The Wasteland Reviewer

The Wasteland Into the Past: 1993

Welcome to The Wasteland into the Past! Join this journey backwards in time as I take a cinematic look at years past. Each article will focus on a singular year and my Top 5 films from that year. Turn back the clock with me…and let’s get started! 

1993

The Nightmare Before Christmas

What is one of the most influential stop motion animated films of all time? When you have a film that basically makes the whole entire vibe and theme of Hot Topic, you know that you have penetrated pop culture in a major way. A mixture of Tim Burton’s vision, Henry Selick’s craft, and all the Halloween vibes you can muster, A Nightmare Before Christmas is a wondrous achievement of filmmaking. The most significant element is the vast world-building that springs forth from the twisted and inventive mind of Burton. Halloween land and all its creepy and kooky denizens are so wondrous and exciting to explore. The Christmas land is charming as well with all types of vibrant and warm elements that define it. The character designs are so detailed and grotesque while coming to life with the impressive craftsmanship of the artist responsible for all the stop motion figures. The rich colors and engrossing cinematography that are full of shadows and dynamic lights brings these fantastical worlds to life so vividly. The music is iconic from start to finish. Few songs capture the Halloween “vibe” quite like the rousing opening tune. “This is Halloween”. Jack and Sally each get to bare their souls with moving pieces like “Jack’s Lament” and “Sally’s Song”. The iconic villain song “Oogie Boogie Man” is a wonderful homage to big band jazz performances like Cab Calloway (who contributed to classic yet forgotten musical cartoons of yesteryear). The singing voices of Danny Elfman, Catherina O’Hara, and Ken Page resonate so well with plenty of heart and personality. The compositions that Elfman injects into every scene are so elaborate and creative as they set the perfect tone for this film. The core story focuses on Jack Skellington (in all his gothic/Halloween glory of a design) who feels bored and disconnected from his ruling life in Halloween land. But he soon finds mysterious doors into other holiday dimensions and decides that he wants to give Christmas a try. Not malicious but greatly misguided, Jack kidnaps Santa Claus and takes up the mantle without understanding the culture and meaning of this beautiful holiday. Jack (through dangerous consequences) must learn his lesson of appreciating one’s life and culture as well as understanding that you cannot just go into appropriate other’s experiences. There are sprinklings of longing and unrequited romances between Jack and Sally while offering some darkly twisted turns in the narrative. Oogie Boogie is a bold, brash, and endlessly entertaining antagonist whose lair makes for a dangerous and exciting climax with Jack. The design of this film is iconic. The voice acting is top notch from Chris Sarandon to Glenn Shaddix to Elfman, to O’Hara to Page. This is a wondrous achievement of cinematic expression that defines two different holidays and is a whole vibe for such a large contingency of folks who grew up with the film.

