my favorite movies of 1989:

(1) Back to the Future Part II

(2) Crimes and Misdemeanors

favorite of 1989:

Back to the Future Part II

(Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea Thompson, Elisabeth Shue. Directed by Robert Zemeckis.)

It’s unfortunate that the most famous thing about Back to the Future Part II — the vision of the future in the year 2015 — happens in the weakest part of the movie. After the first Back to the Future (my favorite movie of 1985) gives us a solid explanation for how Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) accidentally gets stuck in the past and gives him compelling motivations once he gets there, this sequel disappoints by offering a vague, flimsy premise for why they choose to go to the future. Not much is explained about the trouble Marty’s kids get into … and whatever it is, why not simply warn him in the present and let him take action when the time comes, instead of skipping ahead and scrambling to fix everything at the last minute?

Back to the Future Part II improves later on, when Marty’s idea of using time travel to make money leads him to a dystopian version of his hometown. (For all the traveling through time, no one in the trilogy ever travels far in space; Hill Valley is their whole world.) Now the movie has turned into a disturbing neo-noir that includes some of the darkest and most memorable scenes of the trilogy.

Stream Back to the Future Part II on YouTube (free with ads) or these sites.

Update: For Part III, see my 1990 post.

2nd favorite of 1989:

Crimes and Misdemeanors

(Martin Landau, Anjelica Huston, Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Alan Alda, Sam Waterston. Directed by Allen.)

Woody Allen’s Crimes and Misdemeanors is part drama and part comedy. But which part is which?

You don’t think God sees?

God is a luxury I can’t afford.

I don’t know anywhere to stream Crimes and Misdemeanors, so I recommend getting the blu-ray (or DVD).

Click here for the full list of my favorite movie(s) of each year from 1920 to 2020.