Top Ten Films of 1993 (by World Premiere)
Top Ten by U.S. Release Date // My 1993 Oscar Ballot
| 1. | The Piano Dir. Jane Campion. With Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Sam Neill, Anna Paquin A+ |
| 2. | Schindler's List Dir. Steven Spielberg. With Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes A |
| 3. | Farewell My Concubine Dir. Chen Kaige. With Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li A |
| 4. | Dazed and Confused Dir. Richard Linklater. With Jason London, Wiley Wiggins A |
| 5. | Silverlake Life: The View from Here Dirs. Tom Joslin & Peter Friedman. Documentary A– |
| 6. | King of the Hill Dir. Steven Soderbergh. With Jesse Bradford, Jeroen Krabbé, Spalding Gray A– |
| –. | Searching for Bobby Fischer Dir. Steven Zaillian. With Max Pomeranc, Joe Mantegna A– |
| 7. | The Wrong Trousers Dir. Nick Park. Animated. Voice of Peter Tallis A– |
| 8. | The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl Dir. Ray Müller. Documentary A– |
| 9. | The Baby of Mâcon Dir. Peter Greenaway. With Julia Ormond, Jonathan Lacey A– |
| 10. | The Remains of the Day Dir. James Ivory. With Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson B+ |
Top Ten-Level Television: Dottie Gets Spanked, The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged
Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom
Runners-Up (alpha): Blue (Jarman), A Perfect World, Three Colors: Blue (Kieślowski)
Reviews from 1993
★ = Full-Length Review / © = Capsule-Length Review / ★ = Blog/Favorites Review (New Window)
★ The Baby of Mâcon Dir. Peter Greenaway. With Julia Ormond, Jonathan Lacey A–
★ Body of Evidence Dir. Uli Edel. With Madonna, Willem Dafoe, Joe Mantegna, Anne Archer D
★ Dottie Gets Spanked Dir. Todd Haynes. With J. Evan Bonifant, Barbara Garrick A–
★ Groundhog Day Dir. Harold Ramis. With Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott B
★ Orlando (pr. 1992) Dir. Sally Potter. With Tilda Swinton, Quentin Crisp, Billy Zane A–
★ The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas
Cheerleader-Murdering Mom Dir. Michael Ritchie. TV Movie. With Holly Hunter A–
★ The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas
Cheerleader-Murdering Mom Dir. Michael Ritchie. TV Movie. With Holly Hunter A–
More Grades from 1993
Unreviewed titles I have seen recently enough to grade
Addams Family Values Dir. Barry Sonnenfeld. With Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia C+
The Age of Innocence Dir. Martin Scorsese. With Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer B
And the Band Played On Dir. Roger Spottiswoode. TV Movie. With Matthew Modine B
The Ballad of Little Jo Dir. Maggie Greenwald. With Suzy Amis, Bo Hopkins B–
Blue Dir. Derek Jarman. With the voices of Derek Jarman, Nigel Terry, Tilda Swinton B+
Body Snatchers Dir. Abel Ferrara. With Gabrielle Anwar, Billy Wirth, Terry Kinney C+
The Broadcast Tapes of Dr. Peter Dir. David Paperny. Testimony of HIV patient B
Calendar Dir. Atom Egoyan. With Arsinée Khanjian, Ashot Adamyan, Atom Egoyan B–
Dave Dir. Ivan Reitman. With Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella, Kevin Dunn B–
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Dir. Gus Van Sant. With Uma Thurman, Rain Phoenix D–
Falling Down Dir. Joel Schumacher. With Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey F
The Firm Dir. Sydney Pollack. With Tom Cruise, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman C+
The Fugitive Dir. Andrew Davis. With Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee Jones, Jeroen Krabbé B
In the Line of Fire Dir. Wolfgang Petersen. With Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich B
In the Name of the Father Dir. Jim Sheridan. With Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite B
The Joy Luck Club Dir. Wayne Wang. With Ming-Na Wen, Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, Lisa Lu C+
Jurassic Park Dir. Steven Spielberg. With Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Richard Attenborough B–
Luck, Trust, and Ketchup Dirs. John Dorr & Mike Kaplan. Documentary C+
M Butterfly Dir. David Cronenberg. With Jeremy Irons, John Lone, Ian Richardson D+
Menace II Society Dirs. Allen & Albert Hughes. With Tyrin Turner, Larenz Tate, Jada Pinkett B
