Channel Tunnel linking England & France officially opens. Comedian Bobcat Goldthwait sets fire to the couch on The Tonight Show. Nelson Mandela and the ANC, finally confirmed winners in South Africa’s first post apartheid election. US House of Representatives passes the Federal Assault Weapons Ban. Edvard Munch’s painting “The Scream” is recovered 3 months after it was stolen. President Clinton announces US will no longer repatriate boat people. Writer Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (who wrote The Gulag Archipelago) returns to Russia after 20 years in exile. The Arsenio Hall show ends.
Music
Honorable mentions:
- The Fall: Middle Class Revolt
- Danielle Brisebois: Arrive All over You
- Sunny Day Real Estate: Diary
- Sonic Youth: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star
- The Pretenders: Last of the Independents
- Travis Tritt: Ten Feet Tall and Bulletproof
- Erasure: I Say I Say. Noteworthy for containing the track Always, which a remix of it was used in that brief hit Internet flash game Robot Unicorn Attack (2010)
- Violent Femmes: New Times
- Frank Black: Teenager of the Year
- David Byrne: David Byrne
- The Future Sound of London: Lifeforms
- The Auteurs: Now I’m a Cowboy
The Allman Brothers Band: Where It All Begins (3)
Always reliable.
Yngwie Malmsteen: The Seventh Sign (9)
Indigo Girls: Swamp Ophelia (10)
Weezer: Weezer (10)
I’m really not a fan of this band or this genre of music (fucking geek rock and emo music). But they did get pretty damn popular, plus their Buddy Holly song was a big hit that I heard a lot (I’ll admit it, I do like that one); and to their credit, they did a damn good job with that music video making it look like it came out of the 50s/60s. Oh right, there’s also that other hit track Undone (the fucking sweater song), which sounds like everything I would come to hate with what music would later devolve into. And Say It Ain’t So. Unfortunately, I have to give this album of the month, even though it is far from my personal tastes (I prefer The Allman Brothers, hell even The Beastie Boys, over this).
Oingo Boingo: Boingo (17)
Their last studio album.
Seal: Seal, aka Seal II (23)
If it wasn’t for Kiss From a Rose, I wouldn’t bother mentioning this.
Talisman: Humanimal [Part 1] (25)
Not bad.
Beastie Boys: Ill Communication (31)
You’ve all heard Sabotage before.
Movies
Honorable mentions:
- Beverly Hills Cop III. Eddie Murphy is more annoying than ever.
- Being Human. Bleh.
- Crooklyn. A Spike Lee film that some seem to enjoy, but it’s nothing but a black family bickering to and about each other. It’s rather irritating. But this family drama may be someone else’s cup of tea.
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues. In spite of John Hurt’s eccentric character, and Keanu Reeves making a cameo appearance as a “full blooded indian,” this isn’t what I would call good.
- White Mile (HBO). It’s honestly not that bad for a white water rafting flick, but it’s not quite good enough for a highlight.
Dream Lover (6)
It’s just ok.
Clean Slate (6)
Also just ok. Was threatening to get rather dull, but it gets interesting once the twist happens at the halfway point. I wonder though… what was the first film to do the whole “lose your memory every 24 hours” shtick?
3 Ninjas Kick Back (6)
It’s mediocre, but it is (a bit) better than the first film, and sure as shit better than the one that came after. I mean, for a 90s kid flick not made by Disney, it’s barely above average. I mean, at least it has one competent fight scene, which is done by people disguised in ninja outfits, so of course the actual actors weren’t involved in the one good action part of the movie.
The Crow (13)
This has gone on to become a classic. Partly famous because of Brandon Lee’s unfortunate on-set death, but also famous because of his career-defining role that blew away all expectations (seriously, any film you’ve seen him act in prior to this one, you wouldn’t think him capable of delivering this kind of a performance). However, I find the film’s potential to be hindered, due to a combination of the MPAA censoring violence, and censoring violence due to Brandon Lee’s death (can’t show him getting shot up too much). If you can find a decent workprint cut showing what they cut out and how much longer the film could’ve gone (plus unfulfilled potential with the skull guy and what he adds to the lore), by all means, watch it. Aside from all that, this is a good film. Film of the month.
Widow’s Peak (13)
Another one of those films I couldn’t really get into, but can see there’s a solid film in there for those interested in this genre.
Maverick (20)
A decent comedy western with Mel Gibson. Can’t say I’ve seen the original show this is based on.
The Return of Jafar (20; VHS)
The straight to video film that started off Disney’s animated film sequel trend that had far more misses than hits. But it’s also significant because of the context surrounding this whole thing. You see, back in the 90s, Disney had this thing on making a big deal with regard to their VHS film releases. They didn’t just release films on VHS several months after they were in theaters (back then, we didn’t get video releases of a theatrical movie until at least 6 months after release, sometimes 8-12 months in some cases; made you more willing to go to the show). They made a big deal about VHS releases of older stuff. The Disney classics, from the 1930s and onwards. While we got big anticipated VHS releases of Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and Beauty and the Beast, we would also get VHS releases of Pete’s Dragon, Mary Poppins, Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Bambi, Fantasia, etc. These were hyped up both on television, and on the VHS tapes of the newly released Disney flicks. Not to mention the whole “Disney Vault” aspect of it all (limited time release, limited circulation, get them while they’re hot or not at all). This is something that made the 90s a special time. There was a celebration of the old to go along with the new. Not just on VHS tapes, but also on television (see note above on the first film shown on the TCM channel). Growing up during that decade, I saw just as many films from the 90s as I did pre-90s (basically just about anything between 1930 and 1990). Plus there’s also those theme park rides at Disneyland and Universal Studios.