Jurassic Park

Can you make the assertion that a film can truly be “perfect”? When you look at Steven Spielberg’s science fiction/horror masterpiece Jurassic Park…perfection is believable. The sense of wonder that Spielberg crafts is second to none and it is a towering feeling at the core of Jurassic Park. This is not your standard creature feature because Spielberg injects a sense of wonder into every scene no matter how intense or scary it can get. As the characters witness seeing dinosaurs for the first time, the audience lives this experience through them and looks on in awe. Narratively, the wonder of them being brought back to life is powerful. Meta-contextually, seeing just how impressive the visual effects are to bring these creatures to “life” on film is just as special. That first moment of seeing them is only elevated even more by the iconic composition of the legendary John Williams. The score for this film balances wonder and terror perfectly. The technical aspects of this film are just off the charts with the authenticity of the computer-generated effects as well as the animatronics that they leveraged as well. Spielberg is able to deliver multiple sequences in the film that are some top notch “monster movie” affair. Look at the introduction of the T-Rex and the attack on our group of visitors. The kitchen sequence with the raptors is filled to the brim with tension and suspense. The film is thematically dense as it navigates layers of scientific and corporate ethics. Dr. Ian Malcolm says it best when he questions the “could” versus “should” of this situation. With the onset of artificial intelligence in recent years, this thematic exploration has never been more relevant. The challenge of scientific arrogance and ego matches well with the capitalistic counterpart. This amusement park is dangerous and complex no matter how much you try to keep it “safe”. But the thirst for wealth and financial gains overshine these moral concerns leading to this bloody and brutal series of events. Narratively, this is a thrilling ride that puts out characters into plenty of frightening and thrilling beats. Dr. Grant is a renowned paleontologist, but he is not a “kids” kind of guy. Watching him develop such a meaningful connection with the two younger members of this initial group of visitors is endearing. With Malcolm and Dr. Sadler confronting Hammond (the creator of this park) throughout the film about the moral concerns of his actions deepen the experience on an intellectual level. The film is also stacked with great characters and impressive performances. Sam Neill fully embodies Grant with a great presence and brings some authentic growth to the character. Laura Dern is charming and tough as Grant’s partner, Ellie (Sadler). Sprinkling in Jeff Goldblum with all of his offbeat behavior and character work was so inspired and he makes Malcolm such a memorable and iconic character. Richard Attenborough balances the arrogance and regret of Hammond throughout the film. There are just so many iconic characters from Muldoon (Bob Peck), Mr. Arnold (Samuel L. Jackson), and Nedry (Wayne Knight) who add plenty of color and personality to this wondrous cinematic achievement.

Groundhog Day

What would you do if you were stuck living the same day for what feels like an endless bit of time? That is the nightmarish scenario that Bill Murray’s Phil Connors must endure when he is trapped in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on the titular holiday. Arrogant, disrespectful, and repulsively smug, Phil is not the kind of guy you want to be stuck with. Sarcastic and overbearing, this meteorologist must navigate his day without any sign of breaking this chain. When he gets a weather prediction wrong and is stuck in Punxsutawney, a quiet and quaint small village that just might be the worst nightmare of a “city guy” like Phil. The key piece of this comedic and dramatic formula is Bill Murray. One of the funniest actors to ever grace the silver screen, Murray brings the goods with rich performance. Phil is certainly not a likeable guy but in the hands of Murray, you cannot help but find him so engaging, funny, and magnetic. The dry wit of Murray is on full display here with plenty of sarcastic zingers throughout this lean runtime (just around 100 minutes). But there are plenty of moments of pure mania that allow Murray to turn his performance up and deliver plenty of great moments. But it is the character growth and emotion that makes the growth of Phil so poignant, and Murray’s performance captures this energy so passionately. There are plenty of great moments throughout the film as director Harold Ramis and writer Danny Rubin find the perfect way to leverage such an ingenious concept. What will happen to someone when stuck in an endless loop? The first few loops capture confusion and déjà vu in such a fun and humorous way. Phil finds himself a few missions to keep himself busy including trying to get laid with some of the attractive women in this small town as well as his producer, Andie McDowell’s Rita. The evolution of their relationship is the core of the film and delivers the rich romantic foundation of the film. There is a deliciously macabre sense of humor that Ramis achieves (which is highlighted by the wild montage of suicides that will never allow Phil to escape this loop). There are some pure unhinged sequences including the evening of reckless abandon with the local drunks or the attempt to capture the town’s famous groundhog. There are some excellent supporting turns including the ever-funny Chris Elliot as well as Stephen Tobolowsky as the memorable Ned who will warn you about the “doozy” that next step will be. Ramis’ film is the perfect balance of humor, drama, romance, and emotion. There are a big heart, big laughs, and big ideas that make Groundhog Day such an iconic and beautiful film.

