Paramount Pictures (USA): 203

The American science fiction film, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991), was directed by Nicholas Meyer, who also directed the second Star Trek film, The Wrath of Khan. It follows the journey of the starship USS Excelsior under the command of Captain Hikaru Sulu in the year 2293. During their mission, they discover that the Klingon moon of Praxis has been destroyed in a mining accident. The destruction of Praxis and its impact on the ozone layer of the Klingon homeworld causes chaos within the Klingon Empire. As a result, they seek peace with their long-time enemies, the United Federation of ...

Graveyard Shift (1990) is a horror film helmed by Ralph S. Singleton. John Hall, a widowed drifter, lands a job at an old and rat-infested textile mill next to an abandoned graveyard. His boss, Warwick, is a sadistic individual who has been carrying out numerous affairs with female workers, including Nordello. To rid the mill of rats, Warwick brings in the eccentric exterminator Tucker Cleveland. However, Cleveland confides in Hall that the infestation is beyond his control and the mill should be shut down. As time passes, Hall faces harassment from his coworkers Danson, Brogan, and Stevenson, as well as the despotic ...

Tales from the Darkside: The Movie (1990) follows a similar format as its predecessor, the anthology television series Tales from the Darkside. The film, directed by John Harrison, centers around a kidnapped paperboy who is forced to entertain his captor with three terrifying tales. Betty, a wealthy suburban woman and practicing witch, hosts a dinner party for her fellow witches and has Timmy, a young boy she has imprisoned in her pantry, as the main course. To prolong his life, Timmy shares three tales from a book given to him by Betty titled Tales from the Darkside. Lot ...

Days of Thunder (1990) is an American sports action drama film that showcases the journey of young USAC racer, Cole Trickle. He is offered a spot on Chevrolet dealership tycoon Tim Daland’s NASCAR Cup Series team, with former crew chief and car builder Harry Hogge coming out of retirement to lead his pit crew. Following a successful private test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Cole is given a new chassis and officially joins the team. However, he faces several challenges in his debut race at Phoenix, struggling to adapt to the larger NASCAR stock cars, communicate with his crew, and fend off aggressive driver Rowdy Burns. These issues, along with crashes and engine ...

The American crime film, The Godfather Part III (1990), was produced and directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Co-written with Mario Puzo, the screenplay follows the story of Michael Corleone who is approaching 60 in 1979. Wracked with guilt over his ruthless rise to power, Michael donates millions to charitable causes. He is also dealing with the aftermath of ordering his brother’s murder. Michael and his ex-wife Kay are divorced, and their children Anthony and Mary reside with Kay. During a reception at St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral honoring Michael, which takes ...

Ghost (1990) is a supernatural romance film directed by Jerry Zucker and written by Bruce Joel Rubin. Banker Sam Wheat and his girlfriend Molly Jensen move into a Manhattan loft with the help of Sam’s colleague Carl Bruner. One night, they are attacked by a mugger on the street. Despite Sam’s attempt to protect her, he returns to find himself dead and unable to communicate with Molly or anyone else in the living world. While stuck as a ghost, Sam is constantly frustrated by his inability to interact with his surroundings and other spirits he encounters. One ...

The Hunt for Red October (1990), directed by John McTierna, is an American spy thriller based on Tom Clancy’s bestselling novel of the same name. This action-packed film follows protagonist Jack Ryan in his first adventure. In November 1984, Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius takes command of Red October, a state-of-the-art Typhoon-class ballistic missile sub equipped with an undetectable ‘caterpillar drive’. As part of a training exercise, Ramius sets out to sea with former student Captain Tupolev aboard the Alfa-class attack sub V. K. Konovalov. ...

The American neo-noir mystery film The Two Jakes (1990) serves as a sequel to the 1974 classic Chinatown. Jack Nicholson once again takes on the role of J.J. ‘Jake’ Gittes, both directing and starring in the film. Set in 1948 Los Angeles, businessman Julius ‘Jake’ Berman hires the seasoned private investigator to catch his wife, Kitty, in an act of adultery. During the sting operation, Berman unexpectedly kills his wife’s lover, Mark Bodine – who also happens to be his business partner in a real estate development company. This turn of events lands Gittes under scrutiny for ...

Pet Sematary (1989) is an American supernatural horror film, adapted from Stephen King’s 1983 novel of the same name. Directed by Mary Lambert, it follows the Creed family – Louis, Rachel, their two children Ellie and Gage, and their cat Church – as they relocate from Chicago to rural Ludlow, Maine. After Louis takes on a job as a local physician, they become friendly with their neighbor Jud Crandall. During a visit to an isolated pet cemetery in the forest behind their new home (misspelled ‘sematary’), Jud shares some unsettling stories ...

Black Rain (1989), a neo-noir action thriller directed by Ridley Scott, tells the story of Nick Conklin, an NYPD detective facing scrutiny from Internal Affairs due to allegations of stolen drug bust money with his former partner. To add to his struggles, he is also falling behind on alimony payments. Following an intense interview with Internal Affairs, Nick and his current partner Charlie Vincent witness a violent encounter between a Mafioso and Japanese men disrupted when yakuza member Koji Sato enters the scene, retrieving a small package from them before killing them. After arresting Sato, they are ordered to ...

