1992 was an important year for me. I got out of the U.S. Army in July. Two weeks later, I turned 21. Then I had to figure what I would do next. I took a job slinging boxes for UPS while I thought about it. In the meantime, there were movies. Some of them were even good. For the first time since being a "grown-up" I made double digit trips to the theaters. And I even liked some of those! Here's how it all shakes out for me:
My Top 10 Movies of 1992
- According to my Letterboxd account I watched 61 movies, the most since 1985.
- Of the 10 movies I saw in theaters, 4 made the list.
- I've seen 2 of the 5 Best Picture nominees, both are honorable mentions.
- The list is book-ended by biopics, while a third movie is based on a true story.
10. Chaplin
These days, Robert Downey Jr. is better known as Tony Stark. There was a time, however, when he was known as a varied performer with considerable range. It's on display here as he embodies the legendary Charlie Chaplin as well as he does Iron Man. I came to this one late, having just seen this one for the first time a couple years ago. Glad I did because I was in a better position to appreciate his work than I would've been back when it came out.
9. Deep Cover
A good undercover cop story is always fun. This one does a deep psychological dive on an officer trying to bust the biggest drug lord in the city. Laurence Fishburne gives us some of his best work as the cop. Now add in Jeff Goldblum as that drug lord. Gold. Unfortunately, this has been relegated to 'hood classic status. There's nothing wrong with that but it deserves so much more.
8. Candyman
Let's start with a true story. As soon as I got home from the theater after seeing this, I went straight to the restroom, shut the door, looked in the mirror and said "Candyman" out loud five times in a row. I'm stupid like that, but so far so good. Let's end on a true story, too. This was my son's first horror flick, and it was probably too soon. He seemed fine all the way through it. However, I awoke at 3 AM to him standing over me with a petrified look on his sweaty face. Oops, my bad.
7. A Few Good Men
I'm like you when it comes to this movie. If someone tells me they want the truth, "You can't handle the truth!" is the first thing that pops into my head. There's a 50/50 chance I'll actually say it. Don't even get me started on when someone asks me to remove myself from the wall. Sometimes people have to be reminded that not only do they want me on that wall, they need me on it.
6. Basic Instinct
The first time I watched this I wasn't sure how much I liked it because I forgot everything after that shot of Sharon's stone. When I saw it again, I was able to maintain my focus and I loved it. I was terrified, but I loved it. Just to be on the safe side, there has never been an ice pick in the Dell household. This was especially important back in the early 90s because I had a waterbed. I was very afraid of having an orgasm, getting stabbed to death, and drowning all at once.
5. A League of Their Own
Baseball runs neck and neck with boxing for the sport with the best movies. This is one of the best of either. The performances are great all around, even from Madonna. Geena Davis rules everything as our de facto leader. However, it's Tom Hanks who steals every scene he's in and threatens to walk off with the entire movie. After all, he taught us "There's no crying in baseball."
4. White Men Can't Jump
On the other hand, most basketball movies are bad. This is an exception to the rule thanks in large part to the chemistry between Wesley Snipes and Wood Harrelson. The next biggest factor was Harrelson's chemistry with Rosie Perez. Then there was Perez's chemistry with me. Sorry, I didn't mean to say that last thing out loud. I meant it's hilarious, and I love basketball. Yeah, that's what I meant.
3. Juice
A hip hop heist-gone-bad movie featuring a DJ that pays homage to and draws inspiration from White Heat? I'm in. The story sizzles and culture icon Tupac Shakur gives us an amazing villain. And so many iconic moments of hip hop's cinematic history. This also happens to be the last movie I saw in theaters while living in Hawaii. And the soundtrack is one of my all-time favorites.
2. Reservoir Dogs
Right from the opening scene in the diner I was hooked. The conversation about tipping is some of the best stuff put on film. It sounds exactly like many conversations I've either had or overheard. And these conversations kept happening, though the content of them was far darker than anything I was involved in. Yes, it's a slow burn of a plot, but that dialogue is everything. I know lots of people praise it for that, but seldom do they tell you what the main ingredient of all this talking is. Fact is, it's funny as hell even when ratcheting up the tension...or cutting off body parts.
1. Malcolm X
The opening scene features an American flag burning away until it's in the shape of the letter 'X' while the eponymous civil rights leader delivers a fiery speech. That night I saw it in a theater and every time I have watched it since, I've been mesmerized from that moment forward. And with good reason. What follows is the story of a man who redeemed and reinvented himself several times over and who's successes precipitated his failures. He's also a man who died while being actively involved in his own evolution. And THAT performance by Denzel Washington. Wow.Honorable Mention (alphabetically listed): Aladdin, American Me, Army of Darkness, Batman Returns, Bebe's Kids, Boomerang, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Death Becomes Her, Glengarry Glen Ross, Hard Boiled, Just Another Girl on the I.R.T., My Cousin Vinny, South Central, Unforgiven, Wayne's World
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