From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: RE: Re: [MV] Pitch Black - 2000
Date: 12 Dec 2000 23:05:16 -0800
***** Marc ;-)
>You forgot Nightfall!!
**** Haven't seen that one, sorry !
>
>That, more than anything, ruined for me what could have been a guilty
>pleasure.... sort of like watching Gone in 60 Seconds, or The Replacements.:-)
***** "Guilty pleasure" is a good way to describe this film ! Nothing incredibly special or original but it was well made and I was interested in seeing how it turned out !
From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Ridiculous PRODUCT PLACEMENT !!
Date: 14 Dec 2000 14:38:41 -0800
I saw lil' bits of Cast away (a few scenes !!) on this lousy TV show where the interviewer always kisses the stars' butts ... you know, a-la Entertainment tonight or whatever ... They are so desperate for interviews they would even kiss Pauly shore's rear end !! (Wow, Cynical start !!)
Anyway, in Cast away, I was annoyed to see FEDERAL EXPRESS LOGOS EVERYWHERE in each and everyone of the lil' moments they presented, I mean it was so obvious it almost SICKENED me !! ... It was ridiculous ... even on the desert island he has a Federal express box that we see in nice close-ups since he put pics of his family over it , how convenient !!
I SAY NO to this kind of EXAGERRATED PRODUCT PLACEMENT !! I don't mind seeing a lil' logo here and there but hammering it like that is annoying !! I bet the company is even mentioned 12 times in the dialogues, Overkill !! We see enough commercials already, what do you think ??
Marc ;-)
"...When I ask for a packet of Sweet-And-Low ... that's what
I want ... and it is your responsibility now to see that I get
what I want ... am I clear ??"
Kevin Spacey as "Buddy Ackerman"
"Swimming with sharks" (1994)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] To the movies ...
Date: 14 Dec 2000 21:40:01 -0800
<<< off list from Julie >>>
***** My comments are below ! Marc ;-)
Hi Marc,
I enjoy all your posts and look forward to your reviews but I wonder
>if you ever "go" to the movies? I try to balance my Netflix with the library
>freebies and the movie theatre.
>later
>Julie
>
Hi Julie, and others !! I'll send my reply to the group as well since I was asked this question a couple of times already !
The main reason why I don't go to the movies so often is that in the town where I live, movies are only available in french and I just don't care about seeing an english movie in a badly dubbed version.
I guess I am too used to the real voices of the actors and you lose a lot in the translation anyway, especially with comedies and action films (Kingpin in english = 4/5, Kingpin in french, 2/5)
Dramas and horror films are "easier" to dub I guess but it's
still not the same, makes the movie less enjoyable for me who is used to the original versions !
To see the original english versions I would have to travel quite a bit back and forth as even cities nearby present dubbed versions, slightly annoying. I still do it sometimes, trying to combine a "trip-to-the-big-city" with a stop at the movie theater.
When I do go to the movies most of the times in my town (usually about once or twice a month) I go see films from France or French Canada (a lot of them are pretty good !) since those are not dubbed and more easily available ... many of those films are very good but since they would be very difficult if not impossible to find in the US or any english speaking country, I don't bother sending reviews or comments).
I sent e-mails to the different theater chains around here about this and of course nothing changed, they don't want to present the originals since it would cost too much money apparently, so I usually wait for the video releases of the english films most of the times (Strangely, on video, all those movies are available in the original english version of course, so why not also present at least one here and there on the big screens too ??)
Have a fine day !
Marc ;-)
"...When I ask for a packet of Sweet-And-Low ... that's what
I want ... and it is your responsibility now to see that I get
what I want ... am I clear ??"
Kevin Spacey as "Buddy Ackerman"
"Swimming with sharks" (1994)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Mission Impossible 2 - 2000
Date: 18 Dec 2000 07:47:31 -0800
Hi !
"Mission: Impossible 2" is a pretty good film overall although it has little in common with the original 1996 movie. Brian DePalma directed the original "Mission: Impossible," an excellent action picture in my opinion. However, the action-orientated John Woo has taken his place
and creates a lot of excitement and well made action sequences although some are really far fetched. Cruise should have been killed about 67 times in this film, I would have preferred if he only should have been killed 17 times myself!
"Mission: Impossible 2" is a good film, not a great one. My main problems are with the story itself that is not as interesting as the one in the first film and that is not very original. It is like a James Bond film, only with Tom Cruise in the lead instead of Pierce Brosnan.
Tom Cruise stars as I.M.F. agent Ethan Hunt, recently assigned to track down a typical bad guy who possesses a deadly biochemical substance obtained by murdering Dr. Vladimir Nekhorick (Rade Sherbedgia) who was working for I.M.F undercover.
The villain, Sean Ambrose (Dougray Scott), once had an attractive girlfriend named Nyah Hall (Thandie Newton), whose occupation as a professional thief makes Ethan dissatisfied when he must recruit her as a member of a mission team.
After sleeping and falling in love with her in an oh-so-obvious scene, Ethan opposes the idea of sending Nyah back to Ambrose's luxurious resort to recover information of his criminal intentions. Equipped with a traceable implant logged in her bellybutton (or sumthin' !), this young woman, Ethan, and his two accomplices
Luther (Ving Rhymes), and Billy (John Polson), seek to stop
Ambrose and his accomplices from spreading a deadly disease.
The story is clear and comprehendible; it is not so complex which is good in order to avoid confusing people who were complaining about the first film. I doubt anyone could be confused this time around !
The plot contains enough tension, nasty twists, and intriguing characters to keep us on edge.
Tom Cruise again proves he is more than capable as an action star. Supporting roles by Thandie Newton, Ving Rhames, Brendan Gleeson,
and Anthony Hopkins are also impressive.
John Woo ("Face/Off"), is one of the better action directors even if I am slightly annoyed by his repeated use of slo-motion, classical music being played over furious gun fights, unnecessary close-ups and other "tricks" (How many times do we have to see those damn white birds flying in slo-motion ! I was rolling my eyes back !)
The final half hour of the film is certainly wild material though as we witness exciting motorcycles pursuits, hand-to-hand combat scenes, cars blowing up ... the works !
3.5/5, very good film but the fact the story is so simple and unoriginal prevents me from being more generous. (I gave 4/5 to
the first film !)
Marc ;-)
"...When I ask for a packet of Sweet-And-Low ... that's what
I want ... and it is your responsibility now to see that I get
what I want ... am I clear ??"
Kevin Spacey as "Buddy Ackerman"
"Swimming with sharks" (1994)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] RE: Mission: Impossible
Date: 18 Dec 2000 10:30:10 -0800
***** Yes, You are correct, Paul D.
This is what I thought as well ... although I think this film is better on repeated viewings ... after only one viewing I was confused about some of the details as a lot of people were (3.5/5 after the 1st viewing !) but then I saw it again and it went up to 4/5 because I understood the plot better, what was going on ... There are plenty of little details that you don't really notice the first time around trying to understand what is going on ... the film gets better once you see "The big picture" ...
