While not the worst month for movie, November 1997 ranks near the bottom. There are a number of movies released this month but the quality is lacking.
I enjoyed one movie and found the others I watched either boring or a waste of time. Maybe you had a different experience with the movies this month.
Let’s take a look at what hit the screens in November 1997.
Movies from November 1997
The Jackal
Great cast with Bruce Willis, Richard Gere and Sidney Poitier. Excellent screenwriter Chuck Pfarrer who wrote Navy SEALs, Darkman and Hard Target. And yet it makes for a mediocre movie.
It’s a typical cat and mouse game on the international stage. Willis plays an assassin hired to kill a prominent American figure. Gere plays an IRA member released from prison to find and stop Willis.
There are some good moments in the movies but nothing that really stands out.
When there isn’t much to watch, mediocre movies rise to the top. The Jackal made over $160 million at the box office. Making it one of the best performing movies this month.
You can watch The Jackal on Tubi TV.
The Rainmaker
Adapting John Grisham novels for the big screen was all the rage in the 90s. Starting in 1993 with The Firm and ending in 1998 with The Gingerbread Man. There would be one more adaptation in 2004 with Runaway Jury.
The Firm is an excellent movie. A Time to Kill (1996) with Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, and Samuel L. Jackson is my favorite of the Grisham movies.
The Rainmaker is OK. I didn’t enjoy it has much as others. I found it a bit predictable and the same as Grisham’s other movies (novels). I’ve never read a Grisham novel, not my interest, so I can’t say if the movie is like the book.
What I didn’t know until recently is The Rainmaker was directed by Francis Ford Coppola. One of only four movies he’d make in the 90s. We saw another of his 90s movies in November 1992.
The Rainmaker was a box office disappointment but the critics seemed to like it. I saw it once and that was enough.
You can watch The Rainmaker on HBO Max.
Alien Resurrection
The fourth movie in the Alien franchise. The first two movies, Alien and Aliens, are excellent. After those two the franchise slips a bit. All have made tons of money at the box office though.
Alien Resurrection takes place 200 years after Alien 3. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Ripley but this time she is a clone of Ripley. Winona Ryder also stars as a member of the crew with a twist.
Overall this movie is OK. As the franchise goes it’s near the bottom of my list. Maybe in the #4 spot.
Alien Resurrection was written by Josh Whedon who claims the final script was changed from his script and he claims the movie is worse because of the changes.
I don’t know what Whedon’s script was but the final movie is enjoyable if you already like the Alien franchise. If it’s your first Alien movie you’ll be lost and confused.
Alien Resurrection did well at the box office making over $160 million.
You can watch Alien Resurrection on Starz.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation
What can you say about Mortal Kombat: Annihilation? It’s a great, campy over-the-top action movie.
The original movie was good. The sequel is good. Few agree with me on that statement.
There’s a plot but it takes a back seat to the action. The fights scenes are excellent, which is what you want in a Mortal Kombat movie. I enjoyed this movies for what it was (and is) a high dollar B-movie.
No matter what you think of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation it is still better than the 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot.
As good (or at least fun) as the live action Mortal Kombat movies are, if you want to watch better Mortal Kombat movies watch the animated features released in the last three years.
You can watch Mortal Kombat: Annihilation on HBO Max.
Starship Troopers
I love this movie. I saw it in the theater a few times and then bought the VHS, later upgrading to DVD and Blu-ray.
I’ve read the original Robert A. Heinlein novel several times. This movie bears little resemblance to the book. Yet it is still a great movie.
Critics don’t agree, I think every critic who reviewed the movie hated it. It’s too bad they can’t enjoy a movie for the fun and entertainment it delivers.
Starship Troopers is set in the future when an alien race attacks earth. Recent high school grads enlist in the United Citizen Federation to fight the aliens.
The cast is filled with up and coming actors; Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey and Neil Patrick Harris. As well as some Hollywood veterans; Clancy Brown and Michael Ironside.
Director Paul Verhoeven knows how to make good Sci-Fi movies previously directing RoboCop, Total Recall and Showgirls. Wait, Showgirls might not be Sci-Fi.
I thoroughly enjoyed (and still do) Starship Troopers. It turned into a robust franchise as well. There are two sequels to the movie and a couple of animated movies. There are two animated TV series, one was released in Japan and consists of six episodes. The other Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles is 36 episodes. If you like the movie, Roughnecks is worth watching.
I own the entire franchise and make no apologies for it. I enjoy all of them. The original movie and Roughnecks are the best in the franchise. Roughnecks is available on Crackle.
You can watch Starship Troopers on Paramount+
Other movies released in November 1997
Here are the other movie released this month. I’ve seen bits and pieces of Flubber. It was one of those movies I rented and put on for the kid while I did other chores around the house. It’s not one of Robin Williams’ best movies.
Flubber was the box office winner in November 1997 though, it made over $178 million.
Angels in the Endzone was a bad sequel to Angels in the Outfield.
If you’ve seen any of the movies below let me know in the comments. I have no desire to watch any of them unless you tell me different.
Well, that ends a lackluster month. I hope December 1997 can close out the year on a high note. (spoiler, it does)
There are a couple of movies to watch from November 1997 but no need to make special plans to watch them. They are mostly forgettable movies.
What are your favorites from November 1997?
Let us know in the comments below. Or tag us on Twitter. The main channel is @TRNSocial and I’m @MileHighSamurai
Next week we’ll look at December 1982.
Until then the balcony is closed.
Check out the previous installments of
1982 Friday Flix | 1987 Friday Flix | 1992 Friday Flix | 1997 Friday Flix
Yeah, not a great month for movies, but like you, I did enjoy Starship Troopers.
I had read the book The Rainmaker by John Grisham (well before the movie came out) and really liked it. The movie wasn’t bad, but it was one of those times when I felt the book was better than the movie. The rest of this month’s releases are pretty weak, but one that is completely under-rated and in your ‘rest of’ list is Bill Murray’s The Man Who Knew Too Little. Very entertaining and under-rated that still makes me chuckle, so recommend you check that one out if you never have.