From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/01/98 Date: 01 Sep 1998 13:35:47 -0600 (MDT) New Line Cinema's "Blade," starring Wesley Snipes carved up an estimated $11.1 million, down a moderate 35% from its surprisingly incisive debut. The gory actioner eviscerated two newcomers, Miramax's "54" and Warner Bros.'s "Why Do Fools Fall in Love," which bowed to just $6.6 million and $4.2 million, respectively. But the weekend grosses had box office mavens buzzing about a cut-up of a different stripe: Twentieth Century Fox's comedy "There's Something About Mary," which saw a remarkable gain of 14% to $8.8 million thanks to an addition of 215 screens. After nearly seven weeks in release, the R-rated Cameron Diaz-Ben Stiller film has accumulated $116.7 million and shows no signs of slowing. -=> * <=- With the hype of a blockbuster movie opening, video stores and other retailers prepared for the release of "Titanic" on video, set for 12:01 a.m. in every time zone Tuesday. The Blockbuster Video store in the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, N.Y., planned to have an 8-foot ice sculpture of the Titanic on hand, while others planned to have employees in clothes from the period, and others were setting up music and food, giveaways and sweepstakes. The movie, which has already grossed more than $1.8 billion worldwide, is still playing in many theaters across the U.S., but retailers still expect the video to become a bestseller. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - A gang of grizzled Hollywood veterans consisting of Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne from New Line, the Weinstein brothers at Miramax and independent producer Saul Zaentz are collaborating on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," a prized literary property that has eluded filmmakers for years. New Zealand filmmakers Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh, the duo behind the disturbing picture "Heavenly Creatures," will transform Tolkien's epic to the screen. Jackson and Walsh are co-writing the pictures and producing them through their Wingnut Films banner; Jackson will direct. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Rapper/actress Queen Latifah, currently in production on the CBS miniseries "Mama Flora's Family," has joined the cast of "The Bone Collector," starring Denzel Washington. The Universal project is about a quadriplegic detective (Washington) who tracks down a serial killer with his partner (Angelina Jolie). Latifah will play the detective's nurse and confidant. Phillip Noyce ("The Saint") is directing the picture, which is slated to start shooting Sept. 10. Latifah will next be on the big screen in October with New Line's "Living Out Loud." Her other credits include "Set It Off" and "Sphere." [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/02/98 Date: 02 Sep 1998 13:06:09 -0600 (MDT) Ed Norton is not a gambler, he just plays one -- along with Matt Damon -- in the new movie "The Rounders." Both actors did research for their roles in New York poker clubs and even entered the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. They lost quickly. "Poker is not a game of chance," Norton says in the upcoming issue of USA Weekend magazine. "It's a game of psychology, strategy, math. When you sit with people who are better than you, you know you're outmatched." -=> * <=- Nicolas Cage is Hollywood's most muscular actor, according to a story in the new issue of the body-building magazine Flex. Listing Tinseltown's most buffed-up actors, Flex named (in order following Cage) Wesley Snipes, Mark Wahlberg, Cuba Gooding Jr., Brad Pitt, Kurt Russell (at 47, the eldest member of the team), Denzel Washington (despite his seldom revealing his body on screen, says the mag), Brendan Frasier, Daniel Day-Lewis and Russell ("L.A. Confidential") Crowe. -=> * <=- Not every actor gets to portray his father on film like Troy Garity is doing in "Abbie!," the story of '60s radical Abbie Hoffman. Garity is the son of Jane Fonda and onetime-radical-turned-California-state-senator Tom Hayden (his parents gave him the Garity surname so he wouldn't face the stigma of being a Hayden or a Fonda). Hayden was, along with Hoffman, Jerry Rubin and others, a member of the Chicago Seven, who interrupted the 1968 Democratic convention. "I'm very proud to play my father," Garity, 25, told the Los Angeles Times. "My father literally risked his life to make ... the world a better place for me to grow up in." -=> * <=- Charlton Heston doesn't think Robert De Niro and Jack Nicholson do a very good job of picking their parts. Heston, who played Moses and Ben-Hur in the '50s, says he recently spotted DeNiro in a restaurant and told him it was imperative that he stretch himself by doing Shakespeare. DeNiro's response? He seemed a little irritated, said Heston. "It's ridiculous for an actor that good to keep playing Las Vegas hoods," Heston told New York's Daily News. As for Nicholson, Heston says that with the exceptions of "A Few Good Men" and "Five Easy Pieces," Nicholson's characters are essentially the same. -=> * <=- A San Francisco man was hospitalized early Tuesday after an assailant pummeled him to the ground, kicked his head and attempted to steal his new video copy of the movie blockbuster "Titanic," reports Reuters. A police spokesman said the two men, who apparently knew each other, were both at a Blockbuster video store on the first night that "Titanic" went on sale. The 19-year-old victim was treated for an eye injury, while the assailant, aged 22, was arrested and could be charged with aggravated assault, the spokesman said. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Variety) - Proving once again that bad guys finish first, "Your Friends and Neighbors" was the most popular limited-release film in New York and Los Angeles in its second weekend. Writer-director Neil LaBute's take-no-prisoners battle of the sexes won $109,278 in a total of six theaters. "Slums of Beverly Hills," Tamara Jenkins' story of a teenage girl coming of age on the fringes of 90210, came in second, collecting $94,423 from seven theaters. "Next Stop Wonderland" pulled into third place. Brad Anderson's romantic comedy of Boston singles looking for love, collected $77,182 from six theaters. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - After three years, negotiations for DreamWorks' move to a grand seaside location near Los Angeles International Airport are all but dead. At the heart of the matter are divergent visions between the studio and the project's developer over who will control the proposed entertainment, media and technology campus. DreamWorks had always intended to run its own studio, with its own soundstages, but Playa Capital, which took over the Playa Vista site last October, wants to control at least some of the facilities. "This is about competing concepts of what the campus will be like," said an insider who asked not to be identified. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Variety) - Almost 25 years after the "Rumble in the Jungle" between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, fists are still flying among people involved with that boxing tourney. The duo who produced and promoted the 1974 festival and prize fight in Zaire, are expected to announce as early as Tuesday a $50 million lawsuit against the parties involved with the 1996 documentary, "When We Were Kings." Lloyd Price and Hank Schwartz filed a suit with the New York State Supreme Court against Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Mercury Records and the director and producers of the film. The filing contends director Leon Gast and producer David Sonenberg fraudulently got control of film and recordings of the event. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Variety) - Proving once again that bad guys finish first, "Your Friends and Neighbors" was the most popular limited-release film in New York and Los Angeles in its second weekend. Writer-director Neil LaBute's take-no-prisoners battle of the sexes won $109,278 in a total of six theaters. "Slums of Beverly Hills," Tamara Jenkins' story of a teenage girl coming of age on the fringes of 90210, came in second, collecting $94,423 from seven theaters. "Next Stop Wonderland" pulled into third place. Brad Anderson's romantic comedy of Boston singles looking for love, collected $77,182 from six theaters. -=> * <=- CHICAGO (Reuters) - The most successful movie ever, seemed on its way Tuesday to becoming the most successful home video ever, as "Titanic" fans across the United States stayed up late and waited in line to be among the first owners of the video. "Titanic" videos went on sale at 12:01 a.m. in each time zone across the U.S. and indications from early sales suggested "Titanic" could top Walt Disney Co.'s "The Lion King," which reportedly sold around 30 million copies, as the best- selling home video ever. "It's really going well," said Bob Gerhinger, Blockbuster Video's marketing manager for the Northeast. "It's exceeding all my expectations for people showing up." [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (September 3, 1998) Date: 03 Sep 1998 15:53:55 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (September 3, 1998). This week at the movies, an action/adventure yarn, a period drama, and a 1997 Russian film that was one of the nominees for Best Foreign language film at this year's Oscars. On home video, just two releases hope to swim through "Titanic's" wake -- one comes from a White House scandal best seller, while the other is a twist-filled, steamy thriller. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "Rounders" (Matt Damon, Edward Norton), "Simon Birch" (Joseph Mazzello, Ian Michael Smith) and other new releases. __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 4TH: "FIRELIGHT" (1997) (Sophie Marceau, Stephen Dillane) Drama: A woman (Marceau) takes a governess position with a wealthy man (Dillane) where for the first time she meets her child that she secretly bore for him many years earlier. Wonderfully displayed but perhaps a bit too slow and somber, the film features some great, but restrained performances from its leads. The R rating comes from sexual encounters and brief profanity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/firelight.html __________________________________________________ "KNOCK OFF" (1998) (Jean-Claude Van Damme, Rob Schneider) (R) Action/Adventure: As Hong Kong undergoes transition back to Chinese control, a businessman (Van Damme) uncovers and tries to stop a terrorist conspiracy. Not screened for the press -- after all, can you help but roll your eyes when you hear that the terrorists' bombs are being hidden in bootleg blue jeans -- we can't tell you anything about the film until we've seen it. The R rating comes from continuous violence and brief language. (National Release) (Coming Soon) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/knock_off.html __________________________________________________ "THE THIEF" (1997) (Vladimir Mashkov, Misha Philipchuk) (R) Subtitled Drama: A woman and her son (Philipchuk) take up with a Russian soldier (Mashkov) who turns out to be a common thief in post WWII Russia. One of the nominees for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Oscars, this is an intriguing picture that ultimately falls apart in its rushed and disjointed ending. The film gets its R rating for some sexuality, nudity and subtitled profanity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_thief.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH: "PRIMARY COLORS" (1998) (John Travolta, Adrian Lester) (R) Drama: An idealistic young man (Lester) joins a southern governor's (Travolta) campaign for the presidency and must deal with the issues of less than reputable campaign practices and allegations of the governor's sexual improprieties. Unable to capitalize on -- and perhaps hurt by -- the current White House scandals, this big budget film only managed to gross around $39 million domestically despite its all-star lineup. Extreme profanity and some sexual references earn the film its R rating. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/primary_colors.html) __________________________________________________ "WILD THINGS" (1998) (Matt Dillon, Kevin Bacon) (R) Suspense/Thriller: A detective team (including Bacon) tries to discover whether there's more than meets the eye regarding two high school students who've accused their guidance counselor (Dillon) of raping them on separate occasions. Like a "good" trashy novel, this is the sort of twisting film that you can't help but guiltily watch, and may get a kick out of doing so. Grossing around $30 million domestically, the film gets its R rating from extreme profanity, sexual encounters and nudity, and violence. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1997/wild_things.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/03/98 Date: 03 Sep 1998 14:38:19 -0600 (MDT) Dennis Rodman, who underwhelmed moviegoers in his feature debut "Double Team," is in France shooting the Sony Pictures action-comedy "Simon Sez," reports Variety. The basketball bad boy plays an Interpol agent who must rescue the kidnapped daughter of an old associate. He teams up with two monks (played by standup comics John Pinette and Ricky Harris) who happen to be computer geniuses. -=> * <=- In movie casting news, Variety reports that Fox 2000 is developing an untitled May-December romance in the vein of "How Stella Got Her Groove Back" as a vehicle for Blair Underwood and Diana Ross. -=> * <=- Robert Redford, who played the latter half of the titular outlaw team in "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and uses the Sundance name on his Utah-based Sundance Enterprises, Sundance Film Festival and Sundance Institute, plans to start a chain of Sundance movie theaters -- with one of them to be in Fort Worth TX. But theaters owned by Ed Bass already are named Sundance, so Redford's attorneys contacted him to say they wanted the Sundance name. Bass took Redford to federal court, claiming he had used the Sundance name in Texas since at least 1981. (Redford started his Sundance Institute in 1980.) Under an agreement, the Bass brothers can use the Sundance name on movie theaters in 13 counties in Texas and Oklahoma, including the Fort Worth area. Redford can use it anywhere else. -=> * <=- CELEBRATED: By actor Roddy McDowall, the 30th anniversary of the release of "Planet of the Apes," with a visit Monday to the Bronx Zoo. McDowall's appearance was also intended to call attention to the zoo's exhibit of Western lowland gorillas, which are an endangered species. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - With less than a week to go before the end of the summer moviegoing season, Disney and 20th Century Fox have each broken, for the first time, the $500 million domestic box office mark for the period. Since May 15, Disney's Buena Vista Pictures has rung up more than $534 million from its six summer releases; Fox's seven seasonal issues have amounted to nearly $504 million. Through the weekend, the summer overall is up about 11% from last year, and is just shy of $2.5 billion - another box office record. This is the first year that two studios have surmounted the $500 million-plus landmark during the summer season. -=> * <=- VENICE, Italy (Reuters) - The world's oldest film festival goes back to good old showbiz traditions this year as dazzling celebrities jet into the Italian lagoon city of Venice and plot-driven stories compete for its Golden Lion prize. Stars in dinner jackets and gowns will gather on Venice's ritzy Lido for a gala opening night Thursday that was to have been blessed by a now-ill Sophia Loren, who wins a special award celebrating her career. Loren has said the Golden Lion means more to her than a lifetime achievements Oscar. Sans Loren, the 55th Venice Film Festival is still certain to get off to a dramatic start. -=> * <=- NEW YORK (Variety) - Since directing the critically acclaimed noir drama "L.A. Confidential," every studio has been vying to get Curtis Hanson's next film. The victor might well be Paramount, which is negotiating to have Hanson direct Michael Douglas in "The Wonder Boys," an adaptation of a Michael Chabon novel. Hanson has also been in serious talks about another project, "Family Man" starring Nicolas Cage for Universal. But Cage is booked to star for Martin Scorsese in "Bringing out the Dead." No deal has yet been set. In "The Wonder Boys," Douglas will play the author of a wildly successful novel who's trying to write another but is feeling the crushing weight of the first success and having trouble getting started. -=> * <=- SANTA FE, N.M. (Reuters) - The famous Wild West movie town of Cook Ranch in northern New Mexico went up in smoke after a planned explosion on a blockbuster movie starring Kevin Kline and Will Smith ran out of control. The explosion Tuesday at Cook Ranch, a small town about 20 miles south of Santa Fe which was made for filming movies, was planned as part of a stunt sequence for the Warner Bros. movie "Wild Wild West." But an unexpected gust of wind spread the blaze to adjoining buildings, causing far more damage than intended. Neither Smith nor Kline were on the set at the time. -=> * <=- ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Walt Disney World has been targeted by Southern Baptists, animal-rights activists and anti-homosexual groups, but the biggest protests have come from fans of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, which Disney officials said Wednesday would soon join the ash heap of history. One of the Walt Disney Co.'s worst-kept secrets has been its plan to scrap the 27-year-old Fantasyland ride in favor of one featuring Winnie the Pooh. Disney officials confirmed Mr. Toad would be closed next Monday. Many of the ride's fans, who have picketed the park weekly since the rumor of Mr. Toad's demise last April, consider the ride a treasured memory of childhood that they enjoyed revisiting as adults. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Frimann Freyr Bjornsson" Subject: [MV] Andrew Tarkowsky Date: 03 Sep 1998 22:53:25 -0000 Can anyone recommend me some Andrew Tarkowsky films. I just saw Stalker and liked his style. Best Regards Frímann Freyr Björnsson We are what people say we are. . . They project upon us their convictions --we are nothing but blank screens. --Trevor Goodchild ÆON FLUX [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ming-Tie Huang Subject: Re: [MV] Andrew Tarkowsky Date: 04 Sep 1998 10:06:19 At 10:53 =8C=DF=8C=E3 98/09/03 -0000, you wrote: >Can anyone recommend me some Andrew Tarkowsky films. I just saw Stalker and >liked his style. > > >Best Regards >Fr=EDmann Freyr Bj=F6rnsson > Try "Nostalghia'', ''Mirror'', ''Ivan's Childhood'', and ''Sacrifice''. They are my favorites. =20 =20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Ming-Tie Huang mth@mail.kek.jp=20 Photon Factory, KEK, Tsukuba, Japan=20 =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Mr. White" Subject: RE: [MV] Andrew Tarkowsky Date: 04 Sep 1998 07:26:30 -0500 Solaris The Sacrifice Andrei Rublev Richard J. Doyle Visual Basic & Access Developer CRW Systems -----Original Message----- [mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Frimann Freyr Bjornsson Sent: Thursday, September 03, 1998 5:53 PM Can anyone recommend me some Andrew Tarkowsky films. I just saw Stalker and liked his style. Best Regards Frímann Freyr Björnsson We are what people say we are. . . They project upon us their convictions --we are nothing but blank screens. --Trevor Goodchild ÆON FLUX [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/04/98 Date: 04 Sep 1998 10:44:29 -0600 (MDT) Jim Carrey and a Hollywood crew have picked Cedar Key FL as the location of the film "The Incredible Mr. Limpet," a remake of a 1964 movie in which Don Knotts played a bookworm who dreams of life under the sea. Scouts from Warner Bros. were looking for a fishing village that could be seen from the water, said Judith Hagin, film commissioner for Ocala and Marion Counties. The village has forests that were once a major provider of cedar for pencils in the mid-1800s and it is still home to some fishermen. -=> * <=- While "Saving Private Ryan" continues to fire volleys in theaters, Steven Spielberg isn't wasting any time preparing for his next picture. According to Variety, the director has selected two unknown actresses to star in "Memoirs of a Geisha," an epic drama based on the best-selling World War II era novel by Arthur Golden. The hefty book, which is written in the form of a memoir, details the decadent geisha existence and the war's impact on this secret environment. Rika Okamoto, formerly the principal dancer at the New York-based Martha Graham Dance Co., will play the lead. Also cast for a role is Broadway actress Julyana Soelistyo. -=> * <=- Arnold Schwarzenegger has sued the Globe tabloid for $50 million, claiming that an article that called his heart a "ticking time bomb" could damage his career. In the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, the "Terminator" star (who did undergo heart surgery last year) alleges libel, invasion of privacy and infliction of emotional distress. "The Globe article falsely and maliciously portrays a man who has built a successful movie career as an action hero as a near-invalid who is at risk of imminent death," Schwarzenegger, 51, said in the lawsuit. "Nothing could be further from the truth." There was no comment from the newspaper. -=> * <=- STOPPED: Traffic along Hollywood Blvd., Thursday, as Jamie Lee Curtis got her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It will be a busy month for the Tinseltown institution. Soon to be similarly immortalized on the pavement: singers Mac Davis, Reba McEntire and Keely Smith and actress Meryl Streep, who's only been a star for the past 20 years. -=> * <=- VENICE, Italy (Reuters) - The 55th Venice Film Festival got off to a dramatic start Thursday as Steven Spielberg's graphic war movie "Saving Private Ryan" brought raw emotions and deep morals to the glamour and glitz. Stars in evening suits and gowns turned out for a gala launch on Venice's ritzy Lido resort, restoring celebrity cachet to a festival criticized last year for its low-key look. Deputy Prime Minister Walter Veltroni, himself a movie buff, addressed the opening ceremony with famous names including Italian actress Claudia Cardinale and fashion designer Giorgio Armani in the audience. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD Calif. (Variety) - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. notified 80 employees Wednesday, including three senior level executives, that their jobs were being cut as part of an overhead reduction campaign by the financially strapped film company. An MGM spokesman confirmed the job cuts, which amount to about 7% of the company's workforce. Every division was affected, the spokesman added, including consumer products, film, TV, licensing and legal, and "no one area had more than another." Among those cut Wednesday were such high-ranking executives as Rick Phillips, executive VP of international networks and Andy Gruenberg, executive VP of domestic theatrical distribution. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions Subject: [MV] The Flick Filosopher takes a holiday... Date: 04 Sep 1998 20:03:55 -0000 The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos I'm hittin' the road for Labor Day and beyond. I'm gonna be travelin' the great American highways with a girlfriend, almost exactly like Thelma and Louise, except we'll be in a geeky Saturn, and really, both of us are Thelma (or is it Louise?)... anway, both of us are the kick-ass Susan Sarandon one rather than the wishy-washy Geena Davis one (although she did get a backbone later on)... Anyway... What that means is that, while I am off seeing new places, visiting old friends, hearing some good music, and chowing down on something that'll probably kill me eventually, The Flick Filosopher will be on hiatus. There will be no new Flick stuff on Monday, 9.07. And (*boo hoo*), there will be no new Flick stuff on Monday, 9.14. I will return, triumphant and tired, on Monday, 9.21. (You'll hear from me on Friday, 9.18 as usual.) Will I catch any movies while passing through Upper Podunk? Who can tell... MaryAnn This message was sent via ListBot. To remove yourself from this list, please visit http://www.listbot.com/remove.html or send mail to FlickFilosopher-unsubscribe@listbot.com Start Your Own FREE Mailing List At http://listbot.com/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: SIMON BIRCH Date: 05 Sep 1998 08:08:25 -0600 (MDT) SIMON BIRCH (Touchstone) Starring: Joseph Mazzello, Ian Michael Smith, Oliver Platt, David Strathairn, Ashley Judd, Jan Hooks. Screenplay: Mark Steven Johnson, suggested by the novel _A Prayer for Owen Meany_ by John Irving. Producers: Laurence Mark and Roger Birnbaum. Director: Mark Steven Johnson. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (adult themes, profanity) Running Time: 113 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. At least they prepared me right off the bat, right there in the credits. I knew SIMON BIRCH was based on John Irving's whimsically twisted 1989 novel _A Prayer for Owen Meany_, but I had also heard that screenwriter/director Mark Steven Johnson had taken great liberties with the text. I didn't need to wait long to understand how many liberties, thanks to an admirably forthright screen credit: "Suggested by the novel _A Prayer for Owen Meany_." Not "inspired by," not "based on," not even "loosely based on" like the 1995 travesty of _The Scarlet Letter_. "Suggested by." I wish I had known Johnson was taking suggestions, because I might have offered a few. I might have suggested that he retain slightly more than the basic set-up, involving two 12-year-old friends in a New England Town circa the early 1960s. Joe Wenteworth (Joseph Mazzello) is the son of an unmarried woman (Ashley Judd) who has refused to divulge the identity o fJoe's father; Simon Birch (Ian Michael Smith) was "the smallest delivery ever recorded in the history of Gravestown Memorial Hospital," and has remained unusually small. The two young lives are connected first by their status as town outsiders, then further sealed when an errant Little League foul ball off the bat of tiny Simon has tragic consequences. Right about there, all similarity to the source material ends. Sure, a few individual details remain, notably a school Christmas pageant which goes dreadfully awry, but even that element is given an ill-advised twist. The film's Simon, like his literary counterpart, has a preternaturally mature sense of existential purpose, an almost arrogant belief that God intends great things for him. It makes no sense for that character -- who schemes in the novel to be the Baby Jesus in the Nativity play because he thinks only he can do the role justice -- to be turned into a grumpy and reluctant Christ-child. It makes even less sense for the Christmas Eve catastrophe to begin with reverent-beyond-his-years Simon trying to feel up the Virgin Mary. Johnson goes for the cheap laughs of projectile vomiting and pre-pubescent groping rather when he should be trying to maintain some consistency in his characterizations. I don't mean to suggest that SIMON BIRCH is an awful film, particularly if you walk in like most viewers with no knowledge of Irving's novel. Johnson has put together a tremendously appealing cast, including Judd, David Strathairn, and an atypically slime-free Oliver Platt (as the kindly suitor of Joe's mother). The friendship between Joe and Simon is unique and well-developed, though the more experienced Mazzello makes first-time screen actor Smith look quite self-conscious at times. Even the narration (by an uncredited Jim Carrey, who also appears as the adult Joe in the film's present-day framing scenes) is under-stated and amusing. The first half of SIMON BIRCH is generally satisfying, a sprightly and quirky reminiscence cast in the autumn tones of Aaron E. Schneider's cinematography. It's the latter half, which diverges most sharply from Irving's story, that goes most horribly wrong. The light-hearted, off-beat story takes a sharp turn into melodrama in heavy syrup, centered around a school bus crash which should make everyone who saw THE SWEET HEREAFTER thank Whatever God to Whom They Pray that Mark Steven Johnson didn't get his hands on it. The music score (by the ever-cloying Marc Shaiman) begins reminding us every several seconds that it's time to weep, eventually building to the orchestral equivalent of yanking out your nose hairs one at a time. With its "oh by the way, in case you're a complete moron, here's the moral of the story" punch line of dialogue, SIMON BIRCH is less emotionally cathartic than it is emotionally insulting. Johnson doesn't just streamline Irving's sprawling narrative, he dumb-lines it, casting everything in the broadest tear-jerker strokes. What a waste of a singular story to turn it into a trite Hallmark card of a dramatic experience. The power of suggestion sure can make people do foolish things. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 powerless suggestions: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! ADVANCE - Week of September 6, 1998 Date: 06 Sep 1998 16:12:40 -0400 ROUNDERS - J'AI MOL A LA TIT by Mark Ramsey http://www.moviejuice.com September 6, 1998 Attention, America! They're standing at attention! Only a blind man could stroll by the magazine rack without gaping at the rack on the cover of this month's Vanity Fair: It's Rounders co-star Gretchen Mol's essentially barenaked nipples gaping back. Shouldn't Vanity Fair upgrade to Vanity Extraordinary just this once? Will Utah video stores be editing out this cover along with the nude scenes in Titanic? Don't women in Utah have nipples? Inside Vanity Bare, literary darling Bret Easton Ellis conducts a Q & A with the nipples voted by their alma mater: "Most Likely to Trade a Peek for Stardom." Here's a revealing excerpt: Q. It's great to see you. Both of you. What may I call you, exactly? The two, the brave, the proud? A. Her Highnesses will do. Q. Both of you seem very excited at your recent coming out. Do you answer to the Bat-signal? Were you beamed with too much radiation during Gretchen's last dental cleaning? Not since giant tarantulas invaded the California coast have I witnessed anything so colossal. A. Watch it, pal. These Tridents are nuclear-tipped. Q. Did they call your new picture Rounders because calling it Erecters would be redundant? A. Look, we're a little traumatized ever since we peered back at Sodom and Gomorrah and excitably transformed into the salt pillar-like monuments we are today. You should see us on Independence Day when we unfurl flags and shoot off rockets.... Don't get me wrong, Gretchen is one hot tamale. But is she talented? Who would know? She gets about three minutes of designated girlfriend screen-time in a role fit only for a pre-star with a nice pair of...credentials. No wonder Janeane Garofalo whines about objectification of women and Meryl Streep can barely find a gig, because damn if it doesn't work! I may be human, but I'm not proud of it. The ads describe Rounders as a "thriller." The "thrilla in vanilla," maybe. This Poker-mania is insufferable succotash! What do they think this is, "Cards-ageddon"? Not since a dingo ate my baby have I been so befuddled by what sounds like English. Unfortunately for me, I left my Star Trek Commander Data Universal Translator at home. Where are the subtitles? What the hell are they talking about? Is the audience poker-faced or just bewildered? "If you can't spot the sucker in your first half hour at the table, then you are the sucker," voiceovers 5-Card Stud Matt Damon, starring as "Blonde Matt." And if you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour of this movie, then the audience is the sucker. And I'm calling a spade a spade. Ever-likable Matt is a cardshark, a law student, and a truck driver. If that sounds like three different movies in one, then you get the problem. Matt needs to reconcile his humdrum existence and ridiculously hot girlfriend with his lifelong passion to play cards. Good going, ace. Get your Oscar ballots ready, gang. You heard it here first: Ed Norton. Ed's always good, but he's the perfect shining star here - an actor's slot machine jackpot. In real life, Ed is Courtney Love's Hole-puncher. Here, he plays a guy named "Worm" because he aerates the ground and if you cut him in half both ends will live. Or something like that. Look out for John Malkovich in a Jimmy Walker-style Jordache sweatsuit, with a tris-hokey Russian accent and a beard so overgrown, the rainforest breathes a deep sigh of relief. Noah could stock an ark with the biodiversity living in that facial forestation and, no doubt, have plenty of day-old soup left over for himself. John's a card ringer who plays dirty by hiding aces in his beard, next to scattered debris from his breakfast of Alphabits. One shake of the head, and he's a Scrabble instant winner! First Snake Eyes, now Rounders. Is this the leading edge of some sort of frightening LaLa-Land trend? Are these dice-heads and cardsharks only the beginning? Just when we thought it was safe to go back to the gameroom, Hollywood has green-lighted a plethora of game-based Thrillers: - Lawn Jarts: Wesley Snipes returns in a suburb-friendly sequel to Blade. Only the silver-tipped jarts can kill the vampires, unfortunately they also kill the neighborhood pets. - The Badminton Conspiracy: Sean Connery - whose balls are legendary - investigates the stunning dumbing-down of Tennis. - Toy Story II: For the first time, Hollywood decides to produce a vast army of Christmas toys representing a movie sequel without bothering even to produce the sequel! Says Disney head Mike Eisner: "Hey, if Dreamworks had done this with Small Soldiers, they'd be better off!" - BINGO: Ray Liotta follows up his head-scratching impersonation of Rat Packer Frank Sinatra with an equally incredible impersonation of crooner Bing Crosby. Crosby's heirs threaten to sue, but only if someone can explain to them who Ray Liotta is. And don't miss Gretchen Mol's follow-up to Rounders, called Erect-er Set. Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved. NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. ******************** Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com. The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)! ******************** TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL! Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and follow the directions at the top of the left frame. It's very easy. NOTE: YOUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH). And don't write me lots of mean-spirited crap. I won't read it. ******************** IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING If the lines extend way off into the right horizon, then look to your browser or email software for a setting called "Wrap Long Lines." Now, if your lines aren't RAPPING, then you should consider that normal. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#157, 9/6/98 Date: 06 Sep 1998 16:42:00 -0700 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #157 SEPTEMBER 6, 1998 =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S -_Rounders_ -_Knock_Off_ -_Simon_Birch_ -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ V I D E O -_Barney's_Great_Adventure--The_Movie_ -_Primary_Colors_ -_Titanic_ -_Wild_Things_ PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive (_I_don't_even_own_a_computer_) by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nhp-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S _Rounders_ (R) *** Rounder: 1. A dissolute or rakish person, according to Webster's Dictionary. 2. A hustler, according to World Champion poker player Johnny Chan. _Rounders_: John Dahl's engrossing drama, a never-less-than fascinating cinematic window peeking into the world of high-stakes poker lurking in New York's underground. David Levien and Brian Koppelman's central story does a more than adequate, if mechanical, job of taking the audience into its seedy milieu. After losing a hard-won $31,000 in a single game, expert card player and law student Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) swears off poker at the behest of his classmate and live-in girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol). But, to paraphrase _The_Godfather_Part_III_, just when Mike thought he was out, Worm pulls him back in--Worm being Mike's old friend (Edward Norton), who, soon after his release from prison, lures Mike back into being a "rounder." I had two key quibbles with Levien and Koppelman's script, one being the contrived dynamics of Mike-Worm relationship. Worm is clearly no good, getting Mike into all sorts of trouble, yet Mike continues to stand by and cover for him. Perhaps Mike is simply loyal to his friends, but if Mike truly is as smart as he's made out to be, he would see Worm for the complete loser that he is. Nonetheless, Damon and Norton's strong rapport make it somewhat easier to believe. No such rapport is present to solve my second problem, which is the unnecessary love story between Mike and Jo, vapidly played by current Hollywood "It Girl" Mol. There is not one scene that establishes their relationship prior to the inevitable strain cause by his return to poker. Their first scene together has her asleep in bed while he heads out, and not too long after that she's arguing with him about his poker outings. How is it possible to have an emotional investment in their romance? What makes a ticket to _Rounders_ a wise monetary investment for moviegoers is its fascinating look at the underground poker world. While they falter in the aforementioned dramatic areas, Levien and Koppelman make up for it with their attention to detail. They have an acute understanding of the game and this world, making extensive use of insider vernacular, which lends the film an air of authenticity. In fact, so heavy is its use that the press notes include a nearly four-page glossary of poker terms. This is not to say, however, that those without press notes will be scratching their heads. The writers' great accomplishment is making the language accessible to poker neophytes, who will be able to easily understand the insider dialogue through context. A big help is Mike's efficient voiceover narration, which delivers crucial exposition on the game of poker quickly and clearly. The card game subject matter may seem to be a bit of a stretch for director Dahl, who has made his name with neo-noirs (_Red_Rock_West_ , _The_Last_Seduction_). But his noir-bred gift for creating an atmosphere of mystery and suspense makes for some tense and exciting poker matches. The air of mystery also comes through in a few memorable characters, such as Joey Knish (John Turturro), a seasoned poker player who sometimes advises Mike; Petra (Famke Janssen), the sultry head of the Chesterfields poker club; and, most notably, Russian poker master Teddy KGB (an effectively hammy John Malkovich), to whom Mike loses his $31,000 in the film's opening. After watching large sums of money being won and (mostly) lost in _Rounders_, it is doubtful that any moviegoer will be eager to gain entry into some high-stakes card games; as Mike says in the film, poker is not a game of luck, but of skill. Similarly, neither is filmmaking, and it is the filmmakers' skill that makes _Rounders_ a worthwhile entertainment. Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Knock_Off_ (R) * Renowned Hong Kong action director Tsui Hark first teamed with Jean-Claude Van Damme on the action star's 1997 pairing with Dennis Rodman, _Double_Team_, and managed to make what initially appeared to be a disaster into a slick, stylish, and somewhat diverting action timekiller. Tsui continues to energetically pile on the visual razzle dazzle in his latest collaboration with the Muscles from Brussels, _Knock_Off_, but this time around, style neither save a script that is at best ridiculous, and at worst incomprehensible; nor hide a host of truly lousy performances. Writer Steven E. DeSouza's fairly straightforward plotline isn't as outre as _Double_Team_'s strange yarn involving a secret think tank/prison, but it makes about as much sense, which is little. Van Damme plays Marcus Ray, a Hong Kong-based sales rep for a jeans company (!) who stumbles upon a Russian terrorist scheme to implant powerful microchip-sized bombs in HK product exports to the U.S.--dolls, electronic equipment, and, yes, jeans. It's all part of some type of ransom scheme, but all I remember is--and I kid you not--graphics on a CIA computer screen showing a map of the world, bombs detonating, and an hat-wearing figure on the other side of the world bursting out into laughter... ...which is what the crowd at the showing I attended spontaneously did throughout _Knock_Off_. While all of Van Damme's films have its share of unintentional laughs, mostly due to the stiff acting "skills" of the physically agile Van Damme, _Knock_Off_ delivers more than usual (though not as many as Van Damme's embarrassing directorial effort, 1996's _The_Quest_). A lot of the laughs are earned by some particularly painful lines by DeSouza: "I smoked that badass like a Roman candle!" and "Entrepreneurship, babycakes!" standing out among my favorites. But it is indeed the pathetic performances that provide the bulk of _Knock_Off_'s laughs. Van Damme is true to laughable form, perhaps even worse than usual. Early scenes actually _require_ him to make funny with co-star Rob Schneider (improbably cast as a deep cover CIA agent posing as Marcus's business partner), and the sight and sound of the still-heavily-accented Van Damme haplessly trying to drop punchlines is hilarious in the wrong way. Even typically good actors are not immune to the bad acting bug. Paul Sorvino is unconvincing and terribly overwrought as Schneider's CIA superior; and Lela Rochon, playing an investigator for the jeans company, spends the entire movie in perpetual snarl mode. In Rochon's defense, though, her role requires her to do little more than display her toned legs, exquisite bone structure, and perky bosoms, the latter coming in handy for one key scene where she must fish for microbombs stuck in her ample cleavage. Tsui picks up where he left off visually in _Double_Team_, juicing up the proceedings with inventive camera work. Here, though, Tsui's visual razzle dazzle borders on over kill, coming off as desperate attempts to shield the inanity of the entire enterprise. For each nifty trick Tsui pulls off, such as a recurring visual theme that has the camera literally going through the circuitry of electronic devices, there are others that are completely superfluous. This is especially disconcerting when the trick in question could be clever when used in the right context. For instance, one scene early on has Marcus putting his hand in a box. As he puts his hand in, the same action is shown from an overhead camera angle in a rectangle at the corner of the screen. It's undoubtedly an interesting visual, but it would have been nice if its use actually amounted to something. The test of a Van Damme movie boils down to the action sequences, but surprisingly, those in _Knock_Off_ leave much to be desired. Tsui does what he can to make something of them, employing freeze frames, blurred motion, and unconventional camera angles, but there is nothing fundamentally special about the fairly generic chase and fight sequences written by DeSouza. There isn't anything as preposterously amusing as the climactic tiger/land mine fight in _Double_Team_, let alone anything remotely close to Tsui's legendary Hong Kong works (but that's a given going in). If Tsui has any hope of approaching his countryman John Woo's stateside success, he would do best to break free from Van Damme... before it's too late. If he continues his involvement with B-grade movies such as _Knock_Off_, the respect he has from HK action fans will continue to diminish... that is, if it hasn't already disappeared entirely after this fiasco. IN BRIEF _Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 Aside from the fleeting presences of big screen talent such as Ashley Judd and Jim Carrey, there's little in this modest, engaging, yet cloying drama to distinguish it from, as my guest at the screening said, "a _Hallmark_Hall_of_Fame_ movie." "Suggested by" John Irving's novel _A_Prayer_for_Owen_Meany_ (joining the ranks of Disney's other loose adaptations of books: _Up_Close_&_Personal, "suggested by" a biography on late newswoman Jessica Savitch; and, most notoriously, _The_Scarlet_Letter_, "freely adapted" from the Nathaniel Hawthorne classic), _Simon_Birch_ tells of the friendship between two very different 12-year-old boys in the 1960s: the tiny title character (Ian Michael Smith), the smallest delivery ever recorded in his town; and Joe (Joseph Mazzello). The two stick together through laughs and tears while at the same time searching for elusive answers: the identity of Joe's father and Simon's true purpose as, according to him, "God's instrument." _Simon_Birch_ features from impressive performances by a glowing Ashley Judd (as Joe's foxy mother), Oliver Platt (as Judd's boyfriend), and especially Mazzello and newcomer Smith. The pair's emotionally charged scenes are affecting because of their unforced, heartbreaking performances, and not the often treacly, TV-movie-level writing and direction of first-timer Mark Steven Johnson, who also overdoes the slapsticky comedy scenes. _Simon_Birch_ is a sweet little film, but it may be a bit too sweet for its own good. IN CURRENT RELEASE Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 A fresh location, likable lead actors, a cute concept. The destination of the romantic comedy _Next_Stop_Wonderland_ would appear to be moviegoers' hearts. But as charming as the film often is, something crucial feels missing on this journey. That something missing is not the main character, Erin Castleton, played with a nice balance of edge and sensitivity by Hope Davis. Erin, a registered nurse in Boston, is soured on love after her political activist boyfriend (Philip Seymour Hoffman) ditches her to take part in a protest. The last thing on her mind is finding a new man, but her freespirited socialite mother (Holland Taylor) takes out a personal ad in Erin's name. Suddenly, Erin finds herself fielding the romantic interests of a number of not-so-gentlemanly callers. Of course, the ideal man for her is not among the ad respondents. Could that elusive guy be former plumber/aspiring marine biologist Alan Monteiro (Alan Gelfant)? Alan is a nice, upstanding guy who, when not attending school full time, volunteers at the Boston Aquarium and tries to raise money to pay off a loan shark (Victor Argo). Alan and Erin's paths frequently cross, but in the film's central conceit, keep on narrowly missing each other, creating a "will they or won't they" romantic tension. Or at least that's the presumption made by director Brad Anderson and his co-writer, Lyn Vaus (who appears in the film as one of Erin's suitors). As pleasant as _Next_Stop_Wonderland_ is, never did I get the feeling that Alan was truly _the_guy_ for Erin. He's certainly nice, but Anderson and Vaus never establish any concrete reason why these two should connect other than the fact that they, the filmmakers, want them to. Hence, any rooting interest I had in their meeting came from less an ardent interest in a love connection than a simple curiosity as to what would happen. Still, the film holds a quiet, unassuming appeal, due to some witty moments (an extended sequence in which Erin interviews her ad respondents is a comic highlight) and, most especially, the endearing performances by Davis and Gelfant. While one may not be terribly invested in them as a pair, they are each so likable that one is definitely invested in them as individual personalities. If that weren't the case, the ultralightweight _Next_Stop_Wonderland_ could have easily been _Next_Stop_Slumberland_. (full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs) -_Armageddon_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#armageddon -_The_Avengers_ (PG-13) no stars http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#avengers -_Billy's_Hollywood_Screen_Kiss_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#billy -_Blade_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#blade -_Dance_with_Me_ (PG) ** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#dance -_Dead_Man_on_Campus_ (R) * http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#deadman -_Ever_After_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#everafter -_54_ (R) * 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#54 -_Halloween:_H20--20_Years_Later_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#h20 -_How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#stella -_Lethal_Weapon_4_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#lethal4 -_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#zorro -_The_Negotiator_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#negotiator -_The_Opposite_of_Sex_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#sex -_Return_to_Paradise_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#paradise -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Why_Do_Fools_Fall_in_Love_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#fools -_Wrongfully_Accused_ (PG-13) 1/2* http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#wrongfully -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends FUTURE FILMS -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita (September 25) -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker (September 25) O N T H E H O R I Z O N OPENED FRIDAY, 9/4 _Firelight_ (R) The luminous Sophie Marceau stars as a governess who is paid to conceive a child with a landowner (Stephen Dillane) in this costume drama. _Knock_Off_ (R) * Fashion designer Jean-Claude Van Damme (!) teams with the CIA to thwart a dastardly terrorist scheme in this laughable action film. _Phoenix_ (R) Crime drama in which a compulsively gambling cop (Ray Liotta) attempts to pay off his debt by stealing from the local pimp. Anthony LaPaglia, Daniel Baldwin, Jeremy Piven, and Anjelica Huston also star. FRIDAY, 9/11 _Cube_ (R) Canadian sci-fi thriller in which six people attempt to escape a mysterious labyrinthian prison. _Let's_Talk_About_Sex_ (R) no stars Full review in MR#156, 8/28/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#sex Troy Beyer's wildly uneven, completely ridiculous story of three female roommates (Beyer, Randi Ingerman, and Paget Brewster) who go on "journeys of self-discovery" while making a video on women's opinions on sexual issues. _Rounders_ (R) *** John Dahl's entertaining yarn set in the New York poker underworld. Matt Damon, Edward Norton, and John Malkovich head the cast. _Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 Cloying semi-adaptation of John Irving's _A_Prayer_for_Owen_Meany_, telling a tale of a friendship between two 12-year-old boys, the small Simon (Ian Michael Smith) and one normal-sized (Joseph Mazzello). _Touch_of_Evil_ Orson Welles's classic 1958 twisting tale of law-enforcement corruption, re-edited to Welles's original vision as outlined in his original notes. Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, and Welles star. _Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** Full review in MR#156, 8/28/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits Well-acted biopic of celebrated long distance runner Steve Prefontaine (Billy Crudup), who died in a tragic car accident in 1975. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _Barney's_Great_Adventure--The_Movie_ (G) ** Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#barney Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41012 More of what you expect from the jolly purple dinosaur--songs and sap. Harmless fluff for the kids, unbearable saccharine for just about everyone else. (PolyGram Video) _Primary_Colors_ (R) *** Full review in MR#136, 3/27/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#primarycolors Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40963 Mike Nichols's absorbing adaptation of Anonymous's (Joe Klein) bestselling novel, a thinly veiled account of the Clinton 1992 presidential campaign. John Travolta and Emma Thompson are the first couple; lending strong support are Adrian Lester, Billy Bob Thornton, and, especially, Kathy Bates, who delivers an Oscar-caliber performance. (Universal Studios Home Video) _Titanic_ (PG-13) **** Full review in MR#121, 12/10/97; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt26.html#titanic Buy at Reel.com for only $9.99! http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40719 Making its much-anticipated arrival on video is James Cameron's Oscar-winning romance set on the doomed oceanliner. With all the hype and box office grosses ($600 million in the U.S. to date), it's easy to forget that this film is a phenomenal artistic achievement, a gutwrenching epic love story bolstered by amazing state-of-the-arts effects work. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, as if you didn't know, play the young lovers. (Paramount Home Video) _Wild_Things_ (R) *** 1/2 Full review in MR#135, 3/19/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#wildthings Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40976 Fun, tongue-in-cheek erotic thriller, in which the investigation of two high school girls' (Neve Campbell and Denise Richards) rape charge against a teacher (Matt Dillon) uncovers a twisted web of deceit. Kevin Bacon, Bill Murray, and Tony Award-nominated _Rent_ goddess Daphne Rubin-Vega also star. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K _Dream_for_an_Insomniac_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=11961 Romantic comedy in which a coffeehouse waitress/aspiring actress (Ione Skye) falls for an attached job applicant (MacKenzie Astin). Jennifer Aniston also stars. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _Homegrown_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41129 Darkly comic tale about three inept marijuana growers. Billy Bob Thornton leads the cast. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _I_Love_You,_Don't_Touch_Me!_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41039 Cleverly titled comedy in which a twentysomething woman (Marla Schaffel) searches for the perfect guy to whom she can lose her virginity. (Orion Home Video) _3_Ninjas:_High_Noon_at_Mega_Mountain_ (PG) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41025 Hulk Hogan and Loni Anderson are along for the ride with the pint-sized martial arts experts in the fourth installment of what is easily the worst film franchise currently running. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= Back on schedule (I promise this time!) on September 17, with more reviews, including: -_Ronin_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@ucla.edu >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Oliver Stone doesn't know shit about basketball." --Michael Jordan, on why he refused to work with the director on a hoops-themed Nike commercial __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] The Spanish prisoner Date: 07 Sep 1998 02:56:29 -0700 Good call on every film mentioned here - Mamet certainly has a way with word which is most evident with his Pulitzer Prize winning play Glengarry Glenross - absolutely amazing - it gets better every time I watch it! I also loved Spanish Prisoner - as well as the performers. I can see how one would see that Pidgeon's (Mamet's wife) performance might be off - but I enjoyed the kwirkiness of it...Also check out Wag the Dog which was scripted by...you geussed it... At 10:14 PM 8/27/1998 +0100, you wrote: >>>> Arial Leticia wrote... >> >> [Romero, Leticia] I loved House of Games!! Mamet is a closet grifter >> who loves putting one over on the audience, including passing his wives >> off as good actresses! The Spanish Prisoner is a very cool movie -- the >> performances are little off by everyone except Steve Martin... have you >> seen it yet? >> Not yet.......does'nt open here till tomorrow. Hope to see it next week. Talking of Mamet......another of my favourites is one he scripted called "Glengarry Glenross". An amazing cast and sharp dialogue make it a joy to watch. > <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] Mamet!!! Date: 07 Sep 1998 02:58:49 -0700 Ah - another Mamet fan! I felt exactly the same way about Oleanna as well! I love William H. Macy (and he totally deserved the Oscar for Fargo - but i won't get into that right now!) Hip hip hooray for Mamet! (minus The Edge of course...) At 10:32 AM 8/28/1998 +0100, you wrote: >>>> Arial >Yes!! We have so much fun in the supermarket, people staring at us as if we >were having an actual conversation.... evil I know, but I'm working on it... My God!! It was'nt the "Brass balls" speech was it! :-) Incidentally, have you seen "Oleanna" ? It's one of those films that starts poorly but then sucks you in totally. Very stagey but the plot evolves into a real "Shout at the screen" experience. You really should write longer posts, you are quite amusing. What are some of your favourite movies?~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: [MV] 54 review Date: 07 Sep 1998 03:12:50 -0700 Movieman's back and he's got a couple of reviews for ya... 54 is a movie about the 70's and that's about it. Not too much character involvement or plot - but the atmosphere it creates is certainly fun to watch. I was amazed by the sights of this club - so extravagant and outlandish. The best thing about this movie had to be Mike Myers performance - I really enjoyed his approach to this character and it didn't feel like he was Wayne or Dieter or Austin Powers - he really did some acting - pretty neat! I'd give this a mild 71%. The Opposite of Sex, however, had me on the edge of my seat. Not for the suspense or action (as there was not much of that!) but the sheer audacity of this movie's choices. It takes risks and I believe it pays off as we see things we don't see in conventional films. This movie is fresh, alarming and you'll never know what turn it'll make next...I give 'er an 88%. Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: ROUNDERS Date: 07 Sep 1998 09:11:35 -0600 (MDT) ROUNDERS (Miramax) Starring: Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Gretchen Mol, Martin Landau, John Malkovich, John Turturro, Michael Rispoli, Famke Janssen. Screenplay: David Levien and Brian Koppelman. Producers: Ted Demme and Joel Stillerman. Director: John Dahl. MPAA Rating: R (profanity, violence, adult themes) Running Time: 119 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. In the ongoing tastes-great-less-filling verbal war of attrition between John Q. Critic and Joe B. Average Movie-Goer, a crucial common ground often gets overlooked. On the same fundamental level, every one of us loves to be taken somewhere we've never been before, to be told a story in a way it's never been told before. Movies are our eyes to previously unseen worlds, whether that new world is the surface of an asteroid, the deck of the Titanic, or behind the lines with World War II soldiers. At their most engrossing, movies offer the giddy thrill of the utterly new. At its most engrossing, that's exactly what ROUNDERS offers: a fascinating glimpse inside the world of high-stakes poker. Our tour guide is Mike McDermott (Matt Damon), a brilliant young rounder (i.e., a professional who makes the rounds at local poker games) who loses a $30,000 bankroll on one bad night. Nine months later, Mike is walking the straight-and-narrow, having sworn off the game at the insistence of his girlfriend Jo (Gretchen Mol) and devoted himself to his legal studies. But trouble is just around the corner in the person of Mike's old pal Worm (Edward Norton), just out of prison with an ever-accumulating gambling debt hanging around his neck. In order to save that neck -- and his own when he makes the mistake of vouching for Worm -- Mike has to get back into the game and use every trick he ever learned to win the biggest games of his life. And oh, how much we learn while he does so. Writers David Levien and Brian Koppelman use Damon's narration much the same way Ray Liotta's narration was used in GOODFELLAS -- as a sociology lesson. We learn why Texas hold-'em is the high stakes game of choice, how real players lure the amateurs into big pots, and how Mike spots the "tells" of his opponents to help make his playing decisions. It's utterly fascinating, whether the setting is a back alley card room or a gaudy Atlantic City casino. Damon anchors the story in a solid performance as a man beginning to understand that he has a gift, not a problem. Though hooked on the thrill of winning, he's no different than a performer hooked on the thrill of an audience's reaction. Through his eyes we see poker as an art, not an addiction. ROUNDERS has such a solid hook that it's disappointing to watch it drift into a handful of distracting sub-plots. The relationship between Mike and Jo is too vaguely defined for their fate to matter, yet director John Dahl (THE LAST SEDUCTION) lingers on their confrontations as though the obligatory love story were dramatically potent. John Turturro's role as the small-time gambler who acts as Mike's mentor is also under-developed, as is the potentially compelling interaction between Mike and an understanding law professor (a very good Martin Landau). Even the old-school chemistry between Damon and Norton -- full of almost-charming, can't-help-myself sleaze as the compulsively crooked Worm -- feels less genuine than it should. If anything positive comes out of these half-formed relationships, it's the sense that Mike's best friend is really the game. Damon's charisma is never more potent than in the climactic showdown with the Russian gangster who beat him in the game that broke him (John Malkovich, employing his dead eyes to perfect effect and a Boris Badinov accent with considerably less success). It's a confrontation where Mike's life is on the line, but the drama is always in the game, not the potential outcome. For that confrontation, the narration grows conspicuously silent at key points, trusting you to grasp the game to which you have been introduced. Viewers who used to think of poker simply as gambling may have to re-think their position after sitting through ROUNDERS. This tale shows us a different world entirely -- the world of card-player as tortured artist. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 high stakes: 7. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: [MV] Mamet et al Date: 07 Sep 1998 20:38:33 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BDDA9F.7BA35980 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Jay wrote...... -----Original Message----- From: Jason Cormier To: movies@lists.xmission.com Date: 07 September 1998 08:00 Subject: Re: [MV] Mamet!!! =20 =20 Ah - another Mamet fan! I felt exactly the same way about Oleanna as = well! I love William H. Macy (and he totally deserved the Oscar for = Fargo - but i won't get into that right now!) Hip hip hooray for Mamet! = (minus The Edge of course...) =20 At 10:32 AM 8/28/1998 +0100, you wrote:=20 =20 =20 =20 JAY......you obviously have taste. I finally saw "The spanish = prisoner" and thought it very good........very similar to "House of = Games" but I'm not complaining as it is still head and shoulders above = most films I've seen this year. As you appear to have seen a lot of = films.....care to tell me some of your favourites? =20 =20 ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid = and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of = owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived = thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. = Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BDDA9F.7BA35980 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Jay wrote......
-----Original = Message-----
From:=20 Jason Cormier <movieman@netcom.ca>
To: = movies@lists.xmission.com = <movies@lists.xmission.com&g= t;
Date:=20 07 September 1998 08:00
Subject: Re: [MV]=20 Mamet!!!

Ah - another Mamet fan! I felt exactly = the same=20 way about Oleanna as well! I love William H. Macy (and he totally = deserved=20 the Oscar for Fargo - but i won't get into that right now!) Hip hip = hooray=20 for Mamet! (minus The Edge of course...)

At 10:32 AM = 8/28/1998 +0100,=20 you wrote:


JAY......you obviously have taste.  I finally saw = "The=20 spanish prisoner" and thought it very good........very = similar to=20 "House of Games" but I'm not complaining as it is = still head=20 and shoulders above most films I've seen this year.  As you = appear=20 to have seen a lot of films.....care to tell me some of your=20 = favourites?


~
Gerr= y=20 T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they = are so=20 placid and self contained,
I stand and look at them long and=20 long.
They do not sweat and whine about their = condition,
They do=20 not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me = sick=20 discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not = one=20 demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to = another=20 nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not = one is=20 respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 = earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt=20 = Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~









------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BDDA9F.7BA35980-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: RickH22@aol.com Subject: [MV] unsubscribe Date: 07 Sep 1998 15:37:15 EDT In a message dated 98-09-07 11:14:30 EDT, you write: << 0 EDT From: renshaw@inconnect.com (Scott Renshaw) Sender: owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Reply-to: movies@lists.xmission.com To: renshaw@inconnect.com ROUNDERS (Miramax) Starring: Matt Damon, Edward Norton, Gretchen Mol, Martin Landau, John Malkovich, John Turturro, Michael Rispoli, Famke Janssen. Screenplay: David Levien and Brian Koppelman. Producers: Ted Demme and Joel Stillerman. Director: John Dahl. MPAA Rating: R (profanity, violence, adult themes) Running Time: 119 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] Mamet et al Date: 07 Sep 1998 06:04:23 -0700 Some faves eh? Well I am currently into film noir...Double Idemnity is one great flick as well as almost any Fritz Lang movie - M, Metropolis, You Only Live Once, Fury, Woman in the Window, Scarlett Street...all amazing! Out of the more current type stuff...I enjoy Delicatessen and City of the Lost Children (French and amazing - sci-fi-ish), any Roman Polanski (The Tenant, Repulsion, Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, Death and the Maiden, Bitter Moon, Frantic...), any Stanley Kubrik (Shining, Clockwork Orange, The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus...), any Coen Bros (Fargo, Hudsucker Proxy, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple, Big Lebowski...) any Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Darkman, Quick and the Dead and the upcoming Simple Plan) any Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fisher King, 12 Monkeys...), any Woody Allen movie (Annie Hall, Bananas, Everyone Says I Love You, Deconstructing Harry, Take the Money and Run, Play it Again Sam...) as well as the more popular type movies like all Spielberg films, all Harrison Ford Films, almost all Steve Martin films, great action movies like the Indy series, Die Hard, Back to the Future, Terminators, as well as any scary movie - Thing, Shallow Grave, Misery, Dario Argento films (Suspuria, Terror at the Opera, The Church), Scream, Dead Zone, and The Shining! So that's it for me...how 'bout you?!:-) At 08:38 PM 9/7/1998 +0100, you wrote:=20 >>>> Jay wrote...... Arial-----Original Message----- ArialJason Cormier <<<movieman@netcom.ca> To: <movies@lists.xmission.com <<<movies@lists.xmission.com> Date: 07 September 1998 08:00 Subject: Re: [MV] Mamet!!! Ah - another Mamet fan! I felt exactly the same way about Oleanna as well! I love William H. Macy (and he totally deserved the Oscar for Fargo - but i won't get into that right now!) Hip hip hooray for Mamet! (minus The Edge of course...) At 10:32 AM 8/28/1998 +0100, you wrote:=20 =20 JAY......you obviously have taste. I finally saw "The spanish prisoner" and thought it very good........very similar to "House of Games" but I'm not complaining as it is still head and shoulders above most films I've seen this year. As you appear to have seen a lot of films.....care to tell me some of your favourites? ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 9-7-98 : Slate II, Take 37 Date: 07 Sep 1998 23:06:18 EDT FILM THREAT WEEKLY "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" ============================= Slate II, Take 37 : September 7th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= DEATH OF A LEGEND:Legendary director Akira Kurosawa died in Tokyo Sunday, at age 77, from a stroke. Kurosawa leaves behind such classics as "Seven Samurai", "Rashoman, "Ran", "Yojimbo" (Sergio Leone's inspiration for "Fistful of Daollars"), and "Hidden Fortress", (George Lucas' inspiration for "Star Wars"). Kurosawa's passing represents a tragic loss for the film industry. <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ——> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ——> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ——> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs. ——> BIG SCREEN: In theaters now! ——> EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL: Festival Reviews from Merry Old England ——> AN INDIE PRODUCTION DIARY: The adventure continues... SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999. Seeking features, docs, shorts, and music videos. Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet streaming. Awards, prizes and parties. Deadline November 20th, 1998. Check web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.6161.com ATOMIC HOLLYWOOD - $3.00 VIDEO SAVINGS! Hard to find videos at www.atomichollywood.com. Many titles. Readers of Film Threat Weekly will get a special $3.00 discount on all videos when they key "FTW". http://www.atomichollywood.com SIX STRING SAMURAI GALA PREMIERE SCREENING - YOU’RE INVITED!!! The best indie film of 1998, "Six String Samurai" will screen in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 17th at 7:30 pm at the Sunset 5. Director Lance Mungia and star Jeffrey Falcon will be there giving away posters, soundtrack CDs and other goodies at the screening to benefit the Slamdance Film Festival. The $20 tickets also include admittance to the premiere party at Union. Get the details on the site. Hurry!! http://www.slamdance.com THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Our top story... THE NEW GODS SCREENS AT THE 2ND ANNUAL HERMOSA BEACH FILM FESTIVAL "The New Gods" will screen as part of the second annual Hermosa Beach Film Festival September 10th -13th. The guerrilla-budgeted film made its premiere at the ‘97 HBFF, winning the Audience Award for best feature. It is the debut film for writer/director James Boyd, and is produced by Slamdance Film Festival Director, Peter Baxter. Mixing elements of Jack Kerouac, Jim Morrison, and Kurt Cobain, "The New Gods" chronicles the struggle of an artist in the underground music scene of a small town, who uses his gift of poetry to escape the violent stomping grounds of his youth. The surreal drama was shot guerrilla-style on the streets of Los Angeles for $65,000, and includes a soundtrack from the Lordz of Brooklyn, Velvet Chain, The Drakes, and Pomegranate. The 35mm film was selected to the ‘98 South By Southwest Film Festival, ‘98 Cannes You Dig It? Film Festival, ‘98 Texas Film Festival, and ‘98 NO DANCE alternative Film Festival in Park City, Utah. "The New Gods" was also selected by Avid Technologies to take part in their 1998 Sundance Film Festival “New Media” exhibit, and their 1998 NAB technology conference exhibit in Las Vegas, Nevada. "The New Gods" website (http://www.6161.com) has been featured on the nationally broadcast television show WILD WILD WEB, and receives thousands of hits per month. Additionally, Boyd will take part in the HBFF independent film seminar moderated by Peter Baxter, and including Jason McHugh (“Orgazmo”), Kai Schoenhals (Open Door Ent.), Kirk Harris (“Loser”), and new hot indie director Robert Meyer Burnett (“Free Enterprise”). "The New Gods" is the first feature film from 6161 Entertainment, which also sponsors the NO DANCE Film Festival and fledgling indie DVD/CD-ROM distributor Gorilla Interactive. 6161 Entertainment attends most major markets including Cannes, AFM, MIFED, Toronto, and Park City, Utah. "The New Gods will screen on Friday September 11th at 10:00 p.m. at the Hermosa Beach AMC Cinema Avant-Garde (1617 P.C.H./Hermosa Beach, CA). The Independent Film Panel will take place Saturday September 12th from 6-8 p.m. at the Hermosa Beach Civic Theater. http://www.6161.com Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of September 4-7, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/ 2 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $11.6/$130.9 (8) 2/ 1 BLADE $10.4/$49.2 (3) 3/ 3 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $8.6/$168.3 (7) 4/New KNOCK OFF $5.6 (1) 5/ 6 EVER AFTER $4.4/$54.4 (6) 6/ 4 54 $4.0/13.0 (2) 7/ 5 WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE? $3.6/$8.8 (2) 8/ 7 SNAKE EYES $3.4/$50.5 (5) 9/ 8 HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK $3.1/$32.1 (4) 10/ 9 THE PARENT TRAP $2.9/$60.1 (6) 10/ - ARMAGEDDON $2.9/$192.2 (10) - / - YOUR FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS $1.4 - / - SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS $1.1 PICKS OF THE WEEK "Stuff we wanna plug." =========================================== UNDERGROUND FILM FESTIVAL: Euro Underground kicks off its Second Annual Euro Underground Film Festival this October 14-18 in Krakow, Poland. Euro Underground will be exhibiting films and videos with an international program this year. Euro Underground has collected a program that includes work from: Serbia, Germany, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Latvia, Italy, Poland, England, France, Scotland, South America, Thailand The United States, Canada and Australia. Contact Euro Underground by email info@eurounderground.org or call toll free 888.864.9644 fax 773.292.9205 or write Euro Underground at 1658 N. Milwaukee Ave Suite 142 Chicago IL, 60647. http://www.eurounderground.org TOURING FILM FESTIVAL: FlixTour is accepting submissions of feature length and short subject, narrative and documentaries for consideration to travel to colleges all across America for the Spring ‘99 national tour. You must hurry, the deadline is fast approaching! All submissions must arrive no later than October 31, 1998. http://www.flixtour.com INDIE FILM SERIES: The Griffith Place Film division has announced Hollywood Shorts, a monthly short film series that features new shorts and their directors to the Hollywood film community. Three shorts will be featured per month, and the next screening will be held on October 11 in Los Angeles. Film must be no longer that 40 minutes. Original film can be filmed in any format, and will be grouped in the following genres: drama, comedy, animation, documentary. Film must be submitted on VHS tape before September 15th. Contact: Kimberley Browning, grifplace@aol.com FREE E-MAIL NEWSLETTER FOR SCREENWRITERS: The Pro Screenwriter newsletter contains features on screenwriting, book reviews, tips, contests and more. Email request to Linkwrite@aol.com. http://members.aol.com/linkwrite/profwrt.html VIDEO GAME: War Games from MGM Interactive for PC and PlayStation features all of the action of the film from the 80s and NONE of the Matthew Broderick. Hurray! Actually Broderick’s character, David Lightman ties into the story but doesn’t get in the way of blowing things up. Good fun! http://www.mgm.com BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. THE COLOR OF A BRISK AND SHINING DAY (NR) * * 1/2 I could be a smartass and crack that this dreamy and poetic film by Christopher Munch was neither brisk nor in color, but I won't. It wasn't exactly shining, either, although the sun was attempting to peek through the clouds and even occasionally succeeding. James Lee is a young Post-War Chinese-American who desperately loves trains. On vacation with his family, he learns about the Yosemite Valley Railroad, a nearly insolvent line built by his forefathers and now being sold at salvage prices. James scrapes up an investor and buys the line, determined to return it to its lost glory, despite the fact that he has exactly zero years experience in the railroad business. Such is the surface story, at least; the backdrop for the film's look at racism towards Asian-Americans, James' romance with an attractive Native American National Parks worker, his homosexual stirrings towards his best friend, (played by REM's Michael Stipe) and a squeamish incestuous subtext between James and his sister. Not exactly beer and a pizza kind of stuff. This was a pretty film to watch, what with its beautiful black and white Ansel Adams-ish Yosemite landscapes and all. Unfortunately, most of those pretty pictures were, what we call in the business, "filler" because even with all the above-mentioned subplots and issues, not all that much really happens. Instead, the film chugs along at the same constant speed as the Y.V.R.R's outdated steam engines. In spite of its visual beauty, "Day" plays like a long student film, full of highly stilted and artificially-flat dialogue. I found myself checking my watch half way through the film's 87 minutes; an indication that rather than being brisk, leaping and shining, this "Day" was partially cloudy at best. - Merle Bertrand EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL =========================================== by Ilana Lindsey TITANIC TOWN (TBC) * * * Titanic Town tells the inspiring true story of a West Belfast housewife who had the courage to stand up to both the English occupying government and the IRA during the 1970's. Her initial naïve plea for a 9-5 cease-fire is misconstrued and Berni finds herself first vilified for daring to criticize "the boys," then used as a political pawn by both sides of the conflict. Meanwhile, her family's resentment grows at what they see as her selfish need for attention. The story approaches "the troubles" from the cinematically unique perspective of the everyday person. Anyone can identify with Berni's desire to allow her family to go about their daily lives without the fear of being shot. Surreal scenes of young soldiers crouching in the family's flowerbeds work well. Unfortunately, much of screenwriter Anne Devlin's witty dialogue is buried by choppy editing and Roger Michell's lackluster direction. The somewhat jerky narrative, along with stiff performances by the younger members of the cast, adds to the overall unimpassioned quality of the film, despite Julie Walter's engaging and charismatic performance. LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (R) (http://www.lockstock2barrels.com) * * * * * Guy Ritchie, the 29-year-old writer/director of LS&2SB, is one of those rare creatures who possess a combination of talent, technical skill, and the ability to tell a smart yet accessible story. He's a new and improved Danny Boyle and makes Tarantino look like a corporate video director. If we're lucky Hollywood (who has already snapped him up along with his 26-year-old producer, Matthew Vaughn) won't grind him into dust and we'll be seeing more of him in the future. The film tells the story of Eddie, a young West End geezer who's speciality is card playing. Eddie and his three best mates, Bacon, Soap and Tom, pool together £100k so Eddie can participate in porn king/gangster boss Hatchet Harry's high stakes game of three card brag. Harry, of course, has no intention of losing to this young punk and Eddie and his mates end up stuck with a £500k debt due within a week. The way in which the boys go about "earning" the necessary cash brings them in contact with British criminals of all varieties. The cast, which includes some authentic gangsters, universally lives up to the quality of the script. Bad boy footballer Vinnie Jones does a fine job as a menacing yet very reasonable debt collector with a soft spot for his precocious young son. The film is hilarious yet also contains a good quantity of tension and drama. The fast paced, complex story involves numerous characters and about five different interconnected plot lines. Ritchie's screenplay, however, is logically sound and easy to follow. His dialogue is beautiful – it's musical and witty and skilfully captures the diverse speech patterns of a whole variety of Brits from posh stoners to daft Liverpudlians. One scene is even subtitled for those of us who aren't fluent in cockney rhyming slang. Ritchie, however, is not only an excellent writer. His use of the camera is fresh, creative and totally effective. Dextrous editing, in combination with David A. Hughes and John Murphy's sharp and catchy score, gives the film an enjoyable manic energy. The high produced by watching this film remains potent for several hours after the film has ended. URBAN GHOST STORY (TBC) (http://www.livingspirit.com/ugs.htm) * * * Urban Ghost Story is an ambitious yet not entirely successful film from the writing/directing/producing team of Chris Jones and Genevieve Jolliffe. It combines elements of The Exorcist, Poltergeist, Hideaway and Carrie to tell the story of Lizzie, a 12 year old Glaswegian girl. After surviving a car crash in which her best friend is killed, Lizzie becomes convinced that her family's flat is haunted. Her mother contacts a tabloid newspaper and soon their flat is overrun with reporters, scientists, spiritualists and anyone else who thinks they can make a buck out of the situation. Stephanie Buttle portrays Lizzie as a belligerent, expressionless adolescent. Her performance is adequate, but not particularly affecting. The shaky production values betray the low budget and inexperience of the filmmakers. While the ugliness of the setting is obviously intended to enhance the ominous mood and highlight the grinding poverty in which Lizzie's family lives, the unrelenting gloom and lack of creative visuals quickly becomes wearying. What initially seems to be a rather humdrum ghost story eventually develops into something more interesting. The story explores grief and guilt from the perspective of a girl too young to really understand what she's going through. The strange occurrences in Lizzie's flat could be seen as either evidence of a poltergeist or as external manifestations of Lizzie's internal turmoil. Unfortunately, the story is far too long and disorganized – any tension built up by the groaning pipes and throbbing front door is diffused during the murky and static second act. Certain elements – such as the romance between Lizzie's mother and a tabloid reporter – aren't entirely convincing. While the eventual climax is satisfyingly cathartic, it is also both predictable and formulaic. IF ONLY (TBC) (http://www.pathe.co.uk) * Clumsily executed piffle. If Only is a one-dimensional film covering similar territory to Sliding Doors (apparently both films were shot during the same time period.) Victor Bukowski breaks up with his girlfriend, Sylvia, regrets his decision, and is then sent back in time and given a second chance by some magical garbage men. The paper-thin, contrived and illogical plot scripted by Rafa Russo isn't helped by Spaniard Maria Ripoll's awkward, rhythmless direction. Her visuals are alternately bland and mysteriously distracting (why exactly is the pianist practicing Lamaze breathing techniques?) The script is poorly structured with stale, on-the-nose dialog. The actors do the best they can with their inconsistent, one-dimensional roles. Douglas Henshall ("Angels and Insects") is crustily attractive as the constantly unshaven Victor, but has absolutely zero chemistry with either pretty but vacant Lena Headey as Sylvia or Penélope Cruz as Louise. THE GOVERNESS (R) (http://www.spe.sony.com/classics/governess/index.html) * * * Commercial director Sandra Goldbacher's first feature is beautifully filmed and covers interesting thematic ground. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a somewhat incredible and melodramatic story. Minnie Driver plays Rosina, an adventurous young Jewess who is forced to pose as a Christian in order to secure a position as a governess with a gentile family living in a secluded Scottish estate. She quickly seduces Charles Cavendish, the patriarch of the family, while assisting him with his experiments in the budding science of photography. Complications ensue when her lover proves unable to give her the complete attention that she craves. When Minnie Driver isn't staring yearningly through gauze at the camera she puts in a typically energetic and engaging performance. The film is gorgeously shot in a lush, sensual style that owes quite a large debt to Jane Campion – several scenes appear to be directly lifted from The Piano. While the imagery adds to the mood it ultimately feels overdone and self-indulgent. The Cavendishes have an inordinate amount of candles, tapestries and cushions lying about in odd places. Additionally, it's not exactly clear why Rosina appears to be dressed in PVC and leather. Goldbacher's screenplay does an admirable job of exploring aspects of identity, grief and obsession. It also provides the characters with refreshingly complex minds. While the film contains some beautiful moments, the story isn't entirely successful. Rosina is a rather unsympathetic heroine who behaves like an irresponsible and over passionate teenager. She enters the Cavendish family and willfully destroys it showing no thought or compassion for innocent parties. The film's contrived ending leaves the story feeling incomplete and unsatisfying. LOVE IS THE DEVIL (TBC) * * * * * In his first feature length film music video, commercial and short film director John Maybury provides a virtually identical sensation to that of looking upon one of Francis Bacon's paintings. This is in spite of the fact that Bacon's estate forbid the production to use any image that bore even an implied similarity to Bacon work. In a style demonstrating the influence of Lynch, Goddard and Fellini Maybury communicates sensually, rather than logically, drawing one deep into the emotional vortex of Francis Bacon's turbulent sado-masochistic relationship with manic depressive gangster, George Dyer. The resultant film is exhausting and devastating but also deeply satisfying. Derek Jacobi gives a powerful performance as Francis Bacon. He imitates the late artist's mannerisms and mode of speech to an eerily accurate degree. Daniel Craig's portrayal of the more elusive Dyer is equally disturbing yet effective. This is no conventional biopic. Maybury set out to "create atmosphere, not historical detail." The narrative takes second stage to the visceral experience of absorbing the film. The performances, the sound effects and music, the set designs, the way each scene is framed, and each word of the rather sparse dialogue all contribute to making Love is the Devil is a nightmarish, sordid, claustrophobic, yet supremely beautiful and communicative film. AN INDIE PRODUCTION DIARY (OR WHAT WE DID ON OUR SUMMER VACATION) =========================================== by Merle Bertrand Thursday August 27, 1998 I never quite believe that a three week indie shoot will actually make it to its third week. Actually, it's far more likely that the shoot'll get to the third week, all right, but will be waaay behind schedule by the time it does. I'm extraordinarily relieved that not only did "Adam & Ollie" reach that elusive third week, but we were on target when we did. Relieved because our third week was loaded with land mines, starting with two days in one of the most vile and disgusting houses I've ever seen. This whole Austin "Slacker" thing has gotta go. Maybe I'm just getting old and crabby, but two days of filming in a hovel that reeked of toe cheese was a bit much. That Adam (Ryan Wickerham) and Ollie (Marie Black) were able to do their "First Date" scene there without hurling deserves some sort of medal. Conversely, we invaded a multi-million dollar mansion on Day 15; the kinda place where just having the grip carts on the driveway made me nervous. After using the place's inherent Art Design to enhance our production value, we escaped without breaking anything. The rains returned to wreak havoc on Day 16, because even though we were shooting inside, we had to set lights outside. Fortunately, the place had cable and, obsessively studying the First Look Doppler Radar, we managed to successfully dodge the storms. Day 17 turned into a soggy nightmare, however, as steady rain made shooting outside the Travis County Courthouse impossible. So, after an on- the-spot rewrite, presto!: The scene took place inside and we kept on shooting. Our last day was also our longest at 13 1/2 hours. But, running on pure adrenaline, we finished principal photography about 4:15 am Monday morning... then had our own private block party until dawn in the middle of the street. After some pick-ups and a handful of final EFX shots today, we wrapped up the three week shoot. "Adam & Ollie" is now officially in the can. NEXT WEEK: A Final Wrap-up END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes: FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Website: http://www.filmthreat.com Edress: FilmThreat@aol.com FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC. All material © 1998 Gore Group Publications. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. You are, however, welcome to forward this e-mail to whomever you wish. All letters, comments and reviews sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for publication, unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment network at http://www.theden.com Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment - http://www.zentertainment.com QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY: Journalists, if you feel the need to quote Film Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url (http://www.filmthreat.com) so that readers can get more information. Otherwise you are NOT given permission to quote any material or contents contained herein. ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT =========================================== Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net. To receive an e-media kit, e-mail filmthreat@aol.com. 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Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at http://www.ottoemezzo.com FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at http://www.cyberville-manila.com FILM THREAT "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" =========================================== Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No BS ==============CUT-AND-PRINT =============== [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: [MV] More faves and comments...... Date: 08 Sep 1998 10:00:40 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0027_01BDDB0F.88D51420 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Now that's what I call a list......have kept some of your original = dialogue to comment on as well as adding my faves. Feel free to write = back and comment/criticize on mine! Nice to see we are not limited! =20 =20 Some faves eh? Well I am currently into film noir...Double Idemnity = is one great flick as well as almost any Fritz Lang movie - M, = Metropolis, You Only Live Once, Fury, Woman in the Window, Scarlett = Street...all amazing! @@Seen M and Metroplois are very good. Not a big fan of = Lang.......something bugged me about "The big heat".....i gues it's how = Glen Ford has such a nice easy time throwing the villains around! Fury = is also a good one.....not seen some of the others but they showed one = of the "DR Mabuse films" over here (the U.K) have taped it so will keep = you informed......Billy Wilder's "Double indemnity" is class and I = enjoyed it far better than the re-make "Body heat"..........what do you = think of the fact that a film essayist claims that the Edward G. = Robinson character has a homosexual crush on Fred Macmurray ? Sounds a = lot of s@*& to me! =20 Out of the more current type stuff...I enjoy Delicatessen and City = of the Lost Children (French and amazing - sci-fi-ish),=20 @@No offence but I was disappointed with these.....the first was = enjoyable but I found it annoying that they never left the = apartments......smacked of cheapness. "City" did not have the budget = constraint and while the characters are suitably strange and the visuals = (especially the flea) are amazing, I found the story unengaging. =20 any Roman Polanski (The Tenant, Repulsion, Chinatown, Rosemary's = Baby, Death and the Maiden, Bitter Moon, Frantic...), @@Don't think that all of all of Polanski's stuff is brilliant , but = I agree with you 100% about The Tenant, Bitter Moon and repulsion. = Never really liked Chinatown, this is probably due to the fact that I = already been informed of what the twist was at the end. any Stanley Kubrik (Shining, Clockwork Orange, The Killing, Paths = of Glory, Spartacus...), @@Kubrik rarely outs a foot wrong.....I love most of his work. any Coen Bros (Fargo, Hudsucker Proxy, Raising Arizona, Blood = Simple, Big Lebowski...) @@I also love the Coen brothers........ironically it is only = Hudsucker and Raising that I do not really rate.......Miller's Crossing = and Fargo are my faves closely followed by Blood simple. any Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Darkman, Quick and the Dead and the = upcoming Simple Plan) @@Have you seen a simple plan? I think poor Raimi is underrated. = All his films are entertaining even the disappointing "Army of = darkness". Hopefully for his latest he will get the credit he deserves. = I still think that Darkman is the only good superhero movie ever made = and yet the main character was never a comic book. any Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fisher King, 12 Monkeys...), @@I have a problem with Gilliam........Brazil is fantastic and I = enjoyed 12 monkeys and Time bandits but I sometimes find his work a = little too long winded. any Woody Allen movie (Annie Hall, Bananas, Everyone Says I Love = You, Deconstructing Harry, Take the Money and Run, Play it Again Sam...) @@ Not a huge Woody Allen fan, but I do enjoy his films a lot. It = is interesting to see how his films developed from slapstick to more = dramatic comedy via his strange Ingmar Bergman phase.... as well as the more popular type movies like all Spielberg films, @@ Have to protest!! I love Jaws and Schindler and thought Duel = was fun......but I hate Spielberg when he sinks into his sickly = sentimental mode (Which is a lot). Don't get me wrong......I am dying = to see Private Ryan but I just wish he would concentrate on more mature = films such as this as that is when imho he is best. all Harrison Ford Films, @@ While I admire a lot of actors, I am one of those people that = have to take not only a performance into account but the whole film i.e = plot etc. I also have a problem with actors who do not play a diversity = of roles and unfortunately Harrison Ford and Tom cruise and their likes = fall into this category. I am not a huge fan of Bruce Willis but he at = least has had the guts to play villains recently. almost all Steve Martin films, @@ I like the use of "Almost" all.......he has made some clunkers = recently......I thought he was good in the straight role of "Spanish = prisoner"......nice to see him play against type. great action movies like the Indy series, Die Hard, @@ I just wished they'd stopped at one! Back to the Future @@ I wish they'd stopped before one! :-) , Terminators, @@I enjoyed the Terminator series.....I just hope they dont risk = spoiling it with a third. as well as any scary movie - Thing, Shallow Grave, Misery, Dario = Argento films (Suspuria, Terror at the Opera, The Church), Scream, Dead = Zone, and The Shining! =20 @@Seen all the above.....Love The thing and Shallow Grave and = enjoyed Misery. On Dario Argento.....visually he is superb but a lot of = times the story lets him down. Suspiria is very good but I have a soft = spot for Tenebrae. Without sounding pedantic.....Michael Soavi directed = the church, Argent only produced it. The shining is good as is Dead zone. Scream Is O.K but I think = overrated. =20 So that's it for me...how 'bout you?!:-) @@ Now your turn to "Bitch" about my choices! My favourite film is = "Cinema Paradiso" The special edition......which I do not know if it has = a release in the states. It does here and it adds another dimension to = what is already an excellent film. All my other choices are in no real = order but in categories. Foreign films.........Wages of fear, La Haine, The horseman on the = roof, Jean de Florette, Manon de sources, L'appartment,Cyrano de = Bergerac, The eighth day, Subway, La femme Nikita. Drama.....Glengarry Glen Ross, House of games, Short cuts, Trust = (Hal Hartley), Trainspotting,Riff Raff, Raining Stones, small Faces, = It's a wonderful life, The hill, The deer hunter. =20 Thrillers.......Carlito's way, Goodfellas, Casino, The long good = friday,Blue velvet, wild at heart,The third man, Sleuth, seven. Horror......Dawn of the dead, The wicker man, Nightwatch (the = original danish version), The vanishing (the original dutch version), = Brain deas (aka dead alive), The haunting, The exorcist. What do you think? There's actually plent more where they came = from! =20 ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and = self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands = of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 =20 Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message = "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] = ------=_NextPart_000_0027_01BDDB0F.88D51420 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
Now that's = what I call a=20 list......have kept some of your original dialogue to comment on as = well as=20 adding my faves.  Feel free to write back and comment/criticize = on=20 mine!  Nice to see we are not=20 limited!