I prefer the original 1996 film over MI2 myself because the plot is more complicated and interesting ...
The plot of MI2 is so simple and not very original but I like the film because it looks so good, well made, packed with good action scenes ... etc. I prefer a complicated movie that makes you think over one that is really very simple (Too simple and formulaic ??)
I can understand someone who would say MI is a mess though ... you REALLY have to pay attention or else you are lost quickly !
Have a fine day !
Marc ;-)
>
>It's been awhile since I've seen the film, but I'll give it a go. The basic
>plot is simple: hero and villain race to find the McGuffin. It's the same
>plot as MI:2, as well as numerous other films.
>
>More specifically, the McGuffin in MISSION IMPOSSIBLE is the NOC list, a list
>of all the IM operatives around the world. The list is in two parts for
>encryption purposes. The villain steals the first half of the list in order
>to sell the list to a rival agency. He blames the hero for the crime. The
>hero is arrested and escapes custody. In order to locate the actual traitor,
>he steals the second half of the list himself and contacts the rival to
>arrange a sale. This flushes out the villain and clears the hero's name. The
>End.
>
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] RE: Paul D. / Mission Impossible 2
Date: 18 Dec 2000 10:53:32 -0800
**** Marc ;-)
>
>1. The television series is about a team, who each have a speciality, working
>together. The film is about one guy (Ethan Hunt) who does almost everything
>himself (a la James Bond). It's a completely different concept. In fact, the
>opening sequence of the film is a slap in the face to fans of the television
>series.
**** I have to agree the opening sequence is rather weak ...
>
>2. Jim Phelps as the villain. WHAT? No wonder Peter Graves turned down the
>role!
**** Well, he must be pretty old by now, no ?? Isn't that you remembering the "Good ol' days" and the original TV SERIES ?? I agree that series was great but Landau and company had no place being in that 1996 film ... same as the Charlie's angels from the original TV SERIES had no place in the movie released recently for example, or Sean Connery in the next Bond film, making a cameo or having a small part ... That would be sentimentalism ... I thought Voight was a bit of alright anyway .. but I like him in a lot of films ! ;-)
>
>3. The action was pretty poor, with a lot of obvious blue-screen work. Case
>in point: the scene where the train explodes and Cruise is thrown towards the
>camera is terribly done. There are many other such scenes.
***** Mmmmm ... I thought it was exciting, but not the level of MI2 of course ... plus in some shots you are correct that it looks like blue screen material and that helicopter and train looked a bit too much like miniature models in a couple of long shots ... The main reason I like MI more than MI2 is because of the story that is a lot more interesting for me ... the story in MI2 is stuff we have seen often, nothing very original there ...
>
>I do recommend MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, however, for one sequence: the CIA
>break-in. It's a fun homage to TOPKAPI (the film that inspired the MI TV
>series), and it's one of the best heist scenes ever put on film (despite the
>fact that it makes no sense). Wow!
**** Yes, that break-in is an great sequence ... and much better than the break in sequence in MI-2 as well (Although that one was still good, but the break in scene in MI is something else !)
>
>The sequel still retains the first problem (I don't know why Cruise bothered
>to license the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE name when the films bear no resemblance to
>the show), but problems 2 and 3 are gone. The stuntwork in MI:2 is easily
>some of the best this year, and it's made even more impressive when you take
>into consideration that Cruise is doing almost everything himself. The
>sequence that stands out the most (for me) is the climb at the beginning.
>Just incredible.
**** Yes, imagine what the film would have been with a better story .. WOW !! I was surprised in fact that it wasn't better than that ... I was almost sure I would go as high as 4/5 but it doesn't deserve it due to the weak story. The stunts were impressive though, I was reminded of The matrix sometimes in the sense the film looks amazingly good on screen but I don't really like the story so much !
Still worth watching !
Marc ;-)
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>Hello all, I am calling to all of you for a little help. I am in the process of making a movie. We are at the writing stage right now, and are running out of ideas
>
The story is about a sales office and the one day where every dreaded sales nightmare happens. It is going to be done a way similar to Glengarry Glen Ross ( a movie I think everyone should watch at least once).
>
>So anyway What I am looking for are the real experiences from anyone that has a sales background. You will get mention in the credits if your story is used. Please let me know if you are interested in participating by emailing me at the address below.
>
>Thanks everyone
>
>Tim Jorgensen
o0movie0o
precizion@precizion.com
or
hauntedreview@hauntedreview.com
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Memorable final scenes ...
Date: 19 Dec 2000 18:40:31 -0800
Here's a good Topic ...
Great final scenes ... some movies are really excellent all the way through but the final scene is not really memorable and vice-versa ... in random order ... here are some of my favorite final scenes !
(Of course some great ones will be forgotten but it's just for fun anyway !)
How about your choices ??
- Pulp fiction - 1994 ... the final speech by Samuel L. Jackson to Tim Roth ... "We're gonna be cool ..."
- Seven - 1995 - the entire last part. Spacey in the back of that car, and then how he talks to Pitt ... "Envy is my deadly sin ..."
- A clockwork orange - 1971 ... In the hospital, Malcolm McDowell in bed being fed by the minister ... "You shall have a good job with a salary that is appropriate" ... "What job and how much ??"
- One flew over the cuckoo's nest - 1975 ... The big indian lifting the marble sink and throwing it out that damn window ...
- Happiness - 1998 ... The teenager watching the girl sunbathing outside ... then going back in afterwards ... "I came" ..
'nuff said !!
- The Blair witch project - 1999 .. Heather running down the stairs in a frenzy ...
- The vanishing - 1988 (original european version !) ... Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu looking at the trees he planted in his backyard ...
- Jaws - 1975 ... Roy Sheider aiming at the shark ... and then ... BOOM !!
- Death and the maiden - 1994 ... Ben Kingsley's final speech .. admitting what he did to Sigourney Weaver. "I played music to suit your mind ..."
- Dog day afternoon - 1975 ... "Sal, would you point your gun in the air ... in case we hit a bump on the road ..."
Have a fine day !
Marc ;-)
"...When I ask for a packet of Sweet-And-Low ... that's what
I want ... and it is your responsibility now to see that I get
what I want ... am I clear ??"
Kevin Spacey as "Buddy Ackerman"
"Swimming with sharks" (1994)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Gump : Was it really **that** bad ??
Date: 20 Dec 2000 20:53:21 -0800
The other day I received a message from someone who was claiming that "Forrest Gump" was the ... and I quote ... "Worst movie ever made" and I thought that was really **out there** of course so I deleted that message right away ... but then today at work someone was also saying that Gump was totally awful ... so I was rather surprised ...
>Mentioning "Forrest Gump" as the worst movie ever made is totally ridiculous
>in my opinion, it's an excellent film but it's just not "cool" to admit that
>you like that one, same as "Titanic" for example ... you have to keep it
>hush-hush if you like those two ... it's "cool" to say you like "Dogma" and
>"South park : Bigger, longer and uncut" though ...
