THE BEST AND WORST OF 1992

In 1992, the Oscars awarded Best Picture, Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman), and director (Clint Eastwood) to UNFORGIVEN. They also gave a long-overdue Best Actor Oscar to Al Pacino for SCENT OF A WOMAN, an expected Best Actress Oscar to Emma Thomspon for HOWARDS END, and a shocking Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Marisa Tomei for MY COUSIN VINNY. As for what I thought of the year, here's my top ten:

(1) SINGLES: HOWARDS END may have had as its theme "Only connect," but it was Cameron Crowe's look at five twentysomethings in Seattle that truly captured the humor and heartbreak of trying to connect as human beings. And his always trenchant use of music helped give weight to what would have been a slight comedy in lesser hands.

(2) GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS: David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning play has only gained in relavence over the years, and director James Foley, along with a top-notch cast (Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon and Alec Baldwin among the standouts), bring all of its fury and humor intact to the screen.

(3) THE CRYING GAME: Lest you think 1992's most surprising film (and hit) was only about the (in)famous plot twist, Neil Jordan's film is really a multi-layered, and well-crafted, thriller, with a career-making performance from Jaye Davidson in the key role.

(4) LORENZO'S OIL: One of two movies on this list to take a disreputable genre (the disease-of-the-week movie) and make magic out of it. Director George Miller turns the true story of Lorenzo Odone and his parents into a movie that actually earns our tears, as well as our hearts. This is due in no small part to outstanding work from Nick Nolte and especially Susan Sarandon as the parents.

(5) HUSBANDS AND WIVES: It would have been very difficult to watch Woody Allen's lacerating look at relationships without thinking of his own real-life troubles in that area. However, those who managed were rewarded by a biting, and bitingly funny, work that proves Allen the artist still has life in him.

(6) THE WATERDANCE: The other disease-of-the-week movie that transcends its genre is this wrenching look at paraplegics, with top performances from Eric Stolz, Wesley Snipes, and especially Helen Hunt.

(7) MALCOLM X: The movie Spike Lee said he had been preparing for all his life turned out to be one of his best, fully capturing the essence of the controversial religious and civil rights leader.

(8) ONE FALSE MOVE: Carl Franklin's sleepy crime drama/thriller proved there's still life left in that genre.

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