Director Joel Schumacher sadly passed away on June 22nd. He might be known for adding nipples to Batman’s suit, but his resumé contains some really good thrillers and well-known movies that have been loved by many. To honor Schumacher, I decided to make a list of his best films.
St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
A drama about seven people in their twenties studying and competing against things like drugs, love and the art of living together. It’s a typical eighties film, with a lot of famous faces from that era.
The Lost Boys (1987)
This is one of my favorite teen horror films and vampire films ever. It’s a colorful mix of action, horror and comedy. And it stars the hippest teen actors from that time. We follow two brothers who have just moved to the coastal town of Santa Cruz and are starting to suspect that there are vampires living there. Not a subtle movie, but highly entertaining.
Flatliners (1990)
A group of medical students wonder if there is life after death. They have a plan to investigate it: they stop their hearts and brain activity, stay dead for a short time, and then let themselves be resuscitated. After which they try to remember the afterlife. Gradually, the risks don’t seem to outweigh the results. It’s a solid thriller with a good cast, who were all at the start of their careers.
Falling Down (1993)
On a sweltering hot day in Los Angeles, William Foster is stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work. He leaves his car behind and goes into town by foot, but his anger takes over. When he doesn’t get breakfast at a diner, because it’s ‘lunchtime’, he freaks out. It’s a fascinating story in which we slowly but surely discover why William is so angry, and why agent Prendergast has to stop him. This is in fact one of Schumacher best films, with an excellent performance by both Michael Douglas and Robert Duvall.
The Client (1994)
The eleven-year-old Mark Sway witnesses the murder of a senator. He becomes the target of gangsters and corrupt politicians. Lawyer Reggie Love supports him, but they have to deal with the over-ambitious prosecutor Roy Folltrigg, who is not interested in the boy’s well-being. It’s based on a John Grisham novel and it’s a well-made thriller.
A Time to Kill (1996)
Even though the film was nominated for A Razzie Award for worst written film grossing over $ 100 million, I did enjoy this courtroom drama. It has a strong cast, with especially Samuel L. Jackson impressing (he was nominated for a Golden Globe). The plot revolves around him, portraying Carl Lee Hailey, who murders his daughter’s rapist in Mississippi. An inexperienced lawyer is defending him, but finds the Ku Klux Clan and prosecutor Bickley on his way.
8MM (1999)
Nicolas Cage stars as an investigator researching the identity of a victim in a ‘snuff movie’. This brings him into physical and emotional contact with the world of human cruelty. The film has tension and some gruesome moments. Also a movie that is underappreciated.
Phone Booth (2002)
Stuart Shepard finds himself trapped in a phone booth, when he secretly tries to call his mistress. After he hangs up the phone, the phone rings and Stuart picks up. From that moment on, he’s being held inside the phone booth. The man on the other end of the line proves to be someone who got him and his surroundings at gunpoint. The sniper demands that Stuart thinks about his own life and sins. The film is almost entirely set in a phone booth. It’s a very good thriller, where you will stay on the edge of your seat the entire runtime.
Veronica Guerin (2003)
This movie is based on the true story of journalist Veronica Guerin, who wrote pieces about Dublin’s drug lords for two years. They were, of course, not amused and decided to have her killed in 1996. As a historical document, Veronica Guerin is surprisingly subdued and timid for someone like Schumacher. One of his best movies.
