Powwow Highway

Jonathan Wacks, 1989 (8.2*)
This is a funny modern Native American film that also has some points to make about the survival of N.A. traditions in the modern era, and how some manage to walk with a foot in two different eras.

A Martinez (born Adolph) plays Buddy Red Bow, struggling against persecution and greedy capitalist developers to keep his people independent on a Cheyenne Reservation in Montana. His friend Philbert (Ed Farmer), follows and espouses Native American wisdom and lore wherever he find it, sometimes on tv or in the movies. His war pony, is a beat-up, barely running Buick.

Buddy's sister Bonnie (Joanelle Nadine Romero) has been arrested in Santa Fe, so much of this movie involves a road trip from Montana to New Mexico as he and Philbert set off to look after kids and get her out of jail (one way or another). Philbert's faith challenges Buddy's cynical and sometimes violent view of the world.

This film really deals with the realities and dreams of being Cheyenne in the modern, techology controlled US, and manages to make us laugh along the way. As road trip films go, it’s one of the best. As films about modern Native American life, it's one of a handful of must-see films, along with Smoke Signals (1998).

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Black Rain

Shôhei Imamura, Japan, 1989 (9.0*)
This film begins with a harrowing recreation of the Hiroshima atomic blast to those nearby but separated enough from ground zero to escape immediate annihilation. This film follows a Mr. and Mrs. Shizuma and their niece Yasuko (wonderfully played by Yoshiko Tanaka), who wander through the devastation of Hiroshima just minutes after the blast. The three survive this harrowing apocalypse, and the film picks up their lives five years later, when they are now living in a secluded mountain village, along with other survivors of what they call "picabon" or the Japanese equivalent of the 'nuclear flash'.

The basic story follows the lives of survivors five years later to show the lingering aftereffects on the Japanese civilian population. This is not a pleasant story, but in Imamura's hands becomes an elegaic homage to all the victims who managed to survive for years longer, but whose lives were forever touched in some way. Many seem resigned to the inevitable problems and thus never really continue normal lives, while others are content to spend their time fishing or enjoying the simple pleasures of slow mountain life.

Director Shôhei Imamura adds to the journalistic look of this film by choosing to shoot in classic black and white, in fact, the film resembles the style of Japanese films circa 1950. The story ends to remain faithful to the original novel by Masuji Ibuse, but the dvd includes an alternate ending in the form of a 17-minute color epilogue added by Imamura, who decided to not add his ending to the original film.

Actress Yoshiko Tanaka adds a lot to this film with her subtle yet emotionally moving performance as a young woman who walked through Hiroshima immediately after the blast, yet appears physically immune to any aftereffects.

One of Imamura's assistant directors was famed director Takashi Miike, who said in an interview that his job on this film was "hired dog", yet it gave him an inner strength that he's used in his own works, such as Ichi the Killer and 13 Assassins, which have been criticized for featuring 'over the top' violence.

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True Love

Nancy Savoca, 1989 (8.0*)
Grand Jury Prize, Sundance
This is a small story with no pretensions, and not really any action either, just a story of two Italian Americans in the last few days leading up to their wedding. Ron Eldard plays a typical male, who'd rather go out drinking with his buddies "one last time" (that becomes again and again) than prep for the wedding. Annabella Sciorra steals the acting kudos as his fiance, who begins to suspect that he may be getting cold feet the closer the actual day gets. I really enjoyed her performance in this, she's an underrated Italian beauty in my opinion. Eldard is usually better (always later, this was early in his career), especially in the war film When Trumpets Fade; he just doesn't seem very Italian here (blond hair didn't help) - where was John Turturro I wonder?

This is likely going to be more enjoyable for women than men, the men are fairly weak characters, the women stronger ones (heck, that's kinda accurate for life, isn't it?). It also makes a few assumptions about this particular ethnic culture being a little familiar with viewers, which it really should be.

Presented as a 'comedy', that's not really accurate (that scene on the dvd is staged, it's not even in the film!) - it's a drama about love, marriage, and personal commitment, filmed with affection and humor, but the entire slant of the film is a serious look at what makes families and happy (and unhappy) couples, as there are all types around the betrothed. Personally I liked Savoca's non-judgmental approach, and how she showed relationships affected by jobs and the church as well, which felt very accurate based on my own experiences.

Some say "slice of life" is a phrase that kills movies - if it does for you, then this won't be your cup of tea, but otherwise this is another good film by a female director, and one with nothing untasteful. Imagine an Italian-American film with no bloodshed, no sex, no bathroom humor! What the heck happened here?

This small indie romance impressed the critics and festival juries more than the fans at IMDB, who only rate it 6.1, but it's much better than that. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance (and four awards overall) and the Grand Prize at the USA Film Festival, and a nominee for three Indie Spirit Awards: Best Feature, Nancy Savoca for best director, and Annabella Sciorra for best lead actress.

