From: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com (movies-digest) To: movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Subject: movies-digest V2 #148 Reply-To: movies-digest Sender: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Errors-To: owner-movies-digest@lists.xmission.com Precedence: bulk movies-digest Sunday, December 27 1998 Volume 02 : Number 148 [MV] Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch [MV] REVIEW: THE FACULTY [MV] Screen It Newsletter (December 24, 1998) [MV] MovieJuice! - STEPMOM - Holiday Edition [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 12-28-98 : Take 53 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1998 18:27:39 -0800 (PST) From: dispatch@listserv.hollywood.com (Hollywood Online) Subject: [MV] Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch Hello movie fans! Welcome yet again to the Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch, delivered FREE OF CHARGE to your e-mail box every week. Instructions for unsubscribing appear at the bottom. The Hollywood Online Weekly Dispatch is THE source for detailed news about the latest movie and video releases, Hollywood events, special movie site features, exclusive interviews and audio clips. The web's number one information source for movie soundtrack news, premiere coverage, and much more. 'Tis the weekend to have your heart tugged! Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts begin the Christmas season with "Stepmom." Robin Williams stars in the equally emotional and funny "Patch Adams." Meanwhile, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are still delivering in "You've Got Mail." And if you haven't already seen "The Prince of Egypt," what are you waiting for? Go to a movie! Here are all the films opening this week . . . **************************************** NEW MOVIES RELEASED THIS WEEK **************************************** (in chronological and alphabetical order) Movies Opening December 23, 1998 "The Theory of Flight" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?theoryflight Synopsis: Kenneth Branagh is the reluctant community-service caretaker of invalid Helena Bonham Carter, the victim of a vicious neuromuscular disease. LA/NY release "The Thin Red Line" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?thinredline Terrence Malick returns as writer-director of a star-studded adaptation of James Jones' novel about Guadalcanal. LA/NY release December 25, 1998 "A Civil Action" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?civilaction Small-time attorney John Travolta gets in over his head when he greedily takes on a case that leads in unexpected directions. Steven Zaillian directs. LA/NY release "Down in the Delta" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?downdelta Poet Maya Angelou's debut as a director is a drama about a woman (Mary Alice) who tries to save her daughter (Alfre Woodard) from the Chicago streets by taking her home to the Mississippi Delta. National release "The Faculty" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?faculty "Desperado" director Robert Rodriguez teams with "Scream" writer Kevin Williamson in a sci-fi thriller about high school students facing an alien takeover. National release "Hurlyburly" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?hurlyburly David Rabe's script portrays Hollywood in a darkly comic vein. With Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright Penn, Chazz Palminteri, Garry Shandling, Anna Paquin and Meg Ryan. LA/NY release "Little Voice" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?littlevoice Jane Horrocks is a young girl who can only express herself through song. She doesn't speak, but can sing in the vintage voices of Billie Holiday, Judy Garland, and Marilyn Monroe. Ewan McGregor, Brenda Blethyn ("Secrets and Lies"), and Michael Caine also star in this film based on the Olivier Award-winning London play. Expanded release "Patch Adams" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?patchadams Robin Williams teams with the "Nutty Professor" writing-directing team of Steve Oedekerk and Tom Shadyac in the true story of an unconventional but inspirational medical student. National release Shakespeare in Love" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?shakespearelove Joseph Fiennes stars in the romantic comedy, set in London 1593, about the struggling playwright Will Shakespeare. Fiennes is suffering from writer's block and can't seem to complete his latest work, "Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate's Daughter," until Fiennes sets his sights on the beautiful Gwyneth Paltrow. Love overcomes Fiennes and unleashes his creative juices. Expanded release Stepmom http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexmg.cgi?stepmom Ed Harris' ex-wife, Susan Sarandon, and his current girlfriend, Julia Roberts, develop an unusual friendship revolving around the marriage's children. National release **************************************** SHOWTIMES MOVIE LISTINGS **************************************** http://showtimes.hollywood.com/ Now that you've seen what's coming out this week, here's the best way to find out where it's playing in your neighborhood, and when! Plus, get maps, theater information, and much more -- everything about movies at Hollywood Online! **************************************** NEW VIDEOS RELEASED THIS WEEK **************************************** (in alphabetical order) Videos Released December 22, 1998 "Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexvg.cgi?screenkiss Sean P. Hayes plays Billy, an out of love and out of work photographer. Hayes meets young, handsome musician Brad Rowe, whom he convinces to model for his new project of romantic stills. In a modern tale of sexual hijinks, boy meets boy; boy falls for boy; boy tries to find out if the other boy's gay or straight. "Blade" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexvg.cgi?blade Based on the best selling comic book, Wesley Snipes plays a half-human, half-vampire destined to rid the world of the living dead. Snipes is guided by professional vampire hunter Kris Kristofferson, who crafts him into a soldier ready for the underworld. Among the bloodsuckers are Stephen Dorff and Traci Lords. "Cousin Bette" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexvg.cgi?cousinbette Jessica Lange plays the title character in a film based on Honore de Balzac's tale of sex and vengeance in 1840's France. While long ridiculed as a lowly spinster, cousin Bette merely marks her time before turning the table on her detractors. Those she loathes include Elisabeth Shue as a heartless courtesan, and Bob Hoskins as a lecherous politician. "Wrongfully Accused" http://www.hollywood.com/cgi-bin/TARGET/indexvg.cgi?accused World-renowned violinist Leslie Nielsen is framed by a one-armed, one-eyed, one-legged terrorist in this spoof of "The Fugitive" and other assorted contemporary thrillers. Besides proving that he didn't really kill the terrorist's husband, he must find a way to stop her from killing