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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT [Sundance]
Date: 01 Feb 1999 08:45:09 -0700 (MST)

Note:  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was purchased for distribution at Sundance
by Artisan Entertainment, and will probably be released nationally in the
fall.  This special review is my "Best of the Fest" selection.  For other
Sundance reviews, please visit the Sundance '99 page at my web site.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
(Artisan)
Starring:  Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard.
Screenplay:  Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick.
Producers:  Gregg Hale and Robin Cowie.
Directors:  Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick.
MPAA Rating:  Not yet rated (probably R for profanity and thematic
content).
Running Time:  87 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     The last of the 34 films I screened at Sundance this year was not
merely the best film the festival had to offer.  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
is a work of genre-redefining brilliance, a strong early candidate for the
best film of 1999, and one of the most unnerving psychological thrillers
ever made.  It works on the kind of primal level that will leave you
shaking for hours afterward.  It's the kind of film for which festivals
like this truly exist.

     The concept alone is one of the most ingenious a horror film has ever
come up with:  an on-screen caption at the beginning of the film announces
that three college students disappeared in the Black Hills of Maryland
while making a documentary film, and that only the footage they shot was
ever found.  Thus begins a 90-minute, verite-style tale of the three
students -- director Heather (Heather Donahue), cameraman Josh (Joshua
Leonard), and sound man Mike (Michael Williams) -- and their project to
make a film about a local legend.  The story goes that mass child murders
and other disappearances in the area formerly known as Blair are the work
of the "Blair Witch," who lives in the hills above the town.  The project
leads to a two-day hike for location footage, two days that we watch turn
into a seemingly endless nightmare when the trio gets lost and the sounds
at night grow ever more disturbing.

     THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT begins with a seductive lightness of tone, as
the three filmmakers record both their own preparations for the project
(on video) and the background interviews which will become part of their
film (on 16 mm film).  The interviews are frequently very funny --
including a mother whose toddler grows disturbed by the scary story she's
telling -- while they also provide insight that the filmmakers really
don't take the legend very seriously.  The video pieces, meanwhile,
establish character traits that become crucial later in the film.
Heather, the project's leader, shows an unshakable-bordering-on-foolish
confidence in herself, leading to trouble; Mike, who expresses concerns
earlier than anyone, becomes the voice of common sense.  Writer/directors
Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick don't just set up a scary story -- they
set up the people to whom this scary story will happen.

     And folks, scary ain't even the half of it.  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
is the kind of film that wreaks its havoc almost entirely in your head,
just as the events in the film wreak havoc on the heads of the characters
in it.  The directors use darkness and sound with a shudder-inducing
effectiveness, never once resorting to cheap, trite tricks like people
jumping into frame or blasts of dissonant music (there is no musical
underscore).  What we experience in THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is the
collapse of sanity -- as days go by, the three filmmakers run out of food,
suffer from sleep deprivation and cold, and gradually come to believe that
they may never find their way home again.  Heather reassures the others
and herself early in their experience that "this is America, you can't get
_that_ lost," but the film plays on exactly that fear of the wilderness
with a technique that will leave you adrenaline-charged and breathless.

     Some viewers may be put off by the fact that the set-up guarantees a
bad end for the protagonists, or dubious regarding why the terrified trio
continue to record their experiences.  Those elements might have troubled
me had THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT not established its characters so well that
they mattered as individuals more than the situation in which they find
themselves.  All three of the largely improvised performances are dead-on
-- I dare a viewer to find a moment when you can tell anyone is acting --
but Heather Donahue's work is emotionally shattering.  Late in the film,
she videotapes an apology to her own parents and the parents of the two
men for placing them in such danger, the camera capturing only her eyes.
They are the eyes of a hunted animal, and the words she speaks will chill
you to your soul.  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT works as a study of
disintegrating humanity only because we feel the humanity of these three
brash kids to begin with.  You expect a good horror film to be terrifying.
What makes this a great one -- perhaps one of the best ever -- is that
it's also heartbreaking.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 witch crafts:  10.

                   Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
                                   ***
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From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] REVIEW: THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT [Sundance]
Date: 01 Feb 1999 17:05:27 +0000


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Well that was a powerful review. I'm intrigued. Any idea if/when it would
hit
the Irish shores?
Thanks & Regards,
****************************************************************************=
**
****************************************************************************=
**

Anto Byrne                Net:[e-mail]
Oracle E.M.E.A.                Quality Rep.
    Unit 14                    Phone:[phone]
Airways Industrial Estate        Fax:[phone]
Cloghran                      email:abyrne
Dublin 17.
Ireland
****************************************************************************=
**

   "In Order to find his equal, an Irish Man is forced to talk to God"
****************************************************************************=
**



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Note:  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT was purchased for distribution at Sundance
by Artisan Entertainment, and will probably be released nationally in the
fall.  This special review is my "Best of the Fest" selection.  For other
Sundance reviews, please visit the Sundance '99 page at my web site.

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
(Artisan)
Starring:  Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard.
Screenplay:  Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick.
Producers:  Gregg Hale and Robin Cowie.
Directors:  Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick.
MPAA Rating:  Not yet rated (probably R for profanity and thematic
content).
Running Time:  87 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     The last of the 34 films I screened at Sundance this year was not
merely the best film the festival had to offer.  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
is a work of genre-redefining brilliance, a strong early candidate for the
best film of 1999, and one of the most unnerving psychological thrillers
ever made.  It works on the kind of primal level that will leave you
shaking for hours afterward.  It's the kind of film for which festivals
like this truly exist.

     The concept alone is one of the most ingenious a horror film has ever
come up with:  an on-screen caption at the beginning of the film announces
that three college students disappeared in the Black Hills of Maryland
while making a documentary film, and that only the footage they shot was
ever found.  Thus begins a 90-minute, verite-style tale of the three
students -- director Heather (Heather Donahue), cameraman Josh (Joshua
Leonard), and sound man Mike (Michael Williams) -- and their project to
make a film about a local legend.  The story goes that mass child murders
and other disappearances in the area formerly known as Blair are the work
of the "Blair Witch," who lives in the hills above the town.  The project
leads to a two-day hike for location footage, two days that we watch turn
into a seemingly endless nightmare when the trio gets lost and the sounds
at night grow ever more disturbing.

     THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT begins with a seductive lightness of tone, as
the three filmmakers record both their own preparations for the project
(on video) and the background interviews which will become part of their
film (on 16 mm film).  The interviews are frequently very funny --
including a mother whose toddler grows disturbed by the scary story she's
telling -- while they also provide insight that the filmmakers really
don't take the legend very seriously.  The video pieces, meanwhile,
establish character traits that become crucial later in the film.
Heather, the project's leader, shows an unshakable-bordering-on-foolish
confidence in herself, leading to trouble; Mike, who expresses concerns
earlier than anyone, becomes the voice of common sense.  Writer/directors
Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick don't just set up a scary story -- they
set up the people to whom this scary story will happen.

     And folks, scary ain't even the half of it.  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
is the kind of film that wreaks its havoc almost entirely in your head,
just as the events in the film wreak havoc on the heads of the characters
in it.  The directors use darkness and sound with a shudder-inducing
effectiveness, never once resorting to cheap, trite tricks like people
jumping into frame or blasts of dissonant music (there is no musical
underscore).  What we experience in THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT is the
collapse of sanity -- as days go by, the three filmmakers run out of food,
suffer from sleep deprivation and cold, and gradually come to believe that
they may never find their way home again.  Heather reassures the others
and herself early in their experience that "this is America, you can't get
_that_ lost," but the film plays on exactly that fear of the wilderness
with a technique that will leave you adrenaline-charged and breathless.

     Some viewers may be put off by the fact that the set-up guarantees a
bad end for the protagonists, or dubious regarding why the terrified trio
continue to record their experiences.  Those elements might have troubled
me had THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT not established its characters so well that
they mattered as individuals more than the situation in which they find
themselves.  All three of the largely improvised performances are dead-on
-- I dare a viewer to find a moment when you can tell anyone is acting --
but Heather Donahue's work is emotionally shattering.  Late in the film,
she videotapes an apology to her own parents and the parents of the two
men for placing them in such danger, the camera capturing only her eyes.
They are the eyes of a hunted animal, and the words she speaks will chill
you to your soul.  THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT works as a study of
disintegrating humanity only because we feel the humanity of these three
brash kids to begin with.  You expect a good horror film to be terrifying.
What makes this a great one -- perhaps one of the best ever -- is that
it's also heartbreaking.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 witch crafts:  10.

                   Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
                    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".


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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - SHE'S ALL THAT - Saved By The Ball
Date: 02 Feb 1999 08:54:42 -0500 (EST)

SHE'S ALL THAT - SAVED BY THE BALL

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

January 31, 1999

She's All That tries to cross teen classics like Clueless and Sixteen Candles, thus becoming clueless sixteen times over.

This is a movie that wants to be written by Cameron Crowe channeling George Bernard Shaw in the worst way.  But Fast Times at Breakfast Club High it ain't.  Although I understand that George did pen some of the more clever quips, such as the eternal "supersize my balls" and the profound "check out the bobo's on superfreak!"  That George Bernard Shaw!  What a foul-mouthed, witty card!

Eliza Boo-hoo-little stars as the dark-paletted bohemian artist with a complicated fashion sense and a complexion so pure, Intel is using her right cheek as a clean room for Pentium II chip production.  I'm telling you, the only blackheads this chick has seen are in Spike Lee movies.

Eliza is best known as the groovy pan-swinging alterna-chick from the anti-Heroin commercials.   "This is what Heroin does to your FRIENDS" - BAM - "This is what Heroin does to your FAMILY" - BAM....  Now that's a commercial that clearly illustrated the evils of...underwear.   "This is what Heroin does to your BREASTS when you wear a tight T-SHIRT and no BRA!"  BAM.  No drug glamorizing there, huh?

This Fall, look for the musical version of She's All That, called My Phair Lady's All That, now in development by musical theater kingpins Lerner and Lowe.  Here's a sample of the fly tuneage:

All I want is a room somewhere
Far away from the cold night air
With one Pizza Pube Hair
Owww, Wouldn't it be loverly....

I smell HIT!  I definitely smell something.

Eliza stars opposite Teen Dream Freddie Prinze, Jr., the Clark Gable of the zit-set.  And he ain't bad!  Time to exit the teen track, Freddie, and follow my personal high school hero, John Cusack, to flicks grown-ups will see.

Look for the great Tim Matheson as Clark's dad.  Tim's not only an alumnus of Animal House, he's also the original voice of Johnny Quest (the good one from the '60's, dudes, not the skateboarding, politically correctified one in circulation now, thanks to Turner) and the only guy to be buried alive on the USA Network.   Hmm.  Burying actors alive.  I feel a Fox reality special coming on.  Kind of a Circus of the Stars with Last Rites.

Kevin Pollak plays Eliza's dad in a subtle comic tour-de-force.  His lame-ass Jeopardy game-play is pure gold.

In an effort to be satirical, I suppose, there's a long vamp on MTV's The Real World.  Although how you parody a show that's a parody of itself is beyond me.

My favorite part, though, is the prom sequence.  That's when Freddie and Eliza discover to their surprise that their average joe and jane C- classmates are actually professionally trained in Modern Dance!  By golly, what luck!  Does Martha Graham teach remedial math?  Where's Patrick Swayze when you need him?  Probably the same place Freddie Prinze will be if he keeps this up.

Welcome to Bob Fosse High!  It's graduation time at the Kit Kat Club.  Is this an audition for Xanadu II?  Just when you think MTV rotation regulars and bizarro supporting players Usher and 'Lil Kim are shooting a hip hop video, Eliza breaks into a chorus of "FAME!  I wanna live forever!   Baby remember my name ...remember ...remember ...remember ...."  It's the jiggy spawn of Irene Cara!  Props to Debbie Allen!  Give it up for Debbie!

The truth be known, there's nary an unpredictable moment in She's All That.  Almost like watching a video you've seen before - but paying $8 for the privilege.  This thing is so paint-by-numbers I can see the lines between the colors.  Although I suspect most of this cast sees the lines only when they're sounded out phonetically.

Clueless was on TV Sunday night, reminding me what a fine flick that was.  You didn't think She's All That would measure up, did you?

Oh, you did!  That's so...sweet!

Copyright 1999 Mark Ramsey. All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

DONÆT FORGET TO VISIT MOVIEJUICE.COM!

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: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: SHE'S ALL THAT
Date: 02 Feb 1999 08:02:23 -0700 (MST)

SHE'S ALL THAT
(Miramax)
Starring:  Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe,
Matthew Lillard, Paul Walker, Kevin Pollak, Kieran Culkin.
Screenplay:  R. Lee Fleming Jr.
Producers:  Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy and Richard N. Gladstein.
Director:  Robert Iscove.
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (profanity, adult themes)
Running Time:  91 min.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Cinderella ain't what she used to be...and at the same time, she's
exactly what she's always been.  Like no other fairy tale set-up, it sets
a modern sensibility to itching -- how does one respond to the idea that a
woman must be physically transformed to be worthy of love?  This male
chauvinist Pygmalion has taken many forms over the years, from MY FAIR
LADY to PRETTY WOMAN, but SHE'S ALL THAT may have found the perfect
setting:  high school.  If there's anywhere you can sell the idea that
_everyone_ believes they must be physicaly transformed to be worthy of
love, this would be the place.

     So much for the sociological context -- SHE'S ALL THAT stinks like
last month's cheese left on a particularly sunny windowsill.  Freddie
Prinze Jr. stars as Zack Siler, senior class president, soccer star and
all-around golden boy at Southern California's Harrison High.  On the
first day back from spring break, Zack is dumped by long-time girlfriend
Taylor when she hooks up with a former "Real World" cast member (Matthew
Lillard).  The humiliated Zack claims he can turn any girl in school into
a prom queen, a boast that turns into a bet when Zack's buddy Dean (Paul
Walker) chooses gloomy art geek Laney Boggs (Rachael Leigh Cook) as the
subject of the experiment.  And thus the eight-week countdown clock to
personal growth and true love begins.

     I'm sure that all parties involved in SHE'S ALL THAT thought they
really were telling a Cinderella story, particularly director Robert
Iscove, who helmed the popular TV-movie version with Brandy a couple years
back.  This, of course, is one of those Cinderella stories where the poor
little girl is really a supermodel whose paint-spattered overalls hide a
slinky va-va-voom waiting to emerge.  Rachael Leigh Cook wears her
horn-rims like someone trying desperately not to appear beautiful despite
her porcelain features, somewhat dampening that willing suspension of
disbelief.  There's little if any chemistry between Prinze and Cook, no
development of what would make their mutual attraction grow...in short,
nothing that would appeal to a viewer not of the same age as the
protagonists.

     Essentially, however, SHE'S ALL THAT isn't remotely interested in
appealing to anyone outside that audience, because it's really a teen
fantasy.  For girls, it offers the prospect that, even if you're a social
pariah now, you too can turn into a popular beauty with the right haircut
and a sympathetic stud by your side; for boys, it suggests that anyone is
a hottie waiting to happen if you point her in the right direction.
There's even assurance for the academically brilliant (Zack faces the
dilemma of choosing between seven Ivy League schools) that your life is
complicated, too.  And in between, it derives belly laughs from people
eating pizza sprinkled with pubic hair.  It's humorless and derivative,
but it _understands_ you, fellow high school student.  Like John Hughes
crossed with Bill Clinton, SHE'S ALL THAT feels your adolescent pain.

     Thank heaven for Matthew Lillard, who invests his spin on "Real
World's" Puck with enough egotistical energy to rouse SHE'S ALL THAT from
its stupor periodically.  His scenes, including a manic look-at-me dance
at a party, are about the only aspect of the film not pasted together from
every other teen angst-comedy you've ever seen.  This one compounds its
tedium with a near-suffocating boredom, as Iscove can't even generate
energy to drive its familiar narrative forward.  SHE'S ALL THAT just
meanders sweetly towards its inevitable conclusion, telling its viewers
exactly what they want to hear:  that someday their prince will come, and
all it will take to get him is a sausage-casing red dress.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 Cinder-ailments:  3.

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

From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] REVIEW: SHE'S ALL THAT
Date: 02 Feb 1999 13:11:26 -0600 (CST)

I've read so many negative reviews on this movie, that I almost didn't go.  I'm
glad I didn't listen to the hype.
First of all, anyone who know's anything about reading an ad knew It was a
cinderella story going in.
Second, I was surprised at the different take they used with Laney.  She had
some bits of self confidence, in comparison to the waify, come rescue me
attitude that is so prevalant in these types of movies.
Finally, I feel everyone has missed the point of this movie.  It wasn't about
the prom, or getting the girl or any other minor plot points that seem so
important to all our wonderful reviewers, it was about personal growth.
After meeting each other, they were both opened up to a world they never knew
existed, which I believe is very appropriate considering they are going to go to
the real world and soon leave their childhood behind.
As for chemistry, I saw some, but how much can you really focus on  a respective
significant other when you're making life changing decisions.  \
It's not about the prinze on his white horse, it's about life defining
friendships, and I am betting that theirs will last long after the teenage
phase.

Christi

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From: Blacknight <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] help!
Date: 03 Feb 1999 07:03:16 -0800


Hello,

I deleted my address book when I formatted my hard disk so can anyone
tell me the email address of the Internet Movie Database (imdb)?? Thanks
in advance.


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

From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] help!
Date: 03 Feb 1999 01:54:17 -0500

At 07.03 AM 03/02/99 -0800, you wrote:
>
>I deleted my address book when I formatted my hard disk so can anyone
>tell me the email address of the Internet Movie Database (imdb)?? Thanks
>in advance.

Sometimes, it's too simple.  In most programmes (you didn't mention the
browser you are using), if you just type in imdb it should work.  However,
the site I try to use is

http://us.imdb.com

Also, the main one is

http://uk.imdb.com

Which brings me to something I have been meaning to ask:  Has anyone had
trouble accessing the IMDb since amazon.com took over??  It loads very
slowly, if at all, and has caused numerous crashes.  I wrote to the
webmaster, but he can't find a problem.  So, is it me, or has the service
gone down since the buyout??

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery
__________________________

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject:   RE:  Re: [MV] help!
Date: 03 Feb 1999 09:41:40 GMT



I accesses IMDb last night with no trouble.
 ----------



At 07.03 AM 03/02/99 -0800, you wrote:
>
>I deleted my address book when I formatted my hard disk so can anyone
>tell me the email address of the Internet Movie Database (imdb)?? Thanks
>in advance.

Sometimes, it's too simple.  In most programmes (you didn't mention the
browser you are using), if you just type in imdb it should work.  However,
the site I try to use is

http://us.imdb.com

Also, the main one is

http://uk.imdb.com

Which brings me to something I have been meaning to ask:  Has anyone had
trouble accessing the IMDb since amazon.com took over??  It loads very
slowly, if at all, and has caused numerous crashes.  I wrote to the
webmaster, but he can't find a problem.  So, is it me, or has the service
gone down since the buyout??

Regards,

 --Mel


 --Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
 -Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery
__________________________

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[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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

From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: RUSHMORE
Date: 04 Feb 1999 13:23:09 -0700 (MST)

RUSHMORE
(Touchstone)
Starring:  Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Brian Cox,
Mason Gamble.
Screenplay:  Wes Anderson and Owen Wilson.
Producers:  Barry Mendel and Paul Schiff.
Director:  Wes Anderson.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, adult humor)
Running Time:  93 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Wes Anderson has the kind of comic sensibility that keeps you
watching just so you can see where he goes next.  His debut feature BOTTLE
ROCKET married bone-dry wit to good-natured character study in a tale of
would-be thieves whose inbred suburban politesse limits the effectiveness
of their crime spree.  Though the humor was often absurd, Anderson and his
co-writer Owen Wilson never sacrificed character for the sake of an easy
joke.  You got the feeling that they had a genuine affection for their
creations, that they respected the grandiose lengths to which they took
their dreams even as they chuckled at the results.

     It's that same sensibility that makes RUSHMORE such a quirky delight
-- it's a uniquely oddball comedy that's still about people.  One of those
people is Max Fischer (Jason Schwartzman), a 15-year-old student at the
prestigious Rushmore Academy whose several dozen extracurricular
activities don't quite make up for his complete disinterest in academics.
His latest extracurricular interest is Rosemary Cross (Olivia Williams), a
first-grade teacher at Rushmore with whom Max is instantly smitten.  In
an attempt to win her affections, Max enlists the aid of his friend Herman
Blume (Bill Murray), a millionaire industrialist, to build an aquarium at
the school in Miss Cross's honor.  Unfortunately, Max soon finds Blume
turned from ally to competitor for the fair lady's heart, beginning a
strange war between the two.

     It would have been easy enough for Anderson to turn RUSHMORE into an
ever-escalating, bigger-must-be-funnier battle of pranks.  Instead, he
spends plenty of time getting us inside the messed-up heads of his two
central characters.  In a telling first scene, we see Max daydreaming
about solving a brain-cracking geometry problem and receiving a grand
ovation from his classmates.  Like a typical teen, Max is concerned with
how others see him; unlike a typical teen, his concern manifests itself
in an obsession with grand gestures, with being perceived as important.
He lives and breathes for Rushmore because it gives him an impressive
stage to found dozens of clubs, produce his overwrought plays and forget
that he's the son of a barber.  As splendidly portrayed by first-time
actor Schwartzman, Max's egomaniacal infatuations -- first with the school
and then with Miss Cross -- come off as the sweetly immature behavior of a
kid trying way too hard to appear mature.

     There's plenty immature about Herman Blume as well, imbued with an
aura of pure defeat by Bill Murray.  Unhappy with his wife and sadistic
teenage twins, Blume longs for the simpler troubles of youth.  His
betrayal of Max to begin his own romance with Miss Cross could have made
him a villain; instead, his behavior indicates a man returning to
typically childish inconsiderate acts like stealing his best friend's
girlfriend.  Though the destructive salvos exchanged by Max and Blume are
wonderfully funny, they're also ridiculous because of the players
involved:  a kid working desperately to be an adult, and an adult working
desperately to be a kid.

     With a foundation in those two marvelous characters, RUSHMORE is free
to let its comedy swoop from the sublime (Max appearing in the darkened
back seat of Blume's car like a double-crossed mafioso, cigarette glowing
ominously) to the ridiculous (Max's stage re-creation of Vietnam).
Anderson shows an equal facility for off-kilter compositions and deadpan
dialogue (Max to Vietnam veteran Blume:  "So...were you in the sh*t?"),
combining for one of the smartest comedies you'll see.  Anderson and
Wilson do bite off perhaps a few too many plot threads -- the friendship
between Max and his young Rushmore "chapel buddy" (Mason Gamble) doesn't
really go anywhere -- but there are so many deft comic touches that the
less interesting elements are somehow diluted.  At its core, the narrative
of RUSHMORE is quite conventional stuff about people who learn Important
Lessons about what they want from life.  Those lessons are given such a
singular presentation that you may only realize after you've stopped
laughing that these people, for all their foolishness, are all the more
appealing because they're real.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 academy rewards:  9.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: Alanna Zeller <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] is she all that?
Date: 04 Feb 1999 15:25:37 -0600 (CST)

   Hi.  I recently joined this list.  I was wondering if anyone had seen the new

movie that just came out called "She's All That"?  If you have I would like know

if it's worth my seven bucks?

Please reply with your opinion.  Thanks.

--

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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] is she all that?
Date: 04 Feb 1999 17:04:48 -0500

there was a review on it and it said it was bad but i personally liked
it. the plot is kind of a different twist and it's funny.

Alanna Zeller wrote:
>
>    Hi.  I recently joined this list.  I was wondering if anyone had seen the new
>
> movie that just came out called "She's All That"?  If you have I would like know
>
> if it's worth my seven bucks?
>
> Please reply with your opinion.  Thanks.
>
> --
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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From: Michael Dequina <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#176, 2/4/99
Date: 04 Feb 1999 14:38:25 -0800

T   H   E
M   O   V   I   E
R   E   P   O   R   T
#176
FEBRUARY 4, 1999

PLEASE HELP...
...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive.   I am undergoing a
serious funding and resource crisis.  Please send any donations (every
little bit does help) to:
Michael Dequina
3650 Denver Avenue
Long Beach, CA  90810-2205
You can also help by purchasing videos and DVDs from Reel.com!  Please visit:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html
Thank you very much.

=>T H I S  W E E K<=
M O V I E S
-_Payback_
-_A_Cool,_Dry_Place_
V I D E O
-_Mulan_
-_Shooting_Fish_
-_There's_Something_About_Mary_
-_Who_Am_I?_

Mr. Brown's Movie Site's regular URL is down once again.  However, you can
still view the best and worst of 1998, links to the official websites of
all the current films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos,
movie MIDI music, movie discussion board, a comprehensive link section, and
more, visit the following mirror sites:
http://welcome.to/mrbrown  or
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown  or
http://mrbrown.webjump.com

Sorry for the inconvenience...

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...

If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/moviereport.html

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
...and Film Frenzy at:
http://www.filmfrenzy.com

I am always up for a good live chat.  Feel free to message me on ICQ at
#25289934 or on AOL Instant Messenger under the handle "MrBrown23."

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


~~~

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

_Payback_ (R) ** 1/2
    Immediately after watching _Payback_, the friend with whom I attended the
screening came up with a snappy line: "_Payback_--where the good guys are
bad, and the bad guys are badder!"  Actually, an equally snappy and more
accurate line would be, "_Payback_--where the bad guys are bad, and the
good guys are even worse," for the "hero" of this offbeat and somewhat
amusing action thriller is arguably more evil than the "villains."
    His name is Porter (Mel Gibson), a small-time hood who is swindled out of
$70,000 and left for dead by fellow crook Val (Gregg Henry) and Porter's
own junkie wife, Lynn (Deborah Kara Unger).  Of course, Porter improbably
recovers from his two potentially fatal gunshots to the back, and he takes
violent, often murderous, ends to even the score--or, at the very least,
get his $70,000.
    Co-writer/director Brian Helgeland (who retains directing credit though
"creative differences" with Gibson prompted him to leave the project before
its completion) plays the rather scenario for a number of darkly
tongue-in-cheek laughs.  After all, who would go through so much
trouble--and take so much punishment himself--for such an absurdly low
figure?  Only someone as disturbed as Porter, whom Gibson plays with the
same manic, slightly off-kilter energy he always brings to his action roles.
    Based on the above, _Payback_ sounds much lighter than it is--for all the
humor in it, the film is quite gritty and dark, reflected most obviously in
Emerson Core's often frustratingly grainy cinematography, which casts a
blue-gray wash over the entire film.  _Payback_ is extremely violent; I
would go so far as to say excessively so at certain points.  Even the
gung-ho male action fans who sat next to me were audibly shocked by some of
Porter's extremely brutal behavior--which he gets his own taste of in a
unsettling torture scene involving a sledgehammer.  There are a number of
sadomasochistic touches, courtesy of an Asian-mob-affliated dominatrix
(Lucy Liu, a long way from _Ally_McBeal_).  This brings me to another point
that will surely spark some controversy: the film's treatment of women.  A
touch of misogyny is expected in a macho action picture such as this, but
when the three prominent female characters--who, I might add, are just
about the _only_ females in the film--are two prostitutes (one being the
dominatrix, the other being Maria Bello's gold-hearted hooker/Porter love
interest) and a heroin addict, one could easily see that the fairer sex
gets a far from fair treatment.
    One's enjoyment of _Payback_ essentially boils down to one's opinion of
Porter, and, to a certain degree, Gibson himself: depending on your view,
he can come off as either a badass or an asshole, with no in-between.  The
bulk of the audience with whom I saw the film appeared to think the former,
and, being a Gibson fan, I'm with them.  Nonetheless, I never was more than
amused by _Payback_, whose thin story never generates any genuine excitement.

IN BRIEF

_A_Cool,_Dry_Place_ (PG-13) **
    _Cool_: Vince Vaughn, whose charisma is at full, effective force as Russ
Durrell, a lawyer who moves to a small Kansas town with his young son
Calvin (Bobby Moat) after being fired from his big-time Chicago firm.  The
casting of the slick Vaughn as a caring single dad is a stretch, but it's
one he pulls off quite well, unlike his recent strained effort as
_Psycho_'s Norman Bates.  As written, Russ is a good parent, and Vaughn's
surprising warmth with Moat is convincing.  But he's not a perfect parent,
and Vaughn works in more comfortable territory in brining to clear life
Russ's rougher, darker edges, such as a quick temper.
    _Dry_: The movie itself.  Despite some solid acting by Vaughn, Monica
Potter, and Joey Lauren Adams, there is no escaping the movie-of-the-week
trappings of Matthew McDuffie's script (based on Michael Grant Jaffe's
novel _Dance_Real_Slow_, which, if it bears any resemblance to the film, is
aptly named): Russ's romance with local woman Beth (Adams) and bond with
Calvin is threatened by both the reappearance of his estranged wife Kate
(Potter) and his hotshot career aspirations.  The film ends in exactly the
manner one would expect, with John N. Smith's lethargic direction doing
nothing in the way of generating suspense.  It's hardly surprising that Fox
literally snuck this one into theatres with no press screenings and
virtually no promotion; the film was made with equally as much energy, or
lack thereof.

I N  C U R R E N T  R E L E A S E
(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)

-_Affliction_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#affliction
-_Another_Day_in_Paradise_ (R) ** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#paradise
-_At_First_Sight_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#174, 1/21/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#sight
-_A_Bug's_Life_ (G) *** 1/2 <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bugs
-_The_Celebration_(Festen)_ (R) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#festen
-_Central_Station_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#central
-_A_Civil_Action_ (PG-13) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#civil
-_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth
-_Enemy_of_the_State_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#168, 11/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#enemy
-_The_Faculty_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#faculty
-_The_General_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#general
-_Gloria_ (R) ** <MR#175, 1/28/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#gloria
-_Gods_and_Monsters_ *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#gods
-_The_Hi-Lo_Country_ (R) * 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#hilo
-_Hilary_and_Jackie_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#h&j
-_Hurlyburly_ (R) ** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#hurlyburly
-_In_Dreams_ (R) *1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#dreams
-_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella
-_Little_Voice_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#lv
-_Mighty_Joe_Young_ (PG) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mightyjoe
-_Patch_Adams_ (PG-13) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#patch
-_Playing_by_Heart_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#architecture
-_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#prince
-_Shakespeare_in_Love_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#shakespeare
-_She's_All_That_ (PG-13) * 1/2 <MR#1/28/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#allthat
-_A_Simple_Plan_ (R) **** <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#plan
-_Stepmom_ (PG-13) ***<MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#stepmom
-_Still_Crazy_ (R) ** <MR#169, 12/3/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#crazy
-_The_Theory_of_Flight_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#flight
-_The_Thin_Red_Line_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#red
-_Varsity_Blues_ (R) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#varsity
-_Virus_ (R) no stars <MR#174, 1/21/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#virus
-_Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#ned
-_You've_Got_Mail_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mail

F U T U R E  F I L M S

-_Jawbreaker_ (R) *** <MR#174, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#jawbreaker
   (February 19)

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

_The_Last_Days_ (PG-13)
    Steven Spielberg and the Shoah Foundation present this documentary about
five Holocaust survivors from Hungary.

_My_Name_Is_Joe_ (R) ***
Full review in MR#172, 12/24/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#joe
    Peter Mullan won the Best Actor trophy at last year's Cannes Film Festival
for his impassioned turn as a recovering alcoholic in Ken Loach's gritty
slice of Scottish life.

_Payback_ (R) ** 1/2 <see above review>
    Brutal, misogynist, but nonetheless amusingly offbeat action thriller
about a small-time hood (Mel Gibson) out to recover $70,000 that was stolen
from him.

_Rushmore_ (R) ****
Full review in MR#170, 12/11/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#rushmore
    Wildly quirky, wildly original, wildly entertaining comedy about an
eccentric prep school student (wonderful newcomer Jason Schwartzman) who
does battle with an older friend (Bill Murray) over the affections of a
first-grade teacher (Olivia Williams).  A triumph of fresh creativity from
director Wes Anderson and writing partner Owen Wilson.

_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) ****
Full review in MR#151, 7/24/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan
    Relaunching in theatres in anticipation of its certain truckload of
Academy Award nominations (to be announced on Tuesday) is Steven
Spielberg's deservedly celebrated WWII drama.  Tom Hanks, Tom Sizemore,
Edward Burns, Jeremy Davies, and Matt Damon star.

_Simply_Irresistible_ (PG-13)
    The lovely and talented Sarah Michelle Gellar scores her first feature
starring role in what appears to be a comedic variation on
_Like_Water_for_Chocolate_, with Gellar starring as a chef whose feelings
magically manifest themselves in her cooking.  Sean Patrick Flanery plays
the love interest.  Sounds like it's not without promise, but the fact that
Fox declined to screen it for critics doesn't exactly set expectations
soaring.


~~~

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

_Mulan_ (G) ****
Full review in MR#147, 6/17/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt35.html#mulan
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41643
    Disney scored another animated triumph last summer--if only to be
one-upped by DreamWorks later in the year--in this lively tale of a young
woman (spoken by Ming-Na Wen, sung by Lea Salonga) who disguises herself as
a man to join the Chinese army.  Eddie Murphy provides scene-stealing comic
relief as the voice of the heroine's fast-talking dragon sidekick.  (Walt
Disney Home Video)

_Shooting_Fish_ (PG-13) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#138, 4/16/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt32.html#fish
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41151
    Sometimes-engaging featherweight comedy about a con team (Dan Futterman
and Stuart Townsend) whose business becomes complicated when a sweet
medical student (Kate Beckinsale) joins their fold.  (20th Century Fox Home
Entertainment)

_There's_Something_About_Mary_ (R) *** 1/2
Full review in MR#150, 7/10/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt36.html#mary
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41986
    Last year's biggest surprise--box office and otherwise--was the Farrelly
Brothers' scandalously funny and demented comedy about a 30-something loser
(Ben Stiller) who doggedly pursues his high school crush (Cameron Diaz).
(20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

_Who_Am_I?_ (PG-13) ** 1/2
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=44464
    Jackie Chan's most recent Hong Kong effort--and his first directorial work
in nearly ten years--made its American debut last summer on HBO, and it's
clear why.  Although there are some vintage Chan action sequences, and his
comic flair is sharper than ever, this tale of an amnesiac commando (Chan)
who must foil a dastardly conspiracy plot takes much too long to get going,
and once it does, one must stomach the absolutely wretched performance of
Michelle Ferre as Chan's sidekick.  It's light, agreeable enough fun from
Chan, as can be expected, but only to a point.  (Columbia TriStar Home Video)