>
>4/5 for "Forrest Gump". Excellent film, great acting, dialogues, story,
>neat special effects, the soundtrack
>is amazing too ... some funny moments, some touching
>ones ... I just don't understand why so many people dislike this movie ??
>
>I like it a lot, only loses it a little in the last half hour or so (when
>Gump starts jogging for example ...) but overall it is a great film but you
>can't say that of course ... unless you are not afraid of creating a lil'
>controversy !
>
>hehe !
>
>Have a fine day !
>
>
Marc ;-)
"A guy told me once ... Don't let yourself get attached
to anything you are not willing to walk out on in thirty
seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner ..."
Robert De niro as "Neil McCauley"
"Heat" (1995)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Gump & Paul D.
Date: 21 Dec 2000 08:28:21 -0800
*** Marc ;-)
>I agree. FORREST GUMP is not the worst movie ever made, but that's not
>praise. I didn't like the film, but that doesn't mean I think it was the
>"worst ever."
**** Oh good !! Yes, to be considered for this "Worst film of all times" award a film would have to be sooooooooooo awful ... not necessarely because it's ludicrous though ... I mean "Robot monster" that old sci-fi/horror film from the 50's is LUDICROUS but it still is mighty entertaining ... hehe !! ;-)
>
>[sarcasm]Yes, Marc...you've caught onto me. I say that I didn't like FORREST
>GUMP and TITANIC because I'm trying to be cool.
***** Hehe !! You're so good when use scrcasm !! ;-) Well, it'S "hip" to say you dislike those two, you have to agree with that statement ??
I actually LOVED those
>movies, but I want total strangers on an email list to think I'm hip.
**** I've received a billion e-mails from you so even if I just know your name and location I don't think of you as a total STRANGER ... hehe !! ;-) Well, maybe you try to appear "hip" for your own personal reasons, people get off on all sorts of things, you know ...
I also
>claim to like DOGMA and SOUTH PARK -- but it's all a lie! Once again, I'm
>just trying to get into the "in crowd." It's completely impossible for me to
>actually have formulated those opinions on my own![/sarcasm]
***** Dogma and South park were just examples ... I personally experienced it too .. sending nasty comments about both and then getting nasty replies that were often not even relevant ... Maybe it's a subconscious thing ... you "feel" like you have to like these and dislike the others ... peer pressures, that can happen ! (Is this sarcasm .. Mmmmmmm ... hard to tell !) ;-)
>
>There's been some interesting responses to this thread from those who like
>this film (from various groups):
*** I agree, fun to read those different opinions !
>
>"Whoever says this film is "the worst movie ever made" obviously hasnt seen
>many movies,and is quite dumb." -- TongueXXX
**** I wouldn't say someone disliking this film is dumb ... but saying it is the worst film ever made .. I mean ... come on !
>
>"to a growing minority a film with a STORY that unfurled
>around life lessons might be too much for individuals without moral
>perceptions." -- edward j
>
>"Forrest Gump" is a magnificent movie, but too many people are obsessed with
>plot driven movies over character driven movies" -- Smokefeath
>
>"It seems that there are movies/music/art created every year that achieve
>"popular" success and even though they have redeeming artistic merit they
>become vilified by certain critics or members of the public for no other
>reason than it's financial success." -- Stephen
>
>It's interesting that many of those who enjoyed the film felt the need to
>flame those who dared to disagree with their opinion.
**** Yes, for once it's Mr. Paul D. who is feeling the heat around the corner ... Yay ! Just like my new "quote" down there ... nice change !
Let me tell you
>something...just because I didn't like GUMP doesn't mean I'm dumb, immoral,
>prefer plot-driven films, or hate films that are financially successful. If
>you want to discuss the film, fine, let's discuss the film. There is no need
>to start labeling people.
**** You can hate a film for all sorts of reasons ... yes !
>
>While GUMP was certainly a well-crafted film, it failed for me on several
>levels:
>
>My main objection was that I'd seen it all before. The film owes a lot to
>BEING THERE and (to a lesser extent) ZELIG. Both of those earlier films are
>far superior to GUMP.
***** You can't expect to go in a movie and see something 100% different everytime ... watching a film I am often reminded of other films ... sometimes as many as 6-7-8 if the plot is not very original ... example : "Pitch black" I liked Being there a lot too !
>
>Secondly, the film isn't nearly as clever as it pretends to be: "life is like
>a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get." Actually, a box
>of chocolates is usually clearly labeled as to it's contents, Forrest! Most
>of the so-called "Gumpisms" make no sense if you think about them.
**** Well, inside a box of chocolates there are many different kinds ... and anyway those phrases are not supposed to be analyzed, they're being said by a very simple minded man who is not bothered by all those details ... same as Sellers in Being there ... when he says he likes to watch TV the journalists go crazy thinking he means the information in the newspapers is not worthy of his precious time.
>
>Thirdly, Tom Hanks' performance wasn't that great. Go around the office water
>cooler and ask people to do their impressions of Gump...many of them can get
>it right on. All he did was talk slow and with a heavy southern accent: not
>great acting by any means.
**** hehe !! This made me laugh, it would be fun to do that ... people acting like Gump all day ! Hank is a very good actor, this one was not one of his best performances but even an average one from him is better than the best performance by an ordinary actor.
>
>Finally, I question the message about a character who lucks into success again
>and again. In this world, success comes from hard work. There are too many
>people out there who sit around waiting for their ship to come in, and this
>movie only encourages that sort of behavior.
**** Geeeeesh ... I guess I'll go sit at the park bench in front of that bus stop ... **right about now** ... now why would you write something like that ?? This would NEVER happen !! Not in a million years !!
>
>I should point out one thing: I'm not a baby boomer. I've heard a lot of baby
>boomers praising the film because they feel it represents their lives and
>values accurately. I can appreciate that, but I can't relate. Similar to
>FIGHT CLUB, which struck a chord with Generation X, while baby boomers
>scratched their head in disbelief.
**** I liked both of those films myself.
>
>Not every movie is going to appeal to everybody. I didn't like FORREST GUMP.
>Many people did. But I won't be insulting them: it's counter-productive.
>Instead, I'll agree to disagree.
***** Sure, it's not a battle to the death ... ;-)
Marc ;-)
"A guy told me once ... Don't let yourself get attached
to anything you are not willing to walk out on in thirty
seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner ..."
Robert De niro as "Neil McCauley"
"Heat" (1995)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Revealing too much ??
Date: 21 Dec 2000 11:06:39 -0800
Alright, fine article in the newspaper the other day ...
M. Night Shyamalan (The sixth sense, Unbreakable) was talking about how he tries to tell as little as possible about his movies when he is interviewed ... being careful not to reveal the story in advance ... something I would have appreciated in the case of "Cast away" where you see so much in the trailer and learn about important details while watching multiple interviews as well.