the UN Secretary General. Co-starring Kelly LeBrock and Michael York. **************************************** HOLLYWOOD NEWS **************************************** HOLLYWOOD ROUNDTABLE - Our columnists' reflections on all things cinema. http://www.hollywood.com/news/roundtable/ REMEMBERING CHRISTMAS MOVIES: Magic Time http://www.hollywood.com/news/roundtable/Tuesday/12-22-98/index.html THE PRESSROOM http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom The best premiere coverage, celebrity photos and interviews on the web! New this week: "The Prince of Egypt" Premiere http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/premieres/princeegypt/princeegypt.html Fire & Ice Ball http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/events/fireandice98/award_fireandice98.html Christmas Carols http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/events/carol/award_carol.html Christmas Memories http://www.hollywood.com/pressroom/events/christmas/award_christmas.html **************************************** HOLLYWOOD ONLINE: FEATURES **************************************** HOLLYWOOD ONLINE'S FIRST ANNUAL TRAILER AWARDS http://sites.hollywood.com/trailerawards/ Vote now for your favorite movie trailers from 1998. We've picked the nominees, YOU pick the winners! Maybe you'll win a trip to the premiere of "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." "YOU'VE GOT MAIL" SPECIAL FEATURE Videos, Photos, Fun Stuff - Win a poster! http://hollywood.com/sites/youvegotmail/index.html "THE PRINCE OF EGYPT" SPECIAL FEATURE Videos, Photos, Fun Stuff - Win a poster, T-shirt or CD! http://hollywood.com/sites/princeegypt/index.html "THE THIN RED LINE" SPECIAL FEATURE Videos, Photos, News, Quiz http://hollywood.com/sites/thinredline/index.html DIGITAL REVOLUTION http://digital.hollywood.com/digital/ Everything you could want to know about DVDs, laser discs, industry developments, and all the latest titles. Pick of the Week: "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" http://digital.hollywood.com/digital/movies/moviepage/0,1133,134,00.html ***************************************************************** ADVERTISEMENT ***************************************************************** NetFlix.com (http://www.netflix.com/default.asp?promoid=15785950) Looking for that hard-to-find DVD? With over 2,000 titles, NetFlix.com has what you want. Simply select your rental, receive it within 2-3 business days - watch it as often as you like for a full 7 days! Return it using the prepaid, pre-addressed return-mailer. No hassles, no long lines, just pure entertainment. ***************************************************************** MOVIE CRITIC http://www.hollywood.com/critic/index.html "You've Got Mail" and "The Prince of Egypt" charm the nation's critics. Check out what they're saying about the movies opening this week! MOVIETALK http://www.hollywood.com/movietalk/ Hear your favorite celebs in their own words, behind the scenes, unrehearsed, and in glorious RealAudio! This week: Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks ("You've Got Mail"); Sandra Bullock Val Kilmer ("The Prince of Egypt"). MOVIETUNES http://www.movietunes.com MovieTunes at Hollywood Online is the best source for movie music news and coverage -- audio clips, interviews, art, forums, and more. Best movie scores of 1998: http://www.movietunes.com/DrToons/best/98score.html ***************************************************************** ADVERTISEMENT ***************************************************************** CAM Original Soundtracks Offers Hollywood Online users the following CD Special Offers at: http://www.cam-ost.it/special/offer.htm Also check out our new "Award Winning Titles Collection" at: http://www.cam-ost.it/news/news.htm and contact us to receive our Free CD Catalogs! ***************************************************************** UNSUBSCRIBE? CHANGE OF ADDRESS? If you wish to be removed from this email list, or to change the email address we have for you, go to: http://www.hollywood.com/email where you will be asked to enter the exact email address you wish unsubscribed. For any other information about this e-mail, contact: information@listserv.hollywood.com Thanks for being a part of Hollywood Online -- where we're all about movies!(r) [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ] [ movies (without the quotes) to majordomo@xmission.com ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 07:37:25 -0700 (MST) From: Scott Renshaw Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE FACULTY THE FACULTY (Dimension) Starring: Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, Clea DuVall, Laura Harris, Shawn Hatosy, Jordana Brewster, Robert Patrick, Famke Janssen, Bebe Neuwirth, Piper Laurie, Jon Stewart. Screenplay: Kevin Williamson. Producer: Elizabeth Avellan. Director: Robert Rodriguez. MPAA Rating: R (violence, profanity, drug use, brief nudity) Running Time: 102 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw. There's something very strange going on at Ohio's Herrington High in THE FACULTY. It's something only six students -- sensitive drug dealer Zeke (Josh Hartnett), tormented geek Casey (Elijah Wood), black-clad loner Stokely (Clea DuVall), cheerleader Delilah (Jordana Brewster), quarterback Stan (Shawn Hatosy) and sweet new girl in school Marybeth (Laura Harris) - -- seem to recognize. It starts in the faculty, including the football coach (Robert Patrick) and the principal (Bebe Neuwirth), then slowly spreads to their classmates. Herrington High has been overtaken by... a world-shaking case of deja vu. It's not just that another film from earlier this year, DISTURBING BEHAVIOR, already suggested a sinister conspiracy to turn high school students into obedient robots. Deconstructionist screen scribe Kevin Williamson managed a tightrope act across the fine line between homage and outright theft in SCREAM and SCREAM 2. In THE FACULTY, he stomps that fine line into a fine paste. The Tommy Hilfiger-bedecked sextet of protagonists shows the meticulous cross-sectioning of THE BREAKFAST CLUB. Their test of each other's humanity is a crib from John Carpenter's THE THING. Their last stand locked away from the Menace Out There recalls NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, ALIENS, and any number of other science fiction thrillers. It's a monster movie that could not exist without the existence of other -- and much better -- movies. Of course, some will argue that such is entirely the point of any Williamson project, that he shows off the conventions of genre films so he can revitalize them. The problem is that there is nothing remotely revitalizing about THE FACULTY. Sure, it's a movie movie, but its quotes are as witlessly regurgitated as in any number of recent Leslie Nielsen projects. Instead of having something clever to say about cliches, it simply recycles them, tossing in the occasional reference to "The Puppet Masters" or ALIEN's Ripley as though it suddenly makes all the trite characterizations and profanely insult-filled