40 Years of Movies: 1997

 


2021 is the year I turn 40. As part of my celebration, I'm looking back at 40 years of movies, picking my favorite film from each year I've been around! To learn more about the criteria for this process, check this introduction. Each post will feature my pick, plus three runner's up. So check back over the next 40 weeks of this journey!

1997:

L.A. Confidential
About: This film from Curtis Hanson was based on a novel from James Ellroy is an interesting mystery with a few strong action sequences. James Cromwell is solid as the antagonist, while the cast includes Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, Kim Basinger and Kevin Spacey. I enjoy the period setting and the way the story unfolds. This one isn't exactly a happy story, but it's well put together and the performances really pop. In looking at the films released in 1997, this is the one that pops out to me.

Other Considerations:
Kiss the Girls
About: This one is based on the novel from James Patterson and follows Detective Alex Cross, here played by Morgan Freeman. He is trying to find his kidnapped niece, fearing she's been taken by the same serial killer that let a young doctor (Ashley Judd) escape. Together, they try to piece together the clues and find the killer. Freeman would go on to play the character in another film, and then Tyler Perry took up the mantle, but this is my favorite of the Cross appearances and an interesting mystery to solve.

Amistad
About: From Steven Spielberg, this film tells the story of a trial that took place after a revolt on a slave ship in 1839. It features a loaded cast including Morgan Freeman, Matthew McCounaghey, and Anthony Hopkins playing John Quincy Adams. It also features a good performance from Djimon Hounsou in the lead role. This one has good courtroom scenes and an interesting story that has stuck with me over the years.

Volcano
About: I love a good disaster movie. Volcano sees Tommy Lee Jones as the director of emergency management in Los Angeles. He's trying to take a little time off, trusting things to his No. 2 (Don Cheadle), to connect with his daughter. But when a Volcano emerges in the middle of L.A., he and a scientist (Anne Heche) have to save the city and all the people. Another volcano film, Dante's Peak, came out the same year, but I prefer this one. Is it cheesy, sure. But it's also pretty entertaining.

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