Source : La Presse, dec. 16th, 2000.
"Among Hollywood directors, M. Night Shyamalan is known for being very careful not to reveal a lot about the scenarios of his movies in advance."
"Right up until the release, very few people in Hollywood knew what "Unbreakable" was really about and that was done intentionally in order to avoid details about the plot leaking in the press. It is always better not to say too much says the famous director. I know I wouldn't want to know almost everything about a movie in advance myself."
"Luckily, the studio felt the same and didn't try to force me to accept their ideas on how to market the movie. I had control over the entire production which was great, the fact that "The sixth sense" was a huge success certainly helped. The studio executives had a lot of confidence in me and knew I would be able to make this a successful film in every way."
"The trailer didn't reveal much about the movie and I think this is the way it should be done from now on ... usually trailers are trying to show as much as they can in the shortest possible amount of time and this is exactly what I wanted to avoid ..."
M. Night Shyamalan
Marc ;-)
"A guy told me once ... Don't let yourself get attached
to anything you are not willing to walk out on in thirty
seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner ..."
Robert De niro as "Neil McCauley"
"Heat" (1995)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] RE: Re: *Worst* Movies?
Date: 22 Dec 2000 20:53:39 -0800
*** Marc !
>
>> My standard: A Worst Movie should never have been
>> considered a Best Movie by anyone. My personal candidate for worst
>> movie ever made is Very Bad Things, which was a very bad thing and I
>> doubt that anyone thought it was a very good thing.
>
>For me, VERY BAD THINGS could never be considered the worst movie ever made.
>Sure, it wasn't very good, but for it to be the "worst ever" it would have to
>be incompetent on every level. VERY BAD THINGS might have had a crummy
>screenplay, but the acting was okay (considering what they had to work with)
>and the film was coherent. No real problems technically, either (such as
>boom-in-shot or horrible continuity). In fact, the films biggest weakness is
>that it tried oh-so-hard to be "shocking," but it was only mediocre.
**** The worst movies are my uncle Jack's home movies ... I mean, come on !! Awful "acting", unfunny dialogues ... no script, shaky hand held camera, bad sound, obviously the director has "issues" ... the works !! ;-) (Joking around !!)
I would have to agree that Very bad things was awful as this is one of the 2 or 3 movies to which I gave a 0/5 in 1998 ... it was simply terrible !! Not funny at all, it made me cringe often in fact !! I wouldn't call it the worst movie ever made though .. but it would have a shot at the "worst movie of 1998" in my opinion !!
G'day !
Marc ;-)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] The wizard of Oz - 1940's
Date: 25 Dec 2000 22:04:26 -0800
*** Minor spoilers !! **
Alright, I saw that one entirely for the very first time just now ...
Before I had only seen lil' bits and pieces left and right ...
Another oldie I think is overrated by most people ... I mean what is so special about it ??
I can imagine someone being 5 or 10 years old in 194? loving this one easily ... but I only thought it was mildly interesting myself ;-)
People singing and dancing, rather simple plot, obviously fake painted backgrounds in many scenes, so-so acting ... etc. I was only impressed by a few scenes (and that's because I had in the back of my mind that it was made in the 1940's so I was thinking ... "Wow, this looks pretty good ... for a film made in 194? !!")
The buggers playing The scarecrow, The tin man and the lion king wannabe were all sometimes funny but most of the times they annoyed me slightly with their antics... The witch is also defeated way too easily, it made me go "Oh come on !" .. she's supposed to be evil or sumthin' yet is defeated by someone pouring a glass of ordinary tap water on her face ?? Was that tap water ?? I thought she kind of looked like a shorter (and greener !) Celine Dion anyway ... So I was happy to see her go ! ;-)
I liked some of the songs and the ending though, that lil' Dorothy going back home by tapping her heels and waking up ... "Oh, it was all a dreeeeeam" ... Awhhhhhhhhh !! T'was cute, but I wouldn't watch it more than once ... That lil' dog "Toto" was also a plus !!
2/5 or 2.5/5, depending how generous I feel (or how many glasses of eggnog I had before viewing it !!)
Marc ;-)
"A guy told me once ... Don't let yourself get attached
to anything you are not willing to walk out on in thirty
seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner ..."
Robert De niro as "Neil McCauley"
"Heat" (1995)
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From: "Gregory A. Swarthout" <gregorys@xmission.com>
Subject: Re: [MV] The wizard of Oz - 1940's
Date: 26 Dec 2000 01:24:15 -0700
1939
Marc Claude Desbiens wrote:
>
> *** Minor spoilers !! **
>
> Alright, I saw that one entirely for the very first time just now ...
> Before I had only seen lil' bits and pieces left and right ...
> Another oldie I think is overrated by most people ... I mean what is so special about it ??
>
> I can imagine someone being 5 or 10 years old in 194? loving this one easily ... but I only thought it was mildly interesting myself ;-)
>
> People singing and dancing, rather simple plot, obviously fake painted backgrounds in many scenes, so-so acting ... etc. I was only impressed by a few scenes (and that's because I had in the back of my mind that it was made in the 1940's so I was thinking ... "Wow, this looks pretty good ... for a film made in 194? !!")
>
> The buggers playing The scarecrow, The tin man and the lion king wannabe were all sometimes funny but most of the times they annoyed me slightly with their antics... The witch is also defeated way too easily, it made me go "Oh come on !" .. she's supposed to be evil or sumthin' yet is defeated by someone pouring a glass of ordinary tap water on her face ?? Was that tap water ?? I thought she kind of looked like a shorter (and greener !) Celine Dion anyway ... So I was happy to see her go ! ;-)
>
> I liked some of the songs and the ending though, that lil' Dorothy going back home by tapping her heels and waking up ... "Oh, it was all a dreeeeeam" ... Awhhhhhhhhh !! T'was cute, but I wouldn't watch it more than once ... That lil' dog "Toto" was also a plus !!
>
> 2/5 or 2.5/5, depending how generous I feel (or how many glasses of eggnog I had before viewing it !!)
>
> Marc ;-)
>
> "A guy told me once ... Don't let yourself get attached
> to anything you are not willing to walk out on in thirty
> seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner ..."
From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] The wizard of Oz - 1939
Date: 26 Dec 2000 08:56:27 -0800
***** Marc ;-)
> Marc: First of all the year was 1939
**** Yes, thanks for the precision ... I was thinking it had been made in the early 40's ... some bits are impressive considering it was made such a long time ago ... I am not really a fan of musical films and/or very old films like that one so it was like a "double-whammy" in this case ...
> & secondly this is a fantasy & yu must be able to get in the swing of it, granted it is corny as n can be. & is somewhat overacted.
