The Films of 1995

FILM Movie Miscellany
1

1995 was 30 years ago, for those keeping track.

I had hopes for comic book films like Batman Forever, Judge Dredd and Tank Girl (mostly not realized). Mallrats really hit the spot for Gen-X comic readers. The cyberpunk/technothriller movie genre emerged with Johnny Mnemonic, Strange Days and Virtuosity. And, uh…The Net.

Loved indie comedies Living In Oblivion and Welcome to the Dollhouse.

There’s a lot of topics to cover, but don’t forget to argue about GoldenEye.

Crank up the No Doubt CD and crack open an Entertainment Weekly. Let’s get old (school)!

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hell yea

the year of the return of durant!!

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To this day I haven’t seen NINE MONTHS. How could you, Hugh?

4

Ah, yes, 1995, the year of indie New York City vampire movies that metaphorically look at drug addiction: Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction and Larry Fessenden’s Habit. I prefer the former, but they both have their places in horror history.

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My favorites of 1995:

APOLLO 13
BRAVEHEART
CASINO
GOLDENEYE
SEVEN
TOY STORY

6

This week’s new releases include Sigourney Weaver in Death and the Maiden, Susan Sarandon in Safe Passage, and this '90s slacker date night staple:

Since I already saw Tales From The Crypt Presents: Demon Knight last week, I might check this out.

7

Looking back at this year, it’s just another 90s year, yet so vastly superior to any year since about 2010 it’s sad.

Heat, Seven, Sense and Sensibility, Devil in a Blue Dress, Crimson Tide, Exotica (US release), Before Sunrise, Babe, Persuasion, 12 Monkeys, Dead Man Walking, Apollo 13, Rob Roy, Toy Story, Clueless, Safe, Clockers, and much more. And that’s leaving out a bunch that are good but I don’t think nearly as high of as a lot of folks (Usual Suspects, Casino, Braveheart,etc…)

Also some of the most infamous bombs in history. Even the bad movies were interesting!

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BABE! TOMMY BOY! SAFE! BILLY MADISON! LA CEREMONIE!

It was a good year.

9

My favorites of 1995 in no particular order:
Desperado
Bad Boys
Crimson Tide
Die Hard with a Vengeance
Rob Roy
Waterworld
Seven
Mortal Kombat
Goldeneye
Casino
Lord of Illusions
Demon Knight
Tales from the Hood
Friday
Sudden Death (yes way)
The Prophecy
Village of the Damned
In the Mouth of Madness

I love schlock. Some of these movies, if not “good” in the traditional sense, are so very very watchable. I’ve outgrown Batman Forever though. I used to really enjoy it but it has aged HORRIBLY just like Judge Dredd. It looks twenty years older than something like Seven. It even looks dated next to Mortal Kombat IMO..

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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.

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1995 was an amazing year for mid-budget thrillers that have stood the test of time. SEVEN, CRIMSON TIDE, THE QUICK AND THE DEAD, HEAT, SUDDEN DEATH, DESPERADO… Even slightly lamer films like ASSASSINS, OUTBREAK and IN THE NICK OF TIME remain watchable.

13

One is obviously better than the other but I honestly enjoy both. Village of the Damned is also notable as the last screen appearance of Christopher Reeve prior to his injury. I also think Carpenter’s Village of the Damned is better than the original. Though that frankly has more to do with the original being not that great..

14

I cannot tolerate Carpenter’s VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED.

It’s in a close contest with GHOSTS OF MARS for his worst movie for me.

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I seriously can’t imagine either of those being rated below Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Vampires or The Ward. Both of them have a sense of fun and unique corniness (or corny uniqueness?) entirely absent from the others (IMO). And they at least feel like Carpenter films…which goes a long way with me. Arguably too far lol.

I mean…don’t get me wrong. I’m mostly saying that they just work for me in certain ways. And I’m certainly not trying to make them out to be better than they are. If I’m being really honest, I don’t entirely understand why I find them so watchable outside of the fact that they bear Carpenter’s mark and that I have a high tolerance for such things in some cases..

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Oh man, I never see 1995 get thrown out there as one of the best years of all time, but maybe it should be.

CONGO!

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CONGO is Ernie Hudson’s finest hour.

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Unquestionably. He’s so goddamn cool in it.

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Delroy Lindo steals the movie in one scene..

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I remember being disappointed by CONGO as I had really enjoyed ARACHNOPHOBIA (“What’s your favorite subject?” “Gym”) in high school. Bruce Campbell biting it early didn’t help either.

I think 1995 might have been my biggest movie going year ever. I had a lot of free time in college and was also a cheap date. I even saw CRIMSON TIDE for the 2nd time in Japan while visiting my buddy who had resumed his university studies there after completing his 2 year mandatory military service w/ the Korean navy (where he became a full fledged naval combat otaku). He fucking loved it.