Much Ado about Nothing Dir. Kenneth Branagh. With Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson B
Naked Dir. Mike Leigh. With David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell B+
A Perfect World Dir. Clint Eastwood. With Kevin Costner, T.J. Lowther, Clint Eastwood B+
Philadelphia Dir. Jonathan Demme. With Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington, Jason Robards B–
Poetic Justice Dir. John Singleton. With Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Regina King, Joe Torry C
Sankofa Dir. Haile Gerima. With Oyafunmike Ogunlano, Alexandra Duah, Nick Medley B
Shadowlands Dir. Richard Attenborough. With Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger C–
Short Cuts Dir. Robert Altman. With Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davison, Lily Tomlin B
Six Degrees of Separation Dir. Fred Schepisi. With Stockard Channing, Will Smith B
Sleepless in Seattle Dir. Nora Ephron. With Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks, Ross Malinger C
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Dir. Henry Selick. Animated B+
Time Indefinite Dir. Ross McElwee. Record of filmmaker's passage into marriage, fatherhood B+
The War Room Dirs. D.A. Pennebaker & Chris Hegedus. Documentary about Clinton campaign B
The Wedding Banquet Dir. Ang Lee. With Winston Chao, Mitchell Lichtenstein, May Chin B–
What's Love Got to Do with It Dir. Brian Gibson. With Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne B
Wide Sargasso Sea Dir. John Duigan. With Karina Lombard, Nathaniel Parker, Rowena King C–
Zero Patience Dir. John Greyson. With John Robinson, Norman Fatueux, Dianne Heatherington B
Also from 1993
The memories are fading, but they're somewhere in my brain
Fetching
Three Colors: Blue Dir. Krzysztof Kieślowski. With Juliette Binoche, Benoît Régent
What's Eating Gilbert Grape Dir. Lasse Hallström. With Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis
Wittgenstein Dir. Derek Jarman. With Karl Johnson, Michael Gough, Clancy Chassay
Fair
The Bride with White Hair Dir. Ronny Yu. With Leslie Cheung, Brigitte Lin, Francis Ng
Fearless Dir. Peter Weir. With Jeff Bridges, Rosie Perez, Isabella Rossellini, Tom Hulce
Fires in the Mirror Dir. George C. Wolfe. TV Movie. With Anna Deavere Smith
Like Water for Chocolate Dir. Alfonso Arau. With Lumi Cavazos, Marco Leonardi
The Puppetmaster Dir. Hou Hsiao-hsien. With Li Tianlu, Lin Qiang, Chen Kuizhong
Tales of the City Dir. Alastair Reid. TV Miniseries. With Olympia Dukakis, Laura Linney
True Romance Dir. Tony Scott. With Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Gary Oldman
Feh
The Advocate Dir. Leslie Megahey. With Colin Firth, Nicol Williamson, Ian Holm
Cliffhanger Dir. Renny Harlin. With Sylvester Stallone, Janine Turner, John Lithgow
The Cormorant Dir. Peter Markham. With Ralph Fiennes, Helen Schlesinger
Kalifornia Dir. Dominic Sena. With David Duchovny, Brad Pitt, Michelle Forbes
Manhattan Murder Mystery Dir. Woody Allen. With Woody Allen, Diane Keaton
Mrs. Doubtfire Dir. Chris Columbus. With Robin Williams, Sally Field, Pierce Brosnan
My Life Dir. Bruce Joel Rubin. With Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman, Haing S. Ngor
Suture Dirs. Scott McGehee & David Siegel. With Dennis Haysbert, Mel Harris
Flotsam
Boxing Helena Dir. Jennifer Chambers Lynch. With Julian Sands, Sherilyn Fenn
Flesh and Bone Dir. Steve Kloves. With Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, James Caan
The Pelican Brief Dir. Alan J. Pakula. With Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington, John Heard
Sniper Dir. Luis Llosa. With Tom Berenger, Billy Zane, J.T. Walsh, Aden Young
The Three Musketeers Dir. Stephen Herek. With Chris O'Donnell, Kiefer Sutherland
Still to Come from 1993
Ten Most Enticing Prospects:
Arizona Dream Dir. Emir Kusturica. With Johnny Depp, Jerry Lewis, Faye Dunaway
The Blue Kite Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang. With Yi Tian, Zhang Wenyao, Chen Xiaoman
Carlito's Way Dir. Brian De Palma. With Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller
Clean, Shaven Dir. Lodge Kerrigan. With Peter Greene, Alice Levitt, Megan Owen
Cronos Dir. Guillermo del Toro. With Federico Luppi, Ron Perlman, Claudio Brook