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) is a classic action adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg with a screenplay by Jeffrey Boam. The story, originally conceived by George Lucas and Menno Meyjes, follows young Indiana Jones as he stumbles upon a group of grave-robbers while exploring caves in Utah in 1912. Despite evading the robbers and returning home with the stolen gold crucifix, Indy is eventually forced to hand it over to their employer, the town’s ...

Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989) is an American science fiction film directed by William Shatner and based on the television series created by Gene Roddenberry. Following their ship’s shakedown cruise, the crew of the newly commissioned USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A), including Kirk, Spock, and McCoy, are taking advantage of shore leave at Yosemite National Park. However, their break is cut short as Starfleet Command orders them to rescue a human, a Klingon, and a Romulan who have been taken hostage on Nimbus III – a planet designated for diplomatic ...

Shot on scene in Portland, Oregon and Yaquina Head near Newport on the Oregon Coast, Permanent Record (1988) delves into the weighty topic of suicide and its impact on loved ones. The main character, David Sinclair, appears to have an enviable life – he’s intelligent, gifted, humorous, and well-liked. His closest companion is Chris Townsend, a unique individual. However, despite appearances, David struggles with mounting academic pressure and familial expectations. As a result, he chooses to keep his emotional turmoil hidden from those around him. During a gathering with his schoolmates by the shore, he strolls to the ...

Distant Thunder (1988), an American drama directed by Rick Rosenthal and featuring John Lithgow and Ralph Macchio, follows the story of Mark Lambert, an ex-Navy SEAL and Vietnam War veteran. After returning from the war, he abandons his family and retreats to the remote wilderness of Washington state where he lives off the land for 10 years. Dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder, Mark eventually decides to rejoin society and reconnect with his now teenage son Jack, who is living in Illinois. As a distant father and ...

Big Top Pee-wee (1988), an American comedy film directed by Randal Kleiser, tells the story of Pee-wee Herman’s life on a farm. Along with his assistant Vance, a talking pig, Pee-wee tends to his crops, daydreams about becoming a famous singer, and shares lunch daily with his fiancée Winnie Johnson, who also happens to be a school teacher. He also conducts agricultural experiments in his secure greenhouse. One day while at Mr. Ryan’s general store, Pee-wee is alerted by the local sheriff about an impending storm. He rushes home to protect his farm animals before taking shelter himself. Once the storm passes, ...

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988), an American supernatural slasher film directed by John Carl Buechler, follows Tina Shepard’s journey. After witnessing her alcoholic father’s abuse towards her mother, a young Tina flees in a boat to Crystal Lake. Her father chases after her, leading to his accidental death when Tina’s telekinetic abilities are unleashed and destroy the dock he’s standing on. Years later, as a teenager, Tina is still grappling with guilt over her father’s passing. In an attempt to help her heal, her mother Amanda brings her to the lake house where it all took ...

Crocodile Dundee II (1988) is the second installment in the successful film series. It follows Mick Dundee and Sue Charlton’s life together in New York City. Despite Mick’s lack of familiarity with city living, he continues his adventurous ways such as blast fishing in Manhattan’s waters. Meanwhile, Sue’s writing has garnered him widespread recognition. He then starts working for Leroy Brown, an unassuming stationery salesman who tries to portray a tough guy persona. On the other hand, Sue’s ex-husband Bob takes pictures of a drug cartel leader murdering an unknown individual while on duty for the DEA in Colombia. Unfortunately, Bob is ...

Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), a buddy cop action comedy film, was directed by Tony Scott and written by Larry Ferguson and Warren Skaaren. Following the events of the first film, Beverly Hills Police Department finds themselves investigating a series of high-value robberies known as the Alphabet Crimes. Each heist has an encrypted letter with a distinct alphabetic character left behind at the scene. The situation is further complicated by the new political climate at the department, with Chief Harold Lutz at the helm. He is ...

The American film, The Untouchables (1987), was directed by Brian De Palma, produced by Art Linson, and written by David Mamet. It is set in Chicago during Prohibition, where notorious gangster Al Capone controls the illegal liquor industry. Bureau of Prohibition agent Eliot Ness is assigned to stop Capone’s illegal activities. His first attempt at a raid is unsuccessful due to corrupt police officers tipping off Capone. However, he meets veteran officer James Malone, who opposes corruption and offers to assist Ness. ...

Gung Ho (1986) is an American comedy film directed by Ron Howard and starring Michael Keaton. In fictional Hadleyville, Pennsylvania, the town’s main source of employment, the local auto plant, has been shut down for nine months. Former foreman Hunt Stevenson travels to Tokyo in hopes of persuading the Assan Motors Corporation to reopen the plant. The Japanese company agrees and upon their arrival in the U.S., implements several changes among the desperate work force. This includes prohibiting unionization, reducing wages, rotating workers throughout different job ...