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Glory

Edward Zwick, 1989 (8.4*)
Memorial Day WAR-a-Thon Film #11
A pretty realistic civil war film with some real battle action, which places this in a handful of films that actually combined the two. This tells the true story of the all-black army unit that fought for the Union in the Civil War, led by white officer (naturally) Robert Gould Shaw, played by Matthew Broderick, who first has to fight prejudice within his own army.

The story follows the 54th Massachusetts from it's initial days until their first major action in the war in 1963. Denzel Washington won his first Oscar® this, for supporting actor, as a cynical yet heroic soldier. Morgan Freeman also has a supporting part. James Horner contributed a nice music score, as usual.

Even though most characters in the film were composites except for Shaw, Glory was based on a screenplay written by American screenwriter Kevin Jarre, which was based on two books:
(1) One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and His Brave Black Regiment (1989) by Peter Burchard, a novel that itself was based on letters written by Robert Gould Shaw, the colonel in command of the all-black 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, which entered the American Civil War in 1863
(2) Lay This Laurel (1973), a photographic tribute to the Civil War sculpture of Augustus Saint-Gaudens

Winner of 12 awards out of 19 nominations, and three Oscars®: sound, cinematography, supporting actor.

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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

Steven Spielberg, 1989 (8.5*)
After the critical flop of the second in the series, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, not very many people were likely waiting for the third. Perhaps in order to boost interest, Spielberg added Sean Connery to the cast as the father of Harrison Ford, which seems a bit of an age stretch to me, Connery's not that old is he?

But the two's comedic chemistry helped add a little spark to this entry, which also brought back more religious mysticism, in this case the "Holy Grail". Often speculated about, and if it's even a real object or a metaphysical analogy, this film defines it as the cup Jesus drank from at the last supper, which supposedly gave it immortal powers, similar to a fountain of youth concept.

Dad joins Junior in a search for the cup before the Nazis can find it; after all, we don't want Der Fuehrer to have everlasting immortality on earth, do we? Joining the search is a blond Germanic beauty, Alison Doody [photo below] who may or may not be a double agent, who of course dazzles Indiana as well.

There are some nice twists to the legend, and also some intellectual puzzles involved, but this adventure maintains the high standard of pace and action set by the original entry, Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), which single-handedly revived the "Saturday matinee" style of adventure films for kids. They mind-blowing climax was actually filmed in the hidden ancient ruins of Petra, Jordan, which is a canyon cleft in the desert, almost invisible from above.

Currently ranked No. 107 on the IMDB 250. Winner of one Oscar®, for sound effects, 5 awards total.

Quote: "We named the dog Indiana"

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Drugstore Cowboy

Gus Van Sant, 1989 (9.8*)
[Our 400th review - I was saving a great one]

This is just about the perfect anti-drug film. Matt Dillon, really in his element here as a disaffected youth without any goal in life other than getting high, leads a small group of junkie friends, including girlfriend Kelly Lynch in her best role, in robbing pharmacies in order to get the drugs. They use a number of ruses to pull some robberies, and they’ll take anything within reach, then later swap the stuff they don’t want with other drug users in their network.

This is a sordid and grisly story, but is somehow made hypnotic (the perfect cast helped a lot) by director Gus Van Sant (My Own Private Idaho, Good Will Hunting), in his masterpiece, adapted from an unpublished manuscript that he bought from a convict in prison which recounts his life on the outside as a habitual drug user. This also has some funny dialogue revolving around the everyday delusions and phobias of the characters, such as Dillon’s paranoia about a hat on the bed, his ultimate harbinger of bad tidings. This has the look of a small indie film, yet sends a more powerful jolt than big budget projects. Along with Darren Aronofsky's Requiem for a Dream (2000), the best films about drug abuse ever made.

Quote: Didn’t I always tell ya, never put a hat on the bed?

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The Fabulous Baker Boys

Steve Kloves, 1989 (7.8*)
Jeff and Beau Bridges play two piano playing brothers who have a lounge act playing schmaltzy hits for the cocktail crowd. Jeff would rather be a classical concert or jazz pianist (sometimes plays jazz clubs after hours), while Beau is happy to be paying bills with music. They decide to add a female vocalist to expand their sound and potential, and they hire Michelle Pfeiffer, who does her own fairly amazing singing – in fact, she turns in the most sensual version of “Makin’ Whoppee” in history, and from on top of the piano (in a silky red dress), which I’m sure was smoking afterwards! (I was) Worth seeing for all the classic jazz and lounge standards they cover as a trio, and worth seeing for Michelle in that red dress – it’s unforgettable.

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When Harry Met Sally

Rob Reiner, 1989 (9.0*)
Director Rob Reiner's best film is a personable and magnetic love story, which begins when Meg Ryan needs a driving partner for a long trip home on a college break, and a friend hooks her up with her boyfriend Billy Crystal, who is a deluxe macho jerk, so the two grate on each other like sandpaper.