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

_The_Alarmist_ (R)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43650
    Dark comedy about an innocent home security system salesman (David
Arquette) whose life becomes complicated when he falls for a client (Kate
Capshaw).  Stanley Tucci also stars as Arquette's shady boss.  (Columbia
TriStar Home Video)


~~~

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

TUESDAY
On-the-scene coverage of the Academy Award nomination announcements.

THURSDAY
More reviews, including:
-_Blast_from_the_Past_
-_Message_in_a_Bottle_
-_My_Favorite_Martian_
-_Simply_Irresistible_


'til then...

__________________________________________________________

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

[e-mail]  |  [e-mail]
[e-mail]  |  [e-mail]

>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
Film Frenzy: http://www.filmfrenzy.com
__________________________________________________________

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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] is she all that?
Date: 04 Feb 1999 18:37:15 EST

it is soo worth your money!!

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From: "ABYRNE.IE.ORACLE.COM" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Meet Joe Black
Date: 05 Feb 1999 08:18:37 +0000

I saw Meet Joe Black last weekend. Absolutely Brilliant!
Some people actualy slated this. Don't know why.
Any comments?
By the way, Hopkins was in Oscar winning mood for this one!

Thanks & Regards,
****************************************************************************=
**
****************************************************************************=
**

Anto Byrne                Net:[e-mail]
Oracle E.M.E.A.                Quality Rep.
    Unit 14                    Phone:[phone]
Airways Industrial Estate        Fax:[phone]
Cloghran                      email:abyrne
Dublin 17.
Ireland
****************************************************************************=
**

   "In Order to find his equal, an Irish Man is forced to talk to God"
****************************************************************************=
**



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From: Tara Grant <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Meet Joe Black
Date: 05 Feb 1999 09:43:45 -0500


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My movie pick of the week is RUSHMORE starring Jason Schwartzman =
(brilliant) and Bill Murray (hilarious).  Haven't seen MEET JOE BLACK =
because of the reviews.  Maybe I'll try it.

Tara Grant
Reel Club and Publicity Manager
Canadian Film Centre
North York, ON
Canada

-----Original Message-----
Sent:    Friday, February 05, 1999 3:19 AM

I saw Meet Joe Black last weekend. Absolutely Brilliant!
Some people actualy slated this. Don't know why.
Any comments?
By the way, Hopkins was in Oscar winning mood for this one!

Thanks & Regards,
*************************************************************************=
*****
*************************************************************************=
*****

Anto Byrne                Net:[e-mail]
Oracle E.M.E.A.                Quality Rep.
    Unit 14                    Phone:[phone]
Airways Industrial Estate        Fax:[phone]
Cloghran                      email:abyrne
Dublin 17.
Ireland
*************************************************************************=
*****

   "In Order to find his equal, an Irish Man is forced to talk to God"
*************************************************************************=
*****



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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] is she all that?
Date: 05 Feb 1999 11:43:08 EST

she's all that was slightly predictable (duh) but i still thought it was worth
going..i enjoyed it very much, and i thought it was pretty good
-alison

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From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] is she all that?
Date: 05 Feb 1999 11:24:55 -0600 (CST)

I enjoyed it as well.  The acting from the young star is first rate, although,
unfortunately so much time is spent on her, that her costar seems to have been
lost in the shuffle.  Is he deep, yes.  But their delve into his character could
have been more complete.  I still give this movie two thumbs up!

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: PAYBACK
Date: 05 Feb 1999 12:28:16 -0700 (MST)

PAYBACK
(Paramount)
Starring:  Mel Gibson, Gregg Henry, Maria Bello, David Paymer, Deborah
Kara Unger, William Devane, Bill Duke, Lucy Liu, Kris Kristofferson.
Screenplay:  Brian Helgeland and Terry Hayes, based on the novel "The
Hunter" by Richard Stark.
Producer:  Bruce Davey.
Director:  Brian Helgeland.
MPAA Rating:  R (violence, torture, drug use, adult themes)
Running Time:  102 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     "Get ready to root for the bad guy" trumpets the tag line for
PAYBACK, and for once the marketing people are on to something.  Lots of
action films go the anti-hero route, offering protagonists with
single-sentence motivations who kill at least as many people as the
ostensible villains of the piece.  The assumption is that we'll be on the
side of the star because...well, he's a star.  It doesn't matter how nasty
or brutal Arnold Schwarzenegger or Steven Seagal get -- if they're the
first name on the marquee, they're the ones whose gunplay and fisticuffs
are cheered.

     Mel Gibson is a different case entirely.  There has always been
something genuinely unstable behind his eyes when he wants there to be --
MAD MAX, the original LETHAL WEAPON, CONSPIRACY THEORY -- but also
something genuinely wounded that makes his instability as sympathetic as
it is menacing.  Gibson uses that persona to solid effect as Porter, a
career thief in single-minded pursuit of revenge.  It seems that Porter
was double-crossed by his partner Val (Gregg Henry) after a $140,000
heist, shot and left for dead so Val could square a debt with his
organized crime bosses.  Five months later, Porter is healed and
determined to recover his share of the loot, even if it means taking on
the sociopathic Val, corrupt cops, the Chinese mafia and Val's bosses in
The Outfit.

     Along the way to his goal, Porter encounters plenty of intriguing
characters, which is half the fun of PAYBACK.  Lucy Liu (from TV's "Ally
McBeal") dives into the role of a dominatrix who _really_ enjoys her work;
James Coburn steals his few scenes as a dapper mid-level crime boss; Kris
Kristofferson uses his rasp-and-squint to appropriate effect as The
Outfit's capo di tutti capi.  PAYBACK works in large part because it's not
just Mel Gibson running around shooting and getting shot at.  The whole
atmosphere of the film is bleak and corrupt, from Ericson Core's bleached
cinematography to the cold brick of Richard Hoover's production design.
Though it comes with a dose of humor, it's usually humor of the black
variety, and the film rarely strays far from pulp crime thriller
territory.

     That includes plenty of violence, of course, which is really the main
place where PAYBACK grows wearying.  There's violence, and then there's
_violence_, and then there's PAYBACK, which never shies away from the
roughest rough stuff from the opening scene of un-anesthetized surgery.
Where a slap might suffice, a pistol-whipping shows up instead; where you
might expect a good old-fashioned roughing up, you can count on the
strategic application of a sledgehammer.  Porter's world is certainly a
brutal one, and Porter himself is a brutal guy, but after a while it all
starts to feel like overkill.  You reach the point where you don't need to
see Val beat up a woman and shoot a dog to figure out that he's not too
nice a guy.

     Fortunately, it all comes back to Gibson, whose monomania about his
$70,000 makes just enough sense to keep the plot moving.  There's a bit
too much effort directed towards making Porter seem sensitive through his
relationship with a high-priced call girl (Maria Bello) -- apparently the
result of Gibson's initial dissatisfaction with director and co-writer
Brian Helgeland's relentlessly dark tone -- but it all seems like
unnecessary effort.  PAYBACK only works as entertainment because Gibson
himself conveys all the reason we need to get behind Porter.  If you can
get past all the bloodshed and brutality, you'll find a surprisingly slick
and surprisingly smart action thriller in PAYBACK.  The amazing thing is
that, by all rights, you _shouldn't_ be able to get past it.  Credit
Gibson for giving us the kind psycho you can't help cuddling up to.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 dark Porters:  7.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] My Favourite Movies
Date: 06 Feb 1999 00:51:06 -0500

A few months ago, there was a discussion of personal Top 10 lists on this
list.  I believe that I posted my list, stating that it was very fluid, and
would probably be different tomorrow.  Well, I think I figured out why.  I
don't have a top 10 list, I have (at least) ten movies that tie for my
favourite.

Since recently picking up a DVD player, and some movies, and sitting down
to watch said movies, I came up with ten movies that I could (and have)
watch anytime, many times over, sometimes more than once in a row.  Thus,
you can call this the list of Ten Movies that I can't Live Without.  (Also,
I plan to follow up with a review of The Big Chill, recently re-released,
and why this is such a deep movie).  I purposely left some movies out (like
only picking one of the Star Wars series, and one Star Trek, as well as
other limitations).  These are movies that I have watched recently, would
watch again tomorrow if I had the time, and would recommend anyone take
with them.  In alphabetical order (as that seems the only fair way to list
them):

Animal House
Back to the Future
The Big Chill
Casablanca
La Femme Nikita
The Hunt for Red October
Star Trek 2 (The Wrath of Khan)
Star Wars
The Usual Suspects
The Year My Voice Broke

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery
__________________________

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

From: "Danielle Conkle" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] year my voice broke
Date: 06 Feb 1999 05:46:16 PST

     Great List Mel!  I was just wondering...what is "The Year My Voice
Broke" about?  thanks!!!  Danielle
>
>A few months ago, there was a discussion of personal Top 10 lists on
this
>list.  I believe that I posted my list, stating that it was very fluid,
and
>would probably be different tomorrow.  Well, I think I figured out why.
I
>don't have a top 10 list, I have (at least) ten movies that tie for my
>favourite.
>
>Since recently picking up a DVD player, and some movies, and sitting
down
>to watch said movies, I came up with ten movies that I could (and have)
>watch anytime, many times over, sometimes more than once in a row.
Thus,
>you can call this the list of Ten Movies that I can't Live Without.
(Also,
>I plan to follow up with a review of The Big Chill, recently
re-released,
>and why this is such a deep movie).  I purposely left some movies out
(like
>only picking one of the Star Wars series, and one Star Trek, as well as
>other limitations).  These are movies that I have watched recently,
would
>watch again tomorrow if I had the time, and would recommend anyone take
>with them.  In alphabetical order (as that seems the only fair way to
list
>them):
>
>Animal House
>Back to the Future
>The Big Chill
>Casablanca
>La Femme Nikita
>The Hunt for Red October
>Star Trek 2 (The Wrath of Khan)
>Star Wars
>The Usual Suspects
>The Year My Voice Broke



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From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] year my voice broke
Date: 06 Feb 1999 12:08:49 -0500

At 05.46 AM 06/02/99 PST, Danielle Conkle wrote:
>     Great List Mel!  I was just wondering...what is "The Year My Voice
>Broke" about?  thanks!!!  Danielle

It's an Australian coming-of-age movie.  I do believe that the sequel,
Flirting, (with Nicole Kidman) had a wider release in the States.  In
addition, the critics have given Flirting a higher rating that Year My
Voice Broke.

I guess in reality it is not some groundbreaking movie or anything; it has
been done before, and actually could be said to resemble an "after-school
special"  (anyone remember them??:-).  However, there was just something
about this story that made it thoroughly enjoyable to me, and I would
recommend it to anyone.  And I do, with very little negative feedback.

There are no big stars in the movie, and as I said, though the movie is
considered a (cult??) classic in Australia, you might have trouble finding
it in the US.  However, if you look around, you might find your work
rewarded with a movie you will like a lot.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery
__________________________

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

From: "Wade Snider" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Payback
Date: 06 Feb 1999 22:40:00 -0800

Saw a fantastic movie today, Payback. It is great! Mel Gibson is a crook
whose money is stolen from him when he is left for dead and he reemerges to
get his money back, as well as a bit of revenge. Funny, great story, great
acting, so funny and outrageous. Mel Gibson is such a baddie, but the worst
kind of noble anti-hero. A complete bad-ass. The direction is very cool,
dark and noir-esque with a cool blue tint. Good remake of Point Blank but so
much more. Gibson plays the role like no one else I could think of.

Highly recommended. better than most of the movies I saw last year!

Wade


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

From: Michael Allen <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Payback
Date: 07 Feb 1999 00:07:31 -0500

agreed!.. i give it 3 thumbs up (i just got back from it 20 minutes ago)

Wade Snider wrote:

> Saw a fantastic movie today, Payback. It is great! Mel Gibson is a crook
> whose money is stolen from him when he is left for dead and he reemerges to
> get his money back, as well as a bit of revenge. Funny, great story, great
> acting, so funny and outrageous. Mel Gibson is such a baddie, but the worst
> kind of noble anti-hero. A complete bad-ass. The direction is very cool,
> dark and noir-esque with a cool blue tint. Good remake of Point Blank but so
> much more. Gibson plays the role like no one else I could think of.
>
> Highly recommended. better than most of the movies I saw last year!
>
> Wade
>
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: Blacknight <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] year my voice broke
Date: 08 Feb 1999 11:41:27 -0800



Mel Eperthener wrote:

> At 05.46 AM 06/02/99 PST, Danielle Conkle wrote:
> >     Great List Mel!  I was just wondering...what is "The Year My Voice
> >Broke" about?  thanks!!!  Danielle
>
> It's an Australian coming-of-age movie.  I do believe that the sequel,
> Flirting, (with Nicole Kidman) had a wider release in the States.  In
> addition, the critics have given Flirting a higher rating that Year My
> Voice Broke.
>
> I guess in reality it is not some groundbreaking movie or anything; it has
> been done before, and actually could be said to resemble an "after-school
> special"  (anyone remember them??:-).  However, there was just something
> about this story that made it thoroughly enjoyable to me, and I would
> recommend it to anyone.  And I do, with very little negative feedback.
>
> There are no big stars in the movie, and as I said, though the movie is
> considered a (cult??) classic in Australia, you might have trouble finding
> it in the US.  However, if you look around, you might find your work
> rewarded with a movie you will like a lot.
>

I saw the film Flirting several times and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I was
surprised when I came out liking it since it was obviously a 'small' movie.
Also, quite good acting from Nicole Kidman (she was supposed to be a high
school student eventhough at that time she was already in her twenties) and
this guy whose name escapes me at the moment. Overall I found it delightful
and yes, I consider it a cult classic.

blacknight


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From: Adrian Greer <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Sundance Channel
Date: 08 Feb 1999 11:25:25 -0500 (EST)

    I recently subscribed to the Sundance Channel and I really enjoy
it.  There are no commercials, and it is always showing some of the newer,
better independent films that are not usually shown in my area.  So, if
you have never checked it out I would definitely look into it.  They also
have a website at www.sundancechannel.com.



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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: CENTRAL STATION
Date: 08 Feb 1999 14:07:12 -0700 (MST)

CENTRAL STATION (CENTRAL DO BRASIL)
(Sony Classics)
Starring:  Fernanda Montenegro, Vinicius de Oliveira.
Screenplay:  Joao Emanuel Carneiro and Marcos Bernstein.
Producer:  Arthur Cohn.
Director:  Walter Salles.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, adult themes)
Running Time:  114 min.
In Portuguese with English subtitles.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Some day soon, I'm going to put together a list of the most over-used
premises in film history, the ones which describe the entire story arc in
a single sentence.  It will include such classics as "Mismatched Buddy
Cops Gradually Become Friends While Blowing a City to Shrapnel" (recently
seen in RUSH HOUR), "Workaholic Learns Through Tragedy and/or Wacky
Misadventures to Appreciate His/Her Family" (recently seen in ONE TRUE
THING).  To be fair, and to recognize that certain plots become canonical
for valid thematic reasons, I'll even try to note examples of each that
managed to add a spark of originality.

     CENTRAL STATION takes one marvelously constructed character and uses
her to put just enough of a twist on one of those well-known
single-sentence stories:  "Jaded Older Character Learns Important Lessons
When Forced to Care for a Child."  The jaded older character is Dora
Teixera (Fernanda Montenegro), a retired schoolteacher who supplements her
meager income by writing letters for the many illiterate individuals who
pass through Rio de Janeiro's train depot.  One of Dora's customers is a
woman who writes to the absentee father of her 9-year-old son Josue
(Vinicius de Oliveira).  When the woman is hit by a bus, leaving Josue a
homeless orphan, Dora's first instinct is to sell him to an adoption
broker.  Instead, she decides to deliver both the letter and the boy in
person, setting off with Josue on a difficult journey to Brazil's rural
northeast.

     Such stories usually begin with characters that are crusty but
identifiably loveable, making the journey little more than a waiting game
until the resident adorable tyke trims off the crust.  Dora, on the other
hand, is a fairly grim piece of work.  Our initial image of her as a
kindly educated woman helping out the pobrecitos gives way to an image of
bitterness and cynicism, as we see her arbitrarily shred or hide away
letters she decides are not worth sending.  Fernanda Montenegro uses her
wonderfully weathered face to create Dora as a grandmotherly con artist,
and not the kind of devilishly adorable con artist justified in most films
by the fact that he or she steals Robin Hood-like from the rich.  Dora
steals from the poor because she feels contempt for them and for the
foolish optimism they express in their letters and their prayers.

     What we gradually learn is that Dora's contempt is really a
manifestation of her own insecurities, her inability to maintain
relationships, and her issues with the father who abandoned her as a
child.  It's eventually obvious that CENTRAL STATION is about Dora's quest
for her own father more than it is about her quest for Josue's father, but
that's exactly what gives the familiar story more thematic weight.  The
cute bonding moments between Dora and Josue are few and far between,
allowing director Walter Salles to concentrate on the fact that the
journey changes Dora more than the child does.  Montenegro's performance
brings an edge even to moments like her clumsy attempts to show affection
to a truck driver (Othon Bastos).  For most of the film, her anti-social
personality feels completely genuine, not in the least like a device for
an uplifting conclusion.

     Inevitably, though, CENTRAL STATION has got to reach its uplifting
conclusion.  Dora will see a light of optimism, both for herself and for
Josue, and move on to live a more fulfilled life.  And it is only when
that happens that CENTRAL STATION feels false, even though the change is
necessary in order for it to be dramatically satisfying.  Montenegro is a
deft enough actress to limit the burden of schmaltz, but she can't change
the fact that the script tells her that, by God, she's going to learn
Important Lessons.  CENTRAL STATION is still a good film, satisfying for
three-quarters of its length as a character study.  There's just no way
it can escape completely the conventions of its single-sentence story.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 station identifications:  7.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Payback
Date: 08 Feb 1999 22:27:52 EST

In a message dated 2/6/99 10:56:56 PM Pacific Standard Time, judgewd writes:

<< Saw a fantastic movie today, Payback. It is great! >>
- - - snip - - -
 <<Highly recommended. better than most of the movies I saw last year! >>


Question for anyone who saw Payback: What comments do you have about Lucy Liu
and her role in Payback? I have not seen Payback yet, but I am a big fan of
her work on Ally McBeal.

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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Payback
Date: 08 Feb 1999 23:34:35 -0600

At 10:27 PM 2/8/99 EST, [e-mail] wrote:
>Question for anyone who saw Payback: What comments do you have about Lucy Liu
>and her role in Payback? I have not seen Payback yet, but I am a big fan of
>her work on Ally McBeal.

i've seen payback, and it actually didnt occur to me until you just
reminded me that that was the ally mcbeal woman in payback.

anyway, she has a very amusing role.  her character has a number of funny
scenes - especially when mel is about to beat his ex-buddy up, but instead
lets lucy "work."


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From: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - PAYBACK - Ellie May Confidential
Date: 09 Feb 1999 10:46:03 -0500 (EST)

PAYBACK - ELLIE MAY CONFIDENTIAL

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

February 9, 1999

If you drop into the theater in time for the previews, you may catch what has to be the strangest commercial ever.  A marine is wielding a mighty sword and slaying this huge fire-breathing animated creature.

What??  Marines do that?  The few, the brave, the proud - they're defending us against demonic cartoons!  What's in their rations, Scooby Snacks?  Do they ride in jeeps or "Mystery Machines"?   Now that the Commies are down for the count and the Iraqis are desert out-foxed, the new enemy, it seems, is a Sun workstation and the creators of Spawn! Are our few good men packin' Gameboys instead of rifles nowadays?  Do these guys get pictures from the battlefield or animation cels, limited edition and framed?  Who's their military strategist, Sun Tzu or Chuck Jones?  According to General Cat in the Hat:   "I do not like armed conflict, ma'am.  I do not like green eggs and ham."

What do you get when you combine the talents of the guy who co-wrote LA Confidential and the auteur of Braveheart?  Proof that lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place, that's what.

Payback should be called Moneyback.  I'd like to go back in time two hours, if it's all the same to you.  The only thing keeping this flick in the theaters and off the USA channel is Mark Harmon's busy schedule.

Here's a movie that's set not on Earth, but on some planet with a permanent blue tint.  I'm talkin' blue!  I haven't seen so many folks with cadaverous flesh tone since the last meeting of the Kate Moss exhaustion club.   It's like Nightmare of the Living Dead without the brains.  If we had a red and white movie, this triple-feature could open on July 4.  I got the blues, all right.  Visualize an R-rated version of the Smurfs and you get the picture.

Speaking of Smurfs, did you know that Blue Mel is short?   I'm talkin' really short.  Something tells me Blue Mel's romantic costar Blue Maria Bello must be just tall enough to represent the lollipop guild.   There are lots of phone books on a Mel set, and they ain't used for callin', if you know what I mean.

Blue Mel Gibson stars as Blue Mel Eastwood, starring as "Porter."  Porter est mui macho.  You know this because he smokes like Winona Ryder, dresses in black leather, and walks to the beat of a groovy soundtrack.   Either he's cool, or he's shopping for a distribution deal at Sundance.   Porter knows the mean streets like the back of his tiny little hand.

Blue Mel (or, as the French call him, petit Mel bleu) speaks in such a gravelly-voiced low register narration, the theater kinda shakes and trembles.   Is this some Dolby Sensurround effect or the audience is stampeding to the exit?   Who can tell?  Is his voice so low because his vocal chords are close to sea level?

"Old habits die hard," intones Papa Smurf Mel.   "If you don't kick them, they kick you."  Yes, friends, it's the John Huston translation of the Tao Te Ching.

Blue Mel takes us on a tour of the seedy underside of life in Blueville.  Drug addicts, crooks, and callgirls.  If Disney World had a Taxicab Confession-land, this would be it.  Payback is full of S&M and misogyny - perfect for the whole family.  Baddies whacking each other left and right.   Blue bloods all over the place.  Mucho macho meals in a hi-chair.

Blue Kris Kristofferson, who hasn't seen an eyebrow since the Titanic saw sunlight, plays Mr. Big.  He's the head of "the Outfit."   But don't be fooled - this outfit's from J.C. Penney!  Blue Mel Bronson takes on Mr. Big to get his money back.  Rather than visit customer service, he kidnaps the guy's son.  So Mr. Big sends out Blue Lee Marvin Coburn to break Blue Mel's itty bitty toes.  The lesson:  Don't expect quality service unless you're shopping Nordstrom.

Take it from me, after you drop your green on this blue, you'll be seeing red.

Copyright 1999 Mark Ramsey.  All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

DONÆT FORGET TO VISIT MOVIEJUICE.COM!

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.

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From: Wendy Scherer <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] oscars
Date: 08 Feb 1999 22:19:37 -0600

Thought you all might be interested in the LA Times Oscar site.

http://www.latimes.com/oscars

They have a photo gallery of the nominees, discussion groups, trailers
of nominated movies/actors/actresses, links to movie reviews, critics'
picks, Oscar's Trivia  and an Oscar's timeline highlighting special
moments in Oscar history. And, of course, a guessing contest.

They'll also have coverage of all the awards night activities with
celebrity interviews and polls that agree or disagree with the selection
of winners and online discussion areas.

Wendy

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: MY FAVORITE MARTIAN
Date: 09 Feb 1999 10:00:49 -0700 (MST)

MY FAVORITE MARTIAN
(Disney)
Starring:  Christopher Lloyd, Jeff Daniels, Elizabeth Hurley, Daryl
Hannah, Wallace Shawn, Christine Ebersole, Michael Lerner, Ray Walston.
Screenplay:  Sherri Stoner & Deanna Oliver.
Producers:  Robert Shapiro & Jerry Leider and Mark Toberoff.
Director:  Donald Petrie.
MPAA Rating:  PG (profanity, adult humor)
Running Time:  93 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Suggestive references to "balls" and "nuts."  To breasts.  To giving
"the finger."  To getting into someone's pants.  To catching one's
genitalia in one's zipper.  To contraception.  To virginity.  Two
references to urination.  A flatulence gag.  A couple of belches.  And a
toilet's-eye-view of a fat guy's rear end as he bemoans eating that last
burrito.

     Welcome, friends, to the Wonderful World of Disney.

     In MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, we discover that there is intelligent life in
our solar system, and that absolutely none of it was involved in making
this film.  Continuing its impressive string of stupid and vulgar live
action films, Disney this time recycles the 1960s television series which
starred Bill Bixby and Ray Walston.  Jeff Daniels stars here as Tim
O'Hara, a somewhat socially inept television news producer; Christopher
Lloyd is a Martian who crash-lands and poses as Tim's Uncle Martin while
trying to repair his ship.  Along the way there are plenty of crazy
misunderstandings and near-discoveries, including the suspicion by Tim's
faithful camerawoman Lizzie (Daryl Hannah) that he has the hots for her,
and the attempt by ambitious reporter Brace Channing (Elizabeth Hurley) to
break the story of a close encounter.

     Not surprisingly, MY FAVORITE MARTIAN essentially consists of a
series of scenes which present the opportunity to show off special
effects.  Martin is able to appear in human form through the use of a
special gum, which also has unique effects on humans.  He has a sentient,
wise-cracking spacesuit called Zoot (uncredited voice by "Seinfeld's"
Wayne Knight) which does kooky things like pitching woo to a dress.  He
uses a "molecular condenser" to shrink objects like his space ship and
Tim's Plymouth (don't even bother with scientific curiosities like why a
"molecular condenser" also changes the weight of the object).  When
Martin gets upset, his body parts fall off.  And viewers who enjoy that
sort of thing -- and don't have trouble with the ridiculous notion of
Daryl Hannah as a wallflower -- will giggle blithely along.

     Trouble is, most of those will be kids.  Yes, MY FAVORITE MARTIAN
sports a PG rating, which clearly states that "some material may not be
suitable for children," but let's get serious here.  Disney has turned the
company name into a license to print money for "family entertainment,"
which used to mean something a parent wouldn't be embarrassed to take a
kid to see.  Take a look at that list in the first paragraph above and you
decide.  This is filmmaking not for children, but for idiots of all ages,
pandering with a sense of impunity because they haven't exactly gone broke
in the last couple of years by doing so.  In a late scene, when Tim is
admonished that humans should do something "about the oceans...and
afternoon talk shows," the hypocrisy of this film holding _anything_ up to
ridicule for its stupidity or offensiveness nearly burst a large vein in
my forehead.  How sad to see appealing comic performers like Lloyd
(regurgitating bits from BACK TO THE FUTURE) and Wallace Shawn (as nasty
government scientist Dr. Elliot Coleye...e. coli, get it?) floundering in
a mess like this.  How much sadder still that people will pay to see it.

     There are maybe two harmless visual gags that work in MY FAVORITE
MARTIAN, and perhaps that many examples of real wit in the script.  I
liked the fact that Martin's molecular condenser makes a sound remarkably
similar to R2-D2 when he's shot by the Jawas in STAR WARS; the absurd
parallel to E.T.'s revival also made me chuckle.  Mostly I sat in stony,
angry silence as this aggressively brainless film dribbled towards a
sequel-ready conclusion, tallying up the ways it treated viewers like
pre-schoolers who laugh hysterically when they shout "doody-head" at each
other.  Remember that list next time you trust Disney's name to mean
anything but mass-market infantilism.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 Martian chronic ills:  1.

                      Visit Scott Renshaw's MoviePage
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
                                   ***
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From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Full List of Oscar Nominations
Date: 09 Feb 1999 10:29:08 -0700

                    Actor in a Leading Role
                      Roberto Benigni in LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      Tom Hanks in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      Ian McKellen in GODS AND MONSTERS
                      Nick Nolte in AFFLICTION
                      Edward Norton in AMERICAN HISTORY X

                    Actor in a Supporting Role
                      James Coburn in AFFLICTION
                      Robert Duvall in A CIVIL ACTION
                      Ed Harris in THE TRUMAN SHOW
                      Geoffrey Rush in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      Billy Bob Thornton in A SIMPLE PLAN

                    Actress in a Leading Role
                      Cate Blanchett in ELIZABETH
                      Fernanda Montenegro in CENTRAL STATION
                      Gwyneth Paltrow in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      Meryl Streep in ONE TRUE THING
                      Emily Watson in HILARY AND JACKIE

                    Actress in a Supporting Role
                      Kathy Bates in PRIMARY COLORS
                      Brenda Blethyn in LITTLE VOICE
                      Judi Dench in SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      Rachel Griffiths in HILARY AND JACKIE
                      Lynn Redgrave in GODS AND MONSTERS

                    Art Direction
                      ELIZABETH
                      PLEASANTVILLE
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

                    Cinematography
                      A CIVIL ACTION
                      ELIZABETH
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      THE THIN RED LINE

                    Costume Design
                      BELOVED
                      ELIZABETH
                      PLEASANTVILLE
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      VELVET GOLDMINE

                    Directing
                      LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      THE THIN RED LINE
                      THE TRUMAN SHOW

                    Documentary Feature
                      DANCEMAKER
                      THE FARM: ANGOLA, U.S.A.
                      THE LAST DAYS
                      LENNY BRUCE: SWEAR TO TELL THE TRUTH
                      REGRET TO INFORM

                    Documentary Short Subject
                      THE PERSONALS: Improvisations on Romance in the
                        Golden Years
                      A PLACE IN THE LAND
                      SUNRISE OVER TIANANMEN SQUARE

                    Film Editing
                      LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      OUT OF SIGHT
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      THE THIN RED LINE

                    Foreign Language Film
                      CENTRAL STATION
                      CHILDREN OF HEAVEN
                      THE GRANDFATHER
                      LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      TANGO

                    Makeup
                      ELIZABETH
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

                    Original Musical or Comedy Score
                      A BUG'S LIFE
                      MULAN
                      PATCH ADAMS
                      THE PRINCE OF EGYPT
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

                    Original Dramatic Score
                      ELIZABETH
                      LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      PLEASANTVILLE
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      THE THIN RED LINE

                    Original Song
                      "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" from ARMAGEDDON
                      "The Prayer" from QUEST FOR CAMELOT
                      "A Soft Place to Fall" from THE HORSE WHISPERER
                      "That'll Do" from BABE: PIG IN THE CITY
                      "When You Believe" from THE PRINCE OF EGYPT

                    Best Picture
                      ELIZABETH
                      LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      THE THIN RED LINE

                    Short FilmùAnimated
                      BUNNY
                      THE CANTERBURY TALES
                      JOLLY ROGER
                      MORE
                      WHEN LIFE DEPARTS

                    Short FilmùLive Action
                      CULTURE
                      ELECTION NIGHT (Valgaften)
                      HOLIDAY ROMANCE
                      LA CARTE POSTALE (The Postcard)
                      VICTOR

                    Sound
                      ARMAGEDDON
                      THE MASK OF ZORRO
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      THE THIN RED LINE

                    Sound Effects Editing
                      ARMAGEDDON
                      THE MASK OF ZORRO
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

                    Visual Effects
                      ARMAGEDDON
                      MIGHTY JOE YOUNG
                      WHAT DREAMS MAY COME

                    ScreenplayùOriginal
                      BULWORTH
                      LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL
                      SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
                      SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
                      THE TRUMAN SHOW

                    ScreenplayùAdaptation
                      GODS AND MONSTERS
                      OUT OF SIGHT
                      PRIMARY COLORS
                      A SIMPLE PLAN
                      THE THIN RED LINE

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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Razzie Nominations
Date: 09 Feb 1999 10:42:12 -0700 (MST)

Monday February 8 4:08 PM ET

"Smithee," "Avengers" Razzed

Burn Hollywood Burn: An Alan Smithee Film--the misfire of a satire that was
torched by critics, dumped by a studio and ignored by audiences--today was
doused by the Razzies.

The would-be comedy, from the pen of ⁿberscreenwriter Joe Eszterhas, led
all stinkers with nine nominations for the 19th Annual Razzie Awards,
dishonoring bad film.

The Razzies, presented by the Golden Raspberry Foundation, also had much
low praise for The Avengers (eight nominations), box-office smash
Armageddon (seven) and the sputtering Spice Girls vehicle Spice World (six).

The unofficial anti-Oscars will be presented in Santa Monica, California,
on March 20--the day before the real-deal Academy Awards. Not many
celebrities are expected to attend. Strangely, you just don't draw the big
names with categories like: Worst New Star, Worst Actor, and Worst Actress.

A-list types dinged by the Razzies include Adam Sandler (The Waterboy, Anne
Heche (Psycho) and Sean Connery (The Avengers).

Bruce Willis proved himself a rare triple threat, winning a Worst Actor
nomination on the strength of his 1998 trilogy: Armageddon, Mercury Rising
and The Siege.

Sadly, perennial Razzie favorite (and estranged Willis spouse) Demi Moore
was not nominated. On the upside, that means she didn't make any movies
last year.

Here's a rundown of the major races for the 19th Annual Razzies:

     Worst Picture: Burn Hollywood Burn, Armageddon, The Avengers,
     Godzilla and Spice World.

     Worst Actor: Ralph Fiennes (The Avengers, Ryan O'Neal (Burn
     Hollywood Burn), Ryan Phillippe (54), Adam Sandler (The Waterboy),
     Bruce Willis (Armageddon, Mercury Rising, The Siege).

     Worst Actress: Yasmine Bleeth (BASEketball), Anne Heche (Psycho),
     Jessica Lange (Hush), the Spice Girls (Spice World, Uma Thurman
     (The Avengers).

     Worst Supporting Actor: Sean Connery (The Avengers), Joe Eszterhas
     (Burn Hollywood Burn), Roger Moore (Spice World), Joe Pesci (Lethal
     Weapon 4), Sylvester Stallone (Burn Hollywood Burn).

     Worst Supporting Actress: Ellen Albertini Dow (54), Jenny McCarthy
     (BASEketball), Maria Pitillo (Godzilla), Liv Tyler (Armageddon),
     Raquel Welch (Chairman of the Board).

     Worst Director: Michael Bay (Armageddon), Jeremiah Chechik (The
     Avengers), Roland Emmerich (Godzilla), Alan Smithee (aka, Arthur
     Hiller) (Burn Hollywood Burn), Gus Van Sant (Psycho).

     Worst Screen "Couple": Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler (Armageddon), Any
     Combination of Two Characters, Body Parts or Fashion Accessories
     (Spice World), Any Combination of  Two People Playing Themselves
     (or Playing With Themselves) (Burn Hollywood Burn), Leonardo
     DiCaprio and Leonardo DiCaprio (The Man in the Iron Mask), Ralph
     Fiennes and Uma Thurman (The Avengers).

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From: Virginia Roberts Rolland <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] To: [e-mail]
Date: 09 Feb 1999 13:36:36 -0600 (CST)

I have just subscribed to this list so keep me informed on everything
that's going on!

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From: Michael Dequina <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations & Analysis
Date: 09 Feb 1999 11:22:53 -0800

T   H   E
M   O   V   I   E
R   E   P   O   R   T

1998 ACADEMY AWARD NOMINATIONS

Could it be that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences actually
got a lot of it _right_ this year?  That was my immediate reaction upon
hearing the announcement of their nominees for the 71st Academy Awards this
morning in Beverly Hills.  While there were the usual number of aggravating
omissions, never in recent memory has the Academy's picks jibed with this
critics' personal tastes.  Here is the big list, along with my
not-so-expert analysis.


PICTURE
_Elizabeth_
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_
_Saving_Private_Ryan_
_Shakespeare_in_Love_
_The_Thin_Red_Line_

Bravo#1 to the Academy: for embracing Terrence Malick's extremely
difficult, extremely brilliant _The_Thin_Red_Line_, a film that been pegged
as an also-ran in the Oscar race by industry pundits; in the end, the film
ended up one of the leading contenders, with seven total nominations.  The
inclusion of Shekar Kapur's sumptuous "historical thriller" _Elizabeth_
comes as somewhat of a surprise, especially since its inclusion comes at
the expense of what many believed to be a shoo-in for this category--Peter
Weir's _The_Truman_Show_, which shockingly turned out to be the big
also-ran in the race, garnering only three total nominations (fewer
than--gasp--_Armageddon_).  Other omissions: the highly overrated critics'
darling _Waking_Ned_Devine_, which proved to be no _Full_Monty_ by not
snagging a single nod; another overrated but more deserving critics'
favorite _Gods_and_Monsters_; the deservedly celebrated critics' darling
_Out_of_Sight_, which came away with only two nominations elsewhere; and a
few of my personal favorites--Sam Raimi's terrific _A_Simple_Plan_; the
spectactular animated epic _The_Prince_of_Egypt_; and Todd Solondz's
splendidly subversive _Happiness_.


ACTOR
Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_=20
Tom Hanks, _Saving_Private_Ryan_=20
Ian McKellen, _Gods_and_Monsters_=20
Nick Nolte, _Affliction_=20
Edward Norton, _American_History_X_

Bravo#2 to the Academy: for recognizing Norton, whose fierce and
frightening work was, in my opinion, the best by a lead actor last year.
The rest of the field holds no surprises, except perhaps the omission of
_The_Truman_Show_'s Jim Carrey.  However, did anyone really think that the
Academy would throw a bone to the infamous butt-talker, Golden Globe win or
no Golden Globe win, even if he did deliver a breakthrough dramatic
performance?  Performances I would have liked to have seen recognized: Bill
Paxton in _A_Simple_Plan_ and John Hurt in _Love_and_Death_in_Long_Island_.


ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, _Elizabeth_=20
Fernanda Montenegro, _Central_Station_=20
Gwyneth Paltrow, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20
Meryl Streep, _One_True_Thing_=20
Emily Watson, _Hilary_and_Jackie_

Bravo#3 to the Academy: for awarding Watson a nod for another tour-de-force
performance.  The Academy's love affair with Streep continues, and while
her _One_True_Thing_ work was indeed strong, was it really more impressive
than the astonishing acts of mimickry Jane Horrocks pulled off in
_Little_Voice_?  Or Oprah Winfrey's anguished turn in the much-maligned
_Beloved_?  Other notable omissions: surprise New York Film Critics Circle
winner Cameron Diaz, for _There's_Something_About_Mary_; Ally Sheedy's
much-talked-about comeback in _High_Art_; and two of my
favorites--Christina Ricci in _The_Opposite_of_Sex_ (which was _completely_
snubbed) and Meg Ryan in _You've_Got_Mail_.


SUPPORTING ACTOR
James Coburn, _Affliction_=20
Robert Duvall, _A_Civil_Action_=20
Ed Harris, _The_Truman_Show_=20
Geoffrey Rush, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20
Billy Bob Thornton, _A_Simple_Plan_

The Academy didn't quite get the supporting categories right, however.
Where the hell is Bill Murray's nod for _Rushmore_ (which was completely
shut out)?  Jason Patric for _Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_?  Steve Martin for
_The_Spanish_Prisoner_?  Jeremy Davies for _Saving_Private_Ryan_?  Elias
Koteas, Nick Nolte, or Ben Chaplin for _The_Thin_Red_Line_?  Or the actor
who gave hands-down the best supporting performance of last year--Dylan
Baker in _Happiness_?  Surely any two of these would be wiser choices than
Duvall and Rush.  On the plus side, however, Coburn's nod is a nice
surprise--though not as nice if any of the aforementioned were given their
due.


SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kathy Bates, _Primary_Colors_=20
Brenda Blethyn, _Little_Voice_=20
Judi Dench, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20
Rachel Griffiths, _Hilary_and_Jackie_=20
Lynn Redgrave, _Gods_and_Monsters_

Her _Friends_ may be there for her, but the Academy wasn't--call it
snobbery, an unfortunate lack of visibility, or just plain _wrong_: the
snub of Lisa Kudrow's movie-stealing turn in _The_Opposite_of_Sex_.  Also
robbed was my personal supporting actress fave of last year, Kimberly
Elise's understated work in _Beloved_.  Other omissions: Joan Allen for
_Pleasantville_; Thandie Newton for _Beloved_; Bridget Fonda for
_A_Simple_Plan_.  On the upside, the Academy earns Bravo#4 for recognizing
Griffiths, who more than held her own against the formidable Emily Watson.
=20

DIRECTOR
Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_=20
John Madden, _Shakespeare_in_Love_=20
Terrence Malick, _The_Thin_Red_Line_=20
Steven Spielberg, _Saving_Private_Ryan_=20
Peter Weir, _The_Truman_Show_

Bravo#5 to the Academy: for giving Malick a warm welcome back to
filmmaking.  No real surprises here though I would have liked to have seen
_A_Simple_Plan_'s Sam Raimi here instead of Madden.


ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
_Gods_and_Monsters_ - Bill Condon=20
_Out_of_Sight_ - Scott Frank=20
_Primary_Colors_ - Elaine May=20
_A_Simple_Plan_ - Scott B. Smith=20
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Terrence Malick=20

Bravo#6 to the Academy: for continuing to recognize Malick.  Ignored: Frank
Cottrell Boyce's ingeniously structured _Hilary_and_Jackie_.


ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
_Bulworth_ - Warren Beatty & Jeremy Pikser=20
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - Roberto Benigni=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Robert Rodat=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard=20
_The_Truman_Show_ - Andrew Niccol=20

Fresh, wild, and unpredictable--I guess it's no shock that the conservative
Academy passed over more adventurous works like Wes Anderson and Owen
Wilson's _Rushmore_, Don Roos's _The_Opposite_of_Sex_, and Todd Solondz's
_Happiness_.  (It doesn't make their omissions any less aggravating,
though.)  Also ignored: David Mamet's _The_Spanish_Prisoner_; Gary Ross's
_Pleasantville_; and the sly sociopolitical satire_Antz_, by Todd Alcott,
Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz.


FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
_Central_Station_ (Brazil)=20
_Children_of_Heaven_ (Iran)=20
_The_Grandfather_ (Spain)=20
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ (Italy)=20
_Tango_ (Argentina)=20

Maybe it was the overall dark tone or the pretentiousness of the "Dogme 95"
manifesto under which it was made, but the omission of Denmark's
_The_Celebration_(Festen)_ comes as quite a surprise.


ART DIRECTION
_Elizabeth_ - Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Peter Howitt=20
_Pleasantville_ - Art Direction: Jeannine Oppewall; Set Decoration: Jay Hart=
=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Art Direction: Tom Sanders; Set Decoration: Lisa
Dean Kavanaugh=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Art Direction: Martin Childs; Set Decoration: Jill
Quertier=20
_What_Dreams_May_Come_ - Art Direction: Eugenio Zanetti; Set Decoration:
Cindy Carr=20

I'd hate to join Siskel and Ebert in their baffling support of
_Babe:_Pig_in_the_City_, but I think that film's production design merited
recognition.  Even more deserving, though, is one of the more stunning
visual achievements of last year--_Dark_City_, which came up completely
empty-handed in these technical categories.


CINEMATOGRAPHY
_A_Civil_Action_ - Conrad L. Hall=20
_Elizabeth_ - Remi Adefarasin=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Janusz Kaminski=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Richard Greatrex=20
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - John Toll=20

_A_Civil_Action_?  Why?


COSTUME DESIGN
_Beloved_ - Colleen Atwood=20
_Elizabeth_ - Alexandra Byrne=20
_Pleasantville_ - Judianna Makovsky=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Sandy Powell=20
_Velvet_Goldmine_ - Sandy Powell=20

Bravo#7: for recognizing _Velvet_Goldmine_'s vivid recreation of the gaudy
glory of glitter rock.


FILM EDITING
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - Simona Paggi=20
_Out_of_Sight_ - Anne V. Coates=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Michael Kahn=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - David Gamble=20
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Billy Weber, Leslie Jones and Saar Klein=20

I loved _La_Vita_=C8_Bella_ as much as the next guy, but was there really
anything that special about its editing?


MAKEUP
_Elizabeth_ - Jenny Shircore=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Lois Burwell, Conor O'Sullivan, and Daniel C.
Striepeke=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Lisa Westcott and Veronica Brebner=20

ORIGINAL DRAMATIC SCORE
_Elizabeth_ - David Hirschfelder=20
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - Nicola Piovani=20
_Pleasantville_ - Randy Newman=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - John Williams=20
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Hans Zimmer=20

_The_Truman_Show_, anyone?


ORIGINAL MUSICAL/COMEDY SCORE
_A_Bug's_Life_ - Randy Newman=20
_Mulan_ - Jerry Goldsmith, Matthew Wilder, and David Zippel=20
_Patch_Adams_ - Marc Shaiman=20
_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - Hans Zimmer and Stephen Schwartz=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Stephen Warbeck=20

All due respect to Mr. Shaiman, but why the Academy would want to recognize
anything associated witn _Patch_Adams_ is beyond me.


ORIGINAL SONG
"I Don't Want to Miss a Thing", _Armageddon_ - Diane Warren=20
"The Prayer," _Quest_for_Camelot_ - Music by Carole Bayer Sager and David
Foster; Lyric by Carole Bayer Sager, David Foster, Tony Renis and Alberto
Testa=20
"A Soft Place to Fall," _The_Horse_Whisperer_ - Allison Moorer and Gwil Owen=
=20
"That'll Do," _Babe:_Pig_in _the_City_ - Randy Newman=20
"When You Believe," _The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - Stephen Schwartz=20

Warner Bros. better thank its lucky stars for the gold-plated pipes of
movie theme diva Celine Dion; without them, it's highly doubtful that fluke
Golden Globe winner "The Prayer" would have received this, the studio's
_only_ nod for the year--and for a grade-A hunk of Saturday morning-level
cheese, no less.  But that's just one curious development in a _very_
curious category.  _The_Horse_Whisperer_?  _Babe:_Pig_in_the_City_?  I, for
one, would have rather liked to seen songs that actually mattered in the
film in which they appeared: _Mulan_'s "Reflection," _Living_Out_Loud_'s
"Give Me Something Real," or even "Uninvited" from _City_of_Angels_ and
_Still_Crazy_'s "The Flame Still Burns."  Hell, "Take Me There" from
_The_Rugrats_Movie_ would have at least been a _fun_ choice.


SOUND
_Armageddon_ - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Keith A. Wester=20
_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - Kevin O'Connell, Greg P. Russell and Pud Cusack=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Ronald
Judkins=20
_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - Robin O'Donoghue, Dominic Lester and Peter Glossop=
=20
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer and Paul Brincat=20

SOUND EFFECTS EDITING
_Armageddon_ - George Watters, II=20
_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - David McMoyler=20
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - Gary Rydstrom and Richard Hymns=20

VISUAL EFFECTS
_Armageddon_ - Richard R. Hoover, Pat McClung and John Frazier=20
_Mighty_Joe_Young_ - Rick Baker, Hoyt Yeatman, Alan Hall and Jim Mitchell=20
_What_Dreams_May_Come_ - Joel Hynek, Nicholas Brooks, Stuart Robertson and
Kevin Mack=20

Now, for the year's _worst_ nomination.  How could _Mighty_Joe_Young_'s
absolutely phony-looking effects be nominated over the subtle yet
superlative work in _Pleasantville_?


DOCUMENTARY FEATURE
_Dancemaker_ - Matthew Diamond and Jerry Kupfer=20
_The_Farm:_Angola,_U.S.A._ - Jonathan Stack and Liz Garbus=20
_The_Last_Days_ - James Moll and Ken Lipper=20
_Lenny_Bruce:_Swear_to_Tell_the_Truth_ - Robert B. Weide=20
_Regret_to_Inform_ - Barbara Sonneborn and Janet Cole=20

LIVE ACTION SHORT
_Culture_ - Will Speck & Josh Gordon=20
_Election_Night_ - Kim Magnusson and Anders Thomas Jensen=20
_Holiday_Romance_ - Alexander Jovy=20
_La_Carte_Postale_(The_Postcard)_ - Vivian Goffette=20
_Victor_ - Simon Sandquist and Joel Bergvall=20

ANIMATED SHORT
_Bunny_ - Chris Wedge=20
_The_Canterbury_Tales_ - Christopher Grace and Jonathan Myerson=20
_Jolly_Roger_ - Mark Baker=20
_More_ - Mark Osborne and Steve Kalafer=20
_When_Life_Departs_ - Karsten Kiilerich and Sefan Fjeldmark=20

DOCUMENTARY SHORT
_The_Personals:_Improvisations_on_Romance_in_the_Golden_Years_ - Keiko Ibi=
=20
_A_Place_in_the_Land_ - Charles Guggenheim=20
_Sunrise_over_Tiananmen_Square_ - Shui-Bo Wang and Donald McWilliams=20

MULTIPLE NOMINEES

_Shakespeare_in_Love_ - 13
_Saving_Private_Ryan_ - 11
_Elizabeth_ - 7
_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_ - 7
_The_Thin_Red_Line_ - 7
_Armageddon_ - 4
_Gods_and_Monsters_ - 3
_Pleasantville_ - 3
_The_Truman_Show_ - 3
_Affliction_ - 2
_Central_Station_ - 2
_A_Civil_Action_ - 2
_Hilary_and_Jackie_ - 2
_The_Mask_of_Zorro_ - 2
_Out_of_Sight_ - 2
_Primary_Colors_ - 2
_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ - 2
_A_Simple_Plan_ - 2
_What_Dreams_May_Come_ - 2


The Academy Awards will be handed out on Sunday, March 21 at 8PM
Eastern/5PM Pacific on ABC, beginning with the first official Oscar
pre-show, hosted by (of all people) Geena Davis...


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From: cHriS <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Who'da thunk?
Date: 09 Feb 1999 15:18:20 -0600


THE MOVIE REPORT's 1998 Academy Award Nominations & Analysis noted:

"DIRECTOR
Roberto Benigni, _Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_=C8_Bella)_
John Madden, _Shakespeare_in_Love_
Terrence Malick, _The_Thin_Red_Line_
Steven Spielberg, _Saving_Private_Ryan_
Peter Weir, _The_Truman_Show_

Bravo#5 to the Academy: for giving Malick a warm welcome back to
filmmaking.  No real surprises here though I would have liked to have seen
_A_Simple_Plan_'s Sam Raimi here instead of Madden."


John Madden? Nominated for an Oscar? I didn't even realize he was into
making films, considering his other busy careers as an NFL analyst and
endorsing football video games. Wonder if he picks an All-Madden team for
Hollywood...

- cHriS  :)





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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/09/99
Date: 09 Feb 1999 14:34:11 -0700 (MST)

Twentieth Century Fox and filmmakers Roland Emmerich
and Dean Devlin are in talks to produce a sequel to
the 1996 box-office hit Independence Day, according
to Variety's Michael Flemming. Flemming reports that
Emmerich and Devlin have hit upon an idea for a second
film that will likely reunite ID4 stars Will Smith and Jeff
Goldblum.

More importantly, Fox, Emmerich and Devlin may have
found a way to put aside the bad blood that arose when
the two filmmakers left Fox and signed a long-term deal
with Sony Pictures. Independence Day, the third
highest-grossing film of all time, took in a whopping $814
million at the box office.

                        -=> * <=-

Wesley Snipes has agreed to reprise his role as the
half-human, half-vampire superhero that he made
famous in the 1998 New Line flick Blade. According to
The Hollywood Reporter, Snipes will star in an upcoming
Blade sequel as well as produce the movie through his
company Amen Ra Films.

Blade screenwriter David Goyer will oversee the script for
the new film, though there is no word yet on who will
direct. The first Blade movie, based on the Marvel comic
of the same name, brought in $70 million in domestic
ticket sales.

                        -=> * <=-

Warner Bros. is looking for a director to take the helm
of its on-again, off-again film Superman Lives,
according to The Hollywood Reporter. Since Tim
Burton's highly publicized departure from the project,
Warner has reportedly been looking at Shekhar Kapur
(Elizabeth), Simon West (Con Air) and Steve Norrington
(Blade) as possible replacements.

By all accounts Nicolas Cage is still attached to star as
the Man of Steel, though the oft-rewritten screenplay for
the flick is supposedly undergoing more lengthy revisions.
Even if Warner does settle on a new director, it's unclear
when the film would begin shooting.

                        -=> * <=-

Director Harold Ramis is giving up plans to work on the
DreamWorks SF comedy film Galaxy Quest, according
to Variety. The entertainment trade publication
speculated that Ramis simply wants to take a break after
working on the Robert De Niro/Billy Crystal film Analyze
This, which hits theaters on March 5.

Galaxy Quest tells the story of a former TV actor who has
to play his role as a space captain for real when he and
his cast mates are recruited by aliens to save their
endangered race. Although no new director has been lined
up for the flick, shooting is expected to begin as
scheduled this summer.

                        -=> * <=-

Marvel Comics has managed to cut through some of
the legal webs that are entangling the rights to a
live-action feature film version of the popular
superhero Spider-Man, according to The Hollywood
Reporter. The comic book company recently won a
summary judgment dismissing claims that MGM has
proprietary rights to such a film.

However, Marvel is not in the clear yet. MGM has vowed
to appeal the decision and also said that it has other
claims of ownership that it intends to put forward. In the
meantime, Sony is still pressing claims that it owns the
Spidey rights.

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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99
Date: 09 Feb 1999 15:28:03 -0700 (MST)

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's antitrust division has
begun a preliminary inquiry into some practices in the distribution
of movies. "We are looking into certain possibly anti-competitive
practices in the distribution of motion pictures," said Justice
spokeswoman Jennifer Rose. She declined to name any companies whose
practices are under review. The probe, at a very preliminary stage,
focuses on possible violations of a 1948 consent decree, known as the
Paramount decree, that forced movie studios to sell their movie
theaters and put other restrictions on their relationships, according
to a source, who requested anonymity.

                        -=> * <=-

BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political
reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening
of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this
month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing
and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown
nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new
year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years
ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out
of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Justice Department inquiry into the way movies
are distributed to theaters caught Hollywood off guard, as executives
and analysts wondered Monday what suddenly triggered the most
aggressive government review in 50 years. The government's
wide-ranging request for materials dating back to Jan. 1996 was
spelled out in a 10-page document distributed Thursday and Friday to
the major studios and two large theater chains. The document focuses
on the issue of whether all theaters get a fair chance to show the
films they want. It appears to be the Justice Department's closest
inspection of movie distribution practices since a crackdown in the
late 1940s, when studios - accused of monopolistic practices - were
forced to sell their theater chains.

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From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99
Date: 09 Feb 1999 14:56:54 -0800

hmmm.... can you say DISNEY?

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    The Reporter [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Tuesday, February 09, 1999 2:28 PM
> To:    Movies Mailing List
> Subject:    [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99
>
> WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's antitrust division has
> begun a preliminary inquiry into some practices in the distribution
> of movies. "We are looking into certain possibly anti-competitive
> practices in the distribution of motion pictures," said Justice
> spokeswoman Jennifer Rose. She declined to name any companies whose
> practices are under review. The probe, at a very preliminary stage,
> focuses on possible violations of a 1948 consent decree, known as the
> Paramount decree, that forced movie studios to sell their movie
> theaters and put other restrictions on their relationships, according
> to a source, who requested anonymity.
>
>                         -=> * <=-
>
> BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political
> reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening
> of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this
> month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing
> and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown
> nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new
> year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years
> ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out
> of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet.
>
>                         -=> * <=-
>
> LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Justice Department inquiry into the way movies
> are distributed to theaters caught Hollywood off guard, as executives
> and analysts wondered Monday what suddenly triggered the most
> aggressive government review in 50 years. The government's
> wide-ranging request for materials dating back to Jan. 1996 was
> spelled out in a 10-page document distributed Thursday and Friday to
> the major studios and two large theater chains. The document focuses
> on the issue of whether all theaters get a fair chance to show the
> films they want. It appears to be the Justice Department's closest
> inspection of movie distribution practices since a crackdown in the
> late 1940s, when studios - accused of monopolistic practices - were
> forced to sell their theater chains.
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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

From: Oz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99
Date: 10 Feb 1999 10:08:31 -0800

"Romero, Leticia" wrote:
>
> hmmm.... can you say DISNEY?

Can;t get the words out... but I can say "Sony".

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: The Reporter [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> > Sent: Tuesday, February 09, 1999 2:28 PM
> > To:   Movies Mailing List
> > Subject:      [MV] Movie News - 02/09/99
> >
> > WASHINGTON (AP) - The Justice Department's antitrust division has
> > begun a preliminary inquiry into some practices in the distribution
> > of movies. "We are looking into certain possibly anti-competitive
> > practices in the distribution of motion pictures," said Justice
> > spokeswoman Jennifer Rose. She declined to name any companies whose
> > practices are under review. The probe, at a very preliminary stage,
> > focuses on possible violations of a 1948 consent decree, known as the
> > Paramount decree, that forced movie studios to sell their movie
> > theaters and put other restrictions on their relationships, according
> > to a source, who requested anonymity.
> >
> >                         -=> * <=-
> >
> > BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political
> > reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening
> > of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this
> > month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing
> > and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown
> > nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new
> > year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years
> > ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out
> > of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet.
> >
> >                         -=> * <=-
> >
> > LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Justice Department inquiry into the way movies
> > are distributed to theaters caught Hollywood off guard, as executives
> > and analysts wondered Monday what suddenly triggered the most
> > aggressive government review in 50 years. The government's
> > wide-ranging request for materials dating back to Jan. 1996 was
> > spelled out in a 10-page document distributed Thursday and Friday to
> > the major studios and two large theater chains. The document focuses
> > on the issue of whether all theaters get a fair chance to show the
> > films they want. It appears to be the Justice Department's closest
> > inspection of movie distribution practices since a crackdown in the
> > late 1940s, when studios - accused of monopolistic practices - were
> > forced to sell their theater chains.
> >
> > [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> > [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

--

------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
    "Damn the man, Joe!"    -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------

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From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Who'da thunk?
Date: 09 Feb 1999 19:30:35 -0500

At 03.18 PM 09/02/99 -0600, cHriS wrote:
>
>John Madden? Nominated for an Oscar? I didn't even realize he was into
>making films, considering his other busy careers as an NFL analyst and
>endorsing football video games. Wonder if he picks an All-Madden team for
>Hollywood...

Well, I was really looking forward to this film, but after cHriS' comments,
all I can imagine is Romeo and Juliet (nee Ethel) with a telestrator.
BOOM.  Look at that move!!!:-)

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppel Enderbery
__________________________

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From: "Melysa Burns" <[e-mail]>
Subject:       Re: [MV] Full List of Oscar Nominations
Date: 10 Feb 1999 11:48:26 MST

Thank you soooo much for sending me this list... this way i at least
know who was nominated if by chance I don't get to watch the oscars.
So thanks again!

Melysa

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From: "Melysa Burns" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] CC: [e-mail]
Date: 10 Feb 1999 11:55:18 MST

This stuff is all new to me, meaning that this is the first time I
have ever subscribed to a list.  Getting messages that apply to
something that i am interested in, like movies, is really cool. Me,
subscribing to this list was part of my internet class assignment...
but for now i will continue to stay on it, until i get tired of
getting all the messages.  Thanks.

Melysa

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From: [e-mail] (Ryan Allen)
Subject: Re: [MV] CC: [e-mail]
Date: 10 Feb 1999 14:37:13 -0500

At 13:55 2/10/99 , you wrote:
>but for now i will continue to stay on it, until i get tired of
>getting all the messages.  Thanks.
>
>Melysa

Welcome to the list.  There are thousands out there, so congratulations on
finding one you enjoy.

Cheers,
Ryan Allen
Intranet Specialist
Intranet Development Team (IDTeam)
Allen Systems Group
http://www.asg.com

## Please visit my Personal Page ##
## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ##

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: BLAST FROM THE PAST
Date: 10 Feb 1999 12:36:35 -0700 (MST)

BLAST FROM THE PAST
(New Line)
Starring:  Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Christopher Walken, Sissy
Spacek, Dave Foley.
Screenplay:  Bill Kelly and Hugh Wilson.
Producers:  Renny Harlin and Hugh Wilson.
Director:  Hugh Wilson.
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (profanity, adult themes)
Running Time:  106 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     The conventional three-act film storytelling structure may not be
sacrosanct, but if you're telling a conventional story, it's a really good
idea to use it.  Marketing sets up the audience to expect a specific
conflict for the second act, and to expect that certain characters and
relationships will be the focal points; familiarity with other films tells
them those elements will appear before they've finished their bags of
popcorn.  If you give the people what they expect when they're expecting
it, you're going to satisfy them nine times out of ten.

     BLAST FROM THE PAST is set up as a romance and a fish-out-of-water
comedy, and eventually it is both.  It simply takes foooorrreeeeevvveerr
to get there.  The prologue begins in October 1962 in Los Angeles, where
brilliant, highly paranoid scientist/inventor Calvin Webber (Christopher
Walken) and his nine-months-pregnant wife Helen (Sissy Spacek) are
well-prepared for the Cold War to turn hot.  The Cuban Missile Crisis and
a nearby plane crash conspire to convince the Webbers that nuclear war has
begun, so they lock themselves into their plush multi-room fallout shelter
to wait out the radiation.  Thirty-five years later the door opens, and
the Webbers' son Adam (Brendan Fraser) -- who has spent his whole life
sealed away with Mom and Dad in 1962 -- emerges for supplies and, perhaps,
to find a wife.

     A sensible film-maker would have realized that the Webbers' life in
the shelter was the set-up for the story, not the story itself.  Director
Hugh Wilson, working from his own re-write of Bill Kelly's original story,
decides that those thirty-five years will take up the first thirty-five
minutes of the film.  He juxtaposes details of their day-to-day lives with
developments in the world above -- the latter centered around an employee
(Joey Slotnik) in a malt shop-turned-singles' bar-turned-punk dive --
betraying his sitcom roots by spending infinitely too much time on wacky
peripheral characters. Helen becomes an alcoholic while slowly going stir
crazy, Calvin revels in his role as teacher-lord of his domain, the malt
shop/bar employee becomes a burnout, and who really cares?  Get Adam into
the real world let him cope with it.

     At long last he does get into the real world, and befriends a cynical
young woman named Eve (Alicia Silverstone).  Naturally he reacts strangely
to new-to-him phenomena like riding on a bus and looking at the sky, and
naturally other people react strangely to his anachronistic politeness and
friendliness.  The whole business is handled clumsily, though; like Adam
himself, the film waits so long to begin doing the things it should have
been doing much earlier, it appears unsure how to do them.  The
relationship with Eve develops with inevitability, but without making
sense of her softening towards Adam.  How much better spent that first
half hour might have been if the real world juxtaposition had been Eve's
childhood rather than the pointless Slotnik character, both for comedic
social commentary potential and for plot development purposes.  But no
such luck -- BLAST FROM THE PAST often feels like an assembly-line product
made by people who've never seen an assembly line.

     BLAST FROM THE PAST does have its charms, enough not to make the
experience completely frustrating.  Brendan Fraser does have the naif in a
strange land thing nailed -- he should, after ENCINO MAN and GEORGE OF THE
JUNGLE -- with his big lug build and goofy kid grin; Dave Foley gets the
already tired role of the gay best friend, but delivers his lines with
zest.  Wilson brings a silly energy to the second half of the film, giving
it enough cute moments to make it watchable, but he never pulls it all
together in a way that's completely satisfying.  BLAST FROM THE PAST is a
pretty lousy execution of a fairly simple idea, a textbook case of a
by-the-numbers plot that just doesn't add up.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 half-lives:  5.

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/10/99
Date: 10 Feb 1999 15:56:07 -0700 (MST)

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em: Madonna plans to play
a cynical tabloid TV reporter in her next movie, a
romantic comedy tentatively titled "Ton 80." It is her
first film since 1996's "Evita." Variety says the flick
is to be made by Warner Bros. under Madonna's Madguy
production banner. (The trade publication also notes
that her movies have "yielded mixed results at best.")
In the script, by Andrew Fishman, Madonna's character is
assigned to find and expose a reclusive, female, self-help
author. It turns out the author is a gruff, handsome,
dysfunctional man who hardly takes his life lessons to
heart. Trouble is, the reporter falls in love with him
and must decide whether or not to jeopardize their
relationship by selling him out. The term "Ton 80" comes
from the game of darts and refers to the highest possible
score of a triple 20. "Don't be surprised if the film
gets a title makeover by the time it's ready to be made
into a film," says Variety.

                        -=> * <=-

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The romantic comedy "Shakespeare in
Love" collected a near-record 13 Oscar nominations Tuesday to top the
early favorite, Steven Spielberg's war epic "Saving Private Ryan."
The Italian "Life Is Beautiful" became the first in three decades to
be nominated for best picture and best foreign language movie. Among
the nominations for "Shakespeare in Love" were best picture,
director, actress for Gwyneth Paltrow, supporting actor for Geoffrey
Rush, supporting actress for Judi Dench and original screenplay for
Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard. "Saving Private Ryan" had 11
nominations, including best picture, director Steven Spielberg,
leading actor Tom Hanks and original screenplay by Robert Rodat.

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/10/99
Date: 10 Feb 1999 17:51:08 -0700 (MST)

According to a recent poll conducted by Sci-Fi
Entertainment Magazine, fans think Star Wars is the
No. 1 SF film of all time. That was the verdict reached
after Sci-Fi Entertainment--the official magazine of the
Sci-Fi Channel--tallied more than 20,000 votes in an
attempt to determine the "Top 100 Sci-Fi Films."

Rounding out the top 10 after Star Wars came Blade
Runner, 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Empire Strikes Back,
The Day the Earth Stood Still, Star Trek II: The Wrath of
Khan, Aliens, Return of the Jedi, Alien and Forbidden
Planet. The complete list of 100 films will be available on
the Sci-Fi Channel's Dominion Web site on Feb. 1 and will
also be published in the April issue of Sci-Fi
Entertainment.

                        -=> * <=-

Schindler's List actress Embeth Davidtz has joined the
cast of the upcoming Robin Williams SF flick
Bicentennial Man, according to Variety. Davidtz,
whose credits also include Fallen, The Gingerbread Man
and Army of Darkness, will play two roles in the film,
which is based on the Isaac Asimov story of the same
name.

The movie is about an android (Williams) who takes on
human qualities during the two hundred years he spends
as the servant of a human family. Davidtz will play both a
young woman that Williams takes care of as well as that
woman's granddaughter.

                        -=> * <=-

Mission Impossible Director Brian De Palma may take
the helm of Disney's upcoming SF thriller Mission to
Mars, according to The Hollywood Reporter. If the
deal goes through, De Palma would replace Gore Verbinski,
who recently left the project due to creative and
budgetary differences.

Mars tells the story of two missions sent to the Red
Planet, the first a research craft that disappears
mysteriously and the second a rescue party. If De Palma
agrees to take on the project, filming could reportedly
start as soon as June.

                        -=> * <=-

Artisan Entertainment picked up the worldwide rights to
the independent horror film The Blair Witch Project
after a screening at the Sundance Film Festival,
according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film is about
three students who mysteriously disappear while shooting
a documentary in Blair, Md., about a local witch myth,
leaving behind only their self-made movie as a testament
to what occurred.

Artisan reportedly paid between $1 million and $2.5 million
for the flick, which starred Heather Donahue, Michael
Williams and Joshua Leonard. Gregg Hale and Robin Cowie
produced the film, while Kevin Foxe and Bob Eick served
as executive producers.

At last year's Sundance Festival Artisan bought the rights
to the independent SF film Pi, which was shot for $60,000
and went on to gross $3.5 million domestically.

                        -=> * <=-

Tommy Lee Jones has signed on to star alongside Clint
Eastwood in the outer-space action flick Space
Cowboys, according to Variety. The film is about four
aging astronauts who are recruited by NASA to fix a
malfunctioning satellite that was launched back in the
1960s.

Although the former space jocks are well beyond their
prime, NASA desperately needs one of them for his
expertise, but he won't go unless he can bring his buddies
along for the ride. Eastwood will also direct the Warner
Bros. film, which begins shooting in June.

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

From: "elisabeth shepard" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] CC: [e-mail]
Date: 11 Feb 1999 05:51:14 PST

I also subscribed to this movies list because I am taking an internet
class. I really enjoy reading all of the movie reviews that are sent to
me. Thanks,
Elisabeth


>From: "Melysa Burns" <[e-mail]>
>To: [e-mail]
>Date:          Wed, 10 Feb 1999 11:55:18 MST
>Subject: [MV] CC: [e-mail]
>Reply-To: [e-mail]
>
>This stuff is all new to me, meaning that this is the first time I
>have ever subscribed to a list.  Getting messages that apply to
>something that i am interested in, like movies, is really cool. Me,
>subscribing to this list was part of my internet class assignment...
>but for now i will continue to stay on it, until i get tired of
>getting all the messages.  Thanks.
>
>Melysa
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>


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

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/11/99
Date: 11 Feb 1999 14:57:20 -0700 (MST)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - America's tight grip on the golden statuette is
slipping, with Academy Award voters looking abroad for many of this
year's Oscar nominees. All five best picture nominees were set
abroad: the Holocaust tale "Life Is Beautiful" from Italy; the
Renaissance England duo "Shakespeare in Love" and "Elizabeth;" and
the World War II films "Saving Private Ryan" and "The Thin Red Line."
Foreign-born actresses got the most Tuesday's nominations: Cate
Blanchett, "Elizabeth"; Fernanda Montenegro, "Central Station"; Emily
Watson and Rachel Griffiths, "Hilary and Jackie"; Brenda Blethyn,
"Little Voice"; Judi Dench, "Shakespeare in Love"; and Lynn Redgrave,
"Gods and Monsters." Just three of the 10 actress nominees are
American: Gwyneth Paltrow of "Shakespeare in Love," Meryl Streep of
"One True Thing" and Kathy Bates from "Primary Colors."

                        -=> * <=-

BERLIN (AP) - While steering clear of Germany's debate over its
national Holocaust memorial, director Steven Spielberg suggested
Wednesday that his archive of interviews with survivors was still
available if Germany wants to include it. Spielberg, in town for the
screening of his Holocaust documentary "The Last Days" at the Berlin
International Film Festival, declined to comment on competing
concepts for the memorial, to be built in Berlin. "That is a decision
that the German people have to make," he said. But he indicated that
he was still interested in having the archives collected by his Shoah
Visual History Foundation as part of the project.

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

From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] More information on THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT
Date: 11 Feb 1999 15:20:26 -0700 (MST)

Subscribers,

If my Sundance review of THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT managed to whet your
whistle, you may be interested in visiting the filmmakers official site
http://www.haxan.com/homeframe.htm.  You can find comments by the
filmmakers, QuickTime clips from the film, a wonderfully creepy mock-up of
Heather's journal, and a link to a glowing review by yours truly.

Regards,
Scott

                   Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
                                   ***
             Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email!
 See the Screening Room for details, or reply to this message with subject
                               "Subscribe".


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

From: Michael Dequina <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#177, 2/11/99
Date: 11 Feb 1999 16:19:40 -0800

T   H   E
M   O   V   I   E
R   E   P   O   R   T
#177
FEBRUARY 11, 1999

PLEASE HELP...
...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive.   I am undergoing a
serious funding and resource crisis.  Please send any donations (every
little bit does help) to:
Michael Dequina
3650 Denver Avenue
Long Beach, CA  90810-2205
You can also help by purchasing videos and DVDs from Reel.com!  Please visit:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html
Thank you very much.

=>T H I S  W E E K<=
M O V I E S
-_Message_in_a_Bottle_
-_Simply_Irresistible_
-_Blast_from_the_Past_
-_My_Favorite_Martian_
V I D E O
-_Antz_
-_Clay_Pigeons_
-_John_Carpenter's_Vampires_
-_Next_Stop_Wonderland_
-_Rounders_

For my analysis of the recently announced Academy Award nominations, the
best and worst of 1998, links to the official websites of all the current
films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie MIDI music,
movie discussion board, a comprehensive link section, and more, visit Mr.
Brown's Movie Site at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown  or
http://welcome.to/mrbrown  or
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown  or
http://mrbrown.webjump.com

Sorry for the inconvenience...

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...

If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/moviereport.html

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
...and Film Frenzy at:
http://www.filmfrenzy.com

I am always up for a good live chat.  Feel free to message me on ICQ at
#25289934 or on AOL Instant Messenger under the handle "MrBrown23."

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
_Message_in_a_Bottle_ (PG-13) ** 1/2
    I am a sucker for a shamelessly romantic confection, and the swoony
trailer for Luis Mandoki's adaptation of Nicholas Sparks's bestseller
_Message_in_a_Bottle_ promised the tear-stained goods.  A woman finds the
titular item and is so touched by the letter that she seeks out the letter
writer--and finds him.  Along the way, we hear such wonderfully saccharine
lines as, "Don't you think it's brave--to love like that in this world?",
"Choose between yesterday and tomorrow," and, most memorably, "You were my
true north."
    But as _Message_ dashed headlong into its tear-wringing final frames, the
audience at the screening I attended was noticeably dry-eyed and -nosed,
with very few audible sniffles.  And it's understandable why, for I
certainly was not one of those few.  I don't mind a formulaic film if the
film goes about the formula in an interesting way, or the story is strong
enough to sweep me away, formula be damned.  _Message_ does neither.  It is
a rather conventional and conventionally told tale where a lonely woman
(here, Chicago newspaper researcher/divorced single mom Theresa Osborne,
played by Robin Wright Penn) finds a kindred spirit in another lonely soul
(North Carolina widower Garret Blake, played by Kevin Costner, the author
of the message), but his devotion to a lost love (dead wife Catherine)
keeps him from committing.
    There is nothing wrong with that story in and of itself, and Costner and
the radiant Wright Penn are a natural screen pair.  But director Luis
Mandoki and scripter Gerald DiPego wrap it in _too_much_ formula.  Theresa
and Garret fall for each other, but there's a Big Secret that threatens the
future of their relationship, the revelation of which naturally comes at
the pinnacle of their happiness (read: after they first make love).  (The
Big Secret in question, of course, is that Theresa found Garret's bottle
and sought him out.)  But even way before the story gets to that point,
there are other irksome cliches, in particular Theresa getting an early
wrong impression Garret after spying him in a brawl with his former
brother-in-law.  Speaking of in-laws, too much time is spent on a pointless
subplot involving Garret's strained relationship with them.  As if that
weren't damaging enough as it is, the thread is resolved in an overblown,
wordless, melodramatically-scored scene that borders on the laughable.
    Perhaps the most disappointing thing about _Message_in_a_Bottle_ is that
it really could have turned out to be something.  The story has a proven
hook, and the casting is dead-on.  Wright Penn is captivating and likable;
Costner's typical stiffness is compensated by his rapport with his female
lead; and they are well-supported by Illeana Douglas (as Theresa's best
friend/co-worker), Robbie Coltrane (as Theresa's boss), and, in a
scene-stealing turn, Paul Newman (as Garret's father).  But these
individual elements are just that, elements, floating in a  large, overly
familiar sea.

Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
_Simply_Irresistible_ (PG-13) **
    They say that the way to a person's heart is through his or her stomach,
so one would think that before _Simply_Irresistible_, a food-centered
romance would have hit the big screen...
    ...oh, I forgot--_Like_Water_for_Chocolate_ got there first.
    Then allow me to rephrase: one would think that one would come up with a
romance that was not only food-centered, but a fantasy where the besotted
chef's emotions magically manifest themselves in her cooking...
    ...oh, I forgot--_Like_Water_for_Chocolate_ covered that, too.
    That leaves writer Judith Roberts and director Mark Tarlov with nary a
fresh idea between them, and stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sean Patrick
Flanery with nothing fresh to work with.  The latter fact is especially a
shame, for Flanery and the luminous Gellar are wonderfully matched as,
respectively, wealthy department store manager Tom Bartlett and the young
woman he eventually falls for, a mediocre chef at a struggling New York
restaurant named Amanda Shelton.  The two Meet Cute at a street food
market, where a mysterious stranger sells Amanda a basket of crabs, one of
which is magical (!) and pinches Tom's leg.  Forcing a meeting between
Amanda and Tom is just the first trick up the crab's sleeve, for he turns
Amanda into a master chef, winning the hearts of many, not least of all
being the commitment-phobic Tom's, with her divine culinary masterpieces.
    This setup plays about as dreadful as it sounds, with only the appeal and
chemistry of Gellar and Flanery keeping it watchable.  But around the
midpoint, with the appearance of the object of its original
title--_Vanilla_Fog_--_Simply_Irresistible_ starts to develop some low-key
charm.  At this juncture, Tarlov and Roberts appear to realize that the
mere presence of magic does not a magical film make.  As exhibited in
Alfonso Arau's absolutely enchanting 1993 film _Like_Water_for_Chocolate_,
fantasy elements must be firmly rooted in the characters and story in order
to really work, and once the fog appears and lifts, the emphasis is placed
less on the magic than the characters, and as such that element feels more
like a necessary part of the story and not an arbitrary gimmick.
    Even so, it's too little too late--the damage caused by the unpromising
opening and the annoying plot device of the crab (which, like the stranger
who sells it to Amanda, is never explained) is done, and the effectiveness
of _Simply_Irresistible_'s latter half merely serves as a glimpse of what
might have been had the filmmakers been more focused.  As such, this murky
and ultimately bland effort lives up to that former title--_Vanilla_Fog_,
indeed.

IN BRIEF

_Blast_from_the_Past_ (PG-13) **
    It's a terrible premise: believing that America would be bombed by the
Russians in 1962, an eccentric but brilliant scientist (Christopher Walken)
and his pregnant wife (Sissy Spacek) lock themselves in a homey underground
fallout shelter.  After the timed locks open after 35 years, their son,
Adam (Brendan Fraser) is ready to go up to the surface to get more
supplies.  There he meets the oh-so-conveniently named Eve (Alicia
Silverstone), who schools the '60s-era-bred Adam in the ways of the '90s
L.A....and, of course, in love.
    Surprisingly, however, _Blast_from_the_Past_ does have its charms, chief
among them being some good comic character work from Walken and Dave Foley,
who plays Eve's gay brother.  Fraser and Silverstone also have a sweet,
unforced romantic rapport.  But it's not enough to overcome the thudding
weight of the premise, which serves as the springboard for too many lame
gags, the lamest of all being a bar owner (Joey Slotnick) who thinks Adam
is God (don't ask).  In the end, the charm of _Blast_from_the_Past_ cannot
overpower the cheese.

_My_Favorite_Martian_ (PG) no stars
    Grab a thesaurus.  Look up the word "bad."  See those words listed?  There
you have my review of the absolutely atrocious screen version of the 1960s
TV sitcom.  The Martian in question (Christopher Lloyd) becomes the
"favorite" of TV news producer Tim O'Hara, who reluctantly allows the alien
(who passes himself off as Tim's "Uncle Martin") and his living, talking
space suit to live with him as they repair their damaged spaceship.
Certainly some suspension of disbelief is in order, but there was one thing
that kept on bugging me while watching this film: just where exactly was
the Martian heading if he didn't want to land on earth?  It makes no sense.
    Not that sense should be the priority of director Donald Petrie and
writers Sherri Stoner and Deanna Oliver--their main concern should be
laughs.  But there are none to be had in this tedious turkey, which uses a
lot of admittedly diverting (but not diverting _enough_) effects work in a
futile attempt to hide the
clunkiness of the script and, worst of all, the performances.  Lloyd is
insufferably obnoxious and smug; Daniels is a complete blank; Daryl Hannah
(as Daniels's devoted camera operator) is even worse.  But as bad as they
are, they don't come close to the abysmal, forced work of Elizabeth Hurley.
 She's a born straightwoman, yet she's called on to actually _be_ funny as
bitchy reporter Brace Channing--and she has no clue _how_, showing no sense
of comic timing whatsoever.  It's not a pretty sight---a statement that can
be applied to the entire waste of celluloid that is _My_Favorite_Martian_.

I N  C U R R E N T  R E L E A S E
(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)

-_Affliction_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#affliction
-_Another_Day_in_Paradise_ (R) ** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#paradise
-_At_First_Sight_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#174, 1/21/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#sight
-_A_Bug's_Life_ (G) *** 1/2 <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bugs
-_The_Celebration_(Festen)_ (R) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#festen
-_Central_Station_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#central
-_A_Civil_Action_ (PG-13) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#civil
-_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth
-_Enemy_of_the_State_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#168, 11/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#enemy
-_The_Faculty_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#faculty
-_The_General_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#general
-_Gods_and_Monsters_ *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#gods
-_The_Hi-Lo_Country_ (R) * 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#hilo
-_Hilary_and_Jackie_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#h&j
-_Hurlyburly_ (R) ** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#hurlyburly
-_In_Dreams_ (R) *1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#dreams
-_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella
-_Little_Voice_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#lv
-_Mighty_Joe_Young_ (PG) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mightyjoe
-_My_Name_Is_Joe_ (R) *** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#joe
-_Patch_Adams_ (PG-13) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#patch
-_Payback_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#176, 2/4/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#payback
-_Playing_by_Heart_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#architecture
-_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#prince
-_Rushmore_ (R) **** <MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#rushmore
-_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan
-_Shakespeare_in_Love_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#shakespeare
-_She's_All_That_ (PG-13) * 1/2 <MR#1/28/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#allthat
-_A_Simple_Plan_ (R) **** <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#plan
-_Stepmom_ (PG-13) ***<MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#stepmom
-_Still_Crazy_ (R) ** <MR#169, 12/3/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#crazy
-_The_Theory_of_Flight_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#flight
-_The_Thin_Red_Line_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#red
-_Varsity_Blues_ (R) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#varsity
-_Virus_ (R) no stars <MR#174, 1/21/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#virus
-_Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#ned
-_You've_Got_Mail_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mail

F U T U R E  F I L M S

-_Jawbreaker_ (R) *** <MR#174, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#jawbreaker
   (February 19)

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

_Blast_from_the_Past_ (PG-13) ** <see above review>
    A man (Brendan Fraser) who has lived the first 35 years of his life in a
fallout shelter falls in love with a woman (Alicia Silverstone) who brings
him up to speed in the '90s.  As cheesy as it sounds, but not without some
charm.  Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek, and Dave Foley also star.

_God_Said,_'Ha!'_ (PG-13)
    Film version of Julia Sweeney's acclaimed one-woman stage show about a
tumultuous year in her life.

_Message_in_a_Bottle_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <see above review>
    Well-acted but overly formulaic and maudlin adaptation of the Nicholas
Sparks novel about a newspaper researcher (Robin Wright Penn) who discovers
a bottled letter written by a lonely widower (Kevin Costner).

_My_Favorite_Martian_ (PG) no stars <see above review>
    Unwatchable screen version of the '60s TV show in which a Martian
(Christopher Lloyd) moves in with an Earthling (Jeff Daniels).

_Tango_ (PG-13)
    Returning to screens after receiving a Best Foreign Language Film Oscar
nod is this Argentinean drama about a film director's relationship with a
fiery dancer.

_Unconditional_Love_ (R)
    Thriller in which a reporter trails a murderer.  John Kennedy Horne and
Tracey Ross star.


