May 30
As one of those “good Christ, these parents are terrible” flicks, The People Under the Stairs is sharp and fun. Wes Craven’s picture from 1991 led the way into the so-called “ghetto horror” genre that would spawn films like Tales from the Hood, Bones and Candyman. More than that, this is a horror movie with layers of social commentary on strong social issues like race, parenting and cannibalism. Cannibals can never catch a break, but one day our day will come.
Disney enjoyed another golden period in the 90s, some say, with movies like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Lion King reminding people of what the company has in the hopper. Beauty and the Beast may well be considered the key film of that era, especially where awards and accolades are concerned. Prior to Up, this 1991 motion picture was the first to earn a Best Picture nod from the Academy. It’s a feat Disney still promotes to this day.
The Jean Cocteau version is clearly in mind here. It is said that Walt Disney may have been scared off by the 1946 version, in fact, and left the idea lying around for decades. Whatever the historical context, the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? was enough for the studio to draw up plans to bring Beauty and the Beast back out into the light. The tale hadn’t been done in a while and Disney’s Mermaid was also drawing up considerable box office success.
Nov 15
John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood is probably the best known of the so-called “hood films.” Dealing with events among the poor in South Central Los Angeles, this 1991 motion picture is a highly intelligent and endlessly engrossing piece of work. Singleton never would live up to the grandness of his debut flick, unfortunately, but the flashes of talent on display here are undeniable.
Inner city America is a place that too many people know all too well. It is, actually, a war zone. In Boyz n the Hood, the unceasing presence of helicopters and gunfire creates a tableau of madness often only seen in war movies. Singleton’s picture becomes a war film in that regard, telling us about the desperation and the bloodshed the characters endure with unflinching honesty. The chaos is the only constant.
Isao Takahata’s Only Yesterday, also known in some circles as Memories of Yesterday, is a brilliant and subtle meditation on finding one’s true self through the exploration of memories. Takahata’s picture is not available on DVD in the United States because Disney didn’t pick up the distribution rights, but some have been lucky enough to view an import copy of this magical film. Unfortunately, this movie is the only theatrical release from Ghibli to not see a North American release.
Only Yesterday is a lush motion picture filled with rich imagery and gorgeously animated vistas. It is the type of animated feature that can be paused and studied just for the sheer art of it all, as almost every frame looks like a painting or a beautiful portrait. Along with the lovely scenery and animation, Takahata’s picture weaves an intelligent story about discovery that all of us, regardless of gender, can relate to.
As a superstar of Hong Kong entertainment, Stephen Chow is the master of mo-lei-tau comedy. Mo-lei-tau can be translated to mean “with no source” or “makes no sense.” Chow, typical for mo-lei-tau comedy, uses a lot of double entendres, puns, and nonsensical parodies and contrasts in his films. If you’ve seen Kung Fu Hustle or Shaolin Soccer, you have a rough idea as to what mo lei tau can be.
But for a real sense of Chow using mo-lei-tau to a more understanding target audience, you need to dig back further in Chow’s career. That’s where 1991’s Fight Back to School comes in. A nonsense comedy in just about every sense of the word, Fight Back to School can be a little tricky at first. In Hong Kong, however, it was extremely popular and spawned two sequels and a spin-off.
