Strange Days

'Memories were meant to fade' and some years after its release this has become a little diminished and less visible, especially as it attempts to forecast a technological future that even today is somewhat ambitious.

Always tricky predicting what's to come, although this does foresee with great clarity abuse by those in authority against the same classes and races that are so disenfranchised today - but maybe that wasn't such a big gamble to take. If I had a crystal ball I would foresee the same continuing for another twenty five years and quite probably in perpetuity.

All in all a reasonable variation on a theme you have seen plenty of before and will continue to do so if this is your bag.

Unfortunately, this film failed at the box-offices, although it´s one of the greatest masterpieces of the 90s. The first time I saw "Strange Days" was about five years ago, and then over and over again. If you think Ralph Fiennes is only able to play sensitive and problematic characters watch this: it´s his most unusual, but one of the best performances in his career - a performance of a coolness you only would expect from Samuel L. Jackson. Angela Bassett is one of the toughest women cinema has ever seen and Juliette Lewis, Tom Sizemore, Glenn Plummer, William Fichtner - every single role is casted perfectly...

"Strange Days" is thriller, drama and big city ballad in one piece. I can´t remember any movie that reflects the philosophy of life of Generation X better than this one. Lenny deals with the "Squids" which are the experiences and emotions of men saved on a mini disc. Emotions as a product, a drug - a compensation of modern life for the growing loneliness and anonymity. The only possibility for weak persons like Lenny to feel real. A movie like "Fight Club" wouln´t have been possible without "Strange Days"; other releases like "The Cell" or even Scorsese´s "Bringing out the dead" copied the incomparable make. Although this film is older than six years it hasn´t lost anything explosive effects, what is connected with the video clip style this movie has, which gives "Strange Days" a touch of being ageless. The two most brilliant scenes are the opening sequence - the robbery in the Chinese restaurant - and the showdown down in the streets at the millenium party. Also the soundtrack (Deep Forest, Peter Gabriel, Skunk Anansia, Strange Fruit...) is one of the best I´ve ever heard, what makes "Strange Days" an unforgettable experience for every watcher. (10/10)

Reading all these glowing reviews, one might get the impression that Strange Days really blew people away in the 90's, but what about now? Is it actually a "good" movie that holds up outside of nostalgia for new viewers? I don't think so.

I'll admit, the first-person memory sequences were cutting-edge at the time and I can see how the original premise, over-the-top story, fun soundtrack, and cyberpunk aesthetics have helped Strange Days amass a cult following over the years. It also clearly influenced better sci-fi movies like The Matrix, so there are definitely some great ideas here. However, once you get past the initial shock value this film offers, you may start to realize why James Cameron let his wife direct it instead.

While I did enjoy the first half-hour of Strange Days, the story ran out of steam fast and I quickly realized there was no engine to keep it going. The script is poorly paced and bloated with unnecessary scenes carried out by flat, forgettable characters. Additionally, the bad writing was made worse by a general lack of chemistry among the cast, making relationships feel unnatural and forced. By this I mean with the exception of Angela Bassett, every other actor looked like they were only there for the paycheck. A result was that whenever the action kicked in or a major plot twist happened, I didn't care. The scenes had zero emotional impact for me because the stakes never felt high enough to matter, even to the point that the big "conspiracy" reveals fell flat.

Do I regret watching Strange Days? Not completely. I may not have enjoyed it as much as I hoped, but it's still such a 90's movie at its core that I appreciated how it works as a time capsule, capable of transporting you back to a simpler time where movies could just be movies. What you see in Strange Days is what you get and nothing more, which isn't so bad when you consider there's literally a scene where Angela Bassett kicks a crooked cop in the balls. Can you imagine such a scene being made today without a political uproar? Impossible!

Overall, Strange Days is far from the worst movie I've ever seen, but I can't recommend it to anyone besides nostalgic cyberpunk fans. That is why Strange Days gets a 5/10 from me.

Probably one of the best big-budget sci-fi films to never reach a big audience. Written and produced by James Cameron and expertly directed by Kathryn Bigelow, this film is more noir than actual sci-fi - although the sci-fi elements are important. With a great cast and an amazing atmosphere throughout, this is one not to miss for fans of thrillers, film noir, sci-fi and especially the subgenre knwon as cyberbunk. 8 stars out of 10.

In case you're interested in more underrated masterpieces, here's a list with some of my favorites:

imdb.com/list/ls070242495

"Strange Days" is a unique science fiction and mystery film. Set in Los Angeles during the last two or so days prior to the new millennium, the cast is helmed by Ralph Fiennes as the charming, brave, but shady Lenny Nero. Lenny is a former LAPD officer who loses his job for mostly unknown reasons. He then becomes a black market hustler who sells people's recorded memories for profit. For the most part, these recorded memories are either violent or sexual in nature.

Angela Bassett does a great job complementing Fiennes' "Lenny" character in her role as Macy, Lenny's close friend who makes a more legitimate living as a limo driver and security specialist. Lenny and Macy soon become embroiled in a murder mystery involving corruption within both the LAPD and the music industry. This seemingly ever-deepening mystery also involves Lenny's other close friend, Tom Sizemore's character "Max". Max is a private eye who, despite seeming to be very well-intentioned, is just as shady as Lenny. Juliette Lewis rounds out the cast as "Faith", Lenny's troubled and devious rock singer ex-girlfriend.

Besides the awesome and well-acted performances, what made this movie stand out to me is just how on the nose some of the background references are in it. References to an economic collapse, increasing gas prices, and strained relations between the police and minorities make this a very odd foreshadowing of the actual real-life future.

In conclusion, great acting, a very deep and interesting storyline, and great cultural references make this a very highly recommended film.