~~~

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

_Antz_ (PG) *** 1/2
Full review in MR#159, 9/25/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#antz
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43245
    The far wittier of the two computer animated insect movies of last fall
was DreamWorks's tale of a sadsack worker ant (voiced to perfection by
Woody Allen) who falls for the colony princess (Sharon Stone).  What
deceptively appears to be a kid-friendly animated feature is actually more
rewarding for adults, who will appreciate the sly sociopolitical satire of
the script by by Todd Alcott, Chris Weitz, and Paul Weitz.  (DreamWorks
Home Entertainment)

_Clay_Pigeons_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#159, 9/25/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#clay
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43500
    Quirky,  would-be "hip" black comedy-thriller about a young Montana
mechanic (Joaquin Phoenix) who is suspected of being a serial killer.
Vince Vaughn and Janeane Garofalo turn in entertaining performances in this
sporadically amusing mess.  (PolyGram Video)

_John_Carpenter's_Vampires_ (R) * 1/2
Full review in MR#163, 10/22/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#vampires
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43723
    Groan-worthy camp horror flick in which a slayer (James Woods at his most
unlikable) hunts down a powerful bloodsucker (Thomas Ian Griffith).  Not
scary in the slightest, but very bloody--and unintentionally (?) hilarious.
 (Columbia TriStar Home Video)

_Next_Stop_Wonderland_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#157, 9/6/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#wonderland
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=42889
    Middling romantic comedy in which a "perfectly" matched woman (Hope Davis)
and man (Alan Gelfant) constantly miss each other.  Cute concept and
likable cast, but I wasn't so sure that the two were so ideally matched.
(Miramax Home Entertainment)

_Rounders_ (R) ***
Full review in MR#157, 9/6/98; and at:
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#rounders
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=
    John Dahl's entertaining drama about a law student and expert card player
(Matt Damon) who is dragged back into the poker underground by his ex-con
friend (Edward Norton).  (Miramax Home Entertainment)