Some faves eh? Well I = am=20 currently into film noir...Double Idemnity is one great flick as = well as=20 almost any Fritz Lang movie - M, Metropolis, You Only Live Once, = Fury, Woman=20 in the Window, Scarlett Street...all amazing! @@Seen M and Metroplois are very = good.  Not a big=20 fan of Lang.......something bugged me about "The big = heat".....i=20 gues it's how Glen Ford has such a nice easy time throwing the = villains=20 around!  Fury is also a good one.....not seen some of the = others but=20 they showed one of the "DR Mabuse films" over here (the = U.K) have=20 taped it so will keep you informed......Billy Wilder's "Double=20 indemnity" is class and I enjoyed it far better than the = re-make=20 "Body heat"..........what do you think of the fact that a = film=20 essayist claims that the Edward G. Robinson character has a = homosexual crush=20 on Fred Macmurray ?  Sounds a lot of s@*& to=20 me!    Out=20 of the more current type stuff...I enjoy Delicatessen and City of = the Lost=20 Children (French and amazing - sci-fi-ish), @@No offence but I was disappointed with these.....the = first was=20 enjoyable but I found it annoying that they never left the=20 apartments......smacked of cheapness.  "City" did not = have=20 the budget constraint and while the characters are suitably strange = and the=20 visuals (especially the flea) are amazing, I found the story=20 unengaging.   any=20 Roman Polanski (The Tenant, Repulsion, Chinatown, Rosemary's Baby, = Death and=20 the Maiden, Bitter Moon, Frantic...), @@Don't think that all of all of Polanski's stuff is = brilliant , but=20 I agree with you 100% about The Tenant, Bitter Moon and = repulsion. =20 Never really liked Chinatown, this is probably due to the fact that = I=20 already been informed of what the twist was at the=20 end.  any=20 Stanley Kubrik (Shining, Clockwork Orange, The Killing, Paths of = Glory,=20 Spartacus...), @@Kubrik rarely outs a foot wrong.....I = love most of=20 his work.  any=20 Coen Bros (Fargo, Hudsucker Proxy, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple, = Big=20 Lebowski...) @@I also love the Coen brothers........ironically it is = only=20 Hudsucker and Raising that I do not really rate.......Miller's = Crossing and=20 Fargo are my faves closely followed by Blood=20 simple.  any=20 Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Darkman, Quick and the Dead and the upcoming = Simple=20 Plan) @@Have you seen a simple plan?  I think poor Raimi is=20 underrated.  All his films are entertaining even the = disappointing=20 "Army of darkness".  Hopefully for his latest he will = get the=20 credit he deserves.  I still think that Darkman is the only = good=20 superhero movie ever made and yet the main character was never a = comic=20 book.  any=20 Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fisher King, 12 Monkeys...), @@I have a problem with = Gilliam........Brazil is=20 fantastic and I enjoyed 12 monkeys and Time bandits but I sometimes = find his=20 work a little too long winded.  any=20 Woody Allen movie (Annie Hall, Bananas, Everyone Says I Love You,=20 Deconstructing Harry, Take the Money and Run, Play it Again = Sam...) @@ Not a huge Woody Allen fan, but I do enjoy his films a = lot. =20 It is interesting to see how his films developed from slapstick to = more=20 dramatic comedy via his strange Ingmar Bergman=20 phase....  as=20 well as the more popular type movies like all Spielberg = films, @@  Have to protest!!  I love Jaws and Schindler = and=20 thought Duel was fun......but I hate Spielberg when he sinks into = his sickly=20 sentimental mode (Which is a lot).  Don't get me wrong......I = am dying=20 to see Private Ryan but I just wish he would concentrate on more = mature=20 films such as this as that is when imho he is = best.  all=20 Harrison Ford Films, @@  While I admire a lot of actors, I am one of those = people=20 that have to take not only a performance into account but the whole = film i.e=20 plot etc.  I also have a problem with actors who do not play a=20 diversity of roles and unfortunately Harrison Ford and Tom cruise = and their=20 likes fall into this category.  I am not a huge fan of Bruce = Willis but=20 he at least has had the guts to play villains=20 recently.  almost=20 all Steve Martin films, @@  I like the use of = "Almost"=20 all.......he has made some clunkers recently......I thought he was = good in=20 the straight role of "Spanish prisoner"......nice to see = him play=20 against type.  great=20 action movies like the Indy series, Die Hard, @@  I just wished they'd stopped at=20 one!  Back=20 to the Future @@  I wish they'd stopped before one!=20 :-) ,=20 Terminators, @@I enjoyed the Terminator series.....I just hope they dont = risk=20 spoiling it with a third.  as=20 well as any scary movie - Thing, Shallow Grave, Misery, Dario = Argento films=20 (Suspuria, Terror at the Opera, The Church), Scream, Dead Zone, and = The=20 Shining!   @@Seen all the above.....Love The thing and Shallow Grave = and enjoyed=20 Misery.  On Dario Argento.....visually he is superb but a lot = of times=20 the story lets him down.  Suspiria is very good but I have a = soft spot=20 for Tenebrae.  Without sounding pedantic.....Michael Soavi = directed the=20 church, Argent only produced it. The shining is good = as is Dead=20 zone.  Scream Is O.K but I think = overrated.

So=20 that's it for me...how 'bout you?!:-) @@  Now your turn to "Bitch" about my = choices! =20 My favourite film is "Cinema Paradiso" The special=20 edition......which I do not know if it has a release in the = states.  It=20 does here and it adds another dimension to what is already an = excellent=20 film.  All my other choices are in no real order but in=20 categories. Foreign = films.........Wages of=20 fear, La Haine, The horseman on the roof, Jean de Florette, Manon de = sources, L'appartment,Cyrano de Bergerac, The eighth day, Subway, La = femme=20 Nikita. Drama.....Glengarry = Glen Ross,=20 House of games, Short cuts, Trust (Hal Hartley), Trainspotting,Riff = Raff,=20 Raining Stones, small Faces, It's a wonderful life, The hill, The = deer=20 hunter.   Thrillers.......Carlito's way, Goodfellas, Casino, The long = good=20 friday,Blue velvet, wild at heart,The third man, Sleuth,=20 seven. Horror......Dawn of = the dead,=20 The wicker man, Nightwatch (the original danish version), The = vanishing (the=20 original dutch version), Brain deas (aka dead alive), The haunting, = The=20 exorcist. What do you = think?  There's=20 actually plent more where they came = from!

~
Gerry=20 T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are = so placid=20 and self contained,
I stand and look at them long and = long.
They do=20 not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake = and weep=20 for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to = God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of = owning=20 things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived=20 thousands of years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over = the whole=20 = earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=







<= BR>












Jay=20 the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca
[ To leave the movies = mailing=20 list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the = quotes)=20 to majordomo@xmission.com ] =
------=_NextPart_000_0027_01BDDB0F.88D51420-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Travis Subject: [MV] Gerald Taylor Date: 08 Sep 1998 06:02:41 -0600 Whilst, I have to agree that I saw some promise amidst Gerald Taylors "Likes". I was also, simply offended to have that much in common with the guy. I think that his views of the Jeunet et Caro films (Delicatessen and City of Lost Children), the Terry Gilliam Films, and the Coen Brothers films ( Hudsucker Proxy and Raising Arizona), are extremely disjointed, unrealized, and sad. These are some of the most amazing filmmakers around and it is truly traumatic to hear of someone with apparently, a little taste in film (outside of the pretentious hollywood division) pick apart and pick and choose the choices of fantastic directors. I am skeptical and have the overwhelming intuition that "Gerald" fancies himself some type of hipster of film and gives little to no thought as to the actual genius behind a filmmakers work of art. The way I see it, all directosrs make mistakes in the careers, but there are some that you have to grow with. I really believe that the directors attacked in his essay have no reason at all to be picked apart. I don't think this guy sees the bigger picture. He likes some of the Danny Boyle films (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave), but, I really would hate to hear his opinion of all the Danny Boyle films, as that truly would be the straw to break the Camels back.I will go one bigger and say outloud, "Scream, I know What You Did Last Summer, and all subsequential sequals Sucked and is the type of Hollywood filth that is better sent back to the writers, with the attachment-'Grow Up, Get a Clue, and find a better day job!'". But, opinions are like Kittens, everyone is giving them away. Here is my freebie. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] More faves and comments...... Date: 07 Sep 1998 15:20:10 -0700 Ok....here we go...!:-) 100, you wrote: @@Seen M and Metroplois are very good. Not a big fan of Lang.......something bugged me about "The big heat".....i gues it's how Glen Ford has such a nice easy time throwing the villains around! Fury is also a good one.....not seen some of the others but they showed one of the "DR Mabuse films" over here (the U.K) have taped it so will keep you informed......Billy Wilder's "Double indemnity" is class and I enjoyed it far better than the re-make "Body heat"..........what do you think of the fact that a film essayist claims that the Edward G. Robinson character has a homosexual crush on Fred Macmurray ? Sounds a lot of s@*& to me! <<<<<<<< Definitely check out the other Lang films...I know that you would love Scarlett Street with Edward G...that last comment does sound like a bunch of malarky! It is very hard to find a lot of Lang films here in Canada but I have located most of them after thourough searches! >>>> Out of the more current type stuff...I enjoy Delicatessen and City of the Lost Children (French and amazing - sci-fi-ish), @@No offence but I was disappointed with these.....the first was enjoyable but I found it annoying that they never left the apartments......smacked of cheapness. "City" did not have the budget constraint and while the characters are suitably strange and the visuals (especially the flea) are amazing, I found the story unengaging. <<<<<<<< I enjoyed the cinematography of these two, the music and the wierd characters...also I have a sweet spot for Sweeney Todd! >>>> @@Don't think that all of all of Polanski's stuff is brilliant , but I agree with you 100% about The Tenant, Bitter Moon and repulsion. Never really liked Chinatown, this is probably due to the fact that I already been informed of what the twist was at the end. <<<<<<<< I hate when people ruin endings of movies!!!!! Big peeve of mine...that's why I try to see a movie on opening night - little chance of anyone ruining anything!! The Tenant freaks me out "What right does my head to call itself me?!" Fantastic! Can't wait for The Ninth Gate with J. Depp. >>>> any Stanley Kubrik (Shining, Clockwork Orange, The Killing, Paths of Glory, Spartacus...), @@Kubrik rarely outs a foot wrong.....I love most of his work. <<<<<<<< Can't wait for 2001 (not the movie - that's the year Eyes Wide Shut will probably be released!) >>>> any Coen Bros (Fargo, Hudsucker Proxy, Raising Arizona, Blood Simple, Big Lebowski...) @@I also love the Coen brothers........ironically it is only Hudsucker and Raising that I do not really rate.......Miller's Crossing and Fargo are my faves closely followed by Blood simple. <<<<<<<< I love all the Coen Bros stuff....Hud's visuals are amazing...as they all are in their movies >>>> any Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, Darkman, Quick and the Dead and the upcoming Simple Plan) @@Have you seen a simple plan? I think poor Raimi is underrated. All his films are entertaining even the disappointing "Army of darkness". Hopefully for his latest he will get the credit he deserves. I still think that Darkman is the only good superhero movie ever made and yet the main character was never a comic book. <<<<<<<< Wow - not too often do I find a Raimi fan! Great camera work! Even Quick and the Dead I found entertaining! >>>> any Terry Gilliam (Brazil, Fisher King, 12 Monkeys...), @@I have a problem with Gilliam........Brazil is fantastic and I enjoyed 12 monkeys and Time bandits but I sometimes find his work a little too long winded. <<<<<<<< The only film of his that i didn't like was the recent Fear and Loathing...too crazy or something....pretty disgusting (and this coming from a fan of Dario Argento) >>>> any Woody Allen movie (Annie Hall, Bananas, Everyone Says I Love You, Deconstructing Harry, Take the Money and Run, Play it Again Sam...) @@ Not a huge Woody Allen fan, but I do enjoy his films a lot. It is interesting to see how his films developed from slapstick to more dramatic comedy via his strange Ingmar Bergman phase.... <<<<<<<< His recent stuff is just as good as his early stuff - but I agree - definitely different! You won't see him dressing up in any more sperm outfits any time soon! >>>> as well as the more popular type movies like all Spielberg films, @@ Have to protest!! I love Jaws and Schindler and thought Duel was fun......but I hate Spielberg when he sinks into his sickly sentimental mode (Which is a lot). Don't get me wrong......I am dying to see Private Ryan but I just wish he would concentrate on more mature films such as this as that is when imho he is best. <<<<<<<< A lot of people say that about Spielberg - even Spielberg himself - that's why he waited for over 10 years before he made Schindlers...but wait till you see Saving Private Ryan!!!!!! Wow...that's all I'm going to say! >>>> all Harrison Ford Films, @@ While I admire a lot of actors, I am one of those people that have to take not only a performance into account but the whole film i.e plot etc. I also have a problem with actors who do not play a diversity of roles and unfortunately Harrison Ford and Tom cruise and their likes fall into this category. I am not a huge fan of Bruce Willis but he at least has had the guts to play villains recently. <<<<<<<< I guess I'm a big fan of the Indy series and HF is on cool guy....(except his recent fiasco - 6 days 7 nights!) >>>> almost all Steve Martin films, @@ I like the use of "Almost" all.......he has made some clunkers recently......I thought he was good in the straight role of "Spanish prisoner"......nice to see him play against type. <<<<<<<< Can't wait for Bofingers Big Thing which he wrote - if it's as good as LA Story - I'm there!! >>>> as well as any scary movie - Thing, Shallow Grave, Misery, Dario Argento films (Suspuria, Terror at the Opera, The Church), Scream, Dead Zone, and The Shining! @@Seen all the above.....Love The thing and Shallow Grave and enjoyed Misery. On Dario Argento.....visually he is superb but a lot of times the story lets him down. Suspiria is very good but I have a soft spot for Tenebrae. Without sounding pedantic.....Michael Soavi directed the church, Argent only produced it. The shining is good as is Dead zone. Scream Is O.K but I think overrated. <<<<<<<< Hilarious...I was going to put Unsane in the list but thought I'd throw The Church in there because of his production credit! Good job! The Church is pretty damn freaky! I totally agree with you about Argento and his storytelling ability - I heard for awhile that INferno was one of his better ones from somewhone - but then I saw it and could not find the plot anywhere!! Maybe we only have a super edited one over here...but yowzer! >>>> So that's it for me...how 'bout you?!:-) @@ Now your turn to "Bitch" about my choices! My favourite film is "Cinema Paradiso" The special edition......which I do not know if it has a release in the states. It does here and it adds another dimension to what is already an excellent film. All my other choices are in no real order but in categories. Foreign films.........Wages of fear, La Haine, The horseman on the roof, Jean de Florette, Manon de sources, L'appartment,Cyrano de Bergerac, The eighth day, Subway, La femme Nikita. Drama.....Glengarry Glen Ross, House of games, Short cuts, Trust (Hal Hartley), Trainspotting,Riff Raff, Raining Stones, small Faces, It's a wonderful life, The hill, The deer hunter. <<<<<<<< Have not seen Cinema Paridso...will check it out though...didn't enjoy La Haine - didn't feel put together enough for me, and wow...haven't seen any other of those...yikes - tell me about some of them... as for drama - GGGR - amazing -nuff said, HoG - great, Short Cuts - the only Altman film I enjoyed, Trainspotting - great, Deer Hunter - the only movie that affected me afterwards - scary...others haven't seen... >>>> Thrillers.......Carlito's way, Goodfellas, Casino, The long good friday,Blue velvet, wild at heart,The third man, Sleuth, seven. Horror......Dawn of the dead, The wicker man, Nightwatch (the original danish version), The vanishing (the original dutch version), Brain deas (aka dead alive), The haunting, The exorcist. What do you think? There's actually plent more where they came from! <<<<<<<< Not a fan of Scorsese...no reason - just haven't liked any of his movies (Cape Fear was entertaining...), Blue Velvet - wacked as is WaH, Third man is being re-released at the Toronto Film Fest - but re-edited from some old notes of Welles they found...so I guess you could say that it is the director's cut! Haven't seen Dawn of Dead for awhile...can't remember, Wicker man is great...Vanishing is great (infintely better than the remake), Dead Alive...is that the Peter Jackson one? It was pretty hoaky but funny - if it is Jackson then definitely check out Heavenly Creatures - great flick...haunting - don't think I've seen it...exorcist - given. Well...that's pretty amazing! We're both pretty well cultured in the movie world! I'll give you a few more now that I know you're pretty "well read" Leolo - crazy family movie, The Party, Bunuel - Phantom of Liberty, Exterminating Angel are my two faves of his - otherwise I find him quite lengthy! Swimming with Sharks - great Spacey flick, one of my all time faves is Santa Sangre by Jodorowsky - amazing!! I really love that film! The Tall Guy - hilarious, Freaks (the 30s version), I'll keep you posted for more when i think of them!! Good talking to you! Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] Gerald Taylor Date: 07 Sep 1998 15:30:45 -0700 In Geralds defense, he has seen a slew of flicks. I mean he's seen movies from every decade and a good variety of them too! Someone who has seen this many movies must know what they are talking about....their opinion must be rooted in something. The fact that he didn't like Jeunet's films does not make him a "hipster of film". Now I did enjoy them a lot but I don't like any of Scorses films - what does that make me? It's too bad that some people don't like everything you do...now I don't mean to be harsh here - but I think that you were pretty harsh in some of your assumptions although there are some truths in there as well. Criticism is fine - but remember what movies are - they're entertainment - not the end of the world! My philosophy is that if someone has a different opinion than me - fine. I'm not going to waste my energy trying to convert them...just enjoy the movie! At 06:02 AM 9/8/1998 -0600, you wrote: >Whilst, I have to agree that I saw some promise amidst Gerald Taylors >"Likes". I was also, simply offended to have that much in common with >the guy. I think that his views of the Jeunet et Caro films >(Delicatessen and City of Lost Children), the Terry Gilliam Films, and >the Coen Brothers films ( Hudsucker Proxy and Raising Arizona), are >extremely disjointed, unrealized, and sad. These are some of the most >amazing filmmakers around and it is truly traumatic to hear of someone >with apparently, a little taste in film (outside of the pretentious >hollywood division) pick apart and pick and choose the choices of >fantastic directors. I am skeptical and have the overwhelming intuition >that "Gerald" fancies himself some type of hipster of film and gives >little to no thought as to the actual genius behind a filmmakers work of >art. The way I see it, all directosrs make mistakes in the careers, but >there are some that you have to grow with. I really believe that the >directors attacked in his essay have no reason at all to be picked >apart. I don't think this guy sees the bigger picture. He likes some of >the Danny Boyle films (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave), but, I really >would hate to hear his opinion of all the Danny Boyle films, as that >truly would be the straw to break the Camels back.I will go one bigger >and say outloud, "Scream, I know What You Did Last Summer, and all >subsequential sequals Sucked and is the type of Hollywood filth that is >better sent back to the writers, with the attachment-'Grow Up, Get a >Clue, and find a better day job!'". But, opinions are like Kittens, >everyone is giving them away. Here is my freebie. > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: [MV] Gerald Taylor -Reply Date: 08 Sep 1998 09:14:27 -0700 I opened my email this morning to find the following excerpt. >Whilst, I have to agree that I saw some promise amidst Gerald Taylors >"Likes". I was also, simply offended to have that much in common with >the guy. I think that his views of the Jeunet et Caro films >(Delicatessen and City of Lost Children), the Terry Gilliam Films, and >the Coen Brothers films ( Hudsucker Proxy and Raising Arizona), are >extremely disjointed, unrealized, and sad. These are some of the most >amazing filmmakers around and it is truly traumatic to hear of someone >with apparently, a little taste in film (outside of the pretentious >hollywood division) pick apart and pick and choose the choices of >fantastic directors. I am skeptical and have the overwhelming intuition >that "Gerald" fancies himself some type of hipster of film and gives >little to no thought as to the actual genius behind a filmmakers work of >art. I thought we all fancied ourselves as some types of hipsters of film. Hey some movies suck no matter what genius made it. Speaking of sucking, I saw Knock Off this weekend after it recieved a good review in the LA Times. What a disaster! It appears that Tsui Hark convinced Van Damme that he should star in a Hong Kong film for the international audience. It has all of the weaknesses of Chinese films without any of the elements that make films from that part of the world so exciting. It is completely incomprehensible from the opening shot and only continues to dig itself into a deeper and more confusing hole. Technically it is a disaster and seems to have been shot MOS as is common with Hong Kong films. This should be another nail in Van Damme's career coffin. Has anybody heard of "Six String Samurai"? It is starting this month in LA and has been getting a lot of good advance press. The trailer looks great. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Mamet!!! Date: 08 Sep 1998 09:05:10 -0700 And just what was wrong with The Edge? Besides the fact that it seems ludicrious (sp?) that an OLD book worm would not only know how to survive in the wild, but manages to catch a young nubile and dumb wife? > -----Original Message----- > From: Jason Cormier [SMTP:movieman@netcom.ca] > Sent: Monday, September 07, 1998 2:59 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Mamet!!! > > Ah - another Mamet fan! I felt exactly the same way about Oleanna as > well! I love William H. Macy (and he totally deserved the Oscar for Fargo > - but i won't get into that right now!) Hip hip hooray for Mamet! (minus > The Edge of course...) > > At 10:32 AM 8/28/1998 +0100, you wrote: > >>>> > > > > > > >Yes!! We have so much fun in the supermarket, people staring at us > as if we > >were having an actual conversation.... evil I know, but I'm working > on it... > My God!! It was'nt the "Brass balls" speech was it! :-) > Incidentally, have you seen "Oleanna" ? It's one of those films > that starts poorly but then sucks you in totally. Very stagey but the > plot evolves into a real "Shout at the screen" experience. > You really should write longer posts, you are quite amusing. What > are some of your favourite movies?~ > Gerry T > ~~~~~ > I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and > self contained, > I stand and look at them long and long. > They do not sweat and whine about their condition, > They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, > they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, > not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning > things, > Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands > of years ago, > not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. > Walt > Whitman. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > > > > <<<< > > > > Jay the Movieman > movieman@netcom.ca > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ > movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Gerald Taylor Date: 08 Sep 1998 09:09:32 -0700 well Travis, as long as we agree about the "kittens".... > -----Original Message----- > From: Travis [SMTP:modestme@micron.net] > Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 5:03 AM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: [MV] Gerald Taylor > > Whilst, I have to agree that I saw some promise amidst Gerald Taylors > "Likes". I was also, simply offended to have that much in common with > the guy. I think that his views of the Jeunet et Caro films > (Delicatessen and City of Lost Children), the Terry Gilliam Films, and > the Coen Brothers films ( Hudsucker Proxy and Raising Arizona), are > extremely disjointed, unrealized, and sad. These are some of the most > amazing filmmakers around and it is truly traumatic to hear of someone > with apparently, a little taste in film (outside of the pretentious > hollywood division) pick apart and pick and choose the choices of > fantastic directors. I am skeptical and have the overwhelming intuition > that "Gerald" fancies himself some type of hipster of film and gives > little to no thought as to the actual genius behind a filmmakers work of > art. The way I see it, all directosrs make mistakes in the careers, but > there are some that you have to grow with. I really believe that the > directors attacked in his essay have no reason at all to be picked > apart. I don't think this guy sees the bigger picture. He likes some of > the Danny Boyle films (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave), but, I really > would hate to hear his opinion of all the Danny Boyle films, as that > truly would be the straw to break the Camels back.I will go one bigger > and say outloud, "Scream, I know What You Did Last Summer, and all > subsequential sequals Sucked and is the type of Hollywood filth that is > better sent back to the writers, with the attachment-'Grow Up, Get a > Clue, and find a better day job!'". But, opinions are like Kittens, > everyone is giving them away. Here is my freebie. > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Gerald Taylor -Reply Date: 08 Sep 1998 09:14:24 -0700 > Speaking of sucking, I saw Knock Off this weekend after it recieved a > good review in the LA Times. What a disaster! It appears that Tsui > Hark convinced Van Damme that he should star in a Hong Kong film for > the international audience. It has all of the weaknesses of Chinese > films without any of the elements that make films from that part of > the world so exciting. It is completely incomprehensible from the > opening shot and only continues to dig itself into a deeper and more > confusing hole. Technically it is a disaster and seems to have been > shot MOS as is common with Hong Kong films. This should be another > nail in Van Damme's career coffin. [Romero, Leticia] Although I will always agree with anything anti-Van Damme, I thought Knock Off was a hoot!! Once you realize that it CAN'T be taken seriously, I really enjoyed it! I swear the dialogue was dubbed, it looked so Hong Kong! It was a fun dumb movie! Has anyone seen "54"? THAT was a waste of time.... > Has anybody heard of "Six String Samurai"? It is starting this month > in LA and has been getting a lot of good advance press. The trailer > looks great. [Romero, Leticia] Saw the trailer, it does look > awsome... > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: RE: [MV] Knock off Date: 08 Sep 1998 09:34:55 -0700 I will agree that Knock Off was dumb but fun, No way. I did get a few chuckles out of it and if you were in the theatre with me you would have heard me almost guffaw a couple of times. My laughter wasn't the happy kind that we all love and enjoy but was instead my desperate way of trying to find something to keep me occupied (find the next idiotic sequence!) while I endured the flick. The action scenes weren't even enjoyable as you would expect but rather were so disjointed and filled with groovy camera angles/moves that they made no sense. Of course that's just my opinion. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich Subject: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 08 Sep 1998 17:32:22 -0400 My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away agreeing on some basic points. 1. Brilliantly made movie. 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen 4. Total waste of our time. 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. Gene & Yolanda http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 08 Sep 1998 15:44:30 -0600 I'm just curious what it was about the movie that made you feel it was a waste of your time? What were you expecting from the movie? I'm sorry but I'm of the opinion that if a movie meets or exceeds my expectations then it was well worth my time. I would really be interested in your critique of this movie, because your first 3 points don't seem to jive with your last 2. This is the first time I've replied to a posting so If I'm totally out of line, I'm sure you will all let me know. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 3:32 PM My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away agreeing on some basic points. 1. Brilliantly made movie. 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen 4. Total waste of our time. 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. Gene & Yolanda http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - Tuesday, Date: 08 Sep 1998 18:49:22 -0600 (MDT) Japan's most acclaimed director, Akira Kurosawa, dubbed the emperor of Japanese cinema for films such as "The Seven Samurai" and "Rashomon," died on Sunday at the age of 88. He suffered a stroke in his Tokyo home. Kurosawa's powerful, poetic movies put Japanese cinema on the international map and inspired such U.S. filmmakers as Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. The only director to have won two Oscars for best foreign film, Kurosawa received a lifetime achievement Academy Award in 1990 but modestly said he had not yet earned it. -=> * <=- "There's Something About Mary" ended the summer box office season on a high note and finished No. 1 at the Labor Day weekend box office, earning about $11.6 million. Only one new wide-release entered the fray this past weekend: "Knock Off," a martial arts movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, which opened in fourth place with a humble $5.6 million. "Blade," which had spent the previous two weeks at No. 1, slipped to second place with $10.4 million. "Saving Private Ryan" held steady in third with $8.6 million. "Ever After," starring Drew Barrymore in the Cinderella story, rose a notch to fifth with $4.4 million. -=> * <=- Overall summer business finished 12% stronger than last year's, with $2.5 billion and nine films making more than $100 million: "Armageddon," "Saving Private Ryan," "Deep Impact," "Dr. Dolittle," "Godzilla," "There's Something About Mary," "Lethal Weapon 4," "The Truman Show" and "Mulan." -=> * <=- John Travolta reveals in a new biography that his mother had one sure-fire way to get him to do chores: Pin any request on actor Jimmy Cagney. "He was the only one outside my family who was a main source of inspiration," Travolta says in "Travolta: The Life," written by Nigel Andrews, the film critic for Britain's Financial Times. Travolta says in the book that he would sit in front of the TV whenever Cagney's "Yankee Doodle Dandy" came on and would tap along with the star. Travolta's mother would pretend the actor was on the phone and say to John: "Mr. Cagney is calling. He wants you to brush your teeth and tidy your room." -=> * <=- VENICE, Italy (Reuters) - Remember Grace Kelly in the Hitchcock thriller "Dial M for Murder?" Now think again. Fast-forward four decades. Shift the action to New York. Enter smart, urban heroine - a true 1990s girl. Add a love triangle, old money and a Wall Street whiz. You have "A Perfect Murder" - Hitchcock updated and, its makers say, improved. "Alfred Hitchcock's movie 'Dial M For Murder' was based on a play ... that was more successful in the theater," star Michael Douglas said Saturday at the Venice film festival, where "A Perfect Murder" is showing out of competition. "It's not that good. With all due respect, Alfred Hitchcock is one of my favorite directors but we all have made movies in our lives that are not very good." -=> * <=- STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Royalty and Hollywood movie stars are lining up to buy bottles of Titanic-era champagne raised this summer from a ship sunk off the west coast of Finland in the Baltic Sea in Nov. 1916. Claes Bergvall, leader of a Swedish-Danish diving team that recovered the liquid treasure from the Swedish ketch Jonkoping, said the interest in the champagne had been overwhelming - even at a price of $3,000 a bottle. The 2,400 bottles of 1907 Heidsieck & Co. champagne was recovered from the Jonkoping, sunk by a German submarine during World War I while en route from Gavle, Sweden to Rauma in Finland. -=> * <=- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The lowbrow comedy "There's Something About Mary" ended the summer box office season on a high note when it reached the top of the rankings in its eighth weekend of release. The film, starring Cameron Diaz as the love interest of both Ben Stiller and Matt Dillon, earned about $11.6 million for the four-day Labor Day holiday weekend, according to studio estimates issued Monday. "Blade," which had spent the previous two weeks at No. 1, slipped to second with $10.4 million. "Saving Private Ryan" held steady in third with $8.6 million. "Knock Off," a martial arts movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, opened in fourth with $5.6 million."Ever After" starring Drew Barrymore in the Cinderella story, rose a notch to fifth with $4.4 million. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: [MV] Reply from the "Hipster" Date: 09 Sep 1998 15:37:17 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01BDDC07.B9956760 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable What can I say Travis? Your post in turns amused and bemused me. I = have kept some of your original dialogue to comment on but have trouble = trying to work out what you are getting at. Is there a chance that you = have misread it? As some of Jay's original dialogue was still in there. = I have placed a @ at the beginning of my new comments. >Whilst, I have to agree that I saw some promise amidst Gerald Taylors >"Likes". I was also, simply offended to have that much in common with >the guy. @@@ What do we have in common? Perhaps a love of film? I'd say that's = all...........I disagreed with some of Jay's choices but do not find = myself offended that some of the films on his list were ones I enjoyed. = I have a lot of respect for the guy and just because some of the films = are not favourites of mine does not mean I am rating them alongside such = dreck as "Boxing helena" or other bad movies. A lot of films on his = list are enjoyable......and well made.....just are not favourites of = MINE. Anyone that shows they have seen a lot of films has my respect = even if I do not agree with their choices.......it's all to do with = PERSONAL taste. I think that his views of the Jeunet et Caro films >(Delicatessen and City of Lost Children), the Terry Gilliam Films, and >the Coen Brothers films ( Hudsucker Proxy and Raising Arizona), are >extremely disjointed, unrealized, and sad. @@@@ So I am sad just because I did not enjoy those two as much as = their others? So every film a favourite director of yours makes is = perfect in every detail? If you hold this belief then I'd rank you as = the sad one....... These are some of the most >amazing filmmakers around and it is truly traumatic to hear of someone >with apparently, a little taste in film (outside of the pretentious=20 >hollywood division) pick apart and pick and choose the choices of >fantastic directors. I am skeptical and have the overwhelming intuition >that "Gerald" fancies himself some type of hipster of film and gives >little to no thought as to the actual genius behind a filmmakers work = of >art. The way I see it, all directosrs make mistakes in the careers, but >there are some that you have to grow with. @@@Excuse me? I judge a film by it's contents, I do not give a poor = film a sympathy vote just because the dierector usually turns out better = movies. On the subject of growing with directors......what is that all = about. A lot of Director's get worse with age rather than better. = Should we look at "Alien 4" and regard it as better than "City" and = "Delicatessan"? I think not. Alfred Hitchcock was a great director but = I defy anybody to claim that "Family plot" (especially the last half = hour!) is great film. Edward D. Wood would have blushed at some of the = silliness near the end of that film. I have a lot of respect for De = Palma but that does not stop "Raising Caine" being a travesty. I refuse = to feel obligated to praise a great director no matter what they = release.....and does criticising (not rubbishing) two films of the Coen = brothers count as regarding all their work as crap? Or make them poor = craftsmen? Get real!!! =20 I really believe that the >directors attacked in his essay @@@ Essay???!!! It was just a reply to a post! have no reason at all to be picked >apart. I don't think this guy sees the bigger picture. He likes some of >the Danny Boyle films (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave), but, I really >would hate to hear his opinion of all the Danny Boyle films @@@What, all three of them!!!!! as that >truly would be the straw to break the Camels back.I will go one bigger >and say outloud, "Scream, I know What You Did Last Summer, and all >subsequential sequals Sucked and is the type of Hollywood filth that is >better sent back to the writers, with the attachment-'Grow Up, Get a >Clue, and find a better day job!'". But, opinions are like Kittens, >everyone is giving them away. Here is my freebie. I dont recall hailing "Scream" as a great horror film......I said it was = O.K. It is a step back in the right direction for horror films compared = to the last 8 years. Anyway........why not inform the mailing list of = some of your favourites? Who knows someone may think your just = elitist.............I await with baited breath!~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ] ------=_NextPart_000_0053_01BDDC07.B9956760 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
What can I say = Travis? =20 Your post in turns amused and bemused me.  I have kept some of your = original dialogue to comment on but have trouble trying to work out what = you are=20 getting at.  Is there a chance that you have misread it?  As = some of=20 Jay's original dialogue was still in there.  I have placed a = @  at the=20 beginning of my new comments.

>Whilst, I have to agree that I saw some promise amidst = Gerald=20 Taylors
>"Likes". I was also, simply offended to have = that much=20 in common with
>the guy.
@@@  What do we have in common?  = Perhaps a=20 love of film?  I'd say that's all...........I disagreed with some = of Jay's=20 choices but do not find myself offended that some of the films on his = list were=20 ones I enjoyed.  I have a lot of respect for the guy and just = because some=20 of the films are not favourites of mine does not mean I am rating them = alongside=20 such dreck as "Boxing helena" or other bad movies.  A lot = of=20 films on his list are enjoyable......and well made.....just are not = favourites=20 of MINE.  Anyone that shows they have seen a lot of films has my = respect=20 even if I do not agree with their choices.......it's all to do with = PERSONAL=20 taste.
 I think that his views of the Jeunet et Caro=20 films
>(Delicatessen and City of Lost Children), the Terry Gilliam = Films,=20 and
>the Coen Brothers films ( Hudsucker Proxy and Raising = Arizona),=20 are
>extremely disjointed, unrealized, and sad.
 
@@@@  So I am sad just because I did = not enjoy=20 those two as much as their others?  So every film a favourite = director of=20 yours makes is perfect in every detail?  If you hold this belief = then I'd=20 rank you as the sad one.......
 These are some of the most
>amazing filmmakers around = and it is=20 truly traumatic to hear of someone
>with apparently, a little = taste in=20 film (outside of the pretentious
>hollywood division) pick apart = and pick=20 and choose the choices of
>fantastic directors. I am skeptical and = have=20 the overwhelming intuition
>that "Gerald" fancies = himself some=20 type of hipster of film and gives
>little to no thought as to the = actual=20 genius behind a filmmakers work of
>art. The way I see it, all = directosrs=20 make mistakes in the careers, but
>there are some that you have to = grow=20 with.
@@@Excuse me?  I judge a film by it's = contents, I=20 do not give a poor film a sympathy vote just because the dierector = usually turns=20 out better movies.  On the subject of growing with = directors......what is=20 that all about.  A lot of Director's get worse with age rather than = better.  Should we look at "Alien 4" and regard it as = better than=20 "City" and "Delicatessan"?  I think not.  = Alfred=20 Hitchcock was a great director but I defy anybody to claim that = "Family=20 plot" (especially the last half hour!) is great film.  Edward = D. Wood=20 would have blushed at some of the silliness near the end of that = film.  I=20 have a lot of respect for De Palma but that does not stop "Raising=20 Caine" being a travesty.  I refuse to feel obligated to praise = a great=20 director no matter what they release.....and does criticising (not = rubbishing)=20 two films of the Coen brothers count as regarding all their work as = crap? Or=20 make them poor craftsmen?  Get real!!! 
 
 
I really believe that the
>directors attacked in his = essay
@@@  Essay???!!!  It was just a = reply to a=20 post!
 have no reason at all to be picked
>apart. I don't = think this=20 guy sees the bigger picture. He likes some of
>the Danny Boyle = films=20 (Trainspotting and Shallow Grave), but, I really
>would hate to = hear his=20 opinion of all the Danny Boyle films
@@@What, all three of=20 them!!!!!

 as that
>truly would be the straw to break the Camels = back.I=20 will go one bigger
>and say outloud, "Scream, I know What You = Did=20 Last Summer, and all
>subsequential sequals Sucked and is the type = of=20 Hollywood filth that is
>better sent back to the writers, with the = attachment-'Grow Up, Get a
>Clue, and find a better day = job!'". But,=20 opinions are like Kittens,
>everyone is giving them away. Here is = my=20 freebie.
 
I dont recall hailing "Scream" as = a great=20 horror film......I said it was O.K.  It is a step back in the right = direction for horror films compared to the last 8 years.  = Anyway........why=20 not inform the mailing list of some of your favourites?  Who knows = someone=20 may think your just elitist.............I await with baited = breath!~
Gerry=20 T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so = placid and=20 self contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do = not sweat=20 and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for = their=20 sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not = one is=20 dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things,
Not = one=20 kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years = ago,
not=20 one is respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt=20 Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
]<= BR>
------=_NextPart_000_0053_01BDDC07.B9956760-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - Wednesda Date: 09 Sep 1998 14:35:51 -0600 (MDT) There's something about Cameron Diaz that makes producers think she'd be just right to star opposite Meryl Streep in "Success." Diaz, who is hot after the success of "There's Something About Mary," is close to taking the role, Variety reports. "Success" is about the mentor-protege relationship between two women TV network executives, and the original script was by the husband-wife team of John Gregory Dunne and Joan Didion. -=> * <=- The current Miss America, Kate Shindle, has selected actress Sharon Stone as the recipient of the 1998 Miss America Woman of Achievement Award for her work on behalf of AIDS victims. Shindle has spent her year-long reign as Miss America lecturing to college and high school students about AIDS, sex and the use of condoms. The Woman of Achievement Award will be presented during this year's Miss America pageant to be televised on ABC. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Steven Spielberg has hired prolific screenwriter Ron Bass to adapt the screenplay for his next film, "Memoirs of a Geisha." Bass is already hard at work adapting Arthur Golden's epic novel into a script. "Even before Steven (Spielberg) came on board I wanted to be the guy who wrote this," Bass told Daily Variety. "With him directing, it became that much more attractive." "Geisha" tells the story of Nitta Sayuri, a nine-year-old girl sold into slavery in Kyoto in 1929, who grows up to become one of Japan's most renowned geishas. Last week, Spielberg cast unknown actresses Rika Okamoto and Julyana Soelistyo in the picture's lead roles. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - After working its way up the box office chart for more than seven weeks, "There's Something About Mary" landed at No. 1 for the first time over the Labor Day holiday weekend, with a studio-projected four-day take of about $11.6 million. While the rest of the summer blockbusters have wilted in the late summer heat, the 20th Century Fox comedy continues to defy gravity like Cameron Diaz's bangs in the picture's now-famous hair gel scene. "People who have seen it are seeing it again and people who haven't seen it yet have heard so much about it, that when they get around to seeing a picture, this is the one they pick," said Tom Sherak, chairman of 20th Domestic Film Group. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" Subject: [MV] MGM OnLine Newsletter Vol. 11 Date: 09 Sep 1998 14:40:10 -0600 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. --------------2885ADA2B7796FBB7A6D1866 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit --------------2885ADA2B7796FBB7A6D1866 Content-Type: message/rfc822 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline Return-Path: Received: from ns1.autosoft.com by asc1.ut.autosoft.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id OAA08387; Wed, 9 Sep 1998 14:17:25 -0600 Received: from mail.xmission.com (mail.xmission.com [198.60.22.22]) by ns1.autosoft.com (8.8.7/8.8.7) with SMTP id OAA07606 for ; Wed, 9 Sep 1998 14:21:45 -0600 Received: from (mail-oak-2.pilot.net) [198.232.147.17] by mail.xmission.com with esmtp (Exim 1.82 #2) id 0zGqkD-0000aR-00; Wed, 9 Sep 1998 14:21:37 -0600 Received: from www.mgm.com (www.mgm.com [204.48.18.141] (may be forged)) by mail-oak-2.pilot.net with ESMTP id NAA23825 for ; Wed, 9 Sep 1998 13:24:24 -0700 (PDT) Received: (from david@localhost) by www.mgm.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) id NAA15196 for gregorys@xmission.com; Wed, 9 Sep 1998 13:21:16 -0700 (PDT) Message-Id: <199809092021.NAA15196@www.mgm.com> X-Authentication-Warning: www.mgm.com: david set sender to mgmonline@mgm.com using -f ****************************************************** Instructions to remove yourself from this distribution list are located at the bottom of this memo. ****************************************************** September 4, 1998 Greetings Gregory, Welcome to the MGM OnLine Newsletter Vol. 11. MGM Television Win a trip for two to Vancouver, British Columbia and a VIP tour of the sets of STARGATE SG-1, THE OUTER LIMITS and POLTERGEIST-THE LEGACY in MGM-TV's VIP Give-Away. Enter on the official MGM-TV Sci-Fi/Adventure Give-Away Page at http://www.mgm.com/tv-giveaway and you could be having your Hollywood power lunch sooner than you think. Also in September...Chat live with the cast of STARGATE SG-1, Sept. 8-9. Check out the official STARGATE SG-1 site for details! And remember, check all three official sites later this month for new interviews, photos, episode info, station listings and new give-aways. Visit: http://www.mgm.com/tv MGM Home Entertainment Have you got the back-to-school blues? MGM's Family Entertainment would like to help cure that. We're giving away free videos of "Napoleon", (http://www.mgm.com/mgmhv/napoleon) the story of a Golden Retriever pup who takes off on a magical journey to the wilds of the Australian Outback in a wonderful, all-animal adventure. We're also giving away free videos of "Joey", (http://www.mgm.com/mgmhv/joey/) the story of a boy and a playful baby kangaroo who set out on the ultimate adventure in this fun-filled story for all ages. Just head to the above websites to get your chance to cure your back-to-school blues. Visit: http://www.mgmhomevideo.com or http://www.mgm.com/video MGM Music MGM Music is happy to present the RONIN soundtrack - available in stores 9/28 on the Varese label and promising a very cool new sound we know you'll like! Also, as part of our continuing Original MGM Soundtracks Series on Rykodisc look for more of the classics: ELMER GANTRY (with extra music) and THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (a 3 cd set with extra music) - both in stores 8/25; THE MISFITS (with extra music) and TARAS BULBA - both in stores 9/15; and the very long awaited THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (the original by Elmer Bernstein) and THE CUTTING EDGE - both in stores 9/29! ORIGINAL MGM SOUNDTRACKS can be ordered directly via MGM's Customer Service Line at 800/586-2021 or on the web at www.rykodisc.com Visit: http://www.mgm.com/music Other MGM Sites The Man In The Iron Mask Video Site: http://www.ironmask.com Search MGM's film archives: http://www.mgm.com/cgi-bin/cgi/vault.html Check out our contests: http://www.mgm.com/cgi-bin/cgi/contests.html The Official Pink Panther Website: http://www.mgm.com/pink Outer Limits: http://www.theouterlimits.com MGM Video Savant: http://www.mgm.com/savant If you would like to review your subscription or be removed from this list, please go to the following URL: http://www.mgm.com/newsletter/ --------------2885ADA2B7796FBB7A6D1866-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jayson Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 09:28:26 +0800 (HKT) On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Gene Ehrich wrote: > My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away > agreeing on some basic points. > > 1. Brilliantly made movie. > 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. > 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen > 4. Total waste of our time. > 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. > > Gene & Yolanda > ------------------------------------------------------ I think your comments are conflicting. First, you say that it was brilliantly made and then you say it's a total waste of time and you hated it more than Armageddon. Doh! Jayson ----------------- I've been down this road walkin' the line That's painted by pride And I have made mistakes in my life That I just can't hide Oh I believe I am ready for what love has to bring Got myself together, now I'm ready to sing. I've been searching my soul tonight I know there's so much more to life Now I know I can shine a light To find my way back home [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Travis Subject: [MV] The Gerald Taylor Files Date: 09 Sep 1998 20:21:04 -0600 I am writing to apologize to first, The Gerald Man, and second, all the posters. I have been unexcusably abusive in my original posting regarding Mr. Taylor. In his rebutal, I was in complete agreement with all that he had to say. I guess it just goes to show you that many beers in the morning will produce a very fiesty writer. I guess that I was having more fun than I should have, writing such a condescending letter and I got carried away. I hope that you all can overlook and forgive my outburst, especially you, Gerald. Peace in the Middle East! Keep on rocking in the free world. Yada Yada. TRAV. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: Re: [MV] The Gerald Taylor Files Date: 10 Sep 1998 06:23:06 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0029_01BDDC83.794603A0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Apology accepted.......but I still would not mind you posting a list of = some of your favourites if they have not yet shown up on either Jay or = my list. I am always on the look out for good films........incidentally = can someone tell me why another post I have sent has not appeared on the = mailing list? I have tried to send another responce to Jay three = times!~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------=_NextPart_000_0029_01BDDC83.794603A0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Apology accepted.......but I = still would=20 not mind you posting a list of some of your favourites if they have not = yet=20 shown up on either Jay or my list.  I am always on the look out for = good=20 films........incidentally can someone tell me why another post I have = sent has=20 not appeared on the mailing list?  I have tried to send another = responce to=20 Jay three times!~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live = with=20 animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand and look at = them long=20 and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They = do not=20 lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick = discussing their=20 duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania = of=20 owning things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that = lived=20 thousands of years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the = whole=20 earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt = Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=