**** Yes, not surprisingly I have already received mostly negative comments about this message I sent ... well, I kind of knew saying The wizard of OZ is overrated would get me in trouble (again !) hehe !! ;-) I just don't see what it so special about it, I mean it was very watchable, don't get me wrong, I wasn't tempted to turn it off at any time ... but I wasn't so impressed either ! (Surrender, Dorothy ! Great line though !!) ;-)
But the whos who in the cast is what makes this a great film
> Ray Bolger as the Scarecrow was idealy cast
***** Mmmmmm .. he was mostly annoying me with his antics, jumping around acting all goofy... etc. Some funny bits though like when those flying monkees tear him apart ... hehe !!
> Jack Haley replaced Buddy Ebsen as the Tin Man was very funny
**** why wasn't he using his axe more often ?? I thought he was too wimpy myself ... should have been "meaner", kicking some !! I mean a couple of flying monkees oversome him easily ! This is obviously more kid oriented ... Imagine if they remade it today ... who would play Dorothy ?? Angelina Jolie ?? ;-)
> Who can fault the great Frank Morgan as the Wizard
**** Yes, good work by the wizard, I imagine that last speech when he gives the guys and girl their prizes is a classic !
> Margaret Hamiltion as the wicked witch was a senssation
**** Yeah, quite good and "evil" !! ;-)
> & of Course Billie Burke as Glenda was a dream
*** Glen or Glenda ??
>& who else could play Dorothy as well as Judy Garland even tho they had to hide her breasts with tape
**** Mmmmmm ... not sure there ... I thought she was way lovely and cute but she seemed to be "overracting" in part ... reciting her lines a bit ?? I dunno, maybe it was that last shot of eggnog but I was thinking she was a lil' "fox" too ... Why did the wizard want to send her home ?? lol ! ;-)
> Sorry yu did not like it, I am sure we will see many letters sayingnot too nice things about yr comments
***** Yeah, no worries, I am used to creating controversies !!
I didn't hate the film either but I would have to be VERY forgiving to give a high score to this one ... I was only marginally forgiving so I give a marginally good score ... around 2.5/5 ... 2/5 might be pushing it a little ! ;-)
> But I like & respect yu too much to be one of them
> I gave this ***1/2 & I have seen it countless times, I even saw a play version in San Francisco in the 1970`s (it was marvelous
>> as always
Jay Harris
***** Glad you liked it more than I did, Jay ! But you are also more likely to like it considering you are a more .. mmmmmm .. experienced citizen !
Bye bye !
Marc
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Forrest Gump
Date: 27 Dec 2000 13:17:51 -0800
>
>**** Marc ;-)
>
>========================
>
>From Paul D. to Smoke ..
>
>>Happy Holidays to you as well. I guess your right...shame on me for not
>>sharing the same opinions as you! Such a travesty deserves the tirade you
>>spewed against me. No doubt I'll burn in Hell for not liking FORREST GUMP.
>
>**** Yes, when I was reading that original "tirade" from smokefeath I was thinking ... "What the hell !!" ... seemed like he was pushing it quite a bit there ... I mean I agree with that Forrest Gump was a good film (In fact I watched part of it just last night as it was presented on TV here !) but everybody has different ideas about all the movies out there and that one is certainly controversial !! There ways to express yourself too, I have probably locked horns with you, Paul D, more than with anyone else here and yet I still like you ... interested in reading what you have to say ... same as Ebert that was arguing often with Siskel (Not that I am comparing myself to either one .. hehe !!)
>
>
>>All the same, it's no wonder that there are so many more lurkers in the group
>>than active posters. They are afraid of getting attacked for simply sharing
>>their opinions. They see that if somebody disagrees with them they launch
>>into personal attacks instead of friendly debate.
>
>**** Yeah, I agree there ... many people do not post because they don't want to get "flamed" if they say something controversial especially ... like saying a certain ... hum-hum ... "classic film" is overrated ... ;-) Well, I got plenty of messages after that "Wizard of Oz" post, also personal ones that were not posted here and most people said that they were disagreeing with me (except a handful of "braves" !) but most were discussing the issue intelligently .. which was great !! I don't mind people disagreeing as long as they have some kind of argumentation ...
>
>>
>>Oh well. I will still continue to post using my real name rather hiding
>>behind an alias, and by composing my own thoughts rather than copying the
>>reviews of a well-known critic.
>
>**** Well, I don't mind that so much myself ... the part about the alias ... but I clearly recall Mr. Ebert (or was it Siskel ?? Maybe both !) saying he liked "Mimic" and that this was a movie he would like to see again someday, which is quite impressive considering the number of new films out there ... (Siskel also said he watched "The last detail" (1973) maybe 15-20 times ... this encouraged me to search for it and I have to agree it was wonderful ... 4/5, and I've seen it about 3 times since 1994 or 1995)
>
>**** Side note .. talking about movies one sees over and over ... Did you know that Steven Spielberg watches "Duel" (1971 ?) over and over and over ... he watches it at least once every 6 months (since the early 1970's !) Apparently he loved making that one, fine memories so he wants to watch it often !
>
>Have a fine day !
>
>Marc ;-)
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>LONDON, England -- Madonna is reported to have been given a late wedding gift by her new husband, British film director Guy Ritchie -- a starring role in his next film.
>
>The Queen of Pop, who tied the knot with Ritchie in Scotland three days before Christmas, will take the lead role in his latest gangster film called "The Mole," Britain's Daily Mirror tabloid newspaper reported on Wednesday.
>
>"She plays an American girl who comes to England and is caught up in an underworld battle where the hunt is on to find a police informer in one of the gangs," a production insider on the movie told the newspaper.
>
>Madonna, 42, and Ritchie, 32, who directed the successful films "Snatch" and "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" about gun-toting London gangsters, wanted to work together to avoid the pressure of having separate job commitments, according to the Mirror.
>
>The movie will be based in London, where the couple have a home, and filming could start in March. Scripts are being finalised and casting for the film is "nearing completion", the paper said.
>
>The newlyweds are on honeymoon at a 52 acre estate in southern England owned by British pop star, Sting.
>
>Madonna's film career, although less conspicuous and prolific than that of her musical career, has spanned 15 years -- albeit with limited success.
>
>Among her higher profile screen efforts have been major roles in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Who's That Girl (1987), Dick Tracey (1990) and an all-singing performance in Evita (1996).
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] RE:The vanishing - 1988
Date: 28 Dec 2000 13:06:28 -0800
**** Marc ;-)
>> Highly recommended ! 4.5/5
>
>I second Marc's recommendation. The film plays very much like a modern-day
>Dostoyevsky novel.
***** Oh good !! We agree !! Yesssss !! I just read some reviews and the film is compared to the (good) ones made by Alfred Hitchcock, I think Roger Ebert gives it 3 stars out of 4 ... or is it 3.5/4 ... Mmm ... not sure !! It is also known as "Spoorloos" .. original Dutch title.
The characters are well-drawn (and believable) and the
>situations are shocking without being exploitive. The film succeeds on every
>level.
**** Yes, you don't see any blod and guts in this one ... and you know who the kidnapper is early too but it is very suspenceful anyway.
>
>What's interesting to me is that I've only seen the film once, maybe ten years
>ago. Yet I still can remember little details about it.
