It was the year New Zealand hosted a memorable summer of cricket, Punch magazine published its final issue and Achy Breaky Heart topped the charts.
On screens, 1992 saw Shortland Street make its debut, O for Awesome entered the lexicon thanks to boxer David Tua’s appearance on Wheel of Fortune and Sinead O’Connor shocked viewers when she ripped up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live.
Meanwhile, Kiwi cinemagoers turned up in droves to see an eclectic mix of Hollywood titles like Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Basic Instinct, Sister Act and Wayne’s World, while Peter Jackson delivered homegrown thrills and chills with zombie-horror Braindead.
Inspired by Elisabeth Moss’ brilliant Apple TV+ series Shining Girls transporting us back to those heady times, Stuff to Watch has come up with this list of eight great movies that are turning 30 this year (and where you can watch them).
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A League of Their Own, Aladdin and A Few Good Men are among the best movies first released in 1992.
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While Aladdin may have been the eponymous hero, it was Robin Williams’ genie who stole the show.
Aladdin (Disney+)
If it wasn’t for Robin Williams’ vocal callisthenics as the genie, there would likely have been no Shrek, Toy Story, or any of the other star-studded animated features of last few decades. Disney had only just brought the animated musical back to life, and Aladdin was the first one sold as having a major movie star provide one of its voices.
His mimicry proved the perfect complement to the genie’s shapeshifting abilities and provided plenty of inspiration for the animators, who came up with a terrific cast of supporting characters. Some witty and timeless tunes by Alan Menken also helped immensely.
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Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston’s characters get up close and personal in The Bodyguard.
The Bodyguard (Neon)
Although better known for its songs, Mick Jackson’s movie is also a cracking romantic thriller, as Kevin Costner’s former secret serviceman struggles to keep award-winning actress and musical superstar Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) safe from a persistent stalker.
“Old-fashioned star vehicle that makes no bones about manipulating its audience, but which does so with plenty of theatrical gusto,” wrote the team at Film4.
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Tom Cruise and Demi Moore joined forced for A Few Good Men.
A Few Good Men (Neon, iTunes, YouTube, GooglePlay)
While Rob Reiner deserves plenty of plaudits for gathering together a fabulous ensemble for this legal drama, his real MVP is screenwriter Aaron Sorkin whose 1989 play the story is based on.
For while the likes of Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland and Kevin Bacon all deliver memorable turns, it’s Sorkin’s words that have resonated through the years. Altogether now: “You can’t handle the truth.”
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Geena Davis and Tom Hanks teamed up for A League of Their Own.
A League of Their Own (Amazon Prime Video)
A superb two-hankie tale based on the true story of the first female professional baseball league.
Geena Davis, Rosie O’Donnell and Madonna (who is also on soundtrack duties) lead the line in this comedy drama, but it’s Tom Hanks who steals the show as the grizzled coach Jimmy Dugan. “There’s no crying in baseball,” he rages at one point. Just shades the original, 1976 Bad News Bears.
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Stuff Entertainment. Supplied image for Like Water For Chocolate. For 1992 movies.
Like Water For Chocolate (Beamafilm)
If I have one piece of advice before you indulge in this gorgeous Mexican romantic drama, it’s do not watch it on an empty stomach. Such are the sumptuous and mouthwatering creations on display that you’ll be obsessed with the food-porn, rather than the plot.
Which would be a shame, because Laura Esquivel’s adaptation of her own novel about a young woman who discovers a talent and passion for cooking, offers plenty of delights.
“Creates its own intense world of passion and romance, and adds a little comedy and a lot of quail, garlic, honey, chiles, mole, cilantro, rose petals and corn meal,” wrote Chicago Sun-Times’ Roger Ebert.
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Michael Madsen, Quentin Tarantino, Harvey Keitel, Chris Penn, Lawrence Tierney, Tim Roth and Steve Buscemi all featured in Reservoir Dogs.
Reservoir Dogs (iTunes)
A former video store clerk burst onto the scene with this crime drama about a group of diamond thieves whose planned heist of a jewellery store goes terribly wrong.
While greatly assisting the careers of actors like Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth and Michael Madsen, writer-director Quentin Tarantino was the one who made a real mark, with his potent combination of pithy, witty dialogue and toe-tapping soundtrack, which brought groups like Stealers Wheel and Blue Swede back into the limelight.
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Paul Mercurio and Tara Morice dance up a storm in Strictly Ballroom.
Strictly Ballroom (iTunes)
The Aussie charmer that introduced the world to the unique style of director Baz Luhrmann and gave former Dancing With the Stars NZ judge Paul Mercurio his first big break. He plays a maverick dancer who risks his career by setting out to succeed with an untested partner and an unusual routine.
“What’s best about the movie is the sense of madness and mania running just beneath its surface,” wrote Chicago Sun-Times’ Roger Ebert.
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Clint Eastwood directed and starred in Unforgiven.
Unforgiven (iTunes, GooglePlay, YouTube, Neon)
One of the greatest westerns of the late-20th Century, this sees Clint Eastwood direct and star in an Oscar-winning tale about a retired gunslinger who reluctantly takes on one last job. The impressive cast also includes Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman and Richard Harris.
“Brilliant and harrowing, Unforgiven packs all the punch of a good Western without indulging in the plot cliches and moral certitudes so often inherent in the genre,” wrote Financial Times’ Stephen Amidon.