------=_NextPart_000_0029_01BDDC83.794603A0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 09:17:48 +0100 --=_ORCL_5534814_0_0 Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Sorry to butt in , but personally I thought that Armageddon was class. Best film I have seen in a while, but Private Ryan 'aint over here yet though Bruce probably played his best acting to date, and Will Patton i thought was= brilliant, while Buscemi was hillarious. Any comments? Thanks & Regards, ****************************************************************************= ** ****************************************************************************= ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland ****************************************************************************= ** --=_ORCL_5534814_0_0 Content-Type:message/rfc822 Reply-to:IEUNIX1.IE.ORACLE.COM:movies@lists.xmission.com Return-Path: In-Reply-To: Message-Id: Sender:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type:TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding:7bit On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Gene Ehrich wrote: > My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away > agreeing on some basic points. > > 1. Brilliantly made movie. > 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. > 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen > 4. Total waste of our time. > 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. > > Gene & Yolanda > ------------------------------------------------------ I think your comments are conflicting. First, you say that it was brilliantly made and then you say it's a total waste of time and you hated it more than Armageddon. Doh! Jayson ----------------- I've been down this road walkin' the line That's painted by pride And I have made mistakes in my life That I just can't hide Oh I believe I am ready for what love has to bring Got myself together, now I'm ready to sing. I've been searching my soul tonight I know there's so much more to life Now I know I can shine a light To find my way back home [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] --=_ORCL_5534814_0_0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: mgmonline@mgm.com Subject: [MV] MGM OnLine Newsletter Vol. 11 Date: 10 Sep 1998 01:41:41 -0700 (PDT) ****************************************************** Instructions to remove yourself from this distribution list are located at the bottom of this memo. ****************************************************** September 4, 1998 Greetings Movies, Welcome to the MGM OnLine Newsletter Vol. 11. MGM Television Win a trip for two to Vancouver, British Columbia and a VIP tour of the sets of STARGATE SG-1, THE OUTER LIMITS and POLTERGEIST-THE LEGACY in MGM-TV's VIP Give-Away. Enter on the official MGM-TV Sci-Fi/Adventure Give-Away Page at http://www.mgm.com/tv-giveaway and you could be having your Hollywood power lunch sooner than you think. Also in September...Chat live with the cast of STARGATE SG-1, Sept. 8-9. Check out the official STARGATE SG-1 site for details! And remember, check all three official sites later this month for new interviews, photos, episode info, station listings and new give-aways. Visit: http://www.mgm.com/tv MGM Home Entertainment Have you got the back-to-school blues? MGM's Family Entertainment would like to help cure that. We're giving away free videos of "Napoleon", (http://www.mgm.com/mgmhv/napoleon) the story of a Golden Retriever pup who takes off on a magical journey to the wilds of the Australian Outback in a wonderful, all-animal adventure. We're also giving away free videos of "Joey", (http://www.mgm.com/mgmhv/joey/) the story of a boy and a playful baby kangaroo who set out on the ultimate adventure in this fun-filled story for all ages. Just head to the above websites to get your chance to cure your back-to-school blues. Visit: http://www.mgmhomevideo.com or http://www.mgm.com/video MGM Music MGM Music is happy to present the RONIN soundtrack - available in stores 9/28 on the Varese label and promising a very cool new sound we know you'll like! Also, as part of our continuing Original MGM Soundtracks Series on Rykodisc look for more of the classics: ELMER GANTRY (with extra music) and THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD (a 3 cd set with extra music) - both in stores 8/25; THE MISFITS (with extra music) and TARAS BULBA - both in stores 9/15; and the very long awaited THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (the original by Elmer Bernstein) and THE CUTTING EDGE - both in stores 9/29! ORIGINAL MGM SOUNDTRACKS can be ordered directly via MGM's Customer Service Line at 800/586-2021 or on the web at www.rykodisc.com Visit: http://www.mgm.com/music Other MGM Sites The Man In The Iron Mask Video Site: http://www.ironmask.com Search MGM's film archives: http://www.mgm.com/cgi-bin/cgi/vault.html Check out our contests: http://www.mgm.com/cgi-bin/cgi/contests.html The Official Pink Panther Website: http://www.mgm.com/pink Outer Limits: http://www.theouterlimits.com MGM Video Savant: http://www.mgm.com/savant If you would like to review your subscription or be removed from this list, please go to the following URL: http://www.mgm.com/newsletter/ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (September 10, 1998) Date: 10 Sep 1998 08:43:23 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (September 10, 1998). This week at the movies, a look at the underground world of high stakes poker, an old-fashioned buddy movie with a twist, and a seemingly provocative look at sex in the '90's all open as the summer movie season has officially ended. On home video, after two weeks of limited releases, the studios, having hoped to stay afloat in "Titanic's" wake, open their floodgates as eight new videos -- covering a gamut of genres -- hit the video shelves this Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "One True Thing" (Renee Zellweger, Meryl Streep), "Permanent Midnight" (Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Hurley), "Rush Hour" (Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker), and other new releases. __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH: "LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX" (1998) (Troy Beyer, Randi Ingerman) (R) Drama: An advice columnist (Beyer) and her friends (including Ingerman) try to make a video about "mating and dating" in the '90's while simultaneously dealing their own romantic and personal dilemmas. Less tantalizing than it appears, this half drama, half documentary hybrid never works on either front. The R rating comes from sexually explicit dialogue, some sex scenes, nudity, profanity, and some drug use. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/lets_talk_about_sex.html __________________________________________________ "ROUNDERS" (1998) (Matt Damon, Edward Norton) (R) Drama: Upon his longtime buddy's (Norton) release from prison, a young man (Damon) must decide whether to continue with his new life as a law school student, or get back into the underground world of high stakes poker. A solidly constructed drama with some great performances, the film is quite good, but lacks that extra spark to make it really special. The R rating comes from extreme profanity, some sexually related material, and brief drug use. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/rounders.html __________________________________________________ "SIMON BIRCH" (1998) (Joseph Mazzello, Ian Michael Smith) (PG) Drama: Two twelve-year-old best friends (Mazello and Smith) try to solve the mysteries in their lives as they grow up in the mid-1960's. Although occasionally a bit too manipulative, this interesting little tale, based on John Irving's novel (of a different name), should be a big crowd pleaser. Its PG rating comes from profanity, "thematic elements" (loss of a parent, etc...) and a harrowing accident scene. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/simon_birch.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15TH: "CITY OF ANGELS" (1998) (Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan) (PG-13) Romantic Drama: An angel (Cage) falls in love with a human (Ryan) and contemplates giving up his heavenly status so that he can experience life as only a human being can. This is one of those films that you'll either love or hate -- and a great deal of that might just depend on what kind of hormones you've got running through your body (although our male reviewer enjoyed it immensely). One of the surprise hits of this past spring, the film managed to gross around $80 million domestically, with another $60 million plus internationally. The PG-13 rating comes from a sensual encounter (with some dialogue) as well as some nudity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/city_of_angels.html) __________________________________________________ "DEEP RISING" (1998) (Treat Williams, Famke Janssen) (R) Horror: A team of thieves (including Williams and Janssen) encounters a monstrous, octopus-like creature onboard the cruise ship they initially intended to rob. Not pretending to be anything near high art, this movie is nothing more than a conglomeration of scenes and ideas ripped straight out of other, far superior movies. Grossing only around $11 million domestically, the film gets its R rating from violence, gore, and profanity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/deep_rising.html) __________________________________________________ "HE GOT GAME" (1998) (Denzel Washington, Ray Allen) (R) Drama: A prisoner (Washington) convicted of killing his wife has seven days to convince his estranged son (Allen), the number one high school basketball player in the country, to attend the Governor's favorite college that in turn might just earn him an early parole. As much a story about father son relationships as it is about basketball, this film is often brilliant, nearly always good, and only suffers from a few questionable moments that keep it from being a truly great film. Grossing a little more than $21 million domestically, the film gets its R rating from profanity, sexual material and brief drug use. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/he_got_game.html) __________________________________________________ "HUSH" (1998) (Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow) (PG-13) Suspense/Thriller: A young pregnant woman (Paltrow) must contend with her overbearing mother-in-law (Lange) whose obsession with her own son may endanger the woman's life. If you can manage to watch this without thinking logically at all about what's happening, or by getting a hoot out of Lange's occasionally over-the-top performance, then you might just enjoy it, but nothing will come as a surprise. Brief profanity, some violence, as well as some implied sexual activity with a bit of nudity earns the film -- that grossed around $13 million domestically -- its PG-13 rating. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/hush.html) __________________________________________________ "MERCURY RISING" (1998) (Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin) (R) Suspense/Drama: An FBI agent (Willis) must protect a nine-year-old autistic child from government officials (including Baldwin) who want the boy eliminated after he unknowingly breaks a top-secret military code. A tepid thriller that works on the most basic level, this movie surprisingly feels rather flat throughout most of the production despite a few standard-issue action set pieces. Grossing around $33 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from violence and profanity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/mercury_rising.html) __________________________________________________ "A PRICE ABOVE RUBIES" (1998) (Renee Zellweger, Christopher Eccleston) (R) Drama: A woman (Zellweger) tries to break free from the religious confines that she believes are restricting her life. Although there's nothing particularly special or compelling about this story of a woman breaking free from her societal, religious, and self-imposed lifestyle, it arrives in a competent package with enough interesting performances to possibly make it worth seeing for some viewers. Barely released in the theaters (with only a $1 million domestic gross), the film's R rating comes from sexually related material and brief profanity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/a_price_above_rubies.html) __________________________________________________ "SUICIDE KINGS" (1998) (Christopher Walken, Jay Mohr) (R) Drama: A group of young, but affluent men (including Mohr) kidnap a former Mafia capo (Walken) hoping that he'll convince his associates to discover who kidnaped the sister of one of the men. Wasting an interesting premise that had some potential, as well as a decent cast, this wannabe movie falls way short and lands hard due to its obvious self-belief that it's going to be good. Grossing a mere $1.7 million domestically, the film gets its R rating from violence, extreme profanity, drug use, and some nudity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/suicide_kings.html) __________________________________________________ "TWILIGHT" (1998) (Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon) (R) Drama: A detective (Newman) uncovers a decades old murder mystery that may implicate his married friends (including Sarandon) and jeopardize their friendship. One of the most eagerly anticipated movies of the year -- simply due to the high powered, Oscar worthy pedigree of those involved with the production -- this is a dull, less than involving feature that may lull, or better yet, bore you to sleep. Grossing around $15 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from violence, profanity, and some nudity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/twilight.html) __________________________________________________ "WIDE AWAKE" (1997) (Joseph Cross, Rosie O'Donnell) (PG) Drama: After the death of his grandfather, a ten-year-old (Cross) sets out on a quest to find God and make sure his grandfather is okay. An often entertaining film with an interesting premise, this film barely got released and only grossed around $250,000 domestically. Its PG rating comes from profanity and "thematic elements." (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1997/wide_awake.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 08:41:23 -0600 I couldn't agree more. Armageddon was one of the best action movies I have ever seen. The acting was superb, and the humor from everybody, not just Buscemi was incredible. People who spend a great deal of time speculating as to whether the plot was plausible or not (and I've met at least a dozen) shouldn't have gone to see the movie in the first place. I said it before, I'll say it again. If a movie meets or exceeds my expectations then it was well worth it. Armageddon more than exceeded my expectations. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, September 10, 1998 2:18 AM Cc: ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com Sorry to butt in , but personally I thought that Armageddon was class. Best film I have seen in a while, but Private Ryan 'aint over here yet though Bruce probably played his best acting to date, and Will Patton i thought was brilliant, while Buscemi was hillarious. Any comments? Thanks & Regards, **************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland **************************************************************************** ** [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan -Reply Date: 10 Sep 1998 08:52:51 -0700 I am constantly amazed at how many people honestly enjoyed Armegeddon. God, I wish I had. Just as I wish I had enjoyed Godzilla, Snake Eyes and Knock Off and all the other big, fat production pieces that left me empty. If only wishes could come true my life would be filled with joy. It is important to note that just because a person doesn't like an action film means they don't like that genre. I love good action flicks but unfortunately they are becoming more and more rare. Or maybe the bad ones are just becoming more and more common. Has anyone heard about Ronin? It seems that it may be more of a throwback to gritty 70s action films. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 11:04:35 -0600 Jayson wrote: > > On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Gene Ehrich wrote: > > > My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away > > agreeing on some basic points. > > > > 1. Brilliantly made movie. > > 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. > > 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen > > 4. Total waste of our time. > > 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. > > > > Gene & Yolanda > > ------------------------------------------------------ > > I think your comments are conflicting. First, you say that it was > brilliantly made and then you say it's a total waste of time and you hated > it more than Armageddon. Doh! Personally, I don't see them as conflicting. The first three comments don't preclude, for example, the film being boring and/or uninvolving. Greg [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 09:54:36 -0400 At 03:44 PM 9/8/98 -0600, you wrote: >I'm just curious what it was about the movie that made you feel it was a >waste of your time? What were you expecting from the movie? I'm sorry but I thought there would be something in the movie other than watching people die. It was more like watching a very realistic video game where you see how many people you can kill off. At least at Armageddon there was some story for the first half of the movie. War movies can be great but this seemed to have only one objective and that was to see how badly they could shock you with scenes of gruesome death. Take out all the scenes of people dying and you have a ten minute movie. >I'm of the opinion that if a movie meets or exceeds my expectations then it >was well worth my time. I would really be interested in your critique of This fell much short of our expectations. One of the ten worst we've seen over the last five years. As I said before it was a very poor choice of a way to spend three hours of our time. >this movie, because your first 3 points don't seem to jive with your last 2. I disagree. It was artistically brilliant but not at all enjoyable or worth watching. >This is the first time I've replied to a posting so If I'm totally out of >line, I'm sure you will all let me know. Keep posting your opinions, thats what this is all about. We all learn by reading what others have to say. Gene > >JAMES K. RUDY > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Gene Ehrich [SMTP:g@ehrich.com] >Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 3:32 PM >To: movies@lists.xmission.com >Subject: [MV] Private Ryan > >My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away >agreeing on some basic points. > >1. Brilliantly made movie. >2. Excellent acting and characterizations. >3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen >4. Total waste of our time. >5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. > >Gene & Yolanda >------------------------------------------------------ > >http://www.voicenet.com/~generic >gene@ehrich.com >Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 >------------------------------------------------------ > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 09:57:22 -0400 >> 1. Brilliantly made movie. >> 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. >> 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen >> 4. Total waste of our time. >> 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. >> >> Gene & Yolanda >> ------------------------------------------------------ > > >I think your comments are conflicting. First, you say that it was >brilliantly made and then you say it's a total waste of time and you hated >it more than Armageddon. Doh! > Did you ever see something you did not like but could appreciate the brilliance of the artist who made it? We could have, and should have, appreciated the brilliance for a few minutes and then better spent our time seeing something that was worth watching. Gene http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 13:22:20 -0400 At 11:04 AM 9/10/98 -0600, you wrote: >Jayson wrote: >> >> On Tue, 8 Sep 1998, Gene Ehrich wrote: >> >> > My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away >> > agreeing on some basic points. >> > >> > 1. Brilliantly made movie. >> > 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. >> > 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen >> > 4. Total waste of our time. >> > 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. >> > >> > Gene & Yolanda >> > ------------------------------------------------------ >> >> I think your comments are conflicting. First, you say that it was >> brilliantly made and then you say it's a total waste of time and you hated >> it more than Armageddon. Doh! > >Personally, I don't see them as conflicting. The first three comments >don't preclude, for example, the film being boring and/or uninvolving. I think you hit the nail on the head (no pun intended). It was a very, very boring film. Gene http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 11:26:32 -0600 Good point, and yes I have: OUT OF AFRICA, but I went and saw the premiere of it at the insistence of my older sister. Had I seen a preview of it, I would have not went and seen it at all. Yes I was impressed with quite a lot of it, but it was a waste of my time. I guess I was prepared to see Saving Private Ryan. A lot of people had told me how graphic it was, and my father had told me quite a lot about the D-day invasion and the war in Europe. He earned a purple heart in France several days after the invasion. I went to see the movie to see what the war was like, and from all first hand accounts that I've heard, the movie was right on. To sugar coat it in any way would have made it just another Lee Marvin WW2 movie (I'm not getting down on those movies I think they're great). Since I had a special purpose in mind when seeing it, I walked away from it with a special meaning within myself. I think it helped me understand my father quite a bit and so I guess I'm just a little touchy when somebody says it was a waste of time. My apologies, I'll be a little more opened minded in the future of other people's opinions. Now Armageddon on the other hand...I loved for no particular reason at all except I enjoyed the heck out of it, both the first and second time (4 days later) that I saw it. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, September 10, 1998 7:57 AM >> 1. Brilliantly made movie. >> 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. >> 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen >> 4. Total waste of our time. >> 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. >> >> Gene & Yolanda >> ------------------------------------------------------ > > >I think your comments are conflicting. First, you say that it was >brilliantly made and then you say it's a total waste of time and you hated >it more than Armageddon. Doh! > Did you ever see something you did not like but could appreciate the brilliance of the artist who made it? We could have, and should have, appreciated the brilliance for a few minutes and then better spent our time seeing something that was worth watching. Gene http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Movie Central" Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 10:54:37 PDT This is my first post so I appologize in advance if I'm out of line or completely out in space(I should also apologize for my spelling :-). SO far in this thread there have been a few movies mentioned, most of which I've seen. I agree with Gene on one point, the movie was technicaly excelent and brilliant. But it is also a movie that is quite grusome and because of that the movie is only for a very specific portion of the movie going audience. So seeing the 5 points that were made originaly I would have to argue that they weren't contradictory to each other(they might seem that way but they were not) I have seen some really good movies that I know were good but I didn't enjoy what so ever and I thought I had wasted my time watching them(I wont open a hornets nest by mentioning any) Now Armaggedon was also mentioned, this movie I think has to be one of the better made action movies out there. Of course its not realistic, well not completely if it was I wouldn't want to see it. And yes they tried keeping the movie withing some bounds of beleivability... so some people had to die. It wasn't the best movie ever made but it sure as hell was a good action movie that was fun to watch(at least I thought so). The other movies that were mentioned Snake eyes and Knock Off well everyone I know says they were bad. I saw Knock Off and I more than emphaticaly agree it sucks. So to group Armaggedon and Saving Private Ryan in with those two movies is in my opinion a mistake even if they are the same genre. Well enough of the long winded rant, I just thought that I'd throw my two cents worth into the conversation. Cheers, Matt >At 03:44 PM 9/8/98 -0600, you wrote: >>I'm just curious what it was about the movie that made you feel it was a >>waste of your time? What were you expecting from the movie? I'm sorry but > > I thought there would be something in the movie other than watching >people die. > > It was more like watching a very realistic video game where you see how many > people you can kill off. At least at Armageddon there was some story for the > first half of the movie. War movies can be great but this seemed to have >only > one objective and that was to see how badly they could shock you with scenes > of gruesome death. Take out all the scenes of people dying and you have > a ten minute movie. > >>I'm of the opinion that if a movie meets or exceeds my expectations then it >>was well worth my time. I would really be interested in your critique of > > This fell much short of our expectations. One of the ten worst we've seen > over the last five years. As I said before it was a very poor choice of a >way > to spend three hours of our time. > >>this movie, because your first 3 points don't seem to jive with your last 2. > > I disagree. It was artistically brilliant but not at all enjoyable or >worth watching. > >>This is the first time I've replied to a posting so If I'm totally out of >>line, I'm sure you will all let me know. > > Keep posting your opinions, thats what this is all about. > > We all learn by reading what others have to say. > > Gene > >> >>JAMES K. RUDY >> >> >>-----Original Message----- >>From: Gene Ehrich [SMTP:g@ehrich.com] >>Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 3:32 PM >>To: movies@lists.xmission.com >>Subject: [MV] Private Ryan >> >>My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away >>agreeing on some basic points. >> >>1. Brilliantly made movie. >>2. Excellent acting and characterizations. >>3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen >>4. Total waste of our time. >>5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. >> >>Gene & Yolanda >>------------------------------------------------------ >> >>http://www.voicenet.com/~generic >>gene@ehrich.com >>Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 >>------------------------------------------------------ >> >>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >> >>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >> >------------------------------------------------------ > >http://www.voicenet.com/~generic >gene@ehrich.com >Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 >------------------------------------------------------ > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ANTONIO CORDERO Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 12:04:11 -0700 (PDT) HEY!! AMIGO SO WHY DO THEY CONSIDER THE MOVIE AS THE 7 ART IF WE SHOULD EXPECT ALWAYS THE SAME STORIES, FOR ME A MOVIR IS GOOD IF REALY WONDER, SCARDE ME, SURPRISE ME, ETC. CAUSE ANY EMOTION OR FEELING. EITHER FOR THE SCENS YOUR ARE WATCHING AT OR THE THINGS THEY REMIND YOU. LET'S BE OBJECTIVE WHEN JUDGING BUT ALSO BE SENSIBLE (WITH THE ARTS AT LEAST) SALUDOS Y GRACIAS CINEFILOS ---Gene Ehrich wrote: > > At 03:44 PM 9/8/98 -0600, you wrote: > >I'm just curious what it was about the movie that made you feel it was a > >waste of your time? What were you expecting from the movie? I'm sorry but > > I thought there would be something in the movie other than watching > people die. > > It was more like watching a very realistic video game where you see how many > people you can kill off. At least at Armageddon there was some story for the > first half of the movie. War movies can be great but this seemed to have > only > one objective and that was to see how badly they could shock you with scenes > of gruesome death. Take out all the scenes of people dying and you have > a ten minute movie. > > >I'm of the opinion that if a movie meets or exceeds my expectations then it > >was well worth my time. I would really be interested in your critique of > > This fell much short of our expectations. One of the ten worst we've seen > over the last five years. As I said before it was a very poor choice of a > way > to spend three hours of our time. > > >this movie, because your first 3 points don't seem to jive with your last 2. > > I disagree. It was artistically brilliant but not at all enjoyable or > worth watching. > > >This is the first time I've replied to a posting so If I'm totally out of > >line, I'm sure you will all let me know. > > Keep posting your opinions, thats what this is all about. > > We all learn by reading what others have to say. > > Gene > > > > >JAMES K. RUDY > > > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: Gene Ehrich [SMTP:g@ehrich.com] > >Sent: Tuesday, September 08, 1998 3:32 PM > >To: movies@lists.xmission.com > >Subject: [MV] Private Ryan > > > >My wife and I went to see Saving Private Ryan last night and came away > >agreeing on some basic points. > > > >1. Brilliantly made movie. > >2. Excellent acting and characterizations. > >3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen > >4. Total waste of our time. > >5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. > > > >Gene & Yolanda > >------------------------------------------------------ > > > >http://www.voicenet.com/~generic > >gene@ehrich.com > >Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 > >------------------------------------------------------ > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > > ------------------------------------------------------ > > http://www.voicenet.com/~generic > gene@ehrich.com > Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 > ------------------------------------------------------ > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" Subject: [MV] subject lines Date: 10 Sep 1998 13:16:14 PDT ****Hey! Just a quick note, could people please start using the subject lines? Or at least change them, because i often sift through all my email by them when it comes to the movie list. When the subject says "private ryan" but the email is about armaggedon, something's not linking up! THANKS! :) ***** ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Danielle Conkle" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 13:22:58 PDT >> > agreeing on some basic points. >> > >> > 1. Brilliantly made movie. >> > 2. Excellent acting and characterizations. >> > 3. Most realistic war movie we have ever seen >> > 4. Total waste of our time. >> > 5. We hated it even more than Armageddon. >> > >> > Gene & Yolanda >> > ------------------------------------------------------ I felt Saving Private Ryan was very well done, including the acting right down to the details, but even with all that i didn't find it enjoyable. And that's the reason i go to the movies. I mean underneath the entertainment movies are supposed to teach you something. Something you can find from the movie and reflect it on your own experiences or knowledge, but above all that, a movie should be something fun to do. Even when the movie is sad, it is still 'enjoyable', and Private Ryan didn't do that for me. ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] The Gerald Taylor Files Date: 09 Sep 1998 22:16:14 -0700 I haven't seen it yet buddy...but feel free to email me directly - movieman@netcom.ca - I'd be glad to continue our conversation - I've got tons more films in my pocket...! At 06:23 AM 9/10/1998 +0100, you wrote: >>>> Apology accepted.......but I still would not mind you posting a list of some of your favourites if they have not yet shown up on either Jay or my list. I am always on the look out for good films........incidentally can someone tell me why another post I have sent has not appeared on the mailing list? I have tried to send another responce to Jay three times!~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Arial <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Jen Melone" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 17:20:47 -0400 > I felt Saving Private Ryan was very well done, including the > acting right down to the details, but even with all that i didn't find > it enjoyable. And that's the reason i go to the movies. I mean > underneath the entertainment movies are supposed to teach you something. > Something you can find from the movie and reflect it on your own > experiences or knowledge, but above all that, a movie should be > something fun to do. Even when the movie is sad, it is still > 'enjoyable', and Private Ryan didn't do that for me. This is the first time Ive responded, and I wouldnt classify myself as a "film buff" or anything, but I enjoyed Private Ryan. Maybe I havent been exposed to enough war film to tell the difference between what is and isnt crap. However, I thought the film was excellently crafted and raised some interesting questions. I enjoy films that make me think, and Ryan did that. Just my opinion. ~Jen [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/10/98 Date: 10 Sep 1998 15:53:53 -0600 (MDT) Harvard dropout (with only two semesters left to go) Matt Damon, who's been at the Venice Film Festival promoting his new movie "Rounders," might someday revive his academic pursuits. "If I have the time to go back, I'll go back," he told Reuters. "There's no real pressure from [my parents]. Realistically, they say, 'You're an English major, but you're getting paid to write screenplays. The fact you don't have a degree ... you're doing it backward!'" -=> * <=- SPLIT: Cute couple Cameron Diaz and Matt Dillon, according to New York's two tabloids. Publicists for both deny the break-up, but a source close to the couple confirmed the split to The PEOPLE Daily. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ken Andrews Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 14:29:06 -0800 I have to stick up for Private Ryan. Why? Personally, I felt that there has been a couple of movies that I have watched that changed my life. This was one of them. Besides the incredible scenes and the gruesome detail, there were major themes of loyalty, compassion and committment, along with others. What changed my life about this movie? My Grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge. I will never see him in the same light again. His sacrifice for my freedom, well, I have to honestly say that I had not appreciated it as much as I should have. In the past, I would have been quick to send our soldiers in to battle so that as "Americans" we can stand up and do what is right. The vivid pictures of war, will make me consider long and hard as to whether our young men and women should have to go into battle. This movie destroyed my romantic view of war. Did I enjoy it? Probably not. Did I think it was valuable? Yes. Why? Because I left the theatre changed. A better man. Now, let me say that I realize that not everyone romanticized war, and that not everyone needed to appreciate vets more, and that not everyone would be quick to send young men and women into war. For me this movie was life changing. One of the other movies that changed my perspective, my view, and my actions in life was Schindler's List. When I walked out of that theatre after Private Ryan, I was not the same person. I was a better man when I left. Ken PS. This is just how it affected me, and I realize that I am not everyone. I'm just me. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 09/10/98 Date: 10 Sep 1998 16:28:44 -0600 (MDT) Clint Eastwood plans to produce, direct and star in the upcoming Warner Bros. SF movie Space Cowboys, according to Variety. The film is based on a script by Ken Kaufman and Howard Klausner about a group of retired Air Force pilots who are recalled to duty in order to fly the space shuttle. Eastwood is reportedly interested in bringing Jack Nicholson and Sean Connery onboard the film as his co-stars. He will likely begin shooting the project after he wraps up work on his current film, True Crime, which is now in postproduction. -=> * <=- The recently announced live-action movie trilogy based on J.R.R. Tolkien's epic saga The Lord of the Rings is already attracting a lot of attention in Hollywood. Variety reports that "a gang of grizzled Hollywood veterans" are putting their weight behind the film, including Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne from New Line, co-chairmen Bob and Harvey Weinstein from Miramax, independent producer Saul Zaentz, and Wingnut Films' Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh. As previously announced in Sci-Fi Wire, Jackson will be directing the films, but now comes word that he will also co-write and produce the trilogy with his partner Walsh, and his company Weta Digital will be handling the special effects. New Line is backing the trilogy with $130 million, not including a $10 million payment to Miramax for the movie rights to both Rings and Tolkien's famous precursor novel, The Hobbit. The Weinsteins will still have a hand in the project, serving as executive producers for all three films. Miramax and Zaentz will also receive a back-end cut from the films, while Zaentz still holds most of his rights to the franchise. Meanwhile, Jackson and Walsh are already at work on the scripts, and they plan to have preliminary drafts of all three completed by the end of the year. The project is slated to begin filming in New Zealand in May 1999, with a tentative release date of Christmas 2000 for the first film. Although no casting has been done, Rings will likely feature newcomers in the lead roles, with name actors relegated to secondary and cameo appearances. -=> * <=- New Line Cinema's effects-laden vampire action flick Blade brought in an estimated $17 million during its debut weekend, beating out Saving Private Ryan for the No. 1 position at the box office. Blade went on to earn more than $11 million in its second week of release, enough to top the box office once again. The powerful performance of Blade put it among the top 10 openers of all time for the month of August, alongside New Line's Spawn and Mortal Kombat. The film, directed by Stephen Norrington and starring Wesley Snipes, is based on the Marvel Comic book series of the same name. -=> * <=- Armageddon earned $2.6 million during its debut weekend in Italy, making it the highest-grossing English-langauge film ever to open in that country. -=> * <=- Starship Troopers frontliner Casper Van Dien has signed on to star opposite Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's upcoming movie Sleepy Hollow, based on Washington Irving's classic story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 15:25:19 -0700 I think Ken Andrews is the 3rd Coolest man in the world!!! > -----Original Message----- > From: Ken Andrews [SMTP:kendrew@earthlink.net] > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 1998 3:29 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan > > I have to stick up for Private Ryan. Why? Personally, I felt that there > has been a couple of movies that I have watched that changed my life. > This > was one of them. > > Besides the incredible scenes and the gruesome detail, there were major > themes of loyalty, compassion and committment, along with others. > > What changed my life about this movie? > > My Grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge. I will never see him in > the same light again. His sacrifice for my freedom, well, I have to > honestly say that I had not appreciated it as much as I should have. > > In the past, I would have been quick to send our soldiers in to battle so > that as "Americans" we can stand up and do what is right. The vivid > pictures of war, will make me consider long and hard as to whether our > young men and women should have to go into battle. > > This movie destroyed my romantic view of war. Did I enjoy it? Probably > not. Did I think it was valuable? Yes. Why? Because I left the theatre > changed. A better man. > > Now, let me say that I realize that not everyone romanticized war, and > that > not everyone needed to appreciate vets more, and that not everyone would > be > quick to send young men and women into war. For me this movie was life > changing. One of the other movies that changed my perspective, my view, > and my actions in life was Schindler's List. > > When I walked out of that theatre after Private Ryan, I was not the same > person. I was a better man when I left. > > Ken > > PS. This is just how it affected me, and I realize that I am not > everyone. I'm just me. > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 16:45:05 -0600 Ken, Thank you! I'm right there with you my friend. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, September 10, 1998 4:29 PM I have to stick up for Private Ryan. Why? Personally, I felt that there has been a couple of movies that I have watched that changed my life. This was one of them. Besides the incredible scenes and the gruesome detail, there were major themes of loyalty, compassion and committment, along with others. What changed my life about this movie? My Grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge. I will never see him in the same light again. His sacrifice for my freedom, well, I have to honestly say that I had not appreciated it as much as I should have. In the past, I would have been quick to send our soldiers in to battle so that as "Americans" we can stand up and do what is right. The vivid pictures of war, will make me consider long and hard as to whether our young men and women should have to go into battle. This movie destroyed my romantic view of war. Did I enjoy it? Probably not. Did I think it was valuable? Yes. Why? Because I left the theatre changed. A better man. Now, let me say that I realize that not everyone romanticized war, and that not everyone needed to appreciate vets more, and that not everyone would be quick to send young men and women into war. For me this movie was life changing. One of the other movies that changed my perspective, my view, and my actions in life was Schindler's List. When I walked out of that theatre after Private Ryan, I was not the same person. I was a better man when I left. Ken PS. This is just how it affected me, and I realize that I am not everyone. I'm just me. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE GOVERNESS Date: 10 Sep 1998 17:42:15 -0600 (MDT) THE GOVERNESS (Sony Classics) Starring: Minnie Driver, Tom Wilkinson, Florence Hoath, Harriet Walter, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. Screenplay: Sandra Goldbacher. Producer: Sarah Curtis. Director: Sandra Goldbacher. MPAA Rating: R (nudity, sexual situations) Running Time: 114 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. Here's the faint praise with which I ultimately damn THE GOVERNESS: while I was consistently interested in the film, I'm not sure I could tell you what the point of it all was. Certainly I could outline the plot, which centers around a young Sephardic Jewish woman named Rosina Da Silva (Minnie Driver) in 1840s London. When her father dies suddenly, leaving a mountain of debt, Rosina is obliged either to marry or find employment of her own. The high-spirited girl opts for the latter course, posing as a Gentile named Mary Blackchurch in order to work as a governess for a Christian family called Cavendish on Scotland's Isle of Skye. There she finds herself drawn to patriarch Charles (Tom Wilkinson), a reclusive scientist, even as his son Henry (Jonathan Rhys-Meyers) becomes fascinated with Rosina/Mary. From there, however, things start to get a little murky. We know that Rosina is a stranger in a strange land; will the central conflict be a clash of cultures? We know her young charge Clementina (Florence Hoath) is a trouble-maker; will the story follow their growing mutual affection? We know that Rosina has dreams of performing on the stage; will we find her getting lost in the real-life performance she is forced to undertake? We know that Mrs. Cavendish (Harriet Walter) feels suffocated by her isolated country life; will she and Rosina act as counterpoints in a study of acceptable female roles, or bond over their shared pining for the city? The answer to these questions and more is a resounding "sort of." The bulk of the narrative is devoted to the developing relationship between Charles and Rosina, a relationship hinged on a provocative irony: though Rosina loves Charles for his ability to appreciate her mind (when he invites her to assist in his research), he only knows her as the fiction she has created. Yet all the rich background provided by writer/director Sandra Goldbacher teases without adding up to enough. In the long run, it's virtually irrelevant that Rosina is Jewish; all she really needs is some sort of dark secret to hide from the Cavendish family. The Rosina-as-actress angle disappears after the first act, shortly followed by the conflict between Rosina and Clementina (dismissed in one threatening tug of the pigtails). Most disappointing of all is the lack of interest Goldbacher shows in developing her secondary characters. Mrs. Cavendish, a potentially touching portrait of repressed longing, instead becomes comic relief described as though "she had a lemon stuck up her bottom." Even more mysterious is young Henry, whose obsession with Rosina may be an act of rebellion, or perhaps a fleeting adolescent crush, or perhaps some mixture of the two. In any case, it certainly doesn't mean enough for a lingering scene of Henry writhing naked in the surf to provide anything more than the film's _second_ gratuitous penis shot. Driver's strong, sensual performance as Rosina and Wilkinson's turn as the conflicted Charles do fill in plenty of gaps, but it's tough to get caught up in a romantic square composed of one real woman, half an identifiable man, a pale and petulant enigma, and a stick figure wrapped in a shawl. All the time that might have been spent sorting out their motivations is spent instead on a metaphor so massively obvious you might trip over it on your way out into the lobby. Charles' major scientific investigation involves photography, particularly how to hold the transient images which fade over several hours. Leaving aside Rosina's Forrest Gump-like discovery of the darkroom and the concept of saline solution developing, the entire photography angle feels like one long attempt to distinguish between our two principal characters -- she wants to capture human faces (i.e. she's vibrant and alive), he is interested only in inanimate objects (i.e., he's cold and reserved). What we don't see is what this has to do with any of the other cultural or sociological tidbits Goldbacher drops along the way. Driver's Rosina is a compelling enough presence that you'll want to put the pieces together, but you'll find far more ambition than resolution. THE GOVERNESS fairly drowns in context desperately seeking some content. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 blue Skyes: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ken Andrews Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 10 Sep 1998 17:16:44 -0800 Thanks everyone for your kind comments; How affected was I by this movie? After sending my earlier post, I remembered a letter I had written. I had never written anyone like this before, but I did after Saving Private Ryan: July 27, 1998 Mr. Tom Hanks C/O PMK 955 S. Carillo Dr., Suite 200 Los Angeles, CA 90048 Dear Mr. Hanks; I have never written a letter like this before, and probably will not in the future. I=92m not sure if you will ever see this letter due to the f= act that I am sure you must receive volumes of mail from =93crazed=94 fans. = I am not really a fan. I=92m a husband and father, first, and then a pastor. = But whether you read this letter or not, there are a couple of things I must share with you. First, I saw Saving Private Ryan today. I don=92t think I will ever be t= he same. My grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and I never realized the devastation of war prior to your movie. I will never let another Veteran=92s Day go by without expressing heartfelt appreciation f= or their sacrifice on the battlefield. I appreciate my freedom a little mor= e than I did this morning. Thank you! Second, I want to tell you what a pleasure it is to see you act. My desi= re as a Pastor is for each person to find that one area, talent or gifting i= n their life that expresses what the Creator meant for them to be and do. = It is obvious that when you act you are a =93violin=94 in the Master=92s han= ds. In my life, this happens when I sing, and encourage my congregation. It is = at that moment that I know I am the tool of One who is greater than I. I sa= w that today in you. In a film today I was changed. I am a better man than I was. There is n= o higher complement than this. This is why I had to write. Sincerely, Ken Andrews [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" Subject: [MV] Reaching celebrities Date: 11 Sep 1998 09:22:41 -0600 I just ran across the following URL you can use to get in touch with celbrities via email: http://www.celebrityemail.com/ It claims to have 18,000 listings, everyone from Leonardo DiCaprio to Monica Lewinsky. In reality, most of those I searched for came back with a "xxxxx does not have a public Email Address" response. What they do in those cases is let you post a message which then gets printed out and sent along with others semi-regularly (once a week for hot celebs, less often for others). It's worth a try if to do nothing more than save a stamp for those of you who have fallen under a particular celbrities' spell. Greg [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan's letter Date: 11 Sep 1998 08:32:18 -0700 I'm sure Steven Spielberg would appreciate a copy of this letter as well.... > -----Original Message----- > From: Ken Andrews [SMTP:kendrew@earthlink.net] > Sent: Thursday, September 10, 1998 6:17 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan > > Thanks everyone for your kind comments; > > How affected was I by this movie? After sending my earlier post, I > remembered a letter I had written. I had never written anyone like this > before, but I did after Saving Private Ryan: > > > July 27, 1998 > > Mr. Tom Hanks > C/O PMK > 955 S. Carillo Dr., Suite 200 > Los Angeles, CA 90048 > > > Dear Mr. Hanks; > > I have never written a letter like this before, and probably will not in > the future. I'm not sure if you will ever see this letter due to the fact > that I am sure you must receive volumes of mail from "crazed" fans. I am > not really a fan. I'm a husband and father, first, and then a pastor. > But > whether you read this letter or not, there are a couple of things I must > share with you. > > First, I saw Saving Private Ryan today. I don't think I will ever be the > same. My grandfather fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and I never > realized the devastation of war prior to your movie. I will never let > another Veteran's Day go by without expressing heartfelt appreciation for > their sacrifice on the battlefield. I appreciate my freedom a little more > than I did this morning. Thank you! > > Second, I want to tell you what a pleasure it is to see you act. My > desire > as a Pastor is for each person to find that one area, talent or gifting in > their life that expresses what the Creator meant for them to be and do. > It > is obvious that when you act you are a "violin" in the Master's hands. In > my life, this happens when I sing, and encourage my congregation. It is > at > that moment that I know I am the tool of One who is greater than I. I saw > that today in you. > > In a film today I was changed. I am a better man than I was. There is no > higher complement than this. This is why I had to write. > > Sincerely, > > Ken Andrews > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/11/98 Date: 11 Sep 1998 13:05:53 -0600 (MDT) "Mad Max" is revving up his motorcycle. Universal plans to release a fourth installment of the action-adventure series in time for a major summer release in either 2001 or 2002. But whether Mel Gibson will return as the post-apocalyptic gunslinger battling violent car and motorcycle gangs is another matter, reports Variety. The star, who was paid $15,000 for the first "Max" in 1979, now commands $20 million per picture, plus a sizable portion of the profits. Gibson has not been approached to star in the new "Max," his reps said. -=> * <=- Germany on Thursday awarded Steven Spielberg its highest honor, the Federal Cross of Merit, for his work in preserving the memory of the Holocaust, reports Reuters. In an emotional ceremony, Spielberg described the prize as one of his greatest honors and said he had been particularly pleased to see that his 1994 film "Schindler's List" has had a powerful impact in Germany. The director wept openly when clarinetist Giora Feidman emerged from the 550 guests assembled for a dinner in Spielberg's honor at the presidential palace and played the haunting theme music to "Schindler's List." * Earlier in the week, Spielberg paid an emotional visit to a Nazi concentration camp north of Berlin. The director spent 45 minutes at the camp where about 100,000 Jews, gypsies, gays and Nazi opponents died. Spielberg had toured camps in Poland, but this was his first trip to one in Germany. "I'm very moved by this, very disturbed by this," he said, "but very encouraged today to see so many young people on tours, taking notes, taking it all in and remembering it forever, which is something we always must do." -=> * <=- Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut," starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, will finally see the light of day on July 16, 1999 -- almost three years after the marathon production began. Warner Bros. said the film's domestic release would be "closely followed" by its international release. The July 16 date puts the film's debut just two weeks after the studio's megabudget 4th of July release, "Wild, Wild West," starring Will Smith, Kevin Kline and Kenneth Branagh. "Eyes Wide Shut" has been shrouded in secrecy. Kubrick's meticulous shooting style has made the production one of the longest in recent film history. * In other news of Tom Cruise, he'll be online Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. EDT at www.without-limits.com to discuss his role as co-producer of the new film "Without Limits," about the late running-legend Steve Prefontaine. Also chatting live (from the Toronto Film Festival) will be co-producer Paula Wagner, writer-director Robert Towne and some of the cast, which includes Billy Crudup and Donald Sutherland. -=> * <=- DIED: Russian-born actor Leonid Kinskey, who played Sascha the bartender in "Casablanca" (and was one of the last surviving members of that movie), Tuesday, of complications from a stroke, in Arizona. He was 95. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "greuel" Subject: [MV] Four times mad Date: 12 Sep 1998 11:48:46 cet > > *** 'Mad Max' revving up again > > HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Mad Max" is revving up his motorcycle at > Universal Pictures. The studio plans to release a fourth installment > of the action-adventure series in time for a major summer release in > either 2001 or 2002. But whether Mel Gibson will return as the > post-apocalyptic gunslinger battling violent car and motorcycle gangs > is another matter. The actor, who was paid $15,000 for the first > "Max" in 1979, now commands $20 million per picture, plus a sizable > portion of the profits. Gibson has not been approached to star in the > new "Max," his representatives said. The first three pictures - "Mad > Max," "The Road Warrior" (1981) and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" > (1985) - were shot in Australia on relatively low budgets. ### I guess you all read this thing here someplace. Whaddaya think? After the third one I thought that they had drained the series of all its qualities so that there was nothing left. Maybe the next one will be a DIsney production. I would keep Gibson, he's Max just as Weaver is Ripley. Maybe they can reduce the budget by letting him direct or something. While the first two MaMas are pretty devastating films - better than all the other attempts to cash in (Escape from NY), I must say in the wake of Tina Turner and that kindergarden there is not much I look forward to here. We'll see. thomas --- http://greuel.notrix.de/ - abomiNation "One must still have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing star" Friedrich Nietzsche [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Toni Slovacek" Subject: Re: [MV] Four times mad Date: 12 Sep 1998 12:41:31 +0100 -----Original Message----- > > *** 'Mad Max' revving up again I guess you all read this thing here someplace. Whaddaya think? After the third one I thought that they had drained the series of all its qualities so that there was nothing left. Maybe the next one will be a DIsney production. I would keep Gibson, he's Max just as Weaver is Ripley. Maybe they can reduce the budget by letting him direct or something. While the first two MaMas are pretty devastating films - better than all the other attempts to cash in (Escape from NY), I must say in the wake of Tina Turner and that kindergarden there is not much I look forward to here. We'll see. thomas I don't think they can or want to get Mel for this instalment - for a start it would probably preclude further sequels - and if budget is such a concern, my feeling is that this will be more along the lines of the rash of B and C apocalyptic and sci-fi movies that flooded the video stores in the mid-late 80s, many of them coincidentally starring Michael Pare or John Stockwell If they do try to tie it in to the story (unfortunately for them VERY strongly set in Oz), it will be will a new set of characters I think (perhaps they'll pay for the montages from 2 and 3?) Just a thought ... Toni [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Yusheng" Subject: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 12 Sep 1998 23:02:17 +0800 Anyone have seen 'Pretty woman',It's so nice. I think it's the modern version of 'Cinderalla'.The man and the girl,they find the best thing in each other,and changed each other forever.Could anybody tell me something about the director and the writer of the movie? Are they famous in the US? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS Date: 12 Sep 1998 09:28:39 -0600 (MDT) SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS (Fox Searchlight) Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Alan Arkin, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Corrigan. Screenplay: Tamara Jenkins. Producers: Michael Nozik and Stan Wlodokowski. Director: Tamara Jenkins. MPAA Rating: R (adult themes, nudity, sexual situations, profanity) Running Time: 91 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. Sometimes I just want to shake a film-maker who doesn't seem to understand the strengths of her own story. Take Tamara Jenkins, for example, the first time writer/director behind SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS. Her tale centers around the Abramowitz family, a semi-dysfunctional clan living in Southern California circa 1976. Papa Murray (Alan Arkin) is a no-luck car salesman coping with persistent financial short-falls and being a single parent to his three children, most problematic his only daughter, 14-year-old Vivian (Natasha Lyonne). Vivian is having enough trouble dealing with typical teenage problems, like her suddenly daunting breast size, without the added stress of moving from apartment to apartment every few months to stay one step ahead of eviction. The mid-70s setting at first seems fairly arbitrary, a token attempt at period color, but eventually the two main characters deepen the resonance of the time. Murray, the 65-year-old father of three young children, is still very much a 1950s-style father, evidenced by a throwaway scene in which he summons a black waiter in a restaurant with a racial slur. He defines his success as a father by his ability to provide for his family, and makes it his goal to live in an area which will still allow his children to go to the best schools (the "slums" of Beverly Hills described in the title). He certainly can't be the sensitive, worldy parent Vivian needs as she begins exploring her sexuality in a time light years removed from Murray's adolescence. How can you discuss sex with a dad who insists that you wear a bra with a halter top? That relationship forms the foundation for a solid story where the laughs could have come from simple character interaction. The two lead performances are earnest and sympathetic, showing a strained affection between father and daughter where communication is a challenge at best. Lyonne in particular pulls off some difficult scenes of teenage sexual experimentation without a hint of exploitativeness, ably assisted by Kevin Corrigan as the next door neighbor with whom she experiments. Why, then, must Jenkins get hyper-quirky on us by introducing Vivian's free-spirited older cousin Rita (Marisa Tomei), a troubled, pregnant, recovering drug addict who comes to stay with Murray's family? There's nothing faintly interesting or real about Rita or her problems; they're like the shenanigans of a wacky relative on a television sit-com. Every scene with Tomei is an over-the-top distraction, turning a low-key character study into forced farce. It's hard to take SLUMS seriously when a tearful exchange between Vivian and Rita involves a gobbledegook secret childhood language. It's not as though Jenkins needed to pad the running time because there wasn't anything more substantial with which to fill it. She never quite explains why Vivian's mother is never discussed, never quite explains what happened to the restaurant Murray once ran successfully, never quite gives fully rounded personalities to Vivan's two brothers (David Krumholtz and Eli Marienthal). There's enough going on in that slightly radioactive nuclear famliy to fill a feature film without bringing in Crazy Cousin Rita. SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS draws you in with some sensitive observations about a family trying to cope with a profound generation gap, as well as with a breakout performance by the unconventionally fetching Lyonne. Then, it starts pushing you away with gratuitous eccentricity. I wish Jenkins had showed more faith in Murray and Vivian. Like the Abramowitzes themselves, she doesn't seem to know how good she really has it. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 rolling Hills: 6. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ANTONIO CORDERO Subject: Re: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 12 Sep 1998 11:12:33 -0700 (PDT) WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S YOUR FULL NAME IT'S SOMETHING STRANGE THAT SOMEBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS ARE YOU A GIRL OR A BOY..... ---Yusheng wrote: > > Anyone have seen 'Pretty woman',It's so nice. I think it's the modern > version of 'Cinderalla'.The man and the girl,they find the best thing in > each other,and changed each other forever.Could anybody tell me something > about the director and the writer of the movie? Are they famous in the US? > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Diane Christy Subject: Re: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 12 Sep 1998 14:03:21 -0500 ---Yusheng wrote: >> >> Anyone have seen 'Pretty woman',It's so nice. I think it's the modern >> version of 'Cinderalla'.The man and the girl,they find the best >thing in >> each other,and changed each other forever.Could anybody tell me >something >> about the director and the writer of the movie? Are they famous in >the US? The director was Garry Marshall. He's done a lot of directing and some acting. He's got a famous sister too--Penny Marshall--who's also into directing. She starred in a popular sit-com a while back. I don't know who wrote the screenplay, but I've always liked this movie. It's actually based on the story from "My Fair Lady." I think it's Julia Robert's best role and the last role I liked Richard Gere in. It really is one of my favorites. I've got it on DVD. It's the director's cut. It's got a few scenes that weren't in the original release--kind of superfluous actually. Anyway I love this movie. Oh and in case you see it again, there's a scene with a homeless man picking up things off the street while Gere's character is looking for Beverly Hills. He asks this man for directions and he gives a sarcastic answer with a thick New York accent. Anyway, that's Garry Marshall--the director of the movie. Just a bit of trivia!! ~~~~~ Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom) Jefferson, LA http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/ mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net mailto:DChristy1@aol.com on AOL Instant Messenger on PeopleLink http://www.peoplelink.com/v1/ ICQ #12904700 ~~~~~ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Yusheng" Subject: RE: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 13 Sep 1998 12:35:52 +0800 Hi,Antonio What make u feel strange? I am neither a boy nor a girl,I am a man from china.I am a little tired of those action movies:explosions,gun fires,car racings,all seem like old wine in a new bottle. I think they are lack of imagination and originality.After seeing those movies,you have got nothing to remember,and nothing to reflect upon. -----Original Message----- > >WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S YOUR FULL NAME IT'S SOMETHING STRANGE >THAT SOMEBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS ARE YOU A GIRL OR A BOY..... > > > >---Yusheng wrote: >> >> Anyone have seen 'Pretty woman',It's so nice. I think it's the modern >> version of 'Cinderalla'.The man and the girl,they find the best >thing in >> each other,and changed each other forever.Could anybody tell me >something >> about the director and the writer of the movie? Are they famous in >the US? >> >> >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >> > >_________________________________________________________ >DO YOU YAHOO!? >Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: [MV] A Simple Plan review Date: 12 Sep 1998 07:13:21 -0700 The adventure starts again as another chapter begins to unfold on Toronto's 23rd Film Festival. I began the festivities tonight with the World Premiere of A Simple Plan - directed by Sam Raimi and starring Bill Paxton, Billy Bob Thornton and Bridgette Fonda. It is based on the book of the same name by first time author Scott Smith and it's about 2 brothers and a buddy who stumble upon $4 million in a downed plane in the middle of the forest and then decide to keep it. Of course that's exactly when the trouble begins! A tense thriller with a lot of laughs. This is a big departure for Raimi whos other credits include Evil Dead, Darkman and The Quick and the Dead. Paxton was good but Billy Bob certainly stole the show as the loser brother. Raimi, Paxton and Thornton were all at the premiere and gave us their comments at the begining. Raimi started by asking if anyone lost a roll of twenties kept together by an elastic band - then said that he found the elastic band...! He was surprised at the size of the audience - I'm not sure if he was surprised that Roy Thompson Hall was large or that it was full of people wanting to see his movie. Billy Bob looked strange in real life - not dressed up and Paxton apologized that Fonda couldn't be here and that they were a good team. He said that he was really proud of this film and hoped that we liked it. Well - the film definitely was a great time - and if you've read the book there will still be some surprises for you! Enjoy - I give this one an easy 92%. More Film Fest to come.... Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Honwa Chau Subject: [MV] pretty woman Date: 13 Sep 1998 23:44:22 +0900 The film was written by J. F. Lawton, who also wrote "Under Siege," which starred Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey and Steven Segal and was directed by Andrew Davis. Although "Under Siege" and "Pretty Woman" may seem like night and day, Lawton apparently wrote a more serious story that was sweetened by Marshall into a romantic comedy. itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - Week of September 13, 1998 Date: 13 Sep 1998 15:52:14 -0400 SIMON BIRCH - BIRCH DEFECTS http://www.moviejuice.com by Mark Ramsey September 13, 1998 In preparation for Simon Birch, I decided to brush up on my studies of flora and fauna. There's birch and oak and maple and pine, for starters. And what they all have in common is they grow REALLY SLOWLY. In fact, by the end of two Birch-filled hours, I'm in full support of global deforestation. I was so itchy I wanted to saw that kid in half because counting the rings would be more interesting than suffering this dialogue. Simon Birch is a tiny sick kid played by real-life tiny sick kid Otowumba Nngolooma. Otowumba, whose African roots were cleverly disguised by special effects, heard about Brad Pitt's commitment to realism by chipping his teeth for a role, so he injected himself with a fatal dose of terminal cuteness, last used by the little girl in Hope Floats and siphoned directly from the jugular vein of that kid in Jerry Maguire. Besides this illness, however, Otowumba also suffers from a disease called "Exploitatious Hollywoodus." Wouldn't the money dumped into this flick have been better invested in Jerry's Kids than in this gratuitous exercise in foul-mouthed 12-year old banter? Isn't it cute when sickly kids (or healthy ones for that matter) talk about boobs? "My balls just turned to raisins," says Simon. Awwwww! Cute! More detail than I wanted, pal. But Simon is not just sickly, foul-mouthed, and horny. He's also very spiritual; an "instrument of God." Taken together, this combination qualifies him either for premature death or for the Presidency. And who wouldn't choose premature death? Otowumba was discovered in a traveling circus show. When his carnival sidekick removes his upper torso, it seems, there are ever smaller Otowumbas inside, thus allowing Hollywood a range of models to choose from just like the friendly folks down at Beverly Hills BMW. In fact, back in the early 80's, Xerox attached a rope to Otowumba, put a button on his back, and slid him along a wrestling mat as an early model for what computer users now call a "mouse." The model for "floppy disks" was Pamela Anderson Lee, but that's another story. Little sickly wise-ass Simon is a big trouble-maker in this flick. He does almost nothing but drives the adults batty anyway. As the minister tells him, "We need a break from you, Simon." What kind of lame-ass Mayberry juvenile delinquency is this? Beware, Simon, or you'll be sharing a cell with Otis the drunk. Coming up next: Simon joins the Jets in West Side Story and Simon wraps unauthorized masking tape around the nose bridge of his glasses. Damn rebel! Believe it or not Jim Carrey's in this movie, proving not only that he can make movies that aren't funny, but movies that aren't any good at all. Narrates Jim: "Time is a monster that cannot be reasoned with. It responds like a snail to your impatience." You got that right, baby. Why not put that line on the movie poster: "Simon Birch: It responds like a snail to your impatience." Did I mention that Ashley Judd's in this movie? She plays the best looking gal in town. And from the looks of this town, the runner up has four legs. Her beau is played by the unlikeliest casting call of the year: Oliver Platt. Oliver Platt?? With Ashley Judd?? Dapper Ollie, who looks like the bastard son of Gary Cooper and Oliver Hardy, has died and gone to casting heaven! And if that's not unbelievable enough, Ollie plays a drama teacher who's STRAIGHT, thus making him rare as the Hope diamond but not nearly as well cut. According to the opening credits, this movie wasn't based on a book, it was "suggested by" a book. Just what does that mean? Did the book call its agent? Was there arm-twisting involved, or just page-turning? If this flick can be "suggested by" a book, can it be "ignored by" the audience? Simon Birch was made for a different era. They don't make 'em like this anymore, and who can blame 'em? No wonder the studio sought a script polish from long dead scribe Preston Sturges who refused, saying he's working on a script for the third movie based on runner Steve Prefontaine, because - in the words of Sturges - "there can never be enough movies about runner Steve Prefontaine." One thing good about this movie: It follows all the Screenwriter's Rules. Such as: 1. When the baseball moves in slo-mo, that means the batter's gonna hit it 2. When the kid doesn't know who his dad is, it's got to be one of the stars 3. A nagging cough means death is near 4. Old folks always die before the final reel 5. The extensive use of foreshadowing allows the audience to see everything that matters before it matters so we can all leave early, missing nothing And why did they change the kid's name from Owen Meany (in the book) to Simon Birch? Oh to Hell with it, who cares. I can't wait for this movie to hit video, DVD, and Laserdisc so I can avoid renting it in as many formats as possible. Will someone please install a countdown timer above the exit sign in this theater. Or at least turn up the lights so I can find a gun and shoot myself. Simon Birch is blah. Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved. NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR. ******************** SHAMELESS PITCH: Anyone who misses an opportunity to see the revamped Orson Welles Classic "Touch of Evil" should have their frickin' head examined. Run, don't walk, to the theater when it comes to your town. It'll make you stand up and cheer. You'll feel ten feet tall. And all that other stuff Joel Siegel always says. But God bless Joel, because he's signed up to the MovieJuice list. ******************** Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com. The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)! ******************** TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL! Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and follow the directions at the top of the left frame. It's very easy. NOTE: YOUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE EMAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH). And don't write me lots of mean-spirited crap. I won't read it. ******************** IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING If the lines extend way off into the right horizon, then look to your browser or email software for a setting called "Wrap Long Lines." Now, if your lines aren't RAPPING, then you should consider that normal. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 9-14-98 : Slate II, Take 38 Date: 13 Sep 1998 21:13:50 EDT FILM THREAT WEEKLY "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" ============================= Slate II, Take 38 : September 14th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= "Oh, those idiot producers! Those imbeciles! Haven't they got any eyes? Have they forgotten what a star looks like?" - Gloria Swanson vowing a screen return in "Sunset Boulevard" <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ——> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ——> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ——> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs. ——> BIG SCREEN: Rounders, Ronin and that's it. ——> EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL: Festival Reviews ——> THE TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL: Festival Report from 9,000 Feet ——> AN INDIE PRODUCTION DIARY: The final chapter. SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999. Seeking features, docs, shorts, and music videos. Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet streaming. Awards, prizes and parties. Deadline November 20th, 1998. Check web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 http://www.6161.com ATOMIC HOLLYWOOD - $3.00 VIDEO SAVINGS! Hard to find videos at www.atomichollywood.com. Many titles. Readers of Film Threat Weekly will get a special $3.00 discount on all videos when they key "FTW". http://www.atomichollywood.com SIX STRING SAMURAI GALA PREMIERE SCREENING - YOU’RE INVITED!!! The best indie film of 1998, "Six String Samurai" will screen in Los Angeles on Thursday, September 17th at 7:30 pm at the Sunset 5. Director Lance Mungia and star Jeffrey Falcon will be there giving away posters, soundtrack CDs and other goodies at the screening to benefit the Slamdance Film Festival. The $20 tickets also includes a pass to the premiere party. Hurry!! http://www.slamdance.com/ontheroad/ssspremiere.shtml WIN A FILM THREAT VIDEO! "Sign up a friend!" =========================================== Each week we'll be giving away a special collectible Film Threat Party Video to readers who forward Film Threat Weekly to their friends! (And you know in Hollywood, "friends" is a loose term, so that means just about anybody!!!) You could WIN, too! The more e-mail addresses you send, the more your chances to win. Sign up your whole family, or your whole company! Start forwarding FTW to your pals or send us their e-mail address and we'll send them a weekly fix of Film Threat. That's not a threat, it's a promise. THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of September 11-13, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/New ROUNDERS $8.8 2/ 1 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $8.0/$140.3 3/ 2 BLADE $5.2/$56.4 4/ 3 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $4.7/$173.2 5/New SIMON BIRCH $3.3 6/ 5 EVER AFTER $2.4/$57.3 7/ 4 KNOCK OFF $1.9/$8.3 8/ 8 SNAKE EYES $1.7/$52.6 9/ 10 HOW STELLA GOT HER GROOVE BACK $1.6/$34.0 9/ 11 ARMAGEDDON $1.6/$194.0 PICKS OF THE WEEK "Stuff we wanna plug." =========================================== TOURING FILM FESTIVAL: D.FILM'S 98/99 season kicks off this weekend in San Diego. This year the D.FILM festival comes to 19 cities around the world. D.FILM showcases films made with computers and other forms of new technology. For years only a few networks and film studios could afford this kind of technology -- today you can probably run it on the desktop of the computer you have at home. Do it. http://www.dfilm.com INDIE MOVIE SITE: "Free Enterprise" is a romantic comedy about two Star Trek geeks looking for love in the 90s. It’s "Swingers" with nerds! The hilarious indie film features William Shatner as himself and contains smart writing courtesy of Mark Altman and Robert Meyer Burnett, the boys from the once-great "Sci-Fi Universe" magazine. Live long and profit. http://www.freeent.com CONTEST: Calling all technophiles! Win free movie passes! SonicNet and Caipirinha Productions want you to experience Modulations, the film which captures this moment in history in which humans and machines are fusing to create today's most exciting sounds. Directed by Iara Lee (of "Synthetic Pleasures" fame), "Modulations" is a must see for the devout jungle raver and the mild ambient fan alike. Prizes: Grand Prize: 3 Winners will receive 2 tickets each to a screening of "Modulations - Cinema For The Ear," a very cool Modulations movie poster, and a copy of the "Modulations" soundtrack on CD. Must enter before September 18th at 12pm. Enter Contest by e-mail at: http://www.sonicnet.com/contests BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. ROUNDERS (R) (http://www.miramax.com) * * * Noir King John Dahl directs once and future "IT" boy Matt Damon in this tale of underground card games in New York City. It's too bad with all of the poker action there wasn't enough time to establish the relationships between haracters. Mike McDermott (Damon) is a born rounder, one who makes a living through poker, earning his way through law school. In the opening scene, Mike blows all of his money in a high stakes game with Teddy-KGB, as played by John Malkovich channeling Andy Kaufman imitating Yakoff Smirnoff. Mike swears off gambling to the relief of his girlfriend, Jo (apparently very excited Vanity Fair cover girl, Gretchen Mol). Nine months later, Mike's childhood friend Johnny Boy, uh, I mean Worm (Edward Norton), gets out of prison and drags Mike back in to help cover Worm's debts. Mike only plays fair, as he can read a player's hand through his eyes and nervous tics, but Worm always cheats. All heck (and some ribs) break loose. Law school professor Obi-Wan Kenobi (Martin Landau) later provides advice and help. For all of his ability to read people, Mike never seems to be a great judge of his inner circle. His girlfriend always rides his ass about the one thing he's really good at. Worm is hell-bent on destroying himself and anything that gets in his way. I'd rather have seen more stuff with the other rounders, such as John Turturro and Famke Janssen. With Damon's voice-over narration and set pieces with colorful characters, I kept thinking I was watching "The Rainmaker" again. This would probably have been a five star movie if the Coen brothers had made it, but then what wouldn't? - Ron Wells RONIN (R) * * 1/2 (http://www.mgm.com) "The French Connection" meets "The Dirty Dozen" in this Euro-thriller with a distinctly American flavor. Robert De Niro heads an international crew of covert operatives -- former CIA, KGB and IRA personnel dislocated by changing politics, thus the Japanese term "Ronin" referring to a samurai without a master -- to recover a mysterious case for a faceless employer. The concept is intriguing and the car chases are pure adrenaline -- though director John Frankenheimer steals about every trick from car chase master William Friedkin ("The French Connection" and "To Live and Die in LA") -- but when the cards are exposed in the end, the film surrenders to cliché and silly excess. The performances by De Niro, Stellan Skarsgård, Natascha McElhone, and Jean Reno are on the mark, it's too bad that the script by David Mamet under the pen name Richard Weisz can't carry off what it started. - T. Meek EDINBURGH FILM FESTIVAL "Festival Reviews" =========================================== by Ilana Lindsey BEDROOMS & HALLWAYS * * * * Bedrooms & Hallways is a 300% improvement on Rose Troche's previous film, Go Fish. The two films are utterly dissimilar in style and quality. While Robert Farrar's clever, fresh and funny screenplay deserves some of the credit Troche's direction is equally witty and enjoyable. She must have been practicing. The film tells the story of Leo - a gay man who has been confident of his homosexuality since his school days. Brendan, who's been in a relationship with Sally, Leo's ex-girlfriend, for the past seven years, knows that he is straight. When the three of them get together, however, they realize that sexual identity is not as absolute as they had previously believed. Bedrooms & Hallways is a thoroughly entertaining film. It contains fun, vivid characters brought to life through sparkling dialogue and all around energetic and engaging performances. Kevin McKidd ("Trainspotting"), as Leo, is an accessible and sympathetic leading man while Tom Hollander ("Martha Meet Frank, Daniel and Lawrence") steals the show as Leo's theatrical, sexually adventurous friend and flatmate. While filmmakers must be credited with having the bravery to confront certain previously taboo areas of gay cinema the film ultimately does present a somewhat glib, Disneylandish attitude towards relationships. It also contains one two many suspensions-of-disbelief straining co-incidences. Overall, however, the film is funny, intelligent and consistently entertaining with slick production values and a fast paced story. GET REAL * * * Despite the cliché ridden plot Get Real, Simon Shore's first feature film, manages to tell sweet, moving story about the difficulties involved in being young and in the closet in suburban Britain. Steve Carter, a 16 year-old sixth form student, has been aware of and comfortable with his homosexuality since the age of eleven. His plump, strong willed best friend, Linda, is the only person who knows his secret. When Steve falls in love with John "sex-on-legs" Dixon – the repressed school athletic hero – he's forced to face his fears regarding telling his peers and parents about his true self. The rather unoriginal script, co-written by Shore and Patrick Wilde (who wrote the stage play upon which the film is based), has roughly an equal number of clever lines and embarrassing clunkers. It tells a simple and facilely inspiring story about bravery and being true to oneself. Simon Shore's direction is energetic and colorful, but it's the actors who keep the film entertaining and raise it to a level beyond an after school special. Ben Silverstone, who played the young Humbert Humbert in Adrian Lyne's Lolita, gives a thoroughly engaging and believable performance as Steve. He draws one directly into his character's mind while managing to make Steve's thoughts and emotions radiate out through his skin and eyes. The rest of the universally pretty cast of unknowns are equally watchable. Additionally, one can somewhat forgive the film's lack of originality by taking into account the fact that it is obviously targeted at teenagers. THE TICHBORNE CLAIMANT * * * * A well shot and directed, pleasantly entertaining first feature directed by David Yates and scripted by Joe Fisher. The Tichborne Claimant tells the true story of Andrew Bogle, the African manservant of the Tichborne family, who is abandoned when his charge, Sir Roger Charles Doughty Tichborne, is lost at sea. Ten years later Bogle conducts a search for the missing heir and comes up with a drunken butcher living in Australia who somewhat fits the bill. Bogle gives his chosen claimant a Pygmalion like training in the art of behaving like an English gentleman. Upon arrival back in England, however, the Tichborne family refuses to accept Bogle's claimant as the rightful heir to their estate and a well-publicized lawsuit ensues. Robert Pugh gives a strong, comical performance as the claimant while John Kani is sober yet affecting as Bogle. It's an amusing, well-structured story told in an attractive and commercial style with the requisite number of laughs and a sufficiently moving and sentimental ending. Rather than groundbreaking cinema, this is a well-made, professional film that will charm mainstream audiences if they are willing to overlook the lack of box office names. THE TELLURIDE FILM FESTIVAL AT 25: "Festival Report from 9,000 Feet" =========================================== by Mark A. Altman The Telluride Film Festival, the venerable cinema smorgasbord set in the unlikely setting of the San Jacinto mountains of Colorado, has come under increasing criticism for becoming precious as the erudite tastes of its promoters have become decried for their pretensiousness. But despite the notable dearth of Hollywood acquisitions execs and silver screen power players at this year’s event, Telluride’s 25th anniversary delivered the goods to cinemaphiles in search of the best and the most innovative in world cinema from today and yesterday. What was probably most surprising given the film’s notable milestone was the lack of cutting edge contemporary independent fare. In fact, it seemed as though Telluride has totally surrendered this mantle to Sundance. The few movies from the independent scene like Lion’s Gate "I’m Losing You" got distinctly mixed reaction from the crowd while "Happiness" already made a splash at Cannes and also earned wildly divergent reactions from the attendees. Sophomore helmer Lodge Kerrigan seemed to get the best reaction with his latest effort "Claire Dolan" boasting impressive performances from both "Breaking The Waves" Katrin Cartilidge and Irish film staple (and DS9 regular) Colm Meaney. More impressive was sunglass wearing guest director Pete Bognovich’s welcome presence including his highlighting of the year 1928 as cinema’s finest. King Vidor’s "The Crowd" and Josef Von Sternberg’s "The Last Command" were two of the biggest hits of the festival, both notably absent from the AFI’s Top 100 films and delighted packed houses. Although you often had to deal with Bognovich’s raging ego during his presentations (more evident during a panel on 70’s filmmakers in which the words "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls" was never uttered once), he also was a fountain of information and delivered a great presentation on John Ford while unspooling his delightful 1971 documentary on the classic American auteur. Much to the surprise of everyone, Meryl Streep was honored with a special tribute. (She was joined briefly by Clint Eastwood who looked like he couldn’t wait to ankle the fest as soon as possible.) Given that this is the same festival that has highlighted the work of actresses like Judy Davis, Hanna Schuygulla, Jodie Foster and Jennifer Jason Leigh, the mainstream choice of a noted Oscar winner seemed a bit odd. More in keeping with the spirit of the festival were tributes to cinematographer extraorinare Vittorio Storaro (and the premiere of his latest work, "Tango") and surrealist filmmaker Susumu Hani. Ironically, the most talked about films at the fest included the restored "Touch of Evil", Bill Murray in Wes Anderson's delightfully wacky and original "Rushmore" and Ken Burns’ latest documentary, the impressive two and a half hour biopic about Frank Lloyd Wright. Although it was Leonard Maltin’s presentation/retrospective on 3-D Films that stole the show including clips from a diverse range of Hollywood anti-classics as well as some of the latest cutting edge 3-D technology including Warner Bros. newest Marvin The Martian cartoon and a surprisingly effective Hitchcock tribute from Universal. While Sundance entry "Central Station" earned some accolades, few films gained universal praise and there was much grumbling about the mediocre fare unspooling at the show. Most surprising was the surprise showing of a film from festival co-director Tom Luddy that was savaged by filmgoers. Even as the sun went down on the four day event, passholders were shocked that the fest ended with a collection of shorts instead of the far more appropriate "The Last Picture Show" which could have provided a more welcome coda to the festival in the tradition of its many great closing films of years past (e.g. "Apocalypse Now," The Magnificent Seven," "The Wanderers"). But regardless of its failings, Telluride still ranks as the best fest for filmgoers who are trying to avoid a summer of killer asteroids and monsyllabic vampire hunters and immerse themselves in a weekend of great cinema among kindred spirits. In fact, the biggest Telluride highlight may have been the fact that it never rained the whole weekend. Now there’s something to really celebrate. AN INDIE PRODUCTION DIARY (OR WHAT WE DID ON OUR SUMMER VACATION) =========================================== by Merle Bertrand Thursday September 3, 1998 Everything just stops. There's no easing down; no gradual sense that things are coming to a close. Instead, after months of prepping, followed by three ultra-intense weeks in the meat-grinder that is an independent film shoot, you wake up one morning... and it's over. You've lived and bonded with 25 other crew members and now you realize that you won't see those people today. Like a graduating high school class, this crew you've been to war with will never be assembled in its entirety again. It makes for a bittersweet wrap party. More to the point, you've suddenly got time on your hands again and you struggle to remember what life was like before the shoot. You skeptically convince yourself that it's okay to spend an afternoon WATCHING a movie instead of making one. "Adam & Ollie" was a rugged shoot. We needed four weeks and we had three. We needed another $25-30,000 but we didn't have it. We needed clear skies and cooler temperatures and we got thunderstorms and weather in Austin so swampy, I'd have gladly traded in my lungs for gills. Still, like "Seeking the Cafe Bob" and our other films before it, we finished "A&O" on time and on budget, the footage looks sweet, nobody died, and everyone's still speaking to one another. Can't ask for much more than that. Thanks to Gore for allowing me time off from reviewing movies to document this odyssey. If you're a filmmaker yourself, I hope our experience touched a familiar chord or two. If you're contemplating becoming a filmmaker, I hope I didn't scare you off! Above all else, I hope this diary kept you entertained and provided a taste of what life is like on an indie production. Thanks also to Marie Black and our producer Tony Hewett for the opportunity, to director Jeff Stolhand for guiding the ship, to DP William Ambrico for making the pictures look pretty, to script supervisor Anne del Castillo for keeping us from screwing up, and to our highly talented cast and crew for proving once again that Hollywood's not the only town that knows how to make movies. By the way, I think we've (finally) come up with a real title, instead of "Adam and Ollie." Keep an eye out here for updates on "What I Like About You" during post and/or the festival/distribution process. In the meantime, send us money if you're rich so we can make another one. FINAL NOTE: Merle will spend the next few weeks recovering. END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells Send us films, videos, CDs, games, screening passes: FILM THREAT, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 150, Los Angeles, CA 90036 Website: http://www.filmthreat.com Edress: FilmThreat@aol.com FILM THREAT WEEKLY is published by The Gore Group, LLC. All material © 1998 Gore Group Publications. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reprinted without written permission of the author. You are, however, welcome to forward this e-mail to whomever you wish. All letters, comments and reviews sent to Film Threat Weekly in any manner are assumed intended for publication, unless stated otherwise. Your name and e-mail address will be printed if published herein. Not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Film Threat is now a proud part of the den: the daily entertainment network at http://www.theden.com Film Threat Weekly is distributed by ZENtertainment - http://www.zentertainment.com QUOTING FILM THREAT WEEKLY: Journalists, if you feel the need to quote Film Threat Weekly you MUST include the Film Threat url (http://www.filmthreat.com) so that readers can get more information. Otherwise you are NOT given permission to quote any material or contents contained herein. ADVERTISE: FILM THREAT MEDIA KIT =========================================== Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net. To receive an e-media kit, e-mail filmthreat@aol.com. Our rates are very reasonable, only $10 per word with a 10 word minimum. Indie filmmakers get a 50% discount! Get the full details in our kit. FILM THREAT WEEKLY TAKES OVER THE NET "Read FTW on other sites" =========================================== Read Film Threat Weekly on the "Internet Movie Database" at http://us.imdb.com/Threat/ Also read Film Threat Weekly on the "Hollywood IndieNetwork" at http://indienetwork.com/filmthreat/index.html Speak Italian? Read Film Threat Weekly translated into Italian at http://www.ottoemezzo.com FTW is also posted on a web site in the Philippines, Cyberville Online at http://www.cyberville-manila.com FILM THREAT "Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium" =========================================== Independent, Cult, Underground, Alternative Film, Hollywood Satire And No BS ==============CUT-AND-PRINT =============== [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Four times mad + some Highlander Trivia Date: 14 Sep 1998 08:00:14 -0600 I heard a rumor that Sean Connery revised his role in Highlander 2 at a fraction of his normal fee, because he enjoyed the first Highlander. It's quite possible that if they were to ask Mel Gibson to be in Mad Max 4 he'd probably do it as a blue light special, after all Mad Max 1 and 2 is pretty much what catapulted him into super stardom. Can anybody confirm or deny the rumor I heard about Highlander?????????? JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Saturday, September 12, 1998 5:49 AM > > *** 'Mad Max' revving up again > > HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Mad Max" is revving up his motorcycle at > Universal Pictures. The studio plans to release a fourth installment > of the action-adventure series in time for a major summer release in > either 2001 or 2002. But whether Mel Gibson will return as the > post-apocalyptic gunslinger battling violent car and motorcycle gangs > is another matter. The actor, who was paid $15,000 for the first > "Max" in 1979, now commands $20 million per picture, plus a sizable > portion of the profits. Gibson has not been approached to star in the > new "Max," his representatives said. The first three pictures - "Mad > Max," "The Road Warrior" (1981) and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" > (1985) - were shot in Australia on relatively low budgets. ### I guess you all read this thing here someplace. Whaddaya think? After the third one I thought that they had drained the series of all its qualities so that there was nothing left. Maybe the next one will be a DIsney production. I would keep Gibson, he's Max just as Weaver is Ripley. Maybe they can reduce the budget by letting him direct or something. While the first two MaMas are pretty devastating films - better than all the other attempts to cash in (Escape from NY), I must say in the wake of Tina Turner and that kindergarden there is not much I look forward to here. We'll see. thomas --- http://greuel.notrix.de/ - abomiNation "One must still have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing star" Friedrich Nietzsche [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" Subject: Re: RE: [MV] Four times mad + some Highlander Trivia Date: 14 Sep 1998 15:11:47 +0100 --=_ORCL_5564993_0_0 Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" If it is the rumour about Connery demanding less for Highlander 2, I don't know, but I heard a rumour that they are making another HighLander Film! Thanks & Regards, ****************************************************************************= ** ****************************************************************************= ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland ****************************************************************************= ** --=_ORCL_5564993_0_0 Content-Type:message/rfc822 Reply-to:IEUNIX1.IE.ORACLE.COM:movies@lists.xmission.com Return-Path: Received:from iedns1.ie.oracle.com by iemail1.ie.oracle.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-4.1) id OAA06761; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 14:55:41 +0100 Received:from mail-gw3.uk.oracle.com (ukaa04.uk.oracle.com) by iedns1.ie.oracle.com (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id AA11861; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 14:59:41 +0100 Received:from uksn98.uk.oracle.com (uksn98.uk.oracle.com [138.3.208.67]) by mail-gw3.uk.oracle.com (8.8.5/8.8.8) with SMTP id PAA25509 for ; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 15:01:26 +0100 (BST) Received:from lists.xmission.com ([198.60.22.7]) by uksn98.uk.oracle.com via smtpd (for ukaa04.uk.oracle.com [138.3.208.99]) with SMTP; 14 Sep 1998 14:01:26 UT Received:from domo by lists.xmission.com with local (Exim 1.82 #1) id 0zIZBB-0002oS-00; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 08:00:33 -0600 Received:from (fwext.micron.com) [204.134.212.40] by lists.xmission.com with smtp (Exim 1.82 #1) id 0zIZB8-0002oN-00; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 08:00:30 -0600 Received:from admin-srv21.micron.com by fwext.micron.com via smtpd (for lists.xmission.com [198.60.22.7]) with SMTP; 14 Sep 1998 14:00:29 UT Received:from ntxchange01.micron.com (ntxchange01.micron.com [137.201.105.67]) by admin-srv21.micron.com (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id IAA04488 for ; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 08:00:22 -0600 (MDT) Received:by ntxchange01.micron.com with Internet Mail Service (5.0.1460.8) id ; Mon, 14 Sep 1998 08:00:20 -0600 Message-Id: Sender:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable I heard a rumor that Sean Connery revised his role in Highlander 2 at a fraction of his normal fee, because he enjoyed the first Highlander. It's quite possible that if they were to ask Mel Gibson to be in Mad Max 4 he'd probably do it as a blue light special, after all Mad Max 1 and 2 is pretty much what catapulted him into super stardom. Can anybody confirm or deny the rumor I heard about Highlander?????????? JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Saturday, September 12, 1998 5:49 AM > > *** 'Mad Max' revving up again > > HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Mad Max" is revving up his motorcycle at > Universal Pictures. The studio plans to release a fourth installment > of the action-adventure series in time for a major summer release in > either 2001 or 2002. But whether Mel Gibson will return as the > post-apocalyptic gunslinger battling violent car and motorcycle gangs > is another matter. The actor, who was paid $15,000 for the first > "Max" in 1979, now commands $20 million per picture, plus a sizable > portion of the profits. Gibson has not been approached to star in the > new "Max," his representatives said. The first three pictures - "Mad > Max," "The Road Warrior" (1981) and "Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome" > (1985) - were shot in Australia on relatively low budgets. ### I guess you all read this thing here someplace. Whaddaya think? After the third one I thought that they had drained the series of all its qualities so that there was nothing left. Maybe the next one will be a DIsney production. I would keep Gibson, he's Max just as Weaver is Ripley. Maybe they can reduce the budget by letting him direct or something. While the first two MaMas are pretty devastating films - better than all the other attempts to cash in (Escape from NY), I must say in the wake of Tina Turner and that kindergarden there is not much I look forward to here. We'll see. thomas --- http://greuel.notrix.de/ - abomiNation "One must still have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing star" Friedrich Nietzsche [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] --=_ORCL_5564993_0_0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: RE: [MV] Four times mad Date: 14 Sep 1998 09:04:27 -0700 Based on the box office potential of a fourth Mad Max and the fact that Mel agreed to star in the last Lethal mess, I can't see any reason why they couldn't bring him on board. He is the character and any attempt to pass off somebody else would diminish the film to direct-to-video status only. I understand that Mel received over $40 million for the last Lethal Weapon (with profit participation) and see no reason that he couldn't be enticed to come back for a similar paycheck. Also, why not keep it in Australia? The setting is perfect, it would save production money needed to cover Mel's fat check and Australia needs the job. Oh, I saw the reedited version of "Touch of Evil" yesterday and it was great of course. They've removed credits over the opening shot and reinserted ambient noise left out in the previous version. There are other changes that my feeble mind did not grasp but it was great to see this masterpiece in the theatre. Well's use of light and shadow can cause the video versions of his movies to appear dark and details can be lost. I'm glad I got to see every weird and wacky moment. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: [MV] Toronto Film Fest Party Date: 13 Sep 1998 23:55:22 -0700 Was invited to an invitation only festival party last night and had myself a great time. Although there were no big stars there it was fun to be at a party where you didn't have to pay for drinks and waiters walked around with tons and tons of hors d'oeurves. The live musical band (The Red Elvises) was from the fest movie Six String Samauri and I managed to talk to the fest president, a juror of the fest from Zurich, some independent filmakers (currently screening Sploosh at the fest) and some producers (one of them of a Brazillian movie at the fest). It was fun to schmooze with filmakers and I thought that I would share this experience with you all! Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "David Lee" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 15 Sep 1998 10:29:51 +0800 A few recent movies come to mind, really... English Patient is one... Good cinematography, nice portrayal of characters, but you just didn't enjoy it. I believe strongly, in the view that how good a movie is, or how much you like a particular movie, really depends on how much (and to what extent) it meets your expectations. Some movies can be duds but you just enjoy them, because they surpass your low expectations. Some classy movies are to be commended for their technical merit, but they just don't make you feel good. Saving Pte Ryan, alas, belongs to the latter. No doubt it will garner a couple of nominations for next year's Oscars, but it will just be one of those movies that start the tongues wagging. Just my two cents' worth. David [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan -Reply Date: 15 Sep 1998 08:42:17 -0700 David wrote: Sometimes...no... a lot of times a film is not designed to make you feel good. Sometimes it is meant to teach, influence and even make you feel bad. If you don't care to have those feelings then I can understand why Private Ryan would produce such a negative opinion. On the other hand, despite its few flaws I felt that the movie gave me the closest feeling to how horrifying an experience war can be than any other movie except for Apocalypse Now (in a completely different manner). I didn't leave the theatre walking on a cloud but was humbled to imagine the horrors I have been spared by the actions of average men/boys thrown into hell (my father included). WW I was joined enthusiastically by many countries because over the years the idea of war had become romanticized. Trench warfare proved to be anything but. I think it important that we never allow such distortion of reality to develop again. David Chronenberg is a filmmaker that I believe is a true artist but I do not see his films either because they simply repulse me. I have enjoyed some of his movies but stopped going because I found myself more nauseated than anything else. In spite of that I cannot deny his genius. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon Date: 15 Sep 1998 18:33:21 +0100 --=_ORCL_5578926_0_0 Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Nobody has mentioned it, but I thought Platoon also made war look real bad, as oppossed to all the romantic World War Films of it's predecessors. It is really a day in the life of a young kid with all these thoughts and dreams about war, and see's the realities first hand. Any comment's? (I await the onslought) Thanks & Regards, ****************************************************************************= ** ****************************************************************************= ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland ****************************************************************************= ** --=_ORCL_5578926_0_0 Content-Type:message/rfc822 Reply-to:IEUNIX1.IE.ORACLE.COM:movies@lists.xmission.com Return-Path: Received:from iedns1.ie.oracle.com by iemail1.ie.oracle.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-4.1) id QAA28762; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 16:37:06 +0100 Received:from inet16.us.oracle.com by iedns1.ie.oracle.com (5.x/SMI-SVR4) id AA08720; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 16:41:00 +0100 Received:from lists.xmission.com (lists.xmission.com [198.60.22.7]) by inet16.us.oracle.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id IAA23919 for ; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:42:46 -0700 (PDT) Received:from domo by lists.xmission.com with local (Exim 1.82 #1) id 0zIxCR-0003f0-00; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 09:39:27 -0600 Received:from (mail-lax-3.pilot.net) [205.139.40.17] by lists.xmission.com with esmtp (Exim 1.82 #1) id 0zIxCO-0003eo-00; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 09:39:25 -0600 Received:from proxy.saban.com (unknown-23-154.saban.com [204.48.23.154] (may be forged)) by mail-lax-3.pilot.net (Pilot/) with ESMTP id IAA09828 for ; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:39:20 -0700 (PDT) Received:from SABAN.COM (unknown-60-17.saban.com [206.189.60.17]) by proxy.saban.com (8.8.5/8.8.5) with SMTP id IAA21926 for ; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:39:06 -0700 (PDT) Received:from Saban-Message_Server by SABAN.COM with Novell_GroupWise; Tue, 15 Sep 1998 08:48:49 -0700 Message-Id: Sender:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Disposition:inline Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable David wrote: Sometimes...no... a lot of times a film is not designed to make you feel good. Sometimes it is meant to teach, influence and even make you feel bad. If you don't care to have those feelings then I can understand why Private Ryan would produce such a negative opinion. On the other hand, despite its few flaws I felt that the movie gave me the closest feeling to how horrifying an experience war can be than any other movie except for Apocalypse Now (in a completely different manner). I didn't leave the theatre walking on a cloud but was humbled to imagine the horrors I have been spared by the actions of average men/boys thrown into hell (my father included). WW I was joined enthusiastically by many countries because over the years the idea of war had become romanticized. Trench warfare proved to be anything but. I think it important that we never allow such distortion of reality to develop again. David Chronenberg is a filmmaker that I believe is a true artist but I do not see his films either because they simply repulse me. I have enjoyed some of his movies but stopped going because I found myself more nauseated than anything else. In spite of that I cannot deny his genius. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] --=_ORCL_5578926_0_0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon -Reply Date: 15 Sep 1998 10:50:10 -0700 the only issue I have with Platoon was that it was making a political statement and chose to demonize certain characters in order to jack up the tension. The fact is that war is hell even if you don't have a crazy commander. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon -Reply Date: 15 Sep 1998 13:11:40 PDT >the only issue I have with Platoon was that it was making a political >statement and chose to demonize certain characters in order to jack >up the tension. The fact is that war is hell even if you don't have >a crazy commander. > >bb The Vietnam war was very political, so doesn't it make sense that the movie have political underpinnings? Also, of course realistically, the "demonization" of some characters or portrayals of crazy commanders is not necessarily realistic, but it leads to possible interpretations - at least the ones that Stone spells out for us - as the War as a metaphor for the battle over the main character's soul. Then, you will have extremes in character certainly. but, this will make more sense if you concede that Stone may have further meaning to the movie. I do agree that war is hell regardless of who's in charge. Other war movies to consider: The Longest Day, The Naked and the Dead, and Full Metal Jacket. Name: W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon -Reply Date: 15 Sep 1998 12:03:18 -0700 OKAY -- My turn to blather on..... > The Vietnam war was very political, so doesn't it make sense that the > movie have political underpinnings? [Romero, Leticia] All wars are political, when you get down to it, but the purpose of a good war movie is to give insight to the people who are actually fighting it, for whatever reason they're fighting. This is how we learn that "War is Hell." Thanks to Kubrick, Stone, Speilberg, and countless other excellent storytellers, we are learning truly how high the price of freedom is. Also, a true "politiacal war" movie would just show the planners and presidents who don't actually see the consequences of their campaigns. > Also, of course realistically, the "demonization" of some characters or > portrayals of crazy Commanders is not necessarily realistic, but it leads > to possible interpretations - at least the ones that Stone spells out for > us - as the War as a metaphor for the battle over the main character's > soul. > Then, you will have extremes in character certainly. but, this will make > more sense if you concede that Stone may have further meaning to the > movie. > I do agree that war is hell regardless of who's in charge. > [Romero, Leticia] and just because they're in charge, that doesn't mean they AREN'T crazy.... just my opinions, ofcourse -- I'm just a girl Leti Romero ;) "The World Is Not Enough" > > Other war movies to consider: The Longest Day, The Naked and the Dead, and > Full Metal Jacket. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > Name: W. Snider > > Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. > -Kierkegaard > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 15 Sep 1998 13:27:44 -0600 The main thing I got out of Saving Private Ryan actually occurred to me several days after seeing it. At the end when Matt Damon's character is looking at the gravestones and pondering the lives of those men who had died for him, and he's questioning the value of his life: He asks his wife, if he had had a good life, if it had been worth it. One thing we should all realize is that if it had not been for the sacrifice of all those men, we could very well be speaking German and could have learned the Goosestep Limbo in our days in the Hitler Youth. It's not outside the realm of possibility. I think we all have to ask ourselves daily, Am I a good person, is my life worth the sacrifice they made, and if it's not, then we should make it worth it. We should never forget that war is hell, yes so we don't repeat it, but also so that we can honor that memory and use it as a tool to better ourselves to make ourselves worthy of the birthright that was left to us as free citizens of the world. I'll get off my soapbox now, JAMES K. RUDY "I think I brained my damage" ----Homer Simpson -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 1:03 PM OKAY -- My turn to blather on..... > The Vietnam war was very political, so doesn't it make sense that the > movie have political underpinnings? [Romero, Leticia] All wars are political, when you get down to it, but the purpose of a good war movie is to give insight to the people who are actually fighting it, for whatever reason they're fighting. This is how we learn that "War is Hell." Thanks to Kubrick, Stone, Speilberg, and countless other excellent storytellers, we are learning truly how high the price of freedom is. Also, a true "politiacal war" movie would just show the planners and presidents who don't actually see the consequences of their campaigns. > Also, of course realistically, the "demonization" of some characters or > portrayals of crazy Commanders is not necessarily realistic, but it leads > to possible interpretations - at least the ones that Stone spells out for > us - as the War as a metaphor for the battle over the main character's > soul. > Then, you will have extremes in character certainly. but, this will make > more sense if you concede that Stone may have further meaning to the > movie. > I do agree that war is hell regardless of who's in charge. > [Romero, Leticia] and just because they're in charge, that doesn't mean they AREN'T crazy.... just my opinions, ofcourse -- I'm just a girl Leti Romero ;) "The World Is Not Enough" > > Other war movies to consider: The Longest Day, The Naked and the Dead, and > Full Metal Jacket. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > Name: W. Snider > > Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. > -Kierkegaard > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 15 Sep 1998 14:36:15 PDT If you're going to state the ending of a movie, please be so kind as to say SPOILER. For those of us who haven't seen the movie yet, it is rather disappointing to find this info. here with no warning. Thanks. --- On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 13:27:44 -0600 jkrudy wrote: The main thing I got out of Saving Private Ryan actually occurred to me several days after seeing it. At the end when Matt Damon's character is looking at the gravestones and pondering the lives of those men who had died for him, and he's questioning the value of his life: He asks his wife, if he had had a good life, if it had been worth it. One thing we should all realize is that if it had not been for the sacrifice of all those men, we could very well be speaking German and could have learned the Goosestep Limbo in our days in the Hitler Youth. It's not outside the realm of possibility. I think we all have to ask ourselves daily, Am I a good person, is my life worth the sacrifice they made, and if it's not, then we should make it worth it. We should never forget that war is hell, yes so we don't repeat it, but also so that we can honor that memory and use it as a tool to better ourselves to make ourselves worthy of the birthright that was left to us as free citizens of the world. I'll get off my soapbox now, JAMES K. RUDY "I think I brained my damage" ----Homer Simpson -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 1:03 PM OKAY -- My turn to blather on..... > The Vietnam war was very political, so doesn't it make sense that the > movie have political underpinnings? [Romero, Leticia] All wars are political, when you get down to it, but the purpose of a good war movie is to give insight to the people who are actually fighting it, for whatever reason they're fighting. This is how we learn that "War is Hell." Thanks to Kubrick, Stone, Speilberg, and countless other excellent storytellers, we are learning truly how high the price of freedom is. Also, a true "politiacal war" movie would just show the planners and presidents who don't actually see the consequences of their campaigns. > Also, of course realistically, the "demonization" of some characters or > portrayals of crazy Commanders is not necessarily realistic, but it leads > to possible interpretations - at least the ones that Stone spells out for > us - as the War as a metaphor for the battle over the main character's > soul. > Then, you will have extremes in character certainly. but, this will make > more sense if you concede that Stone may have further meaning to the > movie. > I do agree that war is hell regardless of who's in charge. > [Romero, Leticia] and just because they're in charge, that doesn't mean they AREN'T crazy.... just my opinions, ofcourse -- I'm just a girl Leti Romero ;) "The World Is Not Enough" > > Other war movies to consider: The Longest Day, The Naked and the Dead, and > Full Metal Jacket. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > Name: W. Snider > > Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. > -Kierkegaard > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Private Ryan Date: 15 Sep 1998 13:51:10 -0600 My apologies to all, I've only been on the list a couple of weeks and did not know the etiquette. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 3:36 PM If you're going to state the ending of a movie, please be so kind as to say SPOILER. For those of us who haven't seen the movie yet, it is rather disappointing to find this info. here with no warning. Thanks. --- On Tue, 15 Sep 1998 13:27:44 -0600 jkrudy wrote: The main thing I got out of Saving Private Ryan actually occurred to me several days after seeing it. At the end when Matt Damon's character is looking at the gravestones and pondering the lives of those men who had died for him, and he's questioning the value of his life: He asks his wife, if he had had a good life, if it had been worth it. One thing we should all realize is that if it had not been for the sacrifice of all those men, we could very well be speaking German and could have learned the Goosestep Limbo in our days in the Hitler Youth. It's not outside the realm of possibility. I think we all have to ask ourselves daily, Am I a good person, is my life worth the sacrifice they made, and if it's not, then we should make it worth it. We should never forget that war is hell, yes so we don't repeat it, but also so that we can honor that memory and use it as a tool to better ourselves to make ourselves worthy of the birthright that was left to us as free citizens of the world. I'll get off my soapbox now, JAMES K. RUDY "I think I brained my damage" ----Homer Simpson -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 1:03 PM OKAY -- My turn to blather on..... > The Vietnam war was very political, so doesn't it make sense that the > movie have political underpinnings? [Romero, Leticia] All wars are political, when you get down to it, but the purpose of a good war movie is to give insight to the people who are actually fighting it, for whatever reason they're fighting. This is how we learn that "War is Hell." Thanks to Kubrick, Stone, Speilberg, and countless other excellent storytellers, we are learning truly how high the price of freedom is. Also, a true "politiacal war" movie would just show the planners and presidents who don't actually see the consequences of their campaigns. > Also, of course realistically, the "demonization" of some characters or > portrayals of crazy Commanders is not necessarily realistic, but it leads > to possible interpretations - at least the ones that Stone spells out for > us - as the War as a metaphor for the battle over the main character's > soul. > Then, you will have extremes in character certainly. but, this will make > more sense if you concede that Stone may have further meaning to the > movie. > I do agree that war is hell regardless of who's in charge. > [Romero, Leticia] and just because they're in charge, that doesn't mean they AREN'T crazy.... just my opinions, ofcourse -- I'm just a girl Leti Romero ;) "The World Is Not Enough" > > Other war movies to consider: The Longest Day, The Naked and the Dead, and > Full Metal Jacket. > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------- > Name: W. Snider > > Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. > -Kierkegaard > > -------------------------------------------------------- > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ---------------End of Original Message----------------- W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich Subject: [MV] Re: English Patient & Pvt Ryan Date: 15 Sep 1998 17:47:30 -0400 At 10:29 AM 9/15/98 +0800, you wrote: >A few recent movies come to mind, really... English Patient is one... Good >cinematography, nice portrayal of characters, but you just didn't enjoy it. You took the words right out of my mouth. Beautifully done BORING movie. I expected and got nothing but boredom. Gene http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] Re: English Patient Date: 15 Sep 1998 15:02:24 -0700 I hated this movie!! I thought I was the only one (besides Elaine...) > -----Original Message----- > From: Gene Ehrich [SMTP:g@ehrich.com] > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 2:48 PM > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Subject: [MV] Re: English Patient & Pvt Ryan > > At 10:29 AM 9/15/98 +0800, you wrote: > >A few recent movies come to mind, really... English Patient is one... > Good > >cinematography, nice portrayal of characters, but you just didn't enjoy > it. > > You took the words right out of my mouth. > > Beautifully done BORING movie. > > I expected and got nothing but boredom. > > Gene > ------------------------------------------------------ > > http://www.voicenet.com/~generic > gene@ehrich.com > Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 > ------------------------------------------------------ > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Gene Ehrich Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon Date: 15 Sep 1998 18:35:12 -0400 At 06:33 PM 9/15/98 +0100, you wrote: >Nobody has mentioned it, but I thought Platoon also made war look real bad, >as >oppossed to all the romantic World War Films of it's predecessors. Platoon was an infinitely better and more enjoyable movie than Pvt Ryan. I enjoyed Platoon a great deal and hated Private Ryan. Both well made, one great, the other not. Gene http://www.voicenet.com/~generic gene@ehrich.com Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: ANTONIO CORDERO Subject: RE: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 15 Sep 1998 15:29:53 -0700 (PDT) YES YOU ARE QUIT RIGHT, I ALSO LIKE THIS KIND OF MOVIES I WHICH THE THEME GOES TO YOUR INNER FEELINGS AND MAKES TO REFLECT ON SOMTHING ABOUT LIFE. LIKE TE PRIVATE RYAN THAT BEINGA MOVIE OF LOTS OF DEATH MAKES YOU THINK IN THE PRINCIPLES WE SHOUD GIVE THE NEW GENERATION ---Yusheng wrote: > > Hi,Antonio > What make u feel strange? I am neither a boy nor a girl,I am a man from > china.I am a little tired of those action movies:explosions,gun fires,car > racings,all seem like old wine in a new bottle. I think they are lack of > imagination and originality.After seeing those movies,you have got nothing > to remember,and nothing to reflect upon. > -----Original Message----- > From: ANTONIO CORDERO > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Date: Sunday, September 13, 1998 1:08 AM > Subject: Re: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie > > > > > >WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S YOUR FULL NAME IT'S SOMETHING STRANGE > >THAT SOMEBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS ARE YOU A GIRL OR A BOY..... > > > > > > > >---Yusheng wrote: > >> > >> Anyone have seen 'Pretty woman',It's so nice. I think it's the modern > >> version of 'Cinderalla'.The man and the girl,they find the best > >thing in > >> each other,and changed each other forever.Could anybody tell me > >something > >> about the director and the writer of the movie? Are they famous in > >the US? > >> > >> > >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >> > > > >_________________________________________________________ > >DO YOU YAHOO!? > >Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 15 Sep 1998 16:35:20 -0600 What about the debate that Pretty Woman created a very negative image for young girls by glamorizing the life of a whore. Now I don't give much weight to this debate. I enjoyed Pretty Woman, but I know the debate exist or at least did when the movie first came out. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 4:30 PM YES YOU ARE QUIT RIGHT, I ALSO LIKE THIS KIND OF MOVIES I WHICH THE THEME GOES TO YOUR INNER FEELINGS AND MAKES TO REFLECT ON SOMTHING ABOUT LIFE. LIKE TE PRIVATE RYAN THAT BEINGA MOVIE OF LOTS OF DEATH MAKES YOU THINK IN THE PRINCIPLES WE SHOUD GIVE THE NEW GENERATION ---Yusheng wrote: > > Hi,Antonio > What make u feel strange? I am neither a boy nor a girl,I am a man from > china.I am a little tired of those action movies:explosions,gun fires,car > racings,all seem like old wine in a new bottle. I think they are lack of > imagination and originality.After seeing those movies,you have got nothing > to remember,and nothing to reflect upon. > -----Original Message----- > From: ANTONIO CORDERO > To: movies@lists.xmission.com > Date: Sunday, September 13, 1998 1:08 AM > Subject: Re: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie > > > > > >WHERE ARE YOU FROM AND WHAT'S YOUR FULL NAME IT'S SOMETHING STRANGE > >THAT SOMEBODY IS TALKING ABOUT THIS ARE YOU A GIRL OR A BOY..... > > > > > > > >---Yusheng wrote: > >> > >> Anyone have seen 'Pretty woman',It's so nice. I think it's the modern > >> version of 'Cinderalla'.The man and the girl,they find the best > >thing in > >> each other,and changed each other forever.Could anybody tell me > >something > >> about the director and the writer of the movie? Are they famous in > >the US? > >> > >> > >> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > >> > > > >_________________________________________________________ > >DO YOU YAHOO!? > >Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: RUSH HOUR Date: 15 Sep 1998 16:54:53 -0600 (MDT) RUSH HOUR (New Line) Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tom Wilkinson, Elizabeth Pena. Screenplay: Jim Kouf and Ross LaManna. Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman and Arthur M. Sarkissian. Director: Brett Ratner. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (violence, profanity) Running Time: 96 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. Life, they say, is all about trade-offs, but RUSH HOUR asks for a trade-off that just doesn't seem fair: in order to watch Jackie Chan in action, you've gotta listen to Chris Tucker in action. Chan is one of the most engaging performers in films, a creater of ingenious martial artistry whose personal charm makes his jaw-dropping stunt work even more fun to watch. Tucker, on the other hand, may be the funniest guy on the planet some day, but I'll never know it until he stops reading every line in the mellifluous tones usually associated with a circular saw. Chan is great; Tucker is grating. RUSH HOUR balances the two nearly perfectly, creating a synthesis that is pure cinematic mediocrity. The premise, squeezed through the Play-Doh Fun Factory of buddy-action plotting, casts Tucker as LAPD Detective James Carter, a loose cannon perpetually aggravating his straight-laced captain (as though there were any other kind). When the kidnapping of a Chinese diplomat's daughter prompts the diplomat to bring in his old friend, Hong Kong Detective Lee (Chan) to help with the case, the FBI looks for a sucker -- er, volunteer -- to keep Lee out of the way of the "real" investigation. Thus fish-out-of-water Lee ends up cruising the L.A. underworld as Carter tries to get out of trouble by solving the case himself; thus more-mouth-than-method Carter needs Lee's fast hands and feet to save his skin again and again. I suspect Tucker might have been thinking of RUSH HOUR as his BEVERLY HILLS COP, a chance to play the street-wise rebel with a badge in an action comedy setting. There's no question that he has his adherents -- the folks in the theater who were howling with glee and stomping their feet at his every bug-eyed shriek -- but I can't see Tucker crossing over into the kind of broad popularity enjoyed by Eddie Murphy. The reason is quite simple: where Murphy generally seems amused by the foibles of his on-screen foils, Tucker seems perpetually irritated. Every canned insult he spews makes him that much more unpleasant to spend time with -- not exactly the vibe you're looking for in a leading man. He should take a few lessons from his co-star, who virtually defines "pleasant to spend time with." Director Brett Ratner may not have the visual flair of Chan's frequent collaborator Stanley Tong, but he's smart enough to get out of the way and let Chan do his thing (some sloppy editing choices notwithstanding). A Jackie Chan fight sequence still has the ability to dazzle the way no other fight sequence can, mixing silly bits of business with lighting-fast choreography. RUSH HOUR is nothing but fun when it's nothing but a showcase for Chan, whether he's fighting bad guys while trying to protect a priceless piece of Chinese pottery from harm, or scaling walls and trees in a manner more feline than human. On paper, the collaboration between Chan and Tucker probably looked like an ideal match of opposites -- one the self-deprecating physical comedian, the other the self-aggrandizing verbal comedian. Their styles, unfortunately, collide where they should commingle. RUSH HOUR is less a Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker film than it is a Jackie Chan film alternating with a Chris Tucker film, each performer taking turns yanking the predictable material into his preferred comfort zone. If you're a fan of both lead actors, you'll probably get the double-barreled rush the makers of RUSH HOUR were aiming for. If you're like me, you'll find it misfiring as often as it hits its target. Only when Chan was in the spotlight could I ignore the mundane plot points, including an absurdly obviousl "revelation" of the villain's identity and an oh-by-the-way sub-plot involving an inexperienced bomb squad cop (Elizabeth Pena). Only then could I safely and happily suspend my disbelief. Only then could I forget what I had been forced to endure from the other half of the star tandem. Trade-offs can be so cruel. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 dry rushes: 5. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] REVIEW: RUSH HOUR Date: 15 Sep 1998 15:57:36 -0700 I'm still looking forward to seeing Rush Hour -- Chris Tucker is a hoot to watch, as long as he has a strong director to keep him reigned in (actually, the only two that come to mind are Besson and Tarrentino) It'll be fun to get drunk and watch it with a bunch of people who probably didn't have anything better to do with $8! > -----Original Message----- > From: Scott Renshaw [SMTP:renshaw@inconnect.com] > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 1998 3:55 PM > To: renshaw@inconnect.com > Subject: [MV] REVIEW: RUSH HOUR > > RUSH HOUR > (New Line) > Starring: Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker, Tom Wilkinson, Elizabeth Pena. > Screenplay: Jim Kouf and Ross LaManna. > Producers: Roger Birnbaum, Jonathan Glickman and Arthur M. Sarkissian. > Director: Brett Ratner. > MPAA Rating: PG-13 (violence, profanity) > Running Time: 96 minutes. > Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. > > Life, they say, is all about trade-offs, but RUSH HOUR asks for a > trade-off that just doesn't seem fair: in order to watch Jackie Chan in > action, you've gotta listen to Chris Tucker in action. Chan is one of the > most engaging performers in films, a creater of ingenious martial artistry > whose personal charm makes his jaw-dropping stunt work even more fun to > watch. Tucker, on the other hand, may be the funniest guy on the planet > some day, but I'll never know it until he stops reading every line in the > mellifluous tones usually associated with a circular saw. Chan is great; > Tucker is grating. > > RUSH HOUR balances the two nearly perfectly, creating a synthesis > that is pure cinematic mediocrity. The premise, squeezed through the > Play-Doh Fun Factory of buddy-action plotting, casts Tucker as LAPD > Detective James Carter, a loose cannon perpetually aggravating his > straight-laced captain (as though there were any other kind). When the > kidnapping of a Chinese diplomat's daughter prompts the diplomat to bring > in his old friend, Hong Kong Detective Lee (Chan) to help with the case, > the FBI looks for a sucker -- er, volunteer -- to keep Lee out of the way > of the "real" investigation. Thus fish-out-of-water Lee ends up cruising > the L.A. underworld as Carter tries to get out of trouble by solving the > case himself; thus more-mouth-than-method Carter needs Lee's fast hands > and feet to save his skin again and again. > > I suspect Tucker might have been thinking of RUSH HOUR as his BEVERLY > HILLS COP, a chance to play the street-wise rebel with a badge in an > action comedy setting. There's no question that he has his adherents -- > the folks in the theater who were howling with glee and stomping their > feet at his every bug-eyed shriek -- but I can't see Tucker crossing over > into the kind of broad popularity enjoyed by Eddie Murphy. The reason is > quite simple: where Murphy generally seems amused by the foibles of his > on-screen foils, Tucker seems perpetually irritated. Every canned insult > he spews makes him that much more unpleasant to spend time with -- not > exactly the vibe you're looking for in a leading man. > > He should take a few lessons from his co-star, who virtually defines > "pleasant to spend time with." Director Brett Ratner may not have the > visual flair of Chan's frequent collaborator Stanley Tong, but he's smart > enough to get out of the way and let Chan do his thing (some sloppy > editing choices notwithstanding). A Jackie Chan fight sequence still has > the ability to dazzle the way no other fight sequence can, mixing silly > bits of business with lighting-fast choreography. RUSH HOUR is nothing > but fun when it's nothing but a showcase for Chan, whether he's fighting > bad guys while trying to protect a priceless piece of Chinese pottery from > harm, or scaling walls and trees in a manner more feline than human. > > On paper, the collaboration between Chan and Tucker probably looked > like an ideal match of opposites -- one the self-deprecating physical > comedian, the other the self-aggrandizing verbal comedian. Their styles, > unfortunately, collide where they should commingle. RUSH HOUR is less a > Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker film than it is a Jackie Chan film alternating > with a Chris Tucker film, each performer taking turns yanking the > predictable material into his preferred comfort zone. If you're a fan of > both lead actors, you'll probably get the double-barreled rush the makers > of RUSH HOUR were aiming for. If you're like me, you'll find it misfiring > as often as it hits its target. Only when Chan was in the spotlight could > I ignore the mundane plot points, including an absurdly obviousl > "revelation" of the villain's identity and an oh-by-the-way sub-plot > involving an inexperienced bomb squad cop (Elizabeth Pena). Only then > could I safely and happily suspend my disbelief. Only then could I forget > what I had been forced to endure from the other half of the star tandem. > Trade-offs can be so cruel. > > On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 dry rushes: 5. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage > http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ > *** > Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! > See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line > "Subscribe". > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: Re: [MV] Re: English Patient & Pvt Ryan Date: 16 Sep 1998 06:26:34 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0038_01BDE13A.F3579D00 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I did'nt find "The english patient" boring.....I just thought for a film = that long it had no real depth. For a film that length it was quite = shallow but I have seen a lot worse......maybe if they had condensed the = plot to around 100 min it would have been far better......something I = feel that could easily be achieved. On the subject of "Private = Ryan".......I am slightly confused about one of the films = "Messages".......see below as it is a semi-spoiler. =20 > > > > > > > > >> It is regarded as wrong to kill prisoners of war but throughout the = early stages of the film many are murdered by the allied forces. Later = one persuades Tom Hanks not to kill one. The spared german soldier = later shows up and wreaks havoc. Is Speilberg telling us on one hand = that war is evil and cruel while on the other saying if you are in that = situation wipe out anybody and everybody in your way as the only good = german is a dead one? One last thing......I do not have to see well = crafted realistic war scenes to make me realise that war is ugly and = very unpleasent this fact has been obvious to me from a very early age.~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ -----Original Message----- >At 10:29 AM 9/15/98 +0800, you wrote: >>A few recent movies come to mind, really... English Patient is one... = Good >>cinematography, nice portrayal of characters, but you just didn't = enjoy it. > > You took the words right out of my mouth. > > Beautifully done BORING movie. > > I expected and got nothing but boredom. > > Gene >------------------------------------------------------ > >http://www.voicenet.com/~generic >gene@ehrich.com >Gene Ehrich P.O. Box 209 Marlton NJ 08053-0209 >------------------------------------------------------=20 > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0038_01BDE13A.F3579D00 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I did'nt find "The = english=20 patient" boring.....I just thought for a film that long it had no = real=20 depth.  For a film that length it was quite shallow but I have seen = a lot=20 worse......maybe if they had condensed the plot to around 100 min it = would have=20 been far better......something I feel that could easily be = achieved.  On=20 the subject of "Private Ryan".......I am slightly confused = about one=20 of the films "Messages".......see below as it is a=20 semi-spoiler.
 