The Fugitive

Did you know he didn’t kill his wife? Based on the beloved classic television series, The Fugitive was the premiere mid-budget drama for adults that the film industry just doesn’t make many of anymore. Andrew Davis brings the story of Dr. Richard Kimble to life on the big screen with plenty of thrills and dramas. Kimble goes to prison for the murder of his wife (which was done by a one-armed man) and due to a train accident, he is on the run and attempting to prove his innocence. This is a thrilling tale that is full of mystery and plenty of emotion. The film is brought to life with a vintage style that has plenty of grit and texture (which is lost in a lot of modern digital films today). For this film that is just a bit over two hours, it never lags or loses steam. There are always strong tension and suspense. Davis’ direction is crisp and engaging with the score by James Newton Howard doing some heavy lifting as well. The mystery of who killed Kimble’s wife keeps the audience on the edge of their seat throughout and makes for a great undercurrent to the cat-and-mouse game between Kimble and US Marshall Samuel Gerard. The mystery elements of the film have a rich amount of depth that explores bigger themes around Big Pharma and corporate espionage. The murder itself is so deeply personal for our protagonist, and the film delivers a deeply empathetic experience. Kimble is an intelligent and resourceful individual and witnessing him piece his own investigation together is engrossing and compelling. On the other end of things, Marshall Gerard is a perfect representation of Lawful Neutral. He does not care if Kimble is guilty of killing his wife (“I don’t care!”). but he does care about Kimble escaping custody which he is guilty of. The investigation that Gerard and the rest of the Marshalls are following is equally compelling. There are some powerful moments in the film including the unexpected scene where Kimble helps a seriously injured child while he is visiting a former colleague. The tension around Kimble trying to escape but being drawn to help this child is a moving and impactful sequence. This story is full of great sequences including the train crash that allowed Kimble to escape, the iconic dam sequence where Kimble and Gerard come face-to-face for the first time, the Saint Patrick’s Day parade, and (of course), the climax that ties the whole experience together. The leading performance by Harrison Ford is an essential piece to such a mature and engaging thriller. He has a presence with humility and vulnerability that makes Kimble such an empathetic performance. Physicality is no issue either as he sells all the chasing that goes on in the film and few moments stand out the way Ford shakes his finger at you. Tommy Lee Jones won an Academy Award for his performance as Gerard, which is a perfect mixture of intensity, physical, and equipped with plenty of snarky one-liners. There are plenty of supporting performances that stand out as well from familiar faces like Julianne Moore, Joe Pantoliano, Jereon Krabbe, and more.

Schindler’s List

This one sells itself, doesn’t it? Schindler’s List is one of the most significant films to come out in the past 35 years. Steven Spielberg tackled a topic that spoke deeply to his experience as a Jewish man. The Holocaust is one of the evilest things perpetrated upon a group of people in the history of humanity. This horror has followed the Jewish people for near a century and showed the world just how low the depths of human hate can be. Spielberg had navigated a few heavy stories in his career up to this point but most of his films were genre films with a sense of adventure. But Schindler’s List was a massive leap forward for Spielberg and him being taken seriously. This epic film has become a benchmark for all Holocaust films as it balances the evil shown by the Nazis and the perseverance by the Jewish people. Oskar Schindler might be the protagonist of the film, and the film may be named after him, but he is a man witnessing the incredible strength of the Jewish people in his factories. From a technical standpoint, this is a striking cinematic experience. The choice to shoot this in black-and-white was a genius choice as the film has such a stark and crisp look to it. The one red coat shown in the film is also a brilliant choice that delivers one of the most emotionally devastating moments in the entire film. The music composed by John Williams is downright gorgeous, harrowing, and elevates the emotion of every scene. The striking visuals are crafted elegantly by cinematographer Janusz Kaminski who would go on to shoot for Spielberg for decades to come. One of the most important elements of the film is Spielberg never shies away from showing the disgusting behavior of the Nazis full of violence and a total disregard for human lift. Spielberg makes sure to show quieter moments of Jewish pride and bravery while showing the great lengths Jewish individuals would take to survive. Liam Neeson delivers one of the strongest performances of his career. The way he sells all side of Schindler from the philandering playboy that he starts his journey as all the way up to the final moments of the film where he breaks down. The emotion that Neeson shows is powerful and deeply affecting. Ralph Fiennes created one of cinema’s most disturbing antagonists, Amon Goeth. Fiennes’ performance is a disturbing mixture of magnetic, murderous, and emotionally unstable. There are plenty of powerful turns in supporting roles as the Jews characters with Ben Kingsley and Embeth Davidtz delivering powerful and impactful performances. This towering achievement is one a film that will continue to live on for generations.