Top Ten Films Of 1992!

Well we are nearly coming to an end of 1990s in my celebration looking back on the "ten best" films of previous years. In my "Top Ten Films of 1993", I made mention of the cinematic interest in Asian cinema which flourished. Here we have yet another example of it in director Zhang Yimou's work.

The early 90s were weak years for movies. The film industry was still recovering from the disgrace of the 1980s. New blood was needed in Hollywood and some of the directors on this list were newcomers at the time or names that hadn't quite made an impact on mainstream audiences.

The highest grossing film of 1992 was a Disney animated film, "Aladdin" which brought Robin Williams' style of comedy to a whole new generation which normally wouldn't be allowed to listen to his sometimes vulgar stand-up and were much too young, in fact not even born, to remember him in his "Mork & Mindy" days. Other high grossing films were "Home Alone 2", "Batman Returns", people just seem to love Batman movies as "The Dark Knight", 16 years later was also a top grossing movie, actually the top grossing movie of 2008. The audiences' taste in movies doesn't seem to have changed much. "Basic Instinct" was also a big money maker and Sharon Stone's crossing legs scene was, for a while, the talk of the town.

The big scandal of the year sadly had to do with Woody Allen and Mia Farrow. It brought about the "end" of Allen's career, which never amounted to much to begin with as far as box-office went. But after this film even critics turned their backs on him. Suddenly it became "fashionable" to say Allen lost his touch. With the exception of "Match Point" and "Vicky Cristina Barcelona", Allen has never fully recovered from the scandal.

At the Oscars, celebrating the films of the year, Al Pacino would finally win a "Best Actor" Oscar for his role in "Scent of A Woman". Many people felt it was more of a "pity" Oscar, since the Academy snubbed him so many times in the past when he was looked over for performances in "The Godfather" series, "Dog Day Afternoon", "Serpico" and "And Justice For All".

Other noteworthy films were "Chaplin" with Robert Downey Jr., "Howards End" which scored multiple Oscar nominations, Robert Altman made a big comeback with his "inside Hollywood" satire "The Player", about a movie producer who murders a man. In a related note a TV producer was accused yesterday of be-heading his wife!

Here are my favorite films of 1992!

1. RAISE THE RED LANTERN (Dir. Zhang Yimou; China) - Yimou has gone on to become, perhaps, the single most celebrated director on my "top ten" lists. He has topped the list three times, more than any other filmmaker. His "Raise the Red Lantern" marked the first time he did so and would do it again in 1994 ("To Live") and 2001 ("The Road Home").

"Raise the Red Lantern" starred his then lover, Gong Li, maybe one of the most beautiful actresses working today, as a concubine who becomes a rich man's fourth wife. The film shows us a strange, at least to western eyes, culture as the women share their husband. But the film has strong social and political tones concerning how woman are treated in Chinese society. Yimou has the audience feel pity for the newest wife. We are not suppose to celebrate this lifestyle.

Many people sometimes get carried away discussing how beautiful to look at Yimou's films are that I sometimes think they are over looking the power of the story. "Raise the Red Lantern" is a beautiful film to look at but it is the characters and the emotions which flow as watching this modern masterpiece which make it so special.

2. THE BEST INTENTIONS (Dir. Bille August; Sweden) - "The Best Intentions" marked the first time famed Swedish director Ingmar Bergman was involved in a motion picture which had a theatrical run in the U.S. since his 1984 masterpiece "After the Rehearsal". Bergman wrote this script concerning how his parents meet. The 1990s put Bergman in a more reflective tone looking back on his childhood and his parents relationship.

The film won the palme d'or at the Cannes Film Festival and put Bille August on the world map as an important director. One of his later films, "A Song for Martin" is a sad, touching love story.The film stars Bergman regular Max von Sydow and Pernilla August.

3. HUSBANDS & WIVES (Dir. Woody Allen; U.S.) - Speaking of Ingmar Bergman, here is a film by his American counterpart, the great Woody Allen. Once again Allen takes us into "Bergman land" with his version of Bergman's classic, "Scenes From A Marriage", as Allen dissects the relationships of two couples with his usual biting humor and sometimes spot-on insights into the human heart and all its complexities. Two of my favorite quotes are "life doesn't imitate art, it imitates bad television" and when his insight into what people are looking for in the opposite sex, "themselves, only prettier".

The film was said to be one of Allen's personal favorites of his own work but was released shortly after the scandal broke out. Many viewers thought the film mirrored Allen's real life a bit too closely as he and Farrow play a bickering couple which eventually divorce.

The film scored much attention for Judy Davis, she was nominated for an Oscar and various film critic association awards. Allen was nominated for "Best Screenplay" at the Oscars.

4. A TALE OF SPRINGTIME (Dir. Eric Rohmer; France) - This was the beginning of Rohmer's "tale of four seasons" series, which every entry made my "top ten" lists.

It is hard not to fall in love with these characters as a young girl (Florence Darel) plays matchmaker for her father and a friend.

Rohmer shows us the joys of loves with much charm and sophistication.

5. RESERVOIR DOGS (Dir. Quentin Tarantino; U.S.) - Tarantino's debut film promised the emergence of an explosive new talent and he lived up to the challenge making one of the most influential films of the decade two years later, "Pulp Fiction". Here we see the seeds of what would come in this cross-cutting story involving a robbery. The film stars Harvey Keitel and Tim Roth and even has a part for Tarantino.

Strangely Roger Ebert didn't like the movie but says he can see Tarantino is talented. "Reservoir Dogs" is pretty much a standard Tarantino film. Hard to say what caused Ebert to change his opinion of Tarantino other than he was becoming more popular with each new film.

6. INDOCHINE (Dir. Regis Wargnier; France) - Catherine Deneuve stars in this historical period piece which takes us back to the days when the French had control of Vietnam. The film is a sprawling epic told behind a lush canvass.

Deneuve was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as the film won the "Best Foreign Language" award and multiple other awards, including one from the National Board of Review.

7. A FEW GOOD MEN (Dir. Rob Reiner; U.S.) - Could be Reiner's best film to date. The film scored four Oscar nominations including "Best Picture". A young Tom Cruise and Demi Moore stars as lawyers trying to take on a military cover up. Perhaps best known for Jack Nicholson's performance (which was nominated) and his courtroom scene in which he informs Mr. Cruise "he can't handle the truth".

8. UNFORGIVEN (Dir. Clint Eastwood; U.S.) - Clint Eastwood's revisionist western is a sobering contemplation on themes Eastwood has spent a career examining - western mythology, redemption, justice, heroism, and as the title suggest, forgiveness. When released "Unforgiven" may have been Eastwood's greatest statement on these issues. It is no wonder it was the Academy Award winner for Best Picture and earned Eastwood a Best Director Oscar as well. The exceptional cast includes Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris, and Gene Hackman in an Oscar winning role.

9. HOFFA (Dir. Danny Devito; U.S.) - Jack Nicholson is at it again. The 90s were actually a pretty good decade for the actor. He had good roles. "Hoffa" might not be remembered too well by film fans but it is a stirring look at the mysterious disappearance of the union leader. Nicholson plays the title character. The film won two Oscar nominations. And could also be Devito's best film to date.

10.  (tie) MALCOLM X (Dir. Spike Lee; U.S.); THE CRYING GAME (Dir. Neil Jordan; U.K.) - "Malcolm X" is in my opinion one of Lee's two quintessential films. He deals with issues which best define his career.  "The Crying Game" put Jordan on the map as a director to look out for. Probably one of the most talked about films of the year due to a shocking twist. You probably know what it is already but on the oft-chance someone reading this has never seen it I won't reveal anything.