Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Genre

Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Director

Robert Zemeckis

Country

USA

Cast

Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson, Elisabeth Shue James Tolkan, Jeffrey Weissman, Crispin Glover, Flea

Storyline

Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) has only just gotten back from the past, when he is picked up by Doc (Christopher Lloyd) and sent through time to the future to resolve a few problems with the future McFly family. But when the two return home, they soon discover that the present is not as it was supposed to be.

Opinion

Where are we? When are we? asks Marty, to which Doc replies we're descending toward Hill Valley, California, at 4:29 pm, on Wednesday, October 21st, 2015. And here we are, October 21st, 2015, waiting for Marty McFly's arrive, so what a better moment to talk about this film? This kind of opportunity comes once in a lifetime. Once in the human existence actually.

Still having that magic feeling of the first installment, Back to the Future Part II is one great ride through time, as well as a really interesting and very well made sequel.

A few things I can say for sure. First, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale do really have a lot of imagination. Second, they took a hell of a risk making a film that requires the view of Back to the Future, otherwise the non-understanding of a multitude of things.

From the present to the future, back to the present, and then back to the past is what happens in a nutshell. So many things could have gone wrong here, but Zemeckis and Gale did a wonderful job, reproposing scenes from the old film seen from different angles, and thus offering a whole range of new scenarios to accommodate the variations of the new past.

Every paradox of time travel is explained very well in the film, and the dangerousness of meeting their other selves is embraced with clever-ish camouflages, chases and lot of suspense.

Michael J. Fox is a bit older and you can tell, but he is still our Marty, the charismatic, sympathetic guy we met back in 1985 - or was it 1955? How about Christopher Lloyd? I don't know, he is just spectacular as Doc, and Fox and him keep their characters as entertaining as they were before. Worth of a mention is Thomas F. Wilson, who is brilliant is the double role of Biff Tannen and Griff.

Quotes

Doc: Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.

Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Genre

Comedy | Drama

Director

Bruce Beresford

Country

USA

Cast

Morgan Freeman, Jessica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd, Patti LuPone, Esther Rolle, Joann Havrilla, William Hall Jr., Muriel Moore, Sylvia Kaler, Crystal R. Fox

Storyline

After a car crash, Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy), an elderly Jewish widow, can no longer drive. Her son (Dan Aykroyd) so decides to hire a driver, Hoke (Morgan Freeman). At first, she refuses to allow him to drive, but Hoke will slowly win her over.

Opinion

Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Alfred Uhry, Driving Miss Daisy is not your regular film about civil rights struggles. Instead, it is a heartwarming story of a friendship, wonderfully portrayed by the strong performances of the leading actors.

The story covers a 25-year-period in just a hour and forty minutes, but it doesn't feel rushed at all. Actually, it's comfortably, and warmly paced, and extremely pleasing to be watched. Also it makes of the film the perfect example of why there is no need of action or sex scenes to make something captivating.

The viewer has the opportunity to witness something of rare beauty: the relationship that grows and the friendship that blooms between a racist Jewish lady and her black chauffeur. The most beautiful and striking thing about the film is the extraordinary tenderness the relationship and its slow, and deep evolution is treated with. From seeing two people forced to be together, we get to see Daisy aware of her need of Hoke, not only as a chauffeur, but as loved one. And on this way, the story becomes sentimental and manages to touch your heart.

The direction and the screenplay are well done, the cinematography is wonderful, and the score by Hans Zimmer is touching and fits perfectly. 

The acting is superb. Morgan Freeman gives a wonderful performance as Hoke that will make you love him. Jessica Tandy delivers an outstanding performance as Daisy, filled with dignity: the Academy Award is a hundred percent deserved. Dan Aykroyd also gives a wonderful performance as Tandy's son.

If you have the chance to watch it, please don't miss it. If you have already seen it and you didn't like it, for God's sake, give it another try.

Quotes

Daisy Werthan: Hoke?
Hoke Colburn: Yes'm.
Daisy Werthan: You're my best friend.

The War of the Roses (1989)

Genre

Comedy

Director

Danny DeVito

Country

USA

Cast

Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, Danny DeVito, Marianne Sägebrecht, Dan Castellaneta, Sean Astin, Trenton Teigen, Heather Fairfield, G.D. Spradlin, Peter Donat, David Wohl

Storyline

The Roses, Barbara (Kathleen Turner) and Oliver (Michael Douglas), live happily as a married couple. Then she starts to wonder what life would be like without Oliver, and likes what she sees. Both want to stay in the house, and so they begin a campaign to force each other to leave.

Opinion

This morning I wanted to laugh, so I told myself, "what could be better than DeVito's black comedy?", everybody seems to love it, so I gave it a try. The problem is that it didn't feel like a comedy. Don't get me wrong, I liked the film, but it just didn't feel like a comedy to me, and I love dark comedies. 

So basically The War of the Roses is brilliant, dark, and quite enjoyable, but it is not that funny - unless you find two people trying to kill each other for almost two hours hilarious.

The story is great overall, but it feels a bit rushed at parts: Douglas and Turner go from young, idealistic couple to hateful people trying to kill each other for material possessions, without much of an explication, and you'll wonder how they got so crazy. Also, the characters aren't well developed and there is nobody to root for. However the unexpected, unpredictable, tragic ending has something to teach. 

Everything is beautifully photographed in this film, and the musical score by David Newman is spectacular. Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner are both superb, delivering the sparkling dialogue perfectly. 

Quotes

Gavin: There are two dilemmas... that rattle the human skull. How do you hold onto someone who won't stay? And how do you get rid of someone who won't go?

When Harry Met Sally... (1989)

Genre

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Director

Rob Reiner

Country

USA

Cast

Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby, Steven Ford, Lisa Jane Persky, Michelle Nicastro, Kevin Rooney, Harley Kozak, Franc Luz, Tracy Reiner, Estelle Reiner

Storyline

Harry (Billy Crystal) and Sally (Meg Ryan) first meet as they finish college in Chicago and spend 18 hours together in a car headed to New York. They don't quite hit off, but over the next 10 years they occasionally meet and soon become friends. But then they are confronted with a problem: can a man and a woman be just friends? 

Opinion

If I didn't know it, I'd say Woody Allen made this, because even though the story is different, the music, the humour, and the dialogue feel like "Annie Hall" or "Manhattan". However, nouveau Rob Reiner did a great job.

When Harry Met Sally... is an appealing, funny, sweet, and touching romantic comedy, one of the best romantic comedies indeed. 

Nora Ephron's writing is clever, and witty. The dialogue do remember Allen's, but is amazing, and it has its memorable quotes. The story is wonderfully engaging, and keeps you glued on the screen to find out what will happen in the next scene. The character development is quite remarkable, and the great thing is that you get to know Harry and Sally in the same way they are getting to know each other. 

The all thing is delivered with some great acting as well. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan both shine as Harry and Sally, and the chemistry between them is superb. The supporting cast - Bruno Kirby and Carrie Fisher - does a spectacular job. 

Quotes

Harry Burns: It is so nice when you can sit with someone and not have to talk.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Genre

Action | Adventure

Director

Steven Spielberg

Country

USA

Cast

Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Alison Doody, Denholm Elliott, John Rhys-Davies, Julian Glover, Michael Byrne, Kevork Malikyan, River Phoenix, Alex Hyde-White, Robert Eddison, Vernon Dobtcheff, Alexei Sayle, Michael Sheard

Storyline

When Dr. Henry Jones Sr. (Sean Connery) goes missing while pursuing the Holy Grail, an art collector (Julian Glover) approaches Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) with a proposition to continue his father's search. Once accepted, Jones must find his father and stop the Nazis.

Opinion

Definitely the best Indiana Jones film yet, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is more comedic, emotional, and spiritual than its predecessors, still plenty of superb action and thrills.

The great story, written by George Lucas and Menno Meyjes, begins with an introduction to a younger Indy, that finally gives the audience something about his background, such as the roots of his taste for adventure, the determination to put artifacts into museums, his fear of snakes, and, less important, how he got the chin scar. Back in 1938, the story is related to God in a beautiful way, without disrespecting religion - thing that happened in The Temple of Doom. 

The introduction of Indy's eccentric father, played by Sean Connery - couldn't really get any better than that -, is one of the highlights of the film. Most of the fun is delivered by him, and along with Ford, he also provides a great father-son dynamic.

Having most of the action of the film, Harrison Ford is amazing and charismatic as Indy. New entry Sean Connery does a wonderful job in portraying Indy's father, making a perfect duo with Ford. John Rhys-Davies is back as Sallah, and he is wonderful as ever, so is Denholm Elliott, returned as Marcus Brody. Alison Doody does a good job with her interesting character. Julian Glover is probably the best of Indy's villains so far. 

Quotes

Fedora: You lost today, kid. But that doesn't mean you have to like it.

Dead Poets Society (1989)

Genre

Drama

Director

Peter Weir

Country

United States

Cast
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, Gale Hansen, Dylan Kussman, Allelon Ruggiero, James Waterston, Norman Lloyd, Kurtwood Smith, Carla Belver, Alexandra Powers, Colin Irving, Leon Pownall, George Martin, Joe Aufiery, Matt Carey, Melora Walters, Welker White

Plot
Vermont, 1959. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) begins his senior year of high school at Welton Academy, an elite prep school. He is assigned to Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard), one of the most promising students at Welton Academy, as his roommate and is quickly accepted by Neil's friends: Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles), Richard Cameron (Dylan Kussman), Steven Meeks (Allelon Ruggiero), Gerard Pitts (James Waterston) and Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen).

On the first day of classes, they are surprised by the unorthodox teaching methods of their new English teacher, John Keating (Robin William), who encourages his students to make their lives extraordinary. 

Opinion
Able to review one of the most important Latin authors, Horace, this film is perfect, truthful, fascinating, emotional and sublime and it's a must-see. An extraordinary Robin Williams is a perfectly oiled narrative machine that doesn't miss a beat until the end, that warms the heart and moistens the eyes of the viewer. Brilliant performances also from Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard.

Quotes
I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.

No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.

Rating
9.0/10