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+ Most Undeserved Flop of the Year + Best Philadelphia Movie of the Year
This colored B/W still-based poster for Jason Osder's Let the Fire Burn represents the incendiary historical event that it portrays
The city of Philadelphia through the 1970s and '80s had an escalating poor relation to the African revolutionary MOVE cult who lived there, which culminated one tragic day in 1985.
Let the Fire Burn is made by debuting documentarian Jason Osder (Ram Dass, Fierce Grace (2001, documentary), production assistant). The story of the MOVE group, including its problematic sides; first and foremost brainwashing and severe malnutrition of its members' children, the confrontations between the group and the surrounding society, and the fallout of the eventual major tragedy are presented through gathered stock, news and legal footage and sources. Osder's structuring and complimenting on the content is role-model documentary filmmaking. Especially outrageous in this bitter misery is the testimony of the boy Michael Ward. The result is a compelling, insistent, important and deeply discouraging film: Let the Fire Burn stands as a monument for the Philadelphia that failed almost completely in its attempt to straighten an uncivilized group within itself, as well as an indirect exposure of racism in America. It is a must-see.
Have a look at the Philadelphia Special Investigation Commission's first assembly in a clip here as a teaser for the film
Cost: Unknown Box office: 64k $ (North America only) = Uncertain - but undoubtedly a flop of some kind [Let the Fire Burn premiered 29 April (Hot Docs Festival, Toronto, Canada) and runs 95 minutes. It was made with support from the George Washington University, where Osder is an assistant professor. The film opened #89 to a 5k $ first weekend in 1 theater in North America, where it peaked at #66 and in 9 theaters. It was also shown at documentary festivals in the UK, Poland and Luxembourg, but doesn't have a publicized gross from there. No matter what the film cost to make, its tiny gross would be very unlikely to cover it. The film won an Independent Spirit award. Osder has not returned with anything of his own since; he has produced a couple of documentary credits in 2015 that are still not released. Let the Fire Burn is certified fresh at 98 % with an 8.3/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.] What do you think of Let the Fire Burn?
+ Best Courtroom Movie of the Year + Best Ensemble of the Year: Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Antonio Banderas, Charles Napier, Jason Robards, Roger Corman, Mary Steenburgen+ Best Huge Hit Movie of the Year + Best Philadelphia Movie of the Year + Best True-Story Movie of the Year
Two champions of 1993: Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington, full of gravitas on the poster for Jonathan Demme's Philadelphia
Philadelphia struck new ground in 1993 by being the first major American motion picture to deal with AIDS. And to portray gays, homophobia and gay discrimination in a realistic and moving story. Andy is an up-and-coming lawyer at a big law firm in Philadelphia, when he is suddenly made to look incompetent and laid off due to his burgeoning AIDS illness. In a sympathetic but essentially homophobic colleague, Andy finds a councilor, who is willing to take on his wrongful dismissal suit.
Philadelphia thus quickly turns into a court room drama and a damn good one at that: The procedures and witness interviews seem realistic, and master New-Yorker director Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs (1991)), whose 12th film it is, and great cinematographer Tak Fujimoto (Signs (2002)) wisely rely on the faces and performances to speak for themselves here. - And a great cast of 'faces' is grouped together in Philadelphia's court room scenes: From rapidly worsening Andy as played by Tom Hanks (Larry Crowne (2011)), Charles Napier (Black Crescent Moon (2008)) as the judge, Jason Robards (A Boy and His Dog (1975)) as the discriminating boss Charles Wheeler, who is never made into a monster in any way, Antonia Banderas (Life Itself (2018)) as Andy's partner through it all, Mary Steenburgen (A Walk in the Woods (2015)) as the opposing lawyer, and even Roger Corman (Apollo 13 (1995)) as one of the senior partners. - An exciting cast! Hanks looks surprisingly different and younger ('just' 20 years ago, although he certainly looks better aged, I think), and he is terrific here, - and Denzel Washington (Flesh & Blood (1979, TV movie)) is equally good as his attorney. It seems to me that it is the development in Washington's character, which is the most significant and important one in the movie: SPOILER Andy dies of AIDS. - But his councilor Miller learns to see homosexuals as people deserving to love and be loved just as other people, and to abandon his homophobia. Washington acts both his character's homophobia, - common and intolerant, - and eventual acceptance and broadening of his own concepts and mind believably, and it is a wonderful and edifying change to witness. Philadelphia is definitely an issue film with a clear purpose; a pro-diversity and anti-discrimination agenda. The stroke of genius is multifold: The film is very far from being a 'gay' film; the issue is broached from the position of the heterosexual America, delicately, (no sex scenes or scenes of intense intimacy that would alienate audiences are risked.) And it is made as American as possible: Set in the most American of all cities, Philadelphia, with contributing musician icons Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young, and a great score by Howard Shore (Hugo (2011)), dealing with universal themes of justice and injustice. The homophobia is given room to exist and show its stupid face in the very eloquent and intelligent frame of Washington. SPOILER There is a strange scene of change at Andy's flat, where Washington's character listens to an opera that Andy expands upon and his last guards against the homosexual vanishes. Somehow Demme makes this tricky writing work cinematically, - and the result is beautiful. Philadelphia is a great, sentimental film that does not point fingers or preach but works for real understanding and human integration. The change that is portrayed through the character Miller is largely symbolic of the change that has occurred for large parts of American and other nations' societies over the last decades to understand and include homosexuals in everyday life as anyone else. The one place in Philadelphia ,where Ron Nyswaner's (Love Hurts (1990)) fine script jumps a little too fast over an important point, is in the beginning, when Miller suddenly decides to take on the hugely problematic case overnight. It is clear that he has sympathy for his ill colleague, but I would have liked a little more elaboration on this point. Springsteen's Streets of Philadelphia and Young's Philadelphia are both great songs, which work uncommonly well in the film. The two songs brilliantly start and end a film that seems to have personal importance for the filmmakers and has certainly been done with great care and sensitivity.