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

_Underground_
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=10239
    Emir Kustirica's 1995 Palme d'Or-winning, decades-spanning sociopolitical
comedy about the exploits of two underground fighters (Miki Manojlovic and
Lazar Ristovski) in the former Yugoslavia.  (New Yorker Home Video)


~~~

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

More reviews, including:
-_Office_Space_


'til then...


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

From: [e-mail] (Je$$ic@ N@$h)
Subject: [MV] newbie
Date: 12 Feb 1999 09:02:07 -0500

Hi I am new to this group but I would just like to say hi and tell you
that one of my favourite movies is Ever After! Has anyone seen this
movie.

Je$$ic@ N@$h

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From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] newbie
Date: 12 Feb 1999 11:42:23 -0600 (CST)

Hi there and welcome!  Yes, ever after was good, unless you went to see it in
the theatre 6 times.  If you like romantic comedies, I would suggest One Fine
Day or While you were Sleeping.  Sandra Bullock has a new movie coming out with
Ben Afflick, but I don't know the name of it.
  I'm more of a sci-fi and horror fan.

  christi

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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/12/99
Date: 12 Feb 1999 13:28:56 -0700 (MST)

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Hector Alejandro Galindo, one of the great
directors in the "Golden Age" of Mexican movies, has died of a heart
attack. He was 93. Galindo died Feb. 1 at Mexico City's Respiratory
Disease Institute, where he had been hospitalized since December, La
Jornada newspaper reported. Galindo directed more than 50 films, many
of them box-office hits, in the 1930s through the 1950s, and also
acted in quite a few. Together with another director, Emilio
Fernandez, he pioneered making movies that depicted the crude reality
of Mexico. He focused mostly on down-and-out people - drunkards,
unsuccessful boxers, and the like.

                        -=> * <=-

WASHINGTON (AP) - Anyone who ever wanted to be a smoke-jumper
battling forest fires now can get a feel for the hot, dangerous
battle without risking life and limb. Viewers of "Wildfire, Feel the
Heat," a new giant-screen film opening March 12 at the National Air
and Space Museum, get to see what it's like to fly in water-carrying
airplanes and choppers, parachute from a C-47, slide down ropes from
a helicopter and battle fires on the ground in California, Idaho,
Oregon and Australia. And besides the usual narration, they hear the
scenes described by the firefighters battling the blazes.

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (AP) - It's been nearly two years since Julie Andrews had
throat surgery, and there's still no sound of music coming from her
lips. Andrews, who in December dismissed reports her singing career
is over, now concedes she's been unable to sing since she underwent
surgery to remove non-cancerous throat nodules. The 63-year-old
Andrews, Broadway's "Fair Lady" whose voice swept across the hills in
"The Sound of Music," said she is considering filing a lawsuit over
the operation. She said she will keep trying to sing, though doctors
don't give her much hope it will happen. She said she tries to be
optimistic but thinks she is in denial about her problem.

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From: "Jason Cormier" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] newbie
Date: 12 Feb 1999 23:36:05 -0800

It's called Force of Nature...looks pretty cheesy as usual - but should make
some decent payola...


>Hi there and welcome!  Yes, ever after was good, unless you went to see it
in
>the theatre 6 times.  If you like romantic comedies, I would suggest One
Fine
>Day or While you were Sleeping.  Sandra Bullock has a new movie coming out
with
>Ben Afflick, but I don't know the name of it.
>  I'm more of a sci-fi and horror fan.
>
>  christi
>
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>[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>


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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Date: 13 Feb 1999 09:25:17 -0700 (MST)

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
(Warner Bros.)
Starring:  Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, Paul Newman, Illeana Douglas.
Screenplay:  Gerald DiPego, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
Producers:  Denise Di Novi, Jim Wilson and Kevin Costner.
Director:  Luis Mandoki.
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (adult themes, sexual situations, profanity)
Running Time:  135 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     Twenty-five years ago, Paul Newman would have played Garret Blake,
the grieving, laconic hero of Nicholas Sparks' best-selling novel MESSAGE
IN A BOTTLE.  He would have brought the ideal combination of elements to
the role of a shipbuilder whose sea-borne messages to his dead wife are
found by Chicago newspaper researcher Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn),
compelling her to seek out the author of the sensitive missives.  You can
imagine Newman both as a man's man -- a loner dedicated to his craft --
and a ladies' man -- deeply sensitive when touched by the love of a good
woman.  That's the kind of screen presence you need when you're dealing
with one of these mythically appealing romances like THE BRIDGES OF
MADISON COUNTY or THE HORSE WHISPERER.  You need a Clint Eastwood, or a
Robert Redford...or a Paul Newman.

     In 1998, you get Paul Newman playing Garret's father Dodge, and as
Garret you get...Kevin Costner.  Costner has always been at his best in
roles where her could be easygoing (SILVERADO, BULL DURHAM, TIN CUP),
while his attempts at playing icons (THE UNTOUCHABLES, WATERWORLD, THE
POSTMAN) could be most charitably described as uneven.  Yet here he is in
MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, playing the emotionally unavailable but romantically
irresistable Garret.  He's the kind of guy who loves too deeply, whose
gestures of self-sacrifice are the stuff of song and story.  It's Costner
once again as the paradigm, the icon, and I for one didn't believe him for
a second.

     To be fair, Costner isn't the only thing wrong with MESSAGE IN A
BOTTLE.  Director Luis Mandoki's adaptation is a technically glorious
piece of work -- beautifully photographed by Caleb Deschanel, sweepingly
scored by Gabriel Yared -- but it's one heck of a long sit, clocking in at
a soggy two hours and fifteen minutes.  The storyline parallels Theresa's
emergence from emotional isolation after a difficult divorce with Garret's
difficulties letting go of his wife, and does so in fetishistic detail.
There's a subplot involving Garret's conflict with his embittered in-laws,
and the occasional tete-a-tete between Dodge and Garret or between Dodge
and Theresa, all building with a gruelling lack of tension to one big
cathartic payoff.  You may leave the theater with your hanky wet, but it
could be from the drool that collects while you nod off to sleep just as
easily as from tears.

     Lost at sea along the way are extremely effective performances by
Robin Wright Penn and Paul Newman.  Wright Penn is an actress we don't see
very much, which allows her still to be an actress in a role like this
rather than a movie star.  Her conflicted pursuit of Garret -- a man whose
letters should have told her from the start isn't ready to love anyone
else -- is convincing in context; her moments of insecurity and
disappointment are genuinely affecting.  Newman, meanwhile, gets to be
gruff in a way that usually turns actors into hams, but turns this veteran
into a breath of fresh air.  He's so effortlessly charming, it's easy to
forget the Harlequin sensibility at the heart of MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE and
begin enjoying it as human relationship drama.

     Costner, too, can be effortlessly charming, but not here.  His
interpretation of the role is so focused on Garret's internalized mourning
that in the moments when he's supposed to be letting go with Theresa, he
looks like a man trying to act like a grieving man trying to be
effortlessly charming.  If that reads awkwardly, it plays even more
awkwardly, with Costner straining for Meaning and Significance in every
scene while his leading lady acts circles around him.  MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
undoubtedly will have its sob appeal, just as the novel did.  Unlike the
film adaptations of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and THE HORSE WHISPERER,
that's the main thing this one has going for it.  It's too bad it couldn't
have been made twenty-five years ago, when Paul Newman hadn't yet handed
over the iconic roles to actors ill-suited to handling them.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 empty bottles:  5.

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

From: [e-mail] (Janice Menning)
Subject: Re: [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations & Analysis
Date: 14 Feb 1999 03:41:38 +0700


                        ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
                       `6_ 6  )   `-.  (     ).`-.__.`)
                       (_Y_.)'  ._   )  `._ `. ``-..-'
                _..`--'_..-_/  /--'_..' ,'
                   (il),-''  (li),'  ((!.-'!
  The eyes of a Tiger. This is an e-mail to bring you luck in your exams.  You
simply send this mail to 4 people and you will get an "A" on all your tests,
exams. Trust me, it works.  The more people you send this to, the faster you
will see the results.  Send this luck message to all the people you know and
you can get First Honors..  Seize the day.



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

From: "Wade Snider" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] A Simple Plan
Date: 13 Feb 1999 17:44:23 -0800

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_00B2_01BE5778.7DE675A0
Content-Type: text/plain;
    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable


Saw maybe the best movie of 1998 today, with the exception of Saving  =
Private Ryan, I think. A Simple Plan. It FINALLY came to Waco. This is a =
fantastic movie. Know the setup? Three guys stumble onto a wrecked plane =
that has bag full of millions of dollars; they decide to hide it and =
keep it. Then things happen. Beautifully shot, in Minnesota or someplace =
like it I guess. Paxon is great, as is Fonda and Thornton. Billy Bob =
pulls off a sweet performance. He deserves the Oscar. The story grips =
you, and then as the plot unfolds, man, you occasionally get blindsided =
by surprise, then sometimes you are surprised; but not because the =
unexpected happens. Sometimes the.. well, no spoilers for you.. Amazing =
story, great script. Fantastic acting, and wonderfully understated =
score. And Beautiful direction. You wouldn't know that this was directed =
by the same guy as Army of Darkness or Quick and the Dead. No whipans, =
no bullet-like shots. And, no trademark shot viewed through a hole in =
someone's body. But, the style is touching and tragic; will punch you in =
the gut and leave you thinking about what hit you.

The only Oscar noms are:
Supporting Actor Billy Bob Thornton
Adapted Screenplay Scott Smith

???? What the hell????    This is far better than Elizabeth of =
Shakespeare in Love. I would wager it better than Thin Red Line and Life =
is Beautiful, which I have not seen. SPR may be a better film, but in =
another year, this movie should take the nom and the Oscar easily.

Wade

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

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Saw maybe the best movie of 1998 =
today, with the=20
exception of Saving  Private Ryan, I think. A Simple Plan. It =
FINALLY came=20
to Waco. This is a fantastic movie. Know the setup? Three guys stumble =
onto a=20
wrecked plane that has bag full of millions of dollars; they decide to =
hide it=20
and keep it. Then things happen. Beautifully shot, in Minnesota or =
someplace=20
like it I guess. Paxon is great, as is Fonda and Thornton. Billy Bob =
pulls off a=20
sweet performance. He deserves the Oscar. The story grips you, and then =
as the=20
plot unfolds, man, you occasionally get blindsided by surprise, then =
sometimes=20
you are surprised; but not because the unexpected happens. Sometimes =
the.. well,=20
no spoilers for you..</FONT><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2> Amazing =
story, great=20
script. Fantastic acting, and wonderfully understated score. And =
Beautiful=20
direction. You wouldn't know that this was directed by the same guy as =
Army of=20
Darkness or Quick and the Dead. No whipans, no bullet-like shots. And, =
no=20
trademark shot viewed through a hole in someone's body. But, the style =
is=20
touching and tragic; will punch you in the gut and leave you thinking =
about what=20
hit you.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The only Oscar noms =
are:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Supporting Actor Billy Bob =
Thornton</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Adapted Screenplay Scott =
Smith</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>???? What the =
hell????    This is=20
far better than Elizabeth of Shakespeare in Love. I would wager it =
better than=20
Thin Red Line and Life is Beautiful, which I have not seen. SPR may be a =
better=20
film, but in another year, this movie should take the nom and the Oscar=20
easily.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Wade</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_00B2_01BE5778.7DE675A0--


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

From: Oz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] A Simple Plan
Date: 14 Feb 1999 13:24:10 -0800

> Wade Snider wrote:
> ???? What the hell????    This is far better than Elizabeth of
> Shakespeare in Love. I would wager it better than Thin Red Line
> and Life is Beautiful, which I have not seen.

I think that's a contender for the "dumbest comment of the year"
Oscar. How can you even make an educated guess when you haven't seen
those two movies? Frankly, I'd put A Simple Plan at the bottom of
the list behind Shakespeare, Elizabeth, Thin Red Line, SPR and
especially the remarkable Life Is Beautiful (which anyone who hasn't
seen should run out and see pronto).

As for the "No trademark Raimi" shots.. well two spring to mind. The
fifty billion crow close-ups, easpecially in the crashed plane, and
one particular gunshot to the guts that had the entire theatre
laughing at it's cartoon-like quality.

On an aside, an associate talked to Raimi a few days ago and he said
he has "one quality back-to-the-golden-years borderline NC-17 horror
flick" left in him, but he keeps getting studio offers and can't say
no to the cash that's coming his way to make Hollywood flicks.
More's the pity.

------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
    "Damn the man, Joe!"    -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: JAWBREAKER
Date: 14 Feb 1999 10:08:18 -0700 (MST)

JAWBREAKER
(Tri-Star)
Starring:  Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, Judy Evans Greer,
Carol Kane, Pam Grier.
Screenplay:  Darren Stein.
Producers:  Stacy Kramer and Lisa Tornell.
Director:  Darren Stein.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, sexual situations, adult themes)
Running Time:  85 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     It may very well be true that imitation is the sincerest form of
flattery.  That doesn't make it the most interesting form of filmmaking.
Brian DePalma has spent most of his career quoting from Hitchcock, and all
that has done is given him the distinction of being the best-known
contemporary director with absolutely no artistic identity of his own.  A
filmmaker trying to buy a bit of slack for a familiar creation will call
it an "homage," as writer/director Darren Stein did of JAWBREAKER when he
introduced it at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival as an "homage" to dark
teen tales like HEATHERS and CARRIE.  And sometimes an obliging film press
will even help out by using the term when writing about the film.

     My desktop French-to-reality dictionary defines "homage" as "shabby
imitation," which is precisely what JAWBREAKER turns out to be.  Set in
Southern California at fictional Ronald Reagan High, it opens with a
birthday prank by members of the "in" clique that leaves one of their own,
beloved senior Liz Purr, dead after choking on the titular confection.
Courtney Shane (Rose McGowan), the group's fearless and feared leader,
initiates a cover-up that involves faking a rape scene to deflect any
suspicion.  Unfortunately, school geek Fern Mayo (Judy Evans Greer)
stumbles onto the scene, leading Courtney to take the drastic step of
welcoming her into the group with a physical and personal makeover.  One
of the group's members, Liz's best friend Julie (Rebecca Gayheart),
defects over Courtney's machinations, leading to all-out war over keeping
the truth hidden.

    Stein delivers lots of in-references and jokey cameos in JAWBREAKERS,
leading to the expectation that the film will be something slick and
satirical.  ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL's P. J. Soles turns up as the dead
girl's mother, GREASE's Jeff Conaway appears as another girl's father...
even Marilyn Manson (Rose McGowan's real-life significant other-worldly)
makes a virtually unrecognizable appearance disguised as a man.  "Slick"
is certainly a sensibility that Stein can muster, overseeing a suitably
garish production and costume design and whipping out some nice visual
flourishes.  Full of beautiful people doing ugly things in a beautifully
ugly environment, JAWBREAKER shows plenty of teeth.

     Sadly, they're all molars that mash the material into a paste when
they should be tearing. JAWBREAKER may reference HEATHERS heavily
(almost to the point of turning into a remake), but there's none of the
sharply satirical dialogue that made HEATHERS so instantly quotable, none
of the surrealism that made it so wild to watch.  Too many of his
characters lack even the most rudimentary, plot-serving personalities --
even the transformation of a loser into an idol makes one nostalgic for
SHE'S ALL THAT.  There are bizarre moments when it looks like Stein is
trying to develop a sensitive dramatic subtext for the story, which only
serves to muddle matters further.  Rather than savaging people whose lives
are an exercise in style, Stein lets his film become an exercise in style,
just another teen-sploitation flick subjugated to its tie-in soundtrack
whenever possible.

     JAWBREAKER does deliver one truly worthwhile element, and that's Rose
McGowan as Courtney.  McGowan makes a wonderfully loathsome teen
bitch-queen, wearing her popularity like a mantle of invincibility.  It's
the one place where Stein seems genuinely tuned in to high school social
dynamics, to the idea that the beautiful people might have reason to
believe they could get away with murder.  That character turns out to be
one of the few things worth sticking around for, however; Rebecca
Gayheart's bland moral compass has none of the sexy ambiguity of Winona
Ryder's Veronica in HEATHERS.  The comparisons may be unfair, but Darren
Stein was the one who invited them.  This is one teen film that delivers
little more than humorless attitude, something I can't recall from the
much better teen films to which Stein was offering "homage."

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 sour candies:  4.

                   Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News/China/Saudi Arabia
Date: 14 Feb 1999 12:31:57 EST

In a message dated 2/9/99 2:29:21 PM Pacific Standard Time,
[e-mail] writes:

<< BEIJING (AP) - After holding the film "Mulan" hostage for political
 reasons, Beijing's censors said Monday they will allow the screening
 of the Disney animated blockbuster in Chinese cinemas later this
 month. Officials at China Film, the state-run monopoly for importing
 and distributing foreign films, said "Mulan" would be shown
 nationwide beginning Feb. 23, just after the Feb. 16-22 lunar new
 year holiday ends. The decision marks a sharp change from two years
 ago, when China threatened to rein in Disney's business dealings out
 of anger over "Kundun," a film about the Chinese occupation of Tibet. >>

"Kundun" is an artistic masterpiece by Martin Scorcesi (sp). It is visually
stunning, with fine acting, outstanding writing and excellent music. China was
not the first government to try to prevent people in other nations from seeing
an excellent film because its government objected to ideas expressed in a
film. Another example of this from about 20 years ago was when Saudi Arabia
objected to an excellent British film titled "Death of a Princess".  The
Princess was Saudi Arabian, and after that movie was shown once, it was not
seen again in the USA for about 15 years.

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE - Soak on a Rope
Date: 14 Feb 1999 16:55:44 -0500 (EST)

A FAN LETTER FROM AN UNLIKELY SOURCE

Whenever I get an email that begins "I wrote that movie you just reviewedà" my first response is, "uh oh."  That said, thanks to a certain screenwriter of a certain number one recent box office hit for reading between the lines and getting the joke.  I appreciate your note.
********************

A PHANTOM PRECURSOR

Stay tuned, gang.  Coming very soon, a MovieJuice! tribute to the new Star Wars movie.  A multimedia extravaganza.  Download your free RealVideo G2 players now at http://www.real.com.
********************

MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE - SOAK ON A ROPE

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

February 14, 1999

One of the biggest hits of the recent NATPE convention in New Orleans was the live taping of a new movie review TV show.  Like all movie review shows on TV, it's modeled after Siskel & Ebert's thumb-o-rama and features yours truly as the Funny one and the Rev. Jerry Falwell as the Christian one.  Check out this excerpt of our show on the new flick, Message in a Bottle.

Mark:  Message in a Bottle stars Kevin Costner, Robin Wright-Penn, and special guest star Rose McGowan as the P.T. Barnum might-as-well-be-bearded lady.  I don't know about you, Jerry, but I'm sending out an S.O.S. to the world!

Jerry:  (smiling) Did you say "Massage in a Bottle"?  I think that bespeaks a kind of bankrupt morality which is damaging to the spiritual lives of children!

Mark:  Jerry, your tie's too tight!   Proverbial strong silent type and robo-actor Costner is the celluloid spawn of the unholy union between quiet men Henry Fonda and Gary Cooper.  He's so wooden, indigenous peoples practice slash and burn on his moss-covered gut.  What's his character's name, "Cigar Store Indian"?  If he gets an itch, could it be termites?  Can you tell his age if you count the rings around his nose - er - trunk?   In this flick, he moves from Waterworld to waterlogged world.   Now that he's done The Postman, are all his performances mailed in?

Jerry:  (smiling) Is that actress Rebecca Gayheart in this film?  Rebecca GAYheart???  As a Christian, I'd like to unroll a latex condom over such deviance to prevent an unwanted pregnancy of depravity.

Mark:  Message to all the ships at sea:   Not since the heyday of Christopher Cross has Sailing been so dull.  Kevin's a boat builder.  Did you see the frame he was building, Jerry?

Jerry:  (smiling) I certainly did, Mark.  It was a triangular frame - lavender if I'm not mistaken.  With a rainbow bow and black leather rigging.  This is a sailing ship that role-models the homosexual lifestyle!  They brazenly acknowledge that this boat will hoist fags!

Mark:  FLAGS, Jerry, you homophobic ninny.  Flags!

Jerry:  (smiling) Did you notice Mr. Costner is carrying a purse?

Mark:  That's not a purse.  That's his swelling gut, Jerry.

Jerry:  (smiling) And in that sailing scene, the puffy white clouds overhead are clearly engaging in lewd and lascivious behavior!

Mark:  Grand old actor Paul Newman's in this movie too in a role Wilford Brimley was born to play.  He's a kooky coot who cuts Kevin's hair, shrink-wraps the clippings, and sells "Newman's Own Costner Hair Fragments" to the public to raise money for charity.  "It beats croutons," says Paul.  And if you don't think those hair fragments are scarce, take a close look at Kevin's noggin.  That hairline is rolling back faster than the Red Sea in The Prince of Egypt.

Jerry:  (smiling) See this $5 bill, Mark?  Not only is "SEX" written in clearly visible subliminal lettering, but so is "DEPRAVED GAY SEX."  Shameful!

Mark:  Have you ever gotten a message in a bottle, Jerry?

Jerry:  (smiling) Yes, Mark.  I was drinking like a fish when the bottles began to speak.  Like a chorus of Budweiser frogs they beseeched me to hear the Word of God.  Suddenly the face of the Virgin Mary appeared on a Starbucks low-fat scone and authorized me to make the world safe from Teletubbies because, frankly, they're driving the Lord nuts.

Mark:  I got a message once.  But it was in a box of Cap'n Crunch cereal.  Although it was no love poem, it did offer me 25 cents of my next purchase of Crunch Berries.  That's putting your money where your mouth is!

Jerry:  (smiling) That Tinky Winky is Gay, I tell you.  You'll see!  Just wait until your three-year-old boy develops a sudden interest in disco dancing and old Judy Garland movies, not to mention a suspicious fascination with David Duchovny.  Why, I've seen toddlers describe their diaper ensemble as "fabulous!"  Our moral foundations are crumbling, I tell you!

Mark:  Uh, okay, Jerry.  Any final words on Message in a Bottle?

Jerry:  I didn't see it, Mark.   But it definitely promotes homosexuality and endangers the welfare of our children.   Just like that new WB series with that young lady in college:  Fellatio-icity.

Mark:  Up next, a lengthy review of a movie you've never heard of and have absolutely no intention of seeing....

Copyright 1999 Mark Ramsey.  All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

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From: "elisabeth shepard" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] REVIEW: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Date: 15 Feb 1999 05:57:20 PST

I just saw Message In A Bottle yesterday. I thought it was really good,
but it was sad. Everyone in the theater was crying.
Elisabeth Shepard


>Date: Sat, 13 Feb 1999 09:25:17 -0700 (MST)
>From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
>To: [e-mail]
>Subject: [MV] REVIEW: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
>Reply-To: [e-mail]
>
>MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
>(Warner Bros.)
>Starring:  Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, Paul Newman, Illeana
Douglas.
>Screenplay:  Gerald DiPego, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
>Producers:  Denise Di Novi, Jim Wilson and Kevin Costner.
>Director:  Luis Mandoki.
>MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (adult themes, sexual situations, profanity)
>Running Time:  135 minutes.
>Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
>
>     Twenty-five years ago, Paul Newman would have played Garret Blake,
>the grieving, laconic hero of Nicholas Sparks' best-selling novel
MESSAGE
>IN A BOTTLE.  He would have brought the ideal combination of elements
to
>the role of a shipbuilder whose sea-borne messages to his dead wife are
>found by Chicago newspaper researcher Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright
Penn),
>compelling her to seek out the author of the sensitive missives.  You
can
>imagine Newman both as a man's man -- a loner dedicated to his craft --
>and a ladies' man -- deeply sensitive when touched by the love of a
good
>woman.  That's the kind of screen presence you need when you're dealing
>with one of these mythically appealing romances like THE BRIDGES OF
>MADISON COUNTY or THE HORSE WHISPERER.  You need a Clint Eastwood, or a
>Robert Redford...or a Paul Newman.
>
>     In 1998, you get Paul Newman playing Garret's father Dodge, and as
>Garret you get...Kevin Costner.  Costner has always been at his best in
>roles where her could be easygoing (SILVERADO, BULL DURHAM, TIN CUP),
>while his attempts at playing icons (THE UNTOUCHABLES, WATERWORLD, THE
>POSTMAN) could be most charitably described as uneven.  Yet here he is
in
>MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, playing the emotionally unavailable but
romantically
>irresistable Garret.  He's the kind of guy who loves too deeply, whose
>gestures of self-sacrifice are the stuff of song and story.  It's
Costner
>once again as the paradigm, the icon, and I for one didn't believe him
for
>a second.
>
>     To be fair, Costner isn't the only thing wrong with MESSAGE IN A
>BOTTLE.  Director Luis Mandoki's adaptation is a technically glorious
>piece of work -- beautifully photographed by Caleb Deschanel,
sweepingly
>scored by Gabriel Yared -- but it's one heck of a long sit, clocking in
at
>a soggy two hours and fifteen minutes.  The storyline parallels
Theresa's
>emergence from emotional isolation after a difficult divorce with
Garret's
>difficulties letting go of his wife, and does so in fetishistic detail.
>There's a subplot involving Garret's conflict with his embittered
in-laws,
>and the occasional tete-a-tete between Dodge and Garret or between
Dodge
>and Theresa, all building with a gruelling lack of tension to one big
>cathartic payoff.  You may leave the theater with your hanky wet, but
it
>could be from the drool that collects while you nod off to sleep just
as
>easily as from tears.
>
>     Lost at sea along the way are extremely effective performances by
>Robin Wright Penn and Paul Newman.  Wright Penn is an actress we don't
see
>very much, which allows her still to be an actress in a role like this
>rather than a movie star.  Her conflicted pursuit of Garret -- a man
whose
>letters should have told her from the start isn't ready to love anyone
>else -- is convincing in context; her moments of insecurity and
>disappointment are genuinely affecting.  Newman, meanwhile, gets to be
>gruff in a way that usually turns actors into hams, but turns this
veteran
>into a breath of fresh air.  He's so effortlessly charming, it's easy
to
>forget the Harlequin sensibility at the heart of MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
and
>begin enjoying it as human relationship drama.
>
>     Costner, too, can be effortlessly charming, but not here.  His
>interpretation of the role is so focused on Garret's internalized
mourning
>that in the moments when he's supposed to be letting go with Theresa,
he
>looks like a man trying to act like a grieving man trying to be
>effortlessly charming.  If that reads awkwardly, it plays even more
>awkwardly, with Costner straining for Meaning and Significance in every
>scene while his leading lady acts circles around him.  MESSAGE IN A
BOTTLE
>undoubtedly will have its sob appeal, just as the novel did.  Unlike
the
>film adaptations of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and THE HORSE
WHISPERER,
>that's the main thing this one has going for it.  It's too bad it
couldn't
>have been made twenty-five years ago, when Paul Newman hadn't yet
handed
>over the iconic roles to actors ill-suited to handling them.
>
>     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 empty bottles:  5.
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: [e-mail] (Je$$ic@ N@$h)
Subject: [MV] Re: christi
Date: 15 Feb 1999 08:48:54 -0500

That new movie with Sandra Bullock, and Ben Afleck does look really good
but I can't remember the name either.

Je$$ic@ N@$h

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE LAST DAYS
Date: 15 Feb 1999 09:46:03 -0700 (MST)

THE LAST DAYS
(October)
Featuring:  Tom Lantos, Alice Lok Cahana, Renee Firestone, Bill Basch,
Irene Zisblatt.
Producers:  June Beallor and Ken Lipper.
Director:  James Moll.
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (adult themes)
Running Time:  87 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

    There's more than a touch of irony to the title of THE LAST DAYS, the
first feature film project from Steven Spielberg's Shoah Foundation.  On
the surface it refers to the time when the film's five principal subjects
-- Hungarian-born Holocaust survivors Tom Lantos, Renee Firestone, Alice
Lok Cahana, Bill Basch and Irene Zisblatt -- were taken from their
homeland in 1944, as Germany saw its chances at winning the war slip away
and made a last desperate attempt to complete Hitler's Final Solution.
Yet for these five people and thousands of other survivors like them, the
last days were only the beginning, the first days of a lifetime spent
trying to make sense of what had been taken from them.

     It's this concern with the world of the survivors -- rather than
simply the world of the concentration camp internees -- that makes THE
LAST DAYS more than "just another Holocaust documentary."  The film is
told entirely by witnesses to the Holocaust, without a moment of
narration, yet accounts of attrocities in the camps make up a relatively
small portion of the film.  There are certainly many powerful
recollections in the survivor testimony, the kind that can make you cry
out in pain.  Irene Zisblatt tells a tale of preserving the family
diamonds that makes Christopher Walken's gold watch monologue in PULP
FICTION seem appallingly banal; she describes seeing two children killed,
and realizing "that's when I stopped talking to God."  Director James Moll
also uncovers rare footage for which no adjectives will suffice, images
shot by liberating Allied forces of skeletal survivors walking in a
ghostly parade.

     As effectively as THE LAST DAYS captures the "during" of the
Holocaust, it also takes time to explore both the "before" and the
"after."  If there is anywhere it disappoints, it is in capturing the
uniqueness of this particular "before."  Bill Basch ruefully notes in the
film's opening moments the absurdity of Hitler's late push to add the
Hungarian Jews to his European slaughter -- "killing Jews," Basch says,
"was more important than winning the war" -- but Moll doesn't build on
that premise.  While his focus on the survivors keeps the story personal,
it doesn't allow for a perspective on what was happening in the bigger
picture of 1944, and how a different allocation of resources by the
Germans might have changed that picture.  Accounts of how Hungarians
believed the stories drifting in from Poland could never happen in their
own country feel more like generic back-story than a context for this
particular phase of the genocide.

     Ultimately, however, Moll finds his most powerful stories in the
"after."  There is still 35 minutes of screen time left when the war ends,
leaving us with stories of our five narrators trying to pick up the
pieces.  We see scenes of the survivors returned to Birkenau and
Bergen-Belsen with their families, memories and tears washing over them.
We see Renee Firestone visiting her childhood home, and breaking down at
finding a locked gate.  We see Firestone confronting a German
concentration camp physician with evidence that he experimented on her
sister, receiving evasive responses to the medical records like "yes,
everything normal."  Most significantly, we see the survivors turning
their experiences into art (by Lok Cahana), into political action (by
Lantos, now a California Congressman), into education for another
generation (by Firestone in lectures).  Their days in concentration camps
could have been the last days for these five individuals, either for their
lives or for their souls.  THE LAST DAYS shows survivors in action,
seeking resolution, working for a world that will never forget.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 survivor stories:  8.

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

From: Diane Christy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] REVIEW: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Date: 15 Feb 1999 11:58:05 -0600

--============_-1293020989==_ma============
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

On 2/15/99, 7:57 AM -0600, elisabeth shepard said so nicely:
>I just saw Message In A Bottle yesterday. I thought it was really good,
>but it was sad. Everyone in the theater was crying.

I thoroughly enjoyed Paul Newman and Robin Wright Penn was good too, but I
agree with the review posted not long ago. Costner did not pull it off.  He
should just stick to the "let it all hang out" kind of roles.  I don't
think he's very talented.  The only exception I have with this is "Dances
With Wolves."  I loved that and thought Costner was wonderful.  Loved him
in "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams."

I had a problem with the way the ending was fleshed out too.  Didn't see
the point of everything.  I guess it brought real closure to the situation.
I think my eye was the only dry one in the house.  Either I just didn't get
it or I'm too old for this overly romantic, teenage type of unavailability
where love is concerned.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:[e-mail]  mailto:[e-mail]
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~
--============_-1293020989==_ma============
Content-Type: text/enriched; charset="us-ascii"

On 2/15/99, 7:57 AM -0600, elisabeth shepard said so nicely:

>I just saw Message In A Bottle yesterday. I thought it was really
good,

>but it was sad. Everyone in the theater was crying.


I thoroughly enjoyed Paul Newman and Robin Wright Penn was good too,
but I agree with the review posted not long ago. Costner did not pull
it off.  He should just stick to the "let it all hang out" kind of
roles.  I don't think he's very talented.  The only exception I have
with this is "Dances With Wolves."  I loved that and thought Costner
was wonderful.  Loved him in "Bull Durham" and "Field of Dreams."


I had a problem with the way the ending was fleshed out too.  Didn't
see the point of everything.  I guess it brought <bold>real
closure</bold> to the situation.  I think my eye was the only dry one
in the house.  Either I just didn't get it or I'm too old for this
overly romantic, teenage type of unavailability where love is
concerned.

<center><fontfamily><param>Avant_Garde</param>~~~~~

Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)

Jefferson, LA

http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/

mailto:[e-mail]  mailto:[e-mail]

ICQ #<bold>12904700

</bold>~~~~~</fontfamily></center>

--============_-1293020989==_ma============--

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Re: christi
Date: 15 Feb 1999 14:43:29 EST

'Forces of Nature' is the title of the Sandra Bullock / Ben Affleck movie.

MrMovie
[e-mail]
http://place-an-ad.com/MrMovie/

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

From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re: christi
Date: 15 Feb 1999 14:18:45 -0600 (CST)

Thanks for the clear up.  I know it will probably be cheezy, but that's the only
kind of romantic movie I can stand.  Jerry Mcguire was absolute trauma for me.
I can't sit through someone making a total @!# out of them selves.  I feel their
embarrassment, and I just end up wishing I had a remote.
yup.
Christi

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

From: Diane Christy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re: christi
Date: 15 Feb 1999 14:45:49 -0600

On 2/15/99, 2:18 PM -0600, Christi Eilleen Falk said so nicely:
>Thanks for the clear up.  I know it will probably be cheezy, but that's
>the only
>kind of romantic movie I can stand.  Jerry Mcguire was absolute trauma for
>me.
>I can't sit through someone making a total @!# out of them selves.  I feel
>their
>embarrassment, and I just end up wishing I had a remote.

Wow!!  I LOVED "Jerry McGuire."  I thought it was a very transformational
movie!!
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:[e-mail]  mailto:[e-mail]
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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

From: "Wade Snider" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] A Simple Plan
Date: 16 Feb 1999 06:57:00 -0800



>> Wade Snider wrote:
>> ???? What the hell????    This is far better than Elizabeth of
>> Shakespeare in Love. I would wager it better than Thin Red Line
>> and Life is Beautiful, which I have not seen.
>
>I think that's a contender for the "dumbest comment of the year"
>Oscar.

Brilliant comment. Never heard such an original retort. Jerk.

How can you even make an educated guess when you haven't seen
>those two movies? Frankly, I'd put A Simple Plan at the bottom of
>the list behind Shakespeare, Elizabeth, Thin Red Line, SPR and
>especially the remarkable Life Is Beautiful (which anyone who hasn't
>seen should run out and see pronto).

I think the fact that it is an educated guess and not an assumption of fact
makes it okay, espcially since I said "I'd wager". It was an obvious guess
that implied I could change my mind if I thought the other movies were
better. I simply looked at the movies I had seen and what people have said,
then what I haven't seen and what people have said, and then based on what
people have said about Simple Plan and what I thought, I made a guess.
That's it. By the by, I did see Life is Beautiful since my post. And, it was
about what I expected. Didn't think that much of it. It was good, but not
Oscar winner to me. I still think Simple Plan was better than it and the
rest, except for SPR.

>
>As for the "No trademark Raimi" shots.. well two spring to mind. The
>fifty billion crow close-ups, easpecially in the crashed plane, and
>one particular gunshot to the guts that had the entire theatre
>laughing at it's cartoon-like quality.


The way any of these shots are done are still not anything close to Raimi
trademarks. They aren't particular to him, at least. And even any of the
shots of violence are completely uncharacterisitc of his style. Many, many
long shots that merely change focus, or long distant shots where the action
or circumstance is distant or detached. Even some crow shots, such as the
closeups when framing how the characters walked through the woods was not
typical Raimi material. I don't know which gunshot you mean, but a lot of
the scenes involving violence or a fight don't have the usual quick editing
or sharp pans, such as the scene with Lou and his wife or even the old man
on the snowmobile or further the scene in the woods with the sheriff, the
'FBI' guy and Hank. Raimi's style is to usuallly fling the camera into the
action of his flicks, in this movie he does not do it.

>On an aside, an associate talked to Raimi a few days ago and he said
>he has "one quality back-to-the-golden-years borderline NC-17 horror
>flick" left in him, but he keeps getting studio offers and can't say
>no to the cash that's coming his way to make Hollywood flicks.
>More's the pity.


Not my understanding that he made this movie entirely for cash. And, I have
heard nothing serios aside from a couple of joking responses that he is
unhappy with this movie. But if he likes cash and continues to make movies
like this, that's not pitiful at all.


Wade



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

From: Oz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] A Simple Plan
Date: 17 Feb 1999 00:31:05 -0800

Wade Snider wrote:
>
> Brilliant comment. Never heard such an original retort. Jerk.

Touche. Your "jerk" left me breathless.

> It was an obvious guess that implied I could change my mind if I thought the
> other movies were better.
> I simply looked at the movies I had seen and what people have said,
> then what I haven't seen and what people have said, and then based on what
> people have said about Simple Plan and what I thought, I made a guess.

So what you're saying (in that roundabout way) is that you had no
idea of actual fact, and that you were totally guessing they'd suck,
but if you were wrong you reserve the right to change your mind.

Bold stuff.

> I still think Simple Plan was better than it and the
> rest, except for SPR.

An opinion you're welcome to, now that you have seen the
competition.
Sadly, I have this weird feeling that SPR is going to clean up,
Titanic style. If it was a fair world the first half hour would win
best documentary and the rest would be ignored.

> >As for the "No trademark Raimi" shots.. well two spring to mind.
>
> The way any of these shots are done are still not anything close to Raimi
> trademarks.

At the risk of spoiling, if that shotgun to the guts didn't seem
more Evil Dead than A Simple Plan, I'm Dutch. It was like someone
changed channels for a moment, then flicked back.

> Not my understanding that he made this movie entirely for cash.

Never stated he did, but the projects in the pipeline are a
different story.

> And, I have
> heard nothing serios aside from a couple of joking responses that he is
> unhappy with this movie.

Also never stated that he hated this film. Just that he's eager
about returning to what he does best.

And now we're all on the same page...
------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
    "Damn the man, Joe!"    -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------

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From: jkrudy <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] A Simple Plan
Date: 16 Feb 1999 08:46:45 -0700

Children, children, children.  If you must continue with this "discussion"
then please take it off the list.  Besides we all know that the only movie
that really got screwed out of an Oscar nomination was Baseketball.  LOL!

James K. Rudy


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 1:31 AM


Wade Snider wrote:
>
> Brilliant comment. Never heard such an original retort. Jerk.

Touche. Your "jerk" left me breathless.

> It was an obvious guess that implied I could change my mind if I thought
the
> other movies were better.
> I simply looked at the movies I had seen and what people have said,
> then what I haven't seen and what people have said, and then based on what
> people have said about Simple Plan and what I thought, I made a guess.

So what you're saying (in that roundabout way) is that you had no
idea of actual fact, and that you were totally guessing they'd suck,
but if you were wrong you reserve the right to change your mind.

Bold stuff.

> I still think Simple Plan was better than it and the
> rest, except for SPR.

An opinion you're welcome to, now that you have seen the
competition.
Sadly, I have this weird feeling that SPR is going to clean up,
Titanic style. If it was a fair world the first half hour would win
best documentary and the rest would be ignored.

> >As for the "No trademark Raimi" shots.. well two spring to mind.
>
> The way any of these shots are done are still not anything close to Raimi
> trademarks.

At the risk of spoiling, if that shotgun to the guts didn't seem
more Evil Dead than A Simple Plan, I'm Dutch. It was like someone
changed channels for a moment, then flicked back.

> Not my understanding that he made this movie entirely for cash.

Never stated he did, but the projects in the pipeline are a
different story.

> And, I have
> heard nothing serios aside from a couple of joking responses that he is
> unhappy with this movie.

Also never stated that he hated this film. Just that he's eager
about returning to what he does best.

And now we're all on the same page...
------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
    "Damn the man, Joe!"    -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------

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

From: Oz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] A Simple Plan
Date: 17 Feb 1999 02:51:32 -0800

jkrudy wrote:
>
> Besides we all know that the only movie
> that really got screwed out of an Oscar nomination was Baseketball.  LOL!

A truly underrated movie, alongside Very Bad Things and What Dreams
May Come. Guilty pleasures, all three.

------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
    "Damn the man, Joe!"    -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------

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From: "Bruce Bridges" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations &
Date: 16 Feb 1999 08:28:12 -0800

I have no desire to recieve the crap such as the chain letter below.  This =
list is not for flooding our mailboxes with junk.  If you must send these =
things please limit to your friends and leave us (or at least me) out of =
it.

bb

>>> Janice Menning <[e-mail]> - 2/13/99 12:41 PM >>>

                        ("`-''-/").___..--''"`-._
                       `6_ 6  )   `-.  (     ).`-.__.`)
                       (_Y_.)'  ._   )  `._ `. ``-..-'
                _..`--'_..-_/  /--'_..' ,'
                   (il),-''  (li),'  ((!.-'!
  The eyes of a Tiger. This is an e-mail to bring you luck in your exams.  =
You
simply send this mail to 4 people and you will get an "A" on all your =
tests,
exams. Trust me, it works.  The more people you send this to, the faster =
you
will see the results.  Send this luck message to all the people you know =
and
you can get First Honors..  Seize the day.



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From: "Bruce Bridges" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] A Simple Plan -Reply
Date: 16 Feb 1999 08:47:40 -0800

When did you guys start elevating the level of discussion to such heights?

I thought A Simple Plan was Brilliant (sue me).  Every scene showed a =
tangible development of one of the characters.  Raimi was amazingly =
restrained and I think he showed more influence from his buddies the Coens =
than from his previous films. =20

If he chooses to make another horror film then I will probably be at the =
theater but he should realize that A Simple Plan raises him to another =
level in the Film world and I hope he makes the most of it. =20

I think the only problem with A Simple Plan is that it is a bit too =
sophisticated for the average audience expecting A Simple Thriller. =20

Of course I could be wrong.

bb

>>> "Wade Snider" <[e-mail]> - 2/16/99 6:57 AM >>>


>> Wade Snider wrote:
>> ???? What the hell????    This is far better than Elizabeth of
>> Shakespeare in Love. I would wager it better than Thin Red Line
>> and Life is Beautiful, which I have not seen.
>
>I think that's a contender for the "dumbest comment of the year"
>Oscar.

Brilliant comment. Never heard such an original retort. Jerk.

How can you even make an educated guess when you haven't seen
>those two movies? Frankly, I'd put A Simple Plan at the bottom of
>the list behind Shakespeare, Elizabeth, Thin Red Line, SPR and
>especially the remarkable Life Is Beautiful (which anyone who hasn't
>seen should run out and see pronto).

I think the fact that it is an educated guess and not an assumption of =
fact
makes it okay, espcially since I said "I'd wager". It was an obvious guess
that implied I could change my mind if I thought the other movies were
better. I simply looked at the movies I had seen and what people have =
said,
then what I haven't seen and what people have said, and then based on what
people have said about Simple Plan and what I thought, I made a guess.
That's it. By the by, I did see Life is Beautiful since my post. And, it =
was
about what I expected. Didn't think that much of it. It was good, but not
Oscar winner to me. I still think Simple Plan was better than it and the
rest, except for SPR.

>
>As for the "No trademark Raimi" shots.. well two spring to mind. The
>fifty billion crow close-ups, easpecially in the crashed plane, and
>one particular gunshot to the guts that had the entire theatre
>laughing at it's cartoon-like quality.


The way any of these shots are done are still not anything close to Raimi
trademarks. They aren't particular to him, at least. And even any of the
shots of violence are completely uncharacterisitc of his style. Many, many
long shots that merely change focus, or long distant shots where the =
action
or circumstance is distant or detached. Even some crow shots, such as the
closeups when framing how the characters walked through the woods was not
typical Raimi material. I don't know which gunshot you mean, but a lot of
the scenes involving violence or a fight don't have the usual quick =
editing
or sharp pans, such as the scene with Lou and his wife or even the old man
on the snowmobile or further the scene in the woods with the sheriff, the
'FBI' guy and Hank. Raimi's style is to usuallly fling the camera into the
action of his flicks, in this movie he does not do it.

>On an aside, an associate talked to Raimi a few days ago and he said
>he has "one quality back-to-the-golden-years borderline NC-17 horror
>flick" left in him, but he keeps getting studio offers and can't say
>no to the cash that's coming his way to make Hollywood flicks.
>More's the pity.


Not my understanding that he made this movie entirely for cash. And, I =
have
heard nothing serios aside from a couple of joking responses that he is
unhappy with this movie. But if he likes cash and continues to make movies
like this, that's not pitiful at all.


Wade



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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/16/99
Date: 16 Feb 1999 11:22:11 -0700 (MST)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kevin Costner's romantic drama "Message in a
Bottle" edged out the revenge film "Payback" at the weekend box
office while new family fare also did well, according to industry
estimates Monday. "Message in a Bottle" opened with $19.1 million in
ticket sales from Friday through Monday, knocking the Mel Gibson
action piece into second place in its second week with $18.4 million.
"My Favorite Martian," based on the 1960s TV sitcom, debuted in third
place with $11.1 million. "She's All That" fell from second to fourth
place with $10.2 million. "Blast from the Past" opened at No. 5 with
$9.7 million. "Blast" stars Brendan Fraser as a man who grows up in a
bomb shelter and emerges into modern-day Los Angeles, where he meets
Alicia Silverstone.

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (AP) - When Hollywood decided to make a movie out of
"Angela's Ashes," Frank McCourt's best-selling memoir of his
poverty-stricken boyhood, the first task was to find a proper Irish
slum. Not so easy in today's more prosperous Ireland, Newsweek says
its Feb. 22 issue. Unable to find the right sort of grimness in
Limerick or anywhere else, the filmmakers spent $25 million to create
it on a vacant lot in Dublin, right down to the tiny family kitchen.
McCourt, who is working on a sequel, called "'Tis," about his adult
life in America, visited the set for just a few days, but found even
that a little too real, according to Newsweek.

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From: "kraus patrick" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations
Date: 16 Feb 1999 20:58:08 +0100


>De : Bruce Bridges

>I have no desire to recieve the crap such as the chain letter below. This
list is not for flooding our mailboxes with junk. If you must send these
things please limit to your friends and leave us (or at least me) out of
it.
>
>bb

I am totally agree with you Bruce.
I have exams at the end of the year, I don't think I'll need this kind
stuff.

By the way I would introduce myself to all of you.
I am french, 20 years old, and I think that is a very positive thing to
converse with you about our similar passion.

Patrick






Mon e-mail gratuit, c'est Youpy,
Pour en savoir plus : http://www.youpy.fr


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From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] The Movie Report: 1998 Academy Award Nominations
Date: 16 Feb 1999 13:04:51 -0700

The offender was suspended from the list for her post.

Greg

kraus patrick wrote:
>
> >De : Bruce Bridges
>
> >I have no desire to recieve the crap such as the chain letter below. This
> list is not for flooding our mailboxes with junk. If you must send these
> things please limit to your friends and leave us (or at least me) out of
> it.
> >
> >bb
>
> I am totally agree with you Bruce.
> I have exams at the end of the year, I don't think I'll need this kind
> stuff.
>
> By the way I would introduce myself to all of you.
> I am french, 20 years old, and I think that is a very positive thing to
> converse with you about our similar passion.
>
> Patrick
>
>
>
> Mon e-mail gratuit, c'est Youpy,
> Pour en savoir plus : http://www.youpy.fr
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: OCTOBER SKY
Date: 16 Feb 1999 13:17:11 -0700 (MST)

OCTOBER SKY
(Universal)
Starring:  Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, Chris Owen, William Lee Scott,
Chad Lindberg, Natalie Canerday, Laura Dern.
Screenplay:  Lewis Colick, based on the memoir "Rocket Boys" by Homer
Hickam Jr.
Producers:  Charles Gordon and Larry Franco.
Director:  Joe Johnston.
MPAA Rating:  PG (profanity, adult themes)
Running Time:  108 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     OCTOBER SKY is a tough sort of film to get people to look at clearly.
Touted in its marketing campaign as "inspirational" and "triumphant" --
usually code words for "sentimental" and "heavy-handed" -- it could easily
lead more cynical movie-goers to dismiss it sight unseen as mawkish
foolishness.  Others, of a more feel-good nature, will think they have
seen a great film simply because, well, it makes them feel good.  It's
hard for both potential sets of viewers to get a handle on why OCTOBER SKY
works -- it avoids most of the traps the former group fears, while
delivering the satisfying emotional resonance the latter group desires.

     Set in 1957, OCTOBER SKY tells the true story of Homer Hickam (Jake
Gyllenhaal), a 17-year-old high school junior in the mining town of
Coalwood, West Virginia.  Lacking the football skills of his older brother
Jim (Scott Miles), which has been the only way out for most Coalwood
youth, Homer seems destined to work in the coal mines like his father John
(Chris Cooper).  That's until the extraordinary event of October 1957 --
the launch of the Soviet rocket Sputnik -- inspires Homer to work on his
own rocket.  Recruiting classmates Quentin (Chris Owen), Roy Lee (William
Lee Scott) and O'Dell (Chad Lindberg) to assist him, Homer sets out to
create a rocket that will land him in the National Science Fair.
Unfortunately, Homer's primary detractor is an important one:  his father,
who believes Homer's quest is a fool's errand.

     This, of course, is the cue to begin your typical triumph of the
spirit, winning-against-the-odds, kids-wiser-than-their parents
crowd-pleaser.  In some ways, the elements in OCTOBER SKY are quite
typical:  a determined young hero, societal obstacles, a big climax at a
competitive event.  Yet there are enough ways OCTOBER SKY is _not_ typical
to make it surprisingly effective.  Director Joe Johnston, best known for
special effects-driven films like JUMANJI and THE ROCKETEER, lends energy
and humor to the montage of failed initial attempts at rocket flight.  The
production creates a complete, convincing picture of its small-town world,
treating its characters with a clear-eyed realization that they're neither
simple hicks nor salt-of-the-earth country folk.  And there's something
fundamentally, unconventionally appealing about a film where teenagers are
obsessed with an intellectual pursuit, a film where the protagonist proves
his innocence of a suspected crime by using a mathematical formula.

     It is also unconventionally appealing to see a father-son
relationship treated with such sensitivity and intelligence.  Certainly it
helps that an actor as subtly gifted as Chris Cooper is playing John
Hickam.  Too many actors would have made him a gruff thick-head who
converts to understanding just in time for a big hug; Cooper makes John's
stubbornness both caring and slightly dismissive of a boy acting smarter
than his own pa.  Jake Gyllenhaal is equally enjoyable as Homer, making
his fascination with rocket science an expression of his desire to explore
the universe beyond Coalwood.  The interactions between John and Homer
form OCTOBER SKY's emotional backbone, and nearly every one of them is
pitched at a level of conflict which seems honest rather than
movie-conflict shrill.

     There are a number of occasions when OCTOBER SKY does begin to feel
like its more convention-bound cousins.  There is an obligatory romantic
sub-plot for Homer which appears and disappears so quickly that there
hardly seems to be a point; an illness experienced by Homer's favorite
teacher (Laura Dern), while historically accurate, further bogs down the
narrative.  The last half-hour of OCTOBER SKY is not nearly as well-paced
as the first hour, dragging out Homer's journey to the National Science
Fair, but that doesn't detract from the film's many pleasures.  OCTOBER
SKY is inspirational, and it is triumphant; it's also smart, well-written,
and well-acted.  This one shows that feel-good movies don't also have to
be feel-dumb movies.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 rocket boys:  7.

                   Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] REVIEW: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
Date: 16 Feb 1999 17:53:23 -0800

wow...

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    Scott Renshaw [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Saturday, February 13, 1999 8:25 AM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    [MV] REVIEW: MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
>
> MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
> (Warner Bros.)
> Starring:  Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn, Paul Newman, Illeana Douglas.
> Screenplay:  Gerald DiPego, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
> Producers:  Denise Di Novi, Jim Wilson and Kevin Costner.
> Director:  Luis Mandoki.
> MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (adult themes, sexual situations, profanity)
> Running Time:  135 minutes.
> Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
>
>      Twenty-five years ago, Paul Newman would have played Garret Blake,
> the grieving, laconic hero of Nicholas Sparks' best-selling novel MESSAGE
> IN A BOTTLE.  He would have brought the ideal combination of elements to
> the role of a shipbuilder whose sea-borne messages to his dead wife are
> found by Chicago newspaper researcher Theresa Osborne (Robin Wright Penn),
> compelling her to seek out the author of the sensitive missives.  You can
> imagine Newman both as a man's man -- a loner dedicated to his craft --
> and a ladies' man -- deeply sensitive when touched by the love of a good
> woman.  That's the kind of screen presence you need when you're dealing
> with one of these mythically appealing romances like THE BRIDGES OF
> MADISON COUNTY or THE HORSE WHISPERER.  You need a Clint Eastwood, or a
> Robert Redford...or a Paul Newman.
>
>      In 1998, you get Paul Newman playing Garret's father Dodge, and as
> Garret you get...Kevin Costner.  Costner has always been at his best in
> roles where her could be easygoing (SILVERADO, BULL DURHAM, TIN CUP),
> while his attempts at playing icons (THE UNTOUCHABLES, WATERWORLD, THE
> POSTMAN) could be most charitably described as uneven.  Yet here he is in
> MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE, playing the emotionally unavailable but romantically
> irresistable Garret.  He's the kind of guy who loves too deeply, whose
> gestures of self-sacrifice are the stuff of song and story.  It's Costner
> once again as the paradigm, the icon, and I for one didn't believe him for
> a second.
>
>      To be fair, Costner isn't the only thing wrong with MESSAGE IN A
> BOTTLE.  Director Luis Mandoki's adaptation is a technically glorious
> piece of work -- beautifully photographed by Caleb Deschanel, sweepingly
> scored by Gabriel Yared -- but it's one heck of a long sit, clocking in at
> a soggy two hours and fifteen minutes.  The storyline parallels Theresa's
> emergence from emotional isolation after a difficult divorce with Garret's
> difficulties letting go of his wife, and does so in fetishistic detail.
> There's a subplot involving Garret's conflict with his embittered in-laws,
> and the occasional tete-a-tete between Dodge and Garret or between Dodge
> and Theresa, all building with a gruelling lack of tension to one big
> cathartic payoff.  You may leave the theater with your hanky wet, but it
> could be from the drool that collects while you nod off to sleep just as
> easily as from tears.
>
>      Lost at sea along the way are extremely effective performances by
> Robin Wright Penn and Paul Newman.  Wright Penn is an actress we don't see
> very much, which allows her still to be an actress in a role like this
> rather than a movie star.  Her conflicted pursuit of Garret -- a man whose
> letters should have told her from the start isn't ready to love anyone
> else -- is convincing in context; her moments of insecurity and
> disappointment are genuinely affecting.  Newman, meanwhile, gets to be
> gruff in a way that usually turns actors into hams, but turns this veteran
> into a breath of fresh air.  He's so effortlessly charming, it's easy to
> forget the Harlequin sensibility at the heart of MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE and
> begin enjoying it as human relationship drama.
>
>      Costner, too, can be effortlessly charming, but not here.  His
> interpretation of the role is so focused on Garret's internalized mourning
> that in the moments when he's supposed to be letting go with Theresa, he
> looks like a man trying to act like a grieving man trying to be
> effortlessly charming.  If that reads awkwardly, it plays even more
> awkwardly, with Costner straining for Meaning and Significance in every
> scene while his leading lady acts circles around him.  MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE
> undoubtedly will have its sob appeal, just as the novel did.  Unlike the
> film adaptations of THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and THE HORSE WHISPERER,
> that's the main thing this one has going for it.  It's too bad it couldn't
> have been made twenty-five years ago, when Paul Newman hadn't yet handed
> over the iconic roles to actors ill-suited to handling them.
>
>      On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 empty bottles:  5.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>                    Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
>                     http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
>                                    ***
>              Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email!
>  See the Screening Room for details, or reply to this message with subject
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>
>
>
>
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From: "kraus patrick" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] HOUDINI
Date: 17 Feb 1999 09:50:47 +0100

I've heard of a shooting about HOUDINI's life, probably with Tom CRUISE.
Do you know more about that ?

Thanks in advance




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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: AFFLICTION
Date: 17 Feb 1999 09:21:12 -0700 (MST)

AFFLICTION
(Lions Gate)
Starring:  Nick Nolte, James Coburn, Sissy Spacek, Tim True, Willem Dafoe.
Screenplay:  Paul Schrader, based on the novel by Russell Banks.
Producer:  Linda Reisman.
Director:  Paul Schrader.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, adult themes, violence)
Running Time:  114 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     I don't blame Paul Schrader for thinking he could get away with
voice-over narration where so many others had failed.  After all, he did
set the standard for ideal use of the device when he let us into the mind
of Travis Bickle in TAXI DRIVER.  Every once in a while, a talented writer
will figure out just when he can get away with the narration crutch, and
for what purpose.  Schrader forgot those things while adapting Russell
Banks' AFFLICTION.  Working with all the elements for a raw dramatic
masterwork, he appears unclear how to tell the story through to its
conclusion.  And in a fit of panic, he turns the final minutes of the film
into a mess of ham-fisted plot summary and perplexing epilogue.

     It's a crying shame, because the set-up for AFFLICTION is so utterly
compelling.  Nick Nolte stars as Wade Whitehouse, a lifetime resident of a
small New Hampshire town.  Recently divorced, Wade spends his days as a
civil servant -- running the snowplow and serving as crossing guard --
while also acting as the town's lone part-time cop.  He's trying to put
his life back together, even beginning a new relationship with a long-time
friend named Marge (Sissy Spacek), but his life has been permanently
scarred by his abusive, alcoholic Pop (James Coburn).  The death of his
mother brings Wade back into his father's house, rekindling long-buried
emotions just when his suspicions of foul play in a recent hunting
accident have him on edge.

     The heart, soul and twisted guts of AFFLICTION lie in Nick Nolte's
performance as Wade, as beaten-down a human being as the screen has ever
seen without turning him into a "lovable loser."  Whipped into a
psychological submission by his Pop, Wade crawls through life on his belly
-- working menial jobs at the whim of a town Selectman (Holmes Osborne),
feared and abandoned by his ex-wife and daughter because he has abandoned
them emotionally, taunted by a wealthy man to whom he tries to serve a
traffic ticket.  Afraid of turning out anything like his father, Wade
absorbs every bit of pain for fear that releasing it will cause him to
lose control.  He's tragic and pathetic and doomed, and Nolte nails him.

     Schrader, on the other hand, doesn't seem convinced that he has
nailed Wade.  The film opens with narration by Wade's younger brother
Rolfe (Willem Dafoe), narration which appears at irregular intervals.
Initially, the narration is simply florid and unnecessary; later, it
begins to repeat entire scenes just completed, as though afraid we might
have just walked in from the lobby and missed something.  Finally, the
narration becomes absolutely insufferable, summing up every theme from the
previous two hours in a few tidy sentences that makes you wonder why you
spent your time with Wade instead of his self-appointed shrink.  That
narration is part of an attrocious conclusion that nearly ruins the film,
tagging on explanations of much that has gone before and some that comes
after.  Either Schrader ran out of money to show us all this significant
material, or he ran out of ideas regarding how to do it.

     Perhaps such a gaping hole in the resolution of the protagonist's
story should have ruined the film, but there's too much else that works in
AFFLICTION.  Cinematographer Paul Sarossy, who captured Russell Banks'
winter mindscapes previously in THE SWEET HEREAFTER, captures a sense of
chilly isolation, and the supporting cast -- notably Coburn's casually
emasculating turn as Pop -- is solid top to bottom.  There's an ache at
the core of AFFLICTION as painful as the rotting tooth that, in a
Shakespearean display of psychic corruption manifested through physical
corruption, torments Wade through much of the film.  There will also be an
ache in the head of many viewers, as Schrader spends the film's critical
final minutes beating them with a Moral to the Story that anyone able to
add single-digit numbers should comprehend unassisted.  It may have worked
for Travis Bickle, but here Schrader's use of narration nearly trumps
Nolte's triumph.  It's enough to make an edgy critic ask, "Are you _still_
talkin' to me?"

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 winter overkills:  6.

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

From: "Bruce Bridges" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] HOUDINI -Reply
Date: 17 Feb 1999 08:48:49 -0800

Paul Verhoeven was developing a film based on Houdini and there was rumor =
that made the trades that Cruise would star.  Those rumors were unfounded =
and evidently released by some eager publicist or other person out of the =
loop.  I understand that Cruise was never seriously close to signing or =
really discussing the role. =20

Verhoeven dropped the project after he decided that he could not really =
find a story that he really wanted to tell in the material.  =20

bb

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Top 10 Box Office Numbers (For Weekend Ending February 14, 1999)
Date: 17 Feb 1999 10:04:10 -0700 (MST)

Movie (Studio)        Weekend/Total Gross (millions)   Weeks in Release
 1. Message in a Bottle (WARNERS)       $19.1/$19.1                   1
 2. Payback (PARAMOUNT)                 $18.4/$44.7                   2
 3. My Favorite Martian (BUENA VISTA)   $11.1/$11.1                   1
 4. She's All That (MIRAMAX)            $10.2/$42.8                   3
 5. Blast from the Past (NEW LINE)      $9.7/$9.7                     1
 6. Shakespeare in Love (MIRAMAX)       $9.5/$47.1                   10
 7. Saving Private Ryan (DREAMWORKS)    $4.0/$9.1        (re-release) 2
 8. Rushmore (BUENA VISTA)              $3.7/$6.3                     2
 9. Patch Adams (UNIVERSAL)             $3.6/$127.1                   8
10. Varsity Blues (PARAMOUNT)           $3.4/$48.4                    5

    Box office figures courtesy of Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc.

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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/17/99
Date: 17 Feb 1999 12:10:07 -0700 (MST)

Samuel L. Jackson is in final negotiations to play the
title character in a remake of the 1971 action film
"Shaft," reports Variety. Director John Singleton plans
to shoot this summer from a script by Richard Price. The
original -- starring Richard Roundtree as a handsome,
tough-talking private detective enlisted by a Harlem mob
boss to rescue his kidnapped daughter -- was directed by
Gordon Parks and featured a memorable score by Isaac
Hayes (currently the voice of Chef on "South Park"). It
was considered perhaps the best in the wave of blaxploitation
cinema in the early 1970s.Jackson's imminent deal would
make it the first of several other remakes in the works
that include "Superfly," "Cleopatra Jones" and "Get
Christy Love" (for which Whitney Houston has been mentioned
as star).

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (AP) - Five major technology firms are combining their
efforts to develop ways to prevent illegal copying of digital movies.
IBM and four Japanese electronics makers - Hitachi, NEC, Sony and
Pioneer Electronics - said Tuesday they will develop technology to
ensure that people watching digital movies over satellite services,
cable networks and the Internet can't make copies without permission.
The companies hope to have electronic watermarking technology put
into digital video disk players and recorders by the end of the year.
Eventually, high-definition TV sets, personal computers and digital
video cassette recorders would be equipped with the protection.

                        -=> * <=-

CHICAGO (AP) - Look for film critic Tom Shales when those thumbs go
up or down on TV next weekend. Shales will be the first revolving
co-host to fill in for Gene Siskel on the syndicated "Siskel & Ebert"
show while Siskel (He's the skinny one; Roger Ebert's the pudgy one.)
recuperates from brain surgery. Shales, like Ebert, is a Pulitzer
Prize-winning critic. He is The Washington Post's TV critic but has
reviewed movies for the Post and National Public Radio. Siskel, the
film critic for the Chicago Tribune, had surgery in May to remove a
growth on his brain. Ebert, the film critic for the Chicago
Sun-Times, has been host by himself since Siskel took a leave of
absence Feb. 3.

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/17/99
Date: 17 Feb 1999 13:42:09 -0700 (MST)

SF films fared moderately well in this year's Oscar
nominations, with Armageddon leading the pack in
quantity while The Truman Show dominated in
quality. Armageddon picked up nods for Best Original
Song, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best
Visual Effects, categories that generally don't share much
of the spotlight on Oscar night.

The Truman Show, meanwhile, was nominated in the
high-profile categories of Best Directing and Best
Screenplay-Original, while Truman co-star Ed Harris was
nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Drama.
Pleasantville also earned three nominations, for Best Art
Direction, Best Costume Design and Best Original Dramatic
Score.

Rounding out this year's SF nominees were What Dreams
May Come for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects,
Mighty Joe Young for Best Visual Effects and A Bug's Life
for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score.

                        -=> * <=-

As usual, science fiction films were in the forefront of
the nominees for the Razzie Awards, which are given
annually by the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation
to "dis-honor" the worst movie achievements. The
Avengers led the pack with nine nominations, followed by
Armageddon with seven, Godzilla with five and Lost in
Space and Meet Joe Black with one apiece.

The Avengers picked up nods for Worst Picture, Worst
Actor (Ralph Fiennes), Worst Actress (Uma Thurman),
Worst Screen "Couple" (Fiennes and Thurman), Worst
Supporting Actor (Sean Connery), Worst Director
(Jeremiah Chechik), Worst Re-Make or Sequel, Worst
Screenplay and Worst "Original" Song. Armageddon was
dis-honored for Worst Picture, Worst Actor (Bruce Willis),
Worst Screen "Couple" (Ben Affleck and Liv Tyler), Worst
Supporting Actress (Tyler), Worst Director (Michael Bay),
Worst Screenplay and Worst "Original" Song.

Godzilla got off lightly by comparison, earning nominations
for Worst Picture, Worst Supporting Actress (Maria Pitillo),
Worst Director (Roland Emmerich), Worst Re-Make or
Sequel and Worst Screenplay. Rounding out the nominees
were Meet Joe Black and Lost in Space, which each
picked up a dis-honor for Worst Re-Make or Sequel.

As is traditional, the winners of the Razzies will be
announced 24 hours prior to the Oscars, which this year
means March 20.

                        -=> * <=-

Steven Spielberg may direct a modern-day screen
adaptation of the famous H.G. Wells SF novel The
Time Machine, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The picture is being produced by Warner Bros. and
Spielberg's company DreamWorks and will be scripted by
John Logan (I Am Legend).

Little else is known about the film at this point, although
it's tentatively scheduled for release in the summer of
2000. Spielberg is also working on the Tom Cruise film
Minority Report, which is based on the Philip K. Dick novel
of the same name.

                        -=> * <=-

Some Improvement headliner Tim Allen is in talks to
play the starring role in Dreamworks' upcoming SF
picture Galaxy Quest, according to Variety. Allen
would reportedly make the picture after his long-running
ABC comedy series draws to a close later this year.

Variety also reports that Dreamworks is close to signing a
new director for the film following the departure of helmer
Harold Ramis. Galaxy Quest tells the story of a former TV
actor who must assume his on-air role as a space captain
for real in order to save Earth from aliens.

                        -=> * <=-

Twentieth Century Fox has decided to give its
upcoming SF flick Wing Commander a full-scale
theatrical release when the film opens on March 12,
according to Variety. Fox had been planning a limited
release for the picture before sending it to the home video
market, but after screening the PG-13 movie executives
apparently decided it might play well to a wider audience.

Wing Commander is based on the best-selling computer
game series of the same name and stars Freddie Prinze
Jr., Matthew Lillard and Saffron Burrows. The film is being
directed by Wing Commander creator Chris Roberts from a
screenplay he wrote with Kevin Droney and Mike Finch.

Meanwhile, Digital Anvil, the entertainment company
founded by Roberts, announced that it will sell a line of
merchandise based on the movie. Digital said its Wing
Commander line will include action figures, masks and
costumes, T-shirts, hats, posters, books, a collector's
magazine and even bicycles.

                        -=> * <=-

Sweetpea Entertainment and Silver Pictures plan to
produce a live-action feature film of the popular
role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, according to
The Hollywood Reporter. The movie will be directed by
Sweetpea president and chairman Courtney Solomon and
will carry a budget of about $28 million.

The film tells the story of an evil wizard who attempts to
overthrow a young empress because she feels that
aristocrats and commoners should have equal rights. The
empress is aided in her fight by a thief and a sorceress
who are trying to find an ancient artifact that can save
the kingdom.

D&D will reportedly include an ending sequence that
features 75 dragons on screen simultaneously. Shooting is
slated to begin in May.

                        -=> * <=-

Columbia Pictures has pushed back the theatrical
release of its SF thriller The Thirteenth Floor from
April 9 to May 28.

                        -=> * <=-

Swingers costars Vince Vaughn and Jon Favreau
are in talks to star in Paramount's SF comedy Guam
Goes to the Moon, according to Variety.

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

From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] REVIEW: AFFLICTION
Date: 17 Feb 1999 17:57:35 -0800

this is pretty good...

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    Scott Renshaw [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Wednesday, February 17, 1999 8:21 AM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    [MV] REVIEW: AFFLICTION
>
> AFFLICTION
> (Lions Gate)
> Starring:  Nick Nolte, James Coburn, Sissy Spacek, Tim True, Willem Dafoe.
> Screenplay:  Paul Schrader, based on the novel by Russell Banks.
> Producer:  Linda Reisman.
> Director:  Paul Schrader.
> MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, adult themes, violence)
> Running Time:  114 minutes.
> Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.
>
>      I don't blame Paul Schrader for thinking he could get away with
> voice-over narration where so many others had failed.  After all, he did
> set the standard for ideal use of the device when he let us into the mind
> of Travis Bickle in TAXI DRIVER.  Every once in a while, a talented writer
> will figure out just when he can get away with the narration crutch, and
> for what purpose.  Schrader forgot those things while adapting Russell
> Banks' AFFLICTION.  Working with all the elements for a raw dramatic
> masterwork, he appears unclear how to tell the story through to its
> conclusion.  And in a fit of panic, he turns the final minutes of the film
> into a mess of ham-fisted plot summary and perplexing epilogue.
>
>      It's a crying shame, because the set-up for AFFLICTION is so utterly
> compelling.  Nick Nolte stars as Wade Whitehouse, a lifetime resident of a
> small New Hampshire town.  Recently divorced, Wade spends his days as a
> civil servant -- running the snowplow and serving as crossing guard --
> while also acting as the town's lone part-time cop.  He's trying to put
> his life back together, even beginning a new relationship with a long-time
> friend named Marge (Sissy Spacek), but his life has been permanently
> scarred by his abusive, alcoholic Pop (James Coburn).  The death of his
> mother brings Wade back into his father's house, rekindling long-buried
> emotions just when his suspicions of foul play in a recent hunting
> accident have him on edge.
>
>      The heart, soul and twisted guts of AFFLICTION lie in Nick Nolte's
> performance as Wade, as beaten-down a human being as the screen has ever
> seen without turning him into a "lovable loser."  Whipped into a
> psychological submission by his Pop, Wade crawls through life on his belly
> -- working menial jobs at the whim of a town Selectman (Holmes Osborne),
> feared and abandoned by his ex-wife and daughter because he has abandoned
> them emotionally, taunted by a wealthy man to whom he tries to serve a
> traffic ticket.  Afraid of turning out anything like his father, Wade
> absorbs every bit of pain for fear that releasing it will cause him to
> lose control.  He's tragic and pathetic and doomed, and Nolte nails him.
>
>      Schrader, on the other hand, doesn't seem convinced that he has
> nailed Wade.  The film opens with narration by Wade's younger brother
> Rolfe (Willem Dafoe), narration which appears at irregular intervals.
> Initially, the narration is simply florid and unnecessary; later, it
> begins to repeat entire scenes just completed, as though afraid we might
> have just walked in from the lobby and missed something.  Finally, the
> narration becomes absolutely insufferable, summing up every theme from the
> previous two hours in a few tidy sentences that makes you wonder why you
> spent your time with Wade instead of his self-appointed shrink.  That
> narration is part of an attrocious conclusion that nearly ruins the film,
> tagging on explanations of much that has gone before and some that comes
> after.  Either Schrader ran out of money to show us all this significant
> material, or he ran out of ideas regarding how to do it.
>
>      Perhaps such a gaping hole in the resolution of the protagonist's
> story should have ruined the film, but there's too much else that works in
> AFFLICTION.  Cinematographer Paul Sarossy, who captured Russell Banks'
> winter mindscapes previously in THE SWEET HEREAFTER, captures a sense of
> chilly isolation, and the supporting cast -- notably Coburn's casually
> emasculating turn as Pop -- is solid top to bottom.  There's an ache at
> the core of AFFLICTION as painful as the rotting tooth that, in a
> Shakespearean display of psychic corruption manifested through physical
> corruption, torments Wade through much of the film.  There will also be an
> ache in the head of many viewers, as Schrader spends the film's critical
> final minutes beating them with a Moral to the Story that anyone able to
> add single-digit numbers should comprehend unassisted.  It may have worked
> for Travis Bickle, but here Schrader's use of narration nearly trumps
> Nolte's triumph.  It's enough to make an edgy critic ask, "Are you _still_
> talkin' to me?"
>
>      On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 winter overkills:  6.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>                    Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
>                     http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
>                                    ***
>              Subscribe to receive new reviews directly by email!
>  See the Screening Room for details, or reply to this message with subject
>                                "Subscribe".
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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

From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: OFFICE SPACE
Date: 18 Feb 1999 09:57:03 -0700 (MST)

OFFICE SPACE
(20th Century Fox)
Starring:  Ron Livingston, Jennifer Aniston, David Herman, Ajay Naidu,
Stephen Root, Gary Cole, Diedrich Bader.
Screenplay:  Mike Judge, based on his "Milton" animated shorts.
Producers:  Michael Rotenberg and Daniel Rappaport.
Director:  Mike Judge.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, sexual content)
Running Time:  88 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     In the small television-sized doses which are his forte, Mike Judge
is one of our savviest social satirists.  Freed of the "Beavis and
Butt-head"-inspired hand-wringing by many conservative critics, Judge has
been able to show in "King of the Hill" what his supporters have known all
along:  that Judge observes behavioral quirks as well as anyone, whether
his subjects are media-fried teenagers or middle-aged suburbanites.  In
OFFICE SPACE, his first live-action feature, Judge turns his attention to
corporate culture, a world of cubicles, coffee and numbing sameness ripe
for skewering.

     It's not a new target for Judge.  In fact, the animated shorts he
created about a put-upon office worker named Milton (played in the film by
"NewsRadio's" Stephen Root) even pre-date "Beavis & Butt-head."  Here he
expands the concept to focus on a computer programmer named Peter Gibbons
(Ron Livingston) at a software company called Initech.  Peter loathes
everything about his job -- the grinding commute, the chirping customer
service operator in the next cubicle, the mountains of pointless reports,
the passive-aggressive pestering by his boss Bill Lumbergh (Gary Cole).
That all changes after a visit to a hypnotherapist leaves Peter with a new
perspective, and a blissful disregard for preserving his position.  While
"consultants" preparing for layoffs have most Initech employees scrambling
to justify their existence, Peter's id-run-wild "straight-shooting" has
him in line for a promotion.

     The first 45 minutes of OFFICE SPACE exploit the concept to its
fullest, resulting in some wonderfully surreal, wonderfully funny moments.
The opening traffic jam sequence alone is a sly riot, including a futile
exercise in "fastest lane" selection and a geeky white programmer who
blasts gansta rap on his car stereo but locks his door when an actual
black person walks near him.  Gary Cole, who so brilliantly nailed the
Mike Brady cadence in the BRADY BUNCH films, is equally slick with the
self-help tones of an inept middle-manager ("If you could just remember to
do that from now on, that would be great").  For a while, it looks like
Judge is going to head into inspired territory, lining up the newly
revitalized Peter for a supervisory position which could turn Initech
upside-down.

     Then, in a depressing turn of events, Judge appears to run out of
ideas for the premise he spent the first half of the film setting up.
Instead of continuing his cannon shots at bureaucratic tyranny, he
launches into a lame caper in which Peter and his about-to-be-downsized
co-workers Samir (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman) -- no
relation to the singer -- try to rip off Initech by introducting a
computer virus into the accounting program.  As even the characters in the
film note, the premise is a rip-off from SUPERMAN III, and Judge doesn't
do anything interesting with it to justify recycling it.  OFFICE SPACE
grows tiresome in its last half hour, flipping back and forth between the
conspirators' anxiety over getting caught and a limp romance between Peter
and a sweet waitress (Jennifer Aniston).  After a decent televison
episode's worth of keen-edged satire, Judge lets his script dribble into
bland conventionality.

    It wouldn't be fair to suggest that Judge is only comfortable with
characters as cartoons -- Hank Hill is more endearingly human than most
sit-com creations put together -- but that seems to be the case in OFFICE
SPACE.  The robotic Lumbergh and the muttering Milton create the strongest
impression in the film; not coincidentally, they're the most extremely
absurdist creations.  When Judge tries to turn OFFICE SPACE into Peter's
quest for professional meaning and personal fulfillment, it just doesn't
work. He's much more effective pointing out the surreal yet all-too-real
details of industrial park anthropology, but there's not quite enough
material here to make it a thoroughgoing delight.  Mike Judge has taken
his gift for creating hilarous short films and overstayed his welcome.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 cubicle dwellers:  5.

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/18/99
Date: 18 Feb 1999 16:07:22 -0700 (MST)

LOS ANGELES (AP) - On a long holiday weekend that included
Valentine's Day, the romantic "Message in a Bottle" edged "Payback"
as the top pick at North American theaters. The film starring Kevin
Costner opened with $18.9 million in ticket sales over the four-day
weekend, according to final industry figures released Tuesday. Mel
Gibson's "Payback" was pushed to second place but remained strong in
its second week, collecting $17.7 million. "Message," which also
stars Robin Wright Penn and Paul Newman, drew mostly older women and
overcame reviews that called the film slow and sappy.

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

From: Michael Dequina <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#178, 2/19/99
Date: 19 Feb 1999 17:44:00 -0800

T   H   E
M   O   V   I   E
R   E   P   O   R   T
#178
FEBRUARY 19, 1999

PLEASE HELP...
...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive.   I am undergoing a
serious funding and resource crisis.  Please send any donations (every
little bit does help) to:
Michael Dequina
3650 Denver Avenue
Long Beach, CA  90810-2205
You can also help by purchasing videos and DVDs from Reel.com!  Please visit:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html
Thank you very much.

=>T H I S  W E E K<=
M O V I E S
-_Office_Space_
V I D E O
-_Practical_Magic_
-_Snake_Eyes_
-_Without_Limits_

For my analysis of the recently announced Academy Award nominations, the
best and worst of 1998, links to the official websites of all the current
films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie MIDI music,
movie discussion board, a comprehensive link section, and more, visit Mr.
Brown's Movie Site at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown  or
http://welcome.to/mrbrown  or
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown  or
http://mrbrown.webjump.com

Sorry for the inconvenience...

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...

If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/moviereport.html

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
...and Film Frenzy at:
http://www.filmfrenzy.com

I am always up for a good live chat.  Feel free to message me on ICQ at
#25289934 or on AOL Instant Messenger under the handle "MrBrown23."

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
_Office_Space_ (R) ***
    _Beavis_and_Butt-Head_, _King_of_the_Hill_.  Two of the most successful
animated television series in recent years--and two of the most annoying
creations to ever hit the tube, if you ask me.  So I was surprised to find
myself laughing through much of the offbeat workplace comedy
_Office_Space_,  the live-action directorial debut of those series'
creator, Mike Judge.
    When we first meet Peter Gibbons (Ron Livingston), he is stuck in the
circle of hell known as morning rush hour trafic.  But this is nothing
compared to the next circle that awaits Peter and his also-traffic-jammed
friends Samir (Ajay Naidu) and Michael Bolton (David Herman) every single
day as office dronces for the Initech Corporation.  As we see Peter being
harrassed by his numerous higher-ups about a memo regarding report cover
sheets and Michael doing battle with the temperamental office fax and
anyone who mentions a certain identically-named singer, Judge's point is
abundantly clear: work sucks, as goes the film's tagline.
    Judge's recreation of soul-deadening busy work is so painfully dead-on
hilarious that it wouldn't really matter if there were much of a plot--and
there really isn't much of one.  Fed up with his unfulfilling,
underappreciated efforts and his smarmy, condescending boss Bill Lumbergh
(Gary Cole), Peter decides to rebel, and he and the about-to-be-laid-off
Samir and Michael join forces in an elaborate scheme to fleece the
corporation.  While their scheming does pave the way for some very
effective, very funny set pieces (one gangland-style "beating" is a
showstopper), it doesn't have much of a payoff.  In fact, perhaps
_Office_Space_'s weakest element is its rather flat conclusion, which
doesn't fulfill the buildup of what preceded it.
    Nonetheless, Judge has come up with a wry, perceptive, always-amusing
comedy, highlighted by some memorable characters, chief among them the
gangsta-rap-loving Michael Bolton; the ever-unctuous Lumbergh; and Milton
(Stephen Root), a perpetually stepped-on (or, rather, completely ignored)
soft-spoken co-worker.  But it's Livingston who holds the film together.
Peter, while the main character, may not be the showiest role in the film,
but Livingston's low-key, self-effacing attitude works in creating a
likable character--and, in turn, an involving film.

I N  C U R R E N T  R E L E A S E
(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)

-_Affliction_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#affliction
-_At_First_Sight_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#174, 1/21/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#sight
-_Blast_from_the_Past_ (PG-13) ** <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#blast
-_A_Bug's_Life_ (G) *** 1/2 <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bugs
-_Central_Station_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#central
-_A_Civil_Action_ (PG-13) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#civil
-_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth
-_Gods_and_Monsters_ *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#gods
-_Hilary_and_Jackie_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#h&j
-_In_Dreams_ (R) *1/2 <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.commrbrown/movierpt44.html#dreams
-_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella
-_Little_Voice_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#lv
-_Message_in_a_Bottle_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#message
-_My_Favorite_Martian_ (PG) no stars <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#martian
-_My_Name_Is_Joe_ (R) *** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#joe
-_Patch_Adams_ (PG-13) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#patch
-_Payback_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#176, 2/4/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#payback
-_Playing_by_Heart_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#architecture
-_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#prince
-_Rushmore_ (R) **** <MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#rushmore
-_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan
-_Shakespeare_in_Love_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#shakespeare
-_She's_All_That_ (PG-13) * 1/2 <MR#1/28/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#allthat
-_A_Simple_Plan_ (R) **** <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#plan
-_Simply_Irresistible_ (PG-13) ** <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#fog
-_Stepmom_ (PG-13) ***<MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#stepmom
-_Still_Crazy_ (R) ** <MR#169, 12/3/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#crazy
-_The_Thin_Red_Line_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#red
-_Varsity_Blues_ (R) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#varsity
-_Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#ned
-_You've_Got_Mail_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mail

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

_Jawbreaker_ (R) ***
Full review in MR#174, 12/24/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#jawbreaker
    Wickedly funny black comedy in which the remaining trio of a leading high
school clique (Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, and Julie Benz) attempt to
cover-up their accidental killing of their fourth member (Charlotte Roldan).

_October_Sky_ (PG)
    Inspired by Sputnik, a West Virginia boy (Jake Gyllenhaal) is inspired to
take up rocket science in this fact-based drama.  Laura Dern and Chris
Cooper also star for director Joe Johnston.

_Office_Space_ (R) *** <see above review>
    Wry, offbeat comedy in which a fed-up office worker (Ron Livingston)
decides to strike back against his unctious boss (Gary Cole).