Ma saison préférée Dir. André Téchiné. With Catherine Deneuve, Daniel Auteuil
Ruby in Paradise Dir. Victor Nuñez. With Ashley Judd, Todd Field, Bentley Mitchum
The Scent of Green Papaya Dir. Tran Anh Hung. With Tran Nu Yên-Khê, Man San Lu
Sonatine Dir. Takeshi Kitano. With Takeshi Kitano, Aya Kokumai, Tetsu Watanabe
Thirty-Two Short Films about Glenn Gould Dir. François Girard. With Colm Feore
Further Research:
Benny & Joon Dir. Jeremiah Chechik. With Johnny Depp, Mary Stuart Masterson
Bopha! Dir. Morgan Freeman. With Danny Glover, Alfre Woodard, Malcolm McDowell
A Bronx Tale Dir. Robert De Niro. With Chazz Palminteri, Lillo Brancato
Caro Diario Dir. Nanni Moretti. With Nanni Moretti, Giovanna Bozzolo, Sebastiano Nardone
The Cemetery Club Dir. Bill Duke. With Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Dukakis, Diane Ladd
Dangerous Game Dir. Abel Ferrara. With Harvey Keitel, Madonna, James Russo
A Dangerous Woman Dir. Stephen Gyllenhaal. With Debra Winger, Barbara Hershey
Demolition Man Dir. Marco Brambilla. With Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes
Ethan Frome Dir. John Madden. With Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette, Joan Allen
Faraway, So Close! Dir. Wim Wenders. With Otto Sander, Bruno Ganz, Nastassja Kinski
Fiorile Dir. Claudio & Vittorio Taviani. With Claudio Bigagli, Galatea Ranzi
The Flight of the Innocent Dir. Carlo Carlei. With Manuel Colao, Federico Pacifici
Friends Dir. Elaine Proctor. With Kerry Fox, Dambisa Kente, Michele Burgers
Germinal Dir. Claude Berri. With Gérard Depardieu, Miou-Miou, Jean Carmet
Hear No Evil Dir. Robert Greenwald. With Marlee Matlin, D.B. Sweeney, Martin Sheen
Heart and Souls Dir. Ron Underwood. With Robert Downey Jr., Charles Grodin
Hélas pour moi Dir. Jean-Luc Godard. With Gérard Depardieu, Laurence Masliah
Heaven & Earth Dir. Oliver Stone. With Hiep Thi Le, Haing S. Ngor, Joan Chen
Household Saints Dir. Nancy Savoca. With Tracey Ullman, Vincent D'Onofrio
It's All True Dirs. Bill Krohn, Myron Meisel, and Richard Wilson. Documentary
Kika Dir. Pedro Almodóvar. With Verónica Forqué, Peter Coyote, Victoria Abril
Latcho Drom Dir. Tony Gatlif. Documentary about Romanian "gypsies" and their music
Little Buddha Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci. With Keanu Reeves, Bridget Fonda, Chris Isaak
Lost in Yonkers Dir. Martha Coolidge. With Mercedes Ruehl, Richard Dreyfuss
Love & Human Remains Dir. Denys Arcand. With Thomas Gibson, Ruth Marshall
Madadayo Dir. Akira Kurosawa. With Tatsuo Matsumura, Kyôko Kagawa, Hisashi Igawa
Malice Dir. Harold Becker. With Alec Baldwin, Nicole Kidman, Bill Pullman
The Man by the Shore Dir. Raoul Peck. With Jennifer Zubar, Toto Bissainthe
The Man without a Face Dir. Mel Gibson. With Nick Stahl, Mel Gibson
Map of the Human Heart Dir. Vincent Ward. With Jason Scott Lee, Robert Joamie
Matinée Dir. Joe Dante. With John Goodman, Cathy Moriarty, Simon Fenton
Mi vida loca (My Crazy Life) Dir. Allison Anders. With Angel Aviles, Seidy Lopez
Mr. Wonderful Dir. Anthony Minghella. With Matt Dillon, Annabella Sciorra, William Hurt
The Music of Chance Dir. Philip Haas. With James Spader, Mandy Patinkin
Posse Dir. Mario Van Peebles. With Mario Van Peebles, Stephen Baldwin, Charles Lane
Raining Stones Dir. Ken Loach. With Bruce Jones, Julie Brown, Gemma Phoenix
Red Rock West Dir. John Dahl. With Nicolas Cage, Lara Flynn Boyle, J.T. Walsh
Rising Sun Dir. Philip Kaufman. With Wesley Snipes, Sean Connery, Harvey Keitel
The Saint of Fort Washington Dir. Tim Hunter. With Matt Dillon, Danny Glover
The Secret Garden Dir. Agnieszka Holland. With Kate Maberly, Heydon Prose
Sliver Dir. Phillip Noyce. With Sharon Stone, William Baldwin, Tom Berenger
So I Married an Axe Murderer Dir. Thomas Schlamme. With Mike Myers, Nancy Travis
Sommersby Dir. Jon Amiel. With Richard Gere, Jodie Foster, Bill Pullman
The Thing Called Love Dir. Peter Bogdanovich. With River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis
Tombstone Dir. George P. Cosmatos. With Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott
Totally F***ed Up Dir. Gregg Araki. With James Duval, Roko Belic, Susan Behshid
Untamed Heart Dir. Tony Bill. With Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei, Rosie Perez
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