Original Articles

We had the whole Grunge movement, with all of Seattle paying tribute to Nirvana’s teen spirit, a brand of anti-order, sports and all that jazz nihilism that garnered millions of fans. We also had the Spice Girls, Beanie Babies, Tae-bo and Cheers. It was quite the decade. If you’re feeling somewhat nostalgic for a time not so long ago, you could do worse than to immerse yourself in the epoch’s best films. Here, in chronological order, is a list of the decade’s Academy Award winning films. Most of them can be caught any given day in HD on satellite TV; or you can simply rent the HD DVD to get your fill.

Dances With Wolves
It’s 1990 and Kevin Costner is at the height of his stardom. Graced with a sportsman’s physique, Kostner plays a white man among Indians. He portrays one Lt. John Dubar, a military hero who is outposted to the wilderness of Dakota territory. There he befriends the natives while alienating himself from the army.

Silence of the Lambs
The following year gave us the delicious Silence of the Lambs starring one fiendish Anthony Hopkins as the deranged genius cannibal, Hannibal Lector. Who can forget his hissing voice as he interviews Clarice Starling, played by the formidable Jody Foster? This is a must see in high definition quality.

Unforgiven
This 1992 drama follows the lives of cowboys in the sleepy cow town of Big Whiskey. Some legendary actors count themselves among the movie’s cast: Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman and Morgan Freeman, among others. Be prepared for gun fights galore and brilliant sunsets.

Schindler’s List
Of all Spielberg’s films, this is perhaps the most poignant. It deals with the Holocaust, a heavy-handed subject, indeed, but Spielberg manages to wrest some grace from the horrid ordeal, detailing the lives of Oskar Schindler’s lucky survivors. Shot in black in white, with fleeting glimpses of color, in a girl’s red dress, for example, this film is beautifully shot; HD is a must.

Forrest Gump
Strange name, fantastic story. Forrest Gump featured tom Hanks as a mentally challenged young man whose life was out of this world.

Braveheart
This Mel Gibson epic told the tale of Scottish warriors fighting for a place to call home. It hits all the right notes.

The English Patient
A beautiful film directed by the late Anthony Minghella, The English Patient tells the tale of two interwoven stories. It’s got breathtaking scenery and a great romantic storyline.

Titanic
Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio play two star-crossed lovers aboard the mighty Titanic. We watch in delight as they fall in love in the course of days. This was a huge box office hit. The world fell in love with the film. Today, you can probably catch it by flipping through your satellite TV programming.

Shakespeare in Love
Gwyneth Paltrow plays the great playwright and poet Shakespeare’s muse. This is a lovely little film which talks about the boundaries of love.