~~~

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

_Practical_Magic_ (PG-13) **
Full review in MR#162, 10/16/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#magic
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43654
    Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman star as witch sisters in Griffin Dunne's
muddled melange of whimsy, horror, and romantic comedy.  (Warner Home Video)

_Snake_Eyes_ (R) **
Full review in MR#153, 8/7/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#snakeeyes
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgibin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.asp
?MMID=
    This pro forma conspiracy whodunit set in an Atlantic City casino is
distinguished by little more than director Brian DePalma's mesmerizing
visual tricks.  Nicolas Cage and Gary Sinise star.  (Paramount Home Video)

_Without_Limits_ (PG-13) ***
Full review in MR#156, 8/28/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#limits
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43302
    Unfortunately lost in last fall's film flurry was the second and better of
the two big screen projects about the tragically short life of '70s
long-distance track star Steve Prefontaine.  A charismatic Billy Crudup
plays Prefontaine, and Donald Sutherland delivers standout work as his
mentor in this engrossing biopic.  (Warner Home Video)

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

_Beyond_Silence_ (PG-13)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=41480
    German drama, nominated for the 1997 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar, in
which the daughter (Sylvie Testud) of two deaf parents takes up the
clarinet.  (Columbia TriStar Home Video)

_The_Governess_ (R)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=42208
    Minnie Driver stars in this period drama as a disguised Jewish woman who
falls for a photographer (Tom Wilkinson) in Scotland.  (Columbia TriStar
Home Video)

_Since_You've_Been_Gone_ (R)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=44790
    A couple of years ago, Miramax proudly announced the production start of
this high school reunion-set comedy, directed by David Schwimmer.  Then
suddenly, it dropped off of the studio's release slate without a trace,
only to quietly make its debut on the tube last spring--but not on an HBO
or Showtime, but a _broadcast_network_ (ABC, to be exact).  Did it really
deserve to be swept under the rug?  See the film in its uncut, R-rated
glory to see for yourself.  Teri Hatcher, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Schwimmer
star.   (Miramax Home Entertainment)

