The year 1993 was one of my earliest and most special years … it was the year my sister was born, that says it all … but for the sake of this post, it was a year that delivered some of my favorite movies. It was also a year packed with films that have been preserved as classics, along with some critically acclaimed pictures including “The Piano”, “The Age of Innocence”, “El Mariachi” and “Fearless”.
It was also
a big year for comedies, with “Robin Hood: Men in Tights”, “Addams
Family Values”, “Army of Darkness” and “Hot Shots! Part Deux”
only being the tip of a very tall iceberg. There were also a number of
childhood favorites like “Super Mario Fros.”, “Free Willy” and “Cool
Runnings”, which I know aren’t masterpieces, but I still have a good deal
of fondness for them. So, I felt it would be fun to try and rank my own
personal favorite movies from the year 1993 … which was not easy to condense to
simply ten, as there were so many excellent movies to highlight from this year.
Still, here are the movies from 1993 that meant the most to me and have stuck
with me for the long run.
#10 “Mrs. Doubtfire”
Robin Willaims was a tremendous acting presence for his time, and his ability to deliver both big laughs and big tears resonated with many viewers. For me, I was just as big a fan or the actor and it was his 1993 hit comedy “Mrs. Doubtfire” that really shaped me into the fan I still am today. In this film, Williams plays a divorced dad who disguises himself as an old house maid in order to spend time with his kids. As far as Robin Willaims straight forward comedy offerings are concerned, this is the film I have the most fondness for, as it delivered the laughs with just enough seeds of heart to balance out.
It also highlights the range of his talents, as he segues the emotional,
theatrical, cheerful, heartfelt, and laugh out loud points perfectly. I’ve also
seen this movie listed as a film that would either “never be made today”, or
have a more device reaction from audiences, which for me makes the film all the
more special as a time capsule of 1993, when viewers were more willing to go
along with an outlandish, even morally questionable premise, for the sake of a healthy
dose of laughter and good cheer.
#9 “Cliffhanger”
When a skilled mountain climber gets roped into a heist plot, involving villains after bags of money, which has been scattered all across the Rocky Mountains, it becomes an exciting cat and mouse game to see who can get the prize, while maintaining their footing on the treacherous slopes. Before I ever saw “Rocky” or “Rambo”, this early 90’s action thrill ride was my introduction to Sylvester Stallone, and by extent, this is one of the earliest R ratted movies I ever saw.
In hindsight, it’s easy to criticize this movie for being derivative of other action movies of the time … “Die Hard” being the most obvious, but this was my early introduction to the formula, and for me, it still packs an exciting punch all these years later. The setting of the Rocky Mountains gives the film a distinct identity and adds a good deal more tension to the action. If for anything else, this film is a great showcase for the strengths of Sylvester Stallone when he’s not playing one of his iconic character roles.
#8 “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey”
From one mountain themed adventure to another, we follow three pets battling the elements of nature on their journey to get back home to their owners. As far back as my earliest movie viewing memories are concerned, Disney’s 1993 remake of their original 1963 picture “The Incredible Journey” was one of my very first, and I still hold it very close as a nostalgic favorite. Having grown up with this version, my feelings are stronger, but putting that aside, this really is one of the rare cases in which I feel a Disney remake is superior to the original.
Visually, the film looks sensational with its outdoor cinematography, and the music score by Bruce Broughton is an unsung triumph, which still rings in my ears all these decades later. More than anything, the vocal cast of Michael J. Fox, Don Ameche and Sally Field gave these pets distinct personalities and made them memorable movie characters in their own right.
#7 “The Fugitive”
A doctor is wrongly accused of killing his wife, so he sets off to find the real culprit, reveal the truth, and all while being fiercely pursued by a Deputy U.S. Marchal. It’s not often that a formulaic, action chase thriller gets nominated for Best Picture … but 1993’s “The Fugitive” was that one rare genera film that went the extra mile in quality film presentation. While I’ve never seen the original TV series that preceded this film, it’s not required to enjoy this as a riveting experience in of itself.
This
is back in the day when acting stars Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones were on
top of the world, and this film highlights them both at their best, with Tommy
Lee Jones winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting actor. It's a thrilling
crime drama, an exciting chase and holds up exceptionally well all these years
later. Director Andrew Davis was firing on all cylinders and again, this film highlights
two of my favorite actors when they were at their peak.
#6 “Wayne’s World 2”
I know I’m a minority on this, but I find “Wayne’s World 2” to be a criminally underappreciated comedy sequel. The first “Wayne’s World” is generally one of my favorite movies, and while the sequel doesn’t quiet reach those same high marks, I still look back on it as one of my favorite comedies, and just like its predecessor, I find it just gets funnier every time I watch it. To be honest, most of my favorite jokes from this series come from the sequel. I’m sure it was challenging to capture that same charismatic charm and laughter a second time around, but this sequel puts it’s all into making it work. The characters are still just as endearing as ever, the plot is completely fresh, new, and like I said, it really delivers some funny new jokes and sequences that help it stand apart.
While some things are recycled from the original, it still powers through with a fully realized cartoony environment, which succeeds in bringing more to the table. I’d say, if you are a fan of the first film, make sure you have the second ready as a follow-up, as I feel it adds just as much charm and appeal to the franchise, and closed out this packaged deal of comedies on a high note!
