit for). 7/10.
The Fisher King (1991). A former radio DJ, suicidally despondent because of a terrible mistake he once made, finds redemption in helping a mentally unstable homeless man who was an innocent victim of that mistake.
Maybe Terry Gilliam’s best film? The heart in this none beats hard, grounded by some career-best performances from both Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges, and the perfect blend of fantasy, surrealism and genuine, real world consequences. Really loved this one. 8/10.
Terminator 2: Judgement Day (1991). A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her ten year old son John from an even more advanced and powerful cyborg.
It really does have to be straight up one of the best action movies of all time, and one of the best sequels. Taut, thrilling, action packed, and genuinely pretty emotional - it's one of the few action movie classics that really lives up to the hype. 8/10.
The Commitments (1991). Jimmy Rabbitte, an unemployed Dublin boy, decides to put together a soul band made up entirely of the Irish working class.
Soul music and Irish folk meet surprisingly well in this film about class, hope and Ireland. It very much sets the stage (pun intended!) for an entire subgenre of cinema, and as it often goes in those cases, you have to try and place it in time and context to avoid the feeling that you’ve seen it before. Great performances, great pacing, but I wish we’d gotten to know everyone a bit better. 7/10.
Hook (1991). When Captain James Hook kidnaps his children, an adult Peter Pan must return to Neverland and reclaim his youthful spirit in order to challenge his old enemy.
It's interesting to rewatch the movies you adored as a child ony to be mostly disappointed. Man, this is way too long, narratively clunky and thematically a bit of a mess. Still, the childhood nostalgia kicks in, and the cast clearly having a lot of fun sells it enough on even its worst moments. Wish it was better, but at least the Hook costume is sick. 6/10.
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). On the eve of retirement, Kirk and McCoy are charged with assassinating the Klingon High Chancellor and imprisoned. The Enterprise crew must help them escape to thwart a conspiracy aimed at sabotaging the last best hope for peace.
Not my favourite Star Trek, but it really is a fitting close to the OG crew. With its focus on politics, bigotry, and the wounds of the past, it finds its way through as it always does - with hope, reconciliation, and the promise of exploration. Good performances, good score, and just a reminder of how good this franchise is, even when it's not quite at it's best. 7/10.
Cape Fear (1991). A convicted rapist, released from prison after serving a fourteen-year sentence, stalks the family of the lawyer who originally defended him.
Anchored by another staggering performance from Robert De Niro and an underrated Jessica Lange, this taut remake of a crime classic feels like both an homage and something totally original. It builds tension with Scorsese's signature flare, and culminates in a pretty unforgettable climax. Just a really, really great thriller, even if it's a little hard to disentangle from The Simpsons spoof of it these days. 8/10.
