TriStar Pictures (USA): 41

Johnny Mnemonic (1995) marks the directorial debut of Robert Longo. The film is set in a future where society is heavily reliant on a virtual Internet, leading to a condition known as ‘nerve attenuation syndrome’ (NAS). With megacorporations dominating the world and exacerbating class tensions caused by NAS, Johnny works as a ‘mnemonic courier’. His job involves implanting sensitive data into his brain for discreet delivery to corporations. Currently, he is tasked with transporting data for a group of scientists in Beijing. Initially hesitant due to the data’s size exceeding his memory ...

The American Western movie, The Quick and the Dead (1995), was directed by Sam Raimi. It takes place in Redemption, a town in the Old West, where the notorious outlaw-turned-mayor John Herod reigns supreme. He has declared a single-elimination shooting tournament with specific rules: any contestant can challenge another, no challenges can be declined, each player must fight once daily, and a match ends when one person yields or dies. The Lady, a skilled gunslinger, enters the competition solely for the large cash prize. While sign-ups are underway, Herod’s henchmen appear with Cort, an ex-member of their gang ...

The American romantic comedy film, Only You (1994), directed by Norman Jewison, follows the story of 11-year-old Faith Corvatch. After playing with a Ouija board alongside her brother Larry, Faith becomes convinced that her soul mate is named ‘Damon Bradley’. This belief is further solidified when a carnival fortune-teller predicts that she will marry a man with the same name. Fast forward fourteen years, and Faith is now a teacher at a Catholic school, engaged to a podiatrist. However, just ten days before the wedding, Faith discovers that her fiancé’s high-school classmate, Damon Bradley, is en route ...

Legends of the Fall (1994) is an epic Western drama directed by Edward Zwick. Frustrated with the US government’s repeated betrayals towards Native Americans, Colonel William Ludlow resigns from the Army and relocates to a remote part of Montana. Joining him are his Cree friend One Stab, who helps him build a ranch for his family. Along with them are hired hand Decker, a former outlaw, and his Cree wife Pet and daughter Isabel Two. The Ludlow family consists of three sons: Alfred, the oldest; Tristan, the middle child; and Samuel, the youngest. After his mother Isabel leaves for the East Coast due to her struggles ...

The American historical comedy-drama film, Princess Caraboo (1994), tells the story of a woman who deceives Regency England by posing as an exotic princess speaking an unknown language. Directed and written by Michael Austin and John Wells respectively, the movie is based on a true 19th-century character. When she is discovered in the fields, dressed extravagantly and speaking unintelligibly, the Worrall family takes her in. However, their Greek butler Frixos immediately suspects her to be a fraud. While Mr. Worrall sends her to face charges of vagrancy, Mrs. Worrall ...

Sleepless in Seattle (1993) is a beloved romantic comedy helmed by director Nora Ephron. The film follows Sam Baldwin, a grieving widower and successful architect from Chicago who decides to start fresh in Seattle with his young son Jonah. A year later, on the eve of Christmas, Jonah dials into a popular radio talk show and convinces his hesitant father to open up about his late wife Maggie and their love story, particularly how he knew she was ‘the one’ when he first held her hand. This heartfelt broadcast draws the attention of thousands of women across the nation who are deeply moved by Sam’s words ...

The American legal drama film, Philadelphia (1993), was written by Ron Nyswaner and directed by Jonathan Demme. Andrew Beckett, a senior associate at the largest corporate law firm in the city, keeps his homosexuality and status as an AIDS patient hidden from his colleagues. Despite attributing a lesion on his forehead to a racquetball injury, it is actually Kaposi’s sarcoma, a defining condition of AIDS. Beckett takes several days off work to try and conceal the lesions and manages to finish the paperwork for an assigned case. He then instructs his assistants to ...

Manhattan Murder Mystery (1993), an American black comedy mystery film directed by Woody Allen, follows the story of Larry Lipton, an editor at HarperCollins, and his wife Carol. They have a pleasant interaction with their older neighbors, Paul and Lillian House, in the elevator. The Houses invite them to spend an evening together and during their conversation, the women share their exercise routines. Unfortunately, the next day Lillian unexpectedly passes away from a heart attack, which shocks the Liptons as she seemed to be in good health. As they start noticing odd behavior from Paul after his wife’s death, ...

Husbands and Wives (1992), an American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen, centers on the lives of two couples: Jack and Sally, and Gabe and Judy. The plot begins with Jack and Sally informing Gabe and Judy at their apartment about their separation. Gabe is taken aback, while Judy takes it personally and feels deeply wounded. The four of them then head out to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, still grappling with the situation. Some time later, Sally goes to her colleague’s apartment to start an evening at the opera and dinner. She uses the colleague’s phone to call Jack and accuses him of ...

Hook (1991), a fantasy film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by James V. Hart and Malia Scotch Marmo, follows the story of American-raised British lawyer Peter Banning. Due to his workaholic nature, Peter’s relationships with his wife Moira and their children, Jack and Maggie, have become strained. When he fails to keep a promise to Jack, Peter decides to take his family to London to visit Moira’s grandmother, Wendy Darling. While attending a charity dinner in Wendy’s honor at the Great Ormond ...