dialogue tolerable. Even Elijah Wood's wide-eyed genuineness and some pseudo-analysis of teenage desire for conformity can't rescue THE FACULTY from feeling exactly like the "attractive teens in jeopardy" tales it supposedly derides. If THE FACULTY proves anything, it's how much Williamson needs Wes Craven. Both SCREAM films featured chilling sequences which could stand with the best the genre had to offer; they showed what chould be great about horror films even as they showed what could be awful about them. Robert Rodriguez -- who, if nothing else, has always shown that he has an electrifying sense of cinematic pacing -- seemingly has no idea what to do with this material. THE FACULTY drifts sluggishly from character to character as though they actually mattered, and the few action sequences are designed to show off alien effects. Every opportunity for genuine creativity is turned into yet another self-satisfied commentary on how every science-fiction story is really a rip-off of some other science-fiction story. There are a couple of amusing moments in THE FACULTY -- a football game in which the Herrington team "infects" the opposition during dogpile tackles, for instance -- but even most of those are taken from other films. Williamson's name is supposed to make this a knowing satire of alien takeover films like INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS, but there was more inventive humor in a piece of cheese like 1985's killer yogurt film THE STUFF. I kept waiting for either fun or fear, and all I got was a jokey cameo by Internet gossip guru Harry "Ain't-It-Cool" Knowles. THE FACULTY merely adds to the list of lame science fiction films for someone else to satirize...and maybe even get it right next time. On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 alien-ated teens: 3. - -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 10:55:57 -0500 (EST) From: reviews@screenit.com Subject: [MV] Screen It Newsletter (December 24, 1998) Welcome to the Screen It! Newsletter (December 24, 1998). This week at the movies, the floodgates open as Hollywood releases its holiday gifts in the form of four new national releases along with six other limited or expanded releases. On home video, beyond a little seen art house film and a less than successful biography/drama, some of the dregs of this year's theatrical releases arrive to finish off 1998. PLEASE NOTE: The new movie reviews WILL NOT be publicly posted until LATE Thursday night (EST) to comply with the studios' wishes/demands. Next week, reviews of limited release films "Another Day in Paradise" (Vincent Kartheiser, James Woods), "Hilary and Jackie" (Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths) and "The Hi-Lo Country" (Woody Harrelson, Billy Crudup). =========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS============= THE MOST REWARDING PAGE ON THE WEB. LITERALLY. Prolaunch launches you to a different web site which matches your interests PLUS you can earn "Launch Points" which are redeemable for frequent flyer miles, gift certificates and many other rewards. It's free. It's easy. It's private. And it pays...you! Sign up today at: http://www.prolaunch.com/default.asp?associd=alc0403 =========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS============= NEW MOVIE REVIEWS FOR FRIDAY, DECEMBER 25TH: "A CIVIL ACTION" (1998) (John Travolta, Robert Duvall) (PG-13) Drama: A personal injury lawyer (Travolta) risks ruining his career by representing the families of several children who died of leukemia against two large and powerful corporations that may be responsible. Based on the true story of a lawyer's steadfast dedication to a case that drove him, his partners, and their firm to financial ruin, this is a compelling, if non-traditional courtroom drama with outstanding performances from its stellar cast. The PG-13 rating comes from brief, but strong profanity. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/a_civil_action.html __________________________________________________ "DANCING AT LUGHNASA" (1998) (Meryl Streep, Catherine McCormack) (PG) Drama: Five unmarried sisters (including Streep & McCormack) must deal with the changes their family undergoes in 1936 Ireland. Despite the fine and occasionally strong performances from the cast, one wishes the film (based on an award-winning stage play) had just a bit more "oomph" as well as any sort of greater emotional connection with the audience. As it stands, it's decent, but not as good and clearly not as outstanding as it may have been. The PG rating comes from minor profanity and a few thematic elements. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/dancing_at_lughnasa.html __________________________________________________ "DOWN IN THE DELTA" (1998) (Alfre Woodard, Al Freeman, Jr.) (PG-13) Drama: Hoping to turn their desperate lives around, a grandmother forces her unemployed, single daughter (Woodard) to move her family from urban Chicago to their uncle's (Freeman) Mississippi home. Although it has the look and feel of a made for TV movie -- albeit, a well-produced one -- and occasionally suffers from predictability and some stumbling while trying to tell its story, for the most part the picture works rather well, mostly due to the strong performances. The PG-13 rating comes from brief drug use. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/down_in_the_delta.html __________________________________________________ "THE FACULTY" (1998) (Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett) (R) Sci-fi: A group of high school students (including Wood & Hartnett) comes to the realization that their teachers are actually aliens from another planet. With highly stylized director Robert Rodriguez ("From Dusk Till Dawn") and horror scribe Kevin Williamson (the "Scream" films) combining their talents to make this picture, one would have expected a highly imaginative and "pedal to the metal" release. Instead, this is simply a high-tech and rather mundane retreading of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers." The film's R rating comes from profanity, sci-fi related violence and gore, brief nudity and drug use. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_faculty.html __________________________________________________ "HURLYBURLY" (1998) (Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey) (R) Drama: A Hollywood player (Penn) attempts to figure out life through his relationships with friends (including Spacey) and women. Dark, moody and decidedly misogynistic, this two-hour film is tedious and occasionally torturous to sit through. With dialogue that's too contrived and artificial sounding, a plot that never really gets anywhere, and a passel of characters we neither like nor care for, the audience subsequently has no reason to appreciate, let alone enjoy this picture. The R rating comes from extreme profanity, nonstop drug use, and sexually related material. (Limited Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/hurlyburly.html __________________________________________________ "LITTLE VOICE" (1998) (Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn) (R) Drama: A young, but near mute recluse's (Horrocks) amazing ability to imitate legendary female vocalists draws the attention of a sleazy local talent agent (Michael Caine) who hopes to make it to the big time with her. Not perfect, but funny, touching, and entertaining, "Little Voice" is a very good film and features good performances from its talented cast. The film is rated R for profanity and brief nudity. (Expands Wider) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/little_voice.html __________________________________________________ "MIGHTY JOE YOUNG" (1998) (Charlize Theron, Bill Paxton) (PG) Action/Adventure: A woman (Theron) tries to save a 15-foot tall African gorilla from various dangers, including poachers and the uncertainty of moving him to America. This old-fashioned feeling film (a remake of a 1949 film of the same name) will undoubtably do much better than the last gorilla picture to hit the big screen ("Buddy"), but it's unlikely it will ever emerge from the shadow of its more famous ancestor ("King Kong"). Good enough for what it's trying to accomplish, "Mighty Joe Young" will entertain the kids and won't bore the parents who've been brought along to see it. The PG rating comes from mild profanity and some occasionally menacing action that may be unsettling or scary for younger kids. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/mighty_joe_young.html __________________________________________________ "PATCH ADAMS" (1998) (Robin Williams, Daniel London) (PG-13) Drama/Comedy: An older medical student's (Williams) unorthodox plan to treat patients with as much humor and compassion as medicine meets resistance from other students and the school's dean. Based on a true story and featuring a role seemingly tailor-written for Williams, the film may get sappy at times and come off as over-sentimentalized at others, but for the most part it's an engaging, funny and touching story. The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and some sexually based humor. (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/patch_adams.html __________________________________________________ "SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE" (1998) (Joseph Fiennes, Gwyneth Paltrow) (R) Romantic Comedy: Suffering a serious case of writer's block, playwright William Shakespeare (Fiennes) hopes the intervention of a romantic muse will cure his literary malady. A delightful romantic comedy that will equally entertain those who know next to nothing about Shakespeare as much as those who've extensively studied the Bard, this is one of the year's better films. The R rating comes from sexually related material. (Expands Wider) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/shakespeare_in_love.html __________________________________________________ "STEPMOM" (1998) (Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon) (PG-13) Drama: A mother (Sarandon) must deal with her ex-husband's new girlfriend (Roberts) and that woman's status as her kids' potential stepmother. A pure example of how sheer star power can lift what could have been a run-of-the-mill drama concerning a post-divorced family into something more, "Stepmom" is a decently constructed dramatic piece that mainly succeeds simply because of what its great cast pours into it. The PG-13 rating comes from profanity and thematic elements (which obviously include post-divorce trauma, but also the element of a parent dying of cancer). (National Release) http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/stepmom.html __________________________________________________ NEW VIDEO REVIEWS FOR TUESDAY, DECEMBER 29TH: "THE AVENGERS" (1998) (Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman) (PG-13) Action/Adventure: A top-secret British agent (Fiennes) and his beautiful partner (Thurman) set out to stop a madman (Sean Connery) who's gained control of the world's weather. This hour and a half mess is listless, uninspired filmmaking at its best/worst and suffers from a ludicrous and meandering script, lackluster performances, and the genuine absence of any fun or spirit. Something of a colossal flop, the film (which earned around $23 million domestically and $25 million overseas) gets its PG-13 rating for one use of the "f" word (otherwise, it's an easy PG). (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/the_avengers.html) __________________________________________________ "BASEKETBALL" (1998) (Trey Parker, Matt Stone) (R) Comedy: Two best friends (Parker & Stone) invent a new sport -- a combination of baseball and basketball -- that soon becomes a national favorite in this sports movie parody. While some thought this combination of parody films and the creators of the hit cable show, "South Park," would be a laugh-a-minute riot, it's rather weak. It also bombed at the domestic box office with a gross of just $7 million, and gets its R rating from profanity and crude, sexual humor. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/baseketball.html) __________________________________________________ "HIGH ART" (1998) (Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy) (R) Drama: A young magazine editor (Mitchell) begins an affair with her neighbor and new client (Sheedy), a former professional photographer, who hasn't worked in years since she became disillusioned by the industry. A tale of a young and impressionable woman who is seduced by a more decadent side of life, "High Art" features some well written characters that result in several good performances. However, the film ultimately suffers from a sloth-like plot that, beyond being slow, also fails to draw much empathy from the audience. Never making it out of the art-house circuit, this film only managed to gross around $2 million domestically. Its R rating comes from sexual scenes (straight and lesbian), extreme profanity, and abundant drug use. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/high_art.html) __________________________________________________ "KNOCK OFF" (1998) (Jean-Claude Van Damme, Rob Schneider) (R) Action/Adventure: A sales rep (Van Damme) uncovers a conspiracy involving Russian mob efforts to smuggle tiny "microbombs" in imitation blue jeans onto the black market. If that description sounds stupid enough to begin with, this unimaginative picture is about as bad as they come in each and every category one can imagine. It isn't an imitation of a good film. It's a knock off of a bad, martial arts laden, "B" movie if there ever was one. Grossing around $10 million domestically, this film's R rating comes from action violence and profanity. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/knock_off.html) __________________________________________________ "WHY DO FOOLS FALL IN LOVE" (1998) (Halle Berry, Larenz Tate) (R) Drama: Three women (including Berry), who all claim to be the widow of 1950's doowop sensation Frankie Lymon (Tate), recount their lives with the volatile singer. While moderately entertaining simply for the music and nostalgic look back to the heyday of doowop, the film often feels very disjointed, haphazard, and occasionally suffers from overacting from its attractive and talented cast. Grossing around $12 million domestically, the film's R rating comes from profanity and some sexually related material. (http://www.screenit.com/movies/1998/why_do_fools_fall_in_love.html) __________________________________________________ =========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS============= THE MOST REWARDING PAGE ON THE WEB. LITERALLY. Prolaunch launches you to a different web site which matches your interests PLUS you can earn "Launch Points" which are redeemable for frequent flyer miles, gift certificates and many other rewards. It's free. It's easy. It's private. And it pays...you! Sign up today at: http://www.prolaunch.com/default.asp?associd=alc0403 =========PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS============= 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 ] ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 24 Dec 1998 11:52:20 -0500 (EST) From: maillist@moviejuice.com Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - STEPMOM - Holiday Edition A HOLIDAY MESSAGE FROM MOVIEJUICE! Thanks for your readership and support over the past twelve months. This has been a great year for MovieJuice! A half-million hits a month - not bad for a site that adds only one or two new pages a week. Besides being the most read and most despised publication among Hollywood's power elite since the leaflet that passed for the script to Godzilla, we've also received some remarkable acceptance in the film critic community, and we all know how important that is (ha, ha). Believe it or not, I actually vote on awards now! Has Hollywood gone to Hell in a handbasket or what? Now I actually refer to celebrities with the prefix "my good friend" even though I hate their frickin' guts! 1999 is going to be another exciting year. In '98, I moved into RealVideo. In '99, look for live action! (No, not that kind) And don't be surprised if MovieJuice! turns up on a UPN affiliate near you. I can be surprised, but don't you be. Happy Holidays. See you in '99. ******************** STEPMOM - PRETTY OTHER-WOMAN by Mark Ramsey http://www.moviejuice.com December 23, 1998 So I'm going to the movies to see Julia Roberts in Strip-mom. Imagine my surprise when Strip-mom turns out to be Stepmom! Surprise turns to shock and incredulity when Julia presses those Library of Congress-sized lips against Ed Harris, thus redefining the term "liposuction." There's a liplock with the gravitational force of a small planet, if I've ever seen one! When Julia boards a plane, do those lips count as carry-ons? Or do they have carry-ons of their own? Why Ed Harris? Isn't that like a body-builder doing finger-presses? Listen, the only way Julia's gonna go for Ed is if there's a Will involved. Sorry gang. Before Julia goes head-over for Ed, Hell would not only have to freeze over, it would have to be redeveloped into a frozen, arctic luxury condominium, complete with valet parking and an on-site fitness facility and sauna. Then we could call it "Hell on Ice" and keep former Olympic figure skaters like Katarina Witt working, so they don't have to trade their 15 minutes for a Playboy gig or - worse - start acting. Stepmom is a paean to the broken family - actually, more like a broken record to the broken family. Come to think of it, I'd like to break the record "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" over the karaoke-addicted noggins of costars Julia and Susan Sarandon. Does every prop department file away hair brushes under the label "microphone"? What is this, "Remarriage, the Musical?" Is it true Nathan Lane will replace Ed Harris in the stage version? Are those Willy Wonka's Oompa Loompas in the chorus? Is there an intermission, or can I walk out anytime? Help! I'm sick! I've been exposed to Strep-mom. I need an antibiotic, or at least an antijulianic or antisusanic. Hey, doesn't every family have an estate in the woods and a gaggle of horses in the stable? Come to think of it, there's no "stable" in this family, but there's plenty of horse-shit and next to no "wood," if you know what I'm saying. Meanwhile, the only estate is estate of eye-rolling boredom. This is one of those flicks where kids act like campy Batman villains. We have the nefarious "Notorious ' Dipsy' P.O.U.T.Y." and delinquent young rug-rattler "Teletubby Doggy Dogg." Evil juveniles of the worst sort - both studying acting for the next Old Navy commercial at my expense. "Don't give me any lip," Julia yells at the kids, like she needs any more of that. The annoying daughter complains while painting that she can't get the trees to look real. Hey, girlfriend, how about using green instead of YELLOW! That'd be a fine chromatically-correct choice, wouldn't it? I hate to say the writers are out of touch, but the idea that a 12-year-old chick is gonna freak out over Pearl Jam tickets is like a 30-year-old going ga-ga for Peggy Lee ("Gee willikers! It's Peggy Lee and Mel Tormι - on the same bill!"). This is one 12-year-old with absolutely no friends, folks. Read and learn, Hollywood: DMX, Beasties, Snoop, Master P. - these are closer to the mark, dudes. Make a note of it. Is it possible to have a family drama where a matriarch isn't sick or dying? Evidently not. You see, there are only a few kinds of gals in the movies. After abundant research, MovieJuice! has developed the following helpful guide to Hollywood gigs for the aspiring actress. Find your category, take a seat, and someone will be right with you: The Five Stages of Movie Womanhood 1. The Nubile Sex Object a.k.a. "The Gratuitous Vanity Fair Cover" a.k.a. "The Dubba-Dubba-Dubba-U-B" e.g., Neve Campbell, Gretchen Mol, Charlize Theron, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Geller, Denise Richards, Uma Thurman. Newest entry: Check local WB listings 2. The Hopeless Lonely-Heart a.k.a. "The Where's Prince Charming?" e.g., Meg Ryan, Sandra Bullock, Julia Roberts. Newest entry: Jennifer Aniston 3. The Dutiful Wife a.k.a. "The JoBeth Williams" e.g., Annette Bening, Sharon Stone, Rene Russo, Mimi Rogers. Newest entry: Bridget Fonda 4. The Dying Mom a.k.a. "The Maternal Mortis" e.g., Kathy Bates, Meryl Streep, Susan Sarandon, Gena Rowlands (and that's just this year) 5. The Quirky Grandma a.k.a. "The Debbie Reynolds" Okay, Debbie pretty much owns this category. Shirley Maclaine, Anne Bancroft, and Lauren Bacall yield to the master. And, as Julia would say, "don't give me any lip." 