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>>
It is = regarded as=20 wrong to kill prisoners of war but throughout the early stages of the = film many=20 are murdered by the allied forces.  Later one persuades Tom Hanks = not to=20 kill one.  The spared german soldier later shows up and wreaks = havoc. =20 Is Speilberg telling us on one hand that war is evil and cruel while on = the=20 other saying if you are in that situation wipe out anybody and everybody = in your=20 way as the only good german is a dead one?  One last thing......I = do not=20 have to see well crafted realistic war scenes to make me realise that = war is=20 ugly and very unpleasent this fact has been obvious to me from a very = early=20 age.~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, = they=20 are so placid and self contained,
I stand and look at them long and=20 long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do = not lie=20 awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing = their duty=20 to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of = owning=20 things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived = thousands of=20 years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole=20 earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt = Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: = Gene Ehrich=20 <g@ehrich.com>
To: movies@lists.xmission.com = <movies@lists.xmission.com&g= t;
Date:=20 15 September 1998 22:54
Subject: [MV] Re: English Patient & Pvt=20 Ryan

>At 10:29 AM 9/15/98 +0800, you = wrote:
>>A=20 few recent movies come to mind, really... English Patient is one...=20 Good
>>cinematography, nice portrayal of characters, but you = just=20 didn't enjoy it.
>
>  You took the words right out of = my=20 mouth.
>
>  Beautifully done BORING=20 movie.
>
>  I expected and got nothing but=20 boredom.
>
> =20 Gene
>------------------------------------------------------
>= ;
>http://www.voicenet.com/~generi= c
>gene@ehrich.com
>Gene = Ehrich  =20 P.O. Box 209   Marlton NJ  =20 08053-0209
>------------------------------------------------------ =
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message=20 "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com &n= bsp;        =20 ]
> ------=_NextPart_000_0038_01BDE13A.F3579D00-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Yusheng" Subject: [MV]screenplay of Gone with the Wind Date: 16 Sep 1998 12:40:04 +0800 Hello,could any one be so kind as to tell me where I can find the script of 'Gone with the wind'? [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Yusheng" Subject: Re: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 16 Sep 1998 22:18:52 +0800 Hi,James That's an interesting question.I don't think the movie has glamoured the life of a whore,who can't afford her rent,who has to go to the street to flirt with the strangers,and get so overjoyed for just +ACQ-3000.Sure enough that the writer of the play gave his compassion to those prostitutes who live the most miserable life. That remind me of Chaplin,whose comedy make u laugh with tears in your eyes+ACE- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: [MV] Rounders review Date: 15 Sep 1998 14:59:52 -0700 I love card game movies. A lot of it has been pretty predictable ("A royal flush beats your four of a kind") but this one has a lot of grit to it. Matt Damon stars as a poker player who has quit the game but is forced back into it when his best friend is released from prison. Matt's character goes through some inner conflict in which he has to choose to continue his law schooling or to follow his real desires and play the game. This movie puts a different spin on Poker - which was always thought of as the stereotypical example of gambling. Instead this movie explains that poker is not about luck - but about how you read people and it is in these scenes that the movie has some oomph. Damon does a fine job as does Ed Norton (who's building quite the portfolio for himself-Primal Fear, Larry Flynt, Everyone Says I Love You)...and the supporting characters are great to watch - from Turturro to Malkovich to Landau. I give Rounders an 80% because it was good entertainment but maybe could have been tighter and they could have gotten to some conflicts sooner. If you like this move then make sure you check out the director's other flicks - Last Seduction and Red Rock West to name a couple. Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] 'Pretty Woman',a lovely movie Date: 16 Sep 1998 08:26:55 -0600 As I said, I don't give much weight to the debate, I was just curious about everybody's views on it. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Monday, September 16, 1996 8:19 AM Hi,James That's an interesting question.I don't think the movie has glamoured the life of a whore,who can't afford her rent,who has to go to the street to flirt with the strangers,and get so overjoyed for just $3000.Sure enough that the writer of the play gave his compassion to those prostitutes who live the most miserable life. That remind me of Chaplin,whose comedy make u laugh with tears in your eyes! [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Yusheng" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon Date: 16 Sep 1998 22:53:53 +0800 Yes,the war is so cruel. Recently,on the TV,we saw the ture life of woman,who is the wife of a hero died for the country in the anti-Japanese war.I have known the hero from a movie since my childhood.The woman witnessed her husband being put into a gunny-bag and stabbed to death with bayonets by those cruel Japanese soldiers.Since that day,the woman became out of mind,for over 50 years, she has been living in dreams,dreaming that her husband is still alive,and kept murmuring his name. Yes, the war is cruel. But did we have any other options? Just get down on our knees to be slaves of the Japs? Or Just let Hitler to control this world? The war is cruel,and that makes those heroes even greater. >Nobody has mentioned it, but I thought Platoon also made >war look real bad, >as oppossed to all the romantic World War Films of it's predecessors. It is really a day in the life of a young kid with all these thoughts and dreams about war, and see's the realities first hand. Any comment's? (I await the onslought) Thanks & Regards, **************************************************************************** ** **************************************************************************** ** Anto Byrne Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com Oracle E.M.E.A. Fulfillment Dept. Unit 14 Phone:8031461 Airways Industrial Estate Fax:8031541 Cloghran email:abyrne Dublin 17. Ireland **************************************************************************** ** [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Honwa Chau Subject: [MV] pretty woman tangent Date: 17 Sep 1998 00:05:47 +0900 I just saw "My Best Friend's Wedding" and I really enjoyed it. I've never been a fan of Julia Roberts but she does a great job in this film. She does some rotten things but I was still sympathetic to her cause. I really liked Cameron Diaz, especially in the karaoke bar scene, and Rupert Everett was fantastic. He and Roberts had terrific chemistry. However, Dermot Mulroney was bland. I wish someone with a livelier style had played his role - maybe Tim Robbins? But all the singing was fun, most of it not jazzed up but acapella. itchy [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan Date: 16 Sep 1998 09:22:09 -0700 My only problem with English Patient is that I've just about seen enough stories concerning great loves in which adultery is involved. I don't know about you guys but my corner bar has plenty of forbidden loves develop but few of them are in the least bit romantic.I would like to see a movie for once in which the characters struggle with their attraction but make the ultimate sacrifice and do not consumate their relationship (and cheat) because of their greater commitment to family etc. Wouldn't that be a twist? Concerning Pretty Woman, I live literally 1 block from the main prostitute strip in LA and believe me there isn't a Julia Roberts in the bunch. I did enjoy the movie a lot but it was fantasy although I can't imagine anybody taking that as encouragement that they should go stand on the corner. My response to Private Ryan is a SPOILER... > > I think that the subplot involving the German prisoner was a demonstration of the struggle to maintain one's humanity in such madness. Even though Hanks character suffered because of this decision, he lived up to a very high standard he had set for himself and thus could die with a clear conscience. Sometimes doing the right thing does not necessarily mean you will prosper and that is why it is noble to take such a stand. Also Spielberg was looking for the ultimate irony so it was something of a gimmick. bye, bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan +Ultimate sacrifices.... Date: 16 Sep 1998 18:20:16 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BDE19E.A7923060 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Are you having me on? Most films have the guilty partner returning home = with their tails between their legs, feeling guilty and ashamed for the = wrong they have done......ok they usually consumate their adultrous = passion but I would rather see a film in which the character ditches his = family to find his/her own happiness......now that would be different = and also more realistic!! Incidentally a film that would meet your = expectations is "Breif encounter". =20 In response to your critique of my semi-spoiler----- =20 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Remember that the german soldier shows no pity when he realises who = he has been shooting at.......and that the soldier who originally spared = his life, when confronted with the same situation, kills = him!....Speilberg seems to be demonising german soldiers throughout the = film and in my opinion a more believable and realistic scene is the one = in which the german soldier passes the cowardly U.S soldier on the = stairs after killing his (the american's ) comrade. >My only problem with English Patient is that I've just about seen >enough stories concerning great loves in which adultery is involved.=20 >I don't know about you guys but my corner bar has plenty of forbidden >loves develop but few of them are in the least bit romantic.I would >like to see a movie for once in which the characters struggle with >their attraction but make the ultimate sacrifice and do not consumate >their relationship (and cheat) because of their greater commitment to >family etc. Wouldn't that be a twist? =20 > >Concerning Pretty Woman, I live literally 1 block from the main >prostitute strip in LA and believe me there isn't a Julia Roberts in >the bunch. I did enjoy the movie a lot but it was fantasy although I >can't imagine anybody taking that as encouragement that they should go >stand on the corner. > >My response to Private Ryan is a SPOILER... >> >> > >I think that the subplot involving the German prisoner was a >demonstration of the struggle to maintain one's humanity in such >madness. Even though Hanks character suffered because of this >decision, he lived up to a very high standard he had set for himself >and thus could die with a clear conscience. Sometimes doing the >right thing does not necessarily mean you will prosper and that is >why it is noble to take such a stand. =20 >Also Spielberg was looking for the ultimate irony so it was something >of a gimmick. =20 > >bye, >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BDE19E.A7923060 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 
Are you having me = on?  Most films=20 have the guilty partner returning home with their tails between their = legs,=20 feeling guilty and ashamed for the wrong they have done......ok they = usually=20 consumate their adultrous passion but I would rather see a film in which = the=20 character ditches his family to find his/her own happiness......now that = would=20 be different and also more realistic!!  Incidentally a film that = would meet=20 your expectations is "Breif encounter".
 
In response to your = critique of my=20 semi-spoiler-----
 
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
@
@  Remember=20 that the german soldier shows no pity when he realises who he has been = shooting=20 at.......and that the soldier who originally spared his life, when = confronted=20 with the same situation, kills him!....Speilberg seems to be demonising = german=20 soldiers throughout the film and in my opinion a more believable and = realistic=20 scene is the one in which the german soldier passes the cowardly U.S = soldier on=20 the stairs after killing his (the american's )=20 comrade.

>My only problem with English = Patient is=20 that I've just about seen
>enough stories concerning great loves = in which=20 adultery is involved.
>I don't know about you guys but my corner = bar has=20 plenty of forbidden
>loves develop but few of them are in the = least bit=20 romantic.I would
>like to see a movie for once in which the = characters=20 struggle with
>their attraction but make the ultimate sacrifice = and do not=20 consumate
>their relationship (and cheat) because of their greater = commitment to
>family etc.   Wouldn't that be a = twist? =20
>
>Concerning Pretty Woman, I live literally 1 block from = the=20 main
>prostitute strip in LA and believe me there isn't a Julia = Roberts=20 in
>the bunch.  I did enjoy the movie a lot but it was = fantasy=20 although I
>can't imagine anybody taking that as encouragement = that they=20 should go
>stand on the corner.
>
>My response to = Private Ryan=20 is a SPOILER...
>>
>>
>
>I think that the = subplot=20 involving the German prisoner was a
>demonstration of the struggle = to=20 maintain one's humanity in such
>madness.  Even though Hanks=20 character suffered because of this
>decision, he lived up to a = very high=20 standard he had set for himself
>and thus could die with a clear=20 conscience.  Sometimes doing the
>right thing does not = necessarily=20 mean you will prosper and that is
>why it is noble to take such a=20 stand. 
>Also Spielberg was looking for the ultimate irony = so it was=20 something
>of a gimmick. =20
>
>bye,
>bb
>
>[ To leave the movies = mailing=20 list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the = quotes)=20 to majordomo@xmission.com &n= bsp;        =20 ]
> ------=_NextPart_000_003A_01BDE19E.A7923060-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan +Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 16 Sep 1998 10:45:17 -0700 Concerning romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree on how we want to see our romantic heroes behave. I think that since the film is told from the perspective of an american soldier that the german's would naturally come off badly. How could the american soldiers see them any other way? I'm sure it was the same from the other side as well. As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that for a second. I think he would have killed him immediately. I probably would have. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Romero, Leticia" Subject: RE: [MV] +Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 16 Sep 1998 10:39:25 -0700 > As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that for a second. > I think he would have killed him immediately. I probably would have. > >>god forbid you should ever find out.... > > bb > > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] > [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" Subject: [MV] One True Thing, * * * (out of 4) Date: 16 Sep 1998 11:58:13 -0600 Stars: Meryl Streep, Ren=E9e Zellweger, William Hurt, Tom Everett Scott,= =20 Lauren Graham, Nicky Katt, James Eckhouse. Written by Karen Croner. =20 Directed by Carl Franklin. Rated R for language. Kate Gulden (Meryl Streep), vivacious mother of two adult children=20 and wife of literature professor George Gulden (William Hurt), has just b= een=20 diagnosed with cancer. George conscripts daughter Ellen (Ren=E9e Zellweg= er)=20 to take care of her mother because his duties at the university won=92t a= llow=20 him enough time to do so himself. This doesn=92t sit well with Ellen, wh= ose=20 ambitious writing career must be put on the backburner for the length of = her=20 service. Although Kate is worried that this circumstance will eventually= =20 cause her daughter to resent her, Ellen insists on following through with= this commitment. Although quietly resentful of Kate=92s homebody persona, Ellen slowl= y=20 comes to appreciate her mother in a way that had eluded her throughout=20 childhood. She also comes to see her father in a more realistic, less=20 idealized, way than she had before. The growth she experiences as a huma= n=20 being follows directly with her mom=92s deteriorating condition. Finding= a=20 new respect for her mother and the life she led, Ellen finds herself=20 contemplating euthanasia when Kate=92s pain reaches unbearable pain and h= er=20 love for life is extinguished. All of this sets the stage for the interv= iew with=20 a district attorney over her mother=92s death, which serves as the movie=92= s=20 framework narrative. Between this film and "Jerry Maguire", Ren=E9e Zellweger is quickly=20 establishing herself as one of this generation=92s premiere dramatic actr= esses. =20 Although Meryl Streep gives another in her continuous line of flawless=20 performances, "One True Thing" is really a showcase for Zellweger, whose=20 onscreen transformation from self-absorbed workaholic to patient caregive= r=20 is wholly believable. As profoundly moving as the film is, though, its=20 unrelenting crusade to jerk tears from one=92s eyes is ultimately exhaust= ing. I=20 wonder if George Gulden=92s mantra in the film, "less is more", couldn=92= t have=20 been taken into consideration by the filmmakers themselves. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Wade Snider Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan +Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 16 Sep 1998 13:05:31 PDT In discussing the romantic nature of The English Patient, look at one of the premier romatic love stories, especially of WWII set films, Casablanca, of which English Patient is heavily resonant. There you have Bogart and Bergman who likely felt the same kind of temptation as the two in English patient, BUT they chose to make what was the right and honorable decision in staying separate, right not only for the commited relationship of bergman's character but for the cause of the Allies in WWII, in both ways unlike what happened in English Patient. There, two people succumbed to their lusts and they both paid harsh prices for it, as well as others. Casablanca is about honor and responsibility, and sacrificing personal happiness and not betraying the just cause for your own pleasure - the ultimate respect for true love and honor... whereas in English Patient (which has beautiful cinematography and direction by the way) two people sacrifice all and put many people's lives in danger for their own lusts and gratification. >--- On Wed, 16 Sep 1998 10:45:17 -0700 Bruce Bridges wrote: >Concerning romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree on how >we want to see our romantic heroes behave. W. Snider Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. -Kierkegaard [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/16/98 Date: 16 Sep 1998 12:21:11 -0600 (MDT) "Rounders," in which Matt Damon and Edward Norton play big-stakes poker players, took in $8.8 million in its opening weekend and knocked "There's Something About Mary" off the top of the box-office chart. "Blade" fell to third place. The only other new entry in the top 10 was "Simon Birch," a bittersweet tale based loosely on the John Irving novel "A Prayer for Owen Meany." It opened in fifth with $3.3 million in ticket sales but played at just 596 theaters, while the others in the top five each played in more than 2,000. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "greuel" Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan/Platoon Date: 16 Sep 1998 19:45:03 cet > Yes, the war is cruel. But did we have any other options? Just get down on > our knees to be slaves of the Japs? Or Just let Hitler to control this > world? The war is cruel,and that makes those heroes even greater. Well, I think the term "hero" is the real problem. Most anti war films desperately try to avoid conveying images of heroes - or they mock them. In Dr. Strangelove it's the selfless redneck hero who destroys the whole world with his efforts. What anti war movies try to get across that being a soldier is a dirty job and they are ambiguous whether they are necessities. I think in Platoon the question whether the war is justified or not is never really asked and there are no heroes either - neither in Full Metall Jacket or Hamburger Hill. The term hero is a dangerous one, as there are only victims. There is nothing to win and there are no winners. It doesn't matter whether the actual soldiers fought in Germany or Vietnam- whether the war was won or lost - they are still haunted by the same nightmares. Some people have stated that war is hell. Sheen says in Platoon that hell is the lack of reason. A good statement, and if you agree to it, you'd have to ask yourself whether something as irrational and incomprehensible as war can be portrayed in realistic pictures. You could wonder then whether a realistic war movie, like Saving Private Ryan supposedly is, can really portray war and the essence of it. Sure you can document war, but what about the nightmares or the soldiers long after their experiences or the pain felt? Many of the better films try to go beyond reality (Platoon, Apokalypse Now, Deer Hunters, Full Metall Jacket). I think this is the only way to try to capture war, and that statement that came across not quite as witty as it was conceived probably goes into the same direction of a lack of imagery in SPR to capture the viewer and grab them. I haven't seen it, but the pre-released reviews here in Germany suggest that Ryan is lacking a bit on substance and that it restricts itself to documenting. thomas --- http://greuel.notrix.de/ - abomiNation "One must still have chaos in one to give birth to a dancing star" Friedrich Nietzsche [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan +Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 16 Sep 1998 12:58:53 -0600 We would all like to think that we wouldn't freeze up and be the coward, but the fact remains that nobody knows how they would react in that situation. The meanest toughest truck driving, beer drinking construction worker might just sit in his foxhole and cry when the shelling hits, but the skinny nerdy mathematician might turn into a regular Rambo. Honestly how would anybody know? And before I get flak about the stereotypes above, I was only using them to make a graphic point. My apologies in advance if I've offended anybody by using them. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 1998 11:45 AM Concerning romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree on how we want to see our romantic heroes behave. I think that since the film is told from the perspective of an american soldier that the german's would naturally come off badly. How could the american soldiers see them any other way? I'm sure it was the same from the other side as well. As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that for a second. I think he would have killed him immediately. I probably would have. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: ONE TRUE THING Date: 16 Sep 1998 15:09:47 -0600 (MDT) ONE TRUE THING (Universal) Starring: Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger, William Hurt. Screenplay: Karen Croner, based on the novel by Anna Quindlen. Producers: Harry Ufland and Jesse Burton. Director: Carl Franklin. MPAA Rating: R (profanity, adult themes) Running Time: 121 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. [Note: Some of the content in this review may be considered spoilers] Director Carl Franklin (DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS) and screenwriter Karen Croner take a calculated risk in setting up the story for ONE TRUE THING. The framing sequence, introduced in the first few minutes, finds Ellen Gulden (Renee Zellweger) in a district attorney's office, answering questions about the death of her mother Kate (Meryl Streep). The narrative then proceeds through flashback, introducing Ellen as a career-minded journalist summoned home by her stern academic father George (William Hurt) to care for Kate after she is diagnosed with cancer. The risk, of course, is that knowing the outcome way ahead of time might somehow reduce its emotional impact. How effective can a tear-jerker be if you're waiting for them to be jerked? ONE TRUE THING deftly sidesteps that problem -- at least for half its running time -- by being nothing at all like a conventional tear-jerker. At its core, it tells a story of one of adulthood's most daunting tasks: coming to terms with the humanity of one's parents. It is clear from the start that Ellen is George's daughter -- she has followed in his footsteps as a writer, craves his approval, and emulates his disciplined, intellectual approach to life. Kate, on the other hand, is a slightly embarrassing enigma to her. Ellen sees Kate's delight at being a life-long mother and home-maker as simple-mindedness; she sees Kate's sunny optimism as obliviousness. Spending time with both parents forces Ellen to recognize George's hidden weaknesses, Kate's hidden strength, and the value understanding both parents can have for her growth. As long as the focus remains on those three characters and their relationships, ONE TRUE THING is solid film-making. Meryl Streep delivers yet another winning performance, finding the warmth and compassion in Kate without ever turning her into a cartoon. The small mannerisms in her attempts to connect with Ellen -- an almost imperceptible rejected touch, hidden disappointment at her daughter's dismissals of her -- are the stuff great screen acting is made of. Zellweger is nearly as good both in awe of her father and in contempt of her mother, while Hurt makes good use of the remoteness which has hindered his performances inother films. The Guldens are a thoroughly recognizable modern family, their interactions real enough to evoke emotion and sympathy without resorting to sobs or recriminations. There's something particularly wrenching about watching people who love each other trying to like each other. Alas, the plot device which brought Ellen back home soon rears its head and pulls ONE TRUE THING in the wrong direction. It's not that the cancer storyline is mawkish or overly manipulative. Indeed, Franklin's direction and Streep's performance avoid most of the traps which can turn such stories into melodrama. Kate's battle with cancer simply occupies too much screen time, time which had been so well-spent on Kate, George and Ellen battling with each other. Once the Big C starts taking over the proceedings, the nuances of character which had made ONE TRUE THING such compelling viewing begin to lose their force. Conversations become confrontations; the words sound progressively more scripted and less genuine. A tighter, leaner screenplay might have been able to keep Ellen's journey of discover squarely at the center of ONE TRUE THING. Unfortunately, screenwriter Karen Croner handles sub-plots like Ellen's unstable relationship with her boyfriend (Nicky Katt) and her pursuit of an interview with a scandal-ridden Senator (David Byron) with find-the-metaphor urgency. There's only one true thing which makes ONE TRUE THING glow with realism, and that's the struggle of parents and their adult children to deal with each other as adults, as equals, as fellow human beings. That's the reason it was so wise to remove the live-or-die suspense from a story that's not about who will live or die. That's also the reason it was so disappointing to watch the film linger on a foregone conclusion. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 parental guidances: 6. Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/ *** Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email! See the MoviePage for details, or reply to this message with subject line "Subscribe". [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Blacknight Subject: Re: [MV] pretty woman tangent Date: 17 Sep 1998 07:31:34 +0800 Honwa Chau wrote: > I just saw "My Best Friend's Wedding" and I really enjoyed it. I've > never been a fan of Julia Roberts but she does a great job in this > film. > She does some rotten things but I was still sympathetic to her cause. > > I really liked Cameron Diaz, especially in the karaoke bar scene, and > Rupert Everett was fantastic. He and Roberts had terrific chemistry. > After that movie, all I could think was Rupert Everett, never mind if he is gay. blacknight [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: Re: [MV]Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 17 Sep 1998 06:28:54 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01BDE204.7176CE80 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Bruce, don't get me wrong......I am not saying I want all films to end = with the hero being selfish and just thinking of his own = happiness.....it's just that what you stated that you want to see = already happens frequently....there is no film I can think of that has = ever had a sympathetic hero (or main character) who has left his = perfectly nice family for another woman without some tragedy descending. = Every film in which a man/woman has an affair always ends with them = seeing the light and returning to their original partner and family, or = if they don't it's because his original partner is a nasty piece of work = which doe'nt count! I would just like to see one film which breaks = these rules! As stated before "Breif encounter" would fit all your = criteria as the main characters tempted by an affair only get as far as = a kiss. -----Original Message----- >Concerning romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree on how >we want to see our romantic heroes behave. > > > >I think that since the film is told from the perspective of an >american soldier that the german's would naturally come off badly.=20 >How could the american soldiers see them any other way? I'm sure it >was the same from the other side as well. =20 > >As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that for a second. > I think he would have killed him immediately. I probably would have. >=20 > >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01BDE204.7176CE80 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Bruce, don't get me = wrong......I am not=20 saying I want all films to end with the hero being selfish and just = thinking of=20 his own happiness.....it's just that what you stated that you want to = see=20 already happens frequently....there is no film I can think of that has = ever had=20 a sympathetic hero (or main character) who has left his perfectly nice = family=20 for another woman without some tragedy descending.  Every film in = which a=20 man/woman has an affair always ends with them seeing the light and = returning to=20 their original partner and family, or if they don't it's because his = original=20 partner is a nasty piece of work which doe'nt count!  I would just = like to=20 see one film which breaks these rules!  As stated before = "Breif=20 encounter" would fit all your criteria as the main characters = tempted by an=20 affair only get as far as a kiss.
-----Original Message-----
From: = Bruce Bridges=20 <Bruce@SABAN.COM>
To: movies@lists.xmission.com = <movies@lists.xmission.com&g= t;
Date:=20 16 September 1998 18:44
Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan +Ultimate=20 sacrifices.... -Reply

>Concerning romantic films, = we'll=20 just have to agree to disagree on how
>we want to see our romantic = heroes=20 behave.
>
>
>
>I think that since the film is = told from=20 the perspective of an
>american soldier that the german's would = naturally=20 come off badly.
>How could the american soldiers see them any = other=20 way?  I'm sure it
>was the same from the other side as = well. =20
>
>As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that = for a=20 second.
> I think he would have killed him immediately.  I = probably=20 would have.
>
>
>bb
>
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> ------=_NextPart_000_003D_01BDE204.7176CE80-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (September 17, 1998) Date: 17 Sep 1998 08:37:37 -0400 (EDT) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (September 17, 1998). This week at the movies, Ben Stiller goes deep off the wagon, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker team up as a comedy action duo, and a tearjerker with Oscar worthy performances also hits the big screen. On home video, another wide variety of releases -- none of which did particularly well in their theatrical runs -- hit the shelves this Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of "Clay Pigeons" (Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn), "Ronin" (Robert De Niro, Jean Reno), "Urban Legend" (Jared Leto, Alicia Witt) and other new releases. __________________________________________________ NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH: "ONE TRUE THING" (1998) (Meryl Streep, Renee Zellweger) (R) Drama: An ambitious, career-minded young woman (Zellweger) returns home to care for her sick mother (Streep) and learns a thing or two about her parents, and herself. Featuring a trio of Oscar worthy performances, this is the sort of film you'll love if you enjoyed "Terms of Endearment." The R rating comes from profanity (seven uses of the "f" word). (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/one_true_thing.html __________________________________________________ "PERMANENT MIDNIGHT" (1998) (Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Hurley) (R) Drama: A TV writer (Stiller) falls prey to his growing addiction to drugs. Featuring a good performance from Stiller, the rest of the film is too disjointed and offers nothing new to the theme of addiction to make the film more than marginally interesting. Consistent drug use, profanity, and sexually related material give the film its R rating. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/permanent_midnight.html __________________________________________________ "RUSH HOUR" (1998) (Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker) (PG-13) Action/Adventure: A reckless and arrogant American detective (Tucker) reluctantly joins forces with a Hong Kong inspector (Chan) to find a kidnaped girl. Chan's first Hollywood picture in twelve years, the film delivers the laughs and action, but the physical stunts aren't as impressive as in Chan's previous efforts. The PG-13 rating comes from martial arts violence, lethal gun related violence, and profanity. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/rush_hour.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND: "DANGEROUS BEAUTY" (1998) (Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell) (R) Drama: A 16th century courtesan (McCormack) must deal with her unattainable love for a nobleman (Sewell), as well as the admiration and then disdain of the public toward her profession. Despite a few minor problems, the film comes off as an enjoyable look at a determined lady, and should please those who manage to see it (as long as they don't mind the subject matter). The film -- which grossed around $4.5 million domestically -- gets its R rating from profanity, nudity, and sexual encounters. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/dangerous_beauty.html) __________________________________________________ "MERCURY RISING" (1998) (Bruce Willis, Alec Baldwin) (R) Suspense/Drama: An FBI agent (Willis) must protect a nine-year-old autistic child from government officials (including Baldwin) who want the boy eliminated after he unknowingly breaks a top-secret military code. A tepid thriller that works on the most basic level, this movie surprisingly feels rather flat throughout most of the production despite a few standard-issue action set pieces. Grossing around $33 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from violence and profanity. (Moved from Sept. 15) (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/mercury_rising.html) __________________________________________________ "MY GIANT" (1998) (Billy Crystal, Gheorghe Muresan) (PG) Comedy: A second-rate talent agent (Crystal) learns some valuable lessons about life after discovering a 7'7" Romanian giant (Muresan) he hopes to put in the movies. Although it's not a great picture by any means, as long as you don't expect it to be outrageously funny, you'll probably find it agreeably enjoyable. Grossing just $8 million domestically, the film's PG rating comes from profanity, some violence and brief crude humor. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/my_giant.html) __________________________________________________ "NIGHTWATCH" (1998) (Ewan McGregor, Nick Nolte) (R) Horror: A series of serial murders begins to point to a law student (McGregor) who has just taken a job as a night watchman in a medical examiner's building. Although it delivers some "fun" and spooky moments early on, the movie eventually turns into a lackluster and decidedly less than frightening production. Barely released after many delays, the film managed a minimal $1 million domestic return, and gets its R rating from horror movie violence, profanity, sexually related material, and brief drug use. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/nightwatch.html) __________________________________________________ "THE PLAYERS CLUB" (1998) (Lisa Raye, Chrystale Wilson) (R) Drama/Comedy: A college student (Raye), who's taken a job as a stripper to make ends meet, must contend with the other dancers, as well as her younger cousin who's been seduced by the high paying, fast paced lifestyle. Although occasionally, but only mildly interesting, this simply isn't a very good film. Grossing $23 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from profanity, sexually related material and violence. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_players_club.html) __________________________________________________ "RIDE" (1998) (Melissa DeSousa, Malik Yoba) (R) Comedy: An aspiring music video director (DeSousa) and an inner city activist (Yoba) take a group of young street talents on a bus trip from Harlem to Miami to appear in a music video. Much like the real life road trip down Interstate I-95 that it portrays, "Ride" feels much longer than it actually takes to sit through, is rather uneventful and not very funny, and is filled with a group of people who become more annoying as the event wears on. Rated R for profanity, including sexually related dialogue, the film grossed nearly $5.5 million domestically. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/ride.html) __________________________________________________ Do you find the Screen It Website useful? If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in your community or country may benefit from this information. Contact information can be found at the following address: http://www.screenit.com/press.html __________________________________________________ Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make sure that first you Screen It! Screen It! Entertainment Reviews for Parents http://www.screenit.com __________________________________________________ Since we respect your privacy and time, we'll always keep these messages brief and we'll never sell or give your e-mail address to anyone. If at any time you no longer wish to receive these updates, simply let us know at reviews@screenit.com and we'll remove you from our list. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: Re: [MV]Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply -Reply Date: 17 Sep 1998 08:47:37 -0700 Gerald et al, Of course I'm not calling for all future romantic flicks to have dudley doorights as the lead but in my previous post I was really trying to explain why I did not connect with the leads "The English Patient". For me that tact is overused and meant to illustrate "Passion that breaks all boundaries!" when it could just as easily mean two losers that are just horny. Don't get me wrong, I'm just as eager for Bounds breaking passion as the next guy but I can't really cheer for it in the theatre. I'm not even a huge fan of the genre to be honest. I think I will try "Brief Encounter" though. How about "Wings of a Dove"? I thought that film was a great example of a tragic love in which you could sympathize with the leads. bb [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: The Reporter Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/17/98 Date: 17 Sep 1998 15:10:06 -0600 (MDT) Universal and Imagine Films have landed "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" for a live-action feature starring Jim Carrey (to be directed by Ron Howard), sources tell Variety. The sale has the potential to be among the richest rights deals ever made in Hollywood, with an up-front rights fee approaching $5 million and hefty profit-sharing, merchandising and soundtrack components. -=> * <=- Eddie Murphy is set to star in the futuristic action comedy "Pluto Nash," playing a lunar colonist who fights for the space settlement's freedom. The story, described as an underworld comedy set in the next century, has Murphy playing a character whose checkered past led him to a new start in the funky, somewhat seedy, lunar colony. But when a huge Earth-based corporation attempts to take control of the moon residents, Murphy's character challenges them. -=> * <=- Problems on the set of director Roman Polanski's first feature film in four years have forced the project's backers to take control. Sources tell Variety that "The Ninth Gate," a thriller starring Johnny Depp, Lena Olin, Frank Langella and Emmanuelle Seigner, has fallen behind schedule largely due to unforeseen factors. Accordingly, Artisan Entertainment, which is financing and distributing the picture, and completion bond provider International Film Guarantors have stepped in. "Gate" is said to be Polanski's most ambitious film since the 1988 thriller "Frantic," which starred Harrison Ford. -=> * <=- HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "Titanic" continues to steam through the record books. The highest grossing film in history has topped "Independence Day" as the bestselling live-action home video release ever. Since its home video launch Sept. 1, "Titanic" has sold 20 million copies, according to insiders. Previous record holder, 1996's "Independence Day," sold roughly 18 million copies. The all-time record holder, the animated "The Lion King," has sold upwards of 30 million copies. The film, produced by Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox, has grossed more than $1.8 billion worldwide since its theatrical release in December. -=> * <=- LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Movie studio Universal Pictures has acquired the film rights to two classic children's books by Dr. Seuss, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" and "Oh, the Places You Go," a studio spokeswoman said Wednesday. Universal, the film unit of Canadian entertainment and drinks giant Seagram Co. Ltd., agreed to pay up to $9.0 million for the two stories. Imagine Films, producer of movies like "Apollo 13" run by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, will make the live-action movies, according to published reports. Comic actor Jim Carrey, coming off highly successful movies "The Truman Show" and "Liar, Liar," has been picked to star as the Grinch, a grumpy creature who plots to steal all the Christmas gifts in the town of Whoville. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: [MV] Depressing movies...... Date: 17 Sep 1998 22:30:39 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01BDE28A.CC424020 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Anybody care to share their opinion on films that they thought = depressing? I am not talking about bad films but films that are good = but also very bleak.......the type that make you think of reaching for a = razor blade because there's no hope for mankind! Off the top of my head = I can think of four......two are T.V movies one is from the sixties = called "Cathy come home" by the director ken Loach and the other is a = tale of nuclear war called "Threads"......the other two are a russian = film called "Come and see" and "Henry potrait of a serial = killer".......anyone got any more? ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------=_NextPart_000_0016_01BDE28A.CC424020 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Anybody care to share their = opinion on=20 films that they thought depressing?  I am not talking about bad = films but=20 films that are good but also very bleak.......the type that make you = think of=20 reaching for a razor blade because there's no hope for mankind!  = Off the=20 top of my head I can think of four......two are T.V movies one is from = the=20 sixties called "Cathy come home" by the director ken Loach and = the=20 other is a tale of nuclear war called "Threads"......the other = two are=20 a russian film called "Come and see" and "Henry potrait = of a=20 serial killer".......anyone got any more?
~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I = could turn=20 and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand = and=20 look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their=20 condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do = not make=20 me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not = one=20 demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another = nor to=20 his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is = respectable or=20 unhappy over the whole=20 earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt=20 Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------=_NextPart_000_0016_01BDE28A.CC424020-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Michael Dequina Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#158, 9/17/98 Date: 17 Sep 1998 14:45:40 -0700 T H E M O V I E R E P O R T #158 SEPTEMBER 17, 1998 PLEASE HELP... ...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive. I am undergoing a serious funding and resource crisis (_I_don't_even_own_a_computer_). You can help by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com! Visit: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html You can also help in other ways. Visit: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/support.html Thank you very much. =>T H I S W E E K<= M O V I E S -_Permanent_Midnight_ -_One_True_Thing_ -_Ronin_ -_Six-String_Samurai_ -_The_Young_Girls_of_Rochefort_(Les_Demoiselles_de_Rochefort)_ V I D E O -_City_of_Angels_ -_He_Got_Game_ -_Hush_ -_Lady_and_the_Tramp_ -_A_Price_Above_Rubies_ -_Wide_Awake_ For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at: http://welcome.to/mrbrown or http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown Please don't forget to sign the guestbook... Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com ...and the Eyepiece Network at: http://www.eyepiece.com ...and Albany Online at: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com all movies graded out of four stars (****) ~~~ =>M O V I E S<= N E W R E L E A S E S Hollywood Hotline Featured Review _Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** Arriving fairly fresh off the blink-and-you-thankfully-missed-it run of Terry Gilliam's _Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Vegas_ is another adaptation of a drug-dazed book, this time a non-fiction one: _Permanent_Midnight_, the celebrated autobiography of TV writer Jerry Stahl. While the resulting film is nowhere near the disaster Gilliam's was, screenwriter-director David Veloz's glimpse at one man's real-life walk on the wild side rings just about as false as that surreal work. The true story of Stahl would appear to make an intriguing film. While he was a successful writer for such television shows as _thirtysomething_, _Moonlighting_, and _ALF_ (the latter recreated in the film as _Mr._Chompers_), Stahl also led the life of a heroin junkie. This double life scenario does hold some promise, and with the vibrant Ben Stiller playing Stahl, first-time helmer Veloz appeared to be onto something interesting. Veloz, however, shoots himself in the foot just about right from the get-go. Not content to follow Stahl's story straight ahead, he comes up with a woefully unconvincing framing story. We meet Jerry as he works in a fast food joint as part of a drug rehab program, and he gets picked up by a mysterious woman named Kitty (Maria Bello). Jerry and Kitty hole up at a motel, and in between (and sometimes during) attempts at sex, Jerry tells Kitty of his turbulent life: the out-of-control heroin abuse and the devastating effects it had on his marriage of convenience to a beautiful Brit (Elizabeth Hurley, trying her best in a thankless role) and his once-thriving writing career. The Jerry-Kitty subplot fails the test as a simple framework, yet Veloz somehow got the wrongheaded idea that this already-weak part of the story could serve as the film's emotional core. Past catches up to present by the end of act two, when Jerry finishes his story and he parts company with Kitty; just when one thinks that's the last of Kitty, act three's focus is on Jerry's inexplicable romantic feelings for her. According to the script, Jerry and Kitty form an unbelievably strong bond during their nights together, presumably due to the "similar pasts" they purportedly share. But one is never given a clear idea of Kitty's past; she alludes to having similar troubles, but she never gets a chance to deliver her whole story (or, at the very least, _enough_ of it). Bello is terrific (she could very well have a successful film career after suddenly bolting from TV's smash _ER_), investing great warmth and humanity to her role, but, still, Kitty never becomes a fully developed character. The same, unfortunately, can be said about Jerry. Stiller's immersion into the role is admirable (he lost 30 pounds), and as a whole, he turns in an impressive dramatic turn. However, as written by Veloz, Jerry is less a person than a set of tics: shaking, manic talking. It does not help that one is never treated to a glimpse to what Jerry was like before the drugs, thus never lending the audience to a standard of comparison. Even worse, there's no clear turning point in Jerry's story; the film feels like it's missing a scene where he realizes his mistake and decides to turn his life around. While one pivotal event is _said_ to be his turning point, its depiction leaves little of that sense. I have not read _Permanent_Midnight_, but based on what I've read about it, the film is a pale shadow of what is said to be a work that is quite harrowing and even funny. Of course, what apparently makes the book work even more is that it is all based on fact. If I had not known that detail in advance, I would not have been able to glean it from _Permanent_Midnight_ the movie, which comes off as manufactured and synthetic as most Hollywood product. IN BRIEF _One_True_Thing_ (R) *** Although mine were a couple of the relatively few dry eyes left at the end of this adaptation of Anna Quindlen's tearjerking novel, I was not left untouched by this radical departure for director Carl Franklin (_One_False_Move_, _Devil_in_a_Blue_Dress_). After his homemaker wife Kate's (Meryl Streep) cancer takes a turn for the worse, English professor George Gulden (William Hurt) forces his daughter Ellen (Renee Zellweger) to leave her job as a big city magazine writer and become, in effect, nursemaid to her dying mother. The arc of the story is predictable, but only to a point; while familiar bases are covered (the never-close Kate and Ellen learn to bond; Ellen learns the importance of family over work), Karen Croner's script also has a surprising, and rather involving, mystery element to it, largely embodied by a framing device where Ellen interrogated by an investigator (James Eckhouse) for reasons that only gradually become clear. But the true thing of _One_True_Thing_ is the acting, which is uniformly superb. The usually spacey (as of late) Hurt's uncharacteristically focused performance is a noteworthy achievement, but his effort is upstaged by the excellent mother-daughter duo. Zellweger and especially Streep both bring their roles to vivid life with a multi-dimensional blend of warmth, vulnerability, and underlying strength. While the whole of _One_True_Thing_ may not be deserving of such kudos, the actresses' exquisite performances are what Oscars are made for. _Ronin_ (R) ** If you were one of the (surprisingly large) number of people who found _Mission:_Impossible_ confusing, steer clear of this sometimes exciting but downright incomprehensible action thriller directed by John Frankenheimer and written by J.D. Zeik and David Mamet. Here's what I could get straight: a group of independent covert operatives (including Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgard, and Sean Bean) is hired by a mysterious Irishwoman (Natascha McElhone) to steal an equally mysterious case of, yes, mysterious international significance. Why? Beats the hell out of me. About an hour into _Ronin_, I completely gave up on trying to figure out the wheres and whys of the plot, which also involves an Irish baddy (Jonathan Pryce) and even a Russian figure skater played by two-time Olympic gold medalist Katarina Witt (who, for the record, is really German). Somewhat contented but still left a bit empty by the technically proficient action and chase scenes (one extended car chase through Paris is a suspenseful highlight), I searched mightily to find something else to hold my interest. There was nothing in the characters; they are all so shallowly written I kept on forgetting their names. In the end, the only investment I had was in the case--namely, what was in it. Alas, remember _Pulp_Fiction_? There's your answer. Mamet was so upset by the Writers Guild's refusal to give him sole writing credit that he chose to be listed under a pseudonym (Richard Weisz); turns out he unwittingly made the right decision. (opens September 25) _Six-String_Samurai_ (PG-13) *** In this age of obscure taglines (for instance, _Knock_Off_'s: "There is no substitute"), it's refreshing to see a slogan that efficiently distills the plot of a film in a handful of words. Take, for example, that of this ready-made midnight movie: "Vegas needs a new king." That, right there, is all you need to know plotwise of this ridiculously fun no-budget actioner in which a sword-swinging, guitar-playing man with no name (Jeffrey Falcon), accompanied by an orphan (Justin McGuire), travels across a post-apocalyptic America to assume the throne of Lost Vegas vacated by the recently deceased Elvis. Needless to say, his journey is not without obstacles: a family of cannibals, fascist Communists, and even Death himself. Falcon, an American martial arts champion who had heretofore only appeared in Hong Kong films, possesses the necessary charisma and fighting skills for this larger-than-life hero; McGuire, on the other hand, grates as the token child. Nonetheless, the outlandish vision of Falcon and director Lance Mungia, who collaborated on the script, is as fresh and creative as anything you're likely to see on the screen in a long while. _The_Young_Girls_of_Rochefort_(Les_Demoiselles_de_Rochefort)_ (G) *** Director Jacques Demy and composer Michel Legrand's 1967 musical follow-up to their classic 1964 jazz opera _The_Umbrellas_of_Cherbourg_ is by no means the masterpiece that film was, but it is not without its frothy charms. Catherine Deneuve, who also starred in _Umbrellas_, and her real-life sister, Francoise Dorleac, respectively play fraternal twin sisters Delphine and Solange Garnier. Delphine is a dancer; Solange is a composer, and both have dreams that stretch beyond the boundaries of their small hometown of Rochefort--first and foremost being finding true love. Little do they know that their perfect matches are also wandering the local streets: poet/artist/sailor Maxence (Jacques Perrin) and American composer Andy Miller (Gene Kelly), respectively. Delphine and Solange's mother (Danielle Darrieux) also pines for a true love--a lost one--who, yes, also happens to be in town: music shop owner Simon Dame (Michel Piccoli). These six characters constantly run into each other, but, of course, each just as constantly misses his or her match. Although much of _Rochefort_'s creative team, from the director, composer, and lead actress to many of the dubbed-in singing voices are the same as those of _Umbrellas_, the two films could not be more different. While _Umbrellas_ was entirely sung but without a single dance number, _Rochefort_ is a more traditional musical, with spoken interludes between lavish production numbers and wall-to-wall dancing. But the most crucial difference is the tone; where the heartbreaking _Umbrellas_ was tragically bittersweet, _Rochefort_ is unremittingly sunny, which fits the light storyline. However, all the lightness makes this film, unlike the emotionally sweeping _Umbrellas_, a completely disposable entertainment. Nonetheless, _Rochefort_, while an overlong 125 minutes, is a delightful confection, made all the sweeter by Legrand's jazzy, toe-tapping score, Bernard Evein's candy-colored production design, and the energetic cast. IN CURRENT RELEASE (full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs) -_Armageddon_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#armageddon -_Blade_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#blade -_Dance_with_Me_ (PG) ** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#dance -_Dead_Man_on_Campus_ (R) * http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#deadman -_Ever_After_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#everafter -_54_ (R) * 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#54 -_Halloween:_H20--20_Years_Later_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#h20 -_How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#stella -_Knock_Off_ (R) * http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#knockoff -_Lethal_Weapon_4_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#lethal4 -_Let's_Talk_About_Sex_ (R) no stars http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#sex -_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#zorro -_The_Negotiator_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#negotiator -_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland -_Rounders_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders -_The_Opposite_of_Sex_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#sex -_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan -_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon -_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums -_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary -_Why_Do_Fools_Fall_in_Love_ (R) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#fools -_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits -_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends FUTURE FILMS -_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita (September 25) -_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2 http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker (September 25) O N T H E H O R I Z O N FRIDAY _The_Eel_ Making its West Coast premiere this week is this Japanese drama about a man (Koji Yakusho) attempting to reenter the real world after serving an eight-year prison sentence for murdering his wife. Winner of the Palme d'Or at last year's Cannes Film Festival. _Esmeralda_Comes_by_Night_ (R) Spanish-language comedy about a nurse (Maria Rojo) with multiple husbands. _Ill-Gotten_Gains_ (R) Before he starred in Steven Spielberg's _Amistad_, Djimon Hounsou had the lead this low-budget, black-and-white drama about a slave ship revolt. Eartha Kitt co-stars as the voice of a Claymation mask (no joke). _One_True_Thing_ (R) *** Exceptional acting distinguishes this tearjerker about the relationship between a cancer-stricken homemaker (Meryl Streep) and her daughter (Renee Zellweger). _Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** Synthetic adaptation of TV writer Jerry Stahl's memoir about his addictin to heroin. Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Hurley, and Maria Bello star. _Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) Just when you thought there weren't any more inspired matches left to be made in odd couple buddy cop flicks, here comes this pairing of martial arts legend Jackie Chan and motormouthed comic Chris Tucker. _Six-String_Samurai_ (PG-13) *** Amusing, kitschy, instant cult classic about a guitar-playing, sword-swinging man with no name (Jeffrey Falcon) out to become Vegas's new king. _A_Soldier's_Daughter_Never_Cries_ (R) The latest effort from the Merchant Ivory team is this drama detailing the coming of age of a young American girl (Leelee Sobieski) in Paris and the States. Barbara Hershey and the suddenly omnipresent Kris Kristofferson also star. ~~~ =>V I D E O<= N E W T H I S W E E K _City_of_Angels_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#angels Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41013 Would-be tearjerking romance "inspired by" Wim Wenders's classic _Wings_of_Desire_, in which an angel (Nicolas Cage) falls for a human (Meg Ryan). (Warner Home Video) _He_Got_Game_ (R) *** Full review in MR#140, 4/30/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt33.html#hegotgame Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=41145 Spike Lee's engrossing drama about the turbulent relationship between an ex-con (Denzel Washington) and his basketball star son (Milwaukee Bucks guard Ray Allen, in an impressive debut). (Touchstone Home Video) _Hush_ (PG-13) no stars Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40955 If only TriStar had hushed writer-director Jonathan Darby when he made the pitch for this insulting thriller. In yet another entry in the "-from-hell" genre, Jessica Lange plays a shrew of a mother-in-law to Gwyneth Paltrow, doing anything within her power to tear her son (Jonathan Schaech) and Paltrow apart. Never mind that the acting is poor all around--for what is supposed to be a thriller, _Hush_ is astonishingly light on thrills and suspense; come to think of it, the film is completely devoid of those critical elements. Something is terribly wrong when the film does not even offer a cheesy rollercoaster finale with the psycho in an over-the-top final confrontation with the hero(es). Imagine _Fatal_Attraction_ ending with Michael Douglas and Anne Archer doing away Glenn Close with... _verbal_insults_, and you get a pretty clear idea of how this complete bore closes with an all-too-appropriate hush. (Columbia TriStar Home Video) _Lady_and_the_Tramp_ (G) **** Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=709 Disney's classic 1955 animated feature about the touching romance between a sheltered cocker spaniel and a mongrel from the wrong side of the tracks makes its long-awaited return to video. Available in both full-frame and letterbox formats. (Walt Disney Home Video) _A_Price_Above_Rubies_ (R) * 1/2 Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#rubies Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40993 Unbelievable drama about a young Jewish wife (Renee Zellweger) seeking freedom from the constraints of her strict Hasidic community in Brooklyn. (Miramax Home Entertainment) _Wide_Awake_ (PG) ** 1/2 Full review in MR#136, 3/27/98; and at: http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt30.html#wideawake Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40977 Occasionally affecting drama about a young boy (Joseph Cross) searching for God after the death of his beloved grandfather (Robert Loggia). (Miramax Home Entertainment) A L S O N E W T H I S W E E K _Deep_Rising_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40898 It's "full scream ahead" when a giant sea serpent threatens a cruise ship. Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, Anthony Heald, Djimon Hounsou, and Wes Studi star. (Hollywood Pictures Home Video) _Incognito_ (R) Rent or buy at Reel.com: http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as p?MMID=40970 The stench of _Speed_2:_Cruise_Control_ so scared Warner Bros. that they gave little more than a small regional theatrical release to this adventure/thriller starring Jason Patric as an art forger who gets embroiled in intrigue. Could it really be any worse than _The_Avengers_ and _Tarzan_and_the_Lost_City_, just to name two of a variety of atrocious WB product given wide releases this year? Irene Jacob co-stars for director John Badham. (Warner Home Video) ~~~ =>N E X T W E E K<= More reviews, including: -_Antz_ -_The_Mighty_ -_Slam_ -_Urban_Legend_ 'til then... __________________________________________________________ Michael Dequina Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site http://jordan.sportsline.com mj23@michaeljordanfan.com michael_jordan@geocities.com | mrbrown@ucla.edu >My personal WWW sites< Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23 Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md >Other WWW sites I work on< CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com "Oliver Stone doesn't know shit about basketball." --Michael Jordan, on why he refused to work with the director on a hoops-themed Nike commercial __________________________________________________________ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Bruce Bridges Subject: [MV] Depressing movies...... -Reply Date: 17 Sep 1998 16:15:59 -0700 I think the title of the movie I am thinking of is "Dead Ringers" starring Jeremy Irons. Anyway it is about twin brother gynecologists who share a less than healthy bond and follows their descent into madness which culminates in the invention of a bizarre gynecological tool used in a way that is not pretty. Oh, and it absolutely revolted me. Cronenberg is a brilliant director who explores a dark side rarely seen in film but he has a way of pushing my buttons that I prefer unpushed and I haven't cared to watch any of his movies in a long time. "The Fly" was probably the last Cronenberg film I enjoyed on any level. [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV]Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 17 Sep 1998 00:21:22 -0700 Gerald - you have to see this movie called "Heaven" - I will write a review of it tomorrow but it is amazing - just saw it at the Toronto Film Fest yesterday and it covers a little bit about what you are talking about here...This movie plays by no rules - not only are there flashbacks in it - but flash forwards too...very atypical - from New Zealander Scott Reynolds whose first movie was The Ugly (haven't seen it yet). It's not about affairs but it covers that aspect...man - it's just a great film! At 06:28 AM 9/17/1998 +0100, you wrote: >>>> Bruce, don't get me wrong......I am not saying I want all films to end with the hero being selfish and just thinking of his own happiness.....it's just that what you stated that you want to see already happens frequently....there is no film I can think of that has ever had a sympathetic hero (or main character) who has left his perfectly nice family for another woman without some tragedy descending. Every film in which a man/woman has an affair always ends with them seeing the light and returning to their original partner and family, or if they don't it's because his original partner is a nasty piece of work which doe'nt count! I would just like to see one film which breaks these rules! As stated before "Breif encounter" would fit all your criteria as the main characters tempted by an affair only get as far as a kiss. Arial-----Original Message----- <<<movies@lists.xmission.com> >Concerning romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree on how >we want to see our romantic heroes behave. > > > >I think that since the film is told from the perspective of an >american soldier that the german's would naturally come off badly. >How could the american soldiers see them any other way? I'm sure it >was the same from the other side as well. > >As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that for a second. > I think he would have killed him immediately. I probably would have. > > >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to <majordomo@xmission.com ] > <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] Depressing movies...... Date: 17 Sep 1998 00:22:44 -0700 How about Deer Hunter? It made me pretty depressed for a couple of days afterwards...and as far as no hope for mankind then you have to include Bad Lieutenant with Kietel... At 10:30 PM 9/17/1998 +0100, you wrote: >>>> Anybody care to share their opinion on films that they thought depressing? I am not talking about bad films but films that are good but also very bleak.......the type that make you think of reaching for a razor blade because there's no hope for mankind! Off the top of my head I can think of four......two are T.V movies one is from the sixties called "Cathy come home" by the director ken Loach and the other is a tale of nuclear war called "Threads"......the other two are a russian film called "Come and see" and "Henry potrait of a serial killer".......anyone got any more? ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] Depressing movies...... -Reply Date: 17 Sep 1998 00:26:21 -0700 His next film looks pretty interesting - eXistEnce about virtual reality and reality - and the blurring of the two worlds. Kinda Videodromish...I got to sit beside David last year at the Toronto Film Fest for the screening of Gataca and had a good talk with him - he's very calm and funny-nice to talk to. At 04:15 PM 9/17/1998 -0700, you wrote: >I think the title of the movie I am thinking of is "Dead Ringers" >starring Jeremy Irons. Anyway it is about twin brother >gynecologists who share a less than healthy bond and follows their >descent into madness which culminates in the invention of a bizarre >gynecological tool used in a way that is not pretty. Oh, and it >absolutely revolted me. > >Cronenberg is a brilliant director who explores a dark side rarely >seen in film but he has a way of pushing my buttons that I prefer >unpushed and I haven't cared to watch any of his movies in a long >time. > >"The Fly" was probably the last Cronenberg film I enjoyed on any >level. > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] > > Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: [MV] Last comment on "Ultimate sacrifices" Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:40:09 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0083_01BDE309.DA5423C0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable I agree with your comments below 100% I think I just misunderstood your = first point. What I was aiming at (and I think ultimately you feel the = same) is that when you watch a film you want it for the most part to be = unpredicatble. There is nothing more irritating than characters always = behaving in a stereotypical way. I've lost count of all the films = that's endings can be predicted 20mins in. I am quite happy to believe = in far out scenarios providing the characters behave in a realistic = manner......not solely a moral one.=20 =20 One more comment concerning your comments on Cronenberg.........I = basically agree with and I think his last two films "Crash" and " Naked = lunch" were atrocious. My favourite Cronenberg has to be "Shivers". = Now I'm off to watch "Wings of a dove"...I'll give you a post of my = opinion! >Gerald et al, > >Of course I'm not calling for all future romantic flicks to have >dudley doorights as the lead but in my previous post I was really >trying to explain why I did not connect with the leads "The English >Patient". For me that tact is overused and meant to illustrate >"Passion that breaks all boundaries!" when it could just as easily >mean two losers that are just horny. Don't get me wrong, I'm just as >eager for Bounds breaking passion as the next guy but I can't really >cheer for it in the theatre. > >I'm not even a huge fan of the genre to be honest. I think I will >try "Brief Encounter" though. How about "Wings of a Dove"? I >thought that film was a great example of a tragic love in which you >could sympathize with the leads. > >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0083_01BDE309.DA5423C0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
 

I agree with = your comments=20 below 100%  I think I just misunderstood your first point.  = What I was=20 aiming at (and I think ultimately you feel the same) is that when you = watch a=20 film you want it for the most part to be unpredicatble.  There is = nothing=20 more irritating than characters always behaving in a stereotypical = way. =20 I've lost count of all the films that's endings can be predicted 20mins=20 in.  I am quite happy to believe in far out scenarios providing the = characters behave in a realistic manner......not  solely a moral = one.=20
 
One more comment = concerning=20 your comments on Cronenberg.........I basically agree with and I think = his last=20 two films "Crash" and " Naked lunch" were = atrocious. =20 My favourite Cronenberg has to be "Shivers".  Now I'm off = to=20 watch "Wings of a dove"...I'll give you a post of my=20 opinion!

