I’m continuing my series exploring the many lost movies from the 1990s here in episode 8!
The Adventures of Ford Fairlane (1990)
This comedy’s about a private detective. To his clients he’s the world’s best rock n roll detective. To everyone else he’s just a dick. That man is Andre Dice Clay and the movie is, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane from 1990 directed by Renny Harlan. Also starring Lauren Holly, Priscilla Pressley, Ed O’Neill, Robert Englund, David Patrick Kelly and many other familiar faces.
Now this is definitely a movie that will not be to everyone’s taste. If you are not a fan of Andrew Dice Clay’s brutish delivery of humor, then you may not enjoy this one. If you like your humor with an intelligent wittiness, you may want to pass on this movie. However, if you like zany, silly, and blunt humor then The Adventures of Ford Fairlane will provide you with a barrage of absurdity and nostalgia to those films built around a hot commodity. Stand-up comedians traditionally get a leading role in a dumb comedy when they are at their peak and this one is no different. Not everything in this movie works but like a stand-up routine, this one throws waves of comedy at you and with everything set inside the world of the rock and roll industry there is no shortage of gusto. Clay is fine, he’s being him and it’s humorous. And the supporting cast all knew what the mission was, and all brought their own dashes of comedy to this rollercoaster ride of cinematic silliness.
Toy Soldiers (1991)
This next teenage Die Hard knockoff is a movie I’ve talked about many times on this channel. Terrorists have taken over the Regis Academy and they’re about to learn a lesson they won’t forget in a movie some of you may know as Boy Soldiers, but it will always be Toy Soldiers to me from 1991. Starring Sean Astin, Wil Wheaton, Keith Coogan, and Andrew Divoff.
If you are familiar with this channel, you know I always find a reason to talk about this movie and I would certainly class Toy Soldiers as a lost gem from the 90s. It’s a pure Die Hard knock off with teenagers at a private school and it’s a blast. But this movie definitely has its own heart with the bond between these kids and their friendships. Sure, you need to dial down your suspension of disbelief to take this plot seriously but there is a cleverness to how this terrorist plot is foiled that makes it just believable enough to have a great time with as a 90s action flick with a pure 80s vibe to it. The pace is swift, the core group of kids all deliver natural performances, and Louis Gossett Jr shines in a role that grounds the entire movie. Toy Soldiers delivers mild doses of humor, timely doses of suspense, and plenty of exciting action. Then when the final act kicks in and all hell breaks loose, Toy Soldiers ends with the nostalgic sentimental ending that defined this era of the teen action flick.
Deep Cover (1992)
This slick crime thriller claimed there was a thin line between catching a criminal and becoming one and Laurence Fishburne walks that line in 1992s Deep Cover from director Bill Duke. Also starring Jeff Goldblum, Rene Assa, Victoria Dillard, Clarence Williams III, and Gregory Sierra.
This is another movie I talk about frequently on this channel, but I do think Deep Cover is a bit forgotten in the genre of crime dramas. This movie is soaked with style and edginess. The soundtrack is impressive and serves as the pulse of the film and the performances from Fishburne and Goldblum are awesome. Fishburne delivers a layered performance as a man with his own demons that gets way too deep into the drug game he connects more with the criminal. And Goldblum is impressive as a businessman pushed to the edge who finds complete control when steps into the unhinged. I love these two together. I also love the supporting cast and to me Deep Cover is a story that feels lived in. It’s a bit seductive with its exploration of the criminal underworld and when the violence hits it means something, it has ramification, and it makes this movie impactful even on a rewatch.
Carlito’s Way (1993)
Sticking with the theme of organized crime this next dramatic thriller centers on a high profile drug dealer that wants to get out of the game and knows he’ll have to play dirty if he wants to come clean in 1993s Carlito’s Way starring Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope Ann Miller, John Leguizamo and a ton of other familiar faces. Directed by Brian De Palma.
Carlito’s Way is an interesting case study. It doesn’t necessarily do anything new in the genre, yet it shows when all the tropes are done with skillful precision the result can still be a timeless classic. And that’s what I think Carlito’s Way is. You get the searing performance from Pacino that breathes life, emotion, empathy, and heart into this gangster. The plot is perfectly structured with just enough subplots, and focal character arcs. No threads are left open, and it gives this movie an attention consuming flow. You can feel something foreboding in the future when watching this movie, and it keeps you on edge as the events evolve and characters begin to reveal themselves. Carlito’s Way is just a well-made film across the board from De Palma’s intimate direction. The plotting and story organization. The pacing, it all works to pull you in. Then you get a star-studded cast surrounding Pacino making this such a well-acted movie and really while not mentioned as much as others like Goodfellas, Carlito’s Way is a solid go to in the mob genre.
Terminal Velocity (1994)
This skydiving themed thriller follows a maverick jumper and an ex-KGB agent who cross paths with the Russian Mob only to find it isn’t the fall that kills you in Terminal Velocity from 1994 directed by Deran Serafian. Starring Charlie Sheen, Nastassja Kinski, James Gandolfini, and Christopher McDonald.
If any movie is a product of its time, it would be Terminal Velocity. It’s an action movie that goes through the motions in the genre. From the troubled main character with a sketchy past. To the unlikely partnering to search for clues. To the planned random feeling of romance between them to the menacing villains. To the one-liners, and themed action sequences. Terminal Velocity delivers all of it to the nines. But there is still something enjoyable and nostalgic about this movie that relentlessly relied on the theme of skydiving. Not nearly as good as Drop Zone, Terminal Velocity is a high energy thriller that delivers plenty of adrenaline pumping albeit silly action. Sheen has been better. He’s lacking some charisma and enthusiasm in this film but his pairing with Kinski is a serviceable duo for this by the numbers plot. Terminal Velocity is a ride you can take with little thought needed and regardless of some dated effects this movie is a great time when it hits the skies.