#5 “The Nightmare Before Christmas”
When Jack Skeleton of Halloween town decides to take a shot at Christmas, it becomes a crazy mash of two holiday worlds. In general, I adore holidays, with both Halloween and Christmas being my two biggest seasonal highlights. Naturally, a movie revolving around both is going to achieve something special and resonate with me for the holiday seasons to come. While the narrative of the film has always been weak, it’s the experience and feel of combining both Halloween and Christmas into one awesome package, with a fascinating animation design and memorable songs sustaining its yearly appeal.
Without question, the novelty and charm of the film is that it’s mostly told through song and is brought to life
with top-notch stop-motion animation. Two holidays are better than one, and
this is that rare Halloween/Christmas film that you can watch twice in the
holiday season.
#4 “Schindler’s List”
It’s near the start of World War II, and wealthy businessman Oskar Schindler, a known member of the Nazi Party, finds a way to manipulate the oppressive system for his own purposes. Introduced as a selfish, womanizing gambler, Oskar Schindler gradually finds himself won over by the plights of the Jewish people and risks his own life and fortune in an effort to rescue more than one thousand of them from the gas chambers. While there are still three other movies on my list that I have more personal feelings for … no other movie from 1993 was more deserving of the Academy Award for Best Picture then this Steven Spielberg classic.
He accomplished the unthinkable, delivering a movie revolving
around the Holocaust … and made it as disturbing, poignant, and impactful as it
should be. The cast is sensational, with Liam Neeson dominating the scene in
the lead role of Oskar Schindler. The black and white documentary style
presentation was also a creatively brilliant choice and helped the events of
the film feel more real. If I were ranking this list based on objective quality
and importance … then “Schindler’s List” would be my number one pick by
a mile.
#3 “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm”
Adapted from the classic 90’s animated series, this film highlights a segment of Batman’s origin in which he almost escaped a life of crime fighting in favor of a life of happiness, only for everything to come crashing around him. In present day, he and the Joker are caught in a deadly game of revenge, revolving around a new masked villain, as well as a long-forgotten love interest from Bruce Waynes past, who can either bring him into the light … or push him back further into the shadows.
In general, Batman is my personal favorite superhero, and had it not been for the 2008 movie “The Dark Knight”, this theatrical animated movie from 1993 would be my personal favorite. Having said that, actors Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill are still my favorite talents to portray both Batman and the Joker. The film also sticks with me as one of Batman’s best focused stories with personal stakes as opposed to city stakes.
It balances a very tight script, with multiple plot lines, character arcs, and
it’s paced very well, allowing the atmosphere to sink in. It’s got everything I
could want from a comic book movie … great action, drama, artistic style, sensational
music and intriguing character complexities.
#2 “The Sandlot”
When a young boy moves to a quiet little town, he makes friends with a small group of kids, who are all united by their shared love of Baseball. What ensues is a special Summer full of friendship, comedic mishaps, and small scale, backyard adventures ... with an occasional game thrown in for good measure. In general, I’m not much of a sports guy … but regardless, “The Sandlot” has always been one of my all-time favorite movies.
It’s a sport movie that’s not really about the sport itself and doesn’t rely on old sports movie clichés. In essence, this film is about the innocents of youth, and a coming-of-age adventure. Watching “The Sandlot” is like looking through a window to the past, and it allows us to reflect on a time when you and your friends would play games, get into trouble, and go on your own little adventures that the adults were completely oblivious too.
It’s such a genuinely
sweet and wholesome film with lots of excitement, big laughs, quotable lines of
dialog, memorable scenes, and I just feel so touched by it every time. It may
not be a traditional sports movie … but it’s unmistakably my favorite of what
the genera has to offer, and it would have absolutely been my personal favorite
movie of 1993 … had it not been for one other movie which came out that same year.
Before I
reveal my #1 favorite movie of 1993, here are some quick honorable mentions
that I just didn’t have enough room for ...
“Groundhog
Day”
“Tombstone”
“Gettysburg”
“Hocus
Pocus”
“The
Three Musketeers”
#1 “Jurassic Park” (1993)
As said above, “Schindler's List” was unmistakably the objective best film of the year … but my personal favorite is Steven Spielberg’s other classic. To say “Jurassic Park” is my favorite movie of 1993 would be underselling it, because this is truthfully one of my favorite movies. Along with the likes of “Star Wars” and “The Wizard of Oz”, “Jurassic Park” was one of those childhood experiences that helped shape my overall love for movies. It pushed the boundaries of special effects for its time and delivered the best and most real looking dinosaurs caught on film … which as far as I’m concerned still haven’t been surpassed.
Based on the Michael Crichton novel of the same name, “Jurassic Park” tells the story of what happens when man messes with nature. Thanks to cloning, scientists are able to bring back the dinosaurs and aim to present them to the world in a big theme park extravaganza. Things go south, and a small team of visitors find themselves at the mercy of a hungry T-Rex and a savage group of Raptors.
While the dinosaurs themselves were a big draw to the film, I’m also very fond of the human cast, with Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum leading the charge. Also, Steven Spielberg’s cinematic direction and John Williams iconic music score gives the film a sense of “movie magic” that goes beyond impressive dinosaur encounters. I could talk about this movie all day, but I’ll simplify things by saying the original “Jurassic Park” for me goes above a fun action adventure … it’s an experience, with brilliant film-making techniques on display, rich themes, and great characters to boot.
Thanks for reading my countdown … and continue to enjoy the movies you Love!
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