A little about my favorite movies of 1988:
Big: Sure, there are plenty of men who SAY they didn't/won't grow
up, but to them I say: where are your toys? How many times have you
been to Disneyland since you turned 21? What percentage of your annual
salary goes directly to Archie McPhee? Then we can talk. This is a
very personal movie for me.
The Chocolate War: the first, and best, of Keith Gordon's films.
Shot in a really weird low-budget style, with screaming monks and
auditory hallucinations. In my opinion better than the book.
The Lair of the White Worm: Finally, Ken Russell finds the perfect
outlet for his obsessions. This movie is a romp.
Married to the Mob: For a time it seemed like Jonathan Demme could
do anything. Every scene of this lightweight movie, every line of
dialogue, is memorable. Matthew Modine may never make a better film,
and look for a cameo by Todd Solondz as a passenger on the bus.
The Naked Gun: Remember when these movies were actually funny?
Sort of, anyway.
Running on Empty: A very unlikely subject for a major film, but
well-directed and with great acting performances.
Scrooged: Mr. Mike, of Saturday Night Live and National Lampoon fame,
wrote the screenplay, Danny Elfman wrote the music, and the result is
85% biting satire and only 15% schmalz.
Spoorloos ("The Vanishing"): One of the creepiest movies ever made.
There was an awful American remake that you should stay far away from.
Tapeheads: I haven't seen a movie this ridiculous since "Repo Man."
Four stars!
A World Apart: Grim movie about one woman whose life is destroyed by
the Apartheid regime. But it was really powerful.