>Gerald et = al,
>
>Of=20 course I'm not calling for all future romantic flicks to = have
>dudley=20 doorights as the lead but in my previous post I was really
>trying = to=20 explain why I did not connect with the leads "The=20 English
>Patient".  For me that tact is overused and = meant to=20 illustrate
>"Passion that breaks all boundaries!" when = it could=20 just as easily
>mean two losers that are just horny.  Don't = get me=20 wrong, I'm just as
>eager for Bounds breaking passion as the next = guy but=20 I can't really
>cheer for it in the theatre.
>
>I'm = not even a=20 huge fan of the genre to be honest.  I think I will
>try = "Brief=20 Encounter" though.  How about "Wings of a = Dove"? =20 I
>thought that film was a great example of a tragic love in which = you
>could sympathize with the = leads.
>
>bb
>
>[=20 To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe = ]
>[=20 movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com &n= bsp;        =20 ]
> ------=_NextPart_000_0083_01BDE309.DA5423C0-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: Re: [MV]Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:40:05 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0078_01BDE309.D808AD20 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Can't wait for you review. "The ugly" is supposed to be very good but = only Blockbuster stocks it......I don't like paying =A33.50 to rent a = movie! (It's the scotsman in me!). =20 -----Original Message----- From: Jason Cormier To: movies@lists.xmission.com Date: 18 September 1998 00:18 Subject: Re: [MV]Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply =20 =20 Gerald - you have to see this movie called "Heaven" - I will write a = review of it tomorrow but it is amazing - just saw it at the Toronto = Film Fest yesterday and it covers a little bit about what you are = talking about here...This movie plays by no rules - not only are there = flashbacks in it - but flash forwards too...very atypical - from New = Zealander Scott Reynolds whose first movie was The Ugly (haven't seen it = yet). It's not about affairs but it covers that aspect...man - it's just = a great film!=20 =20 =20 At 06:28 AM 9/17/1998 +0100, you wrote:=20 >>>> =20 Bruce, don't get me wrong......I am not saying I want all films = to end with the hero being selfish and just thinking of his own = happiness.....it's just that what you stated that you want to see = already happens frequently....there is no film I can think of that has = ever had a sympathetic hero (or main character) who has left his = perfectly nice family for another woman without some tragedy descending. = Every film in which a man/woman has an affair always ends with them = seeing the light and returning to their original partner and family, or = if they don't it's because his original partner is a nasty piece of work = which doe'nt count! I would just like to see one film which breaks these = rules! As stated before "Breif encounter" would fit all your criteria as = the main characters tempted by an affair only get as far as a kiss. -----Original Message----- From: Bruce Bridges <Bruce@SABAN.COM> To: movies@lists.xmission.com = <movies@lists.xmission.com> Date: 16 September 1998 18:44 Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan +Ultimate sacrifices.... -Reply =20 >Concerning romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree = on how >we want to see our romantic heroes behave. > > > >I think that since the film is told from the perspective of an >american soldier that the german's would naturally come off = badly.=20 >How could the american soldiers see them any other way? I'm = sure it >was the same from the other side as well.=20 > >As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't buy that for a = second. > I think he would have killed him immediately. I probably would = have. >=20 > >bb > >[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message = "unsubscribe ] >[ movies (without the quotes) to = majordomo@xmission.com ] >=20 =20 <<<< =20 =20 =20 Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] = [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ]=20 ------=_NextPart_000_0078_01BDE309.D808AD20 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Can't wait for you = review. =20 "The ugly" is supposed to be very good but only Blockbuster = stocks=20 it......I don't like paying £3.50 to rent a movie! (It's the = scotsman in=20 me!). 
-----Original = Message-----
From:=20 Jason Cormier <movieman@netcom.ca>
To: = movies@lists.xmission.com = <movies@lists.xmission.com&g= t;
Date:=20 18 September 1998 00:18
Subject: Re: [MV]Ultimate=20 sacrifices.... -Reply

Gerald - you have to see = this=20 movie called "Heaven" - I will write a review of it = tomorrow but=20 it is amazing - just saw it at the Toronto Film Fest yesterday and = it covers=20 a little bit about what you are talking about here...This movie = plays by no=20 rules - not only are there flashbacks in it - but flash forwards = too...very=20 atypical - from New Zealander Scott Reynolds whose first movie was = The Ugly=20 (haven't seen it yet). It's not about affairs but it covers that=20 aspect...man - it's just a great film!


At 06:28 AM = 9/17/1998=20 +0100, you wrote:
>>>>
Bruce, don't get me wrong......I am not = saying I=20 want all films to end with the hero being selfish and just = thinking of=20 his own happiness.....it's just that what you stated that you = want to=20 see already happens frequently....there is no film I can think = of that=20 has ever had a sympathetic hero (or main character) who has left = his=20 perfectly nice family for another woman without some tragedy = descending.=20 Every film in which a man/woman has an affair always ends with = them=20 seeing the light and returning to their original partner and = family, or=20 if they don't it's because his original partner is a nasty piece = of work=20 which doe'nt count! I would just like to see one film which = breaks these=20 rules! As stated before "Breif encounter" would fit = all your=20 criteria as the main characters tempted by an affair only get as = far as=20 a=20 kiss.
-----Original=20 Message-----
From: Bruce Bridges=20 <<mailto:Bruce@SABAN.COM>Bruce@SABAN.COM>
To:=20 = <mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>movies@lists.xmission.com=20 = <<mailto:movies@lists.xmission.com>movies@lists.xmission.com>=
Date:=20 16 September 1998 18:44
Subject: Re: [MV] Re:Pvt Ryan = +Ultimate=20 sacrifices.... = -Reply

>Concerning=20 romantic films, we'll just have to agree to disagree on = how
>we=20 want to see our romantic heroes = behave.
>
>
>
>I=20 think that since the film is told from the perspective of=20 an
>american soldier that the german's would naturally = come off=20 badly.
>How could the american soldiers see them any = other way?=20 I'm sure it
>was the same from the other side as well.=20
>
>As far as the scene in the staircase, I didn't = buy that=20 for a second.
> I think he would have killed him = immediately. I=20 probably would have.
>
>
>bb
>
>[ = To=20 leave the movies mailing list, send the message = "unsubscribe=20 ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to=20 <mailto:majordomo@xmission.com>majordomo@xmission.com = ]
>=20
<<<<



Jay the=20 Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca
[ To leave the movies mailing = list, send=20 the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to=20 majordomo@xmission.com ] ------=_NextPart_000_0078_01BDE309.D808AD20-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Gerald Taylor" Subject: [MV] Depression at the movies! Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:40:02 +0100 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_006D_01BDE309.D6343B40 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Thanks for the responses so far. "Bad lieutenant" would certainly meet = the standards as well as the others mentioned. There must be more = though! I have thought of another......"A short film about killing", = well made, thought provoking and extremely depressing!!! I'd also say = that "La reine Margot" might fit the bill as would "Germinal". ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self = contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning = things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of = years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt = Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------=_NextPart_000_006D_01BDE309.D6343B40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Thanks for the responses so = far. =20 "Bad lieutenant" would certainly meet the standards as well as = the=20 others mentioned.  There must be more though!  I have thought = of=20 another......"A short film about killing", well made, thought=20 provoking and extremely depressing!!!  I'd also say that "La = reine=20 Margot" might fit the bill as would=20 "Germinal".
~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I = could turn=20 and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand = and=20 look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their=20 condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do = not make=20 me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not = one=20 demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another = nor to=20 his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is = respectable or=20 unhappy over the whole=20 earth.
          &nb= sp;           &nbs= p;            = ;            =             &= nbsp;  =20 Walt=20 Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
------=_NextPart_000_006D_01BDE309.D6343B40-- [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "David Lee" Subject: Re: [MV]Wings on the dove and other romantic tragedies Date: 18 Sep 1998 21:54:13 +0800 Finally, somebody mentioned Wings of the Dove. The love story was so tragic... you don't know who to sympathise with... Helena's character? or the guy (what's his name...) anyway, those who watched the show will know what i mean... You just end up feeling sad for the one who died... Anyway, that was a long time ago... And yes, I absolutely agree with Gerald that not all romantic flicks have to have a do-right ending... They can be tragic and it is perhaps, the appropriateness of the tragedy that endears a love story to the audience. Since time in memorial, audiences around the world have fallen in love with Romeo & Juliet, not the least reason why they had a modern-day update of the story. All it proves is that, in contrast with stories like English Patient (not that I'm condemning the movie... it was brilliantly made, with credible performances from Juliette Binoche and Ralph Fiennes [for some reason, I don't quite like Christin Scott Thomas]), love stories which choose to be tragic, need something beyond scratching the surface. Like what was said about Saving Pte Ryan, the audience need something to look up to. It's no longer effective to treat audience (matured or otherwise) as little children. They want their emotions and feelings to be challenged in a movie... A good tragic love story does that. David [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: jkrudy Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies...... Date: 18 Sep 1998 08:38:42 -0600 I totally agree with "Threads". I liked it, but it was so depressing. I've watched "Point of No Return" about 3 times, and it still depresses the heck out of me. I think it's so sad that all she ever needed in her life was a chance, and once given a chance she embraces it, only to find that she's still a prisoner of her past. JAMES K. RUDY -----Original Message----- Sent: Thursday, September 17, 1998 3:31 PM Anybody care to share their opinion on films that they thought depressing? I am not talking about bad films but films that are good but also very bleak.......the type that make you think of reaching for a razor blade because there's no hope for mankind! Off the top of my head I can think of four......two are T.V movies one is from the sixties called "Cathy come home" by the director ken Loach and the other is a tale of nuclear war called "Threads"......the other two are a russian film called "Come and see" and "Henry potrait of a serial killer".......anyone got any more? ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Jason Cormier Subject: Re: [MV] Depression at the movies! Date: 17 Sep 1998 16:37:17 -0700 Man bites Dog is also another one - it's about these guys trying to make a documentary about a serial killer - they follow him around while he does his work...morbid - but darkly humourous! At 01:40 PM 9/18/1998 +0100, you wrote: >>>> Thanks for the responses so far. "Bad lieutenant" would certainly meet the standards as well as the others mentioned. There must be more though! I have thought of another......"A short film about killing", well made, thought provoking and extremely depressing!!! I'd also say that "La reine Margot" might fit the bill as would "Germinal". ~ Gerry T ~~~~~ I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained, I stand and look at them long and long. They do not sweat and whine about their condition, They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things, Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago, not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. Walt Whitman. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ <<<<<<<< Jay the Movieman movieman@netcom.ca [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- From: manuel morrens Subject: Re: [MV] Depression at the movies! Date: 18 Sep 1998 17:51:36 +0200 --------------978F1993690FE923D1DDFD32 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gerald Taylor wrote: > Thanks for the responses so far. "Bad lieutenant" would certainly > meet the standards as well as the others mentioned. There must be > more though! I have thought of another......"A short film about > killing", well made, thought provoking and extremely depressing!!! > I'd also say that "La reine Margot" might fit the bill as would > "Germinal".~ > Gerry T > ~~~~~ > I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and > self contained, > I stand and look at them long and long. > They do not sweat and whine about their condition, > They do not lie awake and weep for their sins, > they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God, > not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning > things, > Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of > years ago, > not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth. > Walt > Whitman. > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What about "Othello" ....Everything written by Shakespeare for that matter ..except for " Much ado about nothing" etc. ..."Portrait of a lady" was also rather depressing.... "Seven years in Tibet"...now THERE's a movie that depressed the shit out of me....I was so down when I left the theatre... Especially the length of this movie was a killer. -- Manuel Morrens mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be Department of Medicine http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties Brussels Free University (lyrics of the eighties) --------------978F1993690FE923D1DDFD32 Content-Type: text/html; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Gerald Taylor wrote:
 Thanks for the responses so far.  "Bad lieutenant" would certainly meet the standards as well as the others mentioned.  There must be more though!  I have thought of another......"A short film about killing", well made, thought provoking and extremely depressing!!!  I'd also say that "La reine Margot" might fit the bill as would "Germinal".~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 What about "Othello" ....Everything written by Shakespeare for that matter ..except for " Much ado about nothing" etc. ..."Portrait of a lady" was also rather depressing....
 

 "Seven years in Tibet"...now THERE's a movie that depressed the shit out of me....I was so down when I left the theatre... Especially the length of this movie was a killer.
  

-- 
Manuel Morrens                  mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be         
Department of Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        (lyrics of the eighties)
 



--------------978F1993690FE923D1DDFD32--


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From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: [MV] Heaven review - 97%!!!
Date: 17 Sep 1998 16:49:49 -0700

Hello all...another report from the Toronto Film Festival.  This one was a
midnight madness screening (all of which in this series are usually quite
different from mainstream selections).  This is definitely the best movie
I've seen all year!  Absolutely amazing.  The movie was like a puzzle that
we continually tried to put together - but they kept changing the pieces on
us!  The movie follows the exploits of Martin Donavan (Opposite of Sex) and
his gambling addiction, and his divorce with his wife who wants sole
possesion of their son and who is also having an affair with their
lawyer/psychologist, and his friend the strip club owner who treats his
staff like crap, and his new friend Heaven - a dancer at the club who has
the power to sometimes see in the future and gets used by the strip club
owner to make money on lotteries and poker and she gets used by the
psychologist who passes on the info of her premonitions of Martin getting
rich soon to Martin's wife so that she can sue him for more money - but
only after he makes advances on Heaven (who is really a guy).  A little bit
of a run-on sentence but I can't really describe it in a one-liner.
Because of Heaven's premonitions - we are treated to not only flash backs
but flash forwards and we are always trying to figure out if what we are
seeing is a flash forward or the real thing.  The editting in this movie is
amazing!  You will never see a movie editted like this - the pace is so
fast and it is in the editting that the film is like a puzzle.  I can't
give this movie any more kudos - and I'm not sure if or when it will be
released - but if you see it anywhere - I'm sure you'll like this dark and
sometimes violent tale.  97%.
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Mel Eperthener 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies......
Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:05:36 -0400

At 08.38 AM 18/09/98 -0600, jkrudy wrote:
>I totally agree with "Threads".  I liked it, but it was so depressing.  I've
>watched "Point of No Return"  about 3 times, and it still depresses the heck
>out of me.

Sorry, but the only thing I found depressing about Point of No Return is
that Hollywood once again took a wonderful film that is literally a work of
art (La Femme Nikita) and turned it into complete and utter crap.  This was
an insult to Luc Besson.  Even the USA Network has done better with the
Nikita series.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: bcassidy@usaor.net
          gowanna@australiamail.com

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
(412) 781-6140
(412) 781-6380
1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
(1-888-454-6926)
____________________________________________
"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"

--Dana Scully
______________________________________________


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From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies......
Date: 18 Sep 1998 11:23:43 -0600

Ah, but that does not dispel my point that it was depressing, it was just
depressing at different levels.  Having never seen La Femme Nikita, or the
Nikita series on USA, I only had this movie to go on.  It is a great plot
although not original to Point of No Return, I still enjoyed the concept.  I
will put La Femme Nikita on my list of vid's to watch this weekend, and then
let may I never return to the Point of No Return again.

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 11:06 AM

At 08.38 AM 18/09/98 -0600, jkrudy wrote:
>I totally agree with "Threads".  I liked it, but it was so depressing.
I've
>watched "Point of No Return"  about 3 times, and it still depresses the
heck
>out of me.

Sorry, but the only thing I found depressing about Point of No Return is
that Hollywood once again took a wonderful film that is literally a work of
art (La Femme Nikita) and turned it into complete and utter crap.  This was
an insult to Luc Besson.  Even the USA Network has done better with the
Nikita series.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: bcassidy@usaor.net
          gowanna@australiamail.com

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
(412) 781-6140
(412) 781-6380
1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
(1-888-454-6926)
____________________________________________
"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"

--Dana Scully
______________________________________________


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions 
Subject: [MV] Coming Monday, 9.21, to The Flick Filosopher...
Date: 18 Sep 1998 17:37:43 -0000

The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos

Howdy! Y'all miss me? Can you tell I spent my vacation with Southerners?

Yep, I pointed the Saturn toward Johnstown, Pennsylvania -- of flood fame
-- to hang out with some musician friends who were performing at the
Johnstown Folkfest. Friends from Texas, I might add -- hence the "y'all."

Then it was off to Savannah, Tennessee -- when you get to the middle of
nowhere, keep going -- for a sort of pagan Celtic wedding. Lots of men
with bagpipes, kilts, and lovely Southern accents. What more could a girl
ask for?

So the Saturn's got a few more thousand miles on the speedometer, my skin
is more precancerous than ever thanks to multiple sunburns, and I'm
stuffed with wedding cake. I'm also inspired by my foray into the small
towns of America to make my return to the Web with a look at Small-Town
Living with *Simon Birch* and *The Sweet Hereafter.*

Y'all drop by on Monday, now, y'hear?

==============================
Want to stay up to date on Hollywood happenings? Starting Monday, you can
support The Flick Filosopher when you subscribe to *Entertainment Weekly*
and *Premiere* by clicking on the magazine covers at 
http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos
==============================



MaryAnn


______________________________________________________________________
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: cHriS 
Subject: [MV] re: Depressing movies!
Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:35:00 -0600



Anything that makes Van Damme speak complete sentences...

- cHriS






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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: Re: [MV]Wings on the dove and other romantic tragedies
Date: 18 Sep 1998 19:36:02 +0100

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Hi Dave......I had'nt seen the movie when the post was written, the tape =
was in the machine and I was just set tow watch it.  I enjoyed it and =
totally agree with your comments.  Have you seen "Map of the human =
heart" and "Betty Blue"?  I think you would enjoy them.~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self =
contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-----Original Message-----


>Finally, somebody mentioned Wings of the Dove. The love story was so
>tragic... you don't know who to sympathise with... Helena's character? =
or
>the guy (what's his name...) anyway, those who watched the show will =
know
>what i mean... You just end up feeling sad for the one who died...=20
>
>Anyway, that was a long time ago... And yes, I absolutely agree with =
Gerald
>that not all romantic flicks have to have a do-right ending... They can =
be
>tragic and it is perhaps, the appropriateness of the tragedy that =
endears a
>love story to the audience. Since time in memorial, audiences around =
the
>world have fallen in love with Romeo & Juliet, not the least reason why
>they had a modern-day update of the story. All it proves is that, in
>contrast with stories like English Patient (not that I'm condemning the
>movie... it was brilliantly made, with credible performances from =
Juliette
>Binoche and Ralph Fiennes [for some reason, I don't quite like Christin
>Scott Thomas]), love stories which choose to be tragic, need something
>beyond scratching the surface. Like what was said about Saving Pte =
Ryan,
>the audience need something to look up to. It's no longer effective to
>treat audience (matured or otherwise) as little children. They want =
their
>emotions and feelings to be challenged in a movie...=20
>
>A good tragic love story does that.=20
>
>David=20
>
>
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
>=20

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	charset="iso-8859-1"
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Hi Dave......I had'nt seen =
the movie=20
when the post was written, the tape was in the machine and I was just =
set tow=20
watch it.  I enjoyed it and totally agree with your comments.  =
Have=20
you seen "Map of the human heart" and "Betty =
Blue"?  I=20
think you would enjoy them.~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn =
and=20
live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand and =
look at=20
them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their=20
condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do =
not make=20
me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not =
one=20
demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another =
nor to=20
his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is =
respectable or=20
unhappy over the whole=20
earth.
          &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;            =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;  =20
Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=


-----Original Message-----
From: =
David Lee=20
<sashimi@mbox2.singnet.com.sg=
>
To:=20
movies@lists.xmission.com =
<movies@lists.xmission.com&g=
t;
Date:=20
18 September 1998 14:59
Subject: Re: [MV]Wings on the dove and other =
romantic=20
tragedies

>Finally, somebody mentioned Wings of =
the Dove.=20
The love story was so
>tragic... you don't know who to sympathise =
with...=20
Helena's character? or
>the guy (what's his name...) anyway, those =
who=20
watched the show will know
>what i mean... You just end up feeling =
sad for=20
the one who died... 
>
>Anyway, that was a long time ago... =
And yes,=20
I absolutely agree with Gerald
>that not all romantic flicks have =
to have=20
a do-right ending... They can be
>tragic and it is perhaps, the=20
appropriateness of the tragedy that endears a
>love story to the =
audience.=20
Since time in memorial, audiences around the
>world have fallen in =
love=20
with Romeo & Juliet, not the least reason why
>they had a =
modern-day=20
update of the story. All it proves is that, in
>contrast with =
stories like=20
English Patient (not that I'm condemning the
>movie... it was =
brilliantly=20
made, with credible performances from Juliette
>Binoche and Ralph =
Fiennes=20
[for some reason, I don't quite like Christin
>Scott Thomas]), =
love=20
stories which choose to be tragic, need something
>beyond =
scratching the=20
surface. Like what was said about Saving Pte Ryan,
>the audience =
need=20
something to look up to. It's no longer effective to
>treat =
audience=20
(matured or otherwise) as little children. They want =
their
>emotions and=20
feelings to be challenged in a movie... 
>
>A good tragic =
love story=20
does that. 
>
>David 
>
>
>
>[ To =
leave the=20
movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ =
movies=20
(without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com &n=
bsp;        =20
]
> 

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Depression and Manuel
Date: 18 Sep 1998 19:36:11 +0100

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	charset="iso-8859-1"
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    Hi manuel.......have not seen "Othello" but will agree about the =
Shakespear comment.  Potrait of a lady i Just found boring......have not =
seen "Seven years" but if it was just crap then it doesn't count!~
    Gerry T
    ~~~~~
    I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and =
self contained,
    I stand and look at them long and long.
    They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
    They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
    they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
    not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
    Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands =
of years ago,
    not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                                   Walt =
Whitman.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
   =20
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What about "Othello" =
....Everything written by Shakespeare for that matter ..except for " =
Much ado about nothing" etc. ..."Portrait of a lady" was also rather =
depressing....=20
     =20
     "Seven years in Tibet"...now THERE's a movie that depressed the =
shit out of me....I was so down when I left the theatre... Especially =
the length of this movie was a killer.=20
     =20

--=20
Manuel Morrens                  mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be        =20
Department of Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        (lyrics of the eighties)
     =20

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Hi manuel.......have not seen =
"Othello"=20
    but will agree about the Shakespear comment.  Potrait of a lady =
i Just=20
    found boring......have not seen "Seven years" but if it =
was just=20
    crap then it doesn't count!~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could =
turn and=20
    live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand =
and=20
    look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about =
their=20
    condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they =
do not=20
    make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is =
dissatisfied, not=20
    one demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to =
another=20
    nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is =

    respectable or unhappy over the whole=20
    =
earth.
          &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;            =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;  =20
    Walt=20
    =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What=
=20
    about "Othello" ....Everything written by Shakespeare for =
that=20
    matter ..except for " Much ado about nothing" etc.=20
    ..."Portrait of a lady" was also rather depressing.... =

 =20
    

    
 "Seven years in Tibet"...now THERE's a movie that =

    depressed the shit out of me....I was so down when I left the =
theatre...=20
    Especially the length of this movie was a killer. 
  =

-- 
Manuel =
Morrens           =
       =
mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be        &n=
bsp;
Department of =
Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~=
mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        =
(lyrics of the eighties)
E> =20


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Depressing movies....Point of no return..
Date: 18 Sep 1998 19:36:06 +0100

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Glad you appreciated threads......."Point of no return", is that the =
John Badham movie?  If it is you should check out Luc besson's "Nikita" =
which is the original french version.  I dont find any of the versions =
depressing myself, but it is a far superior version and I am sure you =
will agree.....~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self =
contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-----Original Message-----


>I totally agree with "Threads".  I liked it, but it was so depressing.  =
I've
>watched "Point of No Return"  about 3 times, and it still depresses the =
heck
>out of me.  I think it's so sad that all she ever needed in her life =
was a
>chance, and once given a chance she embraces it, only to find that =
she's
>still a prisoner of her past.
>
>JAMES K. RUDY
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Gerald Taylor [SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk]
>Sent: Thursday, September 17, 1998 3:31 PM
>To: movies@lists.xmission.com
>Subject: [MV] Depressing movies......
>
>Anybody care to share their opinion on films that they thought =
depressing?
>I am not talking about bad films but films that are good but also very
>bleak.......the type that make you think of reaching for a razor blade
>because there's no hope for mankind!  Off the top of my head I can =
think of
>four......two are T.V movies one is from the sixties called "Cathy come
>home" by the director ken Loach and the other is a tale of nuclear war
>called "Threads"......the other two are a russian film called "Come and =
see"
>and "Henry potrait of a serial killer".......anyone got any more?
>~
>Gerry T
>~~~~~
>I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self
>contained,
>I stand and look at them long and long.
>They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
>They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
>they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
>not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
>Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
years
>ago,
>not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
>                                                               Walt =
Whitman.
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
>=20

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Glad you appreciated=20
threads......."Point of no return", is that the John Badham=20
movie?  If it is you should check out Luc besson's =
"Nikita" which=20
is the original french version.  I dont find any of the versions =
depressing=20
myself, but it is a far superior version and I am sure you will=20
agree.....~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with =
animals,=20
they are so placid and self contained,
I stand and look at them long =
and=20
long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do =
not lie=20
awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing =
their duty=20
to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of =
owning=20
things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived =
thousands of=20
years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole=20
earth.
          &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;            =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;  =20
Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=


-----Original Message-----
From: =
jkrudy <jkrudy@micron.com>
To: 'movies@lists.xmission.com' <movies@lists.xmission.com&g=
t;
Date:=20
18 September 1998 15:42
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing=20
movies......

>I totally agree with=20
"Threads".  I liked it, but it was so depressing. =20
I've
>watched "Point of No Return"  about 3 times, =
and it=20
still depresses the heck
>out of me.  I think it's so sad =
that all=20
she ever needed in her life was a
>chance, and once given a chance =
she=20
embraces it, only to find that she's
>still a prisoner of her=20
past.
>
>JAMES K. RUDY
>
>
>-----Original=20
Message-----
>From: Gerald Taylor [SMTP:geeg@vossnet.co.uk]
&=
gt;Sent:=20
Thursday, September 17, 1998 3:31 PM
>To: movies@lists.xmission.com>Subject:=20
[MV] Depressing movies......
>
>Anybody care to share their =
opinion=20
on films that they thought depressing?
>I am not talking about bad =
films=20
but films that are good but also very
>bleak.......the type that =
make you=20
think of reaching for a razor blade
>because there's no hope for=20
mankind!  Off the top of my head I can think =
of
>four......two are=20
T.V movies one is from the sixties called "Cathy =
come
>home" by=20
the director ken Loach and the other is a tale of nuclear =
war
>called=20
"Threads"......the other two are a russian film called =
"Come and=20
see"
>and "Henry potrait of a serial =
killer".......anyone=20
got any more?
>~
>Gerry T
>~~~~~
>I think I =
could turn=20
and live with animals, they are so placid and =
self
>contained,
>I=20
stand and look at them long and long.
>They do not sweat and whine =
about=20
their condition,
>They do not lie awake and weep for their=20
sins,
>they do not make me sick discussing their duty to =
God,
>not=20
one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning=20
things,
>Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived=20
thousands of years
>ago,
>not one is respectable or unhappy =
over the=20
whole=20
earth.
>          =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;           &n=
bsp;           &nb=
sp;   =20
Walt =
Whitman.
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>[ =
To=20
leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe =
]
>[=20
movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com &n=
bsp;        =20
]
> 

------=_NextPart_000_004F_01BDE33B.947DF420--


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Danielle Conkle" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Depressing movies......
Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:05:05 PDT

   Sometimes it feels good to cry.  I think And the Band Plays on is my 
choice for this category.  I don't know if it makes mewant to reach for 
a razorblade.....actually makes me want to do something to help.  But 
it's a very helpless and frustrating movie, because you don't know what 
to do.



Anybody care to share their opinion on films that they thought =
>depressing?  I am not talking about bad films but films that are good =
>but also very bleak.......the type that make you think of reaching for 
a =
>razor blade because there's no hope for mankind!  Off the top of my 
head =
>I can think of four......two are T.V movies one is from the sixties =
>called "Cathy come home" by the director ken Loach and the other is a =
>tale of nuclear war called "Threads"......the other two are a russian =
>film called "Come and see" and "Henry potrait of a serial =
>killer".......anyone got any more?
>~
>Gerry T
>~~~~~
>I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self 
=
>contained,
>I stand and look at them long and long.
>They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
>They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
>they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
>not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
>things,
>Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
>years ago,
>not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
>                                                               Walt =
>Whitman.
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Danielle Conkle" 
Subject: [MV] Point of no return/la femme nikita
Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:11:14 PDT

      I saw Point of No Return, and loved it.  I think it's a great 
movie.  After seeing the original la femme nikita, i thought that was a 
good film too.  But i still like the American version better.  I'm not 
sure if it's because i saw it first or what, but i liked how hollywood 
treated.  People seem to bash it, but i really liked it.





>>I totally agree with "Threads".  I liked it, but it was so depressing.
>I've
>>watched "Point of No Return"  about 3 times, and it still depresses 
the
>heck
>>out of me.
>
>Sorry, but the only thing I found depressing about Point of No Return 
is
>that Hollywood once again took a wonderful film that is literally a 
work of
>art (La Femme Nikita) and turned it into complete and utter crap.  This 
was
>an insult to Luc Besson.  Even the USA Network has done better with the
>Nikita series.
>
>Regards,
>
>--Mel
>
>
>--Mel Eperthener
>president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
>
>email: bcassidy@usaor.net
>          gowanna@australiamail.com
>
>http://www.webz.com/gowanna
>
>419 Butler Street
>PO Box 95184
>Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
>(412) 781-6140
>(412) 781-6380
>1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
>(1-888-454-6926)
>____________________________________________
>"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
>two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"
>
>--Dana Scully
>______________________________________________
>
>
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>
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Chantal Rousseau" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Toronto Film Fest Party
Date: 18 Sep 1998 13:43:16 PDT

>From owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Mon Sep 14 16:07:29 1998
>
>  On september 13, Jason Cormier wrote: "Was invited to an invitation 
only festival party last night and had myself
>a great time."


Lucky you!  By the way, did you or anyone else had the chance, during 
the film fest, to see  "Le violon rouge" from Quebec's director François 
Girard which oppened the festival this year or "The dreamlife of Angels" 
from Erick Zonka a french or foreign director.  I'd like to have some 
comments on those two movies.   Also, if somebody could recommend me a 
good and different foreign movie.  Always on the lookout for new 
directors!

Thanks!
Lil'bee or as they say Chantalr66

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Diane Christy 
Subject: [MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
Date: 18 Sep 1998 16:05:43 -0500


I think for me there's a difference between depressing movies and movies
that are sad.  I know of quite a few depressing movies that were depressing
because they were so bad.  I think sad movies are movies that evoke a
particular feeling of sorrow and if it's done well it can be very sweet to
be swept up in sorrow because we can all identify with it.  Keeps us
connected as human beings.  For some reason when I think of a sad movie, I
keep thinking of "Charly."  It was just such ashame that the man we got to
know in the story was locked in his brain never to be heard of again.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
Date: 18 Sep 1998 15:20:34 -0600

I don't know, I'm feeling saucy, and ready to reap the world wind so I'll
come out and say it, I cried like a baby all through Deep Impact and loved
it.  Any thoughts?

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 3:06 PM


I think for me there's a difference between depressing movies and movies
that are sad.  I know of quite a few depressing movies that were depressing
because they were so bad.  I think sad movies are movies that evoke a
particular feeling of sorrow and if it's done well it can be very sweet to
be swept up in sorrow because we can all identify with it.  Keeps us
connected as human beings.  For some reason when I think of a sad movie, I
keep thinking of "Charly."  It was just such ashame that the man we got to
know in the story was locked in his brain never to be heard of again.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Diane Christy 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
Date: 18 Sep 1998 16:25:03 -0500

On 9/18/98, 4:20 PM -0500, jkrudy said so nicely:
>I cried like a baby all through Deep Impact and loved
>it.  Any thoughts?

why'd you love it so much?  i haven't seen it.  just curious.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/18/98
Date: 18 Sep 1998 17:01:48 -0600 (MDT)

        "Octopussy."

        -- Director JOHN WATERS, citing the title of a
        James Bond movie, on how he convinced the censors
        to allow him to call his new movie "Pecker,"
        according to the New York Post.

                        -=> * <=-

Director Steven Spielberg received the Army's highest
civilian decoration Thursday in Arlington VA for "Saving
Private Ryan," his gritty depiction of American soldiers in
combat during World War II. Army Secretary Louis Caldera
presented Spielberg with the Distinguished Civilian Service
Award and lauded him for "reminding Americans of the
sacrifices that soldiers make to defend our country." Actor
Harrison Ford, members of Congress and World War II veterans
who served in Normandy were among those attending the awards
ceremony.

                        -=> * <=-

Beloved Hollywood actor Roddy McDowall, who began his career
as a child in 1941's "How Green Was My Valley" and has
always been one of the staunchest supporters of the movie
community (he has also been a longtime confidante of many
stars, including Elizabeth Taylor and the late Audrey
Hepburn), has terminal cancer. Variety columnist Army
Archerd reports that when he called McDowall on Thursday to
wish him a happy 70th birthday, he was told the actor was
resting and unable to come to the phone. Archerd says it was
then explained that McDowall is terminally ill with cancer
and it has spread quickly. Just last month he took part in
celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of "Planet of the
Apes," in which he played the civilized chimp Cornelius.

                        -=> * <=-

The steel bowler hat used to deadly effect by James Bond's
evil adversary Oddjob in the 1965 movie "Goldfinger" was
sold at auction at Christies London on Thursday for
$104,800. The hat went to an anonymous phone bidder for
about $850,000. Other items of Bondiana also fetched large
sums, including the submarine shell that encased Bond's
Lotus Esprit sports car in "The Spy Who Loved Me" ($50,557).
Actor Desmond Llewellyn, who played Q in the films, attended
the auction and was astounded at the prices some of the
items were commanding. "I think it's fantastic, but these
people are crazy," he said.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: [MV] Deep Impact
Date: 18 Sep 1998 17:02:28 -0600

Well I just got wrapped up in the hopelessness of their situation.  From the
previews you would see that they were holding a national lottery to see who
could go into the shelters and hopefully survive, but  I put myself into it
(probably too much)  and I could see myself being picked and not my
children.  Also when very ordinary people reach their full potential during
dire situations and sacrifice themselves for others.  That just touches me
what can I say.  There were points about the movie that I didn't like and
I'm sure a more professional movie viewer could pick it to pieces (I don't
know that's why I asked) but I really liked it.  

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 3:25 PM

On 9/18/98, 4:20 PM -0500, jkrudy said so nicely:
>I cried like a baby all through Deep Impact and loved
>it.  Any thoughts?

why'd you love it so much?  i haven't seen it.  just curious.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: wonger@cyberdude.com
Subject: [MV]Rush Hour
Date: 18 Sep 1998 22:04:03 -0400 (EDT)

Howdy,

The guy from Asia is back. That's me. :) Not Jackie Chan. Although this mail is about him. ;)

Rush Hour debut worldwide a few days ago. Has anyone seen it? It stars Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan - the martial arts veteran from Hong Kong. I have seen the trailer of Rush Hour and, in my opinion, Jackie's moves are slooowww... :) Perhaps a sign of old age? Heh heh heh. I mean, he is fast and furious-paced in the shows he used to be in, like Drunken Master II (oh, that's in Cantonese...). Rush Hour seems to be more forceful acting rather than natural fighting sequences.

Anyway, I'll probably be watching the show tonight. Perhaps I'll have a different opinion after that? :) In the meantime, what comment do YOU have?

Wong
Sibexlink Sdn Bhd of Malaysia
The Emerging Markets Data Center
http://www.sibexlink.com.my

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Danielle Conkle" 
Subject: RE: [MV] Deep Impact
Date: 18 Sep 1998 19:44:43 PDT


>I don't know, I'm feeling saucy, and ready to reap the world wind so 
I'll
>come out and say it, I cried like a baby all through Deep Impact and 
loved
>it.  Any thoughts?
>
>JAMES K. RUDY
   I hated Deep Impact!  But if you asked the whole row i was with 
(everyone sobbing...) then yeah, i'd say this was a sad movie.
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:	Diane Christy [SMTP:dchristy10@earthlink.net]
>Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 3:06 PM
>To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
>Subject:	[MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
>
>
>I think for me there's a difference between depressing movies and 
movies
>that are sad.  I know of quite a few depressing movies that were 
depressing
>because they were so bad.  I think sad movies are movies that evoke a
>particular feeling of sorrow and if it's done well it can be very sweet 
to
>be swept up in sorrow because we can all identify with it.  Keeps us
>connected as human beings.  For some reason when I think of a sad 
movie, I
>keep thinking of "Charly."  It was just such ashame that the man we got 
to
>know in the story was locked in his brain never to be heard of again.
>~~~~~
>Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
>Jefferson, LA
>http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
>mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
>ICQ #12904700
>~~~~~
>
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>
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: Re: [MV] Toronto Film Fest Party
Date: 18 Sep 1998 05:34:00 -0700

My friend saw the Red Violin and said it was fantastic!  He really loved
it...I'm not sure if he saw the other one though...as far as foriegn
directors - some on the rise directors I like are Shane Meadows
(twentyfourseven) and Scott Reynolds (Heaven) they represent Britain and
New Zealand respectively.  As far as foriegn language directors I do like
Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Delicatessen).

At 01:43 PM 9/18/1998 PDT, you wrote:
>>From owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Mon Sep 14 16:07:29 1998
>>
>>  On september 13, Jason Cormier wrote: "Was invited to an invitation=20
>only festival party last night and had myself
>>a great time."
>
>
>Lucky you!  By the way, did you or anyone else had the chance, during=20
>the film fest, to see  "Le violon rouge" from Quebec's director Fran=E7ois=
=20
>Girard which oppened the festival this year or "The dreamlife of Angels"=20
>from Erick Zonka a french or foreign director.  I'd like to have some=20
>comments on those two movies.   Also, if somebody could recommend me a=20
>good and different foreign movie.  Always on the lookout for new=20
>directors!
>
>Thanks!
>Lil'bee or as they say Chantalr66
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
>
>
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: [MV] Rushmore review
Date: 17 Sep 1998 16:59:01 -0700

Another fest film review - this one from Wes Anderson whose first movie
Bottle Rocket created some waves in the industry.  This film plays like the
geeks version of Ferris Bueller - but darker and odder.  Max Fisher is our
hero - complete with glasses and braces - and he is part of every
extra-cirricular activity possible from fencing to backgammon to directing
plays.  It is this aspect of his schooling at Rushmore that he likes.
Enter the dame - a new grade one teacher that instantly grabs the attention
of our hero.  She becomes his new passion and he does everything to gain
her interest in him - even though he is only 15!  Bill Murray plays a
friend of Max who also likes this new teacher and this causes some very
grown-up conversations - which are down-right hilarious!  Imagine Bill
Murray coming out of her house at 2 am and getting in his car only to find
Max in his back seat - "So how was she?"  And Bill Murray plays it as if he
was talking to an adult...really funny.  A good film that will be out next
month - an 85% from me.

***Free review***
I also saw a German movie last night called Cascadeur (Stuntman) and it
plays like a German Jackie Chan - but using the scripts of all 3 Indiana
Jones - each scene was lifted - from X marks the spot to being dragged
under a moving truck to finding lost treasures in the jungle to Nazi
involvement!  It was fun - but mostly only when there was action - and
there wasn't enough action...Definitely a good first film for a guy whose
been a stuntman all his life!  He also acted in it as the lead and like
Chan does his own stunts.  A 76% for fun action but poor story.
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: [MV] Foreign films.....
Date: 19 Sep 1998 09:45:08 +0100

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0062_01BDE3B2.3054F580
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	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Chantal......
Are you talking just new foreign films?  I watch a helluva lot of =
foreign stuff and will be happy to reccomend some........how about =
giving me an idea of some of the films you have already seen.  Recent =
films I have enjoyed have been L'appartment and pretty village, pretty =
flame...~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self =
contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


>>From owner-movies@lists.xmission.com Mon Sep 14 16:07:29 1998
>>
>>  On september 13, Jason Cormier wrote: "Was invited to an invitation=20
>only festival party last night and had myself
>>a great time."
>
>
>Lucky you!  By the way, did you or anyone else had the chance, during=20
>the film fest, to see  "Le violon rouge" from Quebec's director =
Fran=E7ois=20
>Girard which oppened the festival this year or "The dreamlife of =
Angels"=20
>from Erick Zonka a french or foreign director.  I'd like to have some=20
>comments on those two movies.   Also, if somebody could recommend me a=20
>good and different foreign movie.  Always on the lookout for new=20
>directors!
>
>Thanks!
>Lil'bee or as they say Chantalr66
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
>=20

------=_NextPart_000_0062_01BDE3B2.3054F580
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable










Chantal......


Are you talking =
just new=20
foreign films?  I watch a helluva lot of foreign stuff and will be =
happy to=20
reccomend some........how about giving me an idea of some of the films =
you have=20
already seen.  Recent films I have enjoyed have been L'appartment =
and=20
pretty village, pretty flame...~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could =
turn and=20
live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand and =
look at=20
them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their=20
condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do =
not make=20
me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not =
one=20
demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another =
nor to=20
his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is =
respectable or=20
unhappy over the whole=20
earth.
          &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;            =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;  =20
Walt=20
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>From=20
owner-movies@lists.xmissi=
on.com=20
Mon Sep 14 16:07:29 1998
>>
>>  On september 13, =
Jason=20
Cormier wrote: "Was invited to an invitation 
>only festival =
party=20
last night and had myself
>>a great=20
time."
>
>
>Lucky you!  By the way, did you =
or=20
anyone else had the chance, during 
>the film fest, to see  =
"Le=20
violon rouge" from Quebec's director François 
>Girard =
which=20
oppened the festival this year or "The dreamlife of Angels"=20

>from Erick Zonka a french or foreign director.  I'd like to =
have=20
some 
>comments on those two movies.   Also, if somebody =
could=20
recommend me a 
>good and different foreign movie.  Always on =
the=20
lookout for new 
>directors!
>
>Thanks!
>Lil'bee =
or as=20
they say=20
Chantalr66
>
>_______________________________________________=
_______
>Get=20
Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
>=
;[ To=20
leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe =
]
>[=20
movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com &n=
bsp;        =20
]
> 

------=_NextPart_000_0062_01BDE3B2.3054F580--


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: [MV] depressing vs sad movies....
Date: 19 Sep 1998 09:45:12 +0100

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_006E_01BDE3B2.32C99F00
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Some confusion has arose here.  I was just trying to get a rough list of =
films that people found depressing....not bad films just ones that have =
a bleak outlook.....I enjoy sad films but what I was aiming at was to =
try and discover more films that prove a gruelling, devastating =
experience.....things like "Henry", "Threads", "Cathy come home", "a =
short film about killing" and "The bad lieutenant".  Films that are good =
but offer no real hope for the fate of humanity!~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self =
contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self =
contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

------=_NextPart_000_006E_01BDE3B2.32C99F00
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable










Some confusion has arose =
here.  I=20
was just trying to get a rough list of films that people found =
depressing....not=20
bad films just ones that have a bleak outlook.....I enjoy sad films but =
what I=20
was aiming at was to try and discover more films that prove a gruelling, =

devastating experience.....things like "Henry", =
"Threads",=20
"Cathy come home", "a short film about killing" and=20
"The bad lieutenant".  Films that are good but offer no =
real hope=20
for the fate of humanity!~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn =
and live=20
with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand and look =
at them=20
long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their =
condition,
They do=20
not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick =
discussing=20
their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the =
mania=20
of owning things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that =
lived=20
thousands of years ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the =
whole=20
earth.
          &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;            =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;  =20
Walt =
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
=


~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I =
could turn=20
and live with animals, they are so placid and self contained,
I stand =
and=20
look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their=20
condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do =
not make=20
me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not =
one=20
demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another =
nor to=20
his own kind that lived thousands of years ago,
not one is =
respectable or=20
unhappy over the whole=20
earth.
          &nb=
sp;           &nbs=
p;            =
;            =
            &=
nbsp;  =20
Walt=20
Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Deep Impact
Date: 19 Sep 1998 09:45:04 +0100






Hey!!  Maybe the movie was not sad........just the people around you were
for enjoying such nonsense!

>   I hated Deep Impact!  But if you asked the whole row i was with
>(everyone sobbing...) then yeah, i'd say this was a sad movie.
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Diane Christy [SMTP:dchristy10@earthlink.net]
>>Sent: Friday, September 18, 1998 3:06 PM
>>To: movies@lists.xmission.com
>>Subject: [MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
>>
>>
>>I think for me there's a difference between depressing movies and
>movies
>>that are sad.  I know of quite a few depressing movies that were
>depressing
>>because they were so bad.  I think sad movies are movies that evoke a
>>particular feeling of sorrow and if it's done well it can be very sweet
>to
>>be swept up in sorrow because we can all identify with it.  Keeps us
>>connected as human beings.  For some reason when I think of a sad
>movie, I
>>keep thinking of "Charly."  It was just such ashame that the man we got
>to
>>know in the story was locked in his brain never to be heard of again.
>>~~~~~
>>Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
>>Jefferson, LA
>>http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
>>mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
>>ICQ #12904700
>>~~~~~
>>
>>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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>>
>>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
>>
>
>
>______________________________________________________
>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
>
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: cHriS 
Subject: [MV] review: Rush Hour (no spoilers)
Date: 19 Sep 1998 08:41:59 -0600


I did not have high expectations for this film, and to my pleasant surprise
I had a good time! This film does not pretend to be anything other than
what it's supposed to be: fun. I thought the chemistry between Chan and
Tucker worked really well. The fight choreography was cool (more than a
couple times the audience went "oooh!"), and Tucker's one-liner zingers
kept the mood light. If you watch with a critical eye, you'll notice some
weak points in the story and continuity, but they weren't damaging enough
to me to take away from the overall flow of the show. Even the blooper cuts
during the ending credits drove the point home with this movie: it's all
fun.

- cHriS




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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: [MV] Remakes of French Flicks.
Date: 19 Sep 1998 11:51:04 -0700 (PDT)

On Fri, 18 Sep 1998, Mel Eperthener wrote:

> Sorry, but the only thing I found depressing about Point of No Return is
> that Hollywood once again took a wonderful film that is literally a work of
> art (La Femme Nikita) and turned it into complete and utter crap. 

As far as remakes of French films go, this one was passable. I'd still say
that La Femme Nikita was the better film, but Hollywood has done far, far
worse.

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Honwa Chau 
Subject: [MV] depressing
Date: 20 Sep 1998 04:26:20 +0900

"Se7en"

"Heavenly Creatures"

"Breaking the Waves"

"Naked"



itchy



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: KenKnows@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MV] Point of no return/la femme nikita
Date: 19 Sep 1998 16:57:39 EDT

In a message dated 98-09-18 16:15:17 EDT, danyelli@hotmail.com writes:

<< I saw Point of No Return, and loved it.  I think it's a great 
 movie.  After seeing the original la femme nikita, i thought that was a 
 good film too.  But i still like the American version better.  >>

Why do you like it better?

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Danielle Conkle" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Point of no return/la femme nikita
Date: 19 Sep 1998 14:38:18 PDT

everything...from the hollywood explosions, to the acting.   (might have 
been influenced by the fact Bridget Fonda is my fave actress...)


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] Point of no return/la femme nikita
Date: 19 Sep 1998 14:42:17 -0700 (PDT)

On Sat, 19 Sep 1998, Danielle Conkle wrote:

> everything...from the hollywood explosions, to the acting.   (might have 
> been influenced by the fact Bridget Fonda is my fave actress...)

hmmm ... I just found the action and story in La Femme Nikita to be more
stylish. I do think, though, that the American version isn't bad.

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Film.com" 
Subject: [MV] The Film.com Weekly Newsletter -- 9/18/98
Date: 19 Sep 1998 18:27:54 -0700

Welcome to the Film.com Newsletter  - a weekly mailing 
of the news and reviews from www.film.com.

This mailing is distributed to the Film.com mailing list and to
new members of Film.com. For information on how to 
subscribe/unsubscribe, please scroll to the bottom of this message. 

Contents - 9/18/98

1. Rush Hour: Chan and Tucker . . . Not Quite a Dream Team
2. One True Thing: Meryl's Magical Mom
3. Permanent Midnight: Stiller Goes Dark
4. A Soldier's Daughter . . . : Merchant-Ivory, Sans Corsets 
5. Six-String Samurai: Sucks
6. The Fall Movie Preview
7. Weekend Box Office
8. In the Screening Room . . . 
9. Video news: New releases
10. Video specials from Reel.com
11. Movie Music
12. Do You Have G2?
13. Next week on Film.com 

1. RUSH HOUR
Review excerpt by Sean P. Means
http://www.film.com/reviews/index.jhtml?review_url=/film-review/1998/10723/27/default-review.html

" . . . The action follows the Hollywood buddy-movie formula so slavishly 
that Mel Gibson and Danny Glover should get royalty checks. One of them 
hits people, the other makes wisecracks, and tons of stuff blows up. Don't
tell me Jackie came all the way from Hong Kong for this -- he could have stayed 
home and made something just as predictable. . . . And, if Jackie had stayed home, 
the action scenes would be more exciting. Chan has a few instances to shine -- a 
brawl in a pool hall, a brawl in a mansion, a brawl in a Chinese restaurant, and a 
cool final stunt -- but director Brett Ratner (who boosted Tucker's star power with 
Money Talks) doesn't allow Jackie to be Jackie. The sloppy camerawork and choppy 
editing shortchange Chan by not letting his spectacular fight choreography speak for 
itself . . ."

2. ONE TRUE THING
Review excerpt by Moira Macdonald
http://www.film.com/reviews/index.jhtml?review_url=/film-review/1998/10722/1
11/default-review.html

" . . . [Meryl] Streep puts on yet another accent for this role -- she pitches her voice 
higher, and speaks as if she has a spoonful of oatmeal in her mouth. When we first 
meet Kate (dressed up for a costume party as Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz), her 
screechy flutteriness is irritating, and Streep seems to be overdoing the ditziness. 
But the character becomes softer as the film progresses, partly due to her illness, 
and partly, I think, because the daughter's perception of her mother has changed. 
Ellen is accustomed to seeing her mom as a silly, childlike simpleton, and, through 
Ellen's eyes, that's how we see her as well. But as Ellen begins to understand the 
rich detail of her mother's life, she begins to see Kate differently, as do we. It's a 
tribute to Streep's skill, and to director Carl Franklin, that this happens so subtly it's 
barely perceptible. And Streep's physical transformation, as Kate's cancer worsens, 
is nothing short of astonishing and can be quite painful to watch. . . ."

3. PERMANENT MIDNIGHT
Review excerpt by Robert Horton
http://www.film.com/reviews/index.jhtml?review_url=/film-review/1998/10725/18/default-review.html

" . . . Rollicking may not be quite the right word to describe Permanent Midnight, 
a high-energy adaptation of Jerry Stahl's addiction autobiography. The subject 
matter may be too dark, and the treatment too graphic, to qualify as an actual 
rollick. Yet this film is wild and often hilarious, and in its hero, played by Ben 
Stiller, we have a character who is equal parts Charles Bukowski and Robin 
Williams . . ."

4. A SOLDIER'S DAUGHTER NEVER CRIES
Review excerpt by Elizabeth Weitzman
http://www.film.com/reviews/index.jhtml?review_url=/film-review/1998/10726/23/default-review.html

" . . . Merchant and Ivory, and their excellent cast, bring this story and 
these people to life with an exquisite feel for the magnitude of everyday, 
unextraordinary experience. The moods -- French to American, '60s to '70s, 
childhood to teendom, carefree to fearful -- shift so subtly they remind us 
of the garishness with which most films indicate change. Here, period 
singularities like clothes or haircuts, though faultless, are as much a 
background detail as they are for us offscreen: things never analyzed 
or even noticed until removed from their context. . . ."

5. SIX-STRING SAMURAI
Review excerpt by Robert Horton
http://www.film.com/reviews/index.jhtml?review_url=/film-review/1998/10839/18/default-review.html

" . . . But this movie makes Sam Raimi look like Ingmar Bergman. 
Where someone like Raimi understands that flamboyant style and 
gallows humor must be connected to some logical raison d'etre, 
director/writer Lance Mungia and star/co-writer Jeffrey Falcon are 
content to string a bunch of Mad Max ripoffs together in a row. 
You can see exactly what they were going for: a certain drop-dead 
cool, filtered through the style of a cutting-edge comic book, 
dressed up in Blade Runner funk. . . . Most off-putting of all, the level 
of wit is pitched at 14-year-old computer freaks. Off-putting, that is, 
unless you're a 14-year-old computer freak. . . ."

6. THE FALL PREVIEW
http://www.film.com/reviews/rev_coming/previews/1998/98fall/

There's  a nip in the air and a frost on the pumpkin, and Film.com is
celebrating
the season as well with our massive Fall Movie Preview. Check it out for the
scoop on more than 80 new films, including extensive coverage of Antz, A Bug's
Life, Babe: Pig in the City, Beloved, John Carpenter's Vampires, Meet Joe
Black,
Practical Magic, The Prince of Egypt, Snow Falling on Cedars, Star Trek IX,
The Thin Red Line, and You've Got Mail. Oh, and we've got fall trailers too
. . .

7. BOX OFFICE RESULTS
Weekend of  September 11-13
http://www.film.com/reviews/rev_box/ 

1. Rounders
2. There's Something About Mary
3. Blade
4. Saving Private Ryan
5. Simon Birch
6. Ever After
7. Knock Off
8. Snake Eyes
9. Armageddon
10. How Stella Got Her Groove Back

8.  IN THE SCREENING ROOM
http://www.film.com/screen/ 

This week: new trailers for Rounders, Pleasantville, and The 
Mighty.  Plus, check out our "Film Clips" 
 room, loaded with scenes from current films, and the 
RealShorts Film Festival, our online collection of 31 short films 
from the Seattle International Film Festival. 

9. NEW VIDEO RELEASES
http://www.film.com/reviews/rev_video/ 

In Sean Axmaker's video column, read all about this week's new
releases, including Mercury Rising, The Player's Club, My
Giant, Nightwatch, and a special edition of The Searchers. 
Be sure to send the "Print and Go" page to your 
printer, to take along as a handy guide to the video store.

10. VIDEO SPECIALS FROM REEL.COM
http://www.film.com/store/ 
 
It's not too late to order Titanic at the lowest price anywhere - it's still
$9.99, through the end of September. Reel.com also offers a host of
other special events, at special prices, including a selection of 
romantic tragedies, gay and lesbian classics, and the AFI Top 100 -
all at 25 percent off.    

11. MOVIE MUSIC
http://www.film.com/reviews/rev_wild/stc/ 

Next week on Soundtrack Cinema: "Back to Titanic." 
The ship that won't sink returns one last time, as Ford Thaxton presents 
James Horner's new album of music from the film. 

12. DO YOU HAVE G2?
www.film.com/reviews/smil 

Check out the Film.com and Screening Room channels on the new
G2 Player - and don't miss the Talking Picture Show, in which Film.com's
critics debate the movies of the week.

NEXT WEEK . . .

Watch Film.com for reviews of Urban Legend, Pecker, Lolita, Ronin, Clay
Pigeons, and Monument Ave.; a wrap-up from the Toronto
Film Festival; and a special RealVideo interview with Jackie Chan! 

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: Re: [MV] depressing + Howard Chau
Date: 20 Sep 1998 06:24:28 +0100

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Good man!  That's exactly the type of films I've been on about......but =
"Breaking the waves" has a bit of a happy ending.
-----Original Message-----


>"Se7en"
>
>"Heavenly Creatures"
>
>"Breaking the Waves"
>
>"Naked"
>
>
>
>itchy
>
>
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
>=20

------=_NextPart_000_0060_01BDE45F.520DBCE0
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	charset="iso-8859-1"
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Good man!  That's =
exactly the type=20
of films I've been on about......but "Breaking the waves" has =
a bit of=20
a happy ending.


-----Original Message-----
From: =
Honwa Chau=20
<nihonitchy@ibm.net>
To: movies-digest@lists.xmis=
sion.com=20
<movies-digest@lists.xmis=
sion.com>
Date:=20
19 September 1998 20:27
Subject: [MV]=20
depressing

>"Se7en"
>
>"=
;Heavenly=20
Creatures"
>
>"Breaking the=20
Waves"
>
>"Naked"
>
>
>
&=
gt;itchy
>
>
>
>[=20
To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe =
]
>[=20
movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com &n=
bsp;        =20
]
> 

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: maillist@moviejuice.com
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - Week of September 20, 1998
Date: 20 Sep 1998 20:42:19 -0400

RUSH HOUR - BEVERLY HILLS CHOP

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

September 20, 1998

I was ready to check my brain at the door to this theater.   Unfortunately the coat rack was chocked full with a wide variety of frontal lobes in every shape and size.  So in I went to take my medicine which I strongly suspected would be fatal.  

Whoa!  Hey Mikey, I liked it!

Surprise, surprise, Rush Hour is gobs of fun.  Gobs and gobs.  In fact, this is the kind of fun Lethal Weapon used to be before the Holy Roman Numeral empire invaded and comic-relief guest stars and love interests began popping out like Peter Falk's glass eye when he concentrates really hard.

Now don't get me wrong.  This ain't no cinematic revolution, and there's nothing novel about this formula.  And no, snoot-heads, Oprah Winfrey and Tom Hanks ain't in it, and Spielberg wouldn't wipe his ass with this script (if only because he's got people who do that for him).  Don't go looking for a paradigm shift or even a March-of-Dimes shift here, unless you mean the shift from Wheel of Fortune to Hollywood Squares.  

Think of this as Beverly Hills Cop - The Next Generation.   And that's okay with me, because this movie is more fun than a barrel of monkeys - and that includes the upcoming stinks-from-here epic Mighty Joe Young.

Rush Hour features Chris Tucker in a role which more than makes up for his last gig in the constitutionally cruel and humiliatingly unusual punishment called The Fifth Element.   Can you believe how high-pitched this guy's voice is?  Rumor has it that Puff Daddy sampled Tucker for his new song titled "Silently Calling all Dogs!"  

During the recent MTV Music Awards, Tucker was chatting with Madonna when his snake charmer pitch coaxed her nipples free of their faux Hindu wrappings, causing them to jingle jangle across the stage, clapping together like cavernous finger cymbals celebrating the great Vishnu and magnetizing Nielsen families across the land into a chorus of stunned acquiescence that passes for viewership nowadays.   Yes, people were peeking and meters were peaking as Madonna expressed her spirituality in the only way that focuses our attention:  with boobies blaring!  Jimmy Swaggert, take note!  May I suggest a muscle-shirt?

Tucker is often confused with Chris Rock, but get it straight:  Chris Rock is funny like a sonofabitch.  Chris Tucker talks like a girl.  That's it.  Plus, thanks to his vocal range, Chris could play in a children's movie - as the children, that is.

All Tucker doubt aside, James Earl Jones on helium couldn't do a better job of it than Chris.  This guy's got it!  This Chris Rocks!   How do you not get a kick out of lines like "I'm Michael Jackson, you Tito; your ass belongs to me."

And let's not forget Far Eastern good luck charm Jackie Chan.  "You want a Cup O' Noodles or something?" Chris asks Jackie.   The Chan-man is my Buddha's Delight, baby!  He's the Fred Astaire of the Martial Arts flick, and while Chris may not be Ginger Rogers, he's a dandy Leslie Caron.   Look out Chinese Mafia, it's Jackie and Blackie to the rescue!

I saw Jackie belt out some Presley tune on the Howie Doody Mandel show recently (yes, that's right.  That was me watching).  And all I can say is that Jackie may not be able to speak English, but he sure sings it better than Elvis.

So, as in all cop/buddy movies, our unlikely duo teams up to fight crime and save the girl (the aptly named "Soo Yung").  Jackie and Slappy venture to Chinatown (where every crook owns a restaurant, it seems) to take on the venomous but much admired "Too Hung," the odious "Dog Dung," the diminutive "Tom Thumb," and the emaciated poseur-child for bulimia, "Ally McBeal."

Unfortunately, Ally and Jackie face off.  When Ally shakes her fist in a fit of unhinged fury, her wrist breaks clean in half, since gravity is too strong a force for her fragile, bird-like bones.  Thank God producer David Kelley was on the scene.  Looking on in horror, Kelley quickly penned an episode where Ally's hand comes to life and dances across the sink in the unisex bathroom, thus guaranteeing Emmy nominations by the truckload.

Tired though the whole buddy cop concept may be, Jackie and Wacky are energetic dynamos.  They're like humanoid action/comedy Altoids - seriously strong salt and peppermints, with a fresh, what-the-hell attitude only seen in up-and-coming stars with something to prove.  The mix may not be new, but as NBC likes to say, Jackie and Tacky make it "new to you."

See Rush Hour.  You'll laugh your ass off.

Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com.  The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)!

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From: FTWeekly00@aol.com
Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 9-21-98 : Slate II, Take 39
Date: 20 Sep 1998 20:32:27 EDT

FILM THREAT WEEKLY
"Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium"
=============================
Slate II, Take 39 : September 21st, 1998
=============================
http://www.filmthreat.com
=============================

"What a dump."
- Bette Davis raging at her smalltown Wisconsin home in King Vidor's "Beyond
the Forest"


<===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========>


THIS WEEK   "Right here, right now."
===========================================
——> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent.
——> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice?
——> BIG SCREEN: Rush Hour, Clay Pidgeons, One True Thing, more...
——> DIY FILMMAKING: Filmmaker War Stories


SUBSCRIBE   "Unless you already did."
===========================================
Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com.


CLASSIFIEDS   "If you advertise, they will come."
===========================================
Reach over 55,000 film fanatics on the net.  For our reasonable ad rates, e-
mail filmthreat@aol.com.

NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL
The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd
annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999.  Seeking
features, docs, shorts, and music videos.  Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet
streaming.  Awards, prizes and parties.  Deadline November 20th, 1998.  Check
web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film
& Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
http://www.6161.com

ATOMIC HOLLYWOOD - $3.00 VIDEO SAVINGS!
Hard to find videos at www.atomichollywood.com.  Many titles.  Readers of Film
Threat Weekly will get a special $3.00 discount on all videos when they key
"FTW".
http://www.atomichollywood.com


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to readers who forward Film Threat Weekly to their friends! (And you know in
Hollywood, "friends" is a loose term, so that means just about anybody!!!)
You could WIN, too!  The more e-mail addresses you send, the more your chances
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FTW to your pals or send us their e-mail address and we'll send them a weekly
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THE NEWS   "Filtered and manipulated.  Just like the real news."
===========================================
Our top story...

TINY-TANIC MAKES VIDEO DEBUT
It took screenwriter/director/producer/actor Rick Weber only one hour to write
the "Titanic" spoof "tiny-tanic."  He got the idea after watching last year’s
"Special Edition" of the 1978 "Star Wars" parody "Hardware Wars."  Then he
teamed with aspiring filmmaker and friend Scott Russell, and after assembling
a small cast and crew of friends, the diminutive duo set out to film the
cheapest and silliest spoof ever.
     "Tiny-tanic" tells the story of "Rowze Dimwit Equator", a first class
passenger heading home to marry her arrogant, millionaire finacé "Kaladim
Hockey" -- an arranged marriage she is not too happy about.  Along comes "Jak
Dullson", a happy-go-lucky steerage passenger who quickly steals her heart.
     The film loosely follows 1997's "Titanic", taking jabs at key scenes and
characters.  In one hilarious scene, instead of cutting "Jak’s" handcuffs off
with an axe, "Rowze" accidently chops off his left hand and then keeps the
severed limb preserved in a jar as a momento after he dies.
     The 20 minute underground comedy was produced with a $200 budget, one-
millionth the budget of Cameron's movie.  The film plays like a live-action
version of one of those cheesy MAD magazine movie satires.  James Cameron has
not yet seen the film but once he does, we will report his comments in the
weekly.
     The film ends with a parody of the Celine Dion song "My Heart Will Go
On."  Here’s some sample lyrics:

MY HAND WILL GO ON
Every night on my shelf
Preserved, I see you
Though not whole
I know you go on

Deep beneath the ocean
And seaweed between us
The rest of you is rotted and gone

CHORUS:
Sealed
Jar
A picked hand you are
This is how I know that you go on

The rest is gore
On the ocean floor
But you’re here in my jar
And my jar will go on and on...