Anyway, as for Return of Jafar itself, it’s just a mediocre sequel that has a fun villain death, that exists just to having a starting point for the tv series (which apparently started airing before the film’s release… whoops). Far from the worst of the straight to video Disney animated flicks, but also a considerable step down from the theatrically released film that came out prior.
The Flintstones (27)
I’m firmly convinced this movie exists because Jurassic Park was a hit. Another excuse to have both practical and CG dinosaurs. And God bless JP for that, because this is a trend I did not get tired of, for however long it lasted (excluding any Carnosaur films made after 2). This is one of the very film film adaptations of a tv show that put some honest-to-God effort into making it look like the cartoon in a live-action format. The look of the setting, the look of the characters (though some of the acting/personalities compared to their cartoon counterparts is questionable, at least their looks, clothing, and hairdo matched that of the animation, which is apparently too much to ask for in most adaptations like this), it’s all perfect. The plot itself is typical mediocre-at-best anti-corporatism fluff with a corrupt corporate head who corrupts the protagonist until he sees the error of his way (ala The Hudsucker Proxy, among other dime-a-dozen films made prior to both) and all that, but just about everything else elevates it enough to be very memorable. If this were made today, they would make up some bullshit excuse of having the Flintstones transported into present day Los Angeles or something.
Little Buddha (27)
It’s just ok.
Cronos (?; foreign from Mexico)
Guillermo del Toro’s breakout horror film. It has its moments, but it didn’t really go anywhere interesting after it got past the halfway point. Finale is meh.
Games
Honorable mentions:
- Disney’s Aladdin (Game Gear)
- Shanghai II: Dragon’s Eye (Genesis, SNES)
- College Football’s National Championship (Genesis)
- Animaniacs (Genesis, SNES [June])
- Star Wars Chess (Sega-CD). I mean, the cutscenes when the pieces are killing each other are amusing as hell. But it’s still just a chess game.
- Space Ace (1994; Sega CD, Arcade [1983]). The only real way to play this is either arcade, or with something more modern.
- FIFA International Soccer (SNES, 3DO, Genesis [December 1993], Sega-CD)
- Super Pinball: Behind the Mask (SNES)
- Soccer Kid (3DO, SNES [October], PC)
- Detroit (1994; PC). Automotive management simulator.
- Dominus (1994: PC)
WindJammers, aka Flying Disc (1994; Arcade, NeoGeo)
Suzuka 8 Hours 2 (1994; Arcade)
Games like this would keep arcades relevant.
Alien vs. Predator (20; Arcade)
One of the most fun beat-em-ups ever.
Revolution X (23; Arcade)
An interesting shooter oddity. “Music is the weapon.”
Mutant League Hockey (May; Genesis)
Yes.
The Pirates of Dark Water (May; Genesis)
Here’s the thing: this game is just mediocre. So why highlight it? Because it gives a proper ending to the cancelled television series.
World Series Baseball (May; Genesis)
I actually played this back in the day. It’s not bad. Considered one of the best baseball games up to that point. “Going going gone! Home run! Holy doctor!”
Robocop versus the Terminator (May 19; Sega Genesis)
The game cover may seem on the bland side, but it somehow works and makes it seem intimidating. This, in my opinion, is one of the best side-scrolling shooters ever made, that ranks alongside Contra Hard Corps and Gunstar Heroes. More dark and violent than both (especially if you input the cheat code that allows you to shoot women). And the diversity of weapons is pure awesomeness, arguably ahead of its time with what they could do. If there’s any weak point to be had in this game, it’s some of the later bosses being bullet sponges that cause the fight to last too long (God help you if you only have a pistol). I’m actually rather stunned to find me making this the game of the month. Kicks the SNES version to the curb, although I will give credit the the seriously badass box cover of the SNES version.
The Misadventures of Flink (May; Sega-CD, Genesis)
Battlecorps (15; Sega-CD)
Shadow of the Beast II (1994; Sega-CD, Amiga [1990])
The intro is better on the Amiga, everything else is better on the Sega CD. That all said, the game isn’t great, just something memorable for the time period. Doesn’t mean there still isn’t some fun to be had with it. Just ignore the Genesis version.
Prize Fighter (1994; Sega-CD)
The gameplay isn’t what I consider good, but back in the day, there wasn’t anything quite like this experience which did its damnedest to make a boxing game this immersive, FMV style.
The Pirates of Dark Water (May; SNES)
It’s a better game than the Genesis version, being a beat-em-up (still on the mediocre side). But it has a shitty ending.
ClayFighter: Tournament Edition (15; SNES)
The superior version.
John Madden Football (6; 3DO)
Alien Legacy (14; PC)
Flawed, but not bad.
Noctropolis (1994; PC)
Archon Ultra (1994; PC)
Now this is interesting. What if you had Chess, but made it less abstract? In other words, just because a piece attacks a piece doesn’t mean they immediately destroy it; you initiate a battle where the pieces fight, and the one that wins remains on the board.
Dawn Patrol (1994: PC)
Someone needs to make a game like this where you shoot King Kong off the empire state building.
Hammer of the Gods (1994: PC)
Shows
Stephen King’s The Stand (8; ABC)
4-part miniseries based off the book. Having read the book, I can say the miniseries stays fairly close to it (while taking one liberty in one aspect that, honestly, is an improvement all things considered; it removes this minor plot regarding this guy having sex with an above middle-aged woman). But, like the book, it’s just ok. This “old black grandmother caring about a whole community” shtick though… I kinda wonder if this film popularized that bullshit (carried over to The Matrix).
The Anomalous Host 