Strange Days (1995)
Next up is a futuristic cyber thriller that not technically takes place in the past when a cop turned street hustler uncovers a conspiracy in 1999 Los Angeles in Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days starring Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis, and Tom Sizemore.
I think many would agree that Strange Days was a movie that was ahead of its time. It explored social concepts and themes people weren’t really ready for with cinema at the time. But I think this movie has aged greatly over time. It certainly has its cult following but it’s rarely spoken about and outside of Point Break I think it’s Bigelow’s finest work. Strange Days is part – futuristic cyber thriller, part social commentary, and part full-throttle action flick and I love how all of these element’s blend together into one wild ride to close out the century. The cast is impressive with Fiennes and Bassett carrying the intrigue. But it’s the complete supporting cast around them that fills this film with interesting, shifty and frequently seedy characters. This movie has an atmosphere, it has gravitas. The style and seductiveness of the story cross with the grittiness of its tones perfectly and I think 40 years from now Strange Days will still be a great movie.
Feeling Minnesota (1996)
This dark comedy follows a couple of law breaking brothers who find themselves competing for the same woman to comical results in 1996s Feeling Minnesota starring Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Steve Baigelman.
Feeling Minnesota is another of those movies that deliver a bit of it all and I have always had a soft spot for it. At the core this movie is a romantic comedy. Even a sweet one in glimpses. However, it feels a romantic comedy someone like Tarantino or David Lynch would make. It has a sadistic sense of humor slightly reminiscent of a film like Very Bad Things but much more restrained and where some may not like this tone. I find it to be a great backdrop for a dark comedy filled with charming but deeply flawed characters that bumble through love like a bunch of dancing monkeys for your amusement. The grungy atmosphere and these surprisingly common character types make the exaggeration of the many mishaps and emotional hurdles mindless fun. All of which hits the heartstrings without ever feeling sappy. Reeves, Diaz, and D’Onofrio are great here and they make this movie the humorous comedy it is.
Nothing to Lose (1997)
Coming up next is a high energy comedy about an advertising agent and a petty thief that form an unlikely alliance in 1997s Nothing to Lose written and directed by Steve Oedekerk. Starring Tim Robbins, Martin Lawrence, John C McGinley, and Giancarlo Esposito.
I have always loved this movie. It’s more than ridiculous and the central premise being a simple misunderstanding is delightfully absurd. This results in a high energy comedy that checks all the boxes you want. It has a great duo in Lawrence and Robbins. Robbins is dejected and feeling his life is lost. Lawrence is full throttle hyperactive. And together they deliver waves of comical banter and physical comedy. Nothing to Lose is pure comedy, while also being a pure adventure of silliness and it all gels perfectly. From their antics out on the road. To their scheme to rob Robbins boss. With amazing performances from McGinley and Esposito as a couple of nomadic criminals this movie has nonstop energy and laughs. I’ve watched this movie countless times. It’s always a movie that can put me in a good mood and it delivers a great soundtrack that locks it in time and Nothing to Lose is a movie they don’t make much anymore that can always put a smile on your face.
Zero Effect (1998)
Next up is a comedy crime caper with a touch of mystery about a private detective and his associate take on a case involving a shady tycoon in 1998s Zero Effect starring Ben Stiller, Bill Pullman, Ryan O’Neal and Kim Dickens. Written and directed by Jake Kasdan.
This movie never really took off when it was released, and it does have its flaws. It was the first full feature from Kasdan and his inexperience does show in his direction and in some of the story elements not necessarily coalescing as well as they should have. Regardless though the quirky, off-beat dark comedy is entertaining for what it is. Zero Effect does have a unique element to it for the detective genre and I appreciate this film for doing things a bit differently. The performances are strong, I think they elevate the material, particularly from Pullman and Stiller. I enjoy them together here and think they play off one another to effective comedic results. It gives this movie a collection of likable characters, and even if their story had more potential the moody, and just slightly eccentric vibe of this movie is a charming little escape. This movie won’t be for everyone but if you like energized crime comedies that are a little all over the place then Zero Effect can deliver some fun.
Brokedown Palace (1999)
This drama asked what was your dream? How far would you go? And who would you trust? When two teenage girls on vacation in Thailand are arrested and sentenced to more than 30 years in prison in 1999s Brokedown Palace. Starring Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman, and Jacqueline Kim.
Now this one does have its flaws. Its emotional lining is a bit superficial and the friendship that fuels the focal dilemma of the plot is lacking some of the needed depth. But if you take this movie at face value, the story of these two girls getting roped up in a smuggling run and losing their freedom, it delivers more than enough dramatic intensity to keep you invested. You can sympathize with these characters for the most part and the performances from Danes and Beckinsale are emotionally charged. Danes in particular is the driving force. Her character is the more fleshed out of the two and she pours her heart into this role. I also love the supporting cast with Lou Diamond Phillips, Jacqueline Kim and Bill Pullman. They humanize their relatively generic character types nicely. And with the tropical settings you’re pulled into a foreign land with these two girls to take their mission. This movie may not have been as good as Return to Paradise, however Brokedown Palace can still deliver an intense ride.
Anthony J. Digioia II © 2025 SilverScreen Analysis & Movies Never Say Die