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 ] ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1998 18:33:48 EST From: FTWeekly00@aol.com Subject: [MV] Film Threat Weekly : 12-28-98 : Take 53 FILM THREAT WEEKLY "SPECIAL HOLIDAY REVIEW EDITION" ============================= Take 53 : December 28th, 1998 ============================= http://www.filmthreat.com ============================= "You know, whenever you put about 50 artists together in one room, you get a - -- a really pleasant combination of gossip, paranoia, envy, fear, trembling hatred, lust and pretense. It's, er, wonderful." - - Alan Bates comments to Jill Clayburgh from "An Unmarried Woman." <===========Deluxe======Widescreen======Edition ===========> THIS WEEK "Right here, right now." =========================================== ——> LETTER FROM THE EDITORS: Holiday Gift Giving Made Easy ——> NEWS: Where objectivity is strangely absent. ——> BOXOFFICE CHART: Who's number one at the boxoffice? ——> BIG SCREEN: The Thin Red Line, The Faculty, Might Joe Young, plenty more... SUBSCRIBE "Unless you already did." =========================================== Subscribe/Unsubscribe by sending an e-mail to FilmThreat@aol.com. BUY FILM THREAT T-SHIRTS "Cures Nudity on Contact!" =========================================== FILM THREAT T-SHIRTS are here and just in time! You'll never have to suffer the embarrassment of a NAKED body again with this miracle device! Get one! http://www.filmthreat.com/welcome.htm CLASSIFIEDS "If you advertise, they will come." =========================================== Reach over 70,000 film fanatics on the net. For our reasonable ad rates, e- mail filmthreat@aol.com. EXTENDED DEADLINE FOR VALLEYFEST We are accepting features, documentaries and animations for March 12-14 festival in Knoxville, TN. NEW DEADLINE -- JANUARY 31ST. For information or entry form call 423-971-1792 or visit web site: http://www.esper.com/valleyfest 5TH ANNUAL CUCALORUS FILM FESTIVAL Showcase festival in Wilmington, NC (big film town) is geared towards filmmakers. All genres, film/video formats accepted -- anything goes! ENTRY DEADLINES January 15, February 1. Information -- http://www.cucalorus.org. Hang on slang on! NO DANCE FILM & MULTIMEDIA FESTIVAL 1999 NO DANCE Film & Multimedia Festival returns to Park City. Deadline closed - Announcements by January 1st, 1999 - CHECK WEB SITE FOR MORE DETAILS - - ONE DAY - ONE EVENT - ONE MOUNTAIN! http://www.6161.com DON'T GET SCREENED, GET SOLD! Enter http://www.idealfest.com, the competition where the prize is distribution. http://www.idealfest.com LETTER FROM THE EDITORS "E-mailitorial" =========================================== HOLIDAY GIFT GIVING MADE EASY Hey, Happy Holidays Gang!!! Right now we'd like to make your gift giving easier this holiday season by giving away a tried and true Film Threat trick. Need an expensive gift for that special someone? Try purchasing a $25 piece of jewelry, then "accidently" leaving on a $500 price tag. Instant expensive gift! A $10 shirt becomes a "$100 designer shirt." Try this, it really works. Just get friendly with the sales clerk and they'll laugh in glee at your well- intentioned deception as they hand you a new "marked-up" price tag. This trick has worked for me for years (apologies to all past girlfriends) and now you can do the same thing for your pals on the internet this Christmas by giving away a "$50 One-Year Subscription to Film Threat Weekly." Follow this simple, three-step process: 1. SEND YOUR FRIEND OR RELATIVES' E-MAIL ADDRESS TO FILMTHREAT@AOL.COM TO SIGN THEM UP FOR THEIR FREE SUBSCRIPTION 2. E-MAIL THE FOLLOWING NOTE TO YOUR GIFT RECIPIENT: Happy Holidays! I wanted to let you know that for the holidays I am giving you a gift that will keep on giving. A $50, one-year subscription to the fabulous e-mail newsletter FILM THREAT WEEKLY. Film Threat Weekly contains movie reviews, film news, reports from film festivals, cool movie web sites, boxoffice reports, satire, humorous essays and more. Since I know you're a movie fan, I thought you'd like it. I know $50 seems like a lot to spend, but I just want you to know how special you are to me. Have a great holiday and think of me each time you receive your Film Threat Weekly. Your friend, [FILL IN YOUR NAME HERE] 3. NOW, ENJOY THE WARM HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM PAL OR RELATIVE Now of course, only you and I know that Film Threat Weekly is FREE. But just think how impressed your gift recipient will be when they know that you spent $50 bucks on them. Cool idea, huh? Later gang! — Chris Gore & your pals at Film Threat THE NEWS "Filtered and manipulated. Just like the real news." =========================================== Our top story... Don't look for updates this week at Film Threat Online in the Dailies section since it is the holidays. Check back after January 4th for updates at: http://www.filmthreat.com/Dailies-Today.htm BOXOFFICE CHART "Hollywood's Horse Race... and they're off!" =========================================== Weekend of December 25-27, Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. 1/New PATCH ADAMS $25.3 (1) 2/New STEPMOM $19.4 (1) 3/ 1 YOU'VE GOT MAIL $19.1/$48.6 (2) 4/ 2 PRINCE OF EGYPT $15.3/$40.2 (2) 5/New THE FACULTY $11.8 (1) 6/New MIGHTY JOE YOUNG $10.9 (1) 7/ 3 A BUG'S LIFE $10.1/$114.6 (6) 8/ 4 STAR TREK: INSURRECTION $7.5/$48.0 (3) 9/ 6 ENEMY OF THE STATE $5.2/$87.4 (6) 10/ 5 JACK FROST $4.0/$22.6 (3) - -/New THE THIN RED LINE $.292 (5 Theaters) - -/New A CIVIL ACTION $.068 (2 Theaters) BIG SCREEN "Coming Soon to a Theater Near You" =========================================== From five stars "Perfect! * * * * *" to one star "Crap! *" here's the lowdown. THE THIN RED LINE (R) * * (without the voice over track, maybe * * * *) (http://www.foxmovies.com/thinredline/) Um, the emperor has no clothes. Well, ok, he's got some funky boxers, but the clown shoes have got to go. If he's not going to come outside for twenty years, he should at least ask somebody how he looks before he steps through the door. [DEEP breath] Okay, let me just say there's definitely a great artist at work here. Director Terrence Malick ("Badlands", "Days of Heaven") tells the story of Army rifle company C as they move through the battle for Guadalcanal, the turning point in the Pacific theatre during World War II, while exploring the toll war takes on man and nature. Pretension ensues. Spielberg wins. As you may surmise, this film has some problems. Sadly, this time nearly all the blame lies with one person: Terrence Malick. Malick has made two films over 20 years ago justly considered masterpieces by most of Hollywood. He also has a reputation as a genius eccentric. These two facts combined bought him the ticket to make this film any way he wanted, with nearly any cast he could want, with final cut for $50 million and hands off from the studio. At this point, the director has no one to tell him, "No Terry, that'll ruin the picture" on a HUGE movie with five times the speaking parts of his other films put together. Spielberg has been taking his knocks from critics for the last 20 years and particularly after "Amistad", has learned when to knock it off with his bag of tricks (OK, except for the framing sequence) and have a CLEAR vision of what he wants to do when he starts a picture. There are at least four major problems Malick made with the picture. The FIRST is the script. He started it in 1988. He apparently included EVERYTHING from James Jones' novel, along with any extra themes the director wanted to explore. He then shot the