1998 – It Was A Very Good Year

Ah 1998, what a year! Google was founded. Andrew Wakefield published his heavily manipulated study findings in The Lancet which lead to the whole Anti-Vax movement donning their tin foil helmets. The Good Friday Agreement brought relative peace to Northern Ireland. The International Space Station became international when the Unity and Zarya modules connected. The first person shooter Half Life was launched. And a White House intern named Monica Lewinsky found fame in a most unwanted way.

As is to be expected from this page, there were things going on in the cinema world. Billy Crystal hosted the Oscars for the sixth time but that was for films released last year. But there were some excellent films out during this year. There were remakes, sequels, record breakers, and some made it on to my list of special favourites. And it doesn’t seem possible that all of this happened twenty five years ago. Let’s take a look at some films that I enjoyed during 1998. Oh, the dates given are the openings in the UK because, well, that’s where I was! So, in alphabetical order…

Armageddon – 07/08/1998

 

What you get when you give Michael Bay $140million, a big cast, and a bit of meteor based paranoia. Quite fun, particularly when Steve Buscemi is on screen, but notorious for the inaccuracies! 

Deep Impact – 15/05/1998

Coming out in the same years as Armageddon but a bit more thoughtful. Somewhat like the previous year’s Volcano and Dante’s Peak.

Godzilla – 17/07/1998

I don’t care what anyone else says…I enjoyed it! Mind you, I’d watch Jean Reno in almost anything.

The Jackal – 09/01/1998

Another much maligned remake which I still enjoyed. Bruce Willis is on top form again but Richard Gere and that accent? Where was Liam Neeson during filming? Oh…probably shooting Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.

Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels – 28/08/1998

A new kid on the block…Guy Ritchie’s feature debut. Also Jason Statham and Vinnie Jones making their feature acting debuts.

Ronin – 20/11/1998

Technically a flop but, in my humble, a cracking film with some of the best car chases ever. Starring Robert De Niro as well as Stellan Skarsgård, Jean Reno, Jonathan Pryce, and Michael Lonsdale. One unusual feature is that Sean Bean survives!

Saving Private Ryan – 11/09/1998

Famous for the intensity and accuracy of the opening half hour, a brace of Oscars for Steven Spielberg,  and nobody remembering who Private Ryan is.

Starship Troopers – 02/01/1998

They’ve talked about a remake but, given the mess they made of remaking Robocop and Total Recall I think it’s best to just leave Mr Verhoeven’s films well alone!

Titanic – 23/01/1998

Ah yes, the film that made auto-catheterisation so popular. It was over three hours long and RunPee hadn’t been invented back then! Three hour long films aren’t so unusual now so I for one am glad that Dan and Jilly had their marvellous brainwave!

The Truman Show – 09/10/1998

Jim Carrey showing that he can do the serious stuff and isn’t just a rubber faced sock puppet. Also, while they may be in different calendar years, there was a cinematic doppelgänger six months later with EDtv. Just like Deep Impact/Armageddon, and Dante’s Peak/Volcano.

US Marshalls – 24/04/1998

I vaguely remember the original TV series being on during my childhood but can’t recall much of it. Still, the 1993 film remake was very good. Here, though, is one of those rare fish…a sequel better than the original!

A Wedding – 10/08/1998

And all this leads to the reason why I put together this convoluted collection of ramblings and memories…on the 10^th of August 1998 the very wonderful, long suffering, and eternally loving Sue did me the huge honour of marrying me. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her. Here’s to the next twenty five years!