Cost: 26 mil. $ Box office: 206.6 mil. $ = Huge hit (returned 7.94 times its cost) [Philadelphia premiered 14 December (California) and runs 126 minutes. The film is inspired in part by Geoffrey Bowers and Clarence B. Cain's suit against Bowers' former law firm workplace for wrongful dismissal, won in 1990, shortly before his death. The filmmakers settled a lawsuit from the Bowers family, who sought compensation for the use of his story. Shooting took place in Pennsylvania, including Philadephia, from October 1992 - February 1993. The film opened in 4 theaters to a strong 143k $ first weekend in North America, where it peaked at #1 with a 13.8 mil. $ 4th weekend. It stayed #1 for another week and in the top 5 for another 2 weeks (#2-#3) and grossed 77.4 mil. $ (37.5 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave the film a 3.5/4 star review, equal to its rating here. The film was nominated for 5 Oscars, winning Best Actor (Hanks) and Song (Streets of Philadelphia by Springsteen). It lost Makeup to Mrs. Doubtfire, Song (Young's Philadelphia) to the film's other song nomination and Original Screenplay to Jane Campion for The Piano. It also won 2/3 Golden Globe nominations, was nominated for a BAFTA, won a Grammy and a National Board of Review award, among other honors. Demme returned theatrically with Beloved (1998). Hanks returned in Forrest Gump (1994), Washington in The Pelican Brief (1993). Philadelphia is certified fresh at 79 % with a 6.7/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.] What do you think of Philadelphia?
The dark, mysterious poster for Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys
12 Monkeys is a mystery science fiction movie based on Chris Marker's (The Koumiko Mystery (1967)) still photography-comprised short La Jetée (1962). David Webb Peoples (Blade Runner (1982)) and Janet Peoples (The Day After Trinity (1981)) wrote the screenplay. A prisoner in a future Philadelphia gets sent back in time to learn the particulars concerning a virus unleashed upon humanity in the late 1990s, which killed off nearly everyone. Dealing with time travel, 12 Monkeys takes time's relativity to new heights. - So if you like being confused, you might love it. The quizzical plot is mixed with psychedelic elements and imagery that is its British master filmmakerTerry Gilliam's (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)) directorial watermark. Bruce Willis (Die Hard (1988)) is really good in the lead, but it was Brad Pitt (Fight Club (1999)) who got Oscar-nominated as Best Supporting Actor for his loony performance in the film. (But lost to Kevin Spacey for his performance in The Usual Suspects.) 12 Monkeys was also Oscar-nominated for its costume design, losing to Restoration (1995). It is a film that seems tailor-made for several views, (if one has the interest and patience for it.) It is not as good as Gilliam's best, Time Bandits (1981), masterpiece Brazil (1985) The Fisher King (1991) and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998), but it is certainly a fascinating film. It has recently spun a SyFy TV-series also entitled 12 Monkeys (2015-), which has been renewed for a second season.
Brad Pitt was Oscar-nominated and won the Golden Globe for his supporting performance as a radicalized lunatic in Terry Gilliam's 12 Monkeys
The trailer amply informs of the unintelligible structure of 12 Monkeys
Cost: 29.5 mil. $ Box office: 168.8 mil. $ = Huge hit (returned 5.72 times the cost) [12 Monkeys was released 29 December and runs 129 minutes.It was shot mostly in Baltimore, Maryland and in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under difficult circumstances from February - May 1995, but Gilliam managed to stay within budget, despite getting injured in a horseback riding accident during production. 12 Monkeysopened to an impressive 184k $ first weekend in 3 theaters in North America, where it peaked at #1, which it held for two consecutive weeks and spent another 2 weeks in the top 5 (#3-#4), grossing 57.1 mil. $ (33.8 % of the total gross). Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal to its rating here. The film also had high attendances in many European countries like Germany and France. Gilliam returned with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998). Willis returned in Last Man Standing (1996), Pitt in Sleepers (1996), and Madeleine Stowe (Tropical Snow (1988)) in The Proposition (1998). 12 Monkeys is certified fresh at 88 % with a 7.4/10 critical average on Rotten Tomatoes]