entire script, along with improvisations and random nature photography, exposing 1 million feet of film. According to reports, he believed he would "find" the final film during production or editing. You know, like "Batman and Robin". The results appear like an eight hour film edited to 160 minutes. Character threads appear abruptly and end without conclusion. Six months ago I heard Adrien Brody had a major part in the film as Corporal Fife. Now all I see is him looking scared with a grand total of three lines of dialog. Nick Nolte plays an over-the-hill, West Point Colonel set up for a fall from grace but disappears after a scene with a bigger character. John Cusack has a major battle scene, a confrontation with an officer and disappears. Bill Pullman was completely cut out of the film. The result is confusion. The SECOND major problem is the constant voice overs. Speaking the thoughts in a man's head in a book works well, but in film this is generally a mistake. It can work, as a rule, in two cases; as the voice of the protagonist recounting or commenting on events of the past, or as the counterpoint to a character's actions on the screen. Malick himself used the device to great effect in "Badlands", but doesn't know when to knock it off in "Red Line". Here, every major character speaks their thoughts at various times for very different reasons. Sometimes it works. Most of the time it doesn't. Too often, we're distracted from the action on the screen while a character preaches or philosophizes to us. The THIRD major problem is the incessant use of intrusive star cameos. "Saving Private Ryan" did this once, where you are removed from the story by thinking, "Oh look! It's Ted Danson from 'Cheers' in a WWII movie!" With "Red Line" you think, "Oh look! It's John Travolta/Woody Harrelson/John Cusack/George Clooney in a WWII movie! It's just like 'The Love Boat'!" The stars shift your focus away from the protagonist and bring baggage that works against the roles they're playing. The FINAL problem concerns producing films about historical events, particularly something as over-filmed as World War II. What do the filmmakers bring to the table? With "Full Metal Jacket", Kubrick depected a harsh view of boot camp and previously unfilmed urban combat. With "Saving Private Ryan", Spielberg realized a brutal Vietnam-style vision of the biggest battle of WWII to demonstrate the true cost of "The Last Great War". What's Malick vision? He tried to make a WWII 'art' film split between an experimental and traditional narrative. This comes down to scenes of nature juxtaposed with images of war and near traditional, but well executed battle scenes. It sometimes works, but Malick adds the philosophical ramblings of Private Witt (Jim Caviezel) to pound the point in. The whole picture copiously employs voice-overs to tell us what we could figure out from the images, mostly about the insanity of war. This isn't even the first time this book was adapted! A version was filmed in 1964 with Kier Dullea and Jack Warden. That version supposedly has great battles with a lot of preachiness about the insanity of war like... the new film. Hmm, war... bad. Not exactly revolutionary, huh? You know what I want to see? I want some war films about the losers BY the losers. History's written by winners, baby. How many German films can you remember about their experience in World War II other than "Das Boot"? What about the Japanese? The most disturbing WWII film I've seen this year is not "Ryan" but the Russian made "Come and See" which was made in 1985! It's the most nihilistic portrayal of "The Great War" I've ever seen. It sure beats Nick Nolte receiving a lecture from General Barbarino. - Ron Wells MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (G) * * (If you do your daily paperwork in crayon - * * * ) (http://www.disney.com/DisneyPictures/mjy/) If it were, say 1974, Disney would have made this monkey movie with Kurt Russell and Tuesday Weld in the leads, with Tim Conway as the head of the nature preserve (then called zoos). Other than the roles now played by Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron and David Paymer, there isn't any difference. The original version from 1949 starred Ben Johnson and Terry Moore with Ray Harryhausen delivering the groundbreaking special effects (Harryhausen and Moore appear in a party scene). The new version seems to have more in common with such Disney family movies as "Gus" and "The Greatest Athlete in the World". Jill Young (Theron) lives with her mother in Africa who's engaged in ape research. One day her mother is shot by poachers Strasser and Garth (Rade Sherbedgia and Perter Firth) along with the mother of the young ape, Joe. Her dying wish is for Jill to look after Joe. 20 years later, Jill, now an adult, has more to fear from poachers than ever. Joe carries a rare recessive gene for gigantism, and is now 15 feet tall. Shunned by other apes, he only has Jill, who can't protect him. Enter Gregg O'Hara (Paxton) who offers to take Joe to the nature preserve in California where he works. Jill soon agrees, but now the big monkey is an easier target for the mean old poachers. Joe puts some wear and tear on Los Angeles city landmarks. DON'T GO unless you have CHILDREN. Look at the big "G" at the top; this is not "Gorillas in the Mist". This is not an artistic statement. Director Ron Underwood ("City Slickers", "Tremors") is just trying to get the job done, which is keeping the kids occupied for 90 minutes. Which is sad, since the best kids' movies try to teach you a little something about the world, or a morality lesson. If it's any good, you don't know until it's over. I only learned two things from this movie. FIRST, "poachers BAD" and something about how animals should be left in their natural habitat. It's hard to tell as I got hit over the head with it pretty hard. SECOND, I guess I learned I should have went to see "Babe: Pig in the City" before it leaves town. It's the kid flick this year that's a keeper. - Ron Wells THE FACULTY (R) * * * 1/2 (http://www.dimensionfilms.com) INT. OFFICE OF BOB WEINSTEIN - DIMENSION PICTURES - JAN. 1998 KEVIN WILLIAMSON, nervous screenwriter, is seated. BOB WEINSTEIN enters from behind. BOB Kevin! "Scream 2" did great business, but we need a new film to exploit the teen market for next Christmas. KEVIN I'm kind of busy with "Dawson's Creek"... BOB Who cares about your little teen smut show? We need a movie! KEVIN Um, how about "Scream 3"? BOB NO, Neve Campbell wants to be taken more seriously in a couple of other movies first. [Edit. Note: "Wild Things" and "54". Now do you take her more seriously?] CUT TO: CLOSE-UP of KEVIN. He's sweating. KEVIN Uhhhhhhhhhh... CUT TO: INT. - KEVIN WILLIAMSON'S VIDEO LIBRARY - THAT MOMENT KEVIN How about... "Pretty in Pink" meets... "Dangerous Liasons"? BOB It's being done. [Edit. Note: "Cruel Intentions" starring TV's Sarah Michelle Gellar, coming this spring!] KEVIN "Pretty in Pink" meets "My Fair Lady"? BOB It's being done. ["She's All That" with "I Know What You Did Last Summer"'s