LYRICS:
An axe can touch you one time
And changes you for a lifetime
And leave behind a limb that goes on

On the ship I loved you
With both hands to hold onto
Now with one I promise
To go on

CHORUS:
You’re
Dead
The sea is your bed
But I know that your hand
Will go on

It'll stay
Preserved this way
I am saving your hand
And your hand will go on and on...

For more info, cruise on over to the official "tiny-tanic" web site:
http://www.iglou.com/tinytanic


Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at:
http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm


BOXOFFICE CHART   "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!"
===========================================
Weekend of September 18-20, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.

1/New RUSH HOUR $31.0 
2/New ONE TRUE THING $6.6
3/  2 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $6.0/$147.4 
4/  1 ROUNDERS $4.8/$16.2
5/  5 SIMON BIRCH $3.9/$8.3
6/  4 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $3.4/$178.1
7/  3 BLADE $3.3/$61.3
8/  6 EVER AFTER $1.7/$59.5 
9/  9 ARMAGEDDON $1.2/$195.7
10/ 8 SNAKE EYES $1.0/$53.9


BIG SCREEN   "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You"
===========================================
From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown.

RUSH HOUR (PG-13)
* * *
(http://www.lycos.com/rush/)
Jackie Chan had to lose some control of his films and come back to Hollywood,
site of his worst failure, to return to his former glory.  Who knew?
   When the Chinese consul's daughter is kidnapped in Los Angeles, the consul
sends for Hong Kong inspector Lee (Chan) to help the FBI with the
investigation.  The FBI want nothing to do with him, so they get wannabe-FBI
LAPD cop James Carter (Chris Tucker) to keep him out of the way.  Once the
premise is set up, the fun begins.
   Jackie obviously has some new, and better, handlers this time.  What
decisions were made to sell Jackie to America and ease his transition?

1) GET A CO-STAR WHO CAN DO ALL THE TALKING.
Chris Tucker is the man.  With the right director, as here, he can drive the
momentum of any movie.  If Peter Greenaway had used Tucker instead of Sir John
Geilgud in "Prospero's Books", he could have trimmed a good hour off of that
movie, and it might have actually been entertaining, though no more
intelligible.  As Jackie said in an interview, "He does all talking comedy, I
do all the fighting comedy... together, a BIG comedy."

2) GET A PLOT EVERYONE DOESN'T FORGET IN THE FIRST FIVE MINUTES.
Quick -- What was "Rumble in the Bronx", "First Strike", or "Mr. Nice Guy"
about?

3) GET SOME REAL ACTORS.
One of his last films, "Mr. Nice Guy", all of the actresses seem to have been
cast solely for their cup-size, not for any talent or charisma.

4) DO ONLY STUNTS THAT NOMINALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE MOVIE.
The action sequences may not be as memorable as the aquarium sequence in
"First Strike" or the wind tunnel fight in "Operation Condor," but then we're
not sidetracked by kung-fu fights in colossally inappropriate places, like an
aquarium or a wind tunnel.  The stunts are great but they make sense and don't
blow the  sense of reality of the whole movie.

5) MAKE JACKIE ACT AGAIN.
I'm pretty sick of Jackie's routine of the last several films where's he's
some poor nice-guy schlub who just gets into trouble.  Here, he and Tucker,
with whom he has terrific chemistry, are hostile to each other from the
starting line.  Chan's a man with a job to do, and he hasn't got much patience
with anyone who's in his way.  He's deliberately antagonistic to Tucker.  He
even says s--t a couple of times.

Conclusion?  Our man Chan is playing catch-up for a change as Jet Li is
already skyrocketing to the A-list and Chow Yun Fat is developing his
carefully managed career.  I had thought Chan was too inflexible, after micro-
managing his own films for so long to deal with the aggravation of breaking
through to America again.  I was wrong.  He's made a solid, distinctly
American action comedy. The crowd at the screening adored him. If he can now
carry a film by himself, he's home free, but he's got to handle a lot more
dialog than he did here. - Ron Wells

PERMANENT MIDNIGHT (R)
* * *
(http://www.permanentmidnight.com/)
"Midnight" is the edgy new creation from writer/director David Veloz. It's
impressive cast includes the tiresome workhorse, Ben Stiller ("There's
Something About Mary", everything else released in '98), Maria Bello
(Television's "E.R."), Owen Wilson ("Bottle Rocket"), Janeane Garofalo and
Elizabeth Hurley among others. If you are looking for an uplifting,
optimistic, light-hearted film ... avoid this like the plague.  If you are
interested in an intensely riveting, true-to-life, engaging story, than
"Permanent Midnight" is a must see.
     The film is based on television writer, Jerry Stahl's autobiography of
the same title and is told through the mouth of Stahl (Stiller) himself as he
recounts his life to his new love interest, Kitty (Bello). As Stahl recounts,
he was a writer with a huge drug addiction, an addiction that is described as
being "as big as the state of Utah".  Later we learn that Stahl moved to Los
Angeles with two aspirations: to become a writer, and to get away from drugs.
When questioned about why this move failed to keep him off drugs, Stahl calmly
replies "I miscalculated".  It is these revelations that drive an ordinary
story into the realm of an extraordinary feature.
     While the supporting cast of Hurley, Wilson and Garofalo more than hold
their own, it is the great onscreen chemistry between Ben Stiller and Maria
Bello, with Stiller's extremely credible portrayal of Stahl and Bello as his
newly discovered soul mate that make this film flow.  While Stiller's
performance is not Oscar material, the year of Ben Stiller continues with a
very good performance on top of a seemingly endless supply of other notables.
With the films "The Zero Effect" and the ever chilling "Your Friends &
Neighbors", Stiller has changed the mind of this reviewer and has proven that
he is a talented actor with an extremely bright future.
     While the tail end of the film does receive cheap laughs, it really does
ruin a very emotional end to a rollercoaster ride that is, after all, a man's
tragic life. In fact, if it were not for this tacked on, sleazy wrap-up, the
film would have garnered an even higher rating. Do not let this fact dissuade
you from seeing this film.  It is well written, well acted and extremely
engrossing. Just find out exactly when the film ends and leave about five
minutes before and you will be very satisfied. - Anthony Miele

CLAY PIGEONS (R)
(http://www.reellife.com/claypigeons_tease.html)
* * * *
Vince Vaughn may play the two best movie serial killers this year if his
Norman Bates rendition can match his performance in "Clay Pigeons."  The focus
of the story is our anti-hero, Clay Bidwell (Joaquin Phoenix), in tiny Mercer,
Montana.  Clay has a really bad day when his unbalanced best friend Earl
commits suicide in a manner to indicate Clay had killed him.  Clay makes a
couple of BAD judgement calls, and then Lester Long (our boy Vaughn) enters
his life and the wacky fun REALLY starts.  FBI agents Janeane Garafalo and
Phil Morris arrive to complicate matters.
     I don't want to say any more about the plot, it's just too much sick fun.
A more appropriate title would have been, "What the f--k do I do now?" but
it's a little long.  First time director David Dobkin kicks Clay in the nuts
in the first five minutes and launches him down the abyss.  Earl's tart,
sociopath wife (Georgina Cates) stalks him mercilessly to rekindle the affair
they had prior to Earl's farewell gesture.  The great part is, as vicious as
the film is at this point, it's only when Clay thinks she's finally out of his
hair that he learns what his real problems are, and the movie kicks into a
whole new gear.  Suddenly, the movie belongs to Vaughn.  Why did it take so
long for Vaughn to make it? The swagger, improv skills, and self-confidence he
exudes here demonstrate he's ready to go head to head against anybody.
Phoenix is fine in a part where he looks like he's really bummin' all the time
and Garafalo is her usual cranky, funny self.  At one point, Clay is asked why
he didn't say something about Vaughn's Lester sooner.  "Wait till you meet
him," he says.  Just wait until you see the film. - Ron Wells

SIX-STRING SAMURAI (PG-13)
(http://www.sixstringsamurai.com/)
* * * * *
It must have been 3 am.  I think I was watching "Rock Around the Clock" when I
got up to hit the fridge, tripped over the bong, and slammed my head into the
coffee table.  The ensuing adrenaline rush unlocked some three-year old acid
sitting in my fat cells.  When I came back down, I was watching "The Hills
Have Eyes."  In the interim, my mind conjured up a fever dream something like
"Six-String Samurai."
     The Russkies nuked America in 1957.  All that remains is a "Mad
Max"-style wasteland and the fabled city of "Lost" Vegas subbing for Oz.  We
pick up the story 40 years later after Elvis, King of Vegas since the
meltdown, has died. Now, every guitar-slinging swordsman in America is
journeying to Vegas to claim the throne, including our hero, Buddy (Jeff
Falcon as a stocky, seedy Buddy Holly clone).  Buddy has a long road to Vegas,
though, and "Death" (or Slash from Guns n' Roses, I'm not sure) is just a step
behind him.  Buddy picks up an almost mute kid along the way whom Buddy cares
for, despite himself.
     "SS Samurai" wins the 1998 "El Mariachi" award for saying, "I've got a
story, talent, a camera, some friends, and no money, but I'm makin' a movie
anyway!"  Director Lance Mungia's reach sometimes exceeds his resources, but
he and the film always have fun.  This movie is inspired by nearly every film
that plays TNT in the middle of the night except, strangely, "Beastmaster."
My favorite would be a guitar duel straight out of Walter Hill's "Crossroads"
(a film that would be classic if Charlie Sheen had starred in place of Ralph
Macchio).  "Samurai" will be around for years to come with appeal to frat boys
and stoners alike.  (I know they're the same thing now, just humor me).  Jump
on this film while you can as its release is rather limited.  You should then
be able to determine the drinking game by the time it's released on video. -
Ron Wells

ONE TRUE THING (R)
* * *
(http://www.one-true-thing.com/)
Anna Quindlen's novel about a family affected by dysfunction and coping with
cancer, looks great in the hands of director Carl Franklin ("One False Move"),
but Franklin's efforts aren't enough to raise the Quindlen's manipulative
material above it's ordinary trappings. Renee Zellweger plays a New York City
journalist about to hit the big-time until she's beckoned town home by her
over critical father (William Hurt) to nursemaid her cancer-stricken mother
(Meryl Streep). Zellweger has a love/resent relationship with Hurt, a small-
town college professor, who uses his time away from the homestead to carry on
troubling, late-night dalliances. There's a lot of Oscar timber here, and
Streep and Hurt do a fine job, it's just unsettling to watch them project the
same persona that they have recycled on screen for the past decade.
Conversely, Zellweger gives a rich performance, emoting dynamically in this
otherwise hobbled melodrama with obvious "Terms of Endearment" pretensions. -
Tom Meek


DIY FILMMAKING:  "War Stories from the Frontlines of Filmmaking"
===========================================
Here we present another chapter in our continuing series focusing on the
trials and tribulations of making independent films.  These War Stories from
filmmakers who slaved to get it done will tear at your heart and might even
make you cry.  (Not really, but it sounds good to say that.)  Battle on indie
filmmakers!

INTERVIEW WITH FILMMAKER:  Tom Hosler, writer/director

What's your story?
It was a year after I graduated from college that I finally finished my first
and only feature script worthy of production, a twisted sci-fi comedy
entitled, "DR. BENDERFAX".  Six moths later, "DR. BENDERFAX" went into
production.  Working with extremely talented actors on my own film and
watching my creation come to life before my eyes was an incredible experience,
and the best part is that at the end of the day, when a scene was shot, it was
shot for good.  It was in-the-can.  My work was done.  If it sucked a bit, I
could fix it in post, hopefully.  Post production is agonizing, mind wrenching
and sometimes demoralizing work that never seems properly finished, at least
in my case.  The post of "DR. BENDERFAX" involved pouring over hours of
pictures, sound, and music for months, then years, to conform thousands of
tiny bits into one cohesive and entertaining piece that hopes to hold the
attention of a teenage viewer for over 85 minutes!  Oh, the humanity!  

What does the title mean?
(Some say it sounds like Dr. Bend-the-facts. Some don’t.)  Synopsis: Dr.
Benderfax is a highly esteemed medical researcher who will do "whatever" it
takes to reach a scientific goal.  Unfortunately, the doctor's experiments
often result in the termination of his subjects, so he and his partner, Nurse
Clench, acquire a psychiatric hospital and use the resident mental patients
for their enigmatic research.  As the formidable duo near the pinnacle of
their scientific careers, the discovery of an elusive psychic phenomenon
called the telefaximial field, a do-good young doctor named Andrew March
stumbles upon the truth about the Benderfax Institute and threatens to expose
the deadly operation.     

What is the budget/schedule?
"DR. BENDERFAX" went into production December of 1992, financed by personal
savings and credit cards and took five months, shooting only on weekends, to
complete. My co-producer, Kata Jacobson and I prepared props, sets and
costumes, etc. on the weekdays, then spent the weekends shooting.  "DR.
BENDERFAX" was put in-the-can for around $20,000, all labor costs deferred.

Did you sacrifice anything because of the budget?
We were quite clever about getting our money’s worth on the screen, but we did
cut some regrettable corners to save money.  We used older film stock we got
on sale at half the price of the new Kodak EXR stocks that were coming out at
the time. Our film looks good, but the EXR film would have looked noticeably
less grainy.  We could have used more lighting and grip equipment, too.  With
more and brighter lights we could have shot "DR. BENDERFAX" at T4 instead of
T2.8, which would have dramatically improved the sharpness of our lenses.  Oh,
well.  Next time we’ll do it better! 

Why did you do it?
Even as a teenager, shooting blood (catsup) drenched super-8 shorts with my
friends, I had ambitions of someday making a feature.  After high school, I
was influenced by my well meaning parents to give up my film making dream as
"too expensive and just not practical."  Many years later, I started taking
film classes in college.  There, I made a few decent short films and got
inspired once again to make a no-budget feature film, this time in 16mm.

Current status of the film?
"DR. BENDERFAX" has been rejected by all the biggest U.S. Studios,
distributors and film festivals, yet it did win the "Silver Cindy" in the
Independent Feature Film category of the 38th annual International Cinema in
Industry Awards.  I've personally sold around 75 tapes to hip independent
video stores around the USA and Canada. 

Advice or pearls of brilliant film making wisdom?
The script is everything!  Persistence is everything!  Money is everything!
Some other things I can’t recall are also everything!

Was it worth it?
Well, my parents were correct to say that making films is too expensive and
not very practical, but if Ed Wood felt that way, "Glen or Glenda" would never
have been made!  "DR. BENDERFAX" is a film that needed to be made.  I did it,
and I’d do it again!

What's next?
Currently, I’m working on a feature script, SVENGALI, about a scientist who
trains monkeys to perform experiments on humans.  I will make the film as soon
as I locate several very daring investors and 150 extremely talented monkeys.

To find out more, surf over to:
http://members.aol.com/BENDERFAX/BENDERFAX.html
If you would like to know where to find DR.BENDERFAX, email  BENDERFAX@aol.com

FILMMAKERS:  Hey!  How come my film isn't in this column?!!  E-mail your tales
to WarStories@filmthreat.com and answer the basic questions above.  Send us a
copy of your film on video and if it sounds cool, we'll run a story about your
movie!  Send VHS review copies to: Film Threat, 5042 Wilshire Blvd., Suite
150, Los Angeles, CA 90036


END CREDITS   "Written, produced, and directed by . . ."
===========================================
Publisher / Chris Gore
Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares
Contributors / Merle Bertrand, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron Wells

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies......
Date: 20 Sep 1998 21:45:11 -0500

I'm not sure how one can really say that "Point of No Return" is "complete
and utter crap" while praising "La Femme Nikita" when 90% of "Point of No
Return" is a scene by scene remake of "La Femme Nikita" right down to the
camera angles.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't like "Point of No Return", but
mostly because I'm not sure how John Badham can sleep at night after
basically stealing a movie.

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Mel Eperthener
Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 12:06 PM

At 08.38 AM 18/09/98 -0600, jkrudy wrote:
>I totally agree with "Threads".  I liked it, but it was so depressing.
I've
>watched "Point of No Return"  about 3 times, and it still depresses the
heck
>out of me.

Sorry, but the only thing I found depressing about Point of No Return is
that Hollywood once again took a wonderful film that is literally a work of
art (La Femme Nikita) and turned it into complete and utter crap.  This was
an insult to Luc Besson.  Even the USA Network has done better with the
Nikita series.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: bcassidy@usaor.net
          gowanna@australiamail.com

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
(412) 781-6140
(412) 781-6380
1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
(1-888-454-6926)
____________________________________________
"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"

--Dana Scully
______________________________________________


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Mel Eperthener 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies......
Date: 21 Sep 1998 00:05:45 -0400

At 09.45 PM 20/09/98 -0500, Mr. White wrote:
>I'm not sure how one can really say that "Point of No Return" is "complete
>and utter crap" while praising "La Femme Nikita" when 90% of "Point of No
>Return" is a scene by scene remake of "La Femme Nikita" right down to the
>camera angles.  Don't get me wrong.  I don't like "Point of No Return", but
>mostly because I'm not sure how John Badham can sleep at night after
>basically stealing a movie.

Yeah, but remember that a vast majority of Waterworld is The Road Warrior.
Only difference is that they are on the water looking for dry land, instead
of in the outback looking for water/fuel.  Try watching both back to back
(which is what I did for Point and Nikita, BTW), and you will see what I
mean.  And popular opinion (not just my own) is that Road Warrior is a cult
classic whilst Waterworld is a waste of perfectly good film stock.

Beyond that, we basically agree, as the problem with Point is that it is
such a blatent rip-off of Luc Besson.  Our opinions are the same, I am just
more emotional and vocal in them.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: bcassidy@usaor.net
          gowanna@australiamail.com

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
(412) 781-6140
(412) 781-6380
1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
(1-888-454-6926)
____________________________________________
"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"

--Dana Scully
______________________________________________


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From: "Meyers, Megan" 
Subject: [MV] PI
Date: 21 Sep 1998 02:02:10 -0400

Hey there!!

 Has anyone seen the movie "PI" ? Any opinions on it? I took my little
brother to see, but I didn't really catch the whole movie ( I admit I fell
asleep) Would it be worth my money to see it again? ( Providing I stay
awake?) I did catch the beginning and saw up until the guy was on the train
with a Rabbi ( I think that is who it was) and I saw the end with the little
girl. What was the idea with the brain or the glob on the floor in the
subway??


 Megan

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From: Honwa Chau 
Subject: [MV] more depressing movies
Date: 22 Sep 1998 00:49:25 +0900

I forgot to add:

"Dance with a Stranger"

"Chinatown"

..."Breaking the Waves" has a really uplifting and gutsy ending but it's
not really happy, right?

My friend Kevin, who's forgotten more films than I've seen, offers:

"The Days of Wine and Roses"
"Wetherby"
"The Birds"
"To Forget Venice"
"White"
"Mr. Klein"
"Providence"
"The Champ" (both versions)
"Ironweed"
"Anna
"Sophie's Choice"
"The Pumpkin Eater"
"The Whisperers"
"Splendor in the Grass"
"Faces"
"A Woman Under the Influence"
"Cries and Whispers"
"Look Back in Anger"
"Saturday Night and Sunday Evening"
"The Razor's Edge" (1946)
"The Red Shoes"
"Pixote"
"Summer of '42"
"Death in Venice"
"The Boys in the Band"
"Summer and Smoke"
"Hud"
"A Taste of Honey"



itchy


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: RE: [MV]Weekend movies
Date: 21 Sep 1998 09:04:42 -0700

Hi Guys,

I saw Rush Hour this weekend and have to admit that I enjoyed it to
some degree.  I've almost given up on being lucky enough to find a
mainstream film that is both entertaining and has a logical plot so
at least I can say I was intermitently entertained.   I won't even
try to make sense of it since I don't think that is the point of the
movie.  With a $31 million weekend boxoffice it looks like Jackie has
his first real american hit.    

I ran down to see Six String Samurai at my local art house.  I have
been intrigued by this film since the trailers began and the
billboards went up.   I ended up walking out after 15 minutes.  I
think what the filmmakers have managed to accomplish is generate some
great pre-release promotion and publicity for a lame attempt at an
ultra-hip Road Warrior knock off.  Instead it is a tired retread of
other retreads.  I can't comment on much more than that first 15
minutes but cannot imagine it rose above embarrassing.

"The Eel" is a japanese film I saw yesterday and thought it was
wonderful.  It is the story of a man freed from prison after killing
his wife and his attempt to reconnect with society.   It seems that
there are some great japanese films coming out recently that break
out of the box of standard filmmaking and show real artistry rather
than the goal of selling tickets.  

Finally, I rented the Starship Troopers laser disc this weekend and
it comes with a great running commentary by the producer and
director.  I highly recommend everybody  rent it to get a great
insight into the themes and goals of the filmmakers of this classic.

bb

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wade Snider  
Subject: [MV] Re: Rush Hour (no spoilers) 
Date: 21 Sep 1998 11:00:38 PDT

I went into this movie with maybe slightly better expectations that chris did.
So, i, too, was pleasantly surprised. This movie had the entire theater laughing
quite readily and loudly the entire time. As for the combination of these two
characters, it went very well. They seemed to blend together as the type of 
"mis-matched" team as you would hope to expect for a movie as such as this. Chris Tucker can
easily overshadow those around him with his style and loudmouth (as he verged upon doing
in Fifth Element and did  - but was supposed to do - in Money Talks). But, Chan 
keeps a very strong presence without that much effort. If you watch Chan's movies,
you'll see quite a few of his typical stunt scenes, but greatly toned down. They are still
fast-paced and dangerous, but not quite as lengthy or quickly edited. A more
Amercianized version of his usual stunt sequences..... But, that's not to
downplay them! Chan's movies are so often partly a showcase for his wild and imaginative
stunts, but this movie is just another mis-matched buddy cop comedy, so the stunts are not 
so heavily a part of the movie. Now, don't think that I'm saying there are not many stunts in the
movie, because it is filled with a lot of great sequences and plenty of Jackie Chan acrobatics....
but if you watch many of his regular movies, you'll know what I mean.

I appreciated the lack of gratutitous sex and nudity (!) and even though there was some profantiy,
there was not very much... and I can't remember if the say said the f*** word at all. I would imagine so,
but it didn't strike me. I normally could care less about these kinds of things, but the fact that a movie
like this was made without graphic profanity or nudity impresses me that the makers didn't feel they had
to cram it in there simply because Hollywood loves to do it so much.

Sure, the story was contrived, and the main villain was kind of dumb and his henchman (yellow-haired chinese 
man) was not that intimidating. The chinese art stuff in the plot seemed pointless, and I hardly see how anybody, much less
a Chinese consul, can come up with 50 Million dollars in cash in one day. nu-uh..then managing to come up with another 20 
Million. As if that was possible, much less would the FBI do that. Sure, some of the bad guys said and did some cliched 
stuff, so did the FBI people. But, the movie is about Tucker and Chan, and that's where the fun in the movie
lies. Watching these two together is quite fun and never bored me. The movie was pretty quickly paced, and it was very 
funny. I walked around yesterday nagging my wife with quotes from the movie. It's worth seeing for a good laugh.

Wade

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] BAND PLAYS ON
Date: 21 Sep 1998 11:04:34 -0700

This is a depressing movie only in that the Alan Alda character is such an
@&*#$%!!!!!!  And that with all the work these doctors of the world are
doing, the "politics" of there business is ruling over the search of a cure.

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Danielle Conkle [SMTP:danyelli@hotmail.com]
> Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 1:05 PM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] Depressing movies......
> 
>    Sometimes it feels good to cry.  I think And the Band Plays on is my 
> choice for this category.  I don't know if it makes mewant to reach for 
> a razorblade.....actually makes me want to do something to help.  But 
> it's a very helpless and frustrating movie, because you don't know what 
> to do.
> 
> 
> 
> Anybody care to share their opinion on films that they thought =
> >depressing?  I am not talking about bad films but films that are good =
> >but also very bleak.......the type that make you think of reaching for 
> a =
> >razor blade because there's no hope for mankind!  Off the top of my 
> head =
> >I can think of four......two are T.V movies one is from the sixties =
> >called "Cathy come home" by the director ken Loach and the other is a =
> >tale of nuclear war called "Threads"......the other two are a russian =
> >film called "Come and see" and "Henry potrait of a serial =
> >killer".......anyone got any more?
> >~
> >Gerry T
> >~~~~~
> >I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self 
> =
> >contained,
> >I stand and look at them long and long.
> >They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
> >They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
> >they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
> >not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning =
> >things,
> >Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of =
> >years ago,
> >not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
> >                                                               Walt =
> >Whitman.
> >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> >
> 
> 
> ______________________________________________________
> Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
> 
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] movies that would make you cry
Date: 21 Sep 1998 11:32:35 -0700

I cried through Armagedon...

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	jkrudy [SMTP:jkrudy@micron.com]
> Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 2:21 PM
> To:	'movies@lists.xmission.com'
> Subject:	RE: [MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
> 
> I don't know, I'm feeling saucy, and ready to reap the world wind so I'll
> come out and say it, I cried like a baby all through Deep Impact and loved
> it.  Any thoughts?
> 
> JAMES K. RUDY
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Diane Christy [SMTP:dchristy10@earthlink.net]
> Sent:	Friday, September 18, 1998 3:06 PM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	[MV] Depressing movies vs. Sad movies
> 
> 
> I think for me there's a difference between depressing movies and movies
> that are sad.  I know of quite a few depressing movies that were
> depressing
> because they were so bad.  I think sad movies are movies that evoke a
> particular feeling of sorrow and if it's done well it can be very sweet to
> be swept up in sorrow because we can all identify with it.  Keeps us
> connected as human beings.  For some reason when I think of a sad movie, I
> keep thinking of "Charly."  It was just such ashame that the man we got to
> know in the story was locked in his brain never to be heard of again.
> ~~~~~
> Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
> Jefferson, LA
> http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
> mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
> ICQ #12904700
> ~~~~~
> 
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> 
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" 
Subject: Re: [MV] movies that would make you cry
Date: 21 Sep 1998 12:43:47 -0600

Romero, Leticia wrote:
> 
> I cried through Armagedon...

And I cried BECAUSE OF Armageddon.  Is that the same thing?

Greg

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] movies that would make you cry 
Date: 21 Sep 1998 14:03:48 PDT

That's just how I felt when I saw Godzilla! Down and out, as if I felt like
I could no longer go on in this cruel world.


>--- On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 12:43:47 -0600  "Gregory A. Swarthout"  wrote:
>Romero, Leticia wrote:
>> 
>> I cried through Armagedon...

>And I cried BECAUSE OF Armageddon.  Is that the same thing?

>Greg




W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] Depressing movies......
Date: 21 Sep 1998 12:52:55 -0700



> Beyond that, we basically agree, as the problem with Point is that it is
> such a blatent rip-off of Luc Besson.  Our opinions are the same, I am
> just
> more emotional and vocal in them.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> --Mel
	[Romero, Leticia]  As much as I LOVED  L.F.N., and can't understand
why anyone would choose Badham to remake it, it was ADVERTISED as a remake!
Ofcourse it was a rip-off!  It was suppose to be... ala 3 Men and a Baby,
Birdcage, etc.... 

> --Mel Eperthener
> president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
> 
> email: bcassidy@usaor.net
>           gowanna@australiamail.com
> 
> http://www.webz.com/gowanna
> 
> 419 Butler Street
> PO Box 95184
> Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
> (412) 781-6140
> (412) 781-6380
> 1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
> (1-888-454-6926)
> ____________________________________________
> "Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
> two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"
> 
> --Dana Scully
> ______________________________________________
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] PI
Date: 21 Sep 1998 12:56:40 -0700

I saw it!  I thought it was quite inovative, but the "moral" of the story
was a bit lost on me.... I've come to the conclusion that the movie was
saying "Don't Do Math"

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Meyers, Megan [SMTP:megan.meyers@labatt.com]
> Sent:	Sunday, September 20, 1998 11:02 PM
> To:	'movies@lists.xmission.com'
> Subject:	[MV] PI
> 
> Hey there!!
> 
>  Has anyone seen the movie "PI" ? Any opinions on it? I took my little
> brother to see, but I didn't really catch the whole movie ( I admit I fell
> asleep) Would it be worth my money to see it again? ( Providing I stay
> awake?) I did catch the beginning and saw up until the guy was on the
> train
> with a Rabbi ( I think that is who it was) and I saw the end with the
> little
> girl. What was the idea with the brain or the glob on the floor in the
> subway??
> 
> 
>  Megan
> 
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From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/21/98
Date: 21 Sep 1998 15:02:36 -0600 (MDT)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - "Rush Hour," a comedy cop caper starring
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker, defied all expectations when it opened
at the top of the North American box office with $31 million,
according to studio estimates issued Sunday. That was more than the
next eight movies combined, said the film's distributor, New Line
Cinema. "One True Thing," a tear-jerker starring Meryl Streep as a
terminally ill housewife, opened in second, while the gross-out
comedy "There's Something About Mary" slipped a notch to third. Last
weekend's number one, "'Rounders," was in fourth place and "Simon
Birch" held steady in fifth with $3.3 million.

                        -=> * <=-

TORONTO (Reuters) - As the Toronto International Film Festival closed
Saturday with a gala screening of the animated feature "Antz,"
organizers said the event looked to have bettered the financial and
critical success of last year. Festival officials said the 10-day
event produced a record box office haul of C$1.9 million, with about
250,000 paid admissions. Audiences responded strongly to many films
and industry watchers said the value of acquisitions at the event
appeared to have matched 1997's record. However, unlike last year,
when a handful of films such as Robert Duvall's "The Apostle"
dominated critical and industry attention, this year's event appeared
more democratic.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - At least three bidders came to the table by
Friday's deadline for PolyGram's film arm, producer of "Four Weddings
and a Funeral," and formal bids were emerging by day's end, sources
close to the talks said. Negotiations between the suitors and bankers
working for Seagram Co., which is trying to sell PolyGram Filmed
Entertainment, went well past the noon deadline. While terms were not
revealed, the bids were believed to be in the lower end of the $500
million to $750 million range - far below the $1 billion Seagram was
hoping to fetch. The bidders included Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. and
Tracinda Corp., the investment wing of MGM's majority owner,
billionaire Kirk Kerkorian.

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Author Terry McMillan and the man who inspired
her best-selling novel-turned-movie "How Stella Got Her Groove Back"
have married. People magazine reported McMillan, 46, and Jonathan
Plummer, 23, married Sept. 5 in Maui. Plummer was a student when
McMillan met him while vacationing in Jamaica. She used the romance
as a basis for her 1996 novel.

                        -=> * <=-

"The message I got on my machine, like, the day
before: 'It just ain't me, bro'.' Apparently,
getting $4 million to do a juice ad that airs only
in Japan is him; going to the Oscars is not."

-- "Titanic" director JAMES CAMERON telling New
York's Daily News how miffed he is that Leonardo
DiCaprio didn't show up at this year's Academy
Awards ceremony.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] movies that would make you cry
Date: 21 Sep 1998 14:18:49 -0700

CLOSE!

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Gregory A. Swarthout [SMTP:greg_swarthout@autosoft.com]
> Sent:	Monday, September 21, 1998 11:44 AM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] movies that would make you cry
> 
> Romero, Leticia wrote:
> > 
> > I cried through Armagedon...
> 
> And I cried BECAUSE OF Armageddon.  Is that the same thing?
> 
> Greg
> 
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: [MV] Buckaroo Banzai: Adventures Across the 8th Dimension
Date: 21 Sep 1998 16:54:17 -0600

I just saw this movie for the first time in well over a decade, and I was
pleasantly surprised that I enjoyed as much as an adult as I did when I was
a child.  I want to hear other people's opinions and if you haven't seen it,
I believe you should.  Also what happened to the promised sequel:  Buckaroo
Banzai Against the World Crime League, or was that just a joke?

JAMES K. RUDY



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Scott Renshaw 
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: RONIN
Date: 21 Sep 1998 19:36:03 -0600 (MDT)

RONIN
(United Artists)
Starring:  Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno, Stellan Skarsgaard, Natascha
McElhone, Jonathan Pryce, Sean Bean.
Screenplay:  J. D. Zeik and Richard Weisz.
Producers:  Paul Kelmenson and Frank Mancuso Jr.
Director:  John Frankenheimer.
MPAA Rating:  R (violence, profanity)
Running Time:  121 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Since time immemorial -- Memorial Day 1996, to be precise -- one
question has plagued movie-goers the world over:  what might MISSION:
IMPOSSIBLE have looked like if someone had shown the faintest interest in
telling a coherent story?  As answer, I give you RONIN, an international
espionage thriller fueled by as much brain power as adrenaline.  The
comparison to MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE is almost too easy, especially given the
presence of Jean Reno in both casts, but it's a telling comparison
nonetheless.  RONIN shows how much more effective a film can be when set
pieces are connected by ideas.

     The film opens in Paris, where a man known only as Sam (Robert
DeNiro) joins a multi-national band of mercenaries employed by Irish
nationalist Deirdre (Natascha McElhone).  Vincent (Jean Reno) is the
team's French location expert; Gregor (Stellan Skarsgaard) oversees
electronic surveillance; Spence (Sean Bean) is the weapons specialist;
Larry (Skipp Sudduth) serves as their driver.  Their mission is obtaining
a certain silver case by any means necessary, the contents unknown to the
operatives but obviously much in demand.  As the operation begins,
alliances quickly shift with the prevailing winds, no lofty ideal more
important than the exigencies of the moment.

     That notion both drives the film and provides its title.  As
explained in too-literal (especially given a later, more subtle
explanation) on-screen titles, "ronin" is a term for masterless samurai in
feudal Japan, forced to survive as bandits or swords-for-hire without the
honor of serving a worthy lord.  Sam, Vincent and company, all of whom
once served as government agents or soldiers, are now down-sized Cold
Warriors without a patriotic purpose.  MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE flirted with
the same concept, but it was to turn characters into vengeance-driven
super-villains.  They function in RONIN as free agents, loyal only to
themselves, suspicious and treacherous because everyone around them could
be more suspicious or more treacherous.  The characters are sketched in
only the most basic terms, in keeping with their private natures, yet they
are given presence by actors like DeNiro and Reno bringing mournful weight
to their performances.  Though few words are spoken in the script by J. D.
Zeik and Richard Weisz (a.k.a. David Mamet), the very lack of human
interaction between the characters speaks volumes.

     For a fairly introspective film, RONIN is also a fairly exciting one.
Director John Frankenheimer goes to the car chase well perhaps once too
often, but those he uses are tense and well-constructed.  The action level
is as high in RONIN as it has been in any summer blockbuster of the last
few years, and it's _better_ action, more white-knuckle gripping than
whoop-it-up flashy.  For some viewers, that may be reason enough to spend
two hours at the movies, but it's all the more impressive because the
action serves the story.  Every subsequent violent encounter raises the
stakes in this chaotic world, while it's always clear that the combatants
neither know nor care what they're fighting for.

     RONIN certainly has its share of jagged edges, notably the
aforementioned opening titles and a distracting romantic sub-plot between
DeNiro and McElhone.  Some may find the characters too remote and
under-developed, and consequently find it difficult to invest emotionally
in the story.  I found the chilly isolation of the characters exactly what
Ineeded to become emotionally invested; the emptiness of their lives and
actions _is_ the hook.  This isn't earth-shaking profundity we're talking
about, merely the building blocks of effective drama -- the visceral
coupled with the intellectual, actions with consequences.  Consequences
were never really an issue in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, which makes it that
much easier to appreciate what RONIN has to offer.  It's no longer a James
Bond landscape of world domination.  For once, evil in an espionage
thriller isn't what people do, but why they do it.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 masterless samurai:  8.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
                                   ***
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] more depressing movies
Date: 21 Sep 1998 20:55:19 -0500

Has anyone mentioned "The Reflecting Skin"?

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Honwa Chau
Sent:	Monday, September 21, 1998 10:49 AM

I forgot to add:

"Dance with a Stranger"

"Chinatown"

..."Breaking the Waves" has a really uplifting and gutsy ending but it's
not really happy, right?

My friend Kevin, who's forgotten more films than I've seen, offers:

"The Days of Wine and Roses"
"Wetherby"
"The Birds"
"To Forget Venice"
"White"
"Mr. Klein"
"Providence"
"The Champ" (both versions)
"Ironweed"
"Anna
"Sophie's Choice"
"The Pumpkin Eater"
"The Whisperers"
"Splendor in the Grass"
"Faces"
"A Woman Under the Influence"
"Cries and Whispers"
"Look Back in Anger"
"Saturday Night and Sunday Evening"
"The Razor's Edge" (1946)
"The Red Shoes"
"Pixote"
"Summer of '42"
"Death in Venice"
"The Boys in the Band"
"Summer and Smoke"
"Hud"
"A Taste of Honey"



itchy


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From: manuel morrens 
Subject: Re: [MV] more depressing movies
Date: 22 Sep 1998 09:31:35 +0200

Mr. White wrote:

> Has anyone mentioned "The Reflecting Skin"?
>
> Richard J. Doyle
> Visual Basic & Access Developer
> CRW Systems
> rdoyle29@msn.com

I think this discussion is starting to depress me, guys!


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Meyers, Megan" 
Subject: RE: [MV] more depressing movies
Date: 22 Sep 1998 03:27:31 -0400

 I have to admit that out of all these movies Schindler's list was the
ultimate in depressing.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Gene Ehrich 
Subject: [MV] One True Thing
Date: 21 Sep 1998 18:50:51 -0400

We went this weekend to see One True Thing with Meryl Streep.

I have always enjoyed her movies and her performances but this was an
exception. At no time during the movie did we feel any sympathy or
compassion for the characters. Thought the movie was relatively poor. The
theater was fairly full and the few comments that we heard from others
leaving the theater were similar to ours. Even William Hurt was not up to
his normal acting. The only good thing in the movie was the daughter
(forget her name).

At the most a one star movie.
               gene@ehrich
   http://www.voicenet.com/~generic
Computer & Video Game Garage Sale

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From: "Yusheng" 
Subject: [MV]The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now
Date: 22 Sep 1998 21:01:11 +0800

I have seen The Dear Hunter for more than five times,and still feel like
it.I have seen Apocalypse Now just one time,but I think it's disgusting,and
never want to see it again,though they have the same theme:antiwar.
The charactors in The Deer Hunter are quite normal guys ,no heroes,but they
seem to be friends of mine,they seem to be living somewhere in this world
.When they are happy,I am happy,when they are sad,I'll feel bad.They are
someone with flesh and blood.This movie told you a miserable story,but still
let you see the hope.It is not pessimistic.
But in Apocalypse Now,every one seems to be sick,seems to be unreal.I don't
like the officer and also don't like soldier who killed the officer.They
seem to be picked up from the lunatic asylum.I can't forget the scene of the
officer being cut in half. It's a movie showed no depth,after seeing the
movie,nothing but the disgusted feelings remained.It's not only
pessimistic,but also not persuasive.


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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: [MV]The Deer Hunter and Apocalypse Now -Reply
Date: 22 Sep 1998 08:51:00 -0700

I will agree that Apocalypse Now was much of what you attribute to it
but I think that was precisely the point.  In fact that is why I
appreciate it so much.  By creating such a surreal world it allowed
the viewer to somehow imagine the madness of it all.  

The Deer Hunter on the other hand committed the ultimate sin in my
book and that was it bored me to tears.

bb

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From: "Chantal Rousseau" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Rushmore review
Date: 22 Sep 1998 09:00:50 PDT


If you have the chance to get your hands on "Walk in", a chinese movie 
made in Honk Kong (if you don't mind the english subtitles), I am sure 
you would love it.  It's the story of a policeman who loses the use of 
his legs and borrows the body of a man in a coma by trying an old 
spiritual technique called walk in.  So, he has to live the life of a 
real jerk who only has enemies and three or four wives.  You can imagine 
the rest!  It's a really original comedy full of action. Maybe hard to 
find but...if you do find it, you won't regret it. 
 
Chantalr66@hotmail.com 


>***Free review***
>I also saw a German movie last night called Cascadeur (Stuntman) and it
>plays like a German Jackie Chan - but using the scripts of all 3 
Indiana
>Jones - each scene was lifted - from X marks the spot to being dragged
>under a moving truck to finding lost treasures in the jungle to Nazi
>involvement!  It was fun - but mostly only when there was action - and
>there wasn't enough action...Definitely a good first film for a guy 
whose
>been a stuntman all his life!  He also acted in it as the lead and like
>Chan does his own stunts.  A 76% for fun action but poor story.
>Jay the Movieman
>movieman@netcom.ca
>
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>


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com

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From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/22/98
Date: 22 Sep 1998 11:19:54 -0600 (MDT)

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Moviegoers jammed "Rush Hour" over the weekend,
driving the Jackie Chan/Chris Tucker action comedy to a spectacular
$31 million sendoff. New Line's Brett Ratner-directed buddy picture
marked an opening weekend record for the studio - topping the $25.4
million 1990 launch of "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles." It also set a
new record for any September opening, surpassing the $18.9 million
debut of Paramount's "The First Wives Club" in 1996. Opening in a
distant second was Universal's critically acclaimed domestic drama
"One True Thing" with a studio-projected $6.6 million. Last weekend's
box office champ, Miramax's "Rounders," meanwhile, lost 43% of its
winnings to finish fourth with $4.8 million.

                        -=> * <=-

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - While moviegoers nationwide lined up to see
Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in "Rush Hour," big-city arthouse
audiences flocked to another film about the clash between two cops
from diverse cultures. October Films' newly restored version of Orson
Welles' "Touch of Evil," which broke house records at New York's Film
Forum last week, continued to sell out shows in limited-release runs
over the weekend. The film, which stars Charlton Heston as a Mexican
narcotics investigator and Welles as a redneck police chief, grossed
$178,000 in 12 theaters in eight markets.

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (Variety) - Indie film queen Lili Taylor is in talks to play
the lead role in a studio feature for the first time, a remake of
"The Haunting of Hill House." DreamWorks is tentatively planning to
release the film, based on the Shirley Jackson novel of the same
name, at Christmas 1999. Jan De Bont ("Speed") will direct. The
original 1963 feature, titled "The Haunting," was directed by Robert
Wise and starred Julie Harris, Claire Bloom and Russ Tamblyn. The
picture tells the story of a group of people who gather in an old
house to determine whether a ghost is inside.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Steven Spielberg's film and music company,
DreamWorks SKG, agreed with a land developer Monday on terms under
which its headquarters and studio will be built on environmentally
sensitive wetlands near Los Angeles. The agreement with developer
Playa Capital Co. comes just three weeks after DreamWorks threatened
to pull out of the development in a dispute with the land's owners.
The site has been a focus of concern for several years among
environmental protesters, who fear development could upset the
ecological balance of an area that is home to many breeds of water
birds and other wildlife.

                        -=> * <=-

Actors Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson, who also happen
to be husband and wife, deny the London Daily Telegraph
story that they are headed for divorce court. The
"Schindler's List" and "Cabaret" stars say they are
consulting a lawyer, however -- not to dissolve their
marriage, but to sue the Telegraph over the story. The two
are currently in Florence, Italy, for a fashion event.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: RE: [MV] more depressing movies
Date: 22 Sep 1998 11:01:23 -0700 (PDT)

On Mon, 21 Sep 1998, Mr. White wrote:

> Has anyone mentioned "The Reflecting Skin"?

Oh, this is a great film ... to borrow some criticspeak, it's visually
arresting. I almost picked up a copy of this movie, but opted for a Doris
Day/Richard Widmark movie instead. 

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] One True Thing
Date: 22 Sep 1998 11:06:09 -0700 (PDT)

On Mon, 21 Sep 1998, Gene Ehrich wrote:

> We went this weekend to see One True Thing with Meryl Streep.
> 
> I have always enjoyed her movies and her performances but this was an
> exception. At no time during the movie did we feel any sympathy or
> compassion for the characters. Thought the movie was relatively poor. 

I'm curious about this movie, though it's not to my usual tastes, because
it's directed by Carl Franklin, who did what I think is one of the best
films of the '90s ... One False Move. See it if you haven't; it's a great
mystery starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton (also co-scripted). 

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Diane Christy 
Subject: Re: [MV] One True Thing
Date: 22 Sep 1998 13:55:47 -0500

On 9/21/98, 5:50 PM -0500, Gene Ehrich said so nicely:
>The only good thing in the movie was the daughter
>(forget her name).

Renee Zellwegger (not sure about the spelling)
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerald Taylor" 
Subject: [MV] Scott's ratings....
Date: 23 Sep 1998 16:22:43 +0100

Scott.......Always enjoy your reviews, keep up the good work!  Your rating
system is quite strict, I am curious if you could give me an idea of the
films that have ever made it to 9 or higher?



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From: Buscom5@concordia.k12.mo.us
Subject: [MV] Armagedon
Date: 23 Sep 1998 10:28:43 -0600

Armagedon is one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time.  
I think it should be rated up there with Titanic.  I cried through 
the whole thing.  Anyone who hasn't seen the movies needs to.  I give 
it 5 stars.

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From: Buscom6@concordia.k12.mo.us
Subject: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 10:39:14 -0600

Everybody keeps talking about sad, depressing  movies, what about 
funny movies.  Movies like Romey and Michelle's High School Reunion, 
Something About Mary, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, and Ace Venturea Pet 
Detective. (sorry if any of the spellings are wrong).What are some of 
your favorite funny movies, and why?

My favorite funny movie is Austin Powers, it is so funny every time I 
watch it, I laugh even harder. 



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From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 08:59:21 -0700

Don't forget the highly under-rated "Hudson Hawk"!  

Roxanne, What's Up Doc, Tootsie, His Girl Friday, anthing Woody Allen, Monty
Python or Marx Bros., etc..... 

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Buscom6@concordia.k12.mo.us [SMTP:Buscom6@concordia.k12.mo.us]
> Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 9:39 AM
> To:	movies@xmission.com
> Cc:	buscom15@concordia.k12.mo.us
> Subject:	[MV] What about funny movies?
> 
> Everybody keeps talking about sad, depressing  movies, what about 
> funny movies.  Movies like Romey and Michelle's High School Reunion, 
> Something About Mary, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, and Ace Venturea Pet 
> Detective. (sorry if any of the spellings are wrong).What are some of 
> your favorite funny movies, and why?
> 
> My favorite funny movie is Austin Powers, it is so funny every time I 
> watch it, I laugh even harder. 
> 
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]


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From: Wade Snider  
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny movies? 
Date: 23 Sep 1998 11:15:03 PDT


I thought we weren't talking about movies to make you cry anymore.....
Ouch! ;-)

Wade

>Don't forget the highly under-rated "Hudson Hawk"!



W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny movies? 
Date: 23 Sep 1998 09:12:51 -0700

I thought it was hysterical!  Especially the scene where the little girl is
beating the crap out of "bobbo"

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com]
> Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 11:15 AM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	RE: [MV] What about funny movies? 
> 
> 
> I thought we weren't talking about movies to make you cry anymore.....
> Ouch! ;-)
> 
> Wade
> 
> >Don't forget the highly under-rated "Hudson Hawk"!
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> W. Snider
> 
> Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
> -Kierkegaard
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]

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From: Wade Snider  
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny movies? 
Date: 23 Sep 1998 11:26:09 PDT

I KID you!  I actually enjoyed it myself... It was most hatedly 
received when it came out. 
just teasing you.

Wade


--- On Wed, 23 Sep 1998 09:12:51 -0700  "Romero, Leticia"  wrote:
I thought it was hysterical!  Especially the scene where the little girl is
beating the crap out of "bobbo"

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com]
> Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 11:15 AM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	RE: [MV] What about funny movies? 
> 
> 
> I thought we weren't talking about movies to make you cry anymore.....
> Ouch! ;-)
> 
> Wade
> 
> >Don't forget the highly under-rated "Hudson Hawk"!
> 
> 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> W. Snider
> 
> Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
> -Kierkegaard
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]

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---------------End of Original Message-----------------

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 17:51:52 +0100


--=_ORCL_5654283_0_0
Content-Transfer-Encoding:quoted-printable
Content-Type:text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

 
My favourite funny films are 
3)Austin Powers 
2)Happy Gilmore 
1)Fear Of A Black Hat. This is brilliant! If yoou get a chance, rent it, get=
 
it out. It is directed by one of the actors, Rusty Cundieff. Let me know
what 
you think of it. 
Thanks & Regards, 
****************************************************************************=
**
****************************************************************************=
**

Anto Byrne				Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com 
Oracle E.M.E.A.				Fulfillment Dept. 	       
    Unit 14					Phone:8031461 
Airways Industrial Estate		Fax:8031541		              
Cloghran      				email:abyrne 
Dublin 17. 
Ireland 
****************************************************************************=
**

       

--=_ORCL_5654283_0_0
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Everybody keeps talking about sad, depressing  movies, what about 
funny movies.  Movies like Romey and Michelle's High School Reunion, 
Something About Mary, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, and Ace Venturea Pet 
Detective. (sorry if any of the spellings are wrong).What are some of 
your favorite funny movies, and why?

My favorite funny movie is Austin Powers, it is so funny every time I 
watch it, I laugh even harder. 



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--=_ORCL_5654283_0_0--


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From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] Armagedon
Date: 23 Sep 1998 12:11:16 -0600

I'll drink to that, in fact I thought it was better than Titanic.

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 10:29 AM
Cc:	buscom@15concordia.k12.mo.us

Armagedon is one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time.  
I think it should be rated up there with Titanic.  I cried through 
the whole thing.  Anyone who hasn't seen the movies needs to.  I give 
it 5 stars.

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From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 12:15:43 -0600

I liked "Three O'clock High"  it was incredibly funny, and also I will
mention again "Buckaroo Banzai" since nobody reply to my inquires before.
It was hilarious.

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 10:52 AM
Cc:	ABYRNE@ie.oracle.com

 
My favourite funny films are 
3)Austin Powers 
2)Happy Gilmore 
1)Fear Of A Black Hat. This is brilliant! If yoou get a chance, rent it, get

it out. It is directed by one of the actors, Rusty Cundieff. Let me know
what 
you think of it. 
Thanks & Regards, 
****************************************************************************
**
****************************************************************************
**

Anto Byrne				Net:abyrne@ie.oracle.com 
Oracle E.M.E.A.				Fulfillment Dept. 	       
    Unit 14					Phone:8031461 
Airways Industrial Estate		Fax:8031541

Cloghran      				email:abyrne 
Dublin 17. 
Ireland 
****************************************************************************
**

        << Message: [MV] What about funny movies? >> 

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: lshipley 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 13:19:36 -0500 (CDT)

My favorite comedy movie is Planes, Trains, and Automobiles with Steve
Martin and John Candy.

Linda


At 10:39 AM 9/23/98 -0600, you wrote:
>Everybody keeps talking about sad, depressing  movies, what about 
>funny movies.  Movies like Romey and Michelle's High School Reunion, 
>Something About Mary, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, and Ace Venturea Pet 
>Detective. (sorry if any of the spellings are wrong).What are some of 
>your favorite funny movies, and why?
>
>My favorite funny movie is Austin Powers, it is so funny every time I 
>watch it, I laugh even harder. 
>
>
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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>
>
Linda Tremaine Shipley, Human Subjects Committee Clerk
Psychology Dept., Rm. 103 Psych Bldg., 200 S. 7th St., UMC
Visit my Web Page http://www.missouri.edu/~psyls/index.html
Ph: 884-6224 to reserve Psychology Bldg rooms 313, 319 & 320

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies? 
Date: 23 Sep 1998 13:09:37 PDT

How about some pre-90's comedys???? i heard mention of Monty Python...

A few of my favorites (not limited to these):
	Murder By Death
	Raising Arizona
	A Fish Called Wanda
	Johnny Dangerously
	Planes, Trains, & Automobiles
	The Jerk
	Young Frankenstein
	Blazing Saddles



>--- On 23 Sep 98 17:51:52 +0100  "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM"  wrote:
>
>My favourite funny films are
>3)Austin Powers
>2)Happy Gilmore
>1)Fear Of A Black Hat. This is brilliant! If yoou get a chance, rent it, get
>it out. It is directed by one of the actors, Rusty Cundieff. Let me know
>what
>you think of it.
>Thanks & Regards,

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: cHriS 
Subject: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 15:00:50 -0600


My fave 80's classics:	Kentucky Fried Movie
			They Call Me Bruce
			Strange Brew
			Airplane

- cHriS (still a hoser after all these years)






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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: ryana@allensysgroup.com (Ryan Allen)
Subject: Re: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 16:56:05 -0400

At 17:00 9/23/98 , you wrote:
>My fave 80's classics:	Kentucky Fried Movie
>			They Call Me Bruce
>			Strange Brew
>			Airplane

Fantastic choices!!  I could add a TON of movies, but I second those above,
and add these (for now):

Top Secret!
They STILL Call me Bruce
Airplane II
Naked Gun (Original)
Cannonball Run
Back to School

Cheers,
Ryan
## Hurricane Season (Jun. 1-Nov. 1) is Here! ##
## Please visit my Personal Page ##
## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ##

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 14:40:52 -0600

Young Frankenstein, Young Einstein

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 3:01 PM


My fave 80's classics:	Kentucky Fried Movie
			They Call Me Bruce
			Strange Brew
			Airplane

- cHriS (still a hoser after all these years)






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From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/23/98
Date: 23 Sep 1998 15:37:43 -0600 (MDT)

SYDNEY (Variety) - "Godzilla," "Saving Private Ryan" and "Lethal
Weapon 4" led a busy weekend at the overseas box office, and
"Armageddon" passed the $400 million mark worldwide (including $211
million overseas). In a $16 million weekend, "Godzilla" stomped five
top-spot European bows as its foreign tally slithered to nearly $181
million. "Saving Private Ryan" increased its foreign total to $22.1
million, led by a top spot bow in Spain, with $1.5 million. "Ryan"
held onto the top spot despite a charge from "Lethal Weapon 4"
(foreign total: $121.5 million) which earned $3.4 million in the
U.K., but failed to knock sophomore "Ryan" from the top spot.

                        -=> * <=-

Jim Carrey suffered a minor neck injury during an
altercation while filming "Man on the Moon," his upcoming
movie about the life of the late comedian Andy Kaufman.
Carrey and professional wrestler Jerry Lawler were filming
the last scene of the movie Tuesday night in Los Angeles
when, as part of the script, the comedian spat at the
wrestler, Carrey manager Eric Gold said. Lawler then
allegedly attacked Carrey. "Jim was immersed in the role as
Andy [and] played it as Andy would have," Gold said. "Mr.
Lawler acted unprofessionally," the manager said, and
injured Carrey. Police and paramedics were not called to the
scene. Carrey was treated and released at a hospital.

                        -=> * <=-

Henry Thomas, once (in 1982) the wide-eyed kid in "E.T.,"
has signed to star opposite Matt Damon in "All the Pretty
Horses," the film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's National
Book Award-winning novel. Billy Bob Thornton will start
directing the picture in March. Thomas plays a west Texas
cowboy who travels with his buddy (Damon) to Mexico in 1949
to work on a cattle ranch. Damon then falls in love with the
daughter of a wealthy landowner.

                        -=> * <=-

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Developers of Playa Vista, the sprawling
coastal tract that includes the former Hughes Aircraft plant, have
agreed to most of DreamWorks' terms to move the studio to the site.
The deal was reached late Thursday, five weeks after DreamWorks
co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg wrote a letter to the property's Wall
Street owners threatening to pull out of the project because of their
"unacceptable" negotiating tactics. Construction could begin as early
as January, with opening contemplated 18 months later. DreamWorks
will occupy about 48 acres of the 100-acre Entertainment, Media and
Technology campus, part of a much larger commercial and residential
development proposed for the site.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Scott Renshaw 
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: URBAN LEGEND
Date: 23 Sep 1998 17:39:29 -0600 (MDT)

URBAN LEGEND
(Tri-Star)
Starring:  Jared Leto, Alicia Witt, Rebecca Gayheart, Joshua Jackson,
Robert Englund, John Neville, Loretta Devine.
Screenplay:  Silvio Horta.
Producers:  Neal H. Moritz, Gina Matthews and Michael McDonnell.
Director:  Jamie Blanks.
MPAA Rating:  R (violence, sexual situations, profanity)
Running Time:  100 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Hey, did you ever hear the one about the really good post-SCREAM teen
horror film?  It seems that some film-makers, realizing there was a new
market to be tapped after the success of SCREAM and its sequel, decided to
make an even better variation on the theme.  The script was intelligent,
the obligatory pop culture asides felt more than obligatory, and the
suspense was genuinely scary.  It was both fresh _and_ frightening.  No,
really, it actually happened.  A friend of my cousin's sister-in-law
actually saw it.

     Sorry, friends, but the preceding is a myth -- an URBAN LEGEND if you
will, exactly the kind which forms the basis of the film of the same name.
You see, the story on the Northeastern U.S. campus of Pendleton College
goes that a psycho professor murdered a dorm full of students 25 years
ago, but the administration hushed it up.  Now, as the silver anniversary
approaches, more nastiness is going on.  A young woman is decapitated by a
figure in the back seat of her car; another is killed in a darkened room
while her rommate lies blissfully sleeping.  All of it is somehow
connected to Natalie Simon (Alicia Witt), a student with a dark secret in
her past, but who is murdering students based on urban legends?  Hot shot
school reporter Paul (Jared Leto)?  Frat boy prankster Damon (Joshua
Jackson)?  Folklore professor Wexler (erstwhile Freddy Krueger Robert
Englund)?  Or some other disgruntled soul?

     If you actually care about the answer to that question by the end of
URBAN LEGEND, it will only be to see how convoluted the explanation could
be.  Like too many recent horror films, this one obliges you to play Name
That Killer, without giving you enough information to permit anything but
a random guess.  And if you think abut the revelation for long enough
afterwards, you'll realize it just doesn't matter.  Memo to horror
film-makers:  we don't need to be guessing who's behind Michael Myers'
mask in order for him to be threatening.  Stop wasting our time; this is a
slasher film, not Agatha Christie.

     Frankly, it's about time slasher films started acting like slasher
films in plenty of ways.  Ever since SCREAM (or even Wes Craven's earlier
NEW NIGHTMARE, if you wanna be picky), horror films have gone all
post-modern on us, eschewing grind-it-out gore in favor of winking
recognition of genre conventions.  URBAN LEGEND's pop culture nuggets
range from the acceptably smirky (a snippet of the "Dawson's Creek" theme
played when "Dawson's Creek" cast member Jackson turns on his car radio)
to the who-cares ridiculous (naming one character after one of the film's
producers), and those are only a couple of examples of the strained
reaches for gags in Silvio Horta's script.  There's just not enough humor
or creativity to compensate for the raw terror lost in forced attempts to
be cute.  Aside from the effective prologue sequence, URBAN LEGEND misses
the boat on providing gut-level scares.

     Ironically enough, it also misses the point that most of the late
70s/early 80s slasher films these arched-eyebrow cousins goof on were
actually moralizing cautionary tales, just like the ones described by
Englund's folklore professor.  When he asks his class if they know the one
about the babysitter who gets a call from inside the house, many movie
fans will say yes...it was called WHEN A STRANGER CALLS.  URBAN LEGEND
nicks from the cine-literate horror of SCREAM without even realizing it,
because movies _are_ our urban legends.  The film might have been on to
something with a killer copycatting other movie murders, rather than
trying to pass off the ever-popular "impaled on the parking lot tire
spikes" tale as part of the collective unconscious, or giving us the
Nanook of the North terror of a killer hidden behind a zipped-up parka.
Pity the talented Alicia Witt (late of TV's "Cybill") for getting caught
up in a horror film that's not clever enough or scary enough to succeed as
anything but a clutch-your-date Friday night special.  URBAN LEGEND is a
tale too often told.  And as one character in the film says, "If you're
going to tell the story, at least get it right."

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 sub-urbans:  3.  

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
                                   ***
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Chris Culligan 
Subject: Re: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 21:13:57 -0400

Don't forget those 70's classics Animal House and Caddy Shack!!
CHRIS

cHriS wrote:

> My fave 80's classics:  Kentucky Fried Movie
>                         They Call Me Bruce
>                         Strange Brew
>                         Airplane
>
> - cHriS (still a hoser after all these years)
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 21:14:46 -0500

My favorite 70's classics:

	"Animal House"
	"Where's Poppa?"
	"The Ruling Class"
	"Blazing Saddles"

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of cHriS
Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 4:01 PM


My fave 80's classics:	Kentucky Fried Movie
			They Call Me Bruce
			Strange Brew
			Airplane

- cHriS (still a hoser after all these years)






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From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 21:15:47 -0500

"Caddyshack" was actually released in 1980.

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chris Culligan
Sent:	Wednesday, September 23, 1998 8:14 PM

Don't forget those 70's classics Animal House and Caddy Shack!!
CHRIS

cHriS wrote:

> My fave 80's classics:  Kentucky Fried Movie
>                         They Call Me Bruce
>                         Strange Brew
>                         Airplane
>
> - cHriS (still a hoser after all these years)
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Diane Christy 
Subject: Re: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 23 Sep 1998 22:09:10 -0500

I think one of my favorites is "Lost In Amerca."  Hysterical and wonderful
classic Albert Brooks!!
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: manuel morrens 
Subject: Re: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 24 Sep 1998 13:06:00 +0200


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My favourite comedy of the eighties:

Top Secret with Val Kilmer (Real Genius wasn't bad either)
A few from the John Hughes-movies (Ferris Bueler, Weird Science, ...)
The Money Pit

Other comedies I liked from the 90's:

Woody Allen, especially Mighty Aphrodite
Some Disneys: Aladdin, Hercules
Emma
Big Lebowski
Men in Tights
Taxi (France)
Fear and loathing in LAs Vegas

--
Manuel Morrens                  mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be
Department of Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        (lyrics of the eighties)



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My favourite comedy of the eighties:


Top Secret with Val Kilmer (Real Genius wasn't bad either)

A few from the John Hughes-movies (Ferris Bueler, Weird Science, ...)

The Money Pit


Other comedies I liked from the 90's:


Woody Allen, especially Mighty Aphrodite

Some Disneys: Aladdin, Hercules

Emma

Big Lebowski

Men in Tights

Taxi (France)

Fear and loathing in LAs Vegas

-- 
Manuel Morrens                  mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be         
Department of Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        (lyrics of the eighties)
 

--------------FCB4B70E971D1508CA7779A8--


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: manuel morrens 
Subject: Re: [MV] Armagedon
Date: 24 Sep 1998 13:11:30 +0200


--------------EBB95D690EC9A1CF0FC60AAA
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I totally agree this was one of the best movies from the last
months...but than again.... There were few good movies released these
last months.... I mean, I've seen some pretty boring garbage these days,
..
so That's probably why I was so wild about Armageddon.
By the way anybody got some idea when the score will be released in
Europe ( release in US : 10 November)

> Armagedon is one of the best movies that I have seen in a long time.
> I think it should be rated up there with Titanic.  I cried through
> the whole thing.  Anyone who hasn't seen the movies needs to.  I give
> it 5 stars.
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]



--
Manuel Morrens                  mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be
Department of Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        (lyrics of the eighties)



--------------EBB95D690EC9A1CF0FC60AAA
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I totally agree this was one of the best movies from the last months...but
than again.... There were few good movies released these last months....
I mean, I've seen some pretty boring garbage these days, ..

so That's probably why I was so wild about Armageddon.

By the way anybody got some idea when the score will be released in
Europe ( release in US : 10 November)

Armagedon is one of the best movies that I have seen
in a long time.

I think it should be rated up there with Titanic.  I cried through

the whole thing.  Anyone who hasn't seen the movies needs to. 
I give

it 5 stars.


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]

 

-- 
Manuel Morrens                  mmorrens@minf.vub.ac.be         
Department of Medicine          http://minf.vub.ac.be/~mmorrens/eighties
Brussels Free University        (lyrics of the eighties)
 

--------------EBB95D690EC9A1CF0FC60AAA--


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: reviews@screenit.com
Subject: [MV] Screen It  Newsletter (September 24, 1998)
Date: 24 Sep 1998 10:48:11 -0400 (EDT)


Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (September 24, 1998). 

If you live in the Washington, D.C. area, and would like to sign up for 
the opportunity to receive free passes to Sneak Previews of Upcoming 
Movies, please visit the following page for more information:  

http://www.screenit.com/sneak_previews.html

This week at the movies, a film reminiscent of "Fargo," an international 
action/thriller, the latest film from the people behind art house 
pictures such as "Howards End" and "A Room With A View," and yet another 
teen horror flick.

On home video, another wide range of titles covering many genres hit the 
video shelves this coming Tuesday.

PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until 
LATE Thursday night (EDT) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands.

Next week, reviews of "Antz"(voices of Woody Allen, Sharon Stone), "A 
Night at the Roxbury" (Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan), "What Dreams May 
Come" (Robin Williams, Cuba Gooding, Jr.) and other new releases. 

__________________________________________________


NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25TH:


"CLAY PIGEONS" (1998) (Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn) (R)
Black comedy: A young man's (Phoenix) life unravels as the local sheriff 
and an FBI agent begin to suspect his involvement in the deaths of 
several of his acquaintances. Stylishly shot and hip in a "retro" sort 
of fashion, and featuring some fun performances, the film is a decent, 
but not great entry in the black comedy genre.  The R rating comes from 
violence, profanity, and some sexual scenes.


(Limited Release) 
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/clay_pigeons.html

__________________________________________________


"RONIN" (1998) (Robert De Niro, Jean Reno) (R)
Action/Thriller: An international group of covert operatives (including 
De Niro & Reno) join forces in an attempt to steal a mysterious briefcase 
with none knowing who hired them, the motives of the others, or the 
contents of the briefcase.  Featuring some great action scenes,  
occasional "Mission: Impossible" type settings, and a tremendous cast 
and great director (who also did "The Manchurian Candidate") the film 
is decent but not as good as it probably could have been.  The R rating 
comes from lethal violence and profanity.


(National Release) 
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/ronin.html

__________________________________________________


"A SOLDIER'S DAUGHTER NEVER CRIES" (1998) 
(Leelee Sobieski, Kris Kristofferson) (R)
Drama: A young girl (Sobieski) grows up and comes of age during the 
1960's and 70's in both France and the United States.  From the Oscar 
winning team of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory who've made films such 
as "Howards End" and "A Room With A View" comes a decidedly different 
feeling film.  Despite the decent performances, the film suffers from 
a decidedly awkward structure.  The film's R rating comes from profanity.


(Limited Release) 
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/a_soldiers_daughter_never_cries.html
__________________________________________________


"URBAN LEGEND" (1998) (Alicia Witt, Jared Leto) (R)
Horror: A college student (Witt) can't get anyone to accept her belief 
that a serial killer is using ghastly urban legends as a source for 
murder.  Yet another film hoping to cash in on the success of "Scream," 
the picture starts out promisingly, but quickly dissolves into your run 
of the mill, killer on the loose story.  The R rating comes from horror 
film violence, profanity, and sexually related material.


(National Release) 
http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/urban_legend.html

__________________________________________________



NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29TH:

(Notice:  Release dates subject to change)
(Not all video stores will carry all titles)

"CHINESE BOX" (1998) (Jeremy Irons, Gong Li) (R)
Drama: A British photojournalist (Irons), given only a few months to 
live, pursues his romantic interest amidst the last days of British rule 
over the island of Hong Kong. Using the eventful and historic handover of 
Hong Kong from British to Chinese hands as its location and symbolic 
backdrop, Wayne Wang's "Chinese Box" is occasionally intriguing, but 
ultimately comes off as a disappointing feature.  Grossing just more 
than $2 million domestically, the film gets its R rating from profanity, 
some nudity and sexual related material.


(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/chinese_box.html)

__________________________________________________


"MRS. DALLOWAY" (1998) (Vanessa Redgrave, Natascha McElhone) (PG-13)
Drama: A woman (Redgrave) fondly looks back on her life some thirty 
years earlier and wonders if she made the right choices then.  Based on 
Virginia Woolf's 1925 novel, this cinematic adaption of that work 
features some fine performances from its cast, but somewhat suffers from 
voice-over abuse and the lack of a concrete plot that initially creates 
higher expectations than what is finally delivered. An intriguing 
examination of people looking back at pivotal moments in their lives, 
the film is engaging at times and should please fans of serious drama.  
Grossing a little more than $3 million domestically, the film's PG-13 
rating comes from "emotional elements" (related to a war veteran) and 
brief nudity. 


(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/mrs_dalloway.html)

__________________________________________________


"THE OBJECT OF MY AFFECTION" (1998) (Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd) (R)
Romantic Comedy: A pregnant woman (Aniston) falls for a gay man (Rudd) 
whom she hopes will turn straight and help her raise her child. Featuring 
some fine, but small supporting performances and the best one yet from 
Aniston, this film may please romance fans as long as they're not 
expecting a big comedy.  The film -- which grossed nearly $30 million 
domestically, gets its R rating from profanity and sexuality.


(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_object_of_my_affection.html)

__________________________________________________


"PAULIE" (1998) (Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin) (PG)
Children's: A talking parrot, which doesn't mimic but instead completely 
understands human speech, sets off on a cross country trek to find his 
former owner.  While the film is pleasant enough for both kids and adults 
alike, there just aren't enough moments for the little ones to keep them 
glued to what's happening on the screen.  Grossing around $27 million 
domestically, the PG rating comes from brief language. 


(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/paulie.html)

__________________________________________________


"THE SPANISH PRISONER" (1998) (Campbell Scott, Steve Martin) (PG)
Suspense/Thriller: A man  (Scott) finds himself the victim of an 
elaborate plan to steal the top-secret formula that he's created for 
his company and discovers that he can't trust anyone (including Martin). 
Much like the traditional "Hitchcockian" theme where an ordinary man 
gets caught up in extraordinary circumstances -- the film should please 
moviegoers who like plots where the protagonist gets deeper into trouble 
and learns he can trust no one.  With a PG rating for "thematic elements 
including tension, some violent images and brief language," the film 
grossed around $10 million domestically.


(Most sources give this film a release date of 9/29, but Blockbuster 
 says 10/6)
(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_spanish_prisoner.html)

__________________________________________________


"TWILIGHT" (1998) (Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon) (R)
Drama: A detective (Newman) uncovers a decades old murder mystery that 
may implicate his married friends (including Sarandon) and jeopardize 
their friendship.  One of the most eagerly anticipated movies of the 
year -- simply due to the high powered, Oscar worthy pedigree of those 
involved with the production -- this is a dull, less than involving 
feature that may lull, or better yet, bore you to sleep.  Grossing around 
$15 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from violence, 
profanity, and some nudity.


(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/twilight.html)

__________________________________________________


"TWO GIRLS AND A GUY" (1998) (Robert Downey Jr., Heather Graham) (R)
Drama: Two women (including Graham) discover they have the same boyfriend 
(Downey Jr.) and then confront him, demanding the truth about their 
relationships.  Supposedly an examination of the pros and cons of 
monogamy and love in general, this essentially one-set film desperately 
tries to be provocative, but comes off as not much more than an annoying 
waste of an hour and a half. Grossing only around $2 million domestically, 
the film gets its R rating from a strong sex scene, strong language and 
sexual dialogue, and for a violent image (and was reedited for re-rating 
from the original NC-17).  


(http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/two_girls_and_a_guy.html)

__________________________________________________


Do you find the Screen It Website useful?

If so, contact your local newspaper, TV or radio station, or favorite 
magazine and ask that they do a story about our site so that others in 
your community or country may benefit from this information.   Contact 
information can be found at the following address:

http://www.screenit.com/press.html

__________________________________________________

Remember, before you and/or your kids see it, buy it , or rent it, make 
sure that first you Screen It!

Screen It!  Entertainment Reviews for Parents
http://www.screenit.com

__________________________________________________

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: buscom2@concordia.k12.mo.us
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 24 Sep 1998 09:55:29 -0600

Hello

I agree, I think to think funny movies are alot better than all those 
depressing movies also!

Austin Powers is a great movie!  It kept me laughing the whole time!

