Inspiration: Thelma & Louise (1991)

This is one of the greatest road movies of all time, if not the most iconic. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon are Thelma and Louise (a passive housewife and a waitress from Arkansas), the two BFF who, tired of their dull lives, embark on a crime spree road trip across America, leaving behind their monotonous and mundane routine. These two finally decided to take control of their own lives and not be ruled by any man, boss or husband. As they take off in a '66 convertible Thunderbird to Mexico, anything can happen. 

Blue jeans, liquor stores, shirtless Brad Pitt (!!!), criminal adventure, cowboy boots, dusty diners, denim, armed and dangerous ladies... All of that embellished with Hans Zimmer's cinematic melodies. 130 minutes of dust, gasoline and wanderlust, masterfully crafted with a glorious cinematography, will be stuck in your head for days, weeks... years! 

I've watched this film when I was a kid and it struck me violently. I loved it. I couldn't help imagining myself experiencing the same freedom and emancipation. Oh, to escape from my daily life! Reality and routine, crushed by my own hands! But as I don't drive and never managed to convince a girl friend to join me in such journey... It never happened.
Ridley Scott's Thelma & Louise explores and emphasizes the meaning of friendship and freedom of women in a male dominated world - a world which both Thelma and Louise want to run away from - portraying the struggle of women who yearn to change their lives but not always are able to do so. This film brings out the best out of the good old girl power. It really is the ride of a lifetime.

Inspiration: Bitter Moon (1992)

Bitter Moon is my favourite Roman Polanski's film, being a fearless free-fall into the depths of love and lust. This story depicts a twisted, obsessive love affair and its descent to a degrading, dependency-fueled dysfunctional hell of relationship, concerning the sadistic disintegration of passionate romance, told in flashbacks.

British couple Nigel (a role played by Hugh Grant as the well-behaved Englishman) and Fiona Dobson (Kristin Scott Thomas at her classiest) are on a cruise ship en route to India. On the ship, they meet the charming, sultry and French Mimi (played by Roman Polanki's wife in real life, the gorgeous Emmanuelle Seigner) and her much older American husband Oscar (Peter Coyote), a paraplegic aspiring writer. Oscar is the storyteller, narrating his former fascination for Mimi, much to Nigel's intriguing interest. Obviously, Nigel is aroused by all the taboos he doesn't explore in his own relationship - and of course, also aroused and attracted to Mimi herself. Nigel finds himself more and more thrilled by the details told by Oscar: the various stages of a doomed relationship, from Heaven to Hell, from sumptuous wonder to complete wreck... Basically, a well-crafted, slightly scary portrait of marriage that would certainly make anyone think twice.

Polanski does a remarkable job by exploring the layers of the human psyche in this tale of sweet gone sour sort of love story, enslaving marriage, kinky sex, obsession and emotional damage - painful to watch yet lyrical. Bitter Moon is set in contemporary Paris, which adds more brilliance to this saga of crippling emotions, unconventional love/hate with tragic consequences ahead.

I won't tell you how Oscar ends up in a wheelchair, you find out for yourself and watch this film. Or maybe you already did and in that case I'd really appreciate your review/opinion.

Inspiration: True Romance (1993)

There is a reason why True Romance has achieved a cult status, even though it initially flopped at the box office. If you are expecting a traditional love story, don't. It's a Tarantino love story: there's violence, action, profanity, bloodshed and crime. If you liked Badlands, Wild at Heart, Bonnie and Clyde or Natural Born Killers, you will love this one too. Directed by Tony Scott and written by Quentin Tarantino, this early 90's outlaws-in-love-and-on-the-run romantic film is filled with black humor, gratuitous violence, campy outfits, memorable and witty dialogue, convincing characters, epic performances and stylish cinematography. Tarantino's script is loaded with iconic references and influential inspirations, naturally.

Blonde bimbo hooker (with a heart of gold) Alabama, adorably played by the lovely Patricia Arquette (love her voice!) meets lonesome, ninja movies savvy Clarence, somewhere in Detroit. She wears ultra-tacky, hyper-kitsch, candy-coloured clothes and even a cow-print skirt(!). He falls in love with her and almost made my heart melt with his pure, genuine sweetness, proving the audience how brilliantly Christian Slater acts. Their chemistry together is just remarkable!

The romance itself is twisted, turbulent and wacky, and makes the best out of an entertaining road movie, along with Hans Zimmer's unforgettable xylophone soundtrack and creating a balance between the fairytale of being in love and dealing with some harsh and ill-fated consequences.

You will also find some of Hollywood's finest at their best: Brad Pitt plays a stoner, Val Kilmer appears as an imaginary Elvis sort of hallucination, Gary Oldman steals every scene as the seedy pimp, Samuel L. Jackson turns up for a cameo as a drug dealer, and Christopher Walken... well, it's Christopher Walken, you know.

This modern love tale is a quintessential 1990's film and I wonder how even more epic and legendary could be if Tarantino himself directed it instead of Scott. Tony was a great filmmaker but only Tarantino can make some things shine and turn into a ravishing masterpiece.