Heavenly Creatures (1994) - ★★★★★

Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: Fran Walsh, Peter Jackson
Stars: Melanie Lynskey, Kate Winslet, Sarah Peirse, Clive Merrison, Diana Kent, Simon O'Connor, Jed Brophy, Bill Perry

“You cannot know nor yet try to guess, the sweet soothingness of their caress. The outstanding genius of this pair, is understood by few, they are so rare. It is a miracle, one must feel, that two most heavenly creatures are real.” Those lines will always stick in my mind, for they describe a most captivating relationship, and come from what I consider one of the finest films ever made.

Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) - ★★★½

Director: Neil Jordan
Writers: Anne Rice (Screenplay and Novel)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Kirsten Dunst, Antonio Banderas, Christian Slater

You know what Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Antonio Banderas have in common? They're three of the sexiest vampires in the history of cinema! I have to say, this would have to be one of my personal favorite vampire movies. What's better than a movie filled with sexy vampires? A good quality movie with sexy vampires! But seriously, this is an example of an occult film gone right. With absolutely marvelous performances and a story that never fails to interest me, it's no wonder I found this thrilling from start to finish. At times it does get a bit ridiculous and the ending could have done with a more thorough explanation, but in the end I found it very enjoyable.

The Lion King (1994) - ★★★★★

Director: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
Voice Actors: Jonathon Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane, Rowan Atkinson

So far in my Disney Blogathon, The Lion King takes the prize for making me cry the most. I hadn't seen this movie in like 10 years, so it was quite a shock to be as emotional as I was. It's an indescribably beautiful film that's much more than your average Disney movie. These aren't just the rambling events of cartoon animals, but rather a masterful story that could not have been told in a better way. I was just completely blown away at how much this movie affected me, which is why it is easily one of the greatest movies ever made.

Legends of the Fall (1994) - ★★★½

Director: Edward Zwick
Writers: Jim Harrison (Novella), Susan Shilliday, William D. Wittliff (Screenplay)
Stars: Brad Pitt, Julia Ormond, Anthony Hopkins, Aidan Quinn, Henry Thomas, Karina Lombard, Tantoo Cardinal

You know what is most memorable about Legends of the Fall? The sheer handsomeness of Brad Pitt. Oh, and the movie wasn't bad either! It's old Hollywood romance meets beautiful cinematography meets good old fashion tragedy. It works for the most part, but lapses at times when trying to keep our interest. It's a sad but enjoyable cheesy drama.

The Shawshank Redemption (1994) - ★★★★★

Director: Frank Darabont
Writers: Frank Darabont (Screenplay), Stephen King (Novel)
Stars: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, James Whitmore, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown

The Shawshank Redemption is one of the most poetic, uplifting and engaging movies ever made. There are countless iconic scenes, quotable lines and messages to be understood. It is perfect in every way a movie can be. From the faultless performances to the spine-chilling score, each aspect combine to make this worthy of the title, 'Greatest Film of all Time.'

Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker (1994) - ★★

Director: Ping He
Writer: Daying Ye, Feng Jicai
Stars: Jing Ning, Gang Wu, Xiaroui Zhao

Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker is a lackluster Chinese beauty that could have been great, but fell short as a result of its slow tempo, disconnected characters and what I consider to be quite a boring story. This is a film about love, yet had more scenes with fireworks than passion.

Jing Ning inherits her father's fireworks factory, for his wife bared him no son. She is known as the master of the factory as a child, then grows to be known as the boss. Her business is thriving and life is peaceful in the city that she runs, until one day a fiery, considerate and proud painter named Gang Wu is hired to paint the gods on the doors and urns at the factory. She is forbidden to marry in order to prevent outsiders from factory ownership. Many problems and struggles arise when she falls in love with the bold and unafraid painter, leaving her peaceful life in pieces.

This sounds like it should be a compelling movie, but it isn't. The reason for this is that the lead actors had very little chemistry and it was hard to connect with their stories, their struggle, and their pain. I'm a sucker for romance films and find many tragic movies moving, but this one didn't do it for me. Without likable or interesting characters, what is a movie? It's boring. The story progressed unbearably slow and the two star-crossed lovers continued leaving each other, then coming back, then hurting each other, then healing. It repeated itself, which did my head in.

There are two redeeming qualities about this film that made me give it two stars. One, the scenes all looked exquisite, elaborate and historical. That's what I love about asian cinema, they know how to polish an otherwise dusty movie. The other thing I loved was the music, which was so beautiful that it evoked more emotion out of me than the characters.

Should you watch Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker? No. It is forgettable and a waste of a couple hours that could be better spent watching a superior film. Might I suggest Hero by Yimou Zhang?