1993 degrees Farenheit

I came up with an excuse to talk about some retro movies while sweating through my work clothes on the Subway this morning. For the remainder of the summer, I will make a daily post based on the projected high temperature. I will take the two digits from temperature from the NY Times' cover weather blurb and recount movies/songs from the year that shares those numbers. Today's forecast calls for a high of 93 degrees, thus 1993 is the year of the day.

As, I pulled up the top 50 movies of 1993, I immediately realized how many options I have. So, for your dog-days-of-summer reading pleasure... I present 1993.


Jurassic Park


I can still remember going to see this movie in theaters. It was one of the first movies that my parents, brother and I all attended together. I remember having nightmares about velociraptors for weeks. For some reason, I really fixated on the fact that raptors are about 6 feet tall. At that point, I had a loft bed that was 6 feet tall. So, my nightmare involved a raptor poking his head in the gap between the guard rail and the mattress. Sure, I had the overactive imagination of a young child, but the truth is that Speilberg awoke all our imaginations with JP. Dinosaurs are one of the most compelling topics for all humans. Monsters that really roamed the earth!

Between the special effects, the music, and the seamless pace, it is almost a perfect action movie. Whenever I watch it, I always admire Spielberg's choice to make us wait for what feels like an eternity before we finally see any dinosaurs. The sick triceratops is just a taste. So, when the T-Rex finally bursts onto the scene in a flurry of snapping electric fence cables and soul shattering loud screams, we have to remind ourselves to breathe. And I would go as far as to say that the kitchen scene with the two kids and the raptors would make the list of top 25 action scenes ever.
Also, it is the only film in which you can bask in the glory of Samuel L. Jackson and Wayne Knight (the infamous Newman, on Seinfeld) in one sitting.

I have never looked at birds--nor a shaking glass of water--the same way ever since 1993.

Favorite line to quote:
-"Hold on to your butts."




The Fugitive
This action movie is not canonized the way JP is, but it is still a gem. The movie itself is not complicated, so I won't analyze it. Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones are a great action pair. The movie seems like an ornate tango between the two of them. [Note: This is an excessively long clip, but if you're looking to kill some time, enjoy.]



Favorite lines to quote:
-"YOU FIND THAT MAN!"
-"I don't care!"
-"I. Don't. Bargain."


Wayne's World 2
This is a bold statement, but I will defend it to the death: Wayne's World 2 is one of the most underrated sequels of my generation. Wayne's World 2 is not as revered because it is more complex than the first. I think many fans didn't get all the classic rock and roll references. The whole Jim Morrison dream sequence was lost on Mike Meyer's younger fans, most of whom loved and adored the first movie. I was included in that group. I, however, have come to realize the second film's greatness and I urge you all to give it another try. I mean Christopher Walken is in it AND Charleton Heston made a cameo!!


Favorite lines to quote:
"We'll run through these with a fine-toothed comb, cross the Ts and dot the...lower-case Js."



Sleepless in Seattle
Since I just recently sung this movie praises, I won't repeat myself here. I did want to point out that this was definitely the best romantic comedy of 1993.

Honorable mention: The Sandlot
This is a wonderful coming of age movie. It doesn't exactly have the same resonance as Stand By Me or any of the John Hughes movies, but it is still a wonderful tale about childhood and, more importantly, baseball.


Favorite line to quote:
-"You're killing me Smalls!"