When I first read today’s topic, I thought it said Thirsty Thrillers.. which would have been a very funny theme. Maybe in 2019, I could recommend Thirsty Thrillers as one of the themes. It would require listing boring thrillers that try too hard. But we’re still in 2018, and I am recommending the good ones, the there’s a twist around every corner type thrillers. I’m going with a theme-ish selection by picking three 90’s thrillers with one word titles.
1. THE FUGITIVE (1993)
Have I mentioned this one before? Probably. Is it as twisty as the theme suggests? Maybe not as much. But did I need a third one word 90’s thriller to complete my list of three recommendations? Maybe. But also, The Fugitive is just a really good movie. And it has Harrison Ford, and one can never go wrong with Ford.
2. THE NET (1995)
The charming Sandra Bullock had a very interesting career during the 90’s, and I think if not for a few, I’ve seen most of her movies. In The Net, Bullock portrays a software engineer, who gets in trouble. First of all, the level of IT is scary funny to see in this movie – it’s less that 20 years ago and the difference is HUGE. Second of all, Bullock is so charming, it’s hard not to root for her, when she tries to get her life back.
3. THE ROCK (1996)
Michael Bay has gotten a bad rep for Transformers, and rightfully so but there are a few hits in his resume. The Rock is one of those hits, because it’s a very intense and interesting movie from start to finish. It stars Nicholas Cage, Sean Connery and Ed Helms, and they all deliver! It’s one of those 90’s movies I used to watch whenever I wanted to watch something. I must apologise in advance for the pun, but this movie simply rocks!
THIS SERIES IS CREATED BY WANDERING THROUGH THE SHELVES
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While all thrillers require a certain level of absurdity I think your second two have more than their fair share. That’s not to say I didn’t like nor enjoy them, I did they just need to be watched with a large grain of salt. I guess the same can be said for The Fugitive but it is so kinetic, involving, well-paced and well-acted those leaps of faith aren’t as noticeable. And I agree about the technology in The Net it dates the movie more than anything else.
Love this sort of film so the choices were many. Had to include one from the king of twisty thrillers-Alfred Hitchcock and then two others that I enjoyed.
North by Northwest (1959)-Poor Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant) is having a hell of a bad day. The mild mannered (but impeccably dressed) ad exec has been mistaken for a government agent and kidnapped by international spies from whom he manages to escape leading to a chase across the country amid many complications. One of Alfred Hitchcock’s best thrillers with turns and twists aplenty performed by a top flight cast including besides Grant-Eva Marie Saint, James Mason and Martin Landau.
The Tenant (1976)-Polish émigré (Roman Polanski who also directed) arrives in Paris and moves into an apartment in a rundown building whose previous resident attempted suicide by jumping out one of the windows. As his sanity begins to crack he is shunned by the other residents (including Isabelle Adjani, Melvyn Douglas and Shelley Winters) as he starts to assume personality traits of the previous tenant. Strange and unsettling.
Phone Booth (2002)-Cocky married publicist Stu Shepard (Colin Farrell) has a girl, Pam (Katie Holmes) on the side. Not wanting his wife to discover his duplicity he calls Pam on one of the few remaining public telephones in New York City. Just as he completes his latest call the phone rings, Stu answers and The Caller tells him he has a gun pointed at him and if he attempts to leave or alert anyone he will be killed. As he tries to figure out an escape the situation twists and turns as it escalates in danger.
Of the films of Michael Bay, there’s only 2 of them that I like. Bad Boys and The Rock. Everything else after that is just unwatchable shit.
The Fugitive is a great film – obviously my favourite bit is the Tommy Lee Jones’ famous line. Its a great story with great characters so I totally agree with you. I finally watched The Net as I always seem to watch the first half but you’re right about the tech – my gad its dated!! But still an ok film with classic 90s Bullock.
I haven’t seen any of these, though I have watched a good chunk of The Fugitive.
I’ve only seen The Net which I wasn’t crazy about but at least Sandy was so charming and good in it!
Harrison’s beard while he is on the run is the MVP of The Fugitive 😀
i have seen all 3 and I like all of them because one can watch them again and again especially when you just want to shut off mentally for the day.
Oh my god I haven’t seen a single one of these?!?!?! 😭
I love all of these movies. The Net will always hold a place in my heart; loved it when I was a kid. But yeah, I haven’t seen it in years and I bet the tech in it is hilarious! “Give us the disc and we’ll give you your life back” classic.