_Welcome_to_Woop_Woop_ (R)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43419
    An American con artist (Jonathon Schaech) travels the Australian Outback
in this offbeat comedy.  (Orion Home Video)


~~~

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

More reviews, including:
-_Goodbye_Lover_
-_200_Cigarettes_

...and my full report from the 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards, which I had
the pleasure of attending this past Sunday, but did not have the time to
write about this week.

'til then...

__________________________________________________________

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

[e-mail]  |  [e-mail]
[e-mail]  |  [e-mail]

>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
Film Frenzy: http://www.filmfrenzy.com

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

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] New 'Star Wars: Episode I' Trailer - Shot By Shot
Date: 20 Feb 1999 11:24:51 EST

'Star Wars: Episode I'  Trailer B Set to air on March 12:

Shot 1: A grassy hill. Some vehicles start to slowly emerge from beyond the
horizon.

Shot 2: Large city with a dome-shaped palace on the edge of enormous cliff.
Probably Queen's palace seen from the opposite side than in the first trailer.

Shot 3: Queen: "I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to
war."

Shot 4: Cool shot of battle tanks slowly hovering above the grass.

Shot 5: Sio Bibble: "A communications disruption can mean only one thing.
Invasion."

Shot 6: A ship flies through space. It has a pointed nose and rear "wings"
very reminiscent of TIE fighters.

Shot 7: A HUGE ship, shaped like a letter "H", landing in the forest

Shot 8: Darth Maul stepping outside from some ship, pod or whatever.

Shot 9: Darth Maul to someone in black (probably Darth Sidious, but he's not a
hologram): "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi." They are both
standing on some sort of walkway high above enormous city.

Shot 10: Huge fleet (the "H" shaped mothership and many smaller ships)
approaches the planet.

Shot 11: Many battle droids marching in precise formation, guns ready.

Shot 12: Maul to Sidious: "At last we will have revenge."

Shot 13: Battle droids and some weird spider-like robots (at least 15 feet
tall) standing in some sort of hangar, all of them suddenly turning towards
the camera.

Shot 14: Sidious (hologram): "Begin landing your troops."

Shot 15: Several battle droids on STAPs flying past what appears to be the
lower part of the "H"-shaped ship, parked in the forest. It has just opened
and some hovercrafts
are pouring out (the same things that decimated the forest in the first
trailer).

Shot 16: Many different animals running through the forest. Someone is riding
at least one of them.

Shot 17: Detail of Qui-Gon, standing in the ship which is shaking.

Shot 18: Obi-Wan: "We haven't much time."

Shot 19: Ship (seems like Queen's) flying from the planet towards something
(not in the picture) that is shooting at her.

Shot 20: Two Nimoidians.

Shot 21: Queen: "The Federation has gone too far."

Shot 22: Many battle droids getting up (they were probably crouching before).

Shot 23: Wide shot of literally thousands of droids standing in formations in
front of very large vehicles (looking a little bit like enormous toasters).

Shot 25: Some sort of royal chamber. Several people are standing around, one
of them hologram. Someone says: "The death toll is catastrophic."

Shot 26: Palpatine slowly turning towards the camera.

Shot 27: Queen: "Our people are dying, senator, we must do something quickly."

Shot 28/29: Sio Bibble (hologram) to Queen: "You must contact me." (This is
cut to look like a single scene but the Queen has different dress in each
shot).

Shot 30: Qui-Gon to Queen: "There's something else behind all this, Your
Highness." Obi-Wan and Jar Jar are standing nearby as well as two handmaidens
looking exactly like the Queen!

Shot 31: Queen looking from the window (like in the first trailer). Qui-Gon
(voiceover): "They'll kill you if you stay."

Shot 32: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan getting up from the table and swtching their
lightsabers on.

Shot 33: Obi-Wan raising his hand - using The Force. Qui-Gon (voiceover): "I
can only protect you."

Shot 34: The Force probably worked, because three battle droids are flying
away from the camera.

Shot 35: Qui-Gon: "I can't fight a war for you."

Shot 36: Steps of enromous palace. The Queen and several other people are
being escorted down by battle droids.

Shot 37: Palpatine: "I think we're going to have to accept Federation control
for the time being."

Shot 38: Queen, Bibble and several other people are escorted by

Shot 39: Two very cool battle robots which are "transforming" themselves from
spheres to armored "things" with guns.

Shot 40: Panaka: "This is a battle I do not think that we can win."

Shot 41: Queen to Palpatine: "I will sign no treaty, senator."

Shot 42: Large mounted guns firing.

Shot 45: Pilot in the cockpit being hit. He wears those old-style pilot
goggles.

Shot 46: Queen looking from the window.

Shot 47: Jar Jar to Queen: "You say people gonna die?" Or something like that
(his dialect is terrible.)

Shot 48: STAPs are shooting at Obi-Wan in the forest, Qui-Gon deflects their
fire with his lighsaber.

Shot 49/50: Obi-Wan to Boss Nass: "Once those droids take control of the
surface, they will take control of you."

Shot 51: Tanks firing.

Shot 52: Queen: "I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die..." Some
small thing is hovering in front of her (a microphone?).

Shot 53: Dozens of Gungans deflecting laser fire with large see-through
shields.

Shot 54: Senate or something similar. Enormous hall with many small pods, each
of them containing people (ambassadors?). Queen (voiceover): "...while you
discuss this invasion in a committee."

Shot 55: Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon mowing down battle droids with lightsabers.

Shot 56: Two robots from shot 39 firing.

Shot 57: Door opens, several people are running from them. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan
use the lightsabers to deflect the shots, the Queen is shooting from her
blaster.

Shot 58: R2D2 being "sucked" into the Naboo fighter.

Shot 59: R2D2's "head" emerging from top of the fighter.

Shot 60: Battle droids being hit with laser fire.

Shot 70: Queen (shooting): "Get to your ships!"

Shot 71: Obi-Wan running.

Shot 72: Naboo figters flying away from the planet.

Shot 73: C3PO to R2D2: "They'll never get me onto one of those dreadful
starships."

Shot 74: R2D2 beeping.

Shot 75: Obi-Wan jumps up, kicking down one battle droid with each of his
feet. Looks like Bruce Lee. :)

Shot 76: Yoda to Mace: "Always two there are."

Shot 77: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan standing on the balcony above Coruscant. Yoda
(voiceover): "A master and an apprentice."

Shot 78: Darth Maul standing menacingly in the desert, switching off his
lighsaber. Something flies overhead.

Shot 79: Two Naboo fighters flying, one of them explodes.

Shot 80: The pod race. Various pods (each of them different) speeding through
the canyon.

Shot 81: Naboo fighter flying from space into a hangar, rolling wildly.

Shot 82: Enormous jaws opening (probably shot from inside of the sub).

Shot 83: Obi-Wan duelling with Darth Maul. I'd say that he has 9 horns. One at
the top of his head and four on each side.

Shot 84: Jabba The Hutt on the balcony, surrounded by his familiar minions
from the previous Star Wars movies.

Shot 85/86: Obi-Wan duelling with Darth Maul.

Shot 87: Shmi embracing Anakin.

Shot 88: Huge underwater beast grabs a sub in its jaws. Not sure if they are
the same as in shot 82.

Shot 89: A new kind of ship (somehow reminiscent of TIE Fighter) flying above
the Trade Federation battleship.

Shot 90: Another shot from the pod race.

Shot 91: Title: STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE

Shot 92: Close-up of Maul's face. Sidious (voiceover): "Wipe themout."

Shot 93: Sidious (hologram): "All of them."

Shot 94: Obi-Wan (screaming): "No!!!"

Shot 95: One of the racing pods crashing in very nasty way.

Shot 96: Queen.

Shot 97: Battle droids being blasted by laser fire.

Shot 98: Qui-Gon

Shot 99: Qui-Gon decapitating the battle droid.

Shot 100: Anakin running across the field.

Shot 101: Particularly nasty explosion (remember ID4?) involving one very
unlucky battle droid.

Shot 102: End credits.

Shot 103: THE SAGA BEGINS MAY 21st

The trailer is about 2:25 long (with all the credits). All the music is from
previous movies. Set to air on March 12.

   Mr. Movie
   [e-mail]
   http://place-an-ad.com/MrMovie/

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

From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Gene Siskel Dies at 53
Date: 21 Feb 1999 00:31:03 -0500

I did not think that I would be the first to bring you the news.  Famed
film critic (He of the Thumbs) Gene Siskel died Saturday.

Some of you outside of North America may have no idea what icons he and his
partner have become.  I first caught their show in the late 70s, when it
was still on Public television.  Even last week-end, I rushed home from
work to catch their show, to see what Ebert (as Siskel had taken a
leave-of-absence) had to say about the recent movies.

Godspeed, Mr Siskel.  Our enjoyment of movies was enhanced by knowing your
opinions.  Your passing will leave a void.  However, I am sure that when
you get to the Pearly Gates, St Pete will be ready to give you two great
big thumbs up.

This time, the balcony truly is closed (their trademark show ending).

From Yahoo! news service:

>Saturday February 20 10:16 PM ET
>
>Film Critic Gene Siskel Dies
>
>                     By HERBERT G. McCANN Associated Press Writer
>
>                     CHICAGO (AP) - Film critic Gene Siskel, known for the
thumbs-up and
>                     thumbs-down reviews he and Roger Ebert shared on
their popular TV
>                     show, died Saturday. He was 53.
>
>                     Siskel had surgery in May to remove a growth from his
brain, but returned
>to the syndicated television show ``Siskel & Ebert'' soon afterward. He
announced earlier this month he
>was taking time off from that show to spend time recuperating from the
surgery.
>
>He died at Evanston Hospital near Chicago, surrounded by his family.
>
>``There was a bedrock of respect that developed over the years,'' Ebert
said, explaining their unique
>relationship, in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from his
home in Michigan.
>
>Siskel wrote movie reviews for the Chicago Tribune and also did reviews
for ``CBS This Morning'' and
>WBBM-TV in Chicago.
>
>He had said when he announced his leave on Feb. 3 that he expected to
return to writing his reviews
>and the television show this fall.
>
>``I'm in a hurry to get well because I don't want Roger to get more screen
time than I,'' Siskel said then.
>
>Robert Altman, director of ``M A S H'', ``The Player'' and ``Nashville'',
said from his Los Angeles home
>that ``I didn't think critics ever died.''
>
>``He didn't like my stuff too much. I don't pay much attention to critics.''
>
>But Altman said Siskel, with Ebert, changed the way movie criticism is
viewed by both moviemakers
>and the public.
>
>``I think that they were a positive thing,'' he said. ``Several shows
tried to emulate them and failed.''
>
>Paul Dergarabedian, spokesman for Exhibitor Relations Co. which compiles
box office receipts, called
>Siskel's death a great loss.
>
>``He, along with his partner Roger Ebert, took film criticism into the
mainstream,'' he said. ``The
>average person would look toward them about whether to take their
hard-earned dollars to the box
>office.''
>
>Siskel and Ebert are likely the most recognizable movie critics in the
nation. Their trademark
>``thumbs-up'' and ``thumbs-down'' reviews became a benchmark for the movie
industry.
>
>Their show's continuing success was largely attributed to the chemistry
between the tall, balding Siskel
>and the heavyset Ebert. They appeared to practice a one-upmanship that was
in the tradition of the
>rivalry of their newspapers. Ebert is a critic for the Chicago Sun-Times.
>
>Their conflicting opinions often prompted the other to respond with biting
sarcasm.
>
>``We had lots of big fights,'' Ebert said in an interview with WLS-TV.
``We were people who came
>together one day a week to work together and the other six days of the
week we were competitors on
>two daily newspapers and two different television stations. So there was a
lot of competition and a lot
>of disagreement.''
>
>With the death of Siskel, the show's future is uncertain.
>
>``The show will continue with revolving guest critics,'' Ebert said. ``In
the future, we will see.''
>
>Siskel was known for his outspoken opinions of not only movies, but of the
people who made them.
>
>He voiced objections to the Oscar awards, presented annually by the
Academy of Motion Picture Arts
>and Sciences. He once told Playboy magazine the awards were overrated and
the system of selection
>meant the nominations can be bought with advertising.
>
>Siskel said critics have more right than the academy to pick the Oscars,
saying critics have given their
>lives to film and have an advantage over the people who vote - the critics
have seen all the movies.
>
>Siskel graduated from Yale University in 1967. He joined the Tribune in
1969. He and Ebert began their
>partnership in 1975 with the public television program ``Sneak Previews.''
They left the program in
>1982, when their show went into syndication.
>
>He is survived by his wife, Marlene, two daughters and a son.


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: [e-mail]
          [e-mail]

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
[phone]
[phone]
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: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - BLAST FROM THE PAST - Perry Como-tose
Date: 21 Feb 1999 15:40:16 -0500 (EST)

A PHANTOM MENACING TRIBUTE

Get excited.  You're only days away from the MovieJuice! video tribute to the Star Wars prequel.  Download the free RealVideo G2 player now at http://www.real.com.  And God help us!
********************

BLAST FROM THE PAST - PERRY COMO-TOSE

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

February 21, 1999

Blast From The Past is bad.

It's that stench, deep in the putrid guts of bad.  It's that heinous blast from the ass, that's what it is.  The good news:  The gas is passed and this blast is past.

Bad!  So radioactive bad the projectionist handles the film with oven mitts and a lead smock.  Does this theater come with ushers or lab assistants?  Should we duck around the corner for safety when the lights come down?   If I sit against a film panel, can you see my bones after the movie?  Can I find the video at Blockbuster or locked away in underground salt mines?  I think this movie's giving me cancer - something's growing inside of me, and it's not a happy feeling.   I don't know if this flick glows in the dark, but it certainly blows in the dark.

Deep inside a fallout shelter in the early 60's, thespians Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek realize their career choices will be slim indeed come the millennium.  Rather than teach the master class at the Actor's Studio, Chris Walken, who in heavy makeup also goes by the name "James Woods," avoids the Bomb and films one instead.   It may be under the Earth, but it stinks to high Heaven.  Sissy, who's scarier covered in kitchen flour than prom night pig's blood, is in desperate need of a career snorkel.

35 years pass - and I'm not just talking about the time spent in the theater.  Son Brendan Fraser - who's gone from God to Monster - wants to visit the surface to get some action and meet a wife.  In the real world, the boy in the bubble is a fish out of water, making this movie both bubble-headed and in need of a cleaning and some hush puppies on the side.

Naturally, he settles on Alicia Silverstone because the script says so.  Brendan is "Adam" and Alicia is "Eve."  Get it?  Believe me, gang, this is the Garden of Eden only if we're talkin' Adam West and Eve Plumb.  I pray for apples, but I settle for nuts.

Alicia - so golden in Clueless - has gone plum perm crazy in this flick.  Is that hair, Alicia, or is a serpent coiled tightly around your head?  Who did your makeup, Ray Harryhausen?

Good news!  Alicia is never going to have to worry about writing that thank-you speech to the Academy!  At least not unless there's an Oscar for "best performance by a hairstyle."  Yes, Alicia's curly-mopped perm has life aplenty!  Did Pixar do the special effects here?  At one point, her curly-q's form the torso of Buzz Lightyear as her tussled "do" signs "To Infinity and Beyond," which, coincidentally, is where Alicia's head seems to be for most of this flick.  And it's where all of her talent is, to the extent the word "talent" applies.

Here's some career counsel for you, Alicia.  As I see it, you have these options:

1.  Play a Hooker in a movie with Richard Gere
2.  Play a Hooker in a movie with Larry Flynt
3.  Play in a reprise of TV's T.J. Hooker
4. Get Hooked on Phonics

A special obvious-stuff-we're-not-supposed-to-notice citation goes to the peculiar scene in a porno shop where all the nasty video boxes are mysteriously fuzzed out.  Hmm.  Movie dudes, if your PG-sensibilities require you to cover up the privates, couldn't you digitally render some bikinis?  Even a kid knows mommy's boobies aren't shaped like the fog.  Sorry, son, mom's in the tub and visibility is zero.  Better attach fog lights to those Sketchers, junior.  Did Alicia walk into an episode of Cops or something?  Must video boxes sign release forms now?

Oh well.  I hear the Director of American Graffiti has a new movie coming out soon.  Anybody heard anything about it?

Copyright 1999 Mark Ramsey.  All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************

FAREWELL GENE SISKEL

I didn't know him, but I'll miss him.  Inappropriate though the tribute may be, this issue of MovieJuice! is dedicated to "the tall one."

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

DONÆT FORGET TO VISIT MOVIEJUICE.COM!

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.

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

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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Gene Siskel Dies at 53
Date: 21 Feb 1999 19:16:49 EST

In a message dated 2/20/99 9:38:20 PM Pacific Standard Time,
[e-mail] writes:

<< Famed film critic (He of the Thumbs) Gene Siskel died Saturday.
 Some of you outside of North America may have no idea what icons he and his
 partner have become.  I first caught their show in the late 70s, when it
 was still on Public television.  Even last week-end, I rushed home from
 work to catch their show, to see what Ebert (as Siskel had taken a
 leave-of-absence) had to say about the recent movies. >>

Gene Siskel, together with Roger Ebert, provided his viewers with many years
of entertaining programing. Their enthusiasm for the movies added to our
enjoyment.  I saw Roger Ebert on a book tour and he was fascinating there even
when he spoke to his audience without Gene present.  But their television show
lost an important dimension when Roger tried to review movies last week,
leaving Gene's chair empty. That simply did not work because much of the
beauty of their program relied on our hearing two different views of the same
film. I was glad to hear that they do not plan to keep Gene's chair empty
(they will have guest critics), because wonderful as Gene was, the show must
go on.


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

From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] New 'Star Wars: Episode I' Trailer - Shot By Shot
Date: 22 Feb 1999 14:12:29 -0800

National?  What channel?

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    [e-mail] [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Saturday, February 20, 1999 8:25 AM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    [MV] New 'Star Wars: Episode I' Trailer - Shot By Shot
>
> 'Star Wars: Episode I'  Trailer B Set to air on March 12:
>
> Shot 1: A grassy hill. Some vehicles start to slowly emerge from beyond
> the
> horizon.
>
> Shot 2: Large city with a dome-shaped palace on the edge of enormous
> cliff.
> Probably Queen's palace seen from the opposite side than in the first
> trailer.
>
> Shot 3: Queen: "I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to
> war."
>
> Shot 4: Cool shot of battle tanks slowly hovering above the grass.
>
> Shot 5: Sio Bibble: "A communications disruption can mean only one thing.
> Invasion."
>
> Shot 6: A ship flies through space. It has a pointed nose and rear "wings"
> very reminiscent of TIE fighters.
>
> Shot 7: A HUGE ship, shaped like a letter "H", landing in the forest
>
> Shot 8: Darth Maul stepping outside from some ship, pod or whatever.
>
> Shot 9: Darth Maul to someone in black (probably Darth Sidious, but he's
> not a
> hologram): "At last we will reveal ourselves to the Jedi." They are both
> standing on some sort of walkway high above enormous city.
>
> Shot 10: Huge fleet (the "H" shaped mothership and many smaller ships)
> approaches the planet.
>
> Shot 11: Many battle droids marching in precise formation, guns ready.
>
> Shot 12: Maul to Sidious: "At last we will have revenge."
>
> Shot 13: Battle droids and some weird spider-like robots (at least 15 feet
> tall) standing in some sort of hangar, all of them suddenly turning
> towards
> the camera.
>
> Shot 14: Sidious (hologram): "Begin landing your troops."
>
> Shot 15: Several battle droids on STAPs flying past what appears to be the
> lower part of the "H"-shaped ship, parked in the forest. It has just
> opened
> and some hovercrafts
> are pouring out (the same things that decimated the forest in the first
> trailer).
>
> Shot 16: Many different animals running through the forest. Someone is
> riding
> at least one of them.
>
> Shot 17: Detail of Qui-Gon, standing in the ship which is shaking.
>
> Shot 18: Obi-Wan: "We haven't much time."
>
> Shot 19: Ship (seems like Queen's) flying from the planet towards
> something
> (not in the picture) that is shooting at her.
>
> Shot 20: Two Nimoidians.
>
> Shot 21: Queen: "The Federation has gone too far."
>
> Shot 22: Many battle droids getting up (they were probably crouching
> before).
>
> Shot 23: Wide shot of literally thousands of droids standing in formations
> in
> front of very large vehicles (looking a little bit like enormous
> toasters).
>
> Shot 25: Some sort of royal chamber. Several people are standing around,
> one
> of them hologram. Someone says: "The death toll is catastrophic."
>
> Shot 26: Palpatine slowly turning towards the camera.
>
> Shot 27: Queen: "Our people are dying, senator, we must do something
> quickly."
>
> Shot 28/29: Sio Bibble (hologram) to Queen: "You must contact me." (This
> is
> cut to look like a single scene but the Queen has different dress in each
> shot).
>
> Shot 30: Qui-Gon to Queen: "There's something else behind all this, Your
> Highness." Obi-Wan and Jar Jar are standing nearby as well as two
> handmaidens
> looking exactly like the Queen!
>
> Shot 31: Queen looking from the window (like in the first trailer).
> Qui-Gon
> (voiceover): "They'll kill you if you stay."
>
> Shot 32: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan getting up from the table and swtching their
> lightsabers on.
>
> Shot 33: Obi-Wan raising his hand - using The Force. Qui-Gon (voiceover):
> "I
> can only protect you."
>
> Shot 34: The Force probably worked, because three battle droids are flying
> away from the camera.
>
> Shot 35: Qui-Gon: "I can't fight a war for you."
>
> Shot 36: Steps of enromous palace. The Queen and several other people are
> being escorted down by battle droids.
>
> Shot 37: Palpatine: "I think we're going to have to accept Federation
> control
> for the time being."
>
> Shot 38: Queen, Bibble and several other people are escorted by
>
> Shot 39: Two very cool battle robots which are "transforming" themselves
> from
> spheres to armored "things" with guns.
>
> Shot 40: Panaka: "This is a battle I do not think that we can win."
>
> Shot 41: Queen to Palpatine: "I will sign no treaty, senator."
>
> Shot 42: Large mounted guns firing.
>
> Shot 45: Pilot in the cockpit being hit. He wears those old-style pilot
> goggles.
>
> Shot 46: Queen looking from the window.
>
> Shot 47: Jar Jar to Queen: "You say people gonna die?" Or something like
> that
> (his dialect is terrible.)
>
> Shot 48: STAPs are shooting at Obi-Wan in the forest, Qui-Gon deflects
> their
> fire with his lighsaber.
>
> Shot 49/50: Obi-Wan to Boss Nass: "Once those droids take control of the
> surface, they will take control of you."
>
> Shot 51: Tanks firing.
>
> Shot 52: Queen: "I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die..."
> Some
> small thing is hovering in front of her (a microphone?).
>
> Shot 53: Dozens of Gungans deflecting laser fire with large see-through
> shields.
>
> Shot 54: Senate or something similar. Enormous hall with many small pods,
> each
> of them containing people (ambassadors?). Queen (voiceover): "...while you
> discuss this invasion in a committee."
>
> Shot 55: Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon mowing down battle droids with lightsabers.
>
> Shot 56: Two robots from shot 39 firing.
>
> Shot 57: Door opens, several people are running from them. Qui-Gon and
> Obi-Wan
> use the lightsabers to deflect the shots, the Queen is shooting from her
> blaster.
>
> Shot 58: R2D2 being "sucked" into the Naboo fighter.
>
> Shot 59: R2D2's "head" emerging from top of the fighter.
>
> Shot 60: Battle droids being hit with laser fire.
>
> Shot 70: Queen (shooting): "Get to your ships!"
>
> Shot 71: Obi-Wan running.
>
> Shot 72: Naboo figters flying away from the planet.
>
> Shot 73: C3PO to R2D2: "They'll never get me onto one of those dreadful
> starships."
>
> Shot 74: R2D2 beeping.
>
> Shot 75: Obi-Wan jumps up, kicking down one battle droid with each of his
> feet. Looks like Bruce Lee. :)
>
> Shot 76: Yoda to Mace: "Always two there are."
>
> Shot 77: Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan standing on the balcony above Coruscant. Yoda
> (voiceover): "A master and an apprentice."
>
> Shot 78: Darth Maul standing menacingly in the desert, switching off his
> lighsaber. Something flies overhead.
>
> Shot 79: Two Naboo fighters flying, one of them explodes.
>
> Shot 80: The pod race. Various pods (each of them different) speeding
> through
> the canyon.
>
> Shot 81: Naboo fighter flying from space into a hangar, rolling wildly.
>
> Shot 82: Enormous jaws opening (probably shot from inside of the sub).
>
> Shot 83: Obi-Wan duelling with Darth Maul. I'd say that he has 9 horns.
> One at
> the top of his head and four on each side.
>
> Shot 84: Jabba The Hutt on the balcony, surrounded by his familiar minions
> from the previous Star Wars movies.
>
> Shot 85/86: Obi-Wan duelling with Darth Maul.
>
> Shot 87: Shmi embracing Anakin.
>
> Shot 88: Huge underwater beast grabs a sub in its jaws. Not sure if they
> are
> the same as in shot 82.
>
> Shot 89: A new kind of ship (somehow reminiscent of TIE Fighter) flying
> above
> the Trade Federation battleship.
>
> Shot 90: Another shot from the pod race.
>
> Shot 91: Title: STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE
>
> Shot 92: Close-up of Maul's face. Sidious (voiceover): "Wipe themout."
>
> Shot 93: Sidious (hologram): "All of them."
>
> Shot 94: Obi-Wan (screaming): "No!!!"
>
> Shot 95: One of the racing pods crashing in very nasty way.
>
> Shot 96: Queen.
>
> Shot 97: Battle droids being blasted by laser fire.
>
> Shot 98: Qui-Gon
>
> Shot 99: Qui-Gon decapitating the battle droid.
>
> Shot 100: Anakin running across the field.
>
> Shot 101: Particularly nasty explosion (remember ID4?) involving one very
> unlucky battle droid.
>
> Shot 102: End credits.
>
> Shot 103: THE SAGA BEGINS MAY 21st
>
> The trailer is about 2:25 long (with all the credits). All the music is
> from
> previous movies. Set to air on March 12.
>
>    Mr. Movie
>    [e-mail]
>    http://place-an-ad.com/MrMovie/
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] New 'Star Wars: Episode I' Trailer - Shot By Shot
Date: 22 Feb 1999 18:01:37 EST

In theaters

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

From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] New 'Star Wars: Episode I' Trailer - Shot By Shot
Date: 22 Feb 1999 15:19:08 -0800

oh... duh...

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    [e-mail] [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Monday, February 22, 1999 3:02 PM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    Re: [MV] New 'Star Wars: Episode I' Trailer - Shot By Shot
>
> In theaters
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 01/03/88
Date: 22 Feb 1999 19:16:57 -0700 (MST)

Las Vegas oddsmakers are saying Gwyneth Paltrow is a
shoo-in for the Best Actress Oscar, and have given the
"Shakespeare in Love" star 10-1 odds. Conventional
wisdom is putting her at the top of the list as well.
And in her personal life, Gwyneth will be on the arm of
her former beau Ben Affleck at the March 21 Oscarcast,
says the New York Post, despite the couple's highly
publicized break-up toward the end of last year. (Her
"roving eye" and his "party-hearty antics" were the
causes, says the Post). Last month the two were sharing
the same table at the Golden Globe awards, and this
month the two were poking fun of their split on "Saturday
Night Live." According to the Post, "On Valentine's Day,
they sent each other flowers and ... jewelry, and there
have been reports of them hanging out together in New
York, London and L.A."

                        -=> * <=-

CHICAGO (AP) - Film critic Gene Siskel, known for the thumbs-up and
thumbs-down reviews he and Roger Ebert shared on their popular TV
show, died Saturday. He was 53. Siskel had surgery in May to remove a
growth from his brain, but returned to the syndicated TV show "Siskel
& Ebert" soon afterward. He announced earlier this month he was
taking time off from that show to spend time recuperating from the
surgery. He died at Evanston Hospital near Chicago, surrounded by his
family. Siskel wrote movie reviews for the Chicago Tribune and also
did reviews for "CBS This Morning" and WBBM-TV in Chicago. He had
said when he announced his leave on Feb. 3 that he expected to return
to writing his reviews and the TV show this fall.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Kevin Costner's "Message in a Bottle" and Mel
Gibson's "Payback" battled for No. 1 at the box office, while
"October Sky" opened to respectable business in fifth place,
estimates showed Sunday. Two other new releases, the workplace comedy
"Office Space" and the bad-girl teen flick "Jawbreaker," were
disappointments. "My Favorite Martian," which held the No. 3 spot,
continued to do steady business after two weeks. "Blast From the
Past" was No. 4 with $$6.1 million. Oscar buzz continued to help two
best-picture nominees. The costume romance "Shakespeare in Love"
grossed $5.8 million for sixth place and the re-issue of Steven
Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" had $2.4 million for 10th.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (AP) - The authors of the romantic comedy "Shakespeare In
Love" beat the writers of the harrowing war drama "Saving Private
Ryan" to win the Writers Guild of America award for original
screenplay. Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard shared the award for
"Shakespeare," which bested "Bulworth" with screenplay by Warren
Beatty and Jeremy Pikser; "Saving Private Ryan" by Robert Rodat; "The
Truman Show" by Andrew Niccol; and "The Opposite of Sex" by Don Roos.
"Out of Sight" was the guild's pick for best screenplay based on
material previously produced or published. The screenplay, written by
Scott Frank, was based on a novel by Elmore Leonard.

                        -=> * <=-

BERLIN (AP) - Terrence Malick's World War II epic "The Thin Red Line"
took top honors Sunday at the close of the Berlin International Film
Festival, beating out the rumored favorite "Shakespeare in Love" for
the Golden Bear. Spanish actress Angela Molina, who chaired the
international jury, said the vote was unanimous for Malick's poetic
film, which contrasts brutal battle scenes with beautiful nature
shots and carries a strong anti-war message. "It was important for
us, that testament," she said. A humorous family drama, "Mifune's
Last Song" by Danish director Soren Kragh-Jacobsen, took the
second-place Silver Bear. "Shakespeare in Love" won a Silver Bear in
Berlin for its screenplay, written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard.

                        -=> * <=-

BERLIN (AP) - The Berlin Film Festival awarded the annual peace prize
to the Turkish film "Journey to the Sun," which examines
Kurdish-Turkish relations. The film by director Yesim Ustaoglu, 38,
looked closely at the 15-year guerrilla war for an autonomous Kurdish
homeland in southeastern Turkey without taking an ideological
position, the jury said. The war has cost close to 37,000 lives.
Germany has been hit by a wave of violent Kurdish protests this week
after Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan was captured and returned
to Turkey, where he faces the death penalty. In Berlin, three Kurds
were shot and killed by security guards while trying to storm the
Israeli consulate.

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

From: jkrudy <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Blair Witch Project
Date: 23 Feb 1999 07:45:20 -0700

I was looking forward to seeing The Blair Witch Project almost as much as I
was looking forward to Star Wars Episode 1, but now I'm not so sure.  I
spent a couple of hours last night downloading clips from the movie off of
the internet and lets just say that I wish I hadn't.  You see there was only
about 10 minutes worth of clips but it was enough to keep me up most of the
night.  It left me questioning such basic concepts as, do I really need to
go to the bathroom that bad?  There sure is a lot of darkness between my bed
and the bathroom, maybe I should just wait till morning.  My wife in her
typical fashion had turned the heat up too high, but last night I felt
content to stay in bed and endure it.  After all, who knows what might be
lingering in the dark hallway.  What was that noise outside the window?  If
I close my eyes and then open them again will there be someone else in the
room with us?  Basically, this movie will screw you up bad.  Scott Renshaw's
review was dead on, I'm just wondering how many sleepless nights he had
after watching the entire movie.  I guess I love camping too much and I know
that if I ever see this movie I will never sleep in a tent in the woods ever
again.  I know I sound like a wuss and that's okay.  I'm going to stick to
tamer material like The Exorcist, Jason, Freddy, Psycho, The People Under
the Stairs, etc.

That's my review, and I'm sticking to it!

James K. Rudy


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From: [e-mail] (Ryan Allen)
Subject: [MV] Epi 1 Trailer B
Date: 23 Feb 1999 10:26:04 -0500

From what I've heard and read, the SW Epi 1 Trailer, Trailer B, will be
attached to the film Wing Commander, opening in theatres March 12th.
Within a few weeks, it will be attached to other Fox films.

HTH,
Ryan
Intranet Specialist
Intranet Development Team (IDTeam)
Allen Systems Group
http://www.asg.com

## Please visit my Personal Page ##
## http://www.gate.net/~airwolf ##

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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 23 Feb 1999 13:00:08 -0700 (MST)

CHICAGO (AP) - Writing for rival newspapers, the young Gene Siskel
and Roger Ebert were fierce competitors, always trying to out-scoop
each other. The icy relationship warmed - after time - Ebert said
Saturday. "There was a history there, a respect that I'm never really
going to replace in my life. It's going to be tough." At the time of
his death, Siskel had taken a leave of absence from his work not only
with "Siskel & Ebert" and the Chicago Tribune, but also as a film
critic for "CBS This Morning" and WBBM-TV, and as a columnist for TV
Guide. "Although it was obvious sometimes that he walked slowly and
was in pain, I never once heard him complain. He carried on with a
bravery that is hard to imagine," Ebert wrote in his column Sunday.

                        -=> * <=-

NEW YORK (AP) - Life hasn't been a beach for Leonardo DiCaprio on the
set of his new movie in Thailand. "The Beach" has been awash in
controversy and protests over the planting of non-native coconut
trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Island, where it is
being filmed. "It's a stab at my reputation if I'm associated with a
film that comes in and recklessly destroys things," DiCaprio said in
the March 1 edition of Time. "This is something I probably have to
get used to - lies culminating into something much more hysterical
and out of hand." "The Beach" is based on Alex Garland's novel about
an island paradise settled by a commune of world travelers. The movie
marks DiCaprio's return to the big screen since taking a year off
after the success of "Titanic."

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

From: Tara Grant <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 23 Feb 1999 15:15:15 -0500


------ =_NextPart_000_01BE5F3F.523C1440
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Have you read the book THE BEACH?  I have and it is one of my all time =
favourites.  I actually think Leonardo is the wrong person to play the =
role.  I will not go and see the film because movies never do justice to =
the books.  I suggest that before The Beach comes out on the big screen, =
 grab yourself the book (if you haven't read it already) and it will =
certainly take you for a ride!!!!!  Read the book and let me know if you =
agree.


-----Original Message-----
Sent:    Tuesday, February 23, 1999 3:00 PM

CHICAGO (AP) - Writing for rival newspapers, the young Gene Siskel
and Roger Ebert were fierce competitors, always trying to out-scoop
each other. The icy relationship warmed - after time - Ebert said
Saturday. "There was a history there, a respect that I'm never really
going to replace in my life. It's going to be tough." At the time of
his death, Siskel had taken a leave of absence from his work not only
with "Siskel & Ebert" and the Chicago Tribune, but also as a film
critic for "CBS This Morning" and WBBM-TV, and as a columnist for TV
Guide. "Although it was obvious sometimes that he walked slowly and
was in pain, I never once heard him complain. He carried on with a
bravery that is hard to imagine," Ebert wrote in his column Sunday.

                        -=3D> * <=3D-

NEW YORK (AP) - Life hasn't been a beach for Leonardo DiCaprio on the
set of his new movie in Thailand. "The Beach" has been awash in
controversy and protests over the planting of non-native coconut
trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Island, where it is
being filmed. "It's a stab at my reputation if I'm associated with a
film that comes in and recklessly destroys things," DiCaprio said in
the March 1 edition of Time. "This is something I probably have to
get used to - lies culminating into something much more hysterical
and out of hand." "The Beach" is based on Alex Garland's novel about
an island paradise settled by a commune of world travelers. The movie
marks DiCaprio's return to the big screen since taking a year off
after the success of "Titanic."

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[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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

From: "Gerald Taylor" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 23 Feb 1999 21:58:48 -0000

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0026_01BE5F77.B0E1FD60
Content-Type: text/plain;
    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

I agree with Tara......I read the book and find it astounding that Danny =
Boyle is'nt using his usual lead Ewan Macgregor......he would be far =
more suited to the main character in the book.
=20
Yours
Gerry T.
-----Original Message-----


Have you read the book THE BEACH?  I have and it is one of my all time =
favourites.  I actually think Leonardo is the wrong person to play the =
role.  I will not go and see the film because movies never do justice to =
the books.  I suggest that before The Beach comes out on the big screen, =
 grab yourself the book (if you haven't read it already) and it will =
certainly take you for a ride!!!!!  Read the book and let me know if you =
agree.


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 1999 3:00 PM

CHICAGO (AP) - Writing for rival newspapers, the young Gene Siskel
and Roger Ebert were fierce competitors, always trying to out-scoop
each other. The icy relationship warmed - after time - Ebert said
Saturday. "There was a history there, a respect that I'm never really
going to replace in my life. It's going to be tough." At the time of
his death, Siskel had taken a leave of absence from his work not only
with "Siskel & Ebert" and the Chicago Tribune, but also as a film
critic for "CBS This Morning" and WBBM-TV, and as a columnist for TV
Guide. "Although it was obvious sometimes that he walked slowly and
was in pain, I never once heard him complain. He carried on with a
bravery that is hard to imagine," Ebert wrote in his column Sunday.

                        -=3D> * <=3D-

NEW YORK (AP) - Life hasn't been a beach for Leonardo DiCaprio on the
set of his new movie in Thailand. "The Beach" has been awash in
controversy and protests over the planting of non-native coconut
trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Island, where it is
being filmed. "It's a stab at my reputation if I'm associated with a
film that comes in and recklessly destroys things," DiCaprio said in
the March 1 edition of Time. "This is something I probably have to
get used to - lies culminating into something much more hysterical
and out of hand." "The Beach" is based on Alex Garland's novel about
an island paradise settled by a commune of world travelers. The movie
marks DiCaprio's return to the big screen since taking a year off
after the success of "Titanic."

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]


------=_NextPart_000_0026_01BE5F77.B0E1FD60
Content-Type: text/html;
    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 =
HTML//EN">
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>I agree with Tara......I =
read the book=20
and find it astounding that Danny Boyle is'nt using his usual lead Ewan=20
Macgregor......he would be far more suited to the main character in the=20
book.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Yours</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4></FONT></STRONG><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Gerry =

T.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: =
Tara Grant=20
<<A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A>>=
<BR>To:=20
<A =
href=3D"mailto:'[e-mail]'">'[e-mail]'</=
A>=20
<<A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A>&g=
t;<BR>Date:=20
23 February 1999 20:13<BR>Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News -=20
02/23/99<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>Have you read the book THE BEACH?  I =
have and=20
it is one of my all time favourites.  I actually think Leonardo is =
the=20
wrong person to play the role.  I will not go and see the film =
because=20
movies never do justice to the books.  I suggest that before The =
Beach=20
comes out on the big screen,  grab yourself the book (if you =
haven't read=20
it already) and it will certainly take you for a ride!!!!!  Read =
the book=20
and let me know if you agree.<BR><BR><BR>-----Original =
Message-----<BR>From: The=20
Reporter [<A=20
href=3D"mailto:SMTP:[e-mail]">SMTP:[e-mail]</A>=
]<BR>Sent:=20
Tuesday, February 23, 1999 3:00 PM<BR>To: Movies Mailing =
List<BR>Subject: [MV]=20
Movie News - 02/23/99<BR><BR>CHICAGO (AP) - Writing for rival =
newspapers, the=20
young Gene Siskel<BR>and Roger Ebert were fierce competitors, always =
trying to=20
out-scoop<BR>each other. The icy relationship warmed - after time - =
Ebert=20
said<BR>Saturday. "There was a history there, a respect that I'm =
never=20
really<BR>going to replace in my life. It's going to be tough." At =
the time=20
of<BR>his death, Siskel had taken a leave of absence from his work not=20
only<BR>with "Siskel & Ebert" and the Chicago Tribune, but =
also as=20
a film<BR>critic for "CBS This Morning" and WBBM-TV, and as a=20
columnist for TV<BR>Guide. "Although it was obvious sometimes that =
he=20
walked slowly and<BR>was in pain, I never once heard him complain. He =
carried on=20
with a<BR>bravery that is hard to imagine," Ebert wrote in his =
column=20
Sunday.<BR><BR>         &nbs=
p;            =
; =20
-=3D> * <=3D-<BR><BR>NEW YORK (AP) - Life hasn't been a beach for =
Leonardo=20
DiCaprio on the<BR>set of his new movie in Thailand. "The =
Beach" has=20
been awash in<BR>controversy and protests over the planting of =
non-native=20
coconut<BR>trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Island, =
where it=20
is<BR>being filmed. "It's a stab at my reputation if I'm associated =
with=20
a<BR>film that comes in and recklessly destroys things," DiCaprio =
said=20
in<BR>the March 1 edition of Time. "This is something I probably =
have=20
to<BR>get used to - lies culminating into something much more =
hysterical<BR>and=20
out of hand." "The Beach" is based on Alex Garland's =
novel=20
about<BR>an island paradise settled by a commune of world travelers. The =

movie<BR>marks DiCaprio's return to the big screen since taking a year=20
off<BR>after the success of "Titanic."<BR><BR>[ To leave the =
movies=20
mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]<BR>[ movies (without =
the=20
quotes) to <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A> &n=
bsp;        =20
]<BR></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0026_01BE5F77.B0E1FD60--


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

From: Tara Grant <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 23 Feb 1999 17:15:40 -0500


------ =_NextPart_000_01BE5F50.25D9B680
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Ewan MacGregor would have been perfect!!!!!!!!  Glad to hear you agree.

-----Original Message-----
Sent:    Tuesday, February 23, 1999 4:59 PM

I agree with Tara......I read the book and find it astounding that Danny =
Boyle is'nt using his usual lead Ewan Macgregor......he would be far =
more suited to the main character in the book.
=20
Yours
Gerry T.
-----Original Message-----


Have you read the book THE BEACH?  I have and it is one of my all time =
favourites.  I actually think Leonardo is the wrong person to play the =
role.  I will not go and see the film because movies never do justice to =
the books.  I suggest that before The Beach comes out on the big screen, =
 grab yourself the book (if you haven't read it already) and it will =
certainly take you for a ride!!!!!  Read the book and let me know if you =
agree.


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Tuesday, February 23, 1999 3:00 PM

CHICAGO (AP) - Writing for rival newspapers, the young Gene Siskel
and Roger Ebert were fierce competitors, always trying to out-scoop
each other. The icy relationship warmed - after time - Ebert said
Saturday. "There was a history there, a respect that I'm never really
going to replace in my life. It's going to be tough." At the time of
his death, Siskel had taken a leave of absence from his work not only
with "Siskel & Ebert" and the Chicago Tribune, but also as a film
critic for "CBS This Morning" and WBBM-TV, and as a columnist for TV
Guide. "Although it was obvious sometimes that he walked slowly and
was in pain, I never once heard him complain. He carried on with a
bravery that is hard to imagine," Ebert wrote in his column Sunday.

                        -=3D> * <=3D-

NEW YORK (AP) - Life hasn't been a beach for Leonardo DiCaprio on the
set of his new movie in Thailand. "The Beach" has been awash in
controversy and protests over the planting of non-native coconut
trees and the smoothing over of sand dunes on Phi Island, where it is
being filmed. "It's a stab at my reputation if I'm associated with a
film that comes in and recklessly destroys things," DiCaprio said in
the March 1 edition of Time. "This is something I probably have to
get used to - lies culminating into something much more hysterical
and out of hand." "The Beach" is based on Alex Garland's novel about
an island paradise settled by a commune of world travelers. The movie
marks DiCaprio's return to the big screen since taking a year off
after the success of "Titanic."

[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]

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From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 23 Feb 1999 19:33:45 -0500

At 09.58 PM 23/02/99 -0000, you wrote:
>I agree with Tara......I read the book and find it astounding that Danny
Boyle is'nt using his usual lead Ewan Macgregor......he would be far more
suited to the main character in the book.

Well, my understanding is that Macgregor had a prior committment.  Some
sort of science fiction movie, or something.  Big budget, I understand,
supposed to be a few sequels, famous director, etc.

Surprised that there has been so little hype about his new project.  Anyone
hear anything about it??:-)

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppell (Kip) Enderby
__________________________

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From: "Gerald Taylor" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Re: Phantom and The beach and Mel! Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 24 Feb 1999 15:53:43 -0000

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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Please get your facts right Mel!  Ewan Macgregor is currently finishing =
the run of a London play while "The beach" is being filmed.  He is =
supposed to be a bit pissed off with danny Boyle at the fact that =
leonardo was chose over him.  And as for the prequel to one of the most =
overrated films of all time........who cares......Macgregor finished =
shooting on that months ago!
=20
Yours=20
Gerry T.
-----Original Message-----


>At 09.58 PM 23/02/99 -0000, you wrote:
>>I agree with Tara......I read the book and find it astounding that =
Danny
>Boyle is'nt using his usual lead Ewan Macgregor......he would be far =
more
>suited to the main character in the book.
>
>Well, my understanding is that Macgregor had a prior committment.  Some
>sort of science fiction movie, or something.  Big budget, I understand,
>supposed to be a few sequels, famous director, etc.
>
>Surprised that there has been so little hype about his new project.  =
Anyone
>hear anything about it??:-)
>
>Regards,
>
>--Mel
>
>
>--Mel Eperthener
>president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
>
>Please support the endeavour=20
>of a friend and fellow Australian.
>
>Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
>http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings
>
>____________________________________________
>Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
>-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppell (Kip) Enderby
>__________________________
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>=20

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 =
HTML//EN">
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Please get your facts right Mel!  Ewan =
Macgregor=20
is currently finishing the run of a London play while "The =
beach" is=20
being filmed.  He is supposed to be a bit pissed off with danny =
Boyle at=20
the fact that leonardo was chose over him.  And as for the prequel =
to one=20
of the most overrated films of all time........who cares......Macgregor =
finished=20
shooting on that months ago!</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4></FONT></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Yours </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=3D4></FONT></STRONG><STRONG><FONT size=3D4>Gerry =

T.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Mel =
Eperthener=20
<<A =
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A>><BR>To: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A> =
<<A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A>&g=
t;<BR>Date:=20
24 February 1999 00:43<BR>Subject: Re: [MV] Movie News -=20
02/23/99<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>>At 09.58 PM 23/02/99 -0000, you=20
wrote:<BR>>>I agree with Tara......I read the book and find it =
astounding=20
that Danny<BR>>Boyle is'nt using his usual lead Ewan =
Macgregor......he would=20
be far more<BR>>suited to the main character in the=20
book.<BR>><BR>>Well, my understanding is that Macgregor had a =
prior=20
committment.  Some<BR>>sort of science fiction movie, or=20
something.  Big budget, I understand,<BR>>supposed to be a few =
sequels,=20
famous director, etc.<BR>><BR>>Surprised that there has been so =
little=20
hype about his new project.  Anyone<BR>>hear anything about=20
it??:-)<BR>><BR>>Regards,<BR>><BR>>--Mel<BR>><BR>><BR>&=
gt;--Mel=20
Eperthener<BR>>president, Gowanna Multi-media =
Pty<BR>><BR>>Please=20
support the endeavour <BR>>of a friend and fellow=20
Australian.<BR>><BR>>Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes=20
Cassidy<BR>><A=20
href=3D"http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings">http://www.angelfir=
e.com/ma/politicalmusings</A><BR>><BR>>____________________________=
________________<BR>>Traditionally,=20
most of Australia's imports come from overseas.<BR>>-Former =
Australian=20
cabinet minister Keppell (Kip)=20
Enderby<BR>>__________________________<BR>><BR>>[ To leave the =
movies=20
mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]<BR>>[ movies =
(without the=20
quotes) to <A=20
href=3D"mailto:[e-mail]">[e-mail]</A> &n=
bsp;        =20
]<BR>> </BODY></HTML>

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From: "Lisa Barnum" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Blast from the Past
Date: 24 Feb 1999 10:07:48 PST

I recently saw Blast from the Past.   I agree with some of the reviews
that thought it was funny and charming.  However, I disagree with some
of the reviews that commented on the on-screen chemistry and superb
acting perfomances of Brendan Frasier and Alicia Silverstone.  I found
myself wanting to roll my eyes at most everything Eve, Alicia'
character's name, said.   She seemed to be that stuck-up, spoiled, teen
princess she was in Clueless but without the charisma that made her so
likable in that movie.  Will Alicia Silverstone ever be able to move on
from the stereotypical Beverly Hill's teen from Clueless?

As if!

Lisa Barnum

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

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From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re: Phantom and The beach and Mel! Movie News -
Date: 24 Feb 1999 12:12:07 -0500

At 03.53 PM 24/02/99 -0000, you wrote:
>Please get your facts right Mel!  Ewan Macgregor is currently finishing
the run of a London play while "The beach" is being filmed.  He is supposed
to be a bit pissed off with danny Boyle at the fact that leonardo was chose
over him.  And as for the prequel to one of the most overrated films of all
time........who cares......Macgregor finished shooting on that months ago!

And when, pray tell, do you think casting is done for a movie??  Ever hear
of post-production??  Could it possibly be, do you think, that Boyle went
with someone else due to MacGregor's schedule??  Or, considering your
opinion of an overrated movie, perchance there was fear of overexposure??
If you recall, Leo himself had a spot of trouble finding quality work last
year at this time.  Something about his ship coming in.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

Please support the endeavour
of a friend and fellow Australian.

Political Corrections by Michael Jaymes Cassidy
http://www.angelfire.com/ma/politicalmusings

____________________________________________
Traditionally, most of Australia's imports come from overseas.
-Former Australian cabinet minister Keppell (Kip) Enderby
__________________________

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From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: THE OTHER SISTER
Date: 24 Feb 1999 13:43:01 -0700 (MST)

THE OTHER SISTER
(Touchstone)
Starring:  Juliette Lewis, Diane Keaton, Tom Skerritt, Giovanni Ribisi,
Poppy Montgomery, Sarah Paulson, Hector Elizondo.
Screenplay:  Bob Brunner and Garry Marshall.
Producers:  Mario Iscovich and Alexandra Rose.
Director:  Garry Marshall.
MPAA Rating:  PG-13 (sexual content, adult themes, mild profanity)
Running Time:  127 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     I never bought Dustin Hoffman as an autistic savant in RAIN MAN.  Tom
Hanks as slow-witted FORREST GUMP was all vocal mannerisms.  Kevin Bacon
in the soon-to-video DIGGING TO CHINA seemed to be mimicking Pee-Wee
Herman.  Movie stars trying to play mentally handicapped characters do so
for any number of reasons -- the parts are juicy, the challenge is unique,
and (if two of the three above examples are any indication) the chance for
an Oscar is pretty good.  Clearly plenty of viewers (and other critics)
eat up such portrayals with a spoon.  I generally spend two hours watching
a movie star failing miserably at suspending my disbelief.

     THE OTHER SISTER is a ghastly exercise for any number of reasons, but
the primary reason is Juliette Lewis.  Lewis plays Carla Tate, a
24-year-old woman with a slight mental handicap who has spent several
years in a "special" boarding school.  Returned at last to her wealthy San
Francisco family, Carla finds that the adjustment is difficult on both
sides.  Her mother Elizabeth (Diane Keaton) alternately coddles Carla and
pretends she is completely normal, while father Bradley (Tom Skerritt)
quietly deals with his guilt at having sent her away at all.  Into this
picture steps Danny McMahon (Giovanni Ribisi), a young man with a similar
mental handicap living on his own.  Carla is inspired by his independence,
and tries to break away from her family even as she and Danny become
romantically attracted to each other.

     The set-up for THE OTHER SISTER owes a major debt to the 1979
TV-movie "Like Normal People," in which Linda Purl and Shaun Cassidy
played the developmentally challenged young people coping with familial
opposition to their romance.  Leave it to director Garry Marshall to make
a TV-movie look like a paradigm of subtlety and sensitivity.  THE OTHER
SISTER is nearly as big a narrative mess as Marshall's all-but-unwatchable
DEAR GOD, and as unabashedly candy-coated as his PRETTY WOMAN (the
Disney-does-lesbians subplot involving Carla's older sister is nearly as
convincing as Disney-does-hookers).  The story leaps from episode to
episode in search of a consistent tone, dragging its fine cast through the
muck along the way.  Diane Keaton fusses and fumes as a parody of a
patrician dame trying to ignore the lack of "normalcy" in her family; Tom
Skerritt fares better as the stolid, slightly passive dad.  They're the
worst kind of Hollywood character constructions, sit-com versions of Mary
Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland in ORDINARY PEOPLE.

     And the wacky premise for that sit-com just isn't funny.  I'm sure
that everyone involved in THE OTHER SISTER felt they were making a
heart-warming tale of triumph over adversity, which it very well might
have been if there seemed to be a shred of authenticity to the situations.
Lewis is a large part of the problem, and not necessarily because she does
such a terrible job.  It's somehow easier to buy Ribisi, though his
performance certainly isn't light-years beyond Lewis's.  Juliette Lewis,
however, is always Juliette Lewis, from the first minute she's on screen
until the last, an actress trying to convince me she's a mentally
handicapped person.  Watching Lewis screw up her face and twist her
dialogue becomes like watching a white actor playing a character in
blackface -- not just a case of miscasting, but wrong on a gut level.

     That reaction isn't mitigated by a script which, frankly, draws
nearly every one of its laughs from the goofy behavior of its handicapped
characters.  Viewers may kid themselves into thinking they're laughing
good-naturedly at the struggles of these characters to be more like
"normal people," but every gag is really at their expense.  THE OTHER
SISTER is a sideshow masquerading as a feel-good tale -- see the
handicapped kids trying to figure out sex!  see them get drunk and say
inappropriate things!  Indeed, THE OTHER SISTER stands as a shining
example of all that can go wrong in a film about mentally handicapped
people.  In the rare examples that have worked -- Leonardo DiCaprio in
WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE, Tom Hulce in DOMINICK AND EUGENE -- you felt
someone was telling a real story of which handicapped characters happened
to be a part.  This one finds Juliette Lewis shucking and jiving in a
handicapped minstrel show.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 sister hacks:  3.

                   Visit Scott Renshaw's Screening Room
                    http://www.inconnect.com/~renshaw/
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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/24/99
Date: 24 Feb 1999 14:14:42 -0700 (MST)

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. (AP) - Film critic Gene Siskel was remembered as
a public man who loved his private life. More than 1,200 people
attended his funeral Monday, including Oprah Winfrey, Christie Hefner
and Siskel's longtime television partner, Roger Ebert. Chicago mayor
Richard M. Daley canceled scheduled campaign stops to attend the
service at a Jewish synagogue on the wooded shore of Lake Michigan.
In a eulogy, Rabbi Vernon Kurtz spoke of Siskel's dedication to his
family and his faith. "In the same manner that you have used these
many years - Gene Siskel, you lived a life that was indeed two thumbs
up," Kurtz said. Siskel died Saturday at 53 from complications
following surgery to remove a growth from his brain in May.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Disappointing the movie studio and confounding
analysts, the World War II epic "The Thin Red Line" saw its business
plummet after earning seven Academy Award nominations. The other best
picture nominees, "Saving Private Ryan" (in re-release), "Elizabeth,"
"Shakespeare in Love" and "Life Is Beautiful," all got
post-nomination bounces, as did last year's "Titanic," "L.A.
Confidential," "Good Will Hunting," "As Good As It Gets" and "The
Full Monty." But "The Thin Red Line," which opened Christmas Day in
limited release and was expanded to wide release Jan. 15, actually
lost 2.4% of its business the weekend after the Oscar nominations
were announced Feb. 9 and another 50% last weekend.

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From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 24 Feb 1999 17:57:29 -0600 (CST)

I am very proud to say that I have had the misfortune of only seeing one of
Leo's movies, and was thourally dissappointed.  No, it was not titanic.  You
couldn't drag me to that movie at gunpoint.  It is unfortunate that Leo was cast
in this new movie, since I wont be seeing it because of its lead.  Maybe I'll
just read the book.
Leo should buy a farm in Memphis and grow pumpkins.  Yup, that's right.
Christi

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From: "Jason Cormier" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO and thoughts...
Date: 24 Feb 1999 20:05:52 -0800


You know - it's great that people have different opinions - that's what
makes each of unique - but I am curious to what lead you to this conclusion?
What brought about this amount of disgust for another human being?  I mean -
I will never see a Rosie Perez movie because I cannot stand to hear her
voice (you can include Fran Dresher in there as well) - but what are your
"problems" with the Leo man?  I find it interesting the way society tends to
'hate' the famous just because of their fame - though I am not accusing you,
Christi, of this - it is just something that came out in my thought process.
We find it difficult to say that we enjoy listening to the music of New Kids
on the Block - or todays equivalent - Hanson or The Spice Girls.  It feels
like we are living in a very intraverted society in which everything we do
has to be accepted by others - or else we will be ostrisized or laughed at.
Well I find it quite thrilling and a great sense of freedom to be myself and
state what I like even if it doesn't seem to be the norm.  I understand that
a lot of readers out there are younger - and being accepted is a huge part
of that whole growth process - but I guess what this abnoramlly long
essay-type message is trying to say - is to not be afraid to have your own
feelings.  I like Leonoardo because of his fine work in Gilbert Grape,
Basketball Diaries, Quick and the Dead and yes, even Titanic -  a highly
entertaining movie.  I also like the Spice Girls because their songs are
just so damn catchy!  (Sorry for this though-provoking intrusion in our
movie discussions!)



>I am very proud to say that I have had the misfortune of only seeing one of
>Leo's movies, and was thourally dissappointed.  No, it was not titanic.
You
>couldn't drag me to that movie at gunpoint.  It is unfortunate that Leo was
cast
>in this new movie, since I wont be seeing it because of its lead.  Maybe
I'll
>just read the book.
>Leo should buy a farm in Memphis and grow pumpkins.  Yup, that's right.
>Christi
>
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>


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From: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 24 Feb 1999 20:14:06 EST

>I am very proud to say that I have had the misfortune of only seeing one of
> Leo's movies, and was thourally dissappointed.  No, it was not titanic.  You
> couldn't drag me to that movie at gunpoint.  It is unfortunate that Leo was
cast
> in this new movie, since I wont be seeing it because of its lead.  Maybe
I'll
> just read the book.
> Leo should buy a farm in Memphis and grow pumpkins.  Yup, that's right.

Obviously you've seen a)man in the iron mask or b)romeo and juliet.  First,
Leonardo is NOT a shakespearian actor.  I thought he was horrible in R and J.
they should have cast ethan hawke or johnny depp (god, Depp as Romeo....
that'd be interesting), but Leo looked the part, I guess, so he got it.  Man
in the iron mask was, again, a role that was set in classic period, which is
not his style.  Before you judge him, watch Gilbert Grape or Basketball
diaries.  he was amazing in b'ball diaries.

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From: "I Love New York!" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO and thoughts...
Date: 24 Feb 1999 21:44:08 -0600

I agree with Jason, Christi.  What is so wrong with Leonardo. All of his
movies I think are very good!

Tonya

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From: "I Love New York!" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 24 Feb 1999 21:45:46 -0600

I seriously disagree with you about Leo being a bad Romeo!  Romeo and
Juliet is my favorite movie.  I didn't see one single thing wrong that he
did in that movie.  I would just love to hear why you think he was
bad......

Tonya

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From: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 24 Feb 1999 23:55:25 -0500

At 09.45 PM 24/02/99 -0600, I Love New York! wrote:
>I seriously disagree with you about Leo being a bad Romeo!  Romeo and
>Juliet is my favorite movie.  I didn't see one single thing wrong that he
>did in that movie.  I would just love to hear why you think he was
>bad......
>

OK, since I was one of the ones to start this string.

It seems you either love Leo or hate him (esp the females.  Sort of like
Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan for guys:-)  In part, it is a generational thing.

Titanic is the only Leo movie I have seen in full (I saw Gilbert Grape
before he was big, and thus it was not *his* movie).  I thought it was a
pretty good movie, but cannot understand what the hype was about.

I have not seen R&J, but have heard many reviews, and this is a movie that
definately splits on the generational lines.  Older people (who tend to
know more about Shakespeare) think it is an afront to the Greatest
Playwright of All Time (TM).  Younger people enjoy it, and many were turned
onto the Bard because of this.  As such, you have to appreciate R&J.  Just
like West Side Story for our generation, it is a jumping off point into
other works.

As for Man in the Iron Mask, I refuse to watch it, having heard SO MANY bad
reviews.  It is summed up by the person that said that since Leo plays
twins, his acting is twice as bad as everyone else's in the film.

Regards,

--Mel


--Mel Eperthener
president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty

email: [e-mail]
          [e-mail]

http://www.webz.com/gowanna

419 Butler Street
PO Box 95184
Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
[phone]
[phone]
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: "Rebecca Bezant" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 25 Feb 1999 01:34:09 PST

your right Mel, Titatic was good, but thank god there was more characters=
, other than that of Leo's Jack, that the movie was focused on.
                Tim
----------
> At 09.45 PM 24/02/99 -0600, I Love New York! wrote:
> >I seriously disagree with you about Leo being a bad Romeo!  Romeo and
> >Juliet is my favorite movie.  I didn't see one single thing wrong that=
 he
> >did in that movie.  I would just love to hear why you think he was
> >bad......
> >
>
> OK, since I was one of the ones to start this string.
>
> It seems you either love Leo or hate him (esp the females.  Sort of lik=
e
> Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan for guys:-)  In part, it is a generational =
thing.
>
> Titanic is the only Leo movie I have seen in full (I saw Gilbert Grape
> before he was big, and thus it was not *his* movie).  I thought it was =
a
> pretty good movie, but cannot understand what the hype was about.
>
> I have not seen R&J, but have heard many reviews, and this is a movie =
that
> definately splits on the generational lines.  Older people (who tend =
to
> know more about Shakespeare) think it is an afront to the Greatest
> Playwright of All Time (TM).  Younger people enjoy it, and many were =
turned
> onto the Bard because of this.  As such, you have to appreciate R&J. =
 Just
> like West Side Story for our generation, it is a jumping off point into
> other works.
>
> As for Man in the Iron Mask, I refuse to watch it, having heard SO MANY=
 bad
> reviews.  It is summed up by the person that said that since Leo plays
> twins, his acting is twice as bad as everyone else's in the film.
>
> Regards,
>
> --Mel
>
>
> --Mel Eperthener
> president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
>
> email: [e-mail]
>           [e-mail]
>
> http://www.webz.com/gowanna
>
> 419 Butler Street
> PO Box 95184
> Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
> [phone]
> [phone]
> 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 ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>



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From: "=?big5?B?uM4=?=" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 25 Feb 1999 14:36:06 +0800


-----¡∞⌐l╢lÑ≤-----
▒HÑ≤¬╠: Mel Eperthener <[e-mail]>
ª¼Ñ≤¬╠: [e-mail] <[e-mail]>
ñΘ┤┴: 1999ª~2ñδ26ñΘ AM 03:04
ÑDª«: Re: [MV] Re LEO


>At 09.45 PM 24/02/99 -0600, I Love New York! wrote:
>>I seriously disagree with you about Leo being a bad Romeo!  Romeo and
>>Juliet is my favorite movie.  I didn't see one single thing wrong that he
>>did in that movie.  I would just love to hear why you think he was
>>bad......
>>
>
>OK, since I was one of the ones to start this string.
>
>It seems you either love Leo or hate him (esp the females.  Sort of like
>Julia Roberts or Meg Ryan for guys:-)  In part, it is a generational thing.
>
>Titanic is the only Leo movie I have seen in full (I saw Gilbert Grape
>before he was big, and thus it was not *his* movie).  I thought it was a
>pretty good movie, but cannot understand what the hype was about.
>
>I have not seen R&J, but have heard many reviews, and this is a movie that
>definately splits on the generational lines.  Older people (who tend to
>know more about Shakespeare) think it is an afront to the Greatest
>Playwright of All Time (TM).  Younger people enjoy it, and many were turned
>onto the Bard because of this.  As such, you have to appreciate R&J.  Just
>like West Side Story for our generation, it is a jumping off point into
>other works.
>
>As for Man in the Iron Mask, I refuse to watch it, having heard SO MANY bad
>reviews.  It is summed up by the person that said that since Leo plays
>twins, his acting is twice as bad as everyone else's in the film.
>
>Regards,
>
>--Mel
>
>
>--Mel Eperthener
>president, Gowanna Multi-media Pty
>
>email: [e-mail]
>          [e-mail]
>
>http://www.webz.com/gowanna
>
>419 Butler Street
>PO Box 95184
>Pittsburgh, PA 15223-0184
>[phone]
>[phone]
>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: [e-mail]
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 25 Feb 1999 02:31:08 EST

okay, where to begin.  First of all, the whole movie was little more than MTV
roving camera shots that were intended to distract from the events going on in
the movie.  Secondly, Leo's performance seemed to me to be little more than
whining.  Perfect example, his convo w/benvolio about loving rosaline.
Grrrrr.  Another example was when he killed tybalt.  I'm sorry, his actions
and face conveyed the emotion, but I did NOT sense any sort of genuine remorse
or guilt that he'd just done something that, according to the prince (Or,
"captain prince."  shudder.), he would be killed for.  Anyway, I'm gonna stop
now before I get too into this.  But you get the point (I hope.....)

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From: jkrudy <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] Re LEO and thoughts...and Rosie
Date: 25 Feb 1999 06:44:26 -0700

I don't give a flying flip either way about Leo, but as far as Rosie Perez
goes, I couldn't agree with you more.  How could somebody with that voice
(something akin to scratching ones nails down a chalk board or chewing tin
foil if you have fillings in your mouth or hitting ones self over the head
with a ball peen hammer) ever make it into a movie?  Her acting sucks too.
(let me define what I see as a good actor.  When I watched The Flintstones
with my kids, while I was watching John Goodman, all I could see is John
Goodman, not Fred Flintstone, but when I watch Rick Morantis all I could see
is Barney Rubble.  I thought Rick did a great acting job whereas John was
subpar.  The same is true in Rob Roy.  I didn't even know that was Jessica
Lang until the closing credits.  To me, that defines a good actor or acting
job)  When I watch Rosie in any movie all I can see is Rosie.  She doesn't
even try to be a different person.  I keep thinking of the casting couch as
the only possible explanation for her success.

Just my 2 cents worth.

James K. Rudy

If somebody said to you "a penny for your thoughts" and you give them your 2
cents worth, who gets the change?

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Wednesday, February 24, 1999 9:06 PM



You know - it's great that people have different opinions - that's what
makes each of unique - but I am curious to what lead you to this conclusion?
What brought about this amount of disgust for another human being?  I mean -
I will never see a Rosie Perez movie because I cannot stand to hear her
voice (you can include Fran Dresher in there as well) - but what are your
"problems" with the Leo man?  I find it interesting the way society tends to
'hate' the famous just because of their fame - though I am not accusing you,
Christi, of this - it is just something that came out in my thought process.
We find it difficult to say that we enjoy listening to the music of New Kids
on the Block - or todays equivalent - Hanson or The Spice Girls.  It feels
like we are living in a very intraverted society in which everything we do
has to be accepted by others - or else we will be ostrisized or laughed at.
Well I find it quite thrilling and a great sense of freedom to be myself and
state what I like even if it doesn't seem to be the norm.  I understand that
a lot of readers out there are younger - and being accepted is a huge part
of that whole growth process - but I guess what this abnoramlly long
essay-type message is trying to say - is to not be afraid to have your own
feelings.  I like Leonoardo because of his fine work in Gilbert Grape,
Basketball Diaries, Quick and the Dead and yes, even Titanic -  a highly
entertaining movie.  I also like the Spice Girls because their songs are
just so damn catchy!  (Sorry for this though-provoking intrusion in our
movie discussions!)



>I am very proud to say that I have had the misfortune of only seeing one of
>Leo's movies, and was thourally dissappointed.  No, it was not titanic.
You
>couldn't drag me to that movie at gunpoint.  It is unfortunate that Leo was
cast
>in this new movie, since I wont be seeing it because of its lead.  Maybe
I'll
>just read the book.
>Leo should buy a farm in Memphis and grow pumpkins.  Yup, that's right.
>Christi
>
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>


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

From: cHriS <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] re: ...and Rosie
Date: 25 Feb 1999 09:24:13 -0600


James K. Rudy noted:

"When I watch Rosie in any movie all I can see is Rosie. She
 doesn't even try to be a different person."

While I'm not certain about the trying bit, I share the same basis for
judging good acting. I know the actor's doing their job if I see their
character on screen - not the actor themselves. I enjoy Bruce Willis
movies, but I'll never think of him as a great actor - he always plays
himself! One could argue, I guess, that he's an action film star, thus his
main area of expertise is physical fight scenes and one-liner dialogue.
Still, would it kill him to do more for his characters than just
shaving/bleaching his hair? Christopher Walken's another one, but I think
I'll cut my rant now before it gets out of hand...

- cHriS




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

From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 25 Feb 1999 17:44:37 -0700

Mel Eperthener wrote:
>
> As for Man in the Iron Mask, I refuse to watch it, having heard SO MANY bad
> reviews.  It is summed up by the person that said that since Leo plays
> twins, his acting is twice as bad as everyone else's in the film.

Leo's acting was in the only weak point in an otherwise excellent film.
Gabriel Byrne, John Malkovich, Jeremy Irons (!), and Gerard Depardieu were
great, as were the supporting cast.  Swashbuckling fun at its best, with
a score that was scandalously overlooked by the Academy.

Greg

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/25/99
Date: 25 Feb 1999 18:24:55 -0700 (MST)

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) - In a sign that relations between Beijing
and Hollywood are on the mend, Chinese officials wooed American
filmmakers Wednesday with the prospect of doing business with the
image-conscious government. The visit suggests Chinese officials have
set aside the ire prompted by films such as Walt Disney Co.'s 1996
"Kundun." The movie about the life of Tibet's Dalai Lama was seen as
critical of Chinese rule over Tibet and never officially screened in
China. "Everything is normal now," Zheng Quan Gang, president of the
China Film Co-Production Corp., said of relations with Disney.

                        -=> * <=-

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A star-struck fan left Charles Bronson her
entire estate - worth nearly $300,000 - but relatives who didn't know
the retired chemist was worth that much are contesting her
hand-scrawled will. Audrey Jean Knauer, 55, who never met or
corresponded with the tough-guy actor, scribbled her wishes on a list
of emergency phone numbers before she died in 1997. She asked that
nothing - not "blood, body parts, financial assets" - go to her
mother, Helen, and whatever Bronson didn't want be given to
Louisville's public library. Bronson has already received about half
the money, but Knauer's sister, Nancy Koeper, filed a lawsuit two
months ago, saying Knauer was mentally unfit and the money should go
the family.

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

From: Michael Dequina <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Movie Report#179, 2/25/99
Date: 25 Feb 1999 18:22:50 -0800

In memory of Gene Siskel
1946-1999


T   H   E
M   O   V   I   E
R   E   P   O   R   T
#179
FEBRUARY 25, 1999


PLEASE HELP...
...keep the MR and Mr. Brown's Movie Site alive.   I am undergoing a
serious funding and resource crisis.  Please send any donations (every
little bit does help) to:
Michael Dequina
3650 Denver Avenue
Long Beach, CA  90810-2205
You can also help by purchasing videos and DVDs from Reel.com!  Please visit:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-reel.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=welcome.html
Thank you very much.

=>T H I S  W E E K<=
M O V I E S
-_8MM_
-_Goodbye_Lover_
-_20_Dates_
-_200_Cigarettes_
-_October_Sky_
-_Six_Ways_to_Sunday_
V I D E O
-_Pecker_
-_Permanent_Midnight_
-_Ronin_
-_Urban_Legend_
-_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_
E V E N T S
-30th Annual NAACP Image Awards

For my analysis of the recently announced Academy Award nominations, the
best and worst of 1998, links to the official websites of all the current
films, past reviews, exclusive Hollywood event photos, movie MIDI music,
movie discussion board, a comprehensive link section, and more, visit Mr.
Brown's Movie Site at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown  or
http://welcome.to/mrbrown  or
http://mysp.com/p/mrbrown  or
http://mrbrown.webjump.com

Please don't forget to sign the guestbook...

If you are reading this on Usenet, you can subscribe to the MR at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/moviereport.html

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
...and Film Frenzy at:
http://www.filmfrenzy.com

I am always up for a good live chat.  Feel free to message me on ICQ at
#25289934 or on AOL Instant Messenger under the handle "MrBrown23."

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