Freddie Prinze Jr.! This spring!] KEVIN "Sixteen Candles" meets "Say Anything"? BOB That's "Can't Hardly Wait". KEVIN "Night of the Hunter" meets "Massacre at Central High"? BOB That's "Heathers". KEVIN "Dennis the Menace" meets the "Omega Man"? BOB That would be "Home Alone". KEVIN Ummmm... [Pause] BOB I'm waiting. KEVIN Ummmm... BOB NOW KEVIN! KEVIN Ummmm... "The Breakfast Club" meets... [pause] "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"? BOB DING!!!!!!! I LOVE IT! Let's make a movie. Actually, it's more "John Carpenter's The Thing" than anything else. Also in his video library: "Invaders from Mars", "Sixteen Candles", "Blue Velvet", "Teachers", and episodes of his little teen smut show. The premise: The jock (Shawn Hatosy), the princess (Jordana Brewster), the dweeb (Elijah Wood), the bad kid (Josh Hartnett), and the weird art girl (Clea Duvall) all notice the faculty acting strangely out of character, followed by the students. They determine alien forces are at work, and only by banding together can they save their Ohio town. Give a hand for director Robert Rodriguez, he may not have vision, but he can keep things moving. Williamson, on the other hand, needs to get out and meet people more often. He's running out of '80's movies to reference. Now that he's hit the paranoia films, he may have to really mine the 1970's and if he does, Tarantino will kick his ass. This is entertaining and all, but can't we have something new? This post-modern thing is getting old. It looks like Williamson threw five old scripts in the air and Rodriguez shot the first 90 pages he picked up. I'd like a little more meat on my burger because all I can taste is the cheese. - Ron Wells THE DAY OF THE BEAST (R) or MEL BROOKS' THE END OF THE WORLD PART I * * * * (http://www.edgepix.com/dayofthebeast/) Now that Sam Raimi's a serious filmmaker, America needs someone to fill the role of the manic, demented horror/action auteur. Sam never seemed too comfortable with it, and he was on the tail end of the group of directors from the 70's and early 80's who all did horror and were some of the best filmmakers movies had to offer, PERIOD. Wes Craven, David Cronenberg, John Carpenter, Tobe Hooper and others were blazing new trails in new styles and made genre filmmaking great again. Who do we have now? We've got a new generation of slasher films, but that's what killed off horror 15 years ago. We've got a horror film here and there, but no sign of GREATNESS. Robert Rodriguez ("From Dusk Till Dawn") seems game, but he hasn't shown any real vision, just some fancy camerawork. Maybe... we're just not looking in the right place. Maybe... we need to look to... SPAIN? Yup, the country that gave us Pedro Almadovar has given us THE new genre auteur, and his name is Alex De La Iglesia and his film is called "The Day of the Beast". Father Angel (Alex Angulo) has been studying apocalyptic scripture for 25 years and has come to the conclusion that the Anti-Christ, to mock God, will be born in Madrid on Christmas day. He tries to warn people, but no one will believe him. He decides to find the birth and kill the Anti-Christ himself. Since the priest doesn't know where the birth is to take place, he decides he must BECOME EVIL to FIND EVIL. As soon as he arrives in Madrid, we get a montage of him stealing change from a beggar, telling a dying accident victim to rot in hell, and hitting a mime. During his mission he acquires the help of a large, heavy metal record store clerk, Jose Maria (Santiago Segura), and an occult reality television host, Professor Cavan (Armando De Razza). Along the way, everyone is so caught up in the drama, they forget Father Angel might just be, well, INSANE. Did I mention this was also a wacky comedy? A wacky PHYSICAL comedy? If Mel Brooks had directed "The Omen", it may have come out like this. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at people getting the crap kicked out of them. It happens to EVERYBODY. By the end of the film, Jose enters every room by clocking somebody. There's a scene where the priest must get some blood from a virgin. It's so "Young Frankenstein" in suspense and humor it made me realize how good both films are. The only thing I'm struggling with is whether to put this on my top ten list for the year. The reason is, while this film is coming out now in America, it came out in Spain in 1995! It was De La Iglesia's second film, after "Action Mutante" (viewing while sober NOT recomended), and he's since made "Perdida Durango" with Rosie Perez which is yet to be released in the U.S. He has two more films to be released in Spain in 1999, including a new "Fu Manchu" movie! Strangely, this is the same problem I have with the Japanese gay gangster film, "Gonin". It also came out in 1995 but not in America until this year. Even stranger, both the director of that film, Takeashi Ishii, and De La Iglesia have backgrounds in comic books. It's better than getting all your inspiration from other movies. Both also give me hope for the future development of genre films. All in all, it's not a bad problem to have. - Ron Wells A CIVIL ACTION (R) * * * (http://www.acivilaction.com) Based on actual events, "A Civil Action" is director Steven Zaillian's follow up to the engrossing "Searching For Bobby Fischer". The all star cast for this "Grisham-esque" film includes John Travolta, Robert Duvall, William H. Macy, Tony Shalhoub, Kathleen Quinlan and John Lithgow, along with mentionable cameos from Sydney Pollack, James Gandolfini and Kathy Bates. The story involves a materialistic and self-obsessed personal injury lawyer who finds "meaning" in a case where eight children in a small town have died of leukemia. The film takes an unexpected turn towards originality where every other "David vs. Goliath-courtroom drama" only strives. Jan Schlichtmann (John Travolta) is the lawyer in question. Jan is not written as one would come to expect and this story is no classic yarn of one man's victory over a "corrupt system", more closely it is what this "system" can take from one man. Indeed, it is not a tale of winning, but mostly of losing. The supporting cast is second to none, in fact, as with most star driven vehicles, it is the supporting cast that really makes the film work. While Travolta is passable as Schlichtmann, it is the outstanding work from Duvall, Macy and briefly Tony Shalhoub that drive the story. These characters give credence to a film whose star lacks the charisma to fully carry a narrative that dares go as deep as "action." While some of the cliches that one would expect from your run-of-the-mill courtroom drama exist in "A Civil Action", they do not take away from the intelligently written script, great supporting performances and compelling climax. It succeeds where almost every other courtroom drama in the past has failed. - Anthony Miele END CREDITS "Written, produced, and directed by . . ." =========================================== Publisher / Chris Gore 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. 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