Rebekah
Rebekah Dittmer
Internet/Desktop Publishing Class
Concordia High School

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Garrett Winters 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 24 Sep 1998 18:43:24 +0100



If we are talking funny movies here are some of my favorites
Austin Powers 
Happy Gilmore 
Dumb and Dumber
Ace Ventura
Beverly Hills Cop
Any Monty Python Movie
Fish Called Wanda
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad,Mad World
Smokey and the Bandit
The Gumball and Cannonball Rally movies
Kentucky Fried Movie
They Call Me Bruce
Strange Brew
Airplane
Top Secret!
Naked Gun 
Back to School
Ferris Bueller
and too many more to get remember.

Garrett


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/24/98
Date: 24 Sep 1998 12:10:29 -0600 (MDT)

Variety says Mel Gibson is in talks to produce and star in a
feature version of "Hogan's Heroes," the '60s sitcom about
hi-jinx in a World War II prisoner-of-war camp. If the
project goes forward, it would be Gibson's second time
bringing a vintage TV role to the big screen. In 1994 he
starred in "Maverick."

                        -=> * <=-

Brent Spiner, D.B. Sweeney, Loretta Devine and Cynda
Williams have signed on for key roles in HBO's
"Dorothy Dandridge," starring Halle Berry in the title
role as the ill-fated 1950s movie actress. Meanwhile,
Variety says the $30-million Warner Bros. movie version of
the 1981 Broadway musical "Dreamgirls" -- which was to have
been directed by Joel Schumacher, produced by David Geffen,
and which was loosely based on the rise of Diana Ross and
the Supremes -- has been shelved.

                        -=> * <=-

* OFFERED: A $5,000 reward, by New Line Cinema, for the
return of 10 reels of film stolen from a delivery van in
Manhattan. If the film is not recovered by Saturday, Warren
Beatty, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn will have to reshoot
scenes from the movie "Town and Country."

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: ATLibra930@aol.com
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 24 Sep 1998 17:30:28 EDT

my fav was high school high, and i loved happy gilmore

alison

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 09/24/98
Date: 24 Sep 1998 17:36:06 -0600 (MDT)

Published reports indicate that Chris Carter is
getting ready to start work on a second X-Files feature
film, which will likely hit theaters in 2000.  Gillian
Anderson and David Duchovny have reportedly already
agreed to star in the film.

                        -=> * <=-

Universal Pictures has picked up the rights to the Mad
Max SF film series and plans to release the fourth Max
movie in the summer of 2001 or 2002, according to
Variety.  George Miller, who had a hand in writing and
directing the first three Max films, has signed on to
produce and direct the new flick, and although he has
developed a story for the picture, he won't necessarily
write this one himself. 

Variety also reported that Mel Gibson has not been
contacted about appearing in the fourth Max film, despite
having starred in the first three.  One reason might be his
going rate of $20 million per film, a far cry from the
$15,000 he received for starring in the original Mad Max. 

Miller plans to shoot Max 4 in Australia, the same locale
used for the previous films, Mad Max, The Road Warrior
and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

                        -=> * <=-

George Lucas and his company Lucasfilm may shoot the
second Stars Wars prequel movie in Australia,
according to The Hollywood Reporter.  Lucas has
made several trips Down Under to scout out potential
filming locations, and the trade paper speculated he may
base production of the film out of Fox's new $120 million
studio in Sydney. 

The switch in venues would be a major change for Lucas,
who worked out of Leavesden Studios in London, England,
on the first four Star Wars movies.  Other films that have
shot in Sydney include the upcoming Keanu Reeves SF
thriller The Matrix and Dark City, while Jim Henson
Productions plans to shoot the new Sci-Fi Channel series
Farscape there.

                        -=> * <=-

Actor Will Smith is teaming up with the writing duo of
Glen Morgan and James Wong for the SF action movie
The Mark, according to Variety.  Universal Pictures
originally bought the script from comic book writer Rob
Liefield for about $2 million, but it's not clear whether
Morgan and Wong will be working from Liefield's screenplay
or starting fresh. 

The film will feature Smith as a regular guy in 2001 New
York who finds a talisman that gives him special powers.
He subsequently becomes caught up in a struggle for the
domination of Earth. 

Smith is best known to SF fans for his starring roles in
Independence Day and Men in Black.  Morgan and Wong
are also well known SF veterans, having worked on such
shows as The X-Files, Millennium and Space: Above &
Beyond. 

No director has been set for The Mark, which will likely
begin shooting in late 1999.

                        -=> * <=-

The X-Files: Fight the Future will be released to home
video on Oct. 13, including exclusive interviews with
Chris Carter and Gillian Anderson, according to Fox
Home Entertainment.  The video will be available in
pan-and-scan format for a suggested retail price of
$22.98 and in widescreen format for $24.98. 

Fox also plans to release a collector's gift set for Fight the
Future that includes both video formats, a numbered
script printed on non-reproducible red paper, individual
frames from the 35mm film print and reprints of the three
theatrical posters.  The gift set will also feature the video
The Making of The X-Files and a special Making of The
X-Files book from HarperCollins. 

The giftset will be available on Nov. 2 for a suggested
price of $79.98.

                        -=> * <=-

Nickelodeon Movies plans to develop the stop-motion
SF series Prometheus & Bob into a feature film,
according to Variety.  Beavis & Butthead Do America
screenwriter Joe Stillman is working on the script, while a
director is being sought. 

Prometheus & Bob has run on Nickelodeon since 1996 as
part of the comedy show Kablam!  The series focuses on
an extraterrestrial who comes to Earth in order to find
intelligent life and who instead meets up with a prehistoric
caveman.

                        -=> * <=-

Eddie Murphy will star in the upcoming SF comedy Pluto
Nash, according to Variety.  The film is based on a
script written by Mystery Men scribe Neil Cuthbert
that tells the story of a lunar colonist who takes on a
mega-corporation based on Earth. 

Murphy will play the title character, who heads up to a
lunar settlement in order to escape his checkered past,
only to find that a corporation is attempting to take
control of the moon's new residents.  No director has been
announced for the project.

                        -=> * <=-

Universal paid close to $5 million for the film rights to
the Dr. Seuss classic children's story "How the Grinch
Stole Christmas," according to Variety.  The studio
plans to produce a live-action version of The Grinch and
has already lined up Jim Carrey to star in the picture, with
Ron Howard attached as director. 

Universal beat out three other parties bidding on the
rights to The Grinch, including a pitch from Fox that would
potentially have seen Jack Nicholson in the title role.  The
rights were put up for auction earlier this month by
Audrey Geisel, the widow of Dr. Seuss himself, Theodor
Geisel. 

                        -=> * <=-

Academy Award winner Cuba Gooding Jr. is reportedly
in talks to co-star in the semi-science-fictional movie
Chill Factor, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Gooding would play one of two men who are forced to
keep a dangerous material chilled below 50 degrees
Fahrenheit.  (Or what?  The bus will blow up? -- Greg)

Earlier this month Skeet Ulrich was signed to play the
other starring role in the film, which will begin shooting in
October.  Hugh Johnson is directing the project based on a
script by Mike Cheda and Drew Gitlin.

                        -=> * <=-

Rob Lowe is in final negotiations to join the cast of
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, according
to Variety.  The film is a sequel to the 1997 hit SF
comedy Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery,
which starred Michael Myers as a British secret agent who
was frozen in the 1960s and thawed out in 1997. 

The first Austin, directed by Jay Roach, earned $54 million
in the United States and did brisk business in the home
video market.  The sequel will once again be directed by
Roach and star Myers, while Lost in Space's Heather
Graham is set to co-star.

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
/  Join the Science Fiction Book Club and get 6 books for $1 at:  /
/           http://www.xmission.com/~gregorys/sfbc.htm            /
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

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From: Chris Culligan 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 24 Sep 1998 20:28:46 -0400

I don't think anyone mentioned Meatballs.  Remember that movie??  Bill
Murrey is a hilarious actor.  Ground Hogs Day and What About Bob are
also good.

Garrett Winters wrote:

> If we are talking funny movies here are some of my favorites
> Austin Powers
> Happy Gilmore
> Dumb and Dumber
> Ace Ventura
> Beverly Hills Cop
> Any Monty Python Movie
> Fish Called Wanda
> Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
> It's a Mad, Mad, Mad,Mad World
> Smokey and the Bandit
> The Gumball and Cannonball Rally movies
> Kentucky Fried Movie
> They Call Me Bruce
> Strange Brew
> Airplane
> Top Secret!
> Naked Gun
> Back to School
> Ferris Bueller
> and too many more to get remember.
>
> Garrett
>
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From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 24 Sep 1998 12:08:03 -0700

Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend some
funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?  Like The Tall
Guy with Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson...or The Party
with Peter Sellers...or the Lonely Guy with Steve Martin...orSwimming with
Sharks with Kevin Spacey...or Better Off Dead with John Cusack...or Phantom
of Liberty by Luis Bunuel...or Trouble With Harry by Hitchcock!  I'm
interested in other people's reccomendations...see if you can reccomend a
comedy that I haven't seen!  (This is more a request than a challenge as I
cannot find anymore comedies out there!)




At 08:28 PM 9/24/1998 -0400, you wrote:
>I don't think anyone mentioned Meatballs.  Remember that movie??  Bill
>Murrey is a hilarious actor.  Ground Hogs Day and What About Bob are
>also good.
>
>Garrett Winters wrote:
>
>> If we are talking funny movies here are some of my favorites
>> Austin Powers
>> Happy Gilmore
>> Dumb and Dumber
>> Ace Ventura
>> Beverly Hills Cop
>> Any Monty Python Movie
>> Fish Called Wanda
>> Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
>> It's a Mad, Mad, Mad,Mad World
>> Smokey and the Bandit
>> The Gumball and Cannonball Rally movies
>> Kentucky Fried Movie
>> They Call Me Bruce
>> Strange Brew
>> Airplane
>> Top Secret!
>> Naked Gun
>> Back to School
>> Ferris Bueller
>> and too many more to get remember.
>>
>> Garrett
>>
>> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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>
>
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>
>
Jay the Movieman
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From: Mel Eperthener 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 00:13:07 -0400

At 12.08 PM 24/09/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend some
>funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?

Best way to find these movies is to send your friends to the video store.
This is how I get to see the "What the heck did you get?!?" movies that I
end up liking.  (Off-topic:  I had friends get Point Break my last night in
Australia.  I had sworn up and down that I would NEVER watch a "surfing"
movie, it looked so silly.  Ended up really enjoying it.  Still kind of
silly, but I have seen worse).  Once someone brought home this comedy, From
the Hip, about this attorney.  Starts off really funny, then gets kind of
serious, as he tries to solve the crime.  My wife hated it, which means it
MUST be good:-)

Also, for funny movies, we cannot forget the Australian trifecta of funny
movies from the early '90s:  Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Strictly
Ballroom; and Muriel's Wedding.  No common theme here, except that they are
all Australian, and are all ROTHLMAO funny.

As for sad movies, two that really touched me are The Year My Voice Broke
(a coming-of-age story that has some humour in it, as well), and Boulevard
of Broken Dreams, about a movie producer dying of cancer.  He goes back to
his native Melbourne to make amends with everyone. (best part is Tom
Traubert's Blues, a song title I could have found a LOT easier if Amazon
didn't have the IMdB so screwed up, later done by Rod Stewart).

Just a few more that you may not be familiar with.  Watch them if you can.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: bcassidy@usaor.net
          gowanna@australiamail.com

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
(412) 781-6140
(412) 781-6380
1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
(1-888-454-6926)
____________________________________________
"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"

--Dana Scully
______________________________________________


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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny  movies? -Reply
Date: 25 Sep 1998 08:38:47 -0700

One of the Funniest movies I've ever seen that is not too well known
(although I would expect many of you to know) is a movie from the
mid-seventies called "Real Life" I believe.  Anyway it is about a
film crew that  attempts to document the life of a typical family by
moving in and filming every waking moment.  It is by Albert Brooks
and he is also the star.  Charles Grodin is the father of the family.
 I would suggest this to everybody.  

Another film I haven't seen since it came out but remember enjoying a
great deal is "Soup for One" about a newely single guy coping with the
single scene.  

Finally, there was a movie called "Local Hero" I believe about the
representative of a huge American Corporation who is sent to an
British Village to oversee its purchase.  Instead he finds himself
charmed and drawn into the quirky community.  Can't remember the
actors but it is a great movie.  

Also, "Funny Bones".  

I could go on and on.

bb

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From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies? -Reply
Date: 25 Sep 1998 10:42:09 -0600

Was "Local Hero" the one where he's in the phone booth, watching the
Northern Lights and trying to describe them to somebody on the phone????

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Friday, September 25, 1998 9:39 AM

One of the Funniest movies I've ever seen that is not too well known
(although I would expect many of you to know) is a movie from the
mid-seventies called "Real Life" I believe.  Anyway it is about a
film crew that  attempts to document the life of a typical family by
moving in and filming every waking moment.  It is by Albert Brooks
and he is also the star.  Charles Grodin is the father of the family.
 I would suggest this to everybody.  

Another film I haven't seen since it came out but remember enjoying a
great deal is "Soup for One" about a newely single guy coping with the
single scene.  

Finally, there was a movie called "Local Hero" I believe about the
representative of a huge American Corporation who is sent to an
British Village to oversee its purchase.  Instead he finds himself
charmed and drawn into the quirky community.  Can't remember the
actors but it is a great movie.  

Also, "Funny Bones".  

I could go on and on.

bb

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From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny  movies? -Reply
Date: 25 Sep 1998 01:27:56 -0700

Please do go on and on!  Thos are the kind of suggestions I am looking for!
 I will definitely check those out - thanks for the reccomendations!

At 08:38 AM 9/25/1998 -0700, you wrote:
>One of the Funniest movies I've ever seen that is not too well known
>(although I would expect many of you to know) is a movie from the
>mid-seventies called "Real Life" I believe.  Anyway it is about a
>film crew that  attempts to document the life of a typical family by
>moving in and filming every waking moment.  It is by Albert Brooks
>and he is also the star.  Charles Grodin is the father of the family.
> I would suggest this to everybody.  
>
>Another film I haven't seen since it came out but remember enjoying a
>great deal is "Soup for One" about a newely single guy coping with the
>single scene.  
>
>Finally, there was a movie called "Local Hero" I believe about the
>representative of a huge American Corporation who is sent to an
>British Village to oversee its purchase.  Instead he finds himself
>charmed and drawn into the quirky community.  Can't remember the
>actors but it is a great movie.  
>
>Also, "Funny Bones".  
>
>I could go on and on.
>
>bb
>
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>
>
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: [MV] Local Hero
Date: 25 Sep 1998 10:25:17 -0700

Local Hero was with Burt Lancaster (!) and Peter Riegert (sp?) who is one of
my favorite under-rated actors (see Crossing Delancy, A Woman in Love,
Oscar....)
This is a sweet story with a hilarious twist on the "fish out of water" plot
- more like "fish who is determined to get the world to breath underwater"
kind of movie.  Definately a recommended movie!

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From: "Chris Culligan" 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny -hard to find- movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 10:36:20 PDT

Ok, Mel, since your theme on this message seems to be Autralian films, 
and Jason's post was on hard to find funny movies, how about this one 
Jason:

The Coca-Cola Kid

Have you seen it??  I loved it and thought it was quite funny!

CHRIS

>
>At 12.08 PM 24/09/98 -0700, you wrote:
>>Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend 
some
>>funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?
>
>Best way to find these movies is to send your friends to the video 
store.
>This is how I get to see the "What the heck did you get?!?" movies that 
I
>end up liking.  (Off-topic:  I had friends get Point Break my last 
night in
>Australia.  I had sworn up and down that I would NEVER watch a 
"surfing"
>movie, it looked so silly.  Ended up really enjoying it.  Still kind of
>silly, but I have seen worse).  Once someone brought home this comedy, 
From
>the Hip, about this attorney.  Starts off really funny, then gets kind 
of
>serious, as he tries to solve the crime.  My wife hated it, which means 
it
>MUST be good:-)
>
>Also, for funny movies, we cannot forget the Australian trifecta of 
funny
>movies from the early '90s:  Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Strictly
>Ballroom; and Muriel's Wedding.  No common theme here, except that they 
are
>all Australian, and are all ROTHLMAO funny.
>
>As for sad movies, two that really touched me are The Year My Voice 
Broke
>(a coming-of-age story that has some humour in it, as well), and 
Boulevard
>of Broken Dreams, about a movie producer dying of cancer.  He goes back 
to
>his native Melbourne to make amends with everyone. (best part is Tom
>Traubert's Blues, a song title I could have found a LOT easier if 
Amazon
>didn't have the IMdB so screwed up, later done by Rod Stewart).
>
>Just a few more that you may not be familiar with.  Watch them if you 
can.
>
>Regards,
>
>--Mel
>
>
>--Mel Eperthener
>president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
>
>email: bcassidy@usaor.net
>          gowanna@australiamail.com
>
>http://www.webz.com/gowanna
>
>419 Butler Street
>PO Box 95184
>Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
>(412) 781-6140
>(412) 781-6380
>1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
>(1-888-454-6926)
>____________________________________________
>"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
>two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"
>
>--Dana Scully
>______________________________________________
>
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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>


______________________________________________________
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From: Garrett Winters 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 18:40:29 +0100

Chris Culligan writes
>I don't think anyone mentioned Meatballs.  Remember that movie??  Bill
>Murrey is a hilarious actor.  Ground Hogs Day and What About Bob are
>also good.

proves my point that I would forget some, probably as Groundhog day was 
hilarious but I have only seen it the once straight through that I forgot 
it. 
Garrett

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From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: [MV] Rush Hour review
Date: 25 Sep 1998 01:47:37 -0700

Well I overcame my fear of Chris Tucker to see this Jackie Chan movie - and
all I can say is that I am all tuckered out.  Hee hee...urghhh.  Advice to
the makers of the inevitable Rush Hour 2 - less Tucker more Chan - less
Tucker is the key point here.  Now you might not remember who this Tucker
guy is - but I sure do.  He ruined on heckuva good movie for me - The Fifth
Element.  It was really interesting until he came along - the fast talking
VJ.  Anywho - he's still fast alking - an Eddie Murphy wannabe whose voice
is winning the annoying contest against Rosie Perez.  Chan does some great
stuff here but not nearly enough to keep my interest in this by-the-numbers
buddy cop flick.  How it made $33 mil in its first weekend I'll never know!
 I was entertained for a collected total of about 12 minutes of this film -
that earns it a 60%.
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 11:18:41 -0700 (PDT)

On Thu, 24 Sep 1998, Jason Cormier wrote:

> Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend some
> funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?  

Schizopolis, directed and written by and starring Steve Soderbergh. One of
the funniest movies I've ever seen, and one of the most original movies
I've ever seen too. It really proves the point that studio producers and
executives are a pack of meddlesome dilettantes who rely too much on L.A.
test audiences and whatever is proclaimed to be the hot property of the
moment. 

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx






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From: The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions 
Subject: [MV] Coming Monday, 9.28, to The Flick Filosopher...
Date: 25 Sep 1998 18:19:41 -0000

The Flick Filosopher's Coming Attractions - http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos

Ah, vacation. Just the word alone is restful. My recent vacation, relaxing
as it was, continues to inspire me.

During my long road trip, my traveling companion/bestest friend and I
concocted an even crazier idea than the one we had just embarked upon
(driving to Johnstown, PA, the Boredom Capital of America) -- driving
across the whole U.S. of A. It's something I've always wanted to do --
leave the interstates behind, wend my way along the more interesting state
and county roads, and take my sweet time driving from sea to shining sea
-- say two months there and back. It's a wacky idea, but I'm trying to
figure out how I could possibly make it work.

In the meantime, I'm gonna start exploring the frontiers of America this
very week. Join me as I step Into the Great Wide Open of Montana in *Clay
Pigeons* and Alaska in *The Edge.*

==============================
Subscribe to *Entertainment Weekly* and *Premiere* magazines -- right from
The Flick Filosopher. Part of every sub goes to support a good cause --
keeping yours truly on the Web. Check the mags out at
http://www.flickfilosopher.com/flickfilos
==============================


MaryAnn


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From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/25/98
Date: 25 Sep 1998 12:20:13 -0600 (MDT)

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Surfing legend Jeff Hakman is riding the crest
of a Hollywood wave as his biography "Mr. Sunset" is being turned
into a low-budget picture. Hakman and his Quicksilver surfwear
company will partner with October Films to co-finance the project;
together with Kelly Slater, the current world surfing champion, he
will also serve as an associate producer. "Mr. Sunset," written by
Phil Jarratt, follows Hakman's storied career in the surfing world,
starting at age 13 when he was surfing 25-foot waves in Hawaii and
including his national surfing title four years later.

                        -=> * <=-

* BORN: To actor James Caan ("The Godfather") and his wife,
Linda, a son, Jacob Nicholas Caan, eight pounds, at the UCLA
Medical Center. He is the couple's second child.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 11:16:45 -0700

Is Schizopolis on video?!!  I LOVED that movie!!  It was the most hysterical
movie I've ever seen!  (even funnier than Hudson Hawk -- Ha!)  I got to meet
Steve Soderberg, and he's as quirky as is filmaking!  

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Christina Stanley [SMTP:cristina@blarg.net]
> Sent:	Friday, September 25, 1998 11:19 AM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] What about funny  movies?
> 
> On Thu, 24 Sep 1998, Jason Cormier wrote:
> 
> > Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend some
> > funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?  
> 
> Schizopolis, directed and written by and starring Steve Soderbergh. One of
> the funniest movies I've ever seen, and one of the most original movies
> I've ever seen too. It really proves the point that studio producers and
> executives are a pack of meddlesome dilettantes who rely too much on L.A.
> test audiences and whatever is proclaimed to be the hot property of the
> moment. 
> 
> christina
> ______________________________________________________________
> cristina@blarg.net
> 
> The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
> fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] Local Hero
Date: 25 Sep 1998 11:28:27 -0700 (PDT)

On Fri, 25 Sep 1998, Romero, Leticia wrote:

> Local Hero was with Burt Lancaster (!) and Peter Riegert (sp?) who is one of
> my favorite under-rated actors (see Crossing Delancy, A Woman in Love,
> Oscar....)

Local Hero was directed and written by Bill Forsyth, who also did
Housekeeping, Gregory's Girl (which beats all American '80s teen comedies
starring Brat Packers), and Comfort and Joy. If you like low key comedies,
you should check them out, but I consider Local Hero to be the best of
these.

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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From: P-000132@plato-net.or.jp
Subject: [MV] RE: What about funny movies?
Date: 26 Sep 1998 03:35:55 JST

My choices are:

        (1) Twins
        (2) The Blues Brothers
        (3) Big

# I sometimes watch them even now and all of them always make me laugh.
# They are very heart-warming, too!!

Taro // from Kyoto, Japan

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From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 11:50:16 -0700 (PDT)

On Fri, 25 Sep 1998, Romero, Leticia wrote:

> Is Schizopolis on video?!!  I LOVED that movie!!  It was the most hysterical
> movie I've ever seen!  (even funnier than Hudson Hawk -- Ha!)  I got to meet
> Steve Soderberg, and he's as quirky as is filmaking!  

It is. I'd like to find a previously viewed copy of it somewhere for
purchase. My boyfriend and I scour the many video stores of this city
looking for good deals. Most video stores are stupid, and buy 80 copies of
say, Air Force One because they have these policies where they guarantee
that you can walk in and rent it. Frankly, very few movies merit this,
although there are movies that had a shitty run in the theaters and then
find their legs on video. So the video stores have to turn around and sell
70 copies of Air Force One a month or so after release. A movie like
Schizopolis is more difficult to find as a previously viewed tape because
the video stores only buy one copy, and after it's considered past new
release status, it goes to the Siberia of video store shelves ... everyone
just wants the big new action thrillers. It's pathetic. I could buy a new
copy, but last time I checked, it wasn't priced at a sell through price --
$75.

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx






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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Diane Christy 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 14:46:48 -0500

On 9/25/98, 12:40 PM -0500, Garrett Winters said so nicely:
>proves my point that I would forget some, probably as Groundhog day was
>hilarious but I have only seen it the once straight through that I forgot
>it.

"Groundhog Day" was very funny, but it is also extremely profound.  I think
it's one of the most brilliant philosophical movies I've ever seen.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Michael Dequina 
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#159, 9/25/98
Date: 25 Sep 1998 11:58:20 -0700

ATTENTION!
If you have me listed in your e-mail address books under the address:
mrbrown@ucla.edu
please update to:
mrbrown@iname.com
Thank you.


T   H   E
M   O   V   I   E
R   E   P   O   R   T
#159
SEPTEMBER 25, 1998

PLEASE HELP...
...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive.   I am undergoing a
serious funding and resource crisis (_I_don't_even_own_a_computer_).  You
can help by renting or purchasing videos from Reel.com!  Please visit:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html
You can also help in other ways.  Please visit:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/support.html
Thank you very much.

=>T H I S  W E E K<=
M O V I E S
-_Antz_
-_Urban_Legend_
-_Clay_Pigeons_
-_Rush_Hour_
-_Cube_
-_Pi_
V I D E O
-_Dangerous_Beauty_
-_Fallen_Angels_
-_Happy_Together_
-_Mercury_Rising_
-_Nightwatch_
-_The_Players_Club_

For links to the official websites of all the current films, past reviews,
exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie discussion board, movie theme MIDI
files, and more, visit Mr. Brown's Movie Site at:
http://welcome.to/mrbrown  or
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown
Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...

Select reviews are available at CompuServe Hollywood Hotline:
http://www.HollywoodHotline.com 
...and the Eyepiece Network at:
http://www.eyepiece.com
...and Albany Online at:
http://www.AlbanyOnline.com

all movies graded out of four stars (****)


~~~

=>M O V I E S<=
N E W  R E L E A S E S

_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2
	It's still another two months before DreamWorks launches its assault on
the current state of feature animation with the much-ballyhooed (and
equally as anticipated) _The_Prince_of_Egypt_, but in the meantime, the
crew at SKG has found another way to hit Disney where it hurts--in the
field of computer animation.  With the witty and wise _Antz_, DreamWorks
and PDI has given the Mouse and Pixar's upcoming _A_Bug's_Life_ a tough act
to follow.
	The "z" in _Antz_ stands for Z (voice of Woody Allen), a lowly worker ant
who for once wants to do something for his individual needs rather than
those of the colony.  He gets a taste of something different when Princess
Bala (Sharon Stone), reluctantly betrothed to megalomaniacal General
Mandible (Gene Hackman) and bored with her sheltered life in general,
sneaks out and joins the commoners for one night, meeting Z at a bar (where
"aphid beers" are served).  Bala's ruse is soon discovered, but not before
Z has fallen head over heels in love.  Determined to break from his class
and win Bala's love in return, Z comes up with a scheme that, if anything,
will win Bala's attention.  Alas, he gets a lot more than he bargained for.
	Like Disney's trailblazing _Toy_Story_, _Antz_ has a smart script that
will keep adults equally as entertained, if not more, as the young 'uns.
The screenplay by Todd Alcott, Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz is a most
unlikely--and often hilarious--Communist allegory, with the oppressed
workers encouraged to "work for the good of the colony" and even forced to
dance the same way at the same time each day; Z's scheme inspires the
masses to revolt.  But beyond the social satire, a lot of the script's
creativity lies in its placing the audience in the ants' shoes, seeing
familiar things from the insects' eyes.  For example, simple trash can
brimming with litter is "Insectopia," a paradise of food and other delights
for all insects; and a single water droplet can spell a horrible death by
drowning.
	The material really comes to life in the hands of the actors and the
animators at PDI.  The character of Z would be unthinkable without the
voice of Allen; freed from his physical form, his tired neurotic New Yorker
schtick is given a freshness.  The rest of the actors are also well-cast:
Sylvester Stallone is perfect fit for Z's musclehead soldier friend,
Weaver; Stone lends Princess Bala sexiness and spunk, as does Jennifer
Lopez to Z's worker friend Azteca; Hackman makes Mandible a hissable
villain; and Christopher Walken is an ideal foil as his right-hand ant,
Colonel Cutter.  Though the actors give the ants most of personality, the
animators fill in the blanks, coming up with a look for the ants that is at
once humanized (their faces are wonderfully expressive) yet distinctly
insect-like.  The artwork is consistently first rate, if a bit limited in
the big picture; most of the action takes place in the ant colony, which
means repeated use the same dingy dirt tunnel backgrounds.  However, some
visually dazzling scenes, such as a rather harrowing combat sequence
involving some menacing termites, more than compensate.
	In recent months, many studios have tried to take a bite out of Disney's
stranglehold on the feature animation market--and failed.  If the
delightful _Antz_ is any indication of what is in the pipeline of
DreamWorks' traditional animation division, it may not be such a small
world after all.  (opens October 2)

Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
_Urban_Legend_ (R) *
	What hath Kevin Williamson wrought?  While the horror movie revival
spurred on by his _Scream_ has yielded a few decent entries in the
genre--_I_Know_What_You_Did_Last_Summer_, _Halloween:_H20_, and _Scream_2_
--it must be noted that Williamson himself had a hand in the writing of
those films.  Those Williamson-less post-_Scream_ efforts, among them
_Wishmaster_ and the recent _Disturbing_Behavior_, have been frightening
all right--frighteningly, insultingly _bad_.  Add to that list
_Urban_Legend_, which takes a promising premise and runs it through a
predictable meat grinder of idiocy.
	The influence of Williamson on screenwriter Silvio Horta is clear in two
key areas.  First, the opening sequence, like that of _Scream_, is an
extended set piece detailing the singular murder that gets the proverbial
ball rolling.  This sequence, in which Pendleton College coed Michelle
Mancini (Natasha Gregson Wagner) is decapitated while driving, also reveals
the other obviously Williamson-esque touch: the killer's look.  Dressed in
a large hooded parka, wielding an axe, the killer bears more than a passing
resemblance to the _I_Know..._fisherman, sans the hook.
	One thing Horta does not borrow from Williamson, however, is the
intriguing premise.  Students at Pendleton are being killed by way of urban
legends--those contemporary bits of "mythology" passed from person to
person, group to group, year to year that become so embedded in the social
consciousness.  It hardly matters if they are true or not, such as the tall
tale that Mikey from the Life cereal commercials died from a fatal
combination of Pop Rocks and Pepsi (he didn't).  Michelle, slain by the
"killer lurking in the backseat" of lore, is but the first to fall prey to
an urban legend come true; as the body count rises, fellow Pendleton
student Natalie (Alicia Witt) suspects not only a link between the murders,
but a personal link to her past as well.
	The setup shows promise, but the story never takes off, due in large part
to Horta and the director, the aptly named Jamie Blanks, who fires round
afer round of his namesake in terms of suspense and scares.  Too many of
the would-be shocks are fakeouts reliant on bombastic music cues, and the
film's chase scenes are riddled with the cliches that _Scream_ tried to
subvert, like screaming damsels knowingly running themselves into dead ends
when they should--and could--run out the front door.  But that is just the
tip of the iceberg when it comes to cliches; there's also the climactic
villain confession, in which a contrived and way-too-convenient motive is
revealed, not to mention the credit card opening up the locked door trick,
which is a cliche in any film genre.  Banks and Horta's (intentional)
attempts at humor are also lame; the fact that the best gags are lazy,
in-jokey references to the other credits of co-stars Joshua Jackson and
Rebecca Gayheart says a lot about the imagination of their humor.  Some
laughs are also had when the rather predictable identity of the killer is
revealed, but I'm not so sure if some of the more hilarious things about it
were meant to be so.
	The filmmakers don't get much help from their onscreen talent.  I was far
from a fan of bland _I_Know..._ starlet Jennifer Love Hewitt, but I'd talke
her any day ove the dreadfully stiff and uncharismatic Witt, whose inept
attempts at emoting were often met with laughter; Witt has a pefect foil in
her equally pesence-challenged leading man, Jared Leto.  _Dawson's_Creek_
star Jackson mugs his way thorugh a glorified cameo; Gayheart displays all
the depth and range of, well, a Noxzema spokeswoman; and Robert Englund
lends the film little more than his Freddy Krueger pedigree as a folklore
professor.  Granted, the cast
is hampered by their material.  Loretta Devine, who has done some fine work
in films such as _Waiting_to_Exhale_, is saddled with the ridiculous role
of a Pam Grier-worshiping campus security guard.
	The recently resuscitated horror genre cannot rely on the efforts one
man--namely, Kevin Williamson--to stay alive.  If other filmmakers continue
to make such shoddy product as _Urban_Legend_, the genre looks to once
again go the way of screen slashers' many victims.

IN BRIEF

_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2
	It's hard to put a finger on what exactly this film is, and, for a while,
it seems as if director David Dobkin and screenwriter Matt Healy aren't
sure what they're after, either.  The Montana-set _Clay_Pigeons_ begins as
darkly comic riff on _Fatal_Attraction_, with young mechanic Clay (Joaquin
Phoenix) being more or less stalked by an out-of-her-mind ex-lover
(Georgina Cates) that just won't take no for an answer.  About a half hour
in, the film suddenly switches gears--and the filmmakers find their
footing--when dead bodies start piling up and Clay becomes the chief
suspect; also added to the mix are a slick, amiable cowboy (Vince Vaughn,
hilarious) who isn't what he appears to be, and an acerbic FBI agent
(Janeane Garofalo, in dry form).  What ensues is a quirky, pitch black
comedy-thriller that settles into an amusingly mean-spirited groove--that
is, until the underwhelming finale, which all too neatly cleans up the mess
that preceded it.

_Rush_Hour_ (PG-13) ** 1/2
	After 13 years, Jackie Chan has returned to American film production, and
while the result doesn't approach the disasters his two previous stateside
efforts (_The_Big_Brawl_ and _The_Protector_) were, it is still somewhat of
a disappointment.  In this formulaic buddy action comedy, Chan's Hong Kong
cop is teamed with a motormouthed L.A. cop (Chris Tucker) to recover the
kidnapped daughter (Julia Hsu) of the Chinese consul (Tzi Ma).
	With such a mismatched pair, many laughs are had along the way, most
coming from the quick-tongued Tucker, who is mercifully held somewhat in
check by director Brett Ratner; he isn't nearly as shrill as he has been in
other films (such as his last collaboration with Ratner, _Money_Talks_).
However, Ratner has a tougher time with the action and stunt scenes, which
are not on a par with those in Chan's HK efforts.  One fight scene, set in
a pool hall, is completely gratuitous; and Chan's major stunt (sliding down
a long banner) is kids' stuff compared to the more outrageous feats he's
done in the past.  Only one set piece, in which Chan fends off two baddies
while trying to protect a priceless vase, is in the vein of his trademark
blend of mayhem and silent comedy.  Hopefully the success of the just-OK
_Rush_Hour_ will allow Chan to make more inventive vehicles on this side of
the Pacific.

IN CURRENT RELEASE

_Cube_ (R) **
_Pi_ (R) *** 1/2
	Wanna make a science fiction thriller, but don't have the money for
big-budget effects?  Then turn to math, as have neophyte feature filmmakers
Vincenzo Natali and Darren Aronofsky for their films _Cube_ and _Pi_,
respectively.
	_Cube_'s story is fairly thin: six strangers (Nicole deBoer, Nicky
Guadagni, David Hewlett, Andrew Miller, Wayne Robson, and Maurice Dean
Wint) wake up to find themselves trapped in a 14' by 14' cube, with doors
on each wall, the ceiling, and the floor.  This cube, as it turns out, is
simply one of many in a much larger structure, and the six try to find
their way out of the labyrinthian prison--that is, if they can crack the
mathematical code that will lead them to the exit.  With a piddly budget of
only $365,000 (in Canadian dollars), _Cube_ is more visually inventive than
films that cost twenty times more.  Natali shot _Cube_ on a single 14'x14'
set, made to look like many different cubes through the use of
different-colored lighting; the effect is entirely convincing.  But for all
his creative ingenuity, Natali and co-writers Andre Bijelic and Graeme
Manson could have come up with a stronger script.  As claustrophobic as the
setting is, the film is remarkably unscary.  The queasy promise of the
chilling opening scene (in which an unfortunate prisoner is sliced and
diced into cube steak by a booby trap) soon dissipates with the
introduction of the flat, uninvolving characters, who predictably come at
odds because of personality conflicts, anxiety, insanity, or any
combination of the three.  Too much time is spent on these interpersonal
conflicts and too little on the mechanical ones, i.e. evading traps like
those in the prologue.  Adding to the narrative tedium are the often
laughably amateurish turns by the justly unknown cast.
	Aronofsky had even less--only $60,000--to work with on _Pi_, but he
achieves the overpowering atmosphere of fear and paranoia that Natali and
company obviously strived for in _Cube_.  Aronofsky, Sean Gullette, and
Eric Watson's story is sometimes confounding; it details an math genius's
(Gullette) rapid descent into madness when he finally discovers a
long-obsessed-over mathematical pattern to the stock market, Jewish
mysticism, and, it appears, the universe itself.  But story seems to be a
moot point in Aronofsky's frenzied vision; the intent is to create a living
nightmare of psychological horror, and he succeeds most unsettlingly
through his use of stark, sometimes grainy, black and white photography;
frenetic editing; and a pulsating electronic score.  Many films purport to
be something "unlike you've ever seen"; few films actually deliver.  The
stylish and scary _Pi_ is one of those few.

(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)

-_Blade_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#blade
-_Dance_with_Me_ (PG) ** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#dance
-_Dead_Man_on_Campus_ (R) * 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#deadman
-_Ever_After_ (PG-13) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#everafter
-_54_ (R) * 1/2 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#54
-_Halloween:_H20--20_Years_Later_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#h20
-_How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#stella
-_Knock_Off_  (R) * 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#knockoff
-_Let's_Talk_About_Sex_ (R) no stars 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#sex
-_The_Negotiator_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#negotiator
-_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland
-_One_True_Thing_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#1truething
-_Permanent_Midnight_ (R) ** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#midnight
-_Rounders_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders
-_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan
-_Simon_Birch_ (PG) ** 1/2 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#simon
-_Six-String_Samurai_ (PG-13) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#6string
-_Slums_of_Beverly_Hills_ (R) ** 1/2 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#slums
-_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary
-_Why_Do_Fools_Fall_in_Love_ (R) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#fools
-_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) *** 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits
-_The_Young_Girls_of_Rochefort_(Les_Demoiselles_de_Rochefort)_ (G) ***

  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#demoiselles
-_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2 
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends

O N  T H E  H O R I Z O N
FRIDAY

_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2 
	Uneven black comedy-thriller about serial murders in a small Montana town
and the young mechanic (Joaquin Phoenix) caught in the middle.  Vince
Vaughn and Janeane Garofalo lend strong support for director David Dobkin.

_Dirty_Laundry_
	Jay Thomas and Tess Harper star as unhappily marrieds who take to adultery
in this comedy.

_Just_Write_ (PG-13)
	The bad-pun-of-the-week award goes to the title of this romantic comedy in
which a Hollywood tour bus driver (Jeremy Piven) wins the attention of a
beautiful starlet (the underemployed Sherilyn Fenn) by pretending to be a
screenwriter.

_Lolita_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#151, 7/24/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#lolita
	After tons of controversy, a run on Showtime, and a week-long
Academy-qualifying engagement in July, Adrian Lyne's finely acted but
glacial adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov's novel begins its regular
theatrical engagement.  Dominique Swain is terrific as the 14-year-old
nymphet who becomes a middle-aged professor's (Jeremy Irons) object of
obsession.

_Monument_Ave._
	Denis Leary, Famke Janssen, Billy Crudup, and Martin Sheen star in
director Ted Demme's crime drama set in a Boston Irish working-class
neighborhood.

_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#153, 8/7/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker
	The king of cinematic bad taste, John Waters, returns to the screen with
this hit-and-miss affair about a young Baltimore photographer (Edward
Furlong) who becomes an overnight sensation in the New York art world.
Christina Ricci, Brendan Sexton III, and Lili Taylor also star.

_Ronin_ (R) **
Full review in MR#158, 9/17/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin
	Spectacular chase sequences highlight this confusing thriller about a
group of covert operatives (led by Robert DeNiro) hired to retrieve a
mysterious case.  John Frankenheimer directs.

_Shadrach_ (PG-13)
	A young boy (Scott Terra) befriends a 99-year-old former slave (John
Franklin Sawyer) in 1935 Virginia in this screen version of William
Styron's short story.  Harvey Keitel and Andie MacDowell also star.

_Urban_Legend_ (R) ** 
	Lame horror flick about a slasher whose murders are based on urban
legends.  Alicia Witt, Jared Leto, Rebecca Gayheart, and Joshua Jackson star.


~~~

=>V I D E O<=
N E W  T H I S  W E E K

_Dangerous_Beauty_ (R) **
Full review in MR#120, 12/5/97; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt26.html#dangerous
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=40932
	The ravishing Catherine McCormack delivers a spirited performance as a
Venetian courtesan pining for a wealthy gentleman (Rufus Sewell) in this
overwrought bodice ripper based on Margaret Rosenthal's
_The_Honest_Courtesan_.  (Warner Home Video)

_Fallen_Angels_ ****
Full review in MR#144, 5/29/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt34.html#angels
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=40446
_Happy_Together_ ** 1/2
Full review in MR#117, 11/14/97; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt25.html#happy
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=40708
	Brush up on the cinema of idiosyncratic Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai
with the simultaneous video release of his two most recent films.
_Fallen_Angels_ is Wong's terrific 1995 follow-up to cop-centered
_Chungking_Express_, once again following two largely unrelated stories
dealing with love, loss, and possible redemption, but this time on the
criminal end. In one story, a hitman (Leon Lai) is pined over by his agent
(Michele Reis); in the other, a mute ex-con (Takeshi Kaneshiro) falls for
bitter, recently jilted woman.  These two stories intertwine and are
eventually tied together in a conclusion as poignant as it is clever.
	Less involving is _Happy_Together_, a mood-drenched but ice cold portrait
of the tortured romance between two gay Hong Kong men (Tony Leung and
Leslie Cheung) in Buenos Aires.  Wong won the Best Director award at the
1997 Cannes Festival for this film, and rightfully so; his ability to
create and sustain a rich atmosphere (here, romantic longing) throughout a
film's duration is unmatched.  Too bad he failed to write two emotionally
involving lead characters.  (Kino Video)

_Mercury_Rising_ (R) * 1/2
Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#mercury
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41010
	Boring, formulaic thriller in which FBI agent Bruce Willis protects an
autistic boy (Miko Hughes, terrible) who breaks a top secret government
code.  Alec Baldwin fleetingly appears as the main bad guy.  (Universal
Studios Home Video)

_Nightwatch_ (R) **
Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#nightwatch
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=12594
	Predictable thriller in which a morgue nightwatchman (Ewan McGregor) is
suspected of a rash of gruesome murders.  (Dimension Home Video)

_The_Players_Club_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#137, 4/10/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt31.html#players
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41020
	Ice Cube wrote, directed, and co-stars in this uneven but surprisingly
competent mix of _Showgirls_, _Striptease_, and '70s blaxploitation.
Commanding newcomer LisaRaye is a remarkable find as the lead, a college
student who strips to pay her tuition and support her child.  (New Line
Home Video)

A L S O  N E W  T H I S  W E E K

_My_Giant_ (PG)
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41024
	Talent agent Billy Crystal tries to make a star out of a 7-foot-7 Romanian
(Washington Wizards center Gheorghe Muresan) in this flop comedy.  (Warner
Home Video)

_Ride_ (R)
Rent or buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=40995
	Road comedy in which kids from Harlem travel by bus to Miami for a music
video shoot.  Malik Yoba stars.  (Dimension Home Video)


~~~

=>N E X T  W E E K<=

More reviews, including:
-_The_Mighty_ (postponed from this week)
-_A_Night_at_the_Roxbury_
-_Slam_ (postponed from this week)
-_What_Dreams_May_Come_

'til then... 

__________________________________________________________

Michael Dequina
Chat Forum Host, The Official Michael Jordan Web Site
http://jordan.sportsline.com

mj23@michaeljordanfan.com  |  jordan_host@sportsmail.com
michael_jordan@geocities.com  |  mrbrown@iname.com

>My personal WWW sites<
Mr. Brown's Movie Site: http://welcome.to/mrbrown
Michael Jordan Beyond the Court: http://fly.to/michaeljordan
A Michael Jordan Fan's Heartbreak: http://fly.to/mj23
Personal Page: http://welcome.to/w3md
>Other WWW sites I work on<
CompuServe Hollywood Hotline: http://www.HollywoodHotline.com
Albany Online: http://www.AlbanyOnline.com
Eyepiece Network: http://www.eyepiece.com

"Life is knowing the toughest competition you ever face is yourself."
--Michael Jordan
__________________________________________________________

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] What about funny  movies? -Reply
Date: 25 Sep 1998 13:29:08 -0700 (PDT)

On Fri, 25 Sep 1998, Bruce Bridges wrote:

> One of the Funniest movies I've ever seen that is not too well known
> (although I would expect many of you to know) is a movie from the
> mid-seventies called "Real Life" I believe.  Anyway it is about a
> film crew that  attempts to document the life of a typical family by
> moving in and filming every waking moment.  It is by Albert Brooks
> and he is also the star.  Charles Grodin is the father of the family.
>  I would suggest this to everybody.  

Albert Brooks is a goddamn genius. His other movies are Lost in America,
Mother, Defending your Life, and Modern Romance. He shows up as an actor
only in movies like Broadcast News, but his best stuff is the stuff he
writes and directs. He often reminds me of Woody Allen, only not so
nebbish. It's that same self-absorbtion/self-deprecation/self-loathing
thing.

He has a new movie coming out next year I think; it's called The Muse. 

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx






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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 15:10:53 -0600

"...it's one of the most brilliant philosophical movies I've ever seen."

More so than "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure"?  Har, har, har.

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Friday, September 25, 1998 1:47 PM

On 9/25/98, 12:40 PM -0500, Garrett Winters said so nicely:
>proves my point that I would forget some, probably as Groundhog day was
>hilarious but I have only seen it the once straight through that I forgot
>it.

"Groundhog Day" was very funny, but it is also extremely profound.  I think
it's one of the most brilliant philosophical movies I've ever seen.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:dchristy10@earthlink.net  mailto:DChristy1@aol.com
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Scott Renshaw 
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: CLAY PIGEONS
Date: 25 Sep 1998 16:28:27 -0600 (MDT)

CLAY PIGEONS
(Gramercy)
Starring:  Joaquin Phoenix, Vince Vaughn, Janeane Garofolo, Georgina
Cates, Scott Wilson.
Screenplay:  Matt Healy.
Producers:  Ridley Scott and Chris Zarpas.
Director:  David Dobkin.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, sexual situations, nudity, violence, adult
themes)
Running Time:  104 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     For what it's worth, Matt Healy's script for CLAY PIGEONS is
remarkably unpredictable as film scripts go.  It opens in a Montana field,
where buddies Clay (Joaquin Phoenix) and Earl (Gregory Sporleder) are
drunkenly firing away at empty bottles of Bud.  The friendliness ends,
however, when Earl reveals to Clay that he's aware of Clay's afair with
Earl's wife Amanda (Georgina Cates).  The humiliated Earl kills himself,
having set up Clay to take the fall.  It looks for all the world like CLAY
PIGEONS is about to become a TROUBLE WITH HARRY-style black comedy, with
Clay desperately trying to hide dead bodies while scorned woman Amanda
makes his life more complicated by the moment.

     Suddenly, the film takes a hard right turn with the arrival in town
of Lester Long (Vince Vaughn), a jovially vulgar truck driver who bonds
with Clay over brews and a game of pool.  The two go fishing together,
only to discover a floating corpse.  Lester seems particularly keen to
avoid any connection with the body, which makes more sense when another
dead body turns up in town.  What begins to look like a twisted battle of
wills between Clay and Lester then takes another sharp turn with the
arrival of FBI agents to investigate the dead body, led by Special Agent
Dale Shelby (Janeane Garofolo).  Big-city Shelby doesn't by Clay's folksy
protestations of innocence, leading to culture clash.  Is it a serial
killer thriller, a dark comedy, or a Tarantino-era spin on small-town
stagnation -- THE LAST PICTURE SHOW with stab wounds and copious use of a
certain "f-word?"

     I didn't mind not knowing from one moment to the next where CLAY
PIGEONS might take me.  I did mind that by the time I got where it was
taking me, I didn't much care.  Joaquin Phoenix brings his wounded,
sensitive demeanor to Clay, making him a sympathetic enough protagonist in
spite of his flaws.  Director David Dobkin, on the other hand, doesn't
seem nearly as interested in investing us in Clay's plight, or the hints
that Clay's learning something about himself through it all.  He's going
for Atmosphere with a capital "A," lingering on drifting clouds and
slow-motion inserts.  Just when he should be trying for some hook into the
story -- whether emotional or comedic -- Dobkin lets the narrative get
progressively grimmer, chillier and more remote.  It's a tic-and-flourish
film in search of a solid center.

     It's a shame he couldn't have done more with an intriguing, eccentric
cast.  Vince Vaughn, perhaps using Lester as a dry run for his turn as
Norman Bates in the upcoming PSYCHO re-make, gives his amiable drifter an
unsettling edge to go with his hollow laugh.  Janeane Garofolo tries to
give her ironic observations on small-town ways some bite, but her
character always seems to belong in a slightly different movie.  Elements
like the town's dim-witted deputy never mesh with the sinister undertones
of Vaughn's mysterious drifter.  A film that could have been a quirky
original instead feels merely off-putting, as though the director is
daring the audience to find something to enjoy.  Unpredictability can only
carry a film so far; CLAY PIGEONS makes you feel like a sucker for coming
along for the ride.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 pigeon droppings:  4.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Gene Ehrich 
Subject: Re: [MV] pre-90's funny movies?
Date: 25 Sep 1998 18:17:15 -0400


>


The Producers

Young Frankenstein

Some Like It Hot



               gene@ehrich
   http://www.voicenet.com/~generic
Computer & Video Game Garage Sale

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Gerry Taylor" 
Subject: Re: [MV] Local Hero
Date: 26 Sep 1998 20:38:34 +0100

Not Forgetting Bill Forsyth's first film "That sinking feeling" that's just
as good as "Gregory".  He is currently filming a sequel to "Gregory's girl"
and also made a  film with Robin Williams about five years ago called "Being
human".....a neat idea but poorly executed.
~
Gerry T
~~~~~
I think I could turn and live with animals, they are so placid and self
contained,
I stand and look at them long and long.
They do not sweat and whine about their condition,
They do not lie awake and weep for their sins,
they do not make me sick discussing their duty to God,
not one is dissatisfied, not one demented with the mania of owning things,
Not one kneels to another nor to his own kind that lived thousands of years
ago,
not one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
                                                               Walt Whitman.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

-----Original Message-----


>On Fri, 25 Sep 1998, Romero, Leticia wrote:
>
>> Local Hero was with Burt Lancaster (!) and Peter Riegert (sp?) who is one
of
>> my favorite under-rated actors (see Crossing Delancy, A Woman in Love,
>> Oscar....)
>
>Local Hero was directed and written by Bill Forsyth, who also did
>Housekeeping, Gregory's Girl (which beats all American '80s teen comedies
>starring Brat Packers), and Comfort and Joy. If you like low key comedies,
>you should check them out, but I consider Local Hero to be the best of
>these.
>
>christina
>______________________________________________________________
>cristina@blarg.net
>
>The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can
>fake that, you've got it made.   Groucho Marx
>
>
>
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>





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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Scott Renshaw 
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY
Date: 27 Sep 1998 09:40:00 -0600 (MDT)

A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY
(Paramount)
Starring:  Will Ferrell, Chris Kattan, Molly Shannon, Richard Grieco, Dan
Hedaya.
Screenplay:  Will Ferrell & Chris Kattan and Steve Koren.
Producers:  Amy Heckerling and Lorne Michaels.
Director:  John Fortenberry.
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (sexual situations, adult themes, profanity)
Running Time:  83 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     As evidence of my exodus from the Land of Hip, I offer the confession
that it's been about three years since I've seen an episode of "Saturday
Night Live."  I gave up on producer Lorne Michaels 'round about the time
he was turning "SNL" sketches into hideous excuses for feature films, from
THE CONEHEADS (shudder) to STUART SAVES HIS FAMILY (shudder shudder) to
IT'S PAT (full grand mal seizure).  The show that used to be cutting edge
had turned into a pop culture butter knife:  dull and pointless.

     If A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY is any indication, I haven't missed much
from "SNL" other than an attempt to recapture past glory by regurgitating
old premises.  Steve (Will Ferrell) and Doug Butabi (Chris Kattan), the
socially intept, utterly oblivious night-clubbing L.A. siblings whose
attempts to "score" from one of the film's plot lines, are pretty familiar
creations.  The Butabis are basically a post-disco gloss on the
Czechoslovakian brothers played by Dan Aykroyd and Steve Martin twenty
years ago, they of the wide-open shirt collars and "wild and crazy guys"
finger-pointing.  Only the lingo appears to have changed.  You say tomato,
I say tomahto; you say "foxes," I say "babes."

     I'm not suggesting that a film based on the Czechoslovakian brothers
necessarily would have been funnier than this one.  It's almost axiomatic
at this point that trying to turn a five minute sketch into a full-length
feature is a very, very bad idea (particularly when those five minute
sketches are only funny for the first two).  The fact is, it's briefly
amusing watching the Butabis' synchronized head-swaying to the beat, or
listening to them spew out decrepit pick-up lines.  But the rest of A
NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY demonstrates exactly what kills sketch-to-feature
concepts:  once the sketch material is exhausted, you've got to humanize
characters that are much funnier as broad caricatures.  Doug and Steve,
even though they still live at home with their parents (Dan Hedaya and
Loni Anderson), are really guys with a dream to create their own nightclub
with the help of Roxbury owner Mr. Zadir (an uncredited Chazz Palminteri).
Do you think the Czechoslovakian brothers would be hysterical as earnest
immigrants who decide to clean up their act and improve their English
skills?

     When A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY isn't just plain boring, it's actually
kinda sad.  In case the taut visage of Loni Anderson wasn't frightening
enough, the film wheels out Richard Grieco as himself, doughy and
mascara-covered.  The idea that Grieco still carries enough clout to get
our loser protagonists into the ultra-exclusive Roxbury is one of the 
film's best jokes; Dana Carvey would have dismissed him in an old "SNL"
sketch with an admonition to "wait at the bar."  It's nearly as sad
watching other "SNL" cast members (Molly Shannon, Colin Quinn, Mark
McKinney) turn up as though they were in need of Lorne Michaels' charity.
And it's saddest of all being a member of the audience watching the script
scramble in search of a concept on which to hang something vaguely
humorous, and watching director John Fortenberry's clunky comic pacing.

     Ultimately, there are about five decent laughs and another handful
of chuckles in A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY, and I was counting those in the
stony audience around me, not my own.  I'll give Ferrell and Kattan credit
for a clever combo-poke at SAY ANYTHING... and THE GRADUATE, and I'll give
major credit to the music supervisor for coming up with great song cues
for a number of scenes.  Otherwise, A NIGHT AT THE ROXBURY continues two
noteworthy "Saturday Night Live" traditions:  loser brothers infatuated
with trendy night-spots, and generally unwatchable feature films.  Looks
like I could pick up right where I left off.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 Rox-burieds:  3.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Jason Cormier 
Subject: [MV] Ronin review
Date: 27 Sep 1998 00:36:24 -0700

This is the porno of all chase movies.  This movie is one long chase in
which multiple parties are vying for ownership of a case whose contents are
cheaply mysterious.  This movie begs for audience members to care for what
is in the case more than the characters after it.  The thing about chase
movies is that if you don't care for the characters at all then the
sequences are just very boring and exhausting.  Take the chase scene in
Terminator 2 with Arnold after the boy - that was exciting because we knew
a little bit more about the situation.  Too often critics and audience
members confuse smart, intelligent script with muddled and confusing.
People would rather say "Wow that must be a smart thriller!" than confess
that they didn't get it.  This is such a film - much like
Mission:Impossible - but less understandable and less suspense.  Robert
DeNiro is always fun to watch but he was just Robert DeNiro in this movie
and not a character that would require any kind of acting.  I guess I have
to fail this flick - even though I didn't entirely hate it.
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: maillist@moviejuice.com
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - "What Dreams May Come" and "Ronin"
Date: 27 Sep 1998 17:11:16 -0400

This week, a MovieJuice double feature!  The 4-1-1 on Ronin,  plus a special preview of Robin Williams' What Dreams May Come!  Read it all and weep.
********************

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME - I'M A SOUL, MAN

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

September 27, 1998

Welcome to class, students.  I'm professor Beer-pak Chopra.   Today's lesson in Metaphysics is called What Dreams May Come.  It stars misty-eyed Robin Williams and a misty-eyed cast from the mist-shrouded island of misteria, mister.  And it'll have your inner child cheering for more - more milk and a blanket, anyway.  Even the Way of the Wizard is pointing toward the exit.  

If my Id liked it, but my Superego thought it sucked, am I doomed to schizophrenia or just plain doomed?  If this movie is therapy, is my $7.50 covered by Aetna?  

"When I was young...." voiceovers Robin at the very beginning of this flick, as the soundtrack teeters on the edge of an Eric Carmen moment.  Robin's goal, once dead, is to bring his wife back from Purgatory or a really messy house (they seem to be the same thing).  Yes, death, insane asylums, funerals....this flick's a real two-hanky charmer.  All aboard for Heaven and Hell.  Everybody off at Hell.

What do you want from a flick where most of the cast is dead for most of the movie?  Cuba Gooding Jr. spends his first on-screen minutes in a misshapen fuzz, having gained posthumous possession of the infamous Romulan cloaking device mysteriously set on "Photoshop Blur."  

"So if you're aware you exist, then you do," proclaims Cuba, as Ushers sweep down the aisles passing out Descartes Cliff Notes.   Consider it the Cuban Revelation.

Look for Max Von Sydow as the afterlife guide.  This poor guy is going through a lot of exertion here, but Max hasn't aged a bit.  He looked 80 when he tussled with vomit-spewing demons way back in The Exorcist, and now he looks maybe 81.

According to ancient Greek philosopher Pat Benatar, "Hell is for Children," and there are tons of kids in this afterlife.  Some flit, some fly, some have no mouths, but all, it seems, have Twyla Tharp dance training and stage moms with Culkin-like aspirations just off camera.

On the way out, somebody said "It's kinda like Ghost."   Yeah, sure.  Exactly like Ghost.  Except Demi's a dead psycho, Whoopi is played by that light-hearted, laugh-a-minute, jolly joker Max Von Sydow, and - most incredibly of all - Patrick Swayze is an Oscar winner.  Exactly like Ghost!

"It was...interesting," noted another hapless audience member, praising the film with the kind of enthusiasm usually reserved for intensely sobering NYU student films and the thrills and chills of NPR's All Things Considered.  Why, that was the most...interesting...time I've had at the movies since last Summer's event-film spectacular:  PBS - The Movie.

Much will be made of the exotic look of this movie, as Robin prances and dances across the painterly afterlife landscape, proving what every CGI programmer already knew:  Heaven is a SUN workstation at ILM!  

In this computerific Garden of Eden, Robin walks on water, just like he does in real life,  to chase down Annabella Sciorra, which almost nobody does in real life.  Say, isn't that Annabella Andrews singing "the hills are alive with the Sound of Music"?

Pretty as this panorama is, Robin soon finds his way to Hell - or as they call it in L.A., the Santa Monica Freeway.  Robin trots gingerly over a garden of heads - and I don't mean lettuce, pal.  In fact, there's so much jumping, diving, and swimming in this flick I thought I was watching a Summer Olympics highlight reel.

There are lots of lessons to take away from What Dreams May Come.  For starters: 

- If you die, move to a place in the sun 
- Art fans get the best cribs 
- All dogs really do go to Heaven 
- Max Von Sydow isn't dead 
- Folks in Heaven look like Max or Cuba Gooding, never like Patricia Arquette (Hey, why bother even calling it Heaven?  If it were Heaven, wouldn't everyone look like Patricia Arquette?) 

Can love conquer all?  Will Robin ever give up?   Will Robin kick my frickin' ass?

Thank God Wild Things' Denise Richards wasn't the object of Robin's affection, despite the appropriateness of the term "object."  You see, Denise has had more body parts replaced than the Bionic Woman and a '67 Chevy combined.  In fact, scientists estimate that if Denise were to die nothing would decompose except for her brain.   

This must be why Denise has offered to donate her brain to science - in her words - "just like I did last time."

Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

RONIN - MISSION IMPLAUSIBLE

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

September 27, 1998

What's this?  A movie from United Artists?  I haven't seen one of these in a while.  Are Mary Pickford and Doug Fairbanks back in front of the camera?  Is Chaplin out of retirement?  And it's a talkie yet!

Let's play MGM Jeopardy (and before you folks at MGM get defensive, I don't mean that as a pun - even though it works as one):

Answer:  Ronin.

Question:  Where can you find every former Bond actor in the universe?

Hey, I'm not kidding.  This is some kind of shaken, stirred reunion!  All the Spies Who Loved Me, the former heavies and not so heavies, are here.  It's like when PBS brought every worldwide cast of Les Miz together in London on one stage - even the Eastern European casts who couldn't carry a tune if their lives depended on it but know how to dodge bullets like nobody's business.

The producers of this flick put out a casting call far and wide for every actor in Europe with deep bags under their eyes, and they're all here, folks!  Robert DeNiro is DeRonin, he's a Soldier of Fortune.  As usual, he's deMasterful.  Costarring with Bob is all of France, which is lacking bags but is plum full of baguettes.  This movie may not win an Oscar, unless of course there's a category for espresso consumption.

Why, this is a veritable French travelogue.  Not only do I feel like I just visited France, I feel like I've killed a few people there.   Not bad for a guy whose French is limited to "cherchez les femmes" and the fried variety.  De Gaulle of de French to call a city "Nice."   Isn't that a reach?  What could be nicer?  I just love those little cop cars that look like ice cream trucks with that annoying siren.  Are you going to arrest me, Officer, or release an ice cream sandwich on its own recognizance?

This Tour de France shows a nation where everyone's white and dresses in black.  All stare suspiciously at each other, but absolutely nobody thinks the name "Seamus" is funny.  Go figure.

Ronin has Jean Reno cast once again as the French equivalent of the unmade bed.  Natascha McElhone and former Infiniti guy Jonathan Pryce are Irish terrorists whose dialogue is typical of this:

She:  Have yeww seen Daniel Day Lewis, Seamus?

He:  Shiite!  No!  Have yeww?  Is he in this Foookin' movie?

Everyone's out to get a briefcase - or as they call it in Europe - a valise.  Nobody seems to tell you what's in the valise, but everyone's after it.  Hitchcock used to have stuff like this all the time.   Because of his ravenous appetite, he called it a "McMuffin" - or something like that.  In fact, entrepreneur Ray Kroc liked the term so much, he licensed it for his nascent fast food restaurant, resulting in the only thing Hitchcock ever made that appeals to folks under 20.  Hitch had Egg McMuffins and Sausage McMuffins and - during the making of The Birds - Puffin McMuffins.  What he really wanted were Grace Kelly's McMuffins, but that's another story.

Despite the once Bondaged cast,  this is what a Bond flick should be.  Great action, rockin' car chases (believe it or not), and great DeNiro.  No silly gadgets, no ridiculous stunts, no trumpety theme song, no cheesy, glib one-liners, and best of all, NO BOND!

Help me understand something.  Here's Bobby and the crew zig-zagging madly around the narrow roads of France.  But somehow, in the midst of these dramatic, frenzied chases, the cars signal and flash their lights to pass!   What kind of bizarre, high speed, near fatal collision courtesy is this?  This is the most gentlemanly death race I've ever seen!  Shouldn't DeNiro lean out his window to say "so sorry, chap" as he passes every bewildered motorist?  Is he tossing out samples of Grey Poupon as he switches lanes?

Is France some kind of scumbag magnet?  Everyone in this movie is trying to cheat and double-cross each other.  Double-cross, triple-cross.  There's enough Cross here to open a pen factory.  Why can't we all just get along?

Don't miss the most highly anticipated acting debut of the year when figure skater Katarina Witt shows her chops (and, sadly, little else), thus paving the way for songbird Jewel, who has already conquered the worlds of music, poetry, and soon movies, proving we're all a bunch of fucking idiots.

Ronin is Rock and Roll adrenaline.  Murderous, speed-deadly fun for the whole family.  As Unmade French Bed says, "no questions, no answers.  That's the beeezness we're in."  Here's a flick that proves there's no beeezness like show beeezness, brother.

Copyright 1998 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.moviejuice.com.  The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the laughs)!

********************

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: FTWeekly00@aol.com
Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 9-28-98 : Slate II, Take 40
Date: 27 Sep 1998 19:15:16 EDT

FILM THREAT WEEKLY
"Hollywood's Indie Voice of the New Millennium"
=============================
Slate II, Take 40 : September 28th, 1998
=============================
http://www.filmthreat.com
=============================

"But I'm pretty broke right now."
- Band member from the Ultimate Losers from Richard Linklater’s "Slacker"


<===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========>

THIS WEEK   "Right here, right now."
===========================================
——> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent.
——> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice?
——> PICKS OF THE WEEK: A load of plugs.
——> BIG SCREEN: John Waters' Pecker and Antz
——> TORONTO FILM FESTIVAL: Tons of reviews


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NO DANCE FILM FESTIVAL
The NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival is accepting entries for its 2nd
annual alternative D.I.Y. festival in Park City, Utah January 1999.  Seeking
features, docs, shorts, and music videos.  Screenings on DVD, VHS and internet
streaming.  Awards, prizes and parties.  Deadline November 20th, 1998.  Check
web site (http://www.6161.com) for application, or send SASE to: NO DANCE Film
& Multimedia Festival, 703 Pier Avenue #675, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
http://www.6161.com

ATOMIC HOLLYWOOD - $3.00 VIDEO SAVINGS!
Hard to find videos at www.atomichollywood.com.  Many titles.  Readers of Film
Threat Weekly will get a special $3.00 discount on all videos when they key
"FTW".
http://www.atomichollywood.com

THE SAN DIEGO LOCATIONS AND PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT SEMINAR. Presented with the
SD Film Commission. Saturday, October 3. Call 1-800-404-4484.


THE NEWS   "Filtered and manipulated.  Just like the real news."
===========================================
Our top story...

"FREE ENTERPRISE" FESTIVAL PREMIERE 
Geek alert!  "Free Enterprise" stars Williams Shatner in what is best
described as "Swingers" with Star Trek geeks.  The film has its world premiere
at Sitges 98: Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya on October 7th, in
Barcelona, Spain.  The US premiere for "Free Enterprise" is set for Friday,
October 23rd, at 10:00 PM at the AFI Fest in Los Angeles (also screening on
Monday, October 26th at 4:45 pm.).  Tickets go on sale Friday, October 4th, so
act accordingly.  "Free Enterprise" continues its festival tour at the
Peachtree Film Festival in Atlanta, Georgia and then a week after that at the
Hawaii Film Festival on Oahu.  The film was written by Sci-Fi Universe
magazine editors Mark Altman and Robert Meyer Burnett.  While the filmmaking
duo have clearly mastered the world of indie film with this impressive debut,
when it comes to women, they're still geeks.  (And when we say "geek" we mean
a "cool nerd.")  Love Long and Profit.
http://www.freeent.com

TARANTINO SCREENWRITING SECRETS REVEALVED
Yo man!  Jiveon.com will translate any e-mail message into "Jive" talk.  We e-
mailed them the script to "Star Wars" to get a Jive version and it's
hilarious!  Hey, why not a complete remake of "Titanic" in the vein of "The
Wiz"?!  Send any e-mail to: jivenator@JiveOn.com and within minutes you will
receive the message back all bad n' all.  Is this how Tarantino really writes
his scripts?  Read last week's issue of Film Threat Weekly translated into
Jive at Film Threat Online.
http://www.jiveon.com

Look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section at:
http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm


BOXOFFICE CHART   "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!"
===========================================
Weekend of September 25-27, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co.

1/     1 RUSH HOUR $21.1/$64.0
2/New RONIN $13.0
3/New URBAN LEGEND $11.0
4/    2 ONE TRUE THING $4.5/$13.3
5/    3 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY $4.5/$153.3 
6/    5 SIMON BIRCH $2.7/$11.8
7/    6 SAVING PRIVATE RYAN $2.6/$181.9 
8/    4 ROUNDERS $2.5/$20.1
9/    7 BLADE $2.0/$64.3
10/  8 EVER AFTER $1.2/$61.3
-/New CLAY PIGEONS $.166 [19 Theaters]


PICKS OF THE WEEK   "Stuff we wanna plug."
===========================================
INDIE FILM FESTIVAL:
The last festival featured the premiere of Wiley ("Dazed & Confused") Wiggins'
"Post Cordoroy Petunias", an insane short about Indian cards salesman.  A part
of the F3 Film Festival is a live-interactive-webcast-parallel-screening of
Blackchair Productions "Halloweird", a collection of bizarre, experimental,
independent horror films, to be shown simultaneously at FringeWare (Austin)
and the Speakeasy Cafe (Seattle) on October 22, with an interactive component.
Vincent O'Brien and the F3 Film Festival are currently looking for volunteers,
sponsors and films to continue the grind.  FringeWare, Inc. 2716 Guadalupe,
Austin, TX 78705.  Call 512-494 9273 or contact shorts@fringeware.com.
http://www.fringeware.com/film/shorts/

VIDEO GAME:
We're not likely to see a sequel to David Lynch's "Dune" before the next
millennium, but you can play "Dune 2000" from Westwood Studios.  The strategy
game for PC combines missions and full motion video featuring John Rhys-Davies
of "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Sliders" fame.  Join House Atreides,
Harkonnen or Ordos and take over the desert planet.  Long live the fighters!
http://www.westwood.com

DVD:
John Carpenter's "The Thing" features commentary and loads of features as well
as a crystal clear transfer of what is perhaps the scariest film of the 80s.
Cool stuff on the disc includes cut scenes and special effects tests, outtakes
and storyboards and more.  This is a must-own disc.  Hey, this DVD thing is
cool.
http://www.universalstudios.com/dvd

MOVIE SOUNDTRACK:
John Waters' "Pecker" has music described by the director as "the redneck
novelty sound you never heard anybody play" and calls the songs "sexually
confused disco, cheerfully passive rap and artistically tortured jazz."  To
us, it just sounds cool.
http://www.recavictor.com


BIG SCREEN   "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You"
===========================================
From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown.

