After Hours (1985)

Directed by Martin Scorcese, it's hard to believe this comic masterpiece wasn't nominated for any Oscars whatsoever, despite being named to some key "Top Ten" lists that year (including Siskel & Ebert's). This is master film craftsmanship at its best, from the story down to its bare bones technical aspects. Griffin Dunne plays Paul, a lonely Manhattan bachelor who experiences a night to remember after meeting a sexy woman (Rosanna Arquette) at a coffee shop. The film's primary storyline focuses on Paul's futile effort to return home that night, but the supporting cast, which includes Linda Fiorentino as a sado-masochistic sculptor, Teri Garr as a trapped-in-the-60s barmaid, and Catherine O'Hara as a mean-spirited ice cream vendor, adds incredibly wacky depth to this great film. The cinematography by Michael Ballhaus and Thelma Schoonmaker's editing wonderfully enhance the film's storyline, as technical aspects should. A greatly entertaining film, "After Hours" will keep you laughing, and it is a clinic in great filmmaking as well.

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