They meet again a decade later after divorces and strike up a platonic friendship that seems to defy the odds. After consoling each other over failed romances, they start spending more time together. Then the age old question arises: can best friends remain friends without sex “rearing its ugly head”? Look for Reiner’s mother, who sadly passed away this year (08), with the film’s best line, a cinema classic, after Ryan demonstrates “faking it” for Crystal in a restaurant.

One of the all-time classic romantic comedies.

Note: As this film has a terrific New Year's Eve scene, I'm reposting it on this day.

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Say Anything

Cameron Crowe, 1989 (7.8*)
Very enjoyable teen romance, one of the first efforts from director Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry McGuire, Vanilla Sky); the former Rolling Stone rock writer had only written Fast Times at Ridgmont High before this. Average guy John Cusack has fallen for beautiful and brainy Ione Skye, who seems to not be interested, but of course Cusack persists, else there wouldn't be a film. Light romance, just entertainment but very much worth watching.

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Sex, Lies, and Videotape

Dir: Steven Soderbergh, 1989 (8.2*)
Palm D’Or (Cannes)

James Spader, as Graham, currently jobless and alienated, connects with old friend John (Peter Gallagher), is an attorney having an affair with the sister (Laura San Giocomo), of his wife, Andie McDowell. The wife finds a friendship with Graham, and finds that he makes videotapes of women being interviewed about intimate subjects, in a kind of video therapy. All are changed by subsequent revelations. A slow, intellectual film, this is mostly conversation, which will bore some people, but enthrall others, hence the awards it received. Excellent filmmaking.

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Driving Miss Daisy

Dir: Bruce Beresford, 1989 (8.1*)

Best Picture (AA, GG)

Gentle southern comedy about a strong-willed, traditional southern widow, Oscar winner Jessica Tandy, and her chauffeur Hoke, Morgan Freeman, in what should have been his first Oscar winning role, based on Alfred Uhry's Pulitzer Prize-winning play. Oscar nominee Dan Akroyd is the frustrated but loving son, in his best and only Oscar-nominated performance, who talks her into a chauffeur in the first place against her will after she has a minor accident in the driveway. Beresford has used terrific acting to make this a heartwarming and moving film, yet at the same time showing people of different backgrounds and races using kindness and humility to become close and loyal friends . Four Oscars

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Field of Dreams

Dir: Philip Alden Robinson, 1989 (9.7*)
A spiritual fantasy and one of the most uplifting films in history. Kevin Costner (as Roy Kinsella) owns a small corn farm in Iowa and is having trouble making ends meet. One day he hears voices in the field ("if you build it, they will come"), and after acting on them and builds a baseball field, the locals think he’s nuts, but he himself embarks on a quest that tranforms himself and everyone he contacts. This includes James Earl Jones, a former political activist and author of children's books, and Burt Lancaster, a doctor who once played one day in the major leagues, and Amy Madigan as his wife, and her nagging brother, Timothy Busfield.

This is not really a baseball film (which I've heard some give as a reason to avoid it), the field itself becomes a metaphor, a gateway to the spiritual realm. This recalls the best of Frank Capra. From the novel Shoeless Joe by R.R. Kinsella, cinema magic and modern myth-making at its finest.

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Parenthood

Dir: Ron Howard, 1989 (10*)

For me, this is the most rewarding Ron Howard film, both heartwarming and very funny. Based on the structure of Woody Allen's Hannah and Her Sisters, which they admired for weaving together several separate stories of one big family, this does the same with four related families and all their children. Steve Martin turns in his most accessible performance as the main character, Mary Steenburgen is his wife, Jason Robards his father, wayward ne'er do well son Tom Hulce turns up (with his kid named "Cool"), and brother-in-law Rick Moranis plays a father obsessed with his gifted daughter's intellectual superiority. Diane Wiest is another sister, divorced, whose rebellious daughter Martha Plimpton, refuses to stop seeing daredevil racer Keanu Reeves. Howard makes all these stories work together (and the large ensemble), and the kids are all perfect, the birthday party is one you'll never forget. The terrific Randy Newman song, "I Love to See You Smile" was inspired by Steenburgen.
Quote: You're not really a real person; you're an amalgam of all the ushers my dad paid to watch me over the years.

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Lonesome Dove

Dir: Simon Wincer, 1989, 6 hrs. (9.1*)

Larry McMurtry is our generation's best novelist (Terms of Endearment, Hud, The Last Picture Show), and here his epic, grandiose Pulitzer-winning novel is made into a worthy miniseries starring Robert Duvall and Tommie Lee Jones. The title is the small ranch on the Rio Grande they live on, but the drama of the series comes from a 2,500 mile cattle drive from Texas to Montana. Angelica Huston and Diane Lane also star, and for once they filmed a novel properly. My only complaint (hence 9*'s not 10) is that its not widescreen, shot in 35mm for TV, otherwise the perfect Western. 6 Emmys for 18 nominations.

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