Z/Web

Author: Stephen King (book)

Director: David Cronnenberg

Cool Cronnenberg flick, perfect storyline for his unusual perspective. The story is about a guy who has a car accident and wakes up after a coma with the “gift” of second sight: he can see into people’s futures. The gift comes with undue notoriety and pain (use of the psychic powers is killing him). Fascinating film mostly due to Cronnenberg’s clever direction and Christopher Walken’s dynamic performance.

I haven’t seen this in a few years and it’s surprising how well it holds up. Terrific free speech movie (coincidentally similar to

Director: Peter Yates

Unusual “realistic” cop story set in San Francisco. I felt the location was overemphasized, as though San Francisco’s like, special, or something, and the story dragged in several places (especially considering the plot’s payoff wasn’t that dramatic). But I was legitimately surprised and impressed by the famous car chase: even decades later it’s exciting, mostly because of the interior car shots with McQueen actually driving (you watch him turn a corner, tires squealing, from inside the car).

Director: John Woo

Fun actioner with some unique and innovative stunts. The plot meanders like a river and doesn’t make sense if you analyze it, but that’s to be expected. More of a James Bond film than an MI story, but still good.