“Strange Days” is a film that will likely interest people who have an interest in weird uses of technology OR fans of Angela Bassett or Ralph Fiennes OR both. Released 20+ years ago. It was weird then and it’s weird now!
(NOTE: Other reviewers have a different point of view than mine. They think it’s especially relevant to today’s world.)
- PLOT? Some sort of technology was invented that gets into a person’s brain, addicts them, and kills them.
Angela Bassett stars as a law enforcement officer. Ralph Fiennes, though not in law enforcement, he knew about what was going on. The two of them worked together until they caught the bad guys! There was political corruption and corruption in the police department. Even if you don’t like the movie, you will love the soundtrack! Who doesn’t love Peter Gabriel?
At the end of the movie? One of the best intense onscreen kisses between a leading man and a leading lady. MTV used to give awards for “Best Kiss”. Ralph and Angela should have got an award for their mouth press! 🙂
I checked other movie reviewers and it was surprising to read what they had to say to say about this film. These writers had a lot more to say about it than I did (see below).
If I’m being honest, had I not heard Peter Gabriel’s voice singing “While the earth Sleeps”, when the credits started rolling, I probably would NOT have taken an interest in the movie. My late husband had just finished watching the movie when I walked into the room. He used to like to videotape movies and TV shows. But he only taped the credits for this movie. So I had to go find the movie and watch it myself. LOL. Now I'm thinking I should put it on my "Classic Movies - Rewatch List".
♦ What Other Movie Reviewers Say About "Strange Days"
- “… what started as an intimate near-future crime story sprawled out into an epic portrait of late 20th century Los Angeles, examining tough subjects such as sexual violence, police brutality and drug addiction. In the two and a half decades that have passed since its initial release, Strange Days has become distressingly more relevant than ever.” 25 Years Later, STRANGE DAYS is More Relevant Than Ever
- “Strange Days isn’t a perfect film. It’s fun, and it reflects some of the best aspects of nineties blockbuster cinema. But it’s frequently cheesy, often absurd, and its value is best described as a great film to watch late at night. It isn’t a festive film but its setting, and its focus on New Year, make for a great seasonal addition.” Strange Days Film Retrospective: Party Like It’s ’99
- “When Kathryn Bigelow finally won an Oscar for The Hurt Locker in 2008, it felt long overdue. She‘d been crafting great action thrillers for two decades by then, including Near Dark, Point Break, Blue Steel and this film, which might be the most underrated one on her filmography. A major box office flop at the time of its release, which allegedly almost ended Bigelow’s Hollywood career, its stature has grown in the intervening years thanks to a cult following on VHS and DVD, to the extent where it is now, finally, getting the recognition as the extraordinary visionary piece of filmmaking that it is.” Strange Days (1995, Dir. Kathryn Bigelow)
- “In recent years, the film has been the subject of such written pieces such as Sonny Bunch’s “Strange Days’ is a 20-year-old flop perfectly in tune with our time” and Michael Moreci ‘s “Strange Days: A Flawed but Fascinating Look at Racism, Voyeurism, and the Future”. In today’s political climate, Strange Days is a film that rings true in so many ways and presents a narrative that parallels much of current news nowadays.” Re-watching 1995's ‘Strange Days’ in 2020
♦ ♦ The reviews presented by these writers made me develop a greater appreciation for the movie.
Have you seen this movie?