~~~

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

_8MM_ (R) **
    As his follow-up to the candy-colored camp catastrophe that was
_Batman_&_Robin_, director Joel Schumacher has gone to the opposite extreme
with the lurid thriller _8MM_.  Schumacher obviously intended this
down-and-dirty film to cleanse his artistic soul, and while _8MM_ certainly
is better than that infamous franchise killer (then again, what wouldn't
be?), the film is grainy and unfocused as the object at the center of the
plot.
    That object is a so-called "snuff" film, a pornographic work in which the
woman is killed.  The film is found in the safe of a recently deceased
millionaire, and private detective Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage) is hired by
the millionaire's widow (Myra Carter) to investigate its origin and track
down the family of the young girl who was brutally killed in it.
    The mystery is just a perfunctory device for screenwriter Andrew Kevin
Walker to get to his main concern, which is the psychological effects Tom
feels takes when he becomes immersed in the seedy world of underground
porn.  But did it have to be so perfunctory?  Walker doesn't even bother to
hide the fact that it is a mere device.  The mystery is more or less
resolved in an overblown sequence that comes at the end of act two, and the
revelations are contrived and incredibly underwhelming.  While that may be
some sort of sly in-joke on Walker's part, to the viewer, it is simply an
unsatisfying cheat.
    But once the mystery is out of the way, and Walker frees himself to zero
in on Tom's psyche, the movie does get better, and it finally gives Cage
something meaty to work with.  The pain and anguish of his downward spiral
are acutely felt through Cage's chillingly convincing performance.  But by
this point, the movie is nearly over, with two-thirds of it having been
spent on characters plot mechanics that, for the most part, bear little to
no weight in the end.
    _8MM_ is a competent attempt by Schumacher to reclaim his directorial
voice after suffering the grind of a blockbuster studio franchise.  Yet
while a directorial voice does rings throughout _8MM_, it is not
Schumacher's--rather, it's that of David Fincher, helmer of Walker's
_Se7en_; Schumacher apes his style from the ample rain to the deliberate
pacing.  _8MM_ may indeed be a step up from Schumacher's last film, but he
still has a few more steps to go before recapturing his own artistic identity.

_Goodbye_Lover_ (R) ***
    Imagine you're the head of a major studio.  You have an interesting little
film that is hard to categorize, yet you have enough faith in the project
to unveil it at a major international film festival.  Your faith is
confirmed when the film receives, on the whole, a warm reception.  What do
you do now?  If you're the head of Warner Bros., apparently you don't do
anything.
    Despite good notices at Cannes last May, Roland Joffe's
description-defying _Goodbye_Lover_ has been sitting on the studio shelf
ever since, its release date being randomly tossed around the schedule like
a hot potato (until recently, it had been targeted for a release in
January... of 2000).  But after much headscratching in the WB marketing
department, the studio has now finally decided to bite the bullet, setting
an all-but-concrete mid-April release.  So what exactly was the problem?
    After watching the film, it's easy to see why Warner was at a loss as to
what to do.  _Goodbye_Lover_ is a very enjoyable lark of an entertainment,
but the film's virtues are exactly what made it such hell to market--it's a
deliciously unpredictable thriller with a dark, very offbeat sense of
humor.  That the film juggles both elements is unusual enough; that the
film juggles them as well as it does is even moreso.
    A lot of the enjoyment to be had with _Goodbye_Lover_ hinges on surprise,
so I'll speak of the plot in the vaguest possible terms.  Sultry Los
Angeles real estate agent Sandra Dunmore (Patricia Arquette) is married to
Jake (Dermot Mulroney), whose career as an ad exec is threatened by his
little drinking problem.  Jake's older brother is slick, pompous public
relations exec Ben (Don Johnson), who is dutifully served by staff
underling Peggy Blaine (Mary-Louise Parker).  Needless to say, nothing is
quite as it seems in this twisted little circle, and eventually a crime
within it brings the group to the attention of burned-out police detective
Rita Pompano (Ellen DeGeneres).
     Warner Bros. is describing _Goodbye_Lover_ as a "film gris" (as opposed
to noir), and the description is apt (for the French-challenged, "gris"
means grey).  In the most basic sense, its underlying, tongue-in-cheek
sense of humor keeps it from reaching the darkness of pure noir, yet the
mordant nature of the humor doesn't exactly make the film a sunny romp,
either.  But the "gris" label also fits how seamlessly Joffe and writers
Ron Peer, Joel Cohen, and Alec Sokolow meld their two genre worlds.  They
have their cake and eat it too, coming up with a comic thriller that
genuinely surprises or, rather, a twisty comedy that delivers
laughs--though, it must be said, that a number of wisecracks, which
primarily come from the mouth of Pompano, clang.
    However, the occasional groaner is forgivable when there is such an
intriguing cast of characters.  All are well-played by the actors, but
there are two cast members who stand out the most.  The most interesting
character is Sandra, who looks and dresses like a siren, yet she's also a
devout churchgoer (a volunteer, no less) who loves listening to
self-improvement tapes and _The_Sound_of_Music_.  Arquette's typically flat
line delivery, which often fails her (most recently in
_The_Hi-Lo_Country_), is actually works here, a perfect fit for the
character's ambiguity.  DeGeneres has an ideal film showcase as the heard-
and seen-it-all Pompano, and though her character's sarcastic asides don't
always hit the mark, she delivers them with aplomb.
    The greatest irony of year-long marketing-mulling session on
_Goodbye_Lover_ is that regardless of what direction Warner Bros. decides
to take with its publicity campaign, the film is just about certain to
flop; its sensibilities are much too warped to appeal to a wide audience.
Nonetheless, its fresh, unique voice will likely win _Goodbye_Lover_ a
devoted group of admirers, as it did nearly a year ago at Cannes.  (opens
April 16)

Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
_20_Dates_ (R) ***
    It's one thing for first-time independent directors to make their feature
debuts with movies about struggling filmmakers, and it's quite another
thing entirely to engage in the singular act of self-indulgence that Myles
Berkowitz pulls off in _20_Dates_.  Instead of making a thinly veiled
fiction film about himself, he has unabashedly made a film about himself.
And, in an added twist, the film he has made traces the making of the film
he has made (got that?).
    By that description, _20_Dates_ sounds like an exercise in cinematic
masturbation--and, to a certain extent, it _is_--but it doesn't feel that
way.  That's because Berkowitz has an interesting story to tell.  Bored
with the movies' unrealistic view of love and frustrated with his
nonexistent film career _and_ love life, he came up with a high-concept
idea: make a movie about his own quest for true love.  A camera would
follow him on twenty dates (hence the title), and if he somehow fell in
love during the course of these dates, not only would he have found love,
he would have also captured on film the exact, true moment where people
fall for each other--which, he felt, had never been captured in a Hollywood
film.  But if love never comes, at least he would have his movie.
    Because it details real-life events, _20_Dates_ can be considered a
documentary, but it isn't entirely one.  The film is peppered by
Berkowitz's own narration, in which he makes wry comments and observations
on the events in retrospect, and, I suspect, he's also taken certain
dramatic liberties with some situations (most notably, the downward
fortunes of his producer, Elie Samaha).  But 100% true or not, the film is
quite funny and never less than amusing, due mostly to Berkowitz himself.
He is an entertaining, engaging host, with a charmingly self-effacing
attitude about him.
    So as one watches _20_Dates_, one hopes that he will find success--in his
career and in love.  Does he?  Fox Searchlight's theatrical release of
_20_Dates_ answers the former question, but as for the latter?  You'll just
have to sit through the film's fun, if ultralightweight, 88 minutes to find
out.

Hollywood Hotline Featured Review
_200_Cigarettes_ (R) ** 1/2
    As much fun as they may be to make, and as interesting as the assembled
talent often is, multi-story and -character ensemble films have a built-in
problem: all the stories and characters never hold the same amount of
interest.  While Robert Altman has shown that it is possible to come up
with a consistently engaging pastiche of narrative threads, more often than
not similar efforts by others come out wildly uneven.  Such is the case
with Risa Bramon Garcia's somewhat amusing but underachieving
_200_Cigarettes_.
    Within the loose narrative framework of people finding their way to one
big Big Apple bash on the Eve of 1982, Garcia and screenwriter Shana
Larsen, both first-timers, do come up with one completely successful plot
thread: that of platonic friends/roommates Kevin (Paul Rudd) and Lucy
(Courtney Love).  Kevin is depressed over his recent breakup with
performance artist girlfriend Ellie (Janeane Garofalo, as hilariously
acerbic as ever) and the fact that it's also his birthday, and Lucy wants
to cheer him up and make him forget about Ellie--in any way she can.  Right
off the bat one can see where this storyline will lead, but the terrific
pairing of Rudd and Love makes it never less than involving.  Love is
particularly impressive, displaying a warmth and vulnerability that is as
delightful as it is surprising; her performance here--in tandem with her
breakthrough work in _The_People_vs._Larry_Flynt_--reveals Love to be the
real thing, actingwise.
    Unfortunately for Garcia and Larsen--and even worse for us--there is one
huge dud of a storyline involving two Long Island teens, Val (Christina
Ricci) and Stephie (Gaby Hoffmann), who get lost on the mean streets of the
East Village.  Along the way, they hook up with a couple of punk rockers,
Tom (Casey Affleck) and Dave (Guillermo Diaz).  It's always nice to see
Ricci onscreen, but her talents are wasted in this story, which is an
absolute waste of time--it's not funny; there is no payoff whatsoever; and
only two of the characters play notable roles in Garcia and Larsen's grand
scheme.  Making this thread even more unbearable is a truly grating
performance by Hoffmann, who is actually given more to do than Ricci.
    The other stories in the hodgepodge that is _200_Cigarettes_ are varying
degrees of just-passable, with some of the actors turning in standout
character work.  Dave Chappelle is amusing as a slick cabbie who taxis many
of the characters around town.  Ben Affleck is a hoot as an incredibly
square bartender who catches the attention of many a patron, most notably
starving artist friends Caitlyn (Angela Featherstone) and Bridget (Nicole
Parker).  Martha Plimpton is nicely neurotic as the big party's harried
hostess, but she's saddled with a tedious thread revolving around her ex's
(Brian McCardie) sexual inadequacy.  But the one person, other than Love,
who makes the strongest impression is newcomer Kate Hudson, who plays the
purehearted Cindy, who spends her New Year's Eve with Jack (Jay Mohr), whom
she doesn't know is quite the ladies' man.  Hudson is effortlessly likable
and charming, but Garcia and Larsen too often have her engage in cheap
pratfalls and other acts of clumsiness.
     "Clumsy" can also describe the way Larsen chooses to close out the film,
with a hamfisted monologue about how people "hide" behind cigarettes--as if
she were somehow required to explain her title (as if the virtually
non-stop lighting and puffing weren't explanation enough).  Yet as
heavy-handed as that touch and statement is, it also pretty much sums up
_200_Cigarettes_: what's good about it is hidden behind the smoke of
mediocrity.

IN BRIEF

_October_Sky_ (PG) ***
    To a certain extent, Joe Johnston's fact-based film is every bit the piece
of manipulation its advertising suggests.  In 1957, after seeing the Soviet
satellite Sputnik traverse the October sky (we have a title!), young Homer
Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal) and a group of fairly nondescript friends (with
the exception of ubergeek Quentin, played by Chris Owen) is inspired to
take up rocket science.  The problem is, he's just a kid in a small West
Virginia coal mining town (aptly named Coalwood), and his father (Chris
Cooper), who runs the mine, wants nothing more than for Homer to follow the
family and town tradition of mining.
    Lewis Colick's script goes through familiar paces: Homer runs into a
series of obstacles in pursuing his dream, but he keeps at it, egged on by
a kindhearted teacher (Laura Dern) and others.  But as manipulative as the
film is whenever the proceedings threaten to degenerate into treacle,
Johnston pulls back; as such, the unforced and honest power of the emotion
ever so quietly sneaks up on you by film's end.  This understatement and
sensitivity extends to the actors, especially Gyllenhaal, one of the rare
young newcomers who actually displays some real promise.

_Six_Ways_to_Sunday_ (R) no stars
    What is it with independent films with days of the week in their title?
Last fall brought the awful _Thursday_, a pointless, plotless, blood-soaked
exercise in nihilism.  I thought it couldn't possibly get any worse than
that detestable film, here comes _Six_Ways_to_Sunday_, which would more
aptly be called _97_Minutes_to_Nowhere_.
    _Six_Ways_ exemplifies, all too painfully, the traditional criticisms of
independent film: pretentiousness, self-indulgent artiness, graphic
violence, a would-be "hip" sense of humor, a touch of "taboo" subject
matter.  The flat-out awfulness shouldn't be a surprise once one discovers
what director/co-scripter (with Marc Gerald) Adam Bernstein's only other
credit is: arguably the worst big screen _Saturday_Night_Live_ of all time,
_It's_Pat_.  _Six_Ways_ follows Ohio teen Harry Odum (Norman Reedus), whose
progress up the mafia ranks and budding romance with a mafia maid (Elina
Lowensohn) causes some strain with his beloved, overprotective--to say the
very least--mother (Deborah Harry).
    As with any film, _Six_Ways_'s effectiveness--or, rather, lack
thereof--lies in the execution, and while the basic story (loosely based on
Charles Perry's novel _Portrait_of_a_Young_Man_Drowning_) may not sound so
bad, it's everything else that makes the film as unwatchable as it is.  The
dialogue is often laughable in the wrong way; the direction a study in how
_not_ to make a film (all  flashy cuts and "surreal" visual narrative
devices; jarringly abrupt shifts in tone); and the acting is even worse.
Reedus is a former model for Prada, and his sub-amateurish performance
shows it; Harry and Lowensohn duke it out for worst performance when their
characters square off over Harry's affections.  The only person, in front
of or behind the camera, who makes any kind of positive impression is
Adrien Brody, who plays Harry's wannabe gangsta best friend.  That it is
also one of the lesser performances I've seen Brody give says a lot about
just how insufferable this worst-of-'99 shoo-in is.  (opens March 5)

I N  C U R R E N T  R E L E A S E
(full reviews of the following in past MRs and at the listed URLs)

-_Affliction_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#affliction
-_At_First_Sight_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#174, 1/21/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#sight
-_Blast_from_the_Past_ (PG-13) ** <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#blast
-_A_Bug's_Life_ (G) *** 1/2 <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#bugs
-_Central_Station_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#central
-_A_Civil_Action_ (PG-13) ** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#civil
-_Elizabeth_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#elizabeth
-_Gods_and_Monsters_ *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#gods
-_Hilary_and_Jackie_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#h&j
-_Jawbreaker_ (R) *** <MR#174, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#jawbreaker
-_Life_Is_Beautiful_(La_Vita_E_Bella)_ (PG-13) **** <MR#162, 10/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt40.html#vitabella
-_Little_Voice_ (R) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#lv
-_Message_in_a_Bottle_ (PG-13) ** 1/2 <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#message
-_My_Favorite_Martian_ (PG) no stars <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#martian
-_My_Name_Is_Joe_ (R) *** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#joe
-_Office_Space_ (R) *** <MR#178, 2/19/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#office
-_Patch_Adams_ (PG-13) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#patch
-_Payback_ (R) ** 1/2 <MR#176, 2/4/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#payback
-_Playing_by_Heart_ (R) *** <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#architecture
-_The_Prince_of_Egypt_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#prince
-_Rushmore_ (R) **** <MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#rushmore
-_Saving_Private_Ryan_ (R) **** <MR#151, 7/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#ryan
-_Shakespeare_in_Love_ (R) *** 1/2 <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#shakespeare
-_She's_All_That_ (PG-13) * 1/2 <MR#175, 1/28/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#allthat
-_A_Simple_Plan_ (R) **** <MR#167, 11/20/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#plan
-_Simply_Irresistible_ (PG-13) ** <MR#177, 2/11/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt45.html#fog
-_Stepmom_ (PG-13) ***<MR#170, 12/11/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#stepmom
-_Still_Crazy_ (R) ** <MR#169, 12/3/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt42.html#crazy
-_The_Thin_Red_Line_ (R) **** <MR#172, 12/24/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#red
-_Varsity_Blues_ (R) * <MR#173, 1/15/99>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt44.html#varsity
-_Waking_Ned_Devine_ (PG) *** <MR#164, 10/29/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt41.html#ned
-_You've_Got_Mail_ (PG) **** <MR#171, 12/16/98>
  http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt43.html#mail

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

_8MM_ (R) ** <see above review>
    Joel Schumacher treads David Fincher territory in this lurid, sometimes
intriguing, but wholly unfocused drama about a private eye's (Nicolas Cage)
investigation into a snuff film.

_The_Faculty_ (R) *** 1/2
Full review in MR#, 12/24/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt.html#faculty
    Since it didn't live up to box office expectations last December,
Dimension is reissuing the Robert Rodriguez/Kevin Williamson rip-roaring
teachers-from-outer-space thriller in a less competitive movie season.
Hopefully, audiences will show up this time around; if not, their loss.

_Just_the_Ticket_ (R)
    Andy Garcia and Andie MacDowell star in this romantic comedy about a
ticket scalper (Garcia) and his fed-up ex-girlfriend (MacDowell).

_The_Other_Sister_ (PG-13)
    Garry Marshall's comedy in which a mentally challenged young woman
(Juliette Lewis) falls for an also-mentally challenged young man (Giovanni
Ribisi), much to the chagrin of her overprotective parents (Diane Keaton
and Tom Skerritt).

_The_School_of_Flesh_ (R)
    French drama, adapted from a novel by Yukio Mishima, about the
relationship between a bartender (Vincent Martinez) and an older woman
(Isabelle Huppert).

_20_Dates_ (R) *** <see above review>
    Fun, if slight, quasi-documentary about filmmaker Myles Berkowitz's
struggle to find love and finish his first movie.

_200_Cigarettes_ (R) ** 1/2 <see above review>
    Uneven ensemble comedy following a number of characters and stories on New
Year's Eve, 1982, in New York City.  Paul Rudd, Courtney Love, Kate Hudson,
Jay Mohr, Christina Ricci, Gaby Hoffmann, Martha Plimpton, and Ben Affleck
head the cast.


~~~

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

_Pecker_ (R) ** 1/2
Full review in MR#153, 8/7/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt37.html#pecker
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43490
    More cinematic dementia from John Waters, telling of a teenage Baltimore
photographer's (Edward Furlong) rise to fame in the New York art world.  An
interesting array of supporting players (including Brendan Sexton III and
the ever-fascinating Christina Ricci) cannot compensate for the blandness
of the lead character and Furlong's all-to-complementary performance.  (New
Line Home Video)

_Permanent_Midnight_ (R) **
Full review in MR#158, 9/17/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#midnight
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43266
    Ben Stiller Week at the video store begins with David Veloz's
underdeveloped adaptation of Jerry Stahl's memoir about heroin addiction.
Elizabeth Hurley, Maria Bello, and Janeane Garofalo also star.   (Artisan
Entertainment)

_Ronin_ (R) **
Full review in MR#158, 9/17/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#ronin
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43265
     The presence of Robert DeNiro and some exciting car chases aren't enough
to redeem John Frankenheimer's muddled thriller about secret agents on the
trail of a valuable suitcase.  Jonathan Pryce, Natascha McElhone, Jean
Reno, and Stellan Skarsgard also star.  (MGM/UA Home Video)

_Urban_Legend_ (R) *
Full review in MR#159, 9/25/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt39.html#urban
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43498
     A promising horror premise--a killer's victims are offed through urban
legends come true--is wasted in this lame-brained, poorly-acted and
-directed slasher yarn.  Alicia Witt, Rebecca Gayheart, Jared Leto, and
Joshua Jackson star. (Columbia TriStar Home Video)

_Your_Friends_&_Neighbors_ (R) *** 1/2
Full review in MR#154, 8/13/98; and at:
http://www.godamongdirectors.com/mrbrown/movierpt38.html#friends
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=42886
     Writer-director Neil LaBute follows up his terrific debut, the dark and
uncompromising _In_the_Company_of_Men_, with this even bleaker look at the
battle of the sexes in which a circle of "friends" and "neighbors" cheat
on, lie to, and cheat on each other some more.  Ben Stiller, Amy Brenneman,
Aaron Eckhart, Catherine Keener, Nastassja Kinski, and a truly creepy Jason
Patric (who should have been nominated for an Oscar) star.  (PolyGram Video)

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

_Digging_to_China_ (PG-13)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43301
    A young girl (Evan Rachel Wood) befriends a mentally challenged man (Kevin
Bacon) in this drama.  (BMG Independents)

_Shadrach_ (PG-13)
Buy at Reel.com:
http://www.reel.com/cgi-bin/nph-session.exe?COBRAND=MRBR&OBJECT=moviepage.as
p?MMID=43489
    Harvey Keitel and Andie MacDowell star in this drama about a 99-year-old
former slave's (John Franklin Sawyer) return to his hometown during the
Great Depression.  (Columbia TriStar Home Video)


~~~

=>E V E N T S<=

February 14, 1999 -- 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards
    Last Sunday I spent my Valentine's Day making my big debut at a full-on,
bust-out-the-tux Hollywood gala: the 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards at the
Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
    For those unfamiliar, every year the Image Awards celebrates the
achievements of African-Americans in film, television, music, and
literature.  While the event calls for unity within the African-American
community, that was not quite the case--at least not this year, outside of
the auditorium.  As walked toward the beginning of the red carpet, I
noticed a number of protesters amid the throng of fans standing across the
street.  On their signs read such things as "NAACP OBSOLETE" and "Kweisi
Mfume is a sellout"--referring to the organization's president.
    But once I stepped onto that red carpet, the atmosphere changed.  Any
nervousness I might have felt was eased away by the general niceness of
everyone, from the fellow guests to (surprisingly) the security.  For a few
moments, I stood with other photo-snapping guests and joined them in
stargazing.  Among those we caught glimpses of were gospel group Nu Nation
(sans Kirk Franklin); Pam Grier (Actress in a Comedy Series nominee for
_Linc's_); Steve Harvey (Actor in a Comedy Series nominee for his eponymous
WB show); Tatyana Ali (New Artist nominee for her album _Kiss_the_Sky_);
Giancarlo Esposito (Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series nominee for
_Homicide_); Holly Robinson Peete (Actress in a Comedy Series nominee for
_For_Your_Love_); T'Keyah "Crystal" Keymah (Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Series nominee for _Cosby_); and Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
nominee Morgan Freeman, as he gave an interview with one of the television
crews lined up along the carpet.  After a few minutes of waiting and
watching, I decided it was time to make my way into the theatre.  Along the
way, I exchanged hellos with Actor in a Daytime Drama winner Shemar Moore
of _The_Young_and_the_Restless_.
    Not long after I took my seat (which, of course, was toward the back of
the auditorium, fairly removed from the VIPs), everyone was asked to take
their seats, and the producer and director of the Image Awards telecast,
and , gave some introductory remarks.  These remarks ranged from thanks to
the sponsors to instructions for the audience, most notably being the
request to hold all applause for the video tribute to those who passed on
until the end of the montage.  A few moments later, the show was off and
running, opening with a high-energy number by Kirk Franklin and Nu Nation,
one of the four musical numbers of the evening.  Midway through the program
was a guitar jam session with Eric Clapton, George Benson, and Hall of Fame
inductee B.B. King.  Later came an aria by another Hall of Fame inductee,
Kathleen Battle, which underscored the aforementioned video tribute to
those who passed on.  Despite the repeated instructions to hold all
applause until the end, every the image of each individual was met with
applause.  (One surprising inclusion was that of Matthew Shepard, the gay
Utah teen who was killed in a brutal hate crime.)  The capper to the
night's entertainment (not counting co-host Mariah Carey's typically slutty
mode of dress, disparaging comments on which were a bonding point between
me and those seated next to me) was disappointing: New Artist nominee Mya,
backed by the Children of the World Mass Choir, performing "One Voice" in
tribute to Chairman's Award honoree Harry Belafonte.  While Mya has been
able to get by vocally in her recordings, her voice is considerably less
than spectacular live, outdone by the youngsters'.
    Unlike a lot of awards shows, the Image Awards are taped for broadcast on
a later date and not telecast live, which leaves a margin for error.  This
was most fortunate, for the production ran less than smoothly (which,
according to others seated next to me, had always been the case in previous
years).  A number of the glitches came courtesy of Carey, who flubbed her
lines on more than one occasion.  (Her considerably more composed co-host
was Blair Underwood, who won the award for Actor in a Television Movie for
_Mama_Flora's_Family_.)  Other production snafus included a missed entrance
cue for presenter Queen Latifah and, perhaps most embarrassingly, a faulty
guitar amp for Benson during the King tribute, which meant having to redo
the number from the top.
    Fortunately, the gremlins did not follow the guests to the post-awards
reception, which took place at a hall downstairs from the theatre; what did
follow, however, was the festive and friendly atmosphere.  Unfortunately,
not too many of the VIP guests made an appearance at the afterparty, and
those who did end up going generally turned little more than cameos.  Among
those I managed to spot were Rev. Jesse Jackson, surrounded by an entourage
of security guards; Esposito; his _Homicide_ co-star Clark Johnson (also
nominated for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series); Keymah; MTV VJ Ananda
Lewis; Tim and Daphne Maxwell Reid; Leon (Actor in a Television Movie
nominee for _The_Temptations_); D.L. Hughley (Actor in a Comedy Series
nominee for _The_Hughleys_); and, on their way out, Freeman (who ended up
winning his award, for his work in _Deep_Impact_) and Isaac Hayes (Actor in
a Comedy Series nominee for his work on _South_Park_).  In spite of the
afterparty's rather frenzied atmosphere, I did manage to converse with two
of the VIPs who managed to make it down: Underwood and Kevin Rodney
Sullivan, who directed evening's big winner in the film categories,
_How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_ (winner of three awards, including
Outstanding Motion Picture).
    Although the show itself was entertaining (hilarious comedy bits from
Sinbad and, especially, Actor in a Motion Picture nominee Chris Tucker were
the highlights), and the afterparty interesting to say the least, what
sticks out in my memory is the level of true, honest emotion in the
acceptance speeches.  The bar was set from the get-go with the first honor
awarded, Actress in a Comedy Series, won by _Sister,_Sister_'s Tia and
Tamera Mowry (curiously nominated--and winning--as an individual).  The
twins fought tears as they gave their thank yous, as did Actor in a Comedy
Series winner Harvey.  Other emotional moments came with just about every
award, from the affectionate standing ovations met by Actress in a
Television Movie winner Cicely Tyson and Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
winner Ossie Davis; to a genuinely shocked Terry McMillan's teary
acceptance for Oustanding Motion Picture _Stella_, which was based on her
novel ("I loved [fellow nominee] _Beloved_," she declared).  As can be
expected, the honorary award presentations also registered high on the
emotional scale: in addition to Battle, King, and Belafonte, the other
special awardees were Lauryn Hill (President's Award, given to an
outstanding newcomer), Will Smith (Entertainer of the Year), and the
(rightful) recipient of the evening's longest standing ovation, Jackie
Robinson Sports Award honoree Michael Jordan.
    Now comes the point where one would expect me to go into great detail
about Mr. Jordan: the award presentation, his speech, the obligatory
meeting, etc.  But out of respect to my longtime readers, whom I am sure
are more than a little tired (to say the least) of all the space I've spent
(and am ever so willing to spend) on Mr. Jordan over the years, I will
spare you the details.  However, in the event that anyone is interested, a
full report on that side of the story is at:
http://members.xoom.com/jordanhost/mjmd.html