*** I've seen it about 4 times myself (since I own it it is easy !)
and I agree it is memorable, lots of little details which makes it great even on repeated viewings.
For example, a
>wonderful little scene where a man stops for a female hitchhiker. Out of the
>bushes pops the hitchhiker's boyfriend (hiding to increase the chances of
>getting somebody to stop) and the man drives off.
**** Yes, that was actually quite ironic ... the man stops and suddenly the boy who was hiding behind the bushes appears ... the man calls them "liars" and drives off ... and yet he only stopped because he thought the young woman would be a possible victim !! Mmmmm ... on 2nd thoughts he called them "Cheaters" not "liars" ... (that doesn't make a whole lot of difference anyway !!)
>
>I've never bothered with the remake myself. Make sure you seek out the
>original version, which is available on DVD. In fact, I just added the film
>to my Netflix queue...it's time I watched it again!
**** Oh good !! Glad I inspired you !! Yes, this film is in my Top 50 favorites of all times ... excellent thriller !
Have a fine day !
Marc ;-)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Blink - 1994 - 3/5 (high)
Date: 28 Dec 2000 18:35:04 -0800
<<< Off list : James >>>
***** James, I agree that Blink is a fairly good thriller : My score : 3/5 (high) (This means I was close to 3.5/5 sometimes !) More comments below inside the review.
> What would it be like to lose your sight at the age of eight, then, twenty years later through the miracle of modern medical science, regain it? Wondrous, yes; but perhaps frightening as well. That which was familiar and comfortable in darkness suddenly becomes strange and threatening in light.
>
> As a little girl, Emma Brody (Madeleine Stowe) was blinded by an abusive mother. For twenty years, she has lived in darkness, until an eye surgeon (Peter Friedman) offers her a cornea transplant to restore her vision. With mingled excitement and fear, she allows the operation, first on one eye, then on the other. Initially, her vision is imperfect -- images swim in and out of focus, and she occasionally hallucinates, apparently seeing things up to a day after they occur. Soon after returning to her apartment building, Emma becomes witness to a murder -- sort of. She sees the face of a suspect, but not until the day after the killing. Detective John Hallstrom (Aidan Quinn) doesn't know what to make of Emma's "visions", but she's his only witness in what appears to be a serial killing.
>
> For Blink to work, the viewer has to accept a rather dubious plot device: that Emma's eye/brain coordination is so screwed up that it occasionally takes as much as a full day before she recognizes a face. Those that find this to be a tremendously silly proposition will have difficulty wading through the movie's improbabilities. Fortunately, director Michael Apted has the skill to mask such an unlikely premise with flair.
**** I read somewhere that this could actually happen so for me it wasn't so far fetched.
>
> With the exception of some insipid dialogue (snippets of which infect the entire production), Blink starts out well. It's intriguing to follow the process of a blind woman regaining her sight. Apted tries to present the world from her perspective, but, while this is interesting in the beginning, he does it a little too often.
**** That didn't bother me so much ... I liked how we were often seeing thigs through Emma's eyes.
>
> The "thriller" portion of the story takes a while to get going, with the first twenty minutes devoted to setup. When the killer is eventually introduced, it occurs in a chilling scene, helped in part by Brad Fiedel's cacophonous music and some intriguing camerawork. Much of the plot follows a fairly standard formula -- cop and victim meet, argue, then fall in love -- but every time Blink looks like its going to fall into a typical cliche, it somehow avoids the trap. That's not to say that there aren't times when things become predictable, but at least the ending shows a little originality, and the motive is unique.
**** Mmmmmm ... I disagree here as I found the ending very predictable and unoriginal ... seen endings like this one
before ...
>
> Madeleine Stowe's Emma is a rarity -- a strong-willed victim who isn't afraid to fight back without the support of a man. At times, Hallstrom seems almost superfluous. In fact, one could almost make a case for a role-reversal -- Emma is Blink's central character and the detective is her love interest.
**** Yeah, I liked Madeleine Stowe in this role ... she is strong despite her disability (at the beginning of the film at least !)
>
> Stowe portrays Emma as forthright and independent, adequately conveying the mixed emotions that result from her newfound sense of sight. Nevertheless, there's an occasional lack of passion in the performance, which results in certain scenes where she isn't convincing. Throughout her career, Stowe has excelled in supporting roles. Placed in the lead for the first time, some of her faults are magnified.
**** Mmmmmm ... I like her more than you do ... she's not as "falshy" as others but I can name several films that I liked where she appeared ... Stakeout, 12 monkees, Unlawful entry, Blink ... I even liked "Bad girls" (Hanging my head down in SHAME !!)
>
> Aidan Quinn is a nonentity. His character isn't particularly likable, as is made apparent in the opening scene, but Quinn vacillates between playing Hallstrom as an arrogant jerk and a sensitive hero. The screenplay is undoubtedly part of the problem -- writer Dana Stevens has trouble with character consistency -- but Quinn never gets a good handle on his role.
**** Yes, that part of the story was a bit hard to swallow ... not **another** love-story ... it was cute in part though but could have been cut, this would have allowed the suspense part of the story to be enhanced (after all this is indeed a thriller, no ??)
>
> Michael Apted, best known for his documentaries (The 7 Up series and Incident at Oglala), develops a fine atmosphere, creating an ominous, strange Chicago. Unfortunately, Apted isn't as strong directing actors as he is setting a mood.
**** Wild mood swings ??
>
> Blink offers a reasonable one-hundred six minutes worth of entertainment, with a few chills but not many surprises. Although this isn't a breakthrough performance for Madeleine Stowe, she pulls off the role of Emma with conviction. Still, except for the haunting and claustrophobic atmosphere, there's little of note here. This is adequate film noir -- nothing more, nothing less.
From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] The Top Films of the Decade
Date: 28 Dec 2000 23:12:50 -0800
> I am often accused of not liking anything made the in 1990s, which is not
>true.
***** Mmmmmm ... are you suuuuuure ?? ;-)
The statute of limitations has expired on this list I
>prepared for my paper at the end of last year: The 100 Best Movies of the
>1990s.
*** You mean you actually found 100 films from the 90's that you REALLY liked ?? I was kind of expecting you to say .. "Oh, I only found 23 films from the '90s that were worth mentioning ... nothing else is worth seeing more than once ... bla-bla" ;-)
I was somewhat hesitant to post this list for fear that the good
>detectives will strip me of my very protected anonymity, but I'll risk it.
***** Question I know you won't answer : Why is it so crucial to remain anonymous ?? Are you afraid we'll STALK 'ya ?? hehe !!
Adding ratings below inside your list ! Not a lot of comments since we discussed a lot of these films already.