I Love You to Death (1990) is an American black comedy film directed by Lawrence Kasdan. Set in Tacoma, Washington, the story follows Italian American Joey Boca as he confesses his infidelity to a priest during church. Despite admitting to cheating on his wife Rosalie with several women over the past few weeks, Joey struggles to remember the exact number and details of his affairs. His lack of remorse shocks the priest. Joey and Rosalie have been married for years and share two children, while also co-owning a pizza parlor and an apartment building. As the manager of the building, Joey often rents apartments to his ...

Steel Magnolias (1989) is an American comedy-drama film directed by Herbert Ross. Annelle Dupuy, a shy beauty school graduate, moves to Chinquapin Parish in northwestern Louisiana, where Truvy Jones hires her to work in her home-based beauty salon. Meanwhile, M’Lynn Eatenton and her daughter, Shelby, prepare for Shelby’s wedding that is taking place later that day. M’Lynn’s husband Drum Eatenton uses a gun to scare away birds from interfering with the reception. Together with Clairee Belcher, the former mayor’s cheerful widow, they visit Truvy’s salon for hairstyling. During their ...

Glory (1989) is a historical war drama film by Edward Zwick that follows the story of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first all-black regiments in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Captain Robert Gould Shaw, having been injured at Antietam, returns to Boston on medical leave with the help of his influential father. Shaw is later promoted to colonel and given command of the 54th regiment, with his friend Cabot Forbes as his second-in-command. The initial recruit for their unit is Thomas Searles, an intelligent African-American who previously worked as a secretary for the Shaw family. ...

The American romantic comedy film, Chances Are (1989), directed by Emile Ardolino follows the story of young district attorney Louie Jeffries. In 1964, Louie is tragically killed in a car accident but miraculously finds himself reborn and able to enter heaven’s gates. Fast forward to 1987, where we find Louie’s widow Corinne still mourning his loss and unaware of the unrequited love from his best friend Phillip Train. Phillip has lovingly raised Louie’s daughter Miranda as his own. Miranda, now a Yale University student, meets Alex Finch during her studies. As graduation approaches for Alex, he sets ...

For Keeps (1988), directed by John G. Avildsen, follows the story of Darcy Elliot and her boyfriend Stan Bobrucz as they navigate their final year of high school in Kenosha, Wisconsin. As they prepare to attend college – Darcy to study journalism at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Stan at Caltech for architecture – they decide to spend a weekend together with the help of Darcy’s best friend Lila. However, things take an unexpected turn when Darcy discovers she is pregnant. With Thanksgiving approaching, the couple announces their news to their families, but neither Donna nor Stan’s ...

Gardens of Stone (1987), an American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, is based on Nicholas Proffitt’s novel of the same name. Sergeant First Class Clell Hazard, a hardened veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, would prefer to serve as an instructor at the U.S. Army Infantry School at Fort Benning, preparing soldiers for the conflict in Vietnam. However, he is instead assigned to the 1st Battalion 3d Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at Fort Myer, Virginia. This unit serves as the ceremonial honor guard for fallen soldiers’ funerals and guards the ...

Nothing in Common (1986) is an American comedy-drama film directed by Garry Marshall. David Basner, a shallow, childish yuppie recently promoted at his Chicago ad agency, returns to work from a vacation only to find that his parents have separated after 36 years of marriage. Now he must balance caring for his aging and bitter father, Max, while also supporting his emotionally fragile mother, Lorraine. To add to the stress, Max has just been fired from the garment industry after 35 years. While trying to navigate these challenges, David’s ex-girlfriend Donna offers sympathy but also advises him to ‘grow ...

The American drama film Every Time We Say Goodbye (1986) features Tom Hanks and Cristina Marsillach. Lt. David Bradley, an American pilot, joins the Royal Air Force (RAF) during World War II before the United States enters the war. Shot down in North Africa, David sustains a leg injury and is eventually transferred to Jerusalem to recover. While staying at a boarding house until he fully heals, David meets Sarah Perrara, a calm girl of Spanish Jewish descent who is accompanying her cousin Victoria. Victoria has asked Sarah to be her alibi as she meets up with her RAF ...

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), an American fantasy comedy-drama directed by Francis Ford Coppola, follows the story of Peggy Sue Bodell. She attends her 25-year high school reunion in 1985, accompanied by her daughter Beth instead of her high-school sweetheart and husband, Charlie. They married soon after graduation when Peggy Sue became pregnant but have since separated due to Charlie’s infidelity. At the reunion, she reconnects with her old high school friends Maddy and Carol while ignoring Charlie’s unexpected arrival. The emcee then announces the reunion’s “king and queen”: Richard ...

Volunteers (1985), directed by Nicholas Meyer and starring Tom Hanks and John Candy, follows the story of Lawrence Bourne III. Bourne is a spoiled recent graduate of Yale, Class of 1962, with a hefty $28,000 gambling debt. When his father, Lawrence Bourne Jr., refuses to pay off the debt, Bourne decides to switch places with his college roommate Kent in order to escape from his angry creditors. This leads him to join a Peace Corps flight headed for Thailand. On the plane, he meets Tom Tuttle from Washington State University ...