GMD Social Poll: Top Ten Films of 1990

[CiG]

Jesus only 4 lists so far? For some reason I thought there were more.

 

[no country for old wainds]

tag everyone who voted previously i guess? ill be doing a list ofc, and TB and challenge_everything probs will

 

[Einherjar86]

14. Jacob's Ladder

A post-Vietnam psychological horror film that wants to be Lynchian on purpose and unintentionally plays out like Hollywood's answer to Combat Shock. This film would be instantly improved if the horror elements weren't used for jumpscares that flash on the screen for a second and then vanish but rather went with the true Lynchian approach wherein the horror puts itself in front of your eyes and waits there while you try to process what you're seeing. That's a true nightmare, something that's still there after you blink.

That said, the more mundane slice-of-life scenes in this film really breathe and make you wish they dropped the blatant horror elements altogether. The way director Adrian Lyne captures the grief, PTSD and generally dirty and dilapidated existence of Jacob is the strength of the film, as well as Tim Robbins who acted his ass off here. I think Jacob's Ladder is a prime example of what a "flawed masterpiece" is.

Nice write-ups.

I was always more fond of the first half of Jacob's Ladder than the second, although I haven't seen it in years. It remember it building a fantastic atmosphere of dread, but then losing it in the second half.

I probably won't be making a list--not my favorite year, and this week is busy.

 

[no country for old wainds]

i wrote this before on jacob’s ladder, which i stand by:
take away the whole puzzle/twist plot and audience handholding and the lamer horror elements, double down on that undercurrent of trauma and pathos and just gimme a full on descent into a subjective existential crisis, and you'd probably have one of my favourite movies. there's a lot to love about this and robbins is great, but it just feels like such a watered down, user-friendly version of its best self that i can't help being disappointed.

 

[CiG]

I probably won't be making a list--not my favorite year, and this week is busy.

At this rate I will probably push the deadline back a couple of weeks. I don't have anywhere near enough lists.

 

[challenge_everything]

I could probably do a list now but another week would be great.

 

[CiG]

 

[no country for old wainds]

in the process of writing mine out, sorry it's taken longer than intended. i hope some other lists will come in too!

 

[challenge_everything]

I started typing a list the other day and somehow lost it. And now I'm flat out so can't include any comments this time.

1. Miller's Crossing (Joel Coen)
2. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (Tom Stoppard)
3. Cyrano de Bergerac (Jean-Paul Rappeneau)
4. Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese)
5. Jacob's Ladder (Adrian Lyne)
6. The Godfather Part III (Francis Ford Coppola)
7. Dances With Wolves (Kevin Costner)
8. Total Recall (Paul Verhoeven)
9. Gremlins 2: The New Batch (Joe Dante)
10. Hardware (Richard Stanley)

HM:
La Femme Nikita (Luc Besson)
King of New York (Abel Ferrara)
Close-Up (Abbas Kiarostami)
Europa Europa (Agnieska Holland)
Misery (Rob Reiner)

 

[challenge_everything]

Wanted to watch Wild at Heart before doing my list coz I remember nothing about it

 

[CiG]

@MetalAges got a list for me inside that brain of yours?

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

I still have to watch Edward Scissorhands and Millers Crossing again before voting. I alsow anna watch Lionheart again but im not sure how im gonna do that

 

[MetalAges]

Man I hate these things, makes me think too much!

Goodfellas
Nightbreed
Total Recall
Dances With Wolves
Tremors
Misery
Edward Scissorhands
Exorcist III (I liked it)
Home Alone
Ghost (I know, I know...)
Lionheart (I know that's 11 - fun movie)

Anyone that puts Godfather III on their list I am banning. HAH!

 

[CiG]

Anyone that puts Godfather III on their list I am banning. HAH!

Anybody who puts Ghost on their list I'm paying an assassin to sunset off the face of the earth.

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

Anyone that puts Godfather III on their list I am banning. HAH!

its definitely a turd in comparison to Part 1 and 2. But on its own its not that bad, not sure if its gonna make my list though

 

[dwellerINTHEdark]

So much nostalgia here...

1. Home Alone
2. The Witches
3. Back to the Future Part III
4. Child's Play 2
5. Goodfellas
6. Edward Scissorhands
7. Problem Child
8. Three Men and a Little Lady
9. Kindergarten Cop
10. Ghost

 

[TechnicalBarbarity]

i loved Kindergarten Cop when i was a youngster, havent seen it in at least 15 years i wanna say. So many movies, so little time

 

[CiG]

Arnie should have worn a beard more often.

 

[challenge_everything]

Anyone that puts Godfather III on their list I am banning. HAH!

I love Godfather III, the whole 'going straight' theme is a cliche but as with all the Godfather films it's more universal than that, it's 'successful but world-weary guy wondering if it was all worth it' which I come across a lot at work. And at least it's not a cash-in like sequels these days, it actually contributes and builds on the earlier movies.

 

[CiG]

You really do have to separate it from the first two films to truly enjoy it, I feel. I watched all 3 back-to-back and it was my first time seeing the 3rd one and I pretty much hated it.

Watched it much later on its own and since then I've come to quite like it.