===============================================
Mr. smokefeath's ... 100 Best Movies of the 1990s
>
>1. Schindler's List (1993) 4.5/5
>2. Unforgiven (1992) 3.5/5
>3. American Beauty (1999) 5/5
>4. GoodFellas (1990) 5/5
>5. Breaking the Waves (1996) 4.5/5
>6. Toy Story (1995) 2.5/5
>7. Fargo (1996) 5/5
>8. The Piano (1993) 1/5 could not finish it, I was simply too bored, sorry.
>9. The Player (1992) 3.5/5
>10. Aladdin (1992) not seen, Disney and animated.
>11. L.A. Confidential (1997) 3.5/5
>12. After Life (1999) not seen
>13. Pulp Fiction (1994) 5/5
>14. Reservoir Dogs (1992) 5/5
>15. Three Colors: Red (1994) 2.5/5
>16. Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) not seen, the subject matter is a natural "repellant" ...
>17. Thelma & Louise (1991) 2.5/5
>18. All About My Mother (1999) 2.5/5, oh is this overrated or what !! That Pedro Almodovar, I just don't "get" it ... this film is a mess filled with all sorts of freaky people.
>19. Babe (1995) 2.5/5
>20. Short Cuts (1993) 4/5
>21. The Usual Suspects (1995) 3.5/5
>22. Toy Story 2 (1999) not seen, not really interested either.
>23. Visions of Light: The Art of Cinematography (1993) not seen
>24. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 5/5
>25. Beauty and the Beast (1991) not seen ... D&A (disney & Animated)
>26. Secrets & Lies (1996) 3.5/5
>27. Saving Private Ryan (1998) 4/5
>28. The Dreamlife of Angels (1998) 3.5/5
>29. Crumb (1995) 4/5
>30. The Story of Qiu Ju (1993) not seen
>31. Before the Rain (1995) not seen
>32. Being John Malkovich (1999) 4.5/5
>33. Shakespeare in Love (1998) 2.5/5
>34. The Truman Show (1998) 4/5
>35. The Fugitive (1993) 4/5
>36. Groundhog Day (1993) 3/5 Wow, isn't this high ??
#36 of the 1990's ?? It's a good film but not **that** good.
>37. Election (1999) 4/5
>38. Out of Sight (1998) 2.5/5, mmmmmm ... I want to see that one again though ... but my highest score would probably be 3/5.
>39. La Belle Noiseuse (1991) not seen
>40. Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) 2.5/5
>41. Three Colors: Blue (1994) 2.5/5
>42. Farewell, My Concubine (1993) not seen
>43. Life Is Beautiful (1998) 3.5/5
>44. Hoop Dreams (1994) not seen, beasketball films = repellant.
>45. The Celebration (1998) 5/5
>46. The Straight Story (1999) 3.5/5
>47. Mother and Son (1998) ... do you mean Some mother's son ?? 3.5/5
>48. The Iron Giant (1999) not seen, although I will after the talks we had the other day.
>49. Central Station (1998) 3.5/5
>50. Heavenly Creatures (1994) 2.5/5, another one I'd like to see again though.
>51. Happiness (1998) 5/5
>52. Delicatessen (1991) not seen
>53. One False Move (1992) 3.5/5, good pick !
>54. Husbands and Wives (1992) 3.5/5, probably my favorite Allen film.
>55. The Crying Game (1992) 3/5
>56. The Thin Red Line (1998) 4/5
>57. The Grifters (1990) 2.5/5
>58. The Blair Witch Project (1999) Wow ... surprised, I am. 4.5/5
>59. The Long Day Closes (1992) not seen
>60. The Matrix (1999) 3/5
>61. The Insider (1999) 4/5
>62. Seven (1995) 5/5
>63. Boys Don't Cry (1999) 4.5/5
>64. The Sweet Hereafter (1997) 4/5
>65. Trainspotting (1996) 5/5
>66. Topsy-Turvy (1999) not seen, not my type of film, wherE's the "nastiness" ??
>67. Shine (1996) same, these films are hard for me to watch .. artsy fancy stuff ... The piano lesson, Topsy turvy, Basquiat, etc.
I don't really care for movies about artsy people, except maybe singers ...
>68. Donnie Brasco (1997) 3.5/5
>69. Howards End (1992) not seen
>70. The Madness of King George (1994) not seen
>71. The General (1998) not seen
>72. The Last Seduction (1994) 4/5, good pick ! that John Dahl made some excellent film noir films. Where's Red rock west ?
>73. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) 2.5/5
>74. The People Vs. Larry Flynt (1996) 4/5
>75. Barton Fink (1991) 3.5/5
>76. Black Robe (1991) not seen
>77. City of Hope (1991) not seen
>78. Rosetta (1999) oh good ! 4.5/5
>79. Speed (1994) 4/5
>80. The Opposite of Sex (1998) 3/5
>81. Braveheart (1995) 4.5/5, this should be higher !
>82. Once Were Warriors (1995) 3.5/5, excellent pick though !
>83. Elizabeth (1998) 3/5
>84. The Wedding Banquet (1993) not seen
>85. Casino (1995) 5/5 would be in my top 5 !
>86. The Lion King (1994) not seen .. D&A (not T&A)
>87. Ulee's Gold (1997) 3.5/5, good !
>88. Ermo (1995) not seen ... But I know "Elmo" ;-)
>89. As Good As It Gets (1997) 3.5/5
>90. Mrs. Brown (1997) not seen A lot of those period pieces turn me off.
>91. The Full Monty (1997) 3.5/5
>92. Strictly Ballroom (1993) not seen
>93. The Sixth Sense (1999) 4/5
>94. Antonia's Line (1996) not seen
>95. Run Lola Run (1999) 4.5/5
>96. Pretty Village Pretty Flame (1997) not seen
>97. Three Kings (1999) 3/5, good first half but then it is on a downhill !
>98. Kolya (1997) not seen
>99. The Best Intentions (1992) not seen
>100 Felicia's Journey (1999) 4/5 .. oh come on ... #100 ?? Way too low ! ;-)
>
> The decade seemed to get better as it went along with the last two years
>comprising 32, or almost a third, of all the films on the list. Cheers and
>happy new year's everyone.
***** Overall, I liked most of the films you mentioned, giving 3/5 or more to most of them, with some glitches here and there but that was expected, in fact I am surprised to find a title like "Speed" in there ... I think we discussed this subject matter already as I have a Top 50 or Top 60 of the 90's somewhere in my archives ... but anyway !
Marc ;-)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] Favorite films 1 of 2.
Date: 29 Dec 2000 12:04:32 -0800
**** Marc ;-) Thanks for the nice reply Mr. Smokefeath, I shall add lil' comments below ... I prefer "nasty" films as you probably noticed, not too many Topsy-Turvy-Toy-Story-Aladdin-Babe-Sleepless-In-Seattle type on my list ...
> 2- Leaving Las Vegas - 1996 ***
** this is a 5/5 for me, I just love it (even if it is very depressing !!)
> 9- Natural born killers - 1994 **
**** Hard to take in part but I liked it more the 2nd time I saw it ... and more the third time too ... Plus I like both Tarantino and Oliver Stone a lot.