JOHN WATERS' PECKER (R)
* * * *
(http://www.flf.com/pecker/index.html)
I have longed to see John Waters' "Pecker," and I must say, it's a beautiful
and wondrous thing. Techno and rap songs will be sampling this movie for
decades to come.  It's mighty good to see the new school experienced filmmaker
Waters call upon the old school Waters to give the finger to a new generation
of snobs and prudes.  White Trash - 1, New York art world - 0.
     Edward Furlong is Pecker.  He received his moniker from his habit of
pecking at his food, though we rarely see him eat. Dad's (Mark Joy) bar is
losing all of its business to the angry dyke strip bar across the street.
Sister little Chrissy (Lauren Hulsey) is either smacked out or jonesing for
processed sugar all the time.  His other sister Tina (Martha Plimpton) tends a
rough trade gay bar, and girlfriend Shelley (Christina Ricci) is a little too
serious about her job in a laundry mat.  It just gets weirder from there.
     Pecker photographs everything with a camera he found in his mother's
thrift shop.  Teaching us art is where you find it, he has his first showing
in the diner where he works.  Up to now, this could have been a
pre-”Polyester” movie, but now we reach the point.  Art dealer Lili Taylor
appears and whisks Pecker and his family to New York for a spectacular and
lucrative showing of his work.  After the trauma/joy of that experience, the
family must return to Baltimore to deal with the repercussions of sudden fame
as everyone they know sees the published pictures of themselves in sometimes
incriminating acts.
   I can't do this film justice by description.  The devil is in the details,
and he's everywhere in this film. The joy of a Waters film is feeling naughty
just for watching it. Pecker's grandmother speaks with a plastic Virgin Mary
doll and his sister calls all gay men Mary.  The film demonstrates for America
what "tea-bagging" is.  Waters brilliantly skewers the pretensions of the New
York art world and culture, and uses real people from that world in the
process.  Not only do you see Pecker's fawned over photos, but you see how he
got them, often posed.
     It was amazing to see Plimpton, Taylor and Ricci, three generations of
sensitive "it" girls, all acting together.  The underused Plimpton,
particularly, is unhinged and smokes the other two. Waters can cast whomever
he wants now.  I always guess which part Divine would play if alive, but here,
he could have played anybody other than Pecker.  Imagine the possibilities. -
Ron Wells

ANTZ (PG)
* * *
(http://www.pepsi.com/antz/)
Z is a dissatisfied worker ant who we meet in the middle of a therapy session
which makes a lot of sense because Z's voice is provided by Woody Allen.  Z
wants something more than the life of a worker and when he meets Princess Bala
(Sharon Stone) he switches places with his soldier ant pal Weaver (Sylvester
Stallone) to get close to the beloved queen-to-be.  Z becomes the unlikely
survivor of a termite war and a hero but not before he oversteps his bounds
and is catapulted on an adventure with the princess which takes them in search
of the fabled "Insectopia."  "Antz" is Dreamwork's computer animated ant movie
and worthwhile competition for "A Bug's Life" from Disney which opens in
November.  
     The film is basically a Woody Allen movie -- you know, the early funny
films that he used to make.  The basic plot is not much different than
"Bananas", "Sleeper" or "Love and Death".  The computer animation itself is
eery because the ants look, well, so real.  They look more like humans in an
ant shape with realistic-looking skin and teeth.  The character design is less
cute and more reminiscent of the ants from the classic "Outer Limits"
television episode "The Zanti Misfits."
     "Antz" seems to be geared more toward adults.  There is a political sub
text that is handled hilariously and more adult humor that will whiz high
above the heads of the single digit aged set.  This is not really a bad thing,
since the film is a smart, animated Woody Allen movie.  Whether a Woody Allen
cartoon can beat Pixar and it's much cuter-looking ant film remains to be
seen, but "Antz" succeeds at pushing the technology as well as and offering
intelligent family fare that won't leave adults bored.  Great fun.  - Chris
Gore


THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL     "Festival Reviews"
===========================================
by J. D. Lafrance

A SIMPLE PLAN (R)
* * * *
Who would've thought that the same filmmaker who brought us the flying eyeball
POV shot could have directed such a mature film like this one? And yet, Sam
Raimi has done just that with A Simple Plan, a radical stylistic departure
from his previous films. No "shaky cams" or frantic dolly shots here --
strictly meat and potatoes filmmaking as Raimi makes a serious bid for
mainstream acceptance.  Hank (Bill Paxton), his brother Jacob (Billy Bob
Thorton) and his friend Lou find a plane half-buried in the snow out in the
middle of nowhere. A search of the craft reveals a dead pilot and over $4
million in cash. The three men decide to keep the money and Hank suggests that
he hold onto it until they know if anyone is looking for it. Predictably,
fear, greed, and paranoia begins to disintegrate their agreement.  If this
premise sounds familiar so does the snowy landscape and small-town setting --
hallmarks of long time Raimi pals, the Coen brothers and their film, Fargo
(1996). While A Simple Plan is no Fargo, it does contain a strong performance
from Billy Bob Thorton, and prove that Raimi is capable of more than an
endless series of Evil Dead sequels.

 BATTLES WITHOUT HONOR AND HUMANITY (R) 
* * 1/2
Cited by some critics as an influential film for many of Japan's contemporary
filmmakers, Kinji Fukasaku's 1973 film is a bloody gangster epic a la
GoodFellas (1990). Essentially, Battles is an often confusing series of
skirmishes between rival gangsters as one man tries to rise above it all.
Fukasaku employs many of the cinematic techniques that have since become
commonplace in much of Asian cinema: over-the-top melodrama mixed with hand-
held camera action sequences that are simultaneously exciting and
disorienting.  While the action sequences are fast and furious, the multitude
of characters makes the film hard to follow at times. That is, until the
characters start dying in rapid succession and process of elimination allows
you to figure out who's left. 
     The film is also betrayed by its clash of '50s period detail with the
cast's all-too obvious perchance for '70s style and fashion sense. Battles is
a nasty bit of ultraviolence conveniently enveloped in a story obsessed with
personal honour. One look at this film and it becomes readily apparent how it
influenced filmmakers like John Woo.

JERRY AND TOM (R)
* * *
Actor Saul Rubinek's impressive directorial debut is an engaging black comedy
about two hitmen (Joe Mantegna and Sam Rockwell) who moonlight as used car
salesmen. Imagine a Quentin Tarantino film without the endless pop culture
references and a healthy dose of David Mamet-laced dialogue instead. Tom is
the older, more experienced killer while Jerry is the younger, dumber protégé.
The film explores the ten-year relationship of these two men punctuated by a
number of hilarious stories Tom tells about their boss Vic's famous past hits
that seem to include such illustrious prey as JFK and Elvis.  What makes Jerry
and Tom work so well is Rubinek's confident direction. It is clever without
drawing too much attention to itself, it has a witty screenplay by Rick
Cleveland that is filled with comic setpieces and witty dialogue, and a solid
cast that features the likes of Joe Mantegna, Maury Chaykin, Charles Durning,
and William H. Macy. These are actors who know what to do with a good script.
It seems like all involved had a blast making this film and this translates
into a good time for the audience as well.

LIVING OUT LOUD (R)
* * *
(http://www.nlcpub.com/Relsched/living.html)
For some time there has been a real lack of decent female roles in Hollywood
films. Screenwriter, now director, Richard LaGravenese is the smart
alternative because he writes scripts that contain one strong female character
after another. Whether it is Mercedes Reuhl's feisty video store owner in The
Fisher King (1991), or Holly Hunter's independent-minded nurse in his new
film, Living Out Loud, LaGravenese has an uncanny ability to write realistic
female characters.  Judith (Hunter) has just been abandoned by her cold-
hearted husband (Martin Donovan). However, this incident gives her a new lease
on life. She tries all sorts of new things and meets new people, like her
building's doorman (Danny DeVito) and a jazz singer (Queen Latifah), who help
her to fully embrace and enjoy her new found freedom.  Hunter does an
exceptional job as an initially timid woman who finds a seemingly limitless
reservoir of untapped strength within herself. Her strong performance is
supported by LaGravenese's well-written screenplay. It is filled with credible
conversations that you can actually imagine people saying. The dialogue is
never forced and always feels authentic. Living Out Loud is an insightful look
at how men and women interact with one another.

PLEASANTVILLE (PG-13)
* * *
(http://www.lycos.com/pleasantville/)
On the heels of The Truman Show comes the equally self-reflexive
Pleasantville, a film that makes some very telling observations about the
power of television. David and Jennifer (Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon)
are TV babies; siblings who couldn't be more different -- he resembles Opie,
while she's more like Kelly Bundy. One night, David plans on watching a 24 hr.
marathon of Pleasantville, his favourite TV show -- a bland '50s sitcom a la
Leave It To Beaver. However, his plans conflict with Jennifer's hot date and
the two begin to wrestle over their new remote control (presented by a
mysterious TV repairman played by a perfectly cast Don Knotts no less). One
channel change later and they find themselves transported into Pleasantville.
Everything is in black and white and all the citizens act just like they do on
the show. At first, David warns Jennifer to follow the strict rules of this
world as the consequences of doing otherwise could be disastrous. But Jennifer
begins messing with the rules. Her first deviation from the norm results in
the colourization of a single rose. Pretty soon David and Jennifer begin to
change many things in the town -- for the better and also for the worse.  Like
The Truman Show, Pleasantville examines notions of freedom and individualism.
And for the most part, Gary Ross' film works -- especially the clever use of
black and white mixed with colour film stock. However, the ending wraps things
up a little too neatly. It isn't nearly as satisfying or poignant as the
conclusion to The Truman Show.

RUSHMORE (R)
* * * *
(http://www.movies.com/rushmore/)
Wes Anderson's second film is an oddly original coming-of-age story about Max
(Jason Schwartzman), an eccentric teenager who ambitiously participates in
almost every extra-curricular activity in existence. This, in turn, causes his
grades to suffer and threatens his existence at the school. Max's life begins
to change upon meeting two people: a rich businessman (Bill Murray) and a
beautiful school teacher (Olivia Williams). He befriends the former and
develops an obsessive crush on the latter.  Rushmore is a very funny and
inventive new spin on the coming-of-age film. Max's world and the people that
populate it are quite original -- especially Max who is a creative, albeit
misguided, genius able to adapt Serpico (1973) into a high school play. Jason
Schwartzman does an incredible job of transforming Max into something more
than a goofy caricature. His performance runs the whole spectrum of emotions
-- an incredible achievement for his debut film role. Bill Murray's appearance
in this film is also a surprising revelation. Murray never mugs for the camera
but instead creates a very subtle, nuanced performance that is hilarious and
also quite tragic at times.  Rushmore is an impressive improvement on
Anderson's debut film, Bottle Rocket (1996). With a killer soundtrack of
obscure '60s British Invasion rock 'n' roll music, Rushmore is often touching
without being too sappy and funny without being too obvious. One of the year's
best films by far.

THE IMPOSTORS (R)
* * *
(http://www.foxsearchlight.com/impostors/index.html)
After the widely praised Big Night (1996), Stanley Tucci is back with an
equally impressive effort called The Impostors, a charming film that harkens
back to the classical Hollywood comedies of the '30 and '40s.  Arthur and
Maurice (Tucci and Oliver Platt) are two out of work actors desperate for a
job. After accidentally upsetting a fellow thespian (Alfred Molina), the duo
find themselves on the lam, wanted by the police for a crime they did not
commit. While trying to avoid the authorities, the two men hide in a crate
only to find themselves subsequently stranded on an ocean liner bound for
Paris with an eccentric group of guests and staff that include a suicidal
lounge singer (Steve Buscemi), a manly tennis player (Billy Connolly) who
likes men, a nasty head of staff (Campbell Scott) whose disposition more than
resembles a famous German dictator, and the aforementioned upset actor.  The
Impostors is an outrageous farce, a slapstick comedy for people who like to
think while they laugh. Tucci has assembled a dream ensemble cast that has a
blast chewing up the scenery. Platt and Tucci, in particular, make a great
comic team that clearly invokes classic duos like Laurel and Hardy. However,
Platt is the real star here. He's a sorely underrated actor and so it is nice
to see him in a substantial role that lets him showcase his considerable
talents. The Impostors is an endlessly entertaining film -- one of the year's
best.

THE MIGHTY (PG-13)
* * *
(http://www.miramax.com)
This is the kind of film that Academy Award members just love: a powerful,
heartfelt story about the relationship between two kids. Max (Elden Henson) is
a shy, 13 year-old slow learner trapped in a big kid's body. and is constantly
persecuted by local bullies as a result. Kevin (Kieran Culkin) is an
extroverted genius plagued by a rare bone disease that hampers his mobility.
Their mutual estrangement draws the two boys together as their respective
strengths cancel out their individual weaknesses. The film explores their
complex, emotional relationship and their various (mis)adventures.  Despite
the rather stellar supporting cast that features the likes of Sharon Stone,
Gillian Anderson, Harry Dean Stanton, and Gena Rowlands, the real stars of The
Mighty are the two kids -- Elden Hensen and Kieran Culkin. For child actors
they express an incredible range of emotions. Their relationship is very
believable, despite Chelsom's awkward parallels to their medieval fantasy life
which resembles a clumsy version of the stunning fantasy sequences in Heavenly
Creatures (1994). It's the one glaring weak point in an otherwise moving story
about the powerful bond of friendship and its ability to transcend anything.

Read more reviews from the Toronto Film Festival and a complete report on Film
Threat Online at:
http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm


END CREDITS   "Written, produced, and directed by . . ."
===========================================
Publisher / Chris Gore
Executive Publisher / Victor Minjares
Contributors / Merle Bertrand, J. D. Lafrance, Tom Meek, Anthony Miele, Ron
Wells

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Scott Renshaw 
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: OUT OF THE PAST
Date: 27 Sep 1998 19:30:08 -0600 (MDT)

OUT OF THE PAST
(Inverted Pictures)
Featuring:  Kelli Peterson, Barbara Gittings, narrated by Linda Hunt.
Writer:  Michelle Ferrari.
Producer:  Jeff Dupre.
Director:  Jeff Dupre.
MPAA Rating:  Unrated (could be PG-13 for adult themes)
Running Time:  65 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     People will probably misinterpret the documentary OUT OF THE PAST as
much as the controversial event which is at its center, which is irony
enough.  It would be even more ironic if they misinterpret it in exactly
the same way:  without any direct knowledge, because they are already
convinced they know what it's about.  Such tends to be the case when you
are dealing with the perpetually volatile subject of homosexuality.  It
happens even more frequently when the suggestion is proferred that gays
and lesbians are human beings with much to contribute to the world.

     That, and that alone, is the fierce conviction behind OUT OF THE
PAST.  The story which serves as its jumping-off point is the tale of
Kelli Peterson, an "out" lesbian who attempted during her 1995-96 senior
year at Salt Lake City's East High School to start a student club called
the Gay-Straight alliance.  Its purpose, according to Peterson, was
understanding -- understanding between gay students that they were not
going through the difficult experience alone, understanding between gay
and straight students that gays were not aliens to be feared or hated.
Local school board members, legislators and parents in conservative Utah,
however, believed the club was an unwholesome influence promoting the
lifestyle of homosexuality, and wanted the club eliminated.  Faced with
the federally-mandated choice between permitting all extra-curricular
clubs -- including the Gay-Straight Alliance -- and banning all clubs, the
school board opted for the latter.

     That story alone would be compelling enough to make for a solid piece
of documentary film-making.  Peterson emerges as a determined, remarkably
mature young woman with a surprisingly wry sense of humor about the uproar
she never meant to cause.  It's fascinating and entertaining simply
watching her calm determination in the face of parents who announce their
concerns in board meetings that exposure to homosexuality will be a
dangerous influence on impressionable teenagers.  The issue for the forces
in opposition to the Gay-Straight Alliance isn't just their undoubtedly
sincere belief in the immorality of homosexuality.  They desire nothing
less than the invisibility of homosexuals, believing perhaps that if no
one talks about them, they will simply go away.

     That widely-held societal belief drives even more fascinating
secondary story in OUT OF THE PAST -- a series of biographical vignettes
intertwined with Kelli Peterson's struggle.  The vignettes describe
individuals I was embarrassed and angry to discover that I had never heard
of, gay Americans who contributed to the arts, political thought and
social justice.  The most intriguing of these is Bayard Rustin, a member
of Martin Luther King Jr.'s inner circle of advisors who was the architect
of non-violent civil resistance and the primary organizer of the march on
Washington.  Rustin became a lighting rod for opposition, both from
segregationists like Strom Thurmond and from other black political
leaders.  Like many others, he has been excised from history books because
of his sexual orientation, contributing to the continued invisibility of
gay Americans as role models.

     Like many "talking head" documentaries, OUT OF THE PAST does have its
slow patches, and not all the biographical sketches are uniformly
enlightening.  Ultimately, however, the film does what it sets out to do:
it places Kelli Peterson in a historical context, validating the legacy
which she had been denied.  It was the societal denial of that legacy
which made a Gay-Straight Alliance necessary in the first place; it was
the search for heroes that turned Kelli Peterson into one.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 alliances:  8.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
                                   ***
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: cHriS 
Subject: [MV] RONIN: another review
Date: 28 Sep 1998 08:28:51 -0600


To be brief and to the point:

HIGHLIGHTS:	the car chases (on the verge of being excessive)
		France scenery
		DeNiro's bullet surgery (gross yet funny)

LOWLIGHTS:	Sean Bean's (spelling?) role
		the story (what was in the friggin' suitcase?!)
		Fench police as keystone cops (can't catch anyone)

All in all, I'd say this was a slightly grittier copy of "Mission
Impossible," although I think I enjoyed the Tom Cruise version just a bit
more. RONIN's not a bad film; I just thought it would've been dramatically
better, considering the cast. Oh well...

- cHriS








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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: [MV] Ronin review -Reply
Date: 28 Sep 1998 08:43:48 -0700

I have to disagree with your review of "Ronin" Jason.  I found it
refreshing to watch a gritty action film that is less concerned with
computer effects than storytelling.  

In fact I take issue especially with the complaint of poorly drawn
characters.  Todays action films tend to throw paper thin characters
together and slap you across the head with MOTIVATION rather than
allowing the audience to discover it.  In fact I thought character
development was  Ronin's strength.  I especially found myself deeply
involved and satisfied in the arc of DeNiro's character.  

Although I expected the Title to be superfulous, it turned out to be
the theme of the movie.  In fact I want to find out if a Japanese
movie has been made revolving around the story of the "47 Ronin"
described in the middle of the film.  That in itself could be a
fascinating movie.

There is one scene that I wish somebody could expain to me.  It could
be a SPOILER so let me give that warning.  Here goes:

Before DeNiro confronts the weapons guy and shows him to be a fake he
places a coffee mug on a table.  When he pushes the guy backwards he
causes the mug to fall off.  Earlier in the film he uses a mug to
test somebody.  Can anybody that has seen Ronin explain what the
significance of the mug was in that scene?

Thanks,
bb

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Honwa Chau 
Subject: [MV] saving private ryan
Date: 29 Sep 1998 00:48:10 +0900

Is it worth it?

Is it worth risking the lives of eight soldiers by sending them behind
enemy lines to save one man just because his three brothers have all
been killed in battle?

Is it worth it?

Is it worth making a movie about risking the lives of eight soldiers by
sending them behind enemy lines to save one man just because his three
brothers have all been killed in battle?

No. To both questions.

Why would any general make this decision? It's a waste of time and a
waste of lives.

"Saving Private Ryan" wastes a lot of time too, not to mention good
acting and some fantastic camera work. All for what? I don't know.

Why would you send eight men to save one person - a person who isn't
even pivotal in the war? For sentimental reasons? Because his mother
shouldn't have to suffer anymore? No, because General George Marshall
has a thing for Abraham Lincoln.

Like that explanation? I don't either. And neither should the eight poor
saps sacrificed by Marshall.

Of course some of the grunts bitch a bit but no one seriously questions
this mission until after a costly encounter with a German machine-gun
nest. Then Eddie Burns, playing the smart-ass from Brooklyn (Yay
Brooklyn!!) decides everything is just too crazy for him. And the
situation gets tense.

Here's where Spielberg could have really made a substantial film. War
can occur when people believe enough in what they're doing to justify or
ignore the fact that they're taking the lives of other human beings.
When soldiers begin to question why, the machine breaks down and there
is chaos.

Well, here comes chaos. Burns threatens. Sizemore threatens. Everyone's
screaming all at once. Now we got ourselves a war movie. Until Tom Hanks
speaks up and talks about Mom and apple pie. Hiss.... The pressure
eases. And sentimentality saves the day.

But Spielberg doesn't stick with this.

DON'T READ FURTHER IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FILM!!!!

There's the scene near the end when the translator guy locks up and
can't do anything. He crumbles on the stairs and listens to his friend
get killed. If Spielberg were going for the old "Good always win" bit,
that guy would have taken a deep breath, march up the stairs and shot
himself a Nazi. But he's Hamlet on the stairs. And I watch and I feel
frustrated and sad for the guy getting knifed and sad for the guy on the
stairs because he's gonna get shot by the Nazi when he finishes
upstairs.

Yet Spielberg spares Private Translator. In fact, he lives through the
whole thing. And he fires his gun only once - when the same Nazi who
spares him tries to beg for mercy.

I'm confused. Does Spielberg want to be a sentimentalist or a realist?
He seems to be trying for both, sometimes in the same scene.

Take the scene where Burns threatens to desert and Sizemore threatens to
shoot him. The tension is nearly unbearable. You really don't know what
will happen. And then Hanks starts talking about the company pool. Oh
geez, here we go. Schmaltz to the rescue.

Well, at the end, schmaltz wins. Hanks dies a heroic death, whispering
words of wisdom to Damon which sets up a gratuitous morphing scene and
some old guy wondering if he's lived a worthy life.

All this work for that? Why make a three-hour movie to answer rhetorical
questions? War is terrible. We know. You should make the most of your
life. We know. It's stupid to send eight guys out of their way to get
one unimportant guy. We know.

Wait, I'm not a total grouch. The battle sequences were the best I've
ever seen. It's fascinating how the Normandy Invasion scene began with
chaos and slowly inched towards order while the bridge scene began with
order and broke down into chaos. Kudos to the cameraman, Janusz Kaminski
(you know, Mr. Holly Hunter), and all the actors for excellent work.
Hanks was fantastic, although his crying scene should have been one
take.


itchy



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From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
Date: 28 Sep 1998 11:10:18 PDT

I agree with Bruce on this movie. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
This almost seemed like an action movie made back in the 70's,
with the hurly burly safety-be-damned attitude of a lot of movies
back then, ie French Connection, but with better production
quality. This was a fun movie to watch, and it has got some real
nail-biting moments. Great car chases, actually remniscent of a couple
in the French Conn.. as well as other movie. Not wholly orignal, but very
hair-raising and fun. I find it amusing and actually interesting that some
of the best scenery we see is during these high speed chases. 

The use of the French scenery is fascinating, at least for myself and my 
wife, who have never been to France, it was interesting to see a lot of the 
various cities and buildings. Beautiful.

Sure, that damn suitcase seems hardly worth it when you don't know what's in it.
And, you are left thinking.. What's in there?!?!?!?! but, I don't feel
ultimately disappointed with that though. Whatever it was, it doesn't really 
matter. it was worth a lot of money and people were willing to 
wreak all kinds of havoc to get it. That is all that is really important.

I liked the characters, too. I thought it was kind of strange that the DeNiro
chracter goes to great lengths to ensure his safety, i.e. beginning out by stating
that he nevers enter a place he doens't know how to get out of.. and then he
never seems to really do that for the rest of the movie.
I guess you can rationalize it if you try. His and Reno's characters are probably
the most developed, but you still know so little about them...aids to the mystery of them 
and their professions. Very cool, I thought.



As to the SPOILER you asked about........







Refresh my memory on that Bruce... what exactly was the first coffee cup situation?
Was it when they were all gatehred together for the first time and eating sandwiches
and the like? And who was it with? the KGB guy? the brit weapons guy? Reno?
I seem to remember something like that, but not the exact thing...
What was it exactlY?

--- On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 08:43:48 -0700  Bruce Bridges  wrote:
I have to disagree with your review of "Ronin" Jason.  I found it
refreshing to watch a gritty action film that is less concerned with
computer effects than storytelling.  

In fact I take issue especially with the complaint of poorly drawn
characters.  Todays action films tend to throw paper thin characters
together and slap you across the head with MOTIVATION rather than
allowing the audience to discover it.  In fact I thought character
development was  Ronin's strength.  I especially found myself deeply
involved and satisfied in the arc of DeNiro's character.  

Although I expected the Title to be superfulous, it turned out to be
the theme of the movie.  In fact I want to find out if a Japanese
movie has been made revolving around the story of the "47 Ronin"
described in the middle of the film.  That in itself could be a
fascinating movie.

There is one scene that I wish somebody could expain to me.  It could
be a SPOILER so let me give that warning.  Here goes:

Before DeNiro confronts the weapons guy and shows him to be a fake he
places a coffee mug on a table.  When he pushes the guy backwards he
causes the mug to fall off.  Earlier in the film he uses a mug to
test somebody.  Can anybody that has seen Ronin explain what the
significance of the mug was in that scene?

Thanks,
bb

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W. Snider

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-Kierkegaard




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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply  -Reply
Date: 28 Sep 1998 09:44:30 -0700

Hi Guys,

I am still discussing a scene from Ronin that may be a spoiler so...


Early in the movie DeNiro "accidently" spills some coffee and while
wiping up the mess he knocks over a mug.  The german guy (can't
remember his name) instinctively grabs it mid-air.  There is some
banter about reflexes never leave you.  This seemed to be a test that
DeNiro intentionally played in that scene.

Anyway, DeNiro evidently used the coffee mug for some purpose in the
later scene in which the coffee spills.  I didn't get it.

bb

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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: [MV] saving private ryan -Reply
Date: 28 Sep 1998 09:52:58 -0700

Is it worth it for 8 men to die in order to save one?  No.

Is it worth is for 8 men to die in order to promote badly needed
morale in an army and nation at war?  Unfortunately, I think yes.  

The reality of war sometimes is that seemingly idiotic decisions are
based on legitimate reasoning.  

bb

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From: ryana@allensysgroup.com (Ryan Allen)
Subject: [MV] Saving Private Ryan Plot
Date: 28 Sep 1998 13:27:11 -0400

This will contain a spoiler -- Please don't read if you haven't seen the
movie...

....


....


....


....

OK, so I finally squeezed three hours out and had time to enjoy Saving
Private Ryan.  Except, that at the end, I realized that this wasn't the
greatest film about war ever like some had mentioned.  I have followed the
posts in this list, and I too wonder the message Spielberg was trying to
make.  While I didn't catch any editing errors the first time though (as I
usually do with movies), I did find fault with the story-telling method
used.  Though all movie time, when the movie focuses on a character, and
fades away (like the opening to SPR) to another face/set of eyes, the
viewer is supposed to think that SPECIFIC character is telling the story.
I thought this MIGHT be the case, ie. the old man is Hanks' character, but
as the story grew, and people died, I kept thinking, well, if I'm wrong, it
can't be him, b/c if he's dead he couldn't tell the story.
Before Hanks died, I thought if this movie ends with Damon's character
(Ryan) as the old man, I will SCREAM.  lo and behold, it did, and I did.
THAT ENDING SUCKED.  We we supposedly told the story from the eyes of
someone that WASN'T THERE.  Suddenly, the film took a decided different
turn.  While the film was extremely realistic, and the filmography was
fantastic, I suddenly felt empty.  That I had just watched  a movie that
was told though the eyes of someone that wasn't there.
When Ryan asks his wife at the end about his life, he's attempting to
reconcile with the lives given up for him.  BUT HE DIDN'T even know about
all the other lives we (as movie patrons) were witness too.  In order to
maintain continuity with the story telling, the old man should have been
the translator guy so he could've told the whole story (like the book he
was writing) -- I wouldn't have liked that one, but at least it would have
maintained story continuity...
I'm trying to say: I liked the realism, the photography, and the
characters, but I felt the ending ruined the film.

three stars out of 4

Sincerely,
Ryan Allen
Intranet Specialist
Intranet Development Team (IDTeam)
Allen Systems Group
http://www.asg.com

## Hurricane Season (June 1-Nov. 1) is Here! ##
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From: cHriS 
Subject: [MV] RONIN: the coffee cup test
Date: 28 Sep 1998 13:12:25 -0600

>Hi Guys,
>
>I am still discussing a scene from Ronin that may be a spoiler so...
>
>Early in the movie DeNiro "accidently" spills some coffee and while
>wiping up the mess he knocks over a mug.  The german guy (can't
>remember his name) instinctively grabs it mid-air.  There is some
>banter about reflexes never leave you.  This seemed to be a test that
>DeNiro intentionally played in that scene.
>
>Anyway, DeNiro evidently used the coffee mug for some purpose in the
>later scene in which the coffee spills.  I didn't get it.
>
>bb


I think the scene you're referring to is the one where DeNiro's character
disagrees with Sean Bean's character about the ambush diagram. DeNiro
places the coffee cup on a table, then approaches the drawing board and
confronts Bean about his plan. DeNiro argues that Bean's plan would get
everyone killed. Bean gets flustered and questions DeNiro's expertise, so
to drive his point home DeNiro gets in his face and forces Bean to back up
into the table, thus spilling the coffee on to Bean's leg. DeNiro looks him
in the eye and says something to the effect of "I just ambushed you with a
cup of coffee!"

The whole scene was meant to illustrate that DeNiro's character was a much
better tactician than Bean's, and that if DeNiro could manipulate Bean into
walking into a cup of coffee, why should the group trust Bean's character
to plan an assault?

That, at least, is how I interpreted it. I could be wrong...

- cHriS




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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: [MV] RONIN: the coffee cup test -Reply
Date: 28 Sep 1998 11:24:50 -0700

Thanks Chris,

I missed DeNiro's last line and only caught  "...coffee cup!".  Its
been bugging me ever since. 

Damn I love this list!

bb

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From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply -Reply 
Date: 28 Sep 1998 13:42:21 PDT

Still maybe a spoiler here from Ronin....
















Ah, I recall now, bruce. I thought it looked intentional, too. He spilled a lot of coffee, there..
too much to seem like a simple mistake....
My take is that he was sizing up the guys that he was most concerned about, the german
KGB guy and the brit weapons guy. If you were to rewatch it, I wonder if we would
notice him sizing up the other team members, including the driver and Reno.
He also obviously knew the KGB guy from previously. I think that was a small test
as to how sharp the guy really was...  it's probably as simple as it sounds,
DeNiro was just checking out the guys reflexes...I mean these guys are all rather
old.. well, middle-aged at least.. with the exception of the British guy.
With regards to the Brit solder, he seemed incompetent and high strung when 
compared to the other guys, even wanting to rush headlong into the trouble
when buying the weapons by the river. DeNiro's character was making some sort
of point with the guy not paying attention to DeNiro's coffee on the table.. about this guy 
being careless and not paying attention; he was not 
sharp nor paying attention but was easily rattled and careless, thus a danger to them all.....
He was rattled the entire time and got worse until they got rid of him, as opposed to the KGB guy, 
who seemed uptight....almost nervous at first, but was really just absolutely ice cool with his 
wits at their sharpest.






--- On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 09:44:30 -0700  Bruce Bridges  wrote:
Hi Guys,

I am still discussing a scene from Ronin that may be a spoiler so...


Early in the movie DeNiro "accidently" spills some coffee and while
wiping up the mess he knocks over a mug.  The german guy (can't
remember his name) instinctively grabs it mid-air.  There is some
banter about reflexes never leave you.  This seemed to be a test that
DeNiro intentionally played in that scene.

Anyway, DeNiro evidently used the coffee mug for some purpose in the
later scene in which the coffee spills.  I didn't get it.

bb

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---------------End of Original Message-----------------

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] RONIN: the coffee cup test 
Date: 28 Sep 1998 13:53:12 PDT

i just replied to Bruce's query.. and I think Chris's here is a much better
and thorough answer to it!!!  Very well thought out.


--- On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 13:12:25 -0600  cHriS  wrote:
>Hi Guys,
>
>I am still discussing a scene from Ronin that may be a spoiler so...
>
>Early in the movie DeNiro "accidently" spills some coffee and while
>wiping up the mess he knocks over a mug.  The german guy (can't
>remember his name) instinctively grabs it mid-air.  There is some
>banter about reflexes never leave you.  This seemed to be a test that
>DeNiro intentionally played in that scene.
>
>Anyway, DeNiro evidently used the coffee mug for some purpose in the
>later scene in which the coffee spills.  I didn't get it.
>
>bb


I think the scene you're referring to is the one where DeNiro's character
disagrees with Sean Bean's character about the ambush diagram. DeNiro
places the coffee cup on a table, then approaches the drawing board and
confronts Bean about his plan. DeNiro argues that Bean's plan would get
everyone killed. Bean gets flustered and questions DeNiro's expertise, so
to drive his point home DeNiro gets in his face and forces Bean to back up
into the table, thus spilling the coffee on to Bean's leg. DeNiro looks him
in the eye and says something to the effect of "I just ambushed you with a
cup of coffee!"

The whole scene was meant to illustrate that DeNiro's character was a much
better tactician than Bean's, and that if DeNiro could manipulate Bean into
walking into a cup of coffee, why should the group trust Bean's character
to plan an assault?

That, at least, is how I interpreted it. I could be wrong...

- cHriS




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---------------End of Original Message-----------------

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review -Reply  -Reply
Date: 28 Sep 1998 15:09:29 -0700

SPOILER About Ronin

He used the hot coffee to deter Sean Bean's character so that he could
better bully him and unmask him further as someone who really doesn't know
what he's doing and therefore doesn't belong with the rest of the lot.

by the way, am I the only one who was upset that Sean Bean's character was a
throw away role?!  I kept expecting him to reappear later in the movie, and
when he didn't I felt that the filmmaker wasted Sean's time!  (Except for
the scene following the gun exchange...)  who can agree with me?
(although it's rare anyone does...)

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Bruce Bridges [SMTP:Bruce@SABAN.COM]
> Sent:	Monday, September 28, 1998 9:45 AM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply  -Reply
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> I am still discussing a scene from Ronin that may be a spoiler so...
> 
> 
> Early in the movie DeNiro "accidently" spills some coffee and while
> wiping up the mess he knocks over a mug.  The german guy (can't
> remember his name) instinctively grabs it mid-air.  There is some
> banter about reflexes never leave you.  This seemed to be a test that
> DeNiro intentionally played in that scene.
> 
> Anyway, DeNiro evidently used the coffee mug for some purpose in the
> later scene in which the coffee spills.  I didn't get it.
> 
> bb
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 28 Sep 1998 21:15:20 -0500

"Swimming with the Sharks" and "The Phantom of Liberty" are funny?  Well,
sort of, but not really "Ha Ha Ha" funny.  Now, "The Discreet Charm of the
Bourgeoisie", that's funny!

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Jason Cormier
Sent:	Thursday, September 24, 1998 2:08 PM

Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend some
funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?  Like The Tall
Guy with Jeff Goldblum, Emma Thompson and Rowan Atkinson...or The Party
with Peter Sellers...or the Lonely Guy with Steve Martin...orSwimming with
Sharks with Kevin Spacey...or Better Off Dead with John Cusack...or Phantom
of Liberty by Luis Bunuel...or Trouble With Harry by Hitchcock!  I'm
interested in other people's reccomendations...see if you can reccomend a
comedy that I haven't seen!  (This is more a request than a challenge as I
cannot find anymore comedies out there!)




At 08:28 PM 9/24/1998 -0400, you wrote:
>I don't think anyone mentioned Meatballs.  Remember that movie??  Bill
>Murrey is a hilarious actor.  Ground Hogs Day and What About Bob are
>also good.
>
>Garrett Winters wrote:
>
>> If we are talking funny movies here are some of my favorites
>> Austin Powers
>> Happy Gilmore
>> Dumb and Dumber
>> Ace Ventura
>> Beverly Hills Cop
>> Any Monty Python Movie
>> Fish Called Wanda
>> Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
>> It's a Mad, Mad, Mad,Mad World
>> Smokey and the Bandit
>> The Gumball and Cannonball Rally movies
>> Kentucky Fried Movie
>> They Call Me Bruce
>> Strange Brew
>> Airplane
>> Top Secret!
>> Naked Gun
>> Back to School
>> Ferris Bueller
>> and too many more to get remember.
>>
>> Garrett
>>
>> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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>
>
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>
>
Jay the Movieman
movieman@netcom.ca

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From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies? -Reply
Date: 28 Sep 1998 21:20:55 -0500

"Real Life" was made in 1979, so its really the late 70's (I know, pedantic
point).

"Local Hero" stars Peter Riegart, Denis Lawson, and Burt Lancaster.  It was
directed by the Scottish filmmaker Bill Forsyth.  If you like that one,
check out his next one "Comfort and Joy" from 1984.

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Bruce Bridges
Sent:	Friday, September 25, 1998 10:39 AM

One of the Funniest movies I've ever seen that is not too well known
(although I would expect many of you to know) is a movie from the
mid-seventies called "Real Life" I believe.  Anyway it is about a
film crew that  attempts to document the life of a typical family by
moving in and filming every waking moment.  It is by Albert Brooks
and he is also the star.  Charles Grodin is the father of the family.
 I would suggest this to everybody.

Another film I haven't seen since it came out but remember enjoying a
great deal is "Soup for One" about a newely single guy coping with the
single scene.

Finally, there was a movie called "Local Hero" I believe about the
representative of a huge American Corporation who is sent to an
British Village to oversee its purchase.  Instead he finds himself
charmed and drawn into the quirky community.  Can't remember the
actors but it is a great movie.

Also, "Funny Bones".

I could go on and on.

bb

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From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny -hard to find- movies?
Date: 28 Sep 1998 21:26:07 -0500

Believe it or not, "The Coca-Cola Kid" is not really an Australian film.  It
takes place in Australia, but was made by the Yugoslavian Dusan Makavejev,
best known for "WR:  Mysteries of the Organism" and "Montenegro".

A great Australian comedy is "Bliss".  Very surreal, but quite funny.

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Chris Culligan
Sent:	Friday, September 25, 1998 12:36 PM

Ok, Mel, since your theme on this message seems to be Autralian films,
and Jason's post was on hard to find funny movies, how about this one
Jason:

The Coca-Cola Kid

Have you seen it??  I loved it and thought it was quite funny!

CHRIS

>
>At 12.08 PM 24/09/98 -0700, you wrote:
>>Everyone has their own tastes of course - but can anyone recommend
some
>>funny movies that the majority of people have not heard of?
>
>Best way to find these movies is to send your friends to the video
store.
>This is how I get to see the "What the heck did you get?!?" movies that
I
>end up liking.  (Off-topic:  I had friends get Point Break my last
night in
>Australia.  I had sworn up and down that I would NEVER watch a
"surfing"
>movie, it looked so silly.  Ended up really enjoying it.  Still kind of
>silly, but I have seen worse).  Once someone brought home this comedy,
From
>the Hip, about this attorney.  Starts off really funny, then gets kind
of
>serious, as he tries to solve the crime.  My wife hated it, which means
it
>MUST be good:-)
>
>Also, for funny movies, we cannot forget the Australian trifecta of
funny
>movies from the early '90s:  Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Strictly
>Ballroom; and Muriel's Wedding.  No common theme here, except that they
are
>all Australian, and are all ROTHLMAO funny.
>
>As for sad movies, two that really touched me are The Year My Voice
Broke
>(a coming-of-age story that has some humour in it, as well), and
Boulevard
>of Broken Dreams, about a movie producer dying of cancer.  He goes back
to
>his native Melbourne to make amends with everyone. (best part is Tom
>Traubert's Blues, a song title I could have found a LOT easier if
Amazon
>didn't have the IMdB so screwed up, later done by Rod Stewart).
>
>Just a few more that you may not be familiar with.  Watch them if you
can.
>
>Regards,
>
>--Mel
>
>
>--Mel Eperthener
>president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
>
>email: bcassidy@usaor.net
>          gowanna@australiamail.com
>
>http://www.webz.com/gowanna
>
>419 Butler Street
>PO Box 95184
>Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
>(412) 781-6140
>(412) 781-6380
>1-888-45-GOWANNA -- TOLL FREE
>(1-888-454-6926)
>____________________________________________
>"Mulder, if you had to do without a cell phone for
>two minutes, you'd lapse into catatonic schizophrenia"
>
>--Dana Scully
>______________________________________________
>
>
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From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" 
Subject: [MV] Private Ryan
Date: 29 Sep 1998 12:12:19 +0100

I saw this film at the weekend. It is not as good as all the hype, but it is
a 
good film. Some nice scenes. And what is the name of the actor who played
the 
sniper that was praying as he shot people? He was pretty good. Never seen
him 
before. And Will Patton in Armageddon was a very good actor too! 
 
Thanks & Regards, 
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Oracle E.M.E.A.				Fulfillment Dept. 	       
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Dublin 17. 
Ireland 
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From: Wade Snider  
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review -Reply -Reply 
Date: 29 Sep 1998 08:17:39 PDT

SPOILER goes on.

>--- On Mon, 28 Sep 1998 15:09:29 -0700  "Romero, Leticia"  wrote:
>SPOILER About Ronin

>by the way, am I the only one who was upset that Sean Bean's character was a
>throw away role?!  I kept expecting him to reappear later in the movie, and
>when he didn't I felt that the filmmaker wasted Sean's time!  (Except for
>the scene following the gun exchange...)  who can agree with me?
>(although it's rare anyone does...)


I was a little annoyed by that, too. I didn't care too much that he not show up,
although that might have been another interesting twist to it.
I was annoyed that the guy started out as a nervous sort, and he seemed to 
become progressively more jittery til they got rid of him. All of these
characters were top notch spies or whatever, and the irish went to great lengths to get
these guys, so it seems a little odd that they picked a guy who was such
a bag of nerves like him, unable to handle this pressure. He seemed a little
"immature" for this team. It probably would have been more interesting if he 
was less a headcase. It may be for simplicity sake that since the KGB guy
turned on them, and then the pryce character decided to do things himself
by the end... that the writers/producers felt that too many bad guys would 
confuse things. I don't think it would have myself, but that is my guess at a
rationalization for it.
I, too, wondered, though not too much, where Bean's character was. He sure
seemed to wooss out on them when they let him go. FIgured he at least would have put 
up some sort of fuss.


Wade



> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Bruce Bridges [SMTP:Bruce@SABAN.COM]
> Sent:	Monday, September 28, 1998 9:45 AM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply  -Reply
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> I am still discussing a scene from Ronin that may be a spoiler so...
> 
> 
> Early in the movie DeNiro "accidently" spills some coffee and while
> wiping up the mess he knocks over a mug.  The german guy (can't
> remember his name) instinctively grabs it mid-air.  There is some
> banter about reflexes never leave you.  This seemed to be a test that
> DeNiro intentionally played in that scene.
> 
> Anyway, DeNiro evidently used the coffee mug for some purpose in the
> later scene in which the coffee spills.  I didn't get it.
> 
> bb
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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---------------End of Original Message-----------------

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: Honwa Chau 
Subject: [MV] Ryan and morale
Date: 29 Sep 1998 23:47:02 +0900

Bruce wrote:

Is it worth it for 8 men to die in order to save one?  No.

Is it worth is for 8 men to die in order to promote badly needed
morale in an army and nation at war?  Unfortunately, I think yes.

The reality of war sometimes is that seemingly idiotic decisions are
based on legitimate reasoning.

bb

How does sending eight men to save one boost morale in the Army? Do the
grunts say, "Geez, I'm glad I didn't get stuck with a lousy death
sentence like the poor suckers with Captain Miller. Hmm...I think I'll
fight harder"?

And if I found out that the Army sent eight men to save one, I'd say my
Army was full of idiots.


itchy


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From: Adrian.Marley@o-tel-o.de
Subject: Re: [MV] Private Ryan
Date: 29 Sep 1998 17:13:16 +0100

I, too, really enjoyed this film, but why oh why did Spielberg have to use
the overly-sentimental prologue & epilogue? The guy nearly ruined
"Schindler's List" for me by doing something similar at the end. Still,
that quibble aside, "Saving Private Ryan" is his best film since "Jaws".

Adrian.



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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review, Ryan etc
Date: 29 Sep 1998 08:26:00 -0700

RONIN SPOILER---


I think the entire purpose of the Bean character was to point out the
real professionals from the wannabees.  It struck me that Bean was
probably a guy who read more Soldier of Fortune magazines than
actually doing the work.  This was what DeNiro picked up on
immediately and confirmed later.  

Although I half expected his character to reappear in the film, I
think it would have undermined the his role in the film, that being
to emphasize the nature of the team members as described in the
opening.   

As far as the Private Ryan debate is concerned, thousands of men died
on D-Day simply because the Allies felt it imperative to make a huge
advance in order to rally the public and troops in the war.  A lot of
people felt that it was an absolute waste of a lot of boy's lives.  No
matter where you fall in the argument the fact is that the invasion
did have a huge positive effect.  So my point is that the idea of
sacrificing lives for the larger good was not an idea new to Private
Ryan and I'm sure will continue as long as there is war.  

I agree with the complaint about the prologue and epilogue of Ryan. 
As mentioned before, its a shame that Spielberg can't resist
inserting the sentimentality.

Oh, and I agree that Swimming with Sharks is great.

bye,
bb

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From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] REVIEW: OUT OF THE PAST
Date: 29 Sep 1998 09:36:45 -0600

Being a former student at East High School, I'd be interested to know if
this documentary was actually filmed there or not, and also where would it
be possible to see this film, is it a video release?  If anybody knows, I'd
sure like to know.

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Sunday, September 27, 1998 7:30 PM

OUT OF THE PAST
(Inverted Pictures)
Featuring:  Kelli Peterson, Barbara Gittings, narrated by Linda Hunt.
Writer:  Michelle Ferrari.
Producer:  Jeff Dupre.
Director:  Jeff Dupre.
MPAA Rating:  Unrated (could be PG-13 for adult themes)
Running Time:  65 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     People will probably misinterpret the documentary OUT OF THE PAST as
much as the controversial event which is at its center, which is irony
enough.  It would be even more ironic if they misinterpret it in exactly
the same way:  without any direct knowledge, because they are already
convinced they know what it's about.  Such tends to be the case when you
are dealing with the perpetually volatile subject of homosexuality.  It
happens even more frequently when the suggestion is proferred that gays
and lesbians are human beings with much to contribute to the world.

     That, and that alone, is the fierce conviction behind OUT OF THE
PAST.  The story which serves as its jumping-off point is the tale of
Kelli Peterson, an "out" lesbian who attempted during her 1995-96 senior
year at Salt Lake City's East High School to start a student club called
the Gay-Straight alliance.  Its purpose, according to Peterson, was
understanding -- understanding between gay students that they were not
going through the difficult experience alone, understanding between gay
and straight students that gays were not aliens to be feared or hated.
Local school board members, legislators and parents in conservative Utah,
however, believed the club was an unwholesome influence promoting the
lifestyle of homosexuality, and wanted the club eliminated.  Faced with
the federally-mandated choice between permitting all extra-curricular
clubs -- including the Gay-Straight Alliance -- and banning all clubs, the
school board opted for the latter.

     That story alone would be compelling enough to make for a solid piece
of documentary film-making.  Peterson emerges as a determined, remarkably
mature young woman with a surprisingly wry sense of humor about the uproar
she never meant to cause.  It's fascinating and entertaining simply
watching her calm determination in the face of parents who announce their
concerns in board meetings that exposure to homosexuality will be a
dangerous influence on impressionable teenagers.  The issue for the forces
in opposition to the Gay-Straight Alliance isn't just their undoubtedly
sincere belief in the immorality of homosexuality.  They desire nothing
less than the invisibility of homosexuals, believing perhaps that if no
one talks about them, they will simply go away.

     That widely-held societal belief drives even more fascinating
secondary story in OUT OF THE PAST -- a series of biographical vignettes
intertwined with Kelli Peterson's struggle.  The vignettes describe
individuals I was embarrassed and angry to discover that I had never heard
of, gay Americans who contributed to the arts, political thought and
social justice.  The most intriguing of these is Bayard Rustin, a member
of Martin Luther King Jr.'s inner circle of advisors who was the architect
of non-violent civil resistance and the primary organizer of the march on
Washington.  Rustin became a lighting rod for opposition, both from
segregationists like Strom Thurmond and from other black political
leaders.  Like many others, he has been excised from history books because
of his sexual orientation, contributing to the continued invisibility of
gay Americans as role models.

     Like many "talking head" documentaries, OUT OF THE PAST does have its
slow patches, and not all the biographical sketches are uniformly
enlightening.  Ultimately, however, the film does what it sets out to do:
it places Kelli Peterson in a historical context, validating the legacy
which she had been denied.  It was the societal denial of that legacy
which made a Gay-Straight Alliance necessary in the first place; it was
the search for heroes that turned Kelli Peterson into one.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 alliances:  8.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: jkrudy 
Subject: [MV] Pre 90's funny movies / depressing movies
Date: 29 Sep 1998 10:02:40 -0600

I just watched Jumping Jack Flash over the weekend.  It was hilarious.  If
you watch it look for Jon Lovitz and Phil Hartman (credits have him listed
as Phil E. Hartmann), if I'm not mistaken this was before SNL for them, or
at least before they were well known.

Also back to depressing movies, I tried to rent "Threads", but the video
store didn't have it, so I rented "The Day After" because I remember how bad
it scared me when I was a kid.  As an adult with kids of my own now, it
scared and depressed me even more than when I was a kid.  

JAMES K. RUDY



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From: Scott Renshaw 
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: ANTZ
Date: 29 Sep 1998 10:51:46 -0600 (MDT)

ANTZ
(DreamWorks)
Voices:  Woody Allen, Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Sylvester Stallone,
Jennifer Lopez, Christopher Walken, Anne Bancroft.
Screenplay:  Todd Alcott and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz.
Producers:  Brad Lewis, Aron Warner and Patty Wooton.
Directors:  Eric Darnell and Tim Johnson.
MPAA Rating:  PG (profanity, violent situations)
Running Time:  83 minutes.

     So DreamWorks' ANTZ gets to be first out of the gate in the
Computer-Animated Insect Sweepstakes, beating Disney/Pixar's A BUG'S LIFE
to the screen by a good two months.  The folks at DreamWorks probably felt
that meant they could set the standard and avoid comparisons, but that's
not entirely true.  Disney's 1995 TOY STORY became the first, best
standard-bearer, a wonderfully witty adventure which established that no
amount of visual virtuosity could push aside the power of a great script.
There was little doubt that three years of technological innovation would
make ANTZ more spectacular to look at.  The question was whether these
anthropomorphized insects would be asked to carry a story that felt like
twenty times their body weight.

     It looks like the film-makers behind ANTZ learned the right lessons
from TOY STORY.  ANTZ may not be in TOY STORY's league when it comes to
charm and ingenuity, but it's a clever and appealing piece of work in its
own right.  The oddly spelled title actually refers to the story's
protagonist, a lowly and unfulfilled worker ant called Z (Woody Allen).
Trapped in the ant colony's rigid caste system, Z longs to find his own
destiny, which might even include romancing the unapproachable Princess
Bala (Sharon Stone).  In order to catch Bala's eye, Z switches places with
his soldier ant pal Weaver (Sylvester Stallone), unwittingly setting off a
social revolution.  Even more unwittingly, he discovers that head soldier
General Mandible (Gene Hackman) has sinister plans for the colony.

     The goofy socio-political overtones of Z's struggle for individuality
are good for a few chuckles, though it's not entirely clear from one
moment to the next what the "message" is.  Sometimes it's a treatise on
the triumph of personal will over stultifying conformity (nowhere more
humorously than in a bar scene where line dancing becomes metaphorical
fascism).  At other times, the needs of the many are shown to outweigh the
needs of the few.  And that's not the only place where the story feels
less than cohesive.  Sub-plots abound, many of which fill time without
moving the story anywhere.  The ideas for individual scenes play much more
effectively in the moment than they do upon reflection, where they don't
feel completely unified.

     Then again, it's hard not to be caught up in the moment while
watching ANTZ.  The visuals are nothing short of spectacular, in terms of
both scale and individual detail.  When thousands of ants form a wrecking
ball or a column to serve a unified purpose, thousands of individual limbs
and antennae waving, the effect is dazzling.  There are also some
effectively creepy images of a war between ants and acid-spewing termites
(the kind which might spook youngsters).  Perhaps even more breath-taking
are the facial expressions created for the characters.  The movements and
reactions are so complete that every ant becomes real on the screen.  With
so much attention lavished on giving the characters personality, ANTZ
never feels merely showy, as impressive as it is from start to finish.

     Not that the animators were solely responsible for giving the
characters personality.  ANTZ boasts an impressive cast of voice talent,
from Hackman as the eugenically-inclined dictator-in-waiting to 
Christopher Walken as he morally ambivalent henchman, from Stallone deftly
playing good-natured lug to Dan Aykroyd and Jane Curtin as a pair of
WASP-ish wasps named Chip and Muffy.  But the star of the show is Woody
Allen, bringing his inimitable, anxiety-ridden nebbishness to Z.  Some of
his lines are pure vintage Woody (on whether he "laughs in the face of
Death":  "Actually, I generally...make sarcastic remarks behind Death's
back"), which makes it even more of an incongruous pleasure thinking of
him as a romantic action hero.  His voice performance is one of several
reasons ANTZ is plenty of fun, if often in an inside-jokey, over the head
of kids kind of way.  As a story it's uneven, but it still satisfies; it
may not be TOY STORY, but few things are.  And it has succeeded at setting
a reasonably high bar for the next computer-generated bug film to jump
over with all six legs.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 maiden ants:  7.  

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: MARSHALLK@lucas.lbe.edu.on.ca (Kevin Marshall)
Subject: Re: [MV] Pre 90's funny movies / depressing movies
Date: 29 Sep 1998 13:12:09 -0400

I watched "The Elephant Man" (a David Lynch film) just a few days ago. 
It is definately one of the single most depressing films I have seen. 

It also happens to be one of the best.
:)

Kevin Marshall
"It was the last time street guys were given anything that valuable."
- Casino

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From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/29/98
Date: 29 Sep 1998 11:34:57 -0600 (MDT)

Leonardo DiCaprio didn't disappoint anyone this weekend --
fans, film festival-goers or even the paparazzi. Attending
the opening of the New York Film Festival Friday for the
premiere of Woody Allen's "Celebrity" -- in which Leo's
character lampoons bad-boy movie star behavior by trashing a
New York hotel room while beating up his girlfriend (played
by Gretchen Mol) before heading off to a druggy Atlantic
City orgy -- DiCaprio posed for photographers when he
arrived at Lincoln Center, stayed throughout the movie and
attended the official fest reception at Tavern on the Green
after the screening. All that was more than Woody Allen did.
He was elsewhere in town, shooting a new movie.

* "Celebrity," which opens to the public Nov. 13, drew a
mixed response. It contains some Allenesque gems, including
the entire DiCaprio sequence, Bebe Neuwirth instructing Judy
Davis on how to improve her lovemaking skills, and Kenneth
Branagh (who mimics whiny Woody to perfection) on an
ill-fated date with the luscious ubermodel Charlize Theron.
But the film's 114-min. length and its blunted attack on
today's star culture as it retreads over familiar Allen
territory -- the adventures of an oversexed, neurotic loser
who mistreats women -- dilute the movie's pleasures.

                        -=> * <=-

Nathan Lane, whose NBC sitcom "Encore! Encore!" debuted
Tuesday to poor ratings and reviews, will star in a feature
movie version of the critically acclaimed play
"Mizlansky/Zilinsky or 'Schmucks.'" Lane starred in the Jon
Robin Baitz play during its limited run at the Manhattan
Theater Club earlier this year. It concerns two washed-up
producers who try to salvage their careers with one last
screen deal. The film version will be written by Baitz and
directed by Joe Mantello, who directed the play and whose
last stage-to-screen adaptation was "Love! Valour!
Compassion!" Lane starred in that play, too, but dropped out
of the movie. Jason Alexander took his screen role.

                        -=> * <=-

The Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker cop movie "Rush Hour" dominated
an adventure-filled weekend box office that also saw strong
debuts of Robert DeNiro's "Ronin" (which took in $12.3
million) and the horror film "Urban Legend" ($11 million),
estimates showed Sunday. The family drama "One True Thing"
($4.4 million) lost about a third of its audience to fall
into a fourth-place tie with the resilient gross-out comedy
"There's Something About Mary" ($4.5 million), which crossed
the $150 million mark in its 11th week.

* In its second week, "Rush Hour" collected $21.1 million in
ticket sales for a total of $63.9 million, exceeding all
estimates. The film played well everywhere except in South
Florida and Louisiana, said a spokesman for its distributor.
"And that was because of the hurricane."

                        -=> * <=-

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - Sophisticated New Yorkers appeared to be the
only moviegoers lured by "Lolita," whose much-anticipated theatrical
debut turned out to be more sizzle than steak at the weekend. The
French-produced update of the controversial man-meets-girl story
grossed a tepid $105,000 in 15 locations in the greater New York and
Los Angeles areas. Its average of just $7,000 per screen is not
exactly fiery, given the massive amount of ink devoted to the
picture. The film did find some audiences in New York, selling out
shows at the downtown Angelika and the Upper West Side's Lincoln
Plaza, where it was tracked to gross a hefty $28,000. But grosses
were a fraction of that in Los Angeles and in suburban runs on both
coasts.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 29 Sep 1998 11:41:54 -0700 (PDT)

On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Mr. White wrote:

> "Swimming with the Sharks" and "The Phantom of Liberty" are funny?  Well,
> sort of, but not really "Ha Ha Ha" funny.  Now, "The Discreet Charm of the
> Bourgeoisie", that's funny!
> 
> Richard J. Doyle

Discreet Charm? is that the one where there's supposed to be a dinner
party, but all these things keep happening to interrupt the diners, and
they all walk around being very sang froid and french and stuff? Yeah,
that was rather funny.

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
Date: 29 Sep 1998 12:20:01 -0700 (PDT)

On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Wade Snider wrote:

> Sure, that damn suitcase seems hardly worth it when you don't know what's in it.
> And, you are left thinking.. What's in there?!?!?!?! 

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm almost certain a McGuffin is in
there. Either that, or it's the soul of Marsellus Wallace.

christina
_________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx




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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
Date: 29 Sep 1998 14:35:58 PDT

Maybe Schroedinger's cat


--- On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 12:20:01 -0700 (PDT)  Christina Stanley  wrote:
On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Wade Snider wrote:

> Sure, that damn suitcase seems hardly worth it when you don't know what's in it.
> And, you are left thinking.. What's in there?!?!?!?! 

I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm almost certain a McGuffin is in
there. Either that, or it's the soul of Marsellus Wallace.

christina
_________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx




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---------------End of Original Message-----------------

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
Date: 29 Sep 1998 12:44:54 -0700

Who's Schroedinger?

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com]
> Sent:	Tuesday, September 29, 1998 2:36 PM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
> 
> Maybe Schroedinger's cat
> 
> 
> --- On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 12:20:01 -0700 (PDT)  Christina Stanley
>  wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Wade Snider wrote:
> 
> > Sure, that damn suitcase seems hardly worth it when you don't know
> what's in it.
> > And, you are left thinking.. What's in there?!?!?!?! 
> 
> I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm almost certain a McGuffin is in
> there. Either that, or it's the soul of Marsellus Wallace.
> 
> christina
> _________________________________________________________
> cristina@blarg.net
> 
> The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
> fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
> 
> 
> ---------------End of Original Message-----------------
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> W. Snider
> 
> Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
> -Kierkegaard
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wade Snider  
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
Date: 29 Sep 1998 15:01:35 PDT

it's along the metaphysical quandries.. If a tree falls in the forest and 
no one is there to hear it, does it realy make a sound?
He theorized that if he was to put a cat in a sealed box, then for those outside
the box, the cat no longer existed as we would know it.




--- On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 12:44:54 -0700  "Romero, Leticia"  wrote:
Who's Schroedinger?

> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Wade Snider [SMTP:wsnider@brazoselectric.com]
> Sent:	Tuesday, September 29, 1998 2:36 PM
> To:	movies@lists.xmission.com
> Subject:	Re: [MV] Ronin review -Reply 
> 
> Maybe Schroedinger's cat
> 
> 
> --- On Tue, 29 Sep 1998 12:20:01 -0700 (PDT)  Christina Stanley
>  wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Wade Snider wrote:
> 
> > Sure, that damn suitcase seems hardly worth it when you don't know
> what's in it.
> > And, you are left thinking.. What's in there?!?!?!?! 
> 
> I haven't seen the movie yet, but I'm almost certain a McGuffin is in
> there. Either that, or it's the soul of Marsellus Wallace.
> 
> christina
> _________________________________________________________
> cristina@blarg.net
> 
> The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
> fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx
> 
> 
> 
> 
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com           ]
> 
> 
> ---------------End of Original Message-----------------
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> W. Snider
> 
> Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
> -Kierkegaard
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> 
> 
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---------------End of Original Message-----------------

W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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From: Bruce Bridges 
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review -Reply  -Reply
Date: 29 Sep 1998 13:35:06 -0700

If you put a cat and mouse in the box and then opened it later and the
mouse was gone would that then mean that the mouse magically
disappeared since it could not have been eaten by the nonexistent
cat?

bb

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From: juliet912@juno.com (C R)
Date: 29 Sep 1998 18:03:26 -0400

Spice World was a great movie. It waz funny but also boring. This really
isn't worth the time to watch if you're really busy.
Has any one watched Spice World? What did u think of it?


Any new movies with Christina ricci, alicia silverstone, leo dicaprio, or
joshua jackson out?

Does anyone know of any good acting agencies?

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From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] Ronin review -Reply  -Reply
Date: 29 Sep 1998 16:37:54 -0600

If a stealth bomber crashes in the woods, and nobody is around does it still
make a sound?  Personally I think the scripts for the 3 Star Wars Prequels
were in the suitcase, if you had the resources wouldn't you  do just about
anything to get them?????

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Tuesday, September 29, 1998 2:35 PM

If you put a cat and mouse in the box and then opened it later and the
mouse was gone would that then mean that the mouse magically
disappeared since it could not have been eaten by the nonexistent
cat?

bb

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Romero, Leticia" 
Subject: [MV] a HUGE favor...
Date: 29 Sep 1998 15:54:36 -0700

I'm about to ask of you all -- please let me know if it's too much to ask

I'm determined to go into the theatre to see the Star Wars Prequel May 28,
1999, knowing NOTHING about the film... impossible you say?  Maybe so, but
I'm still determined.  Everytime anyone says or writes the words "Star
Wars", "Prequel", "Lucas", etc, I started screaming, running, deleting, all
of the above.  I don't want to hinder anyone, but if you're going to talk
about it, could please treat the news as a "spoiler" and skip some lines?
I'm sure you all are going to scream at me; I know what I'm asking is
ludicrous, but I'm curious if I'm the only one who feels strongly about this
topic as I.  Thx for your time

Leti Romero ;)

"The World Is Not Enough"


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Yusheng" 
Subject: [MV] =?gb2312?B?u9i4tDogW01WXSBSeWFuIGFuZCBtb3JhbGU=?=
Date: 03 Oct 1998 21:46:46 +0800

Itchy,
When your army is full of those wise soldiers who would not send 8 men to
save 1 man, then I believe this army could be easily  beaten by the army
that is full of those so called idiots.Because those so called  wise
soldiers will choose the wisest thing on the battle field---'run'.  "Run,you
live;Fight,you probably die"


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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Mr. White" 
Subject: RE: [MV] What about funny  movies?
Date: 30 Sep 1998 08:56:22 -0500

Yep, that's the one.  Sort of "The Exterminating Angel" in reverse.

Richard J. Doyle
Visual Basic & Access Developer
CRW Systems
rdoyle29@msn.com



-----Original Message-----
[mailto:owner-movies@lists.xmission.com] On Behalf Of Christina Stanley
Sent:	Tuesday, September 29, 1998 1:42 PM

On Mon, 28 Sep 1998, Mr. White wrote:

> "Swimming with the Sharks" and "The Phantom of Liberty" are funny?  Well,
> sort of, but not really "Ha Ha Ha" funny.  Now, "The Discreet Charm of the
> Bourgeoisie", that's funny!
>
> Richard J. Doyle

Discreet Charm? is that the one where there's supposed to be a dinner
party, but all these things keep happening to interrupt the diners, and
they all walk around being very sang froid and french and stuff? Yeah,
that was rather funny.

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: juliet912@juno.com (C R)
Subject: Re: [MV] a HUGE favor...
Date: 30 Sep 1998 12:22:37 -0400

it's not much of u to ask. most people today ruin all the fun.
has any one seen urban legend, spice world, or rush hour?

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Wade Snider  
Subject: Re: [MV] a HUGE favor... 
Date: 30 Sep 1998 11:37:48 PDT

I've seen Rush Hour. It's a pretty fun movie. Not hugely 
spectacular, but it is very humorous and entertaining. There's
quite a bit of action and stunts, even if the underlying
story is not that great. It's more Tucker than Chan, but 
they work pretty well together here. Not a bad matchup.
I think I've already discussed this movie personally ....
so this is just a quick blurb. It's worth seeing though,
especially if you like these kind of movies.




--- On Wed, 30 Sep 1998 12:22:37 -0400  C R  wrote:
it's not much of u to ask. most people today ruin all the fun.
has any one seen urban legend, spice world, or rush hour?


W. Snider

Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards. 
-Kierkegaard



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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: ryana@allensysgroup.com (Ryan Allen)
Subject: Re: [MV] a HUGE favor...
Date: 30 Sep 1998 13:00:11 -0400

At 12:22 9/30/98 , you wrote:
>it's not much of u to ask. most people today ruin all the fun.
>has any one seen urban legend, spice world, or rush hour?

Rush Hour is a pretty funny movie.  I enjoyed it enough to see it
(eventually) at least twice in theaters.  I find it humorous, though, that
SW has been lumped in with UL and RH.  That movie is quite old.

Ryan
Intranet Specialist
Intranet Development Team (IDTeam)
Allen Systems Group
http://www.asg.com

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] a HUGE favor...  / Spice World
Date: 30 Sep 1998 11:23:25 -0600

Spice World was a complete waste of time.  When it came out on video I was
working a second job at a video store, and we never had all 6 copies out.  I
thought it would appeal to teenage girls but it didn't.  I thought it would
appeal to horny teenage boys but it didn't.  I would like to say this movie
should have never been made, but as it says in the opening credits, "Based
on an idea by the Spice Girls" and if you only manage to have one idea pop
into your head in your entire life, you should go with it.  It was also nice
to see that Roger Moore is still alive.  I thought his career had reached
it's pinnacle with "The Cannonball Run", but I'm mistaken, because he's
taken it to new heights with his performance in "Spice World"----NOT!

As far as the "favor" that was asked, I think that's a great idea.  I too
would like to walk into the theater completely unaware, good luck to us all
who wish to do so.

JAMES K. RUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Wednesday, September 30, 1998 11:00 AM

At 12:22 9/30/98 , you wrote:
>it's not much of u to ask. most people today ruin all the fun.
>has any one seen urban legend, spice world, or rush hour?

Rush Hour is a pretty funny movie.  I enjoyed it enough to see it
(eventually) at least twice in theaters.  I find it humorous, though, that
SW has been lumped in with UL and RH.  That movie is quite old.

Ryan
Intranet Specialist
Intranet Development Team (IDTeam)
Allen Systems Group
http://www.asg.com

## Hurricane Season (June 1-Nov. 1) is Here! ##
## Please visit my Personal Page ##
## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ##

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: cHriS 
Subject: [MV] Spice World/Roger Moore
Date: 30 Sep 1998 12:57:51 -0600


On Wed, 30 Sept. 1998, JAMES K. RUDY wrote:

"Spice World was a complete waste of time.  When it came out on video I was
working a second job at a video store, and we never had all 6 copies out.  I
thought it would appeal to teenage girls but it didn't.  I thought it would
appeal to horny teenage boys but it didn't.  I would like to say this movie
should have never been made, but as it says in the opening credits, "Based
on an idea by the Spice Girls" and if you only manage to have one idea pop
into your head in your entire life, you should go with it.  It was also nice
to see that Roger Moore is still alive.  I thought his career had reached
it's pinnacle with "The Cannonball Run", but I'm mistaken, because he's
taken it to new heights with his performance in "Spice World"----NOT!"

Speaking of ol' Roger: anyone catch the cable special he hosted recently
about the Russian KGB UFO files? I only caught the last twenty minutes, but
it was funny to hear him narrate this show. Visually on the screen I see
UFO's, but in my head I'm thinking "Moonraker."

If only Moore's buddy Jaws could've made a cameo...

- cHriS

p.s. "Rush Hour" grossing $60+ million and #1 for three weeks?! Who'da
thunk? :)




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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Reporter 
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 09/30/98
Date: 30 Sep 1998 12:29:16 -0600 (MDT)

NEW YORK (Variety) - Newcomer "Clay Pigeons" hit the bull's-eye among
limited-release films playing in New York and Los Angeles at the
weekend. The Vince Vaughn starrer bagged $91,354 on eight hunting
expeditions in New York and Los Angeles. "Pecker" was the second most
popular limited-release picture. John Waters' portrait of a young
photographer framed $81,762 in eight galleries on both coasts.
"Lolita" joined the list in third place. Adrian Lyne's tale about an
older man's infatuation with a young girl seduced $70,364 in six
bedrooms in Gotham and L.A.

                        -=> * <=-

HOLLYWOOD (Variety) - "There's Something About Mary" is riding high
with audiences everywhere, but Vince Offer is anything but tickled.
Offer, an independent writer/director from Santa Monica, filed a
copyright infringement lawsuit in federal court last week against the
producers and writers of "Mary," saying they copied 14 "unique
scenes" from his film, "The Underground Comedy Movie." In late 1996,
Offer contends, he gave a rough cut videocassette, 80% complete, of
"Underground" to Guy Oseary of Maverick Records with the intention of
luring Oseary's pal Ben Stiller into playing a role in one of the
movie's unfinished sketches.

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (Variety) - Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer continues to bleed, warning
Monday it will report a "significant operating loss" in the third
quarter, which ends Wednesday, due to $33 million in film writedowns
and downsizing costs. The operating loss will be on top of an
operating loss of $31.6 million in the first half of the year and a
net loss of $73.6 million for the same period (after interest and
taxes). MGM said in an SEC filing Monday it expected to write down
about $20 million on two pictures released during the quarter,
believed to be "Disturbing Behavior" and "Music From Another Room."
The latest writedowns bring to $53.6 million lost by the Lion on
pictures released since Jan. 1.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: juliet912@juno.com (C R)
Subject: [MV] Spice World/jkrudy
Date: 30 Sep 1998 17:02:29 -0400

jkrudy-
	i do agree with you that spice world was a complete waste of time
and also that it really didn't appeal to many teenagers. how old r ur
sons(i've never heard a parent call their sons horny)? myself, i'm in
high school and only a few guys thought it was a good movie because of
their skanky, sluttish clothing. though, i thought there was only 1 funny
scene where the lady waz in labor.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: jkrudy 
Subject: RE: [MV] Spice World/jkrudy
Date: 30 Sep 1998 16:34:06 -0600

Well okay...I wasn't calling my sons horny, I wasn't calling all teenage
guys horny, but I know that there are teenage boys out there that when they
come to a video store they look for the adult section, and when I told them
they couldn't rent them, they then looked at the R ones and the teenage skin
flick type shows that had the potential of being soft porn, you know the
ones like "Revenge of the Nerds" that would have brief frontal nudity.  This
was the only type of movie these guys were interested in so the best
description I could give guys like this would be "Horny teenage boys". But
"Spice World" did not appeal to any of them.  I'm 28 so I'm young enough to
remember "being there and doing that." and I'm old enough to warn you that
most of the guys you go to school with are probably "Horny"  most of the
time, not all of them but most of them, so be careful.   I'd write more, but
the nudity scene in Titanic is coming up and I don't want to miss it...ha,
ha, ha!

JKRUDY


-----Original Message-----
Sent:	Wednesday, September 30, 1998 3:02 PM

jkrudy-
	i do agree with you that spice world was a complete waste of time
and also that it really didn't appeal to many teenagers. how old r ur
sons(i've never heard a parent call their sons horny)? myself, i'm in
high school and only a few guys thought it was a good movie because of
their skanky, sluttish clothing. though, i thought there was only 1 funny
scene where the lady waz in labor.

___________________________________________________________________
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Christina Stanley 
Subject: Re: [MV] Spice World/jkrudy
Date: 30 Sep 1998 20:15:18 -0700 (PDT)

On Wed, 30 Sep 1998, C R wrote:

> jkrudy-
> 	i do agree with you that spice world was a complete waste of time
> and also that it really didn't appeal to many teenagers. how old r ur
> sons(i've never heard a parent call their sons horny)? myself, i'm in
> high school and only a few guys thought it was a good movie because of
> their skanky, sluttish clothing. though, i thought there was only 1 funny
> scene where the lady waz in labor.

Well, I thought it was pretty funny that Meat Loaf was their bus driver.
The movie just makes you want to watch Hard Days Night again; the Spice
Girls are caricatures (but they're a lot less heinous than "true" music
fans would have you believe), and this attempt to re-create what Richard
Lester and the Beatles did just doesn't work. Richard E. Grant isn't even
very interesting in this, and those of you who know and love his movies
know that's saying a lot. Watching Roger Moore was like watching a car
crash .... this whole movie should've been a lot campier, but it was
pretty innocuous. 

christina
______________________________________________________________
cristina@blarg.net

The secret of life is honesty and fair dealing..if you can 
fake that, you've got it made.   	Groucho Marx




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