Hollywood Popular Artists

Apr 6th 2012, 21:59

Three of this week's releases have more than a little 90s vibe to them. "Titanic" is back on the big screen, Jason Biggs is doing things that no one really wants to see, and a 90s auteur makes his long-awaited return. The movies also make for some great 90s pairing, so if you're interested in a perfect complement to your weekend of nostalgia, check out this week's Double Feature Friday.

"Titanic 3D" & "Tomorrow Never Dies"
On December 19, 1997, three new films debuted. One was a minor Gore Verbinski work called "Mouse Hunt" with Nathan Lane and Lee Evans. (How was that not a smash?) The other two were James Cameron's "Titanic" and Pierce Brosnan's second James Bond movie "Tomorrow Never Dies." One went on to become the highest grossing movie of all time. The other faded in with the rest of the 007 cannon, seen largely as lesser than "GoldenEye." But the little known fact is that the two put up quite the fight for the box office that mid-December weekend. "Titanic" eventually edged out Bond by a measly $3 million, so while people are off to the theaters to travel back to 1997, take time to remember the other movie from that weekend.

But don't watch "Mouse Hunt."

"American Reunion" & "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion"
High school reunions are one of those social occasions that have comedy built into them. Instead of checking out the class reunion from East Great Falls High, you might consider a less known get together. Two years before the original "American Pie" taught us a very graphic lesson in home culinary skills, Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino starred in the soon-to-be cult classic "Romy & Michele's High School Reunion." It did no business in theaters, but found a serious following on video. It's so dumb that it's kind of brilliant, always odd, and you get to learn all about the origins of the Post-It. Also, keep your eyes peeled for a cameo by a very young Justin Theroux.

"Damsels in Distress" & "Metropolitan"
Whit Stillman was one of the essential voices of 1990s independent film. It's been nearly 14 years since his last movie, "The Last Days of Disco," so on that merit alone "Damsels in Distress" is worth checking out. If you're looking for a crash course in Stillman, you won't have to watch too much. (He's only made four films.) You should start Stillman's first film "Metropolitan" and go from there. You'll learn all about the New York upper-class and get a refresher course on one of the decade's unique cinematic voices.

"ATM" & "Mean Creek"
Josh Peck wasn't ever just one half of "Drake and Josh." The actor has put a few good indie films on his resume, one of which was the sobering 2004 drama, "Mean Creek." In the film, Peck plays George, a seemingly cruel boy, who picks the wrong group of kids to mess with. A bully movie in the vein of films like Larry Clark's "Bully," "Mean Creek" turns the table on the mean kid but finds out that things are never that simple. A complex, sad story that is bound to make you think.

What are you watching this weekend? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter!

If one movie is never enough for you and you're looking for a flick to get you in the mood for this week's new release, Double Feature Friday is here to help. Every week we break down the new releases and pair them with older movies that you should catch before heading out to the theater. Or just skip the new movie and check out the classic we recommend.

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