5 Weekly Movie Suggestions - Volume 2

In this series we will endeavour to offer up 5 films each week as a suggestion for you to watch. Multiple genres, multiple decades, as wide a spread as possible to cater for all enjoyments. We hope you find something you like!

Before you start please note we use Information provided by Kinorium and Trakt. All films discussed in this series are available to check out on our Rewind Zone Trakt List . Trakt is free to Signup and it will help you find information on the films as well as WHERE TO STREAM them, just put in your country and what streaming services to check and Trakt will do the rest!

Strange Days (1995)

Strange Days is a 1995 American science fiction thriller film directed by Kathryn Bigelow, written by James Cameron and Jay Cocks, and produced by Cameron and Steven-Charles Jaffe. It stars Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis and Tom Sizemore. Set in the last two days of 1999, the film follows the story of a black marketeer of recordings that allow a user to experience the recorder's memories and physical sensations as he attempts to uncover the truth behind the murder of a prostitute.

Blending science fiction with film noir conventions, Strange Days explores themes such as racism, abuse of power, rape and voyeurism. Although the story was conceived by Cameron around 1986, Bigelow found inspiration after incidents such as the Lorena Bobbitt trial and the 1992 Los Angeles riots that followed the Rodney King verdict. The film was shot entirely in the greater Los Angeles area over a period of 77 nights. Some of the film's scenes, which offer a point-of-view shot (POV), required multi-faceted cameras and considerable technical preparation.

A major box-office bomb, Strange Days almost derailed Bigelow's career, making little more than a sixth of its $42 million production cost. Upon release, the film polarized film critics; some reviewers praised its gritty atmosphere and the performances by Fiennes and Bassett, while others criticized it for failing to comment on its violence. Nevertheless, the film's critical standing has improved over the years, with many fans feeling that the film has been overlooked by a casual mass audience and misguided critics. At the 22nd Saturn Awards, Bassett won Best Actress and Bigelow became the first woman to win the Best Director award.

Bronco Billy (1980)

Recently done a full article on this Eastwood gem which you can read here so won't go into great detail on this forum. It's an interesting read so check it out!

Bronco Billy is a 1980 American Western comedy film starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke. It was directed by Eastwood and written by Dennis Hackin.

Total Recall (1990)

"How would you know if someone stole your mind?"

Total Recall is a 1990 American science fiction action film directed by Paul Verhoeven, with a screenplay by Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon, and Gary Goldman. The film stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, and Michael Ironside. Based on the 1966 short story "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick, Total Recall tells the story of Douglas Quaid (Schwarzenegger), a construction worker who receives an implanted memory of a fantastical adventure on Mars. He subsequently finds his adventure occurring in reality as agents of a shadow organization try to prevent him from recovering memories of his past as a Martian secret agent aiming to stop the tyrannical regime of Martian dictator Vilos Cohaagen (Cox).

Shusett acquired Dick's story rights in '74, developing a script with O'Bannon. Despite its ambitious scope, the project faced prolonged development across multiple studios for sixteen years, with forty drafts, seven directors, and various actors considered for Quaid. Filming commenced in '87 under De Laurentiis Entertainment Group, shortly before their bankruptcy. Schwarzenegger convinced Carolco Pictures to purchase the rights and star in the film. With an estimated budget of $48–80 million, Total Recall shot for six months at Estudios Churubusco, Mexico. Cast and crew encountered injuries and illnesses during production.

Total Recall was highly anticipated and grossed around $261.4 million worldwide, ranking fifth for the year. Critical reception was mixed, with praise for its themes and effects, while some criticized its perceived vulgarity and violence. The practical effects garnered an Academy Award, and Jerry Goldsmith's score was celebrated as one of his finest works.

Since its release, the film has been praised for its ambiguous ending positing whether Quaid's adventures are real or a fantasy. It has also been analyzed for themes of colonialism and authoritarianism, and criticized for elements perceived as sexist and racist. Retrospective reviews have called it one of Schwarzenegger's best films and placed it among the best science-fiction films ever made. Alongside comic books and video games, Total Recall has been adapted into the 1999 television series Total Recall 2070. An early attempt at a sequel, based on Dick's The Minority Report, became the 2002 stand-alone film Minority Report, and a 2012 remake, also called Total Recall failed to replicate the success of the original.

True Romance (1993)

A comic-book nerd and Elvis fanatic Clarence (Christian Slater) and a prostitute named Alabama (Patricia Arquette) fall in love. Clarence breaks the news to her pimp and ends up killing him. He grabs a suitcase of cocaine on his way out thinking it is Alabama's clothing. The two hit the road for California hoping to sell the cocaine, but the mob is soon after them.

True Romance began life as an early script by Tarantino; he sold the screenplay in order to finance his debut feature film, Reservoir Dogs (1992). It is regarded by proponents as a cross-section of writer Tarantino and director Scott's respective trademarks, including a Southern California setting, pop cultural references, and stylized violence punctuated by slow motion.

Though initially a box-office failure, the film's positive reviews, with critics praising the dialogue, characters, and off-beat style, earned it a cult following. It has come to be considered one of Scott's best films and one of the best American films of the 1990s.

Death Becomes Her (1992)

"Some people will go to any lengths to stay young forever. But Madeline Ashton and her old friend Helen Sharp are about to go TOO far."

Death Becomes Her is a 1992 American satirical black comedy fantasy film directed and produced by Robert Zemeckis. Written by David Koepp and Martin Donovan, it stars Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn as rivals who fight for the affections of the same man (Bruce Willis) and drink a magic potion that promises eternal youth, but causes unpleasant side effects.

Released on July 31, 1992, to mixed reviews from critics, Death Becomes Her was a commercial success, grossing $149 million worldwide on $55 million budget. The film was a pioneer in the use of computer-generated effects; it went on to win the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. In the decades since its release, Death Becomes Her has developed a strong cult following, especially among the LGBT community.

That's a wrap for our 2nd Installment of Weekly Movie Suggestions. Thanks so much for taking the time to read. Please leave a comment on your thoughts to our choices, we'd love to hear from you!

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Have a great weekends viewing!!