Hello!
I thought I'd keep up with my Film Picks series, so I decided to make my top '90s Pop Cult list! Okay, so some of these are from the early 2000s. But they all embody that '90s nostalgia nonetheless. If you didn't see my Youtube video explaining my favorites, check it out HERE.
Pop cult to me means a lot of things. Mostly, I consider a film to be "pop cult" if it has a certain visual/emotional feel that surrounds the narrative. This can be shown through costume design, set design, camera work, dialogue, and performances. Basically, if I feel like I can take a screen shot at any point in the film and it would be considered pop art, I'd classify it as so. So in no particular order, here are my top '90s (ish) Pop Cult Films!
Ghost World (2001) - (I WILL FOREVER THINK OF THIS AS A '90s FILM)
Cynic and artist, Enid, finds herself drifting from everything she knows after graduating her horribly amusing high school. Thora Birch (Enid) delivers the most punk rock performance of a life time. Steve Buscemi is in this movie. Why are you still reading this. Why aren't you watching the movie. I can't write a proper synopsis of this film without hating myself.
Jawbreaker (1999)
"Liz is the cat's meow": one of the most amazing lines from Jawbreaker spoken by Fern Mayo. What is Jawbreaker about? Death and popularity. After accidentally killing their best friend, a group of popular girls try to cover it up- by bribing a loser (MAYO) to keep her mouth shut in return for popularity and beauty.
The Doom Generation (1995)
Two best friends are going nowhere on an open road when they meet "X", a wild and dangerous drifter. Upon going to the Kwik-E-Mart for some nachos, shots are fired and the gang flees the scene. What will happen? Sex? Drugs? More sex? This film is pretty amusing until the last few scenes. WARNING: GRAPHIC MATERIAL.
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) (SAME THING AS GHOST WORLD)
A rockumentary of the ages. Hedwig, transgender rockstar, meets Tommy (Michael Pitt), an innocent bible thumper who becomes infatuated with her. Together, they make sweet music. That is, until Tommy gets too freaked out about their relationship, rips off Hedwig's music, and goes on to be a millionaire rockstar. Hedwig lays it down in a beautiful story, completed with full length music videos and animations.
Clueless (1995)
An adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, Cher decides to fix everyone's problems (especially when they benefit her). This film is '90s materialism on crack. If you are going to watch this film for anything, let it be for the costume design. Checkered yellow skirt suit combo? Yes. R.I.P. Brittany Murphy.
"I could really use some kind of herbal refreshment..."
"Oh, well we do lunch in ten minutes. We don't have any tea, but we have Coke and stuff."
"No shit! You guys got coke here?"
Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)
Romy and Michele have remained best friends since high school when they learn they have to go back for their reunion. Disgusted with how unpopular they were, they decide to fabricate how well they have been doing ever since they left. Go to the gym? Check. Rent a fancy car? Check. Tell everyone you invented Post-It Notes? Check.
Cry-Baby (1990)
John Waters is at it again in this exceptional pop cult film. Set in the 1950s, greaser/bad boy Cry-Baby (Johnny Depp) tries to win over the good girl. Much like a musical mockumentary of Grease, this film is full of awesome script writing, beautiful makeup, and roll on the ground humor. Start out your John Waters marathon with this one!
"I'm so tired of being good!"
Pulp Fiction (1994)
You've seen it on the dorm room walls, Pulp Fiction is probably one of the most well known cult movies out there. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, this dark comedy crime film shows the lives of two mob hit men, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a couple of bandits (thanks IMDB). It's one of the those movies that you have to watch over and over again to completely understand it/appreciate it. So start now!
"I said GODDAMN"
Fear and Loathing is Las Vegas (1998)
Written by the real Hunter S. Thompson, Johnny Depp plays a tripping journalist who travels to Las Vegas with his lawyer. This dark comedy has some of the most entertaining costume design and cinematography out there. You know what? I'm just going to show you this.
There you go! Some of the best '90s Pop Cult Films out there. I hope you enjoyed and start planning your next movie night with one of these picks. Have a good one.
Lauren Rose
Curbside Fashion
P.S. I hope you enjoyed the college video art I did (top 4 stills/in the video). I might make them into GIF form for my Tumblr, we'll see!
I'm barely on blogger since I moved to tumblr, but I had to sign into my account to encourage you to GIF those or show more video art. I loved how you incorporated that in your videos, I forgot I was watching a film review video for a second. Hedwig and the Angry Inch is still one of my favourite movies...I've had a thing for Michael Pitt since watching him in The Dreamers so I did what crazy people do....go on IMDB and make note of every movie he has been in...so that movie had always been in the back of the mind. Oddly enough, it ended up being on the syllabus for a literature class I took during my first year of university (almost 4 years ago). I was so blown away...I enjoyed that movie way more than expected. It's pretty deep, but it's also a fun movie to watch...it had everything. It's probably one of the only movies that made me laugh AND want to cry in one sitting haha. The stage musical of Hedwig and the Angry Inch was going on in my city at the time! I was so mad I didn't see it.
ReplyDeleteThis is really weird but this video made me think of you. It's a fake documentary about what American history would if the South won the Civil War. It's hard to watch at times (racism sexism) but it's really interesting and cool. Give it a watch if you are ever bored :) Huge fan btw! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJJtH_5vcmM
ReplyDeleteHiii, I really enjoy your blog/youtube. I know it can't be easy to keep up with HW and stuff, so props! I think it's really cool you do this and have a voice out there.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I was wondering if you've ever seen Pumpkin with Christina Ricci. I'd love to hear what you make of it.
I really love this blog so much. maybe we could follow each other on Bloglovin and/or GFC, Facebook?
ReplyDeletePlease leave me a comment on my blog and follow by blog!
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Korean Fashion
love ghost world!! steve buscemi is so awesome in it haha :)
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