1989's Oscar Nominees

this is even less interesting than 2004's or 1956's oscar nominees

My interest in the Academy Awards took a big hit in 1980 after Raging Bull inexplicably lost, continued to wane through the '80s as big, prestige films like Out of Africa and the Merchant-Ivorys reasserted themselves, and by '89 it was almost nil. Bit of a rebound in the early '90s, then I became very interested in the documentary category after Hoop Dreams and Crumb, now it's close to nil again.

After Cocktail, BOT4OJ seems like the post-Risky Business 80s Cruise movie people talk about the least. Even Legend and All The Right Moves have more present day cachet. I guess I should finally watch it and figure out why.

Of the Costner films I've seen, I've never seen one I wouldn't watch a second time (though Dragonfly and Draft Day might be a tough sell). Anyway, easy vote for Field of Dreams here for me.

My best:

1. Enemies, A Love Story (Paul Mazursky)
2. Drugstore Cowboy (Gus Van Sant)
3. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee)
4. Ariel (Aki Kaurismäki)
5. Say Anything… (Cameron Crowe)
6. Kiki’s Delivery Service (Hayao Miyazaki)
7. Henry V (Kenneth Branagh)
8. The Fabulous Baker Boys (Steve Kloves)
9. High Hopes (Mike Leigh)
10. Chocolat (Claire Denis)

HONORABLE MENTIONS: The Killer (John Woo), My Left Foot (Jim Sheridan), Distant Voices, Still Lives (Terence Davies), and sex, lies, and videotape (Steven Soderbergh).

I loved Drugstore Cowboy. I haven't seen it in decades, I suspect it has not aged all that well.

It's aged beautifully -- why wouldn't it? So have Mala Noche and My Own Private Idaho. What a three-film run.

I don't know, I remember its having a very late-80s sensibility. Beautifully shot, though.

Most of the praise it earned was wrong. It doesn't "glamorize" drug use but it does present The Lifestyle as exciting in a grotty way. The cast is first-rate.

I just watched Drugstore Cowboy again last week for the first time in over 30 years. I like it more now.

Can't scare up any details online, but I think there was a big brouhaha at the NY Film Critics awards that year involving Kael, Driving Miss Daisy, Do the Right Thing, and Casualties of War (which tied for runner-up in the Best Director category, presumably on the bloc strength of rabid Paulettes--being one myself, of course my #1 for '89).

I wondered why she never reviewed Do the Right Thing.

Driving Miss Daisy: saw it for the first time around 5 years ago when i was watching every BP winner. not as racist or backwards as I was lead to believe. still, not a film i enjoyed.

my favorites from this year would be Drugstore Cowboy, Kiki's Delivery Service, Santa Sangre.

I was 11 in 1989, which is fitting as Driving Miss Daisy, Dead Poets Society, and Field of Dreams are basically an 11-year-old's idea of what serious, grown-up cinema looks like. Saw Born on the Fourth of July some years after that and, in keeping with most of my experiences with Stone, didn't like it much. Never saw My Left Foot.

Of course, it is ridiculous that the Academy obviously saw Do the Right Thing and Crimes and Misdemeanors and yet snubbed them for the top prize. I think Siskel and Ebert (rightfully) campaigned for Say Anything in a few of the top categories on their show; John Mahoney in that film is just about my Platonic ideal of a supporting performance.

We'll assume the exception is your enthusiastic embrace of JFK.

yes, my ballot would've made room for Johns Cusack and Mahoney.

I'm INCARCERATED, LLOYD

is a fun thing to shout at random people

Only real exception is Talk Radio, most of which I can very easily credit to Eric Bogosian.

JFK strikes me as typically fevered Stone. If that's your kinda thing, the film certainly gives you a lot of it. The queer stuff is somehow even more grotesque than fellow GLADD-targets Silence of the Lambs and Basic Instinct.

Sorry, hon, but the film isn't as fevered and unhinged as the ILX thread I guess you haven't read (and you should).

I'll curl up with it tonight once I'm done work for the day.

A Thread about the film JFK

Started watching My Left Foot last night ... did not finish

Which means that a movie that definitely shouldn't have won best picture is also, unfortunately, the best movie in this lineup

oh, boo. What bored you?

xp Just kidding, Field of Dreams is

I just couldn't find an entry point in any of it; struck me as the kind of late '80s drab nothingness

My fave Jim Sheridan DDL flick is maybe The Boxer, which is a solidly unpretentious irish troubles movie and has a pretty beautiful soundtrack. It's also maybe the most normie DDL role, very unflashy. But he's great. As is Emily Watson.

Both are damn hot.

Great 1989 movies not mentioned

Tetsuo The Iron Man
The Seventh Continent (maybe my fave Haneke)
Society
The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover
Mystery Train
Casualties of War
How To Get Ahead in Advertising
The War of The Roses

I've hated all the pre-Code Unknown Hanekes I've seen but haven't yet tried Seventh Continent. Is it worth it if I deeply loathe Funny Games and Benny's Video?

Xxp You can understand why it's impossible for DDL to resist her and why she'd go against the bullshit domestic rules the IRA had.

I would say give it a go. Its got a lot of warmth towards it's characters compared to Funny Games.

Almost every film Michael listed is better than this drabshow

give tetsuo the oscar

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

5 people are beyond help

I detest cheap sentiment.