Excellent counter-example.  The Ice Storm explores very similar themes, but chooses to confront them as emotional realities to be dealt with rather than as a multi-limbed, all-purpose straw man.

Excellent counter-example.  The Ice Storm explores very similar themes, but chooses to confront them as emotional realities to be dealt with rather than as a multi-limbed, all-purpose straw man.

It's the unrelenting smugness that turns me right the fuck off.

It's the unrelenting smugness that turns me right the fuck off.

My favorite thing in this film is Chris Cooper's performance.  It's really, really subtle, as any depth is left on his shoulders, and has to be done mostly wordlessly and with shot pacing.  But he manages to carve out a fascinating little niche of conflicting feelings of love, protectiveness, rage, and self-loathing…

My favorite thing in this film is Chris Cooper's performance.  It's really, really subtle, as any depth is left on his shoulders, and has to be done mostly wordlessly and with shot pacing.  But he manages to carve out a fascinating little niche of conflicting feelings of love, protectiveness, rage, and self-loathing…

Nothing's wrong with Shawshank: it's a very well-crafted piece of classic Hollywood entertainment, and does not attempt to be more than that.  Perhaps its many, many ardent fans have tried to convince you it's the BEST MOVIE EVER, but don't let them sway you to contrarianism - the movie succeeds perfectly fine on its…

Nothing's wrong with Shawshank: it's a very well-crafted piece of classic Hollywood entertainment, and does not attempt to be more than that.  Perhaps its many, many ardent fans have tried to convince you it's the BEST MOVIE EVER, but don't let them sway you to contrarianism - the movie succeeds perfectly fine on its…

Personally, I can bear corniness if it carries enough sincerity in it - not everything in the world is bitter irony.  And sometimes corniness can be fun in its own right, on its own terms.  But smugness is something I simply can't stand, even when the stance of a work is in line with my own.  Even though I have strong…

Personally, I can bear corniness if it carries enough sincerity in it - not everything in the world is bitter irony.  And sometimes corniness can be fun in its own right, on its own terms.  But smugness is something I simply can't stand, even when the stance of a work is in line with my own.  Even though I have strong…

No one has yet to mention the unbelievable, egregious climax of the teenagers subplot - when the "outsiders" - the Sensitive Gay Artiste, the black-wearing Alternative Girl - just straight up tell the Popular Blond Girl that she sucks, and "We're better than you".  What an incredibly obvious, pandering, axe-grinding…

No one has yet to mention the unbelievable, egregious climax of the teenagers subplot - when the "outsiders" - the Sensitive Gay Artiste, the black-wearing Alternative Girl - just straight up tell the Popular Blond Girl that she sucks, and "We're better than you".  What an incredibly obvious, pandering, axe-grinding…

@avclub-7757c9e5178fdb7d4d39207ff91840c3:disqus Also see: Harlan Ellison and Philip K. Dick.

@avclub-7757c9e5178fdb7d4d39207ff91840c3:disqus Also see: Harlan Ellison and Philip K. Dick.

I don't know if it's particularly nineties, but it's a really underrated film (if slightly marred by unfortunate McConaughesion), and departs from its source material in a genuinely interesting way.

I don't know if it's particularly nineties, but it's a really underrated film (if slightly marred by unfortunate McConaughesion), and departs from its source material in a genuinely interesting way.

Amateur remains my sentimental favorite (I think one might always love their first Hartley the best), but I recognize that Trust (very, very close behind) is probably his best film.  Though I do see a big critical reclamation of Henry Fool someday.

Amateur remains my sentimental favorite (I think one might always love their first Hartley the best), but I recognize that Trust (very, very close behind) is probably his best film.  Though I do see a big critical reclamation of Henry Fool someday.

Here's my drop in the bucket: the movie awards a rewatch simply for how it frames everything within Starling's mind.  The choice of small details to linger on, the panning as she enters spaces, the extreme close-ups within conversations, the zooms out as she mentally withdraws.  It all slowly accretes until you are…

Here's my drop in the bucket: the movie awards a rewatch simply for how it frames everything within Starling's mind.  The choice of small details to linger on, the panning as she enters spaces, the extreme close-ups within conversations, the zooms out as she mentally withdraws.  It all slowly accretes until you are…