> 11-Dead man walking - 1995 ***
**** Mmmmm ... you're a bit harsh ! What's wrong with this movie ?? Great acting, story, dialogues, direction, even the music is "ace" .. I bought the CD.
> 13-Bound - 1996 ***
*** I just love those twisted tales .. 5/5
> 17-True romance - 1993 ***
**** again, written by Tarantino, for some reason this is a guilty pleasure film .. seen it on numerous occasions, very "rewatchable" ... 5/5 !
> 20-The shawshank redemption - 1994 **
**** most people love this one, 4.5/5 for me.
> 23-Curdled - 1996 *
** 1/5 ?? Gasp ! Great story, music ... I like the lead actress in the lead too, forgot her name but she was also in Pulp as the cab driver giving a ride to Bruce Willis.
> 24-High art - 1998 **
**** Do you have something against lesbians in films ?? Bound 3/5, High art 2/5 ... I give 5/5 and 4.5/5 to those two ...
> 25-Clandestins - 1997 (in french !) Stoaways (Title of the version with
> english subtitles) (not seen)
**** 90% of the film is set inside a container on a ship ... around 6-7 people inside trying to cross illegally from Belgium to Canada ... very dark the whole time of course as they only have a couple of flashlights in there ... the problem is once they are in the middle of the Atlantic ocean, the ship has technical problems and has to stop for several days ... slowly but surely the people trapped inside the container are running out of food and water ... this is GRIM and Disturbing in part ... unforgettable too .. won several prizes.
4.5/5
>
> 27-My cousin Vinny - 1992 **
**** One of my favorite comedies. 4.5/5 Plus I like Pesci a lot.
> 28-Citizen Ruth - 1996 **
**** Same. 4.5/5 Laura Dern is a riot.
> 31-Apollo 13 - 1995 ***
**** I give it a 4.5/5, what are the problems with this film ?? It's really a great one ... hard to find any flaws even if I'm a nitpicker sometimes !
> 32-To die for - 1995 **
**** Dark humor used often ... I like those types of films ...
> 33-Return to paradise - 1998 *
**** Yes, I was very surprised I liked this one a whooooole lot ... 4/5 ... Anne Heche, vince Vaughn .. Plus the story is very intriguing. I like it more than the original french film : "Force majeure"
> 37-Kingpin - 1996 *
**** 4.5/5, hilarious comedy and usually I don't even like "silly" stuff ... this one has plenty but it is so amusing, everybody I know loves this one, much better than There's something about Mary also by the Farrelli bros.
> 38-Killing Zoe -1994 **
**** It's NASTY, again Tarantino and Roger Avary ... Julie Delpy, she's such a DOLL too !
> 40-Glengarry Glen Ross - 1992 ***
**** Wonderful dialogues, acting ... I've seen it twice within a week about 4 or 5 months ago ...
>
> 44-Ransom - 1996 **
*** Yeah, I won't argue too much, I like it more than most people .. only "loses it" in the last 15 minutes or so ... the ending is so terrible .. this one was MEANT to end with the bad guy winning ... I would have preferred that instead of the usual "Hollywood" ending.
> 47-Boogie nights - 1997 ***
** Paul Thomas Anderson, 'nuff said ! (Right, Mike ??) ;-)
Ok, I'll continue a bit later with the 2nd half ... byyyyyye !
Marc ;-)
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From: "Marc Claude Desbiens" <marcdesbiens@apolloguide.com>
Subject: [MV] RE: Re: Favorite films 2of 2
Date: 29 Dec 2000 13:47:44 -0800
... Continuing ...
*** Marc ;-)
>> 52-Frantic - 1988 ** (Why is this included in films of the 90s?)
**** Too much eggnog
>> 54-Scream - 1996 **
**** Very good horror film, the sequels are not as effective of course but the original is fun.
>> 55-Carlito's way - 1993 **
**** I really like that one, Pacino, Penn, De Palma, Is that Penelope Ann Miller ... oh my !
>>
>> 56-Buffalo '66 - 1998 **
*** This is way too low ! 2/5 ?? 4/5 is more appropriate ! ;-)
>> 61-Kalifornia - 1993 *
*** Not a bad "road movie" with a twist .. plus it's NASTY ... some people wouldn't finish it, in fact I know a few who said they couldn't ! "Got 'em both on the dead run"
>> 62-This boy's life - 1993 *
*** Leonardo DiCaprio is good, I know I'm not supposed to do that but I do think he is a good actor. ;-)
>> 66-Sea of love - 1990 (You also have this as No. 43)
**** Yes, sorry, that was my mistake, the list was expanded from 50 to 100 titles and a couple of titles appeared twice.
>> 69-Scent of a woman - 1992 **
**** Do you dislike Pacino or what ?? Carlito's way and now this one too ??
>> 72-Pecker - 1998 *
**** this was very funny and entertaining .. I mean "tea bagging" come on .. I was laughing out loud and as you know I don't really like a whole lot of comedies ... plus someone actually says "It's the pubic hair of a lesbian stripper !!!" .. 'nuff said ! ;-) I like Christina Ricci a lot as you may have noticed as well (Ice storm, Buffalo '66, Pecker, etc.)
>> 79-Sleepers - 1996 *
**** Yes, 1/5 is extremely low but I know most people don't like this one.
>> 80-Post mortem - 1999 (in french !) * (if this is the Albert Pyun-directed
>>film with Charles Sheen, otherwise not seen)
**** Nah, not that one, the other one ... ;-) Great french canadian film, won many awards ... 4/5 Marvelous film by a first time director too.
>>
>> 83-A Bronx tale - 1993 **
*** Deniro, Palminteri & company I like those mob films most of the times.
>> 85-A perfect murder - 1998 *
**** What do you think of Dial M for murder ?? 4/5 for both the original and the remake in my case. I like Douglas a lot too ...
1/5 is way too harsh, aren't you exaggerating because you were offended that they remade a classic ?? Sticking it to them ??
Same as when they remade Psycho in 1998, I mean you can't possibly make a bad film with such a story ... would you say the "new" Psycho is a 1/5 film ?? I don't mind remakes of great films myself.
>>
>> 86-Freeway - 1995 *
**** Reese witherspoon is among my favorite actresses.
>> 89-No - 1998 (in french !) ** (Since you are from Canada, this film will
>>mean more to you than those in the outside world)
**** True. This is a film by Robert Lepage (do you know him ?)
I liked all the films he made too ... No : 4/5 Le confessional : 3.5/5 Le polygraphe : 3/5 ... he is also involved in the theater world.
>> 93-Gia - 1998 (not seen--is this a made-for-tv movie?)
** Yes, with Angelina Jolie, HBO production ??
>> 94-A shock to the system - 1990 *
**** 4/5, I also loaned my copy of it to friends and they loved it ... you are rather harsh ... a 1/5 rating should be reserved for a film that is really terrible ... hard to imagine someone disliking this film so much.
B'bye !
Marc
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