A complete run-down of the evening's winners:
Motion Picture:
_How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_
Actor in a Motion Picture:
Danny Glover, _Beloved_
Actress in a Motion Picture:
Angela Bassett, _How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_
Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture:
Morgan Freeman, _Deep_Impact_
Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture:
Whoopi Goldberg, _How_Stella_Got_Her_Groove_Back_
Youth Actor/Actress (Motion Picture or Television):
Jurnee Smollett, _Cosby_ (CBS)
Actor in a Comedy Series:
Steve Harvey, _The_Steve_Harvey_Show_ (WB)
Actress in a Comedy Series:
Tia and Tamera Mowry, _Sister,_Sister_ (WB)
Supporting Actor in a Drama Series:
Ossie Davis, _Promised_Land_ (CBS)
Television Movie/Mini-Series/Dramatic Special:
_The_Temptations_ (NBC)
Actor in a Television Movie/Mini-Series/Dramatic Special:
Blair Underwood, _Mama_Flora's_Family_ (CBS)
Actress in a Television Movie/Mini-Series/Dramatic Special:
Cicely Tyson, _Mama_Flora's_Family_
Album:
_The_Miseducation_of_Lauryn_Hill_, Lauryn Hill
New Artist:
Lauryn Hill, _The_Miseducation_of_Lauryn_Hill_
Song:
"Lean on Me," Kirk Franklin, songwriter (Artist: Kirk Franklin, R. Kelly,
Mary J. Blige, Bono, Crystal Lewis, and the Family)
Jackie Robinson Sports Award:
Michael Jordan
Chairman's Award:
Harry Belafonte
Hall of Fame:
Kathleen Battle, B.B. King
President's Award:
Lauryn Hill


The following awards were presented at a ceremony the previous night,
Saturday, February 13:
Comedy Series:
_Cosby_ (CBS)
Drama Series:
_Touched_by_an_Angel_ (CBS)
Actor in a Drama Series:
Eriq LaSalle, _ER_ (NBC)
Actress in a Drama Series:
Della Reese, _Touched_by_an_Angel_ (CBS)
Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series:
Cedric "The Entertainer," _The_Steve_Harvey_Show_ (WB)
Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series:
Jackee Harry, _Sister,_Sister_ (WB)
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series:
Ruby Dee, _Promised_Land_ (CBS)
Daytime Drama Series:
_The_Young_and_the_Restless_ (CBS)
Actor in a Daytime Drama Series:
Shemar Moore, _The_Young_and_the_Restless_ (CBS)
Actress in a Daytime Drama Series:
Victoria Rowell, _The_Young_and_the_Restless_ (CBS)
Variety Series/Special:
_Sinbad's_Summer_Jam_4:_'70s_Soul_Music_Festival_ (HBO)
Performance in a Variety Series/Special:
Patti LaBelle, _Patti_LaBelle_Live!_One_Night_Only!_ (PBS)
News, Talk or Information Series:
_BET_Tonight_with_Tavis_Smiley_: "Is Slavery Funny?" (BET)
News, Talk or Information Special:
_4_Little_Girls_ (HBO)
 Youth or Children's Series/Special:
_Teen_Summit_ (BET)
Performance in a Youth or Children's Series/Special:
LeVar Burton, _Reading_Rainbow_  (PBS)
Outstanding Literary Work, Fiction:
_Mama_Flora's_Family:_A_Novel_   by Alex Haley and David Stevens
Literary Work, Non-Fiction:
_With_Ossie_&_Ruby:_In_This_Life_Together_   by Ossie Davis & Ruby Dee
Literary Work, Children's:
_Let_My_People_Go:_Bible_Stories_Told_by_a_Freeman_of_Color_ by Patricia
and Fredrick McKissack; James E. Ransome (Illustrator)
Male Artist:
Luther Vandross, _I_Know_
Female Artist:
Lauryn Hill, _The_Miseducation_of_Lauryn_Hill_
Duo or Group:
Whitney Houston & Mariah Carey, "When You Believe"
Rap Artist:
Will Smith, "Just The Two Of Us"
Jazz Artist:
Lena Horne, _Being_Myself_
Gospel Artist:
Kirk Franklin, _The_Nu_Nation_Project_
Music Video:
"Just the Two of Us," Will Smith

The 30th Annual NAACP Image Awards will be telecast on Thursday, March 4 at
8PM EST/PST on Fox.


~~~

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

More reviews, including:
-_Analyze_This_
-_Lock,_Stock_and_Two_Smoking_Barrels_
-_Ravenous_


'til then...


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

From: Diane Christy <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 25 Feb 1999 22:17:04 -0600

On 2/25/99, 6:44 PM -0600, Gregory A. Swarthout said so nicely:
>Leo's acting was in the only weak point in an otherwise excellent film.
>Gabriel Byrne, John Malkovich, Jeremy Irons (!), and Gerard Depardieu were
>great, as were the supporting cast.  Swashbuckling fun at its best, with
>a score that was scandalously overlooked by the Academy.

I enjoyed this movie "The Man With the Iron Mask".  The entire cast was a
treat!!  I enjoyed DiCaprio in it as well.  I thought he did a wonderful
job playing 2 very different characters.  I was impressed.  I don't think
it's his best work.  I happen to think his performance in "What Eating
Gilbert Grape" was one of the best I've ever seen anywhere.  I think he's a
very talented man.  I just think that he's too young right now.  Maybe when
he gets off this ego stuff, he'll be more interested in developing his
craft and maturing as an actor.  I think he's worth waiting for.
~~~~~
Diane Christy (Samantha and Joshua's Mom)
Jefferson, LA
http://www.geocities.com/~dchristy10/
mailto:[e-mail]  mailto:[e-mail]
ICQ #12904700
~~~~~

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

From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 26 Feb 1999 11:39:12 -0600 (CST)

Yes, the movies I've seen of Leo's are Critters and Man in the Iron Mask.  This
makes me believe the kid is just spoiled.  But for the sake of everyone's
sanity, I will go out and rent Gilbert Grape, just to give the guy one more
chance.  As for Titanic, Leo wasn't the only reason I didn't see it.  I saw a
truly offensive movie on the Lez channel with That Woman in  it(to speak her
name is to admit knowledge of her existance), and I find her repulsive as well.

Plus the fact that Titanic movies are getting to be like Amy Fisher movies.
Sooner or later there will be one starring Drew Barrymore.

Christi

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

From: Christi Eilleen Falk <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re LEO
Date: 26 Feb 1999 11:45:59 -0600 (CST)

Greg,
Yes, Leo's acting was weak, but maybe that's because they seemed to throw the
script out the window half way thru the movie!  Watch it again and look for it.
It was flowing moderately smoothly until the botched kidnap attempt in the
gondola.  Then the whole movie went to hell.
As a student of great literature, I am truly offended when a movie does that.
If you want to have a good comparison to back up the definition, I suggest The
Negotiator, or The Usual Suspects.  Them's good watchin!
Christi

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

From: "Gerald Taylor" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Re: Phantom and The beach and Mel! Movie News - 02/23/99
Date: 26 Feb 1999 18:25:43 -0000

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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>And when, pray tell, do you think casting is done for a movie??  Ever =
hear
>of post-production??  Could it possibly be, do you think, that Boyle =
went
>with someone else due to MacGregor's schedule??  Or, considering your
>opinion of an overrated movie, perchance there was fear of =
overexposure??
>If you recall, Leo himself had a spot of trouble finding quality work =
last
>year at this time.  Something about his ship coming in.
>
>Regards,
>
>--Mel
>
>
Mel....how can he be free to appear in a play since before December but =
also still be available for post production.  I heard he was originally =
considered for "The beach" but then leonardo came along......there is a =
similar case with "American psycho".  The actor originally slated for =
that (Christian bale) was shoved aside when leonardo showed an interest =
in the part.......it is only recently that he has got the role back =
after Leonardo binned the idea.
I also find it bizarre that you will not watch a film just because a =
certain actor or actress is in it.  It is the overall film that should =
be judged and there is also the case that very possibly the =
actor/actress might turn in a performance that could change your opinion =
of them. =20
One last thing.......I thought the man in the iron mask was terrible and =
I have never seen such talented actors wasted.  The film was =
laughable....especially the escape scene.
Gerry T.

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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type><!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 =
HTML//EN">
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR>>And when, pray tell, do you think casting is done for a =

movie??  Ever hear<BR>>of post-production??  Could it =
possibly be,=20
do you think, that Boyle went<BR>>with someone else due to =
MacGregor's=20
schedule??  Or, considering your<BR>>opinion of an overrated =
movie,=20
perchance there was fear of overexposure??<BR>>If you recall, Leo =
himself had=20
a spot of trouble finding quality work last<BR>>year at this =
time. =20
Something about his ship coming=20
in.<BR>><BR>>Regards,<BR>><BR>>--Mel<BR>><BR>><BR><STRO=
NG><FONT=20
color=3D#000000 size=3D4>Mel....how can he be free to appear in a play =
since before=20
December but also still be available for post production.  I heard =
he was=20
originally considered for "The beach" but then leonardo came=20
along......there is a similar case with "American =
psycho".  The=20
actor originally slated for that (Christian bale) was shoved aside when =
leonardo=20
showed an interest in the part.......it is only recently that he has got =
the=20
role back after Leonardo binned the idea.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>I also find it bizarre that =
you will not=20
watch a film just because a certain actor or actress is in it.  It =
is the=20
overall film that should be judged and there is also the case that very =
possibly=20
the actor/actress might turn in a performance that could change your =
opinion of=20
them.  </FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>One last thing.......I =
thought the man=20
in the iron mask was terrible and I have never seen such talented actors =

wasted.  The film was laughable....especially the escape=20
scene.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>Gerry=20
T.</FONT></STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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

From: "kraus patrick" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] RE Leo
Date: 26 Feb 1999 20:34:02 +0100

Christi,
As far as I'm concerned, I think that Leo is a good actor.
Besides, I recommend you to watch Gilbert Grape first.
The reasons are simple ; As you said, you are a Literature student, and you
might, by criticizing the very weak screenplay of "The man in the iron
Mask", take no notice of Leo's performance.
I've read Alexandre DUMAS senior's book about this strange enigma of the
french history. Randall Wallace did not take any notice of Dumas's style
which it should have inspired him. His adaptation is more like a
"Shakespearian" tragedy;You don't feel that the scene of the film is France.
Anyway, you have to watch it to make your own judgement. Read the book as
well, you won't be disappointed.
Concerning Gilbert Grape, Leo is so good that he totally erase Depp's role.

To finish, the aim of the two movies are very different, and the budgets
are too.
But it is not what we are interested in, aren't we ?

Inform me about your point of view after seeing those two films.

Magic Patrick (France)



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From: "Roman G" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] new member
Date: 26 Feb 1999 20:02:07 -0000

 hi folks, I am a new member here.
my main interested are action and sci-fi
movies.
I dont think I have received the welcome
message from the list owner.
I would also like to switch to the digest
version of the list.
thanks.



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From: "Roman G" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] sorry
Date: 26 Feb 1999 20:09:35 -0000


--
I goofed.  I did in fact receive the welcome
message...sorry.

Anyway, I have some news about T3, anyone interested?



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

From: jkrudy <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] new member
Date: 26 Feb 1999 13:11:44 -0700

Welcome to the list.  You should know that we only review and discuss XXX
movies on this list, although some of them have pretty good Sci-fi and
action plots, so that shouldn't be a problem for you.  Just kidding.  Sorry
folks, I couldn't resist on a Friday afternoon.

James K. Rudy


-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, February 26, 1999 1:02 PM


 hi folks, I am a new member here.
my main interested are action and sci-fi
movies.
I dont think I have received the welcome
message from the list owner.
I would also like to switch to the digest
version of the list.
thanks.



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

From: "Romero, Leticia" <[e-mail]>
Subject: RE: [MV] sorry
Date: 26 Feb 1999 12:08:39 -0800

T3?!  Yes!

> -----Original Message-----
> From:    Roman G [SMTP:[e-mail]]
> Sent:    Friday, February 26, 1999 12:10 PM
> To:    [e-mail]
> Subject:    [MV] sorry
>
>
> --
> I goofed.  I did in fact receive the welcome
> message...sorry.
>
> Anyway, I have some news about T3, anyone interested?
>
>
>
> Get your FREE Email at http://mailcity.lycos.com
> Get your PERSONALIZED START PAGE at http://personal.lycos.com
>
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
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From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Movie News - 02/26/99
Date: 26 Feb 1999 14:32:41 -0700 (MST)

PARIS (AP) - David Cronenberg, whose movie "Crash" prompted both boos
and raves at the Cannes film festival three years ago, will head this
year's jury, the festival announced Thursday. "It's going to be
intoxicating and thrilling, and I can't wait," the Canadian director
said. Cronenberg, who also directed "The Fly" and "Dead Ringers," won
the 1996 Grand Jury prize at Cannes for "Crash," which stunned many
with its scenes of lovers getting their kicks from car crashes.
Despite the award, there were boos and walkouts, too. Last year's
jury president was American director Martin Scorsese.

                        -=> * <=-

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Sony Pictures Entertainment is making a major push
into the family market, creating a new division to produce home
videos, TV shows, animated films and merchandising. The division's
president will be Sander Schwartz, who currently heads Sony's
Columbia TriStar children's TV division. The new unit could release
its first animated feature next year, officials said Thursday. No
films have been given the green light but Sander said he will look
for "cost-effective and lower-risk" properties that can be spun off
for the children's home video, TV and consumer products markets.
Live-action family films will be developed and produced by Sony's
Columbia Pictures.

                        -=> * <=-

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) - An Asian-American group condemned Matthew
McConaughey for using a racial slur on Rosie O'Donnell's show.
McConaughey, who is filming the World War II movie "U-571" in Italy,
made the comment Tuesday when O'Donnell referred to his short hair.
"I take it you're doing a movie. That's the new hairdo?" she asked.
"Yeah," McConaughey answered. "I'm over in Rome fighting Germans and
Japs from World War II." "The term 'Jap' has historically been used
to dehumanize an entire race of people - not just Japanese nationals.
During World War II, the slur was used against Japanese-Americans,"
said Masaru Kent Kawai, president of the watchdog group Media Action
Network for Asian Americans.

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

From: "David F. Nolan" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Check out FlickPicks, The Moviegoers' Website!
Date: 26 Feb 1999 15:27:38 -0700 (MST)

Attention, all movie lovers:  You can rate and review current releases
any time at FlickPicks, the Moviegoers Website
(http://www.flickpicks,com).  Also, you can read comments by 2,000 other
participants and see how they rate various movies, on a 5-star scale.

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

From: Scott Renshaw <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] REVIEW: 8MM
Date: 26 Feb 1999 17:11:47 -0700 (MST)

8MM
(Columbia)
Starring:  Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter
Stormare, Anthony Heald, Catherine Keener.
Screenplay:  Andrew Kevin Walker.
Producers:  Judy Hofflund, Gavin Polone and Joel Schumacher.
Director:  Joel Schumacher.
MPAA Rating:  R (profanity, sexual situations, violence, nudity)
Running Time:  121 minutes.
Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

     I don't think I want to know what Andrew Kevin Walker dreams about.
As to Joel Schumacher's dreams, I think I can venture a pretty good guess.
Walker is the scribe responsible for the monumentally disturbing SEVEN, a
writer who seems far too fascinated with the horrifying outer limits of
human depravity; Schumacher is a pop filmmaker who has served up glossy
pseudo-character studies on vigilantism (FALLING DOWN, A TIME TO KILL) and
fetishized beefcake (the two most recent BATMAN extravaganzas).  It would
seem that the creative sensibilities of these two men couldn't be farther
apart, which is one of the reasons 8MM feels like an edgy, intriguing
missed opportunity.  Every time Walker tries to drive the narrative into
the realm of the unnerving, Schumacher drags it back into the merely
kinky.

     The premise for 8MM involves that most enduring of pornographic urban
legends, the snuff film.  Private investigator Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage)
is hired by the widow of a recently deceased billionaire industrialist
regarding one unpleasant item from his wall safe.  It's a single reel of
8mm film, a film in which a teenage girl appears to be knifed to death by
a man in a black leather hood.  Charged by his employer to find out
whether or not the film is authentic, Welles begins to delve into the
Hollywood pornography underworld with a book store clerk named Max
(Joaquin Phoenix) as his guide.  Soon he discovers that there is always
someone willing to cater to almost every sexual taste, and that there are
people in the world capable of things he never imagined.

     Cage is a great choice for a character like Tom Welles -- the
capacity for lunatic action always seems to hide just behind his placid
features -- but the character himself is something of a puzzle.  Much is
made in the opening minutes of Tom's happy marriage to his wife (Catherine
Keener) and his love for his infant daughter, which makes it a bit too
obvious that his quest for the snuff film's possible victim is really all
about his own little girl.  At times, however, it seems that Walker and
Schumacher are playing with the idea that Welles is recognizing some of
his own darker desires through his experience.  Is 8MM a story of a man
discovering the evil in society, or the evil in himself?  If that question
had been answered more effectively, 8MM might have struck a more resonant
chord.

     As it stands, it's still a pretty gripping little thriller at times.
The first hour pokes along at something of a crawl, which somehow works
more often than it doesn't, perhaps because it's indicative of Welles'
tenacity.  The supporting performances are solid, with Joaquin Phoenix
making a savvy sidekick for Welles, and Peter Stormare seething sleaze as
a porn film director.  The deliberate pacing eventually gives way to some
tense showdowns as the film builds to its climax, including a search for a
killer in which the driving sound of thrash metal music suddenly becomes
the eerie metronome of the runout groove.  8MM is rarely a bore, and often
finds the slick energy of the most effective dark action films.

     It's too bad that slickness works against 8MM nearly as often as it
works for it.  The bleak triumph of SEVEN came not primarily through
Walker's fairly straightforward serial killer script, but through director
David Fincher's brilliantly subliminal direction; the violence lurked at
the edges of the frame, where our minds put gruesome pieces together.
Joel Schumacher is a more grandiose sort of filmmaker, one who has no
problem thrusting the details of an S&M film into the dead center of the
screen.  His version of the smoky basements where the hardcore deviants
lurk is too literal, and indeed there's something about Tom Welles' entire
journey that is too literal.  The director isn't exactly trying to
titillate the audience, but he's not helping the writer's study of how one
man responds to the destruction of innocence.  It may be enough that 8MM
is just a decently constructed thriller.  It's just not a gut-rattler,
more the sort of thing you get when the director of BATMAN & ROBIN tries
to do apocalyptic menace.

     On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 film strips:  6.

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

From: The Reporter <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Sci-Fi Movie News - 02/26/99
Date: 26 Feb 1999 19:46:47 -0700 (MST)

Event Horizon star Sam Neill has agreed to star
opposite Robin Williams in Disney's upcoming SF
picture Bicentennial Man, according to Variety. The
film is based on the Isaac Asimov short story of the same
name and tells the tale of an android servant who wants
to become human.

Neill, who recently headlined the NBC miniseries Merlin, will
play the father of the family that hires Williams to work for
them. The film is being directed by Chris Columbus, who
previously worked with Williams on the box-office hit Mrs.
Doubtfire.

                        -=> * <=-

After finishing principal photography on the United
Artists SF film Supernova, director Walter Hill has
decided to leave the project, according to Variety's
Michael Fleming. The unusual situation of a director
leaving a picture after most of the movie has already been
filmed reportedly came about when Hill wanted to shoot
additional footage for the flick.

According to Fleming, United executives wanted to test
the movie before okaying an further filming, despite strong
objections from Hill. When no compromise could be
reached, both sides agreed to go their separate ways.

Supernova, which stars James Spader, Angela Bassett,
Lou Diamond Phillips and Robert Forster, is supposedly still
on track for a fall release.

                        -=> * <=-

Director David Cronenberg told Variety that his
upcoming SF flick eXistenZ was inspired in part by
Salman Rushdie and his controversial book The
Satanic Verses. Cronenberg--who has created his own
controversies with films like Crash and Dead Ringers--said
a "clash of realties" was central to both his picture and
Rushdie's experiences.

In eXistenZ, a computer game designer played by Jennifer
Jason Leigh is being hunted down by "realists" who have
placed a $5 million bounty on her head for subverting
reality. In real life, Iran's Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
issued a religious decree for Rushdie's death following the
publication of The Satanic Verses.

                        -=> * <=-

French director Jean-Jacques Beineix plans to helm his
first English-language film, a vampire flick called Deal
of the Millennium, according Variety. French star Jean
Reno will headline the $40 million picture, while
negotiations are underway to sign Jason Flemyng as a
costar.

The film is reportedly about two young vampires who are
looking for a vampire professor to show them the ropes of
drinking blood. The film is being backed by UCG in France,
while Beineix is still seeking a U.S. distributor.

                        -=> * <=-

Christina Applegate and Tara Reid are in talks to star in
an English-language remake of the 1993 hit French
time-travel comedy Les Visiteurs (The Visitors),
according to The Hollywood Reporter. The new picture will
feature original Les Visiteurs stars Jean Reno (The
Professional, Godzilla) and Christian Clavier as the male
leads, a nobleman and a squire who are accidentally sent
forward in time to the modern day.

Applegate will likely play two roles, Reno's 11th century
love interest Lady Rosalind as well as his contemporary
girlfriend. Reid will portray the neighbor of Applegate's
modern day character, who finds herself attracted to
Clavier.

Les Visiteurs director Jean-Marie Poire will return to helm
the remake, which was co-written by John Hughes and
Clavier. The original film, which earned $98 million as well
as six Cesar nominations, was scripted by Clavier and
Poire, who also penned a sequel titled Les Couloirs du
Temps: Les Visiteurs 2 (The Corridors of Time: The
Visitors 2).

                        -=> * <=-

Director Peter Jackson has reportedly delayed the
start of production on his live-action film version of
Lord of the Rings until August.

                        -=> * <=-

Home Fries director Dean Parisot is reportedly in
talks with DreamWorks to helm the SF comedy
Galaxy Quest, which will likely star Tim Allen.

                        -=> * <=-

The fifth Batman feature film will reportedly star a
young unknown actor as a 20-year-old version of
the Dark Knight, along the lines of Frank Miller's
comic book series Batman: Year One.

                        -=> * <=-

The film version of the 1960s TV sitcom My
Favorite Martian earned $11.1 million during its first
weekend in theaters, according to published
reports.

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

From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Batman 5
Date: 26 Feb 1999 19:47:52 -0700 (MST)

For those of you who don't read all the way through the Sci-Fi
Movie News:

The fifth Batman feature film will reportedly star a
young unknown actor as a 20-year-old version of
the Dark Knight, along the lines of Frank Miller's
comic book series Batman: Year One.


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From: "kraus patrick" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] France funnier than U.S ?
Date: 27 Feb 1999 11:09:03 +0100

During this last decade, France made two of its best comedies ever : "Les
Visiteurs", and "Le diner de cons". That is why Hollywood wants to remake
those. But in France we are used to that ( Nina became Nikita for example).
I am not condemning american cinema, on the contrary, I completely
understand this. They are doing so many movies every year, that  they need
new ideas.
Anyway, it is undeniable that these two movies are hilarious.
Yesterday I watched "Le diner de cons" again, and I am still laughing just
thinking about it.Do you want to know more about the originals previews ?


Magic Patrick (France)



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

From: Oz <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] Check out Hollywood Bitchslap, The Other Moviegoers' Website!
Date: 27 Feb 1999 23:28:33 -0800

"David F. Nolan" wrote:
> Attention, all movie lovers:  You can rate and review current releases
> any time at FlickPicks, the Moviegoers Website
> Also, you can read comments by 2,000 other
> participants and see how they rate various movies, on a 5-star scale.

Or you can check out Hollywood Bitchslap and do the exact same
thing, but with a database of over 1600 reviews, almost 10,000 user
ratings and 1650 archived, current and coming attractions.

I wouldn't normally plug so blatantly, but since it's open season...

------ {{{OZ}}} ------------------------------------------
    "Damn the man, Joe!"    -= HOLLYWOOD BITCHSLAP =-
----------- http://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com ------------

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

From: "Gerald Taylor" <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] France funnier than U.S ?
Date: 27 Feb 1999 16:05:14 -0000

YES.......I have seen Les visiteurs but don't think I've heard of this other
one.......what does the title translate to in english?
Gerry T.
-----Original Message-----


>During this last decade, France made two of its best comedies ever : "Les
>Visiteurs", and "Le diner de cons". That is why Hollywood wants to remake
>those. But in France we are used to that ( Nina became Nikita for example).
>I am not condemning american cinema, on the contrary, I completely
>understand this. They are doing so many movies every year, that  they need
>new ideas.
>Anyway, it is undeniable that these two movies are hilarious.
>Yesterday I watched "Le diner de cons" again, and I am still laughing just
>thinking about it.Do you want to know more about the originals previews ?
>
>
>Magic Patrick (France)
>
>
>
>Mon e-mail gratuit, c'est Youpy,
>Pour en savoir plus : http://www.youpy.fr
>
>
>[ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
>[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>



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

From: "kraus patrick" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Re : France funnier than U.S ?
Date: 27 Feb 1999 20:11:59 +0100

The translation of the other movies is "the diner".

Magic Patrick (France)



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

From: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - The Star Wars Trailer Parody!
Date: 27 Feb 1999 14:13:44 -0500 (EST)

A Very Special Announcement:

IT'S FINALLY HERE!

Visit http://www.moviejuice.com and be among the first to experience the MovieJuice! Star Wars Trailer Parody.

You'll need the RealVideo player, available from a link on the MovieJuice.com site.

You've got to stream it to believe it.

Dedicated to the amazing talents of George Lucas and his wizards of wonder at Lucasfilm.


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

From: "Gerald Taylor" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Avengers vs Armageddon
Date: 28 Feb 1999 19:58:23 -0000

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE6354.B24F59A0
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    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

The Avengers is not a good movie......but am I the only person who =
thinks it is better than Armageddon?  Who knows....The Avengers may have =
been better if they had'nt removed that extra thirty minutes.
Gerry T.

------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE6354.B24F59A0
Content-Type: text/html;
    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.2106.6"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>The Avengers is not a good=20
movie......but am I the only person who thinks it is better than=20
Armageddon?  Who knows....The Avengers may have been better if they =
had'nt=20
removed that extra thirty minutes.</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>Gerry=20
T.</FONT></STRONG></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0006_01BE6354.B24F59A0--


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From: "Danielle DiDonato" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] Message In a Bottle
Date: 28 Feb 1999 12:22:14 PST

Has anyone seen Message In a Bottle yet?  I just saw it and thought it
was a very good movie and it got bad reviews because of Kevin Costner, I
thought it was good and that he did a good job too.
Any thoughts?

Danielle

______________________________________________________
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: [e-mail]
Subject: [MV] MovieJuice! - 8MM - The Silliness of the Lambs
Date: 28 Feb 1999 16:29:36 -0500 (EST)

SEE THE STAR WARS TRAILER PARODY!

It's our tribute to the folks at Lucasfilm and the phenomenon of Star Wars.  See it NOW at http://www.moviejuice.com.  And spread the word!
********************


8MM - THE SILLINESS OF THE LAMBS

by Mark Ramsey

http://www.moviejuice.com

February 28, 1999

Should a movie be entertaining?  "If you want entertainment, you get a couple of hookers and an eightball."  So said Sean Penn this weekend on that TV paragon of super serioso acting craft "Inside the Actor's Studio."  Then Sean (a.k.a. "Martyr Brando") snapped his fingers as the entire universe ceased revolving around him.  The planets just hung in the air, much like the stars surrounding Jenna Elfman's head and the satellites encircling Denise Richards' breasts.  A wonder to behold!

Director and erstwhile Batman arch-villain Joel Schumacher plays Good Movie Target Practice with all the marksmanship of an Iraqi anti-aircraft battery.  If you're gonna bomb, Joel, at least use a smart bomb.   Imagine the doctor who creates a pretty vaccine that doesn't cure illness.   Joel is Hollywood's number one turd-polisher, and 8MM is buffed to an odorous, sparkling shine.  It's spam glam of the highest order.

As you may recall, Schumacher was banished from Gotham City after his last go-round with the caped one, only to turn up on AM radio where, under the guise of "Director Joel," he dispensed self-help to luckless losers sorely in need of more attractive lives utterly without substance.  Familiar terrain, Director Joel!

8MM is the brainchild of the guy who wrote Seven.   Where did this flick come from?  Let me reconstruct the birth of 8MM:

Columbia Executives:  You wrote Seven, right?

Seven Writer:  Yeah

Columbia Executives:  We admire any movie where "Gwyneth Paltrow" and "head" are used in the same sentence, if you know what we mean.  We'd like you to write something exactly like it, but completely different.

Seven Writer:  Will you pay me shitloads of money so that I can justify a for-hire and passionless assignment designed strictly to separate easily duped moviegoers from their hard-earned money?

Columbia Executives:  Are you kidding?  Of course!  We ain't Miracolumbiamax, pal!

Seven Writer:  But Sony owns you guys.

Columbia Executives:  Not "Sony."  They make TV's!  It's "Soon Yi," Woody Allen's babe.  That's a big misconception.  Check the slogan in her annual report:  "Where We Show You a Tit and We Bring On the Shit!"

At least I learned one thing from 8MM.  The line "Drop the Crossbow" is funny regardless of context.  Let's face it, if Paul Newman told Kevin Costner to "Drop the Crossbow" in Message in a Bottle, who wouldn't laugh?

Someone prescribe some vitamins for Nick Cage.  He seems a bit run down.  Thanks to his somnambulist monotone, I was able to tune a guitar to his voice.  Is there a harp playing, or have I gone to Heaven?   Scanning the audience, I noticed "Lullaby" guy Shawn Mullins nodding off.   Did human tranquilizer Nick just take a gig on NYPD Blue as Lt. Sleep-owicz?   Should I stick a needle in my eye or use it to prop open the lid?  Evidently, "boredom" is the eighth deadly sin.

Cast as Nick's wife is one of Cinderella's stepsisters.   Yikes, Nick!  Patricia Arquette she ain't.  Not unless you squint, turn your head by 90 degrees, pound a brew, and view this flick backwards through tissue paper.   Then she's a dead ringer.  If Patricia's whole bean, then this babe's ground for drip, cone filter.  Call it Starbucks Distresso Blend.  Robusta, Arabica, or Disgusta?  Yowee.  Drop the crossbow, lady.

Creepily inserted at every twist and turn is Nick's baby.   The message:  This guy may be diving into depravity, but he's also a daddy, dammit.  Baby's big swollen head keeps bobbing into the scene like a buoy on Baywatch.  Did Mrs. Nick just capture a tiny extraterrestrial or something?  "Oh, she's touching the phone," says Mrs. Nick.  How sweet.  Too bad she can't wrap those tiny fingers around your french roasted neck, Mrs. Nick, and squeeze the caffeine out of you.  I believe that baby just dropped the crossbow!

Never have I seen a flick where the soundtrack seems so out of place.  It's sitar-rific!  Is Nick chasing S&M Snuff Porno or meditating with Ghandi?  Are those vocals or did somebody sample farm animal squeals?  What does porno have to do with Tom Tom drums, anyway?  Ta-Tas and Pom-Poms I get, but Tom Toms?

Nick's out to trace a Snuff film - to discover whether it's real or not.  Unfortunately, the possibly snuffed chick writes poetry that begins "Star light, Star bright...." meaning a good snuffing was inevitable and - from a sociological perspective - all for the best.

Yes, Nick is pee-pee deep in the seedy world of Underground Porno.  He's surrounded by throngs of young runaways.  Or maybe it's a WB Network casting call; who can tell?  Crossbows were tumbling to the floor all over the place.

When Nick gets his chance to wreak revenge on the pornographic perpetrators, he asks the girl's mom:  "Give me your permission to hurt them."  Judging by the snickers in the audience, you'd think Jim Carrey had just cracked a butt.  Maybe director Schumacher should go back to making schues.

Among the climaxes (no pun intended) in this movie was Nick's face/off with an S&M Dungeonmaster named "Machine," or as Joel art-directed the word: "ma-sheen."  Sheen's specialty is pain, torture, and making really long speeches before he kills someone, thus allowing them plenty of time to escape and turn the tables on him.  When will villains learn, ma-sheen?

Sorry, Director Joel, you dropped the crossbow on this one.   This ma-sheen could use an upgrade.

Copyright 1999 Mark Ramsey.  All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
********************


DONÆT FORGET TO VISIT MOVIEJUICE.COM!


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.

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


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Your browser and/or email client (why DO they call it that?) has a setting called "Wrap Long Lines."  Select it!


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

From: "Chris Culligan" <[e-mail]>
Subject: [MV] The Blair Witch Project Film Clips
Date: 28 Feb 1999 16:55:04 -0500

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BE633B.16977EC0
Content-Type: text/plain;
    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Someone on this list mentioned, about a week ago, that they had =
downloaded some film clips from The Blair Witch Project.  Does that =
person, or anyone else on this list, have a URL for downloading such =
clips???

CHRIS

------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BE633B.16977EC0
Content-Type: text/html;
    charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>

<META content=3Dtext/html;charset=3Diso-8859-1 =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META content=3D'"MSHTML 4.72.3110.7"' name=3DGENERATOR>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>Someone on this list mentioned, =
about a week=20
ago, that they had downloaded some film clips from The Blair Witch=20
Project.  Does that person, or anyone else on this list, have a URL =
for=20
downloading such clips???</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>CHRIS</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_0014_01BE633B.16977EC0--


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[ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]


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

From: en4d <[e-mail]>
Subject: Re: [MV] MovieJuice! - 8MM - The Silliness of the Lambs
Date: 01 Mar 1999 11:02:25 +0800 (CST)

Hi!
I have to drop out this area.Sorry

On Sun, 28 Feb 1999 [e-mail] wrote:

> SEE THE STAR WARS TRAILER PARODY!
>=20
> It's our tribute to the folks at Lucasfilm and the phenomenon of Star War=
s.  See it NOW at http://www.moviejuice.com.  And spread the word!
> ********************
>=20
>=20
> 8MM - THE SILLINESS OF THE LAMBS
>=20
> by Mark Ramsey
>=20
> http://www.moviejuice.com
>=20
> February 28, 1999
>=20
> Should a movie be entertaining?  "If you want entertainment, you get a co=
uple of hookers and an eightball."  So said Sean Penn this weekend on that =
TV paragon of super serioso acting craft "Inside the Actor's Studio."  Then=
 Sean (a.k.a. "Martyr Brando") snapped his fingers as the entire universe c=
eased revolving around him.  The planets just hung in the air, much like th=
e stars surrounding Jenna Elfman's head and the satellites encircling Denis=
e Richards' breasts.  A wonder to behold!
>=20
> Director and erstwhile Batman arch-villain Joel Schumacher plays Good Mov=
ie Target Practice with all the marksmanship of an Iraqi anti-aircraft batt=
ery.  If you're gonna bomb, Joel, at least use a smart bomb.   Imagine the =
doctor who creates a pretty vaccine that doesn't cure illness.   Joel is Ho=
llywood's number one turd-polisher, and 8MM is buffed to an odorous, sparkl=
ing shine.  It's spam glam of the highest order.
>=20
> As you may recall, Schumacher was banished from Gotham City after his las=
t go-round with the caped one, only to turn up on AM radio where, under the=
 guise of "Director Joel," he dispensed self-help to luckless losers sorely=
 in need of more attractive lives utterly without substance.  Familiar terr=
ain, Director Joel!
>=20
> 8MM is the brainchild of the guy who wrote Seven.   Where did this flick =
come from?  Let me reconstruct the birth of 8MM:
>=20
> Columbia Executives:  You wrote Seven, right?
>=20
> Seven Writer:  Yeah
>=20
> Columbia Executives:  We admire any movie where "Gwyneth Paltrow" and "he=
ad" are used in the same sentence, if you know what we mean.  We'd like you=
 to write something exactly like it, but completely different.
>=20
> Seven Writer:  Will you pay me shitloads of money so that I can justify a=
 for-hire and passionless assignment designed strictly to separate easily d=
uped moviegoers from their hard-earned money?
>=20
> Columbia Executives:  Are you kidding?  Of course!  We ain't Miracolumbia=
max, pal!
>=20
> Seven Writer:  But Sony owns you guys. =20
>=20
> Columbia Executives:  Not "Sony."  They make TV's!  It's "Soon Yi," Woody=
 Allen's babe.  That's a big misconception.  Check the slogan in her annual=
 report:  "Where We Show You a Tit and We Bring On the Shit!"
>=20
> At least I learned one thing from 8MM.  The line "Drop the Crossbow" is f=
unny regardless of context.  Let's face it, if Paul Newman told Kevin Costn=
er to "Drop the Crossbow" in Message in a Bottle, who wouldn't laugh?
>=20
> Someone prescribe some vitamins for Nick Cage.  He seems a bit run down. =
 Thanks to his somnambulist monotone, I was able to tune a guitar to his vo=
ice.  Is there a harp playing, or have I gone to Heaven?   Scanning the aud=
ience, I noticed "Lullaby" guy Shawn Mullins nodding off.   Did human tranq=
uilizer Nick just take a gig on NYPD Blue as Lt. Sleep-owicz?   Should I st=
ick a needle in my eye or use it to prop open the lid?  Evidently, "boredom=
" is the eighth deadly sin.
>=20
> Cast as Nick's wife is one of Cinderella's stepsisters.   Yikes, Nick!  P=
atricia Arquette she ain't.  Not unless you squint, turn your head by 90 de=
grees, pound a brew, and view this flick backwards through tissue paper.   =
Then she's a dead ringer.  If Patricia's whole bean, then this babe's groun=
d for drip, cone filter.  Call it Starbucks Distresso Blend.  Robusta, Arab=
ica, or Disgusta?  Yowee.  Drop the crossbow, lady.
>=20
> Creepily inserted at every twist and turn is Nick's baby.   The message: =
 This guy may be diving into depravity, but he's also a daddy, dammit.  Bab=
y's big swollen head keeps bobbing into the scene like a buoy on Baywatch. =
 Did Mrs. Nick just capture a tiny extraterrestrial or something?  "Oh, she=
's touching the phone," says Mrs. Nick.  How sweet.  Too bad she can't wrap=
 those tiny fingers around your french roasted neck, Mrs. Nick, and squeeze=
 the caffeine out of you.  I believe that baby just dropped the crossbow!
>=20
> Never have I seen a flick where the soundtrack seems so out of place.  It=
's sitar-rific!  Is Nick chasing S&M Snuff Porno or meditating with Ghandi?=
  Are those vocals or did somebody sample farm animal squeals?  What does p=
orno have to do with Tom Tom drums, anyway?  Ta-Tas and Pom-Poms I get, but=
 Tom Toms?
>=20
> Nick's out to trace a Snuff film - to discover whether it's real or not. =
 Unfortunately, the possibly snuffed chick writes poetry that begins "Star =
light, Star bright...." meaning a good snuffing was inevitable and - from a=
 sociological perspective - all for the best.
>=20
> Yes, Nick is pee-pee deep in the seedy world of Underground Porno.  He's =
surrounded by throngs of young runaways.  Or maybe it's a WB Network castin=
g call; who can tell?  Crossbows were tumbling to the floor all over the pl=
ace.
>=20
> When Nick gets his chance to wreak revenge on the pornographic perpetrato=
rs, he asks the girl's mom:  "Give me your permission to hurt them."  Judgi=
ng by the snickers in the audience, you'd think Jim Carrey had just cracked=
 a butt.  Maybe director Schumacher should go back to making schues.=20
>=20
> Among the climaxes (no pun intended) in this movie was Nick's face/off wi=
th an S&M Dungeonmaster named "Machine," or as Joel art-directed the word: =
"ma-sheen."  Sheen's specialty is pain, torture, and making really long spe=
eches before he kills someone, thus allowing them plenty of time to escape =
and turn the tables on him.  When will villains learn, ma-sheen?
>=20
> Sorry, Director Joel, you dropped the crossbow on this one.   This ma-she=
en could use an upgrade.
>=20
> Copyright 1999 Mark Ramsey.  All rights reserved.  NO PORTION MAY BE REPR=
ODUCED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR.
> ********************
>=20
>=20
> DON=92T FORGET TO VISIT MOVIEJUICE.COM!
>=20
>=20
> Hey, kids, don't forget to visit the MovieJuice! Site at http://www.movie=
juice.com.  The pictures are half the fun (and sometimes more than half the=
 laughs)!
>=20
> ********************
>=20
>=20
> TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS LIST:
>=20
> DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL!  Just go to http://www.moviejuice.com and fol=
low the directions at the top of the left frame.  It's very easy.  NOTE:  Y=
OUR NAME CANNOT BE REMOVED FROM THE LIST UNLESS YOU UNSUBSCRIBE USING THE E=
MAIL ADDRESS YOU REGISTERED WITH).  And don't write me lots of mean-spirite=
d crap.  I won't read it.
>=20
> ********************
>=20
>=20
> IF YOUR LINES AREN'T WRAPPING=85
>=20
> Your browser and/or email client (why DO they call it that?) has a settin=
g called "Wrap Long Lines."  Select it!=20
>=20
>=20
> [ To leave the movies mailing list, send the message "unsubscribe ]
> [ movies (without the quotes) to [e-mail]           ]
>=20


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