4 - The Michigan Daily - Weekend etc. - Thursday, January 13, 1994
'Schindler's' tops the Daily 'List' of 1993's best films
0
0
On critic's lists everywhere, Steven Spielberg's "Schindler's List" reigned as the best film of the past year...
MICHAEL BARNES
1. Schindler's List
2. Farewell My Concubine
3. Cabeza de Vaca
4. The Piano
5. Tokyo Decadence
6. Shortcuts
7. The Age of Innocence
8. The Fugitive
9. The Remains of the Day
10. A Bronx Tale
DeNiro's first hand at directing,
"A Bronx Tale," was critically over-
looked-a well-told, interracial
drama. "The Remains of the Day"
and "The Age of Innocence" are both
visually beautiful Victorian dramas,
but in keeping true to their subjects,
emerge somewhat stiff, void of any
emotional punch. "The Fugitive" is
the Hollywood, big bang action movie
at its best. "Tokyo Decadence," the
seedy story of a Tokyo call girl, is just
as cynical as Altman's "Shortcuts,"
but not as trendy and obnoxious. Jane
Campion's "The Piano" is beautiful,
sexy and bizarre. "Cabeza de Vaca" is
this year's sleeper, a phenomenal film
about a Spanish conquistador turned
mystic that you will only find on
video. "Farewell my Concubine"
teams opera with oppression. Com-
bining stunning visuals with the fas-
cinating story of two opera stars'
struggle in revolutionary China, it is
pure film magic. Spielberg finally
gets critical success with "Schindler's
List," a brutal, compelling story of
the Holocaust. Quite simply, it is one
of the best films of all time and knocks
French rationalists on their ass-an
Age of Enlightenment is yet to come.
JOHANNA FLIES
1. Schindler's List
2. Much Ado About Nothing
3. Orlando
4. The Piano
5. Remains of the Day
6. Age of Innocence
7. Gettysburg
8. Strictly Ballroom
9. Carlito's Way
10. The Fugitive
This was the year I rediscovered
my tailbone. It was "Gettysburg" that
initially heightened my awareness of
the bony nub. Four hours of scrunch-
ing into the seat and trying to prevent
my foot from flying up and smashing
into the head of the bimbo in front of
me who spent the entire intermission
trying to convince her parents that her
long haired boyfriend was not a freak,
and even liked watching nature shows.
Jeff Daniels' A-One mustache was
the only thing that pulled me through.
"Remains of the Day" was the next
lengthy attack on my bones. Anthony
Hopkins spent the entire two and a
half hours giving a performance even
better than his last one opposite the
woman most deserving of eternal
worship, Emma Thompson.
A break from these epics turned
up some of the zaniest characters of
the year: Kevin Costner's Butch of
"A Perfect World," Leonardo
DiCaprio of "This Boy's Life," Sandra
Bernhardt of "Inside Monkey
Zetterland," Tommy Lee Jones of
"The Fugitive," and, of course, the
entire cast of "Tombstone." And
though "Schindler's List"is the great-
est movie around and Liam Neeson
the most underrated thespian of all
times, it is the inspiring and power-
fully moving "Rudy" that will sweep
the Oscars this year.
CAMILO FONTECILLA
1. The Piano
2. Shortcuts
3. The Remains of the Day
4. Un Coeur en Hiver (A Heart in
Winter)
5. The Age of Innocence
6. Manhattan Murder Mystery
7. I Ladro di Bambini (Stolen Chil-
dren)
8. Philadelphia
9. In the Line of Fire
10. What's Love Got to Do With It
A few days ago I was frantic. The
final hours of 1993 looming over me,
I fumbled hopelessly through the New
York Times, titles of unseen films
fogging my tired vision. "Schindler's
List," '"In the Name of The Father,"
"Naked," "Shadowlands," "What's
Eating Gilbert Grape" and "Blue," all
called to me from their dreary bitonal
ads on pages B4 and B5 of the fabled
Arts section.
And then it struck me. Wham.
Epiphany. I would never, fool, be
able to see them all. Not in three days.
I laughed, the final words of "Angels
in America: Millennium Approaches"
still resounding in my head: "Greet-
ings, Prophet; The Great Work be-
gins: The Messenger has arrived."
The Messenger is none other than
these films, angels in America, winged
and in flight, not always perfect but
always mature and honest, paving the
way for a new year in film.
Some of these angels eluded me.
But to catch a glimpse of a few is
enough. The rest will reveal them-
selves in time. I closed the newspaper
and folded it in half, hands trembling.
Nobody ever said being a Prophet
was an easy task. Amen.
CHRIS LEPLEY
1. True Romance
2. Much Ado About Nothing
3. Army of Darkness
4. Cliffhanger
5. Tombstone
6. Demolition Man
7. Rising Sun
8. Dead Alive
9. Judgment Night
10. Three of Hearts
Without a doubt, Quentin
Tarantino's second outing as a screen-
writer, "True Romance," kicks the
ass of every film this year. With in-
credible turns by Gary Oldman (get-
ting shot in the crotch hasjust GOT to
hurt), Christopher Walken and the
incredible Brad Pitt as the quintes-
sential stoner who smokes dope out
of a Honey Bear bong, "True Ro-
mance" is a must-see, and a must-
own. "Much Ado About Nothing"
combines Shakespeare with cute guys
in tight leather pants, so it can do no
wrong. "Army of Darkness" should
be self-explanatory: Bruce Campbell
makes the film. "Demolition Man,"
"Rising Sun" and "Cliffhanger" have
Stallone in common, and Wesley
Snipes and Denis Leary and they're
See TOP TEN, Page 5
0
Emma and Ken show us what "true romance" is all about in "Much Ado."
The Office of academic Multicultural
9nitiatives is now taking applications for
Student Leader
positions for the King/Chavezlparks
College Day Spring Visitation program
pi r i r-dn s y 2 994
Student leaders accompany visiting middle school
students throughout the day serving as guides
and role models while providing information about
the college experience. Student leaders usually
work in teams of three. They should be fairly out-
going individuals and have a keen interest in and
committment to helping students underrepresented
SOPHOMORES...
Did you get it?
CP&P mailed to all sophomores this week.
Check your mailbox for programs
.- ' - ,0.
In "True Romance," there were occasional